Rick Perry, "Second Coming of Ronald Reagan"? Well, If It's In Newsweek.

By Robert Wilonsky Mon., Apr. 19 2010 at 8:49 AM

Categories: Politics

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Maybe you've seen the latest issue of Newsweek on newsstands -- that cover's hard to miss. It's kind of the all-Texas issue, matter of fact, with Evan Smith contributing this piece about the hubbub over the high-school social-studies curriculum and Daniel Gross's essay about how "the Texas turnaround may help lead the nation's economic turnaround."

But the Rick Perry piece, featuring an interview conducted by Texas Tribune editor Smith, is the centerpiece of the package. It paints Democratic gubernatorial contender Bill White as "President Obama without the good looks and charisma" and Perry as, um, "messiah" and "redeemer." As in:

Raised in a ranch house with no running water in the West Texas town of Paint Creek, yell leader at Texas A&M, Air Force pilot, longest serving governor in Texas history. Ruggedly handsome in a Marlboro Man sort of way, with a rich mane of brown hair, slightly tinged with silver gray. Perry, 60, stands for less government and more growth, for freedom and against bureaucracy, for Texas and against Washington. It's a message that has made him a very popular politician in Texas, particularly among conservative white males.

And if he's good for Texas, why not America? Could Perry be the second coming of Ronald Reagan, the plain-spoken man from the West who presided over a new "Morning in America" by cutting taxes, reducing government (well, promising to), and standing tall against the nation's enemies? As the tea-party movement gains momentum, as more Americans are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, Perry is their kind of hero, an avatar of a lost age that could come again, if only Washington politicians and other undesirables were put in their place.

Here's Smith's full Q&A with the governor, which was posted this morning.

