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The war of words between Rick Perry and Barack Obama

August 17, 2011

  Immediately following Rick Perry’s announcement that he was entering the presidential race the Obama regime went on the attack by releasing a statement attacking Rick Perry’s record as governor of Texas, while claiming that he would continue the failed policies of President Bush and the Republicans.

  And then the “charming” woman with the “dazzling smile,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, actually tried to claim that Rick Perry did not deserve credit for the job growth in Texas, while claiming that the true credit for the job growth in Texas belonged to Barack Obama. This is interesting because Barack Obama is trying to deflect the blame for the stagnant economy in the rest of the country; he can’t have it both ways.

  It didn’t take long for Rick Perry to fire an opening salvo at Ben Bernanke by claiming that Bernanke would be treated ugly in Texas and claiming the Federal Reserve’s policy bordered on treason because of the Obama regime penchant for printing money the country doesn’t have. Barack Obama, playing the disciplinarian father figure, quickly warned Rick Perry to watch what he says. and Rick Perry fired back at Barack Obama stating that:

Yesterday, the President said I needed to watch what I say. I just want to respond back, if I may. Mr. President, actions speak louder than words. My actions as Governor are helping create jobs in this country. The President’s actions are killing jobs

  In my opinion round one went to Rick Perry, he came out swinging and backed Barack Obama into a corner with a roundhouse and when Barack Obama tried to counter Rick Perry delivered the knock out blow by highlighting his success in creating jobs in Texas as compared to Barack Obama’s failure to create jobs in the rest of the nation.

  It is obvious that the gloves are now off and there is a brewing battle looming between Rick Perry and Barack Obama; it is also apparent that Barack Obama is afraid of Rick Perry because he provides a stark contrast to Obama when it comes to the economy and job creation.

  I have to say that it is quite refreshing to see a man step into the spotlight and say exactly what is on his mind. While most of the other Republican candidates are afraid to come out with guns blazing, that is exactly what Rick Perry has done. And it is clear he will be on his own because we know the other Republicans running for president are too scared to actually say anything without viewing it through a political prism first; and we also know from the reaction of establishment Republicans such as Karl Rove–who took Rick Perry to task for his comments on the Federal Reserve–that he can’t count on them as they look to protect the status quo.

  And then, of course, there is the media which is already trying to convince Rick Perry to tone it down by claiming his Texas style rhetoric will not play on a national level. I disagree because I feel the American people are clamoring for a person who will bring some passion and some conviction to this presidential race; and I also feel as if the media knows this and is trying to make him less effective by convincing him to tone it down. And just in case Rick Perry doesn’t take the media’s “advice” MSNBC has taken it upon themselves to edit a video of Rick Perry to make it seem as if he is a racist.

  I have not made up my mind on Rick Perry yet; I still feel there are some questions about his past positions which I must come to grips with before I can vote for him, but I do love the bravado he brings to an otherwise lackluster group of candidates.

26 Comments leave one →
  1. Harrison's avatar
    August 17, 2011 9:43 pm

    Obama has extremely thin skin and he likes to make everything about himself. He will likely continue to bristle at Perry’s attacks and portray himself as the “moderate” and reasonable man to gain sympathy. Perry should tone it down a bit even though he is not that kind of a guy.

    The straight talk is nice to hear but the problem with it is few politicians ever really get anything done that way.

    Like

    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 6:33 am

      Good points Harrison; Obama might actually be able to portray himself as a moderate if Perry keeps up the attacks. Obama ran as a moderate in the last election but I am not sure that will work this time because now he has a record to run on and he shohuld be judged on that and not on what he says this time around.

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      • Harrison's avatar
        August 19, 2011 5:25 pm

        Obama tried to portray himself as the “moderate” in the debt negotiations which is why, I suspect, he didn’t directly put forth a plan on his own. Obama even likes to compare himself to Ronald Reagan.

        I just am not so sure Rick Perry is going to be someone who will wear well with Americans over the next 15 months.

        I did like Perry’s response that he cared more about the country than Obama’s feelings.

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      • Steve Dennis's avatar
        August 20, 2011 7:29 am

        Yes and now with some on the left upset with Obama on the debt ceiling he may be able to once again portray himself as a moderate. We will have to wait and see on Perry I guess, perhaps his act will wear thin.

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  2. bunkerville's avatar
    bunkerville permalink
    August 17, 2011 9:58 pm

    It’s a hoot seeing Perry mess inside Obama’s head. Zero will never hold up to criticism. Narcissists are that way. He will melt like the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of OZ.. and that is where we are right now. Oz

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    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 6:34 am

      This could get very interesting indeed; Obama isn’t used to people questioning him and he just might not handle it very well.

      Like

  3. Otis P. Driftwood's avatar
    Otis P. Driftwood permalink
    August 17, 2011 11:06 pm

    Rick Perry, to an extent, is a breath of fresh air. And the more he gets inside obama’s head, the more lunatic obama will become. Let’s get ready to RUMBLE!!!

