Perry, Palin: fish or cut bait!

It’s time for Governor Sarah Palin and Governor Rick Perry to fish or cut bait. Conservatives must begin the process of forming a coalition that can beat Obama. Like everyone else in the Nation, I’m waiting for an announcement from one or both, declaring their candidacy for the Republican nomination for President.

However, Conservatives must remember that we are first of all Conservatives, not Palin-supporters or Perry-supporters. Our true enemy is big government and threats to our Conservative ideals. We must strive to conduct the 2012 Primary in order to build up and not tear down fellow Conservatives and avoid writing the Dem’s ads or making the progressive spoilers stronger.

Today, Governor Palin “reTweeted” an essay written by one of her supporters on the blog Conservatives4Palin. The article is absolutely more pro-Palin than anti-anyone, and rightly praises her for her accomplishments  in her two years in office in Alaska.  Unfortunately, the fact that she shared the piece is being touted as proof that Governor Palin will run and/or will not endorse Governor Perry.

If we are going to begin to compare the candidates, I would like to see a true comparison that properly evaluates Governor Perry’s 10 years in office:

1. that doesn’t mix liabilities and debt

• Texas has  a Constitution that requires a balanced budget.
• Texas does not allow the Governor a line item veto.
• Occasionally, we have to dip into our “rainy day fund” for Katrina, Rita, Ike, wildfires and other unexpected expenses.
• Governor Perry oversaw two years of hard cuts in Texas, in 2003 and 2011.

2. the equivalent calculation considering relative population through the years and in light of Texas’ originally higher population compounded by growth of approximately 1000 a day, mostly from people who move here from other parts of the US,

3. the relative burden of illegals crossing the Rio Grande

• The Feds impede our State’s attempt to identify and deport illegals.
• We are forced to educate and provide healthcare, food stamps.
• Our State must pay for law enforcement when other crimes are committed.
• Governor Perry has waged constant fights to control our Border. Governor Perry has had to deploy Texas Rangers to assist the Border Patrol,fight off claims that the drug cartels are of no concern in South Texas,finally persuaded the Feds to send us 2 (maybe 3) of 6 unmanned drones and 250 of the grudgingly deployed 1200 National Guard troops sent to assist the Border Patrol, andmanaged to get their stay extended when Obama tried to remove them after less than 6 months.

4. the Federal  Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security policy of transporting illegals from all areas of the US to Texas prior to deportation.

• Texas has eleven (11) ICE detention facilities where the detainees are often criminals from other States.  Alaska has none – 0. California, 6 and Arizona, 5.
• The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have been dismissing these cases in large numbers over the last 2 years, releasing illegals into our State.
• Our courts and State bear up under the backlog, with legal costs and law enforcement expenses.
• ICE Detention Centers list here.
•  Here is a Houston Chronicle article on the dismissal of several thousand cases and anticipation of up to 17,000 of 23,000 pending cases last August, 2010. Note these are often people convicted in other States who served time in prison and then transported to the detention centers, according to this article.

(edited at 5 AM, to add note that “Texas does not allow the Governor a line item veto.” BBN)