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Not even close. Reagan slashed regulations and thus government. Reagan increased tax REVENUES by decreasing tax RATES. Spending increased only to build up the military that Carter nearly destroyed. The end result was the entire collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall - freeing HUNDREDS of MILLIONS from slavery of the communist system.
Tom, the bank bailouts also happened. Obama did a 180 on the war and most see that the two party system is a rouse. But, I'm sure it's much easier to blame it on racism. If you have a political synapse you might try to split off the tea partiers. Many of them are anti-war, perhaps they can be split off actually increasing support for liberal candidates. But the problem is there are no liberal candidates. All the candidates that "have a chance" are compromised and sold out. So, you can foster enmity, or you can try to bridge the divide. As Van Morrison sang, "meet them half way with love, peace and persuasion and expect them to rise to the occasion." The racist element likely can't be reformed, but there are those who want tough legislation crafted, want cuts to the security state, want to see drugs legalized. Further, the death penalty is a waste of gov't money, as are prisons, corporate socialism and the like. If you would try to articulate these points you might find more traction than calling racists and those who aren't racist, "Racists." Either way, you will persuade no one.
If you're not alarmed by the direction the lunatic fringe of American politics is headed, you're not paying attention. For eight years, while George W. Bush drove our economy into the ditch, these knuckleheads were silent. The moment a black guy became president the "Tea Party" exploded in rage - but I'm sure that is just a coincidence. http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com Tom Degan Goshen, NY
Larry, sorry but the problem is that Perry is only charisma, there ain't nuthin else. Bush, you have to admit had the same trait. They don't have the interest or intellect to follow real policy but they were both literally cheerleaders. Texas is working despite Perry, but fortunately the Texas Governor is a fairly feckless seat. Like Bush, cloistered in the Texas Governor's mansion is a prime perch for the Presidency. Perry would seem credible on fiscal restraint, would have foreign policy experience since he's seen and battled perhaps the most pernicious war America faces, the dreaded war on terror. Perry stands tall, fearless of the warlords that target women and each other. I hate to say it, but he could really give Romney a run for his money. After all, Romney as MA governor pushed for their predecessor to Obamacare. Certainly Obamacare will be a rallying cry for Republicans. It's not unimaginable that Perry could win the Rep. ticket.
How can Perry be considered a small-government conservative when he's spending million in taxpayer dollars to keep the Forensic Science Commission from simply hearing a single report that it's already paid for? I realize it's because he wants to cover-up his belief that he presided over the execution of an innocent person, but do we really want a guy who thinks he executed an innocent man, even if his decision was based at least in part on counsel provided by David Medina (who would go on to himself be indicted in an arson-related charge and only beat the charge by relying on advances in fire science that he, himself, dismissed in the Willingham case). It's great that Governor Perry has a conscience and believes that he presided over the execution of an innocent man (there's no other reason to work so hard to derail the commission's work), but it's bad for the state's finances when we're the ones paying for his cover-up.
Sorry Coleman that you don't have any better critique of my concerns than comparing me to an old man cartoon character. I love "The Simpsons," but I know the old ad hominem attack sure is a lot easier than developing a reasoned, logical response. I bet you can think harder than that. Just give it a try. Would love to hear what you have to say ;)
Any time people like Jumpmore make posts on here, I immediately imagine it being spoken in the voice of Abraham Simpson.
Rick Perry is the second serving of horse manure... All talk,,,,another say anything to get elected....after his rise via bush we need leaders not talkers...he has served to long already...like reagan small govt bs. made the govt bigger than ever...when will the people learn to read not just believe this unadulterated manure from these politicians...
A good limited-government conservative is always a good thing to find. Government will have to shrink in the future, as we can't afford what we have, much less the deficit-exploding policies of the current administration (see health care) that makes the last administration�s deficit spending look like the work of amateurs. At least Iraq is coming to a close. And the current administration has validated the importance of the conflict in Afghanistan. Societal entitlements never end, and just grow and gorw in cost over time. Eventually you run out of other people's money to pay for free stuff for those dependent on the govermment. People will have to do more on their own. Government will have to decrease the number of functions it currently performs. Government cannot, and should not, be seen as the solution of all societal ills and unfairness. It is imperfect, inefficient, and a necessary evil. We have to have it to prevent anarchy, but it cannot be allowed to seduce people with a promise of life-long succor. Perry isn�t perfect, and he isn�t Reagan. But he is right. Government is making promises it cannot keep without enacting HUGE tax increases. That has to stop. I will pay the taxes I am paying now (I think they are fair), but I will NOT pay what will be demadned of me to continue endless deficit-spending into the future. Perry give voice to this frustration. Thus he will POUND White in a GOP-favorable November.
Perry was endorsed by Palin. Case closed. The teabaggers can have them both.
What version of "Ronald Reagan" are we attempting to resurrect exactly? This is getting to be a really bad re-make of "Weekend at Bernies" where they continually trot out the poor man's corpse to get another photo-op and say a few mis-quoted words on behalf of what they believe were his ideals.
Hey Neidermeyer!
Toots, Perry would attack Alaska for their oil.
Perry as President? Sounds like fun. Don't get me wrong, he is a grade "A" idiot but there would not be a dull momment. I bet he would even attack Canada.
All you people who are so sick of Texans being portrayed as Cowboy hat wearing, pistol shooting yahoos in the national media, stop voting for these right wing extremists.
@Montemalone: When a politician says he's "anti-government", he's LYING.
I am a conservative, and Rick Perry is no Ronald Reagan. If the Democrats would quit running people the voters find scarier than another term of Rick Perry, he would already be gone. As it is, I will be voting for whoever the Libertarians run because I find all of the other candidates disgusting.
I say we quit admitting clueless reporters across the state line. The "mountain views" from N. Dallas were bad enough, and now this contrived bandwagon jumping...in this case, I do blame the press. In my initial skim, no mention of the rampant cronyism that's threatening to derail higher learning; no mention of the wasted millions in US taxpayer money that went to anti-alien radar stations on the border, and fancy cop gear to get border sheriffs to appear at press conferences with him; no mention of his inability to countenance pardoning, posthumously, a proven innocent man who died in prison. But we got the boots picture on the cover!
Bill White has more charisma in his little finger than that jackdonkey Perry could ever hope to have.
More like the second coming of Ronald McDonald.
Ya have to love the neo-con$, always trying to redress the proverbial old grey wolf in bloodied sheeps clothing. It makes me chuckle seeing all the old southern white folks in the Teabaggers Party up in arms that an educated man of color actually got healthcare reform through the channels of government easier than they did, as well as their inability grasping the fact that the middle class do deserve a cut in their taxes and making sure banks and other financial instutuions are responsible with our money. Perry, for some of these old timers, is the "White Knight", who would bring about the same idiocracy his friend and fellow meathead Geo. W. Bush brought to office over a decade ago. If people are smart, we'll vote out this moron come november...
It would be funny to sneak in just before press time and replace the headline Don't Mess With Texas with Perry: Pompous Bully or Pigheaded Butcher? As soon as he saw it, he'd get so mad! I'll bet he'd punch an aide on his nose then cry.
The actual Ronald Reagan grew the government, increased both taxes and spending, and I'm pretty sure that Reagan never publicly advocated secession while he was governor. Also, Ronald Reagan was in plenty of bad movies while Perry only has "Man of the House" on his resume.
What that article most likely fails to mention is that a pretty significant portion of Texas is sick and tired of Governor Goodhair and would like his ass tossed out of office. Also, if memory serves, there were quite a few Americans who were "mad as hell" during the last Republican presidential tenure over the various missteps of that administration. You just can't please all the people all the time. There will always be someone around to piss and moan about something.
Perry is all about less government, assuming less government includes bullying for power and forcing organizations to place his friends in high places.
As the late, great Mollie Ivins once said, "When I tell you not to elect another President from Texas, you listen to me." What an embarassment Rick Perry is.
" as more Americans are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore" About what exactly? And what are they being forced to take now? Taxes are lower now under Obama than they have been in 60 years. Obama hasn't started two unfathomably expensive wars, some actual progress was made on heath reform, it is really starting to look like we will make some badly needed progress on financial reform.
Wow, that first paragraph of the Newsweek clip looked like it was hard to type with one hand.
Why are the anti-government guys always trying so hard to get in and stay in?