    Like

  4. LD Jackson's avatar
    LD Jackson permalink
    August 17, 2011 11:07 pm

    For sure, Rick Perry is not bashful about mixing it up with President Obama. I like that about him. Even if he doesn’t win the election, he will certainly change the conversation.

    Like

    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 6:35 am

      Good point Larry, at least he will get people talking about things they might not otherwise talk about, and I think I am going to enjoy this.

      Like

  5. Reaganite Republican's avatar
    August 18, 2011 8:56 am

    I chalk up the Rove thing to his rivalry with the Bush family

    Perry said just last month “Geo W Bush is not a fiscal conservative… never was”

    Like

    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 9:38 pm

      There is no doubt that there is bad blood between Bush and Perry but I think it goes beyond that because Rove is an insider who has come out against the Tea Party as well.

      Like

  6. TexasFred's avatar
    August 18, 2011 1:56 pm

    I have said it on numerous occasions, Rick Perry is NOT perfect, but he makes the loony left at least as loony as does Sarah Palin, and does it without the annoying voice…

    For that reason alone, along with all the accusations the left makes against Perry, as well as the way Debbie *You;re an anti-Semite* Schlussel, Shriek Malkin and Pam *Yeah, I did use my tits to promote my blog* Geller have gone after him only makes me more convinced that Perry IS the guy we need!

    Like

    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 9:42 pm

      There is no doubt that the left is afraid of Perry and that is why they are attacking him. This alone makes me feel as if he is a good candidate and as of right now he may just get my vote for this reason alone.

      Like

  7. Conservatives on Fire's avatar
    August 18, 2011 7:06 pm

    As the volume of the whining goes up, you know that Perry’s words are striking home. The fun is just beginning.

    Like

  8. Mark Ottenfeld's avatar
    Mark Ottenfeld permalink
    August 18, 2011 10:03 pm

    Punk politics Perry style
    H.S. graduation rate 43rd
    SAT scores 45th in the nation
    %of uninsured children #1
    %of uninsured non-elderly #1
    Carbon dioxide emisssions #1
    71% of Texas workers have no insurance.
    Because people in Texas are stupid, don’t think the rest of the country is.

    Like

    • Steve Dennis's avatar
      August 18, 2011 10:14 pm

      All I need to do is look at who occupies the White House and I realize that the rest of the country isn’t as smart as Texas is.

      Like

    • Matt's avatar
      August 18, 2011 11:53 pm

      “Because people in Texas are stupid, don’t think the rest of the country is.”

      Where’s the civil discourse? Where’s the “new tone.”

      Like

  9. Kelly Rek's avatar
    August 25, 2011 11:49 pm

    Regarding Mark Ottenfeld’s post …

    On Twitter, I converse with people in Texas. Many of them do not have COMPREHENSIVE health-care insurance, yet they still have health-care. They choose to pay for their health-care via cash out of their own pocket instead of through insurance.

    I am a believer in CATASTROPHIC (hospital) insurance and in Health-Care Savings Accounts. For routine care, it makes more sense to pay for health-care via one’s own pocket. Doctors who refuse to deal with insurance companies can charge lower rates to their patients because there isn’t the added overhead costs associated with insurance company paperwork.

    The question for Texas should not be how many of their people have insurance. Instead, the question should be as to the quality of the health-care institutions, themselves.

    Like

    • Mark Ottenfeld's avatar
      Mark Ottenfeld permalink
      August 26, 2011 10:54 pm

      It doesn’t matter how many people have insurance..really…
      it matters how good the institutions are,hmm??My guess is the institutions are really good for the well to do, but here is some twitter fun facts for you!
      %of women receiving 1st trimester prenatal care-50th in the country
      Healthcare expenditures per capita -44 th
      Per capita spending on mental health-50th
      %of population visiting the dentist -46th
      Women 40 years old receiving mammograms -40th
      %of children in poverty-46th
      toxic chemicals released into waterways-#1!!!
      And once again, 70% of Texans have no insurance. Many, many of these jobs are minimum wage-how could they ever hope to go to the hospital for a broken finger or nose, or an overnite stay for stomach problems……

      You must of hit the 500 people who can afford healthcare! because the numbers on this list suggest many people can’t afford to pay out of pocket. At least I give you credit for having a dialogue w/people, and not getting your info sitting in a dark basement watching sean hanratty and his ilk.

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      • Kelly Rek's avatar
        August 30, 2011 3:39 am

        Reply to Mark Ottenfeld:

        If you were to have read my entire post, I made a clear distinction between COMPREHENSIVE insurance and CATASTROPHIC insurance. As for the unaffordability of health-care, it is exacerbated by:

        1) Our addiction to comprehensive coverage where there isn’t skin in the game. (Therefore, the consumer isn’t price conscious.)

        2) The monopolistic nature of the health-care industry (with the corporatist government playing a role via licensing & patent laws … plus regulatory capture.)

        In the case of Texas, the Obama Administration isn’t pumping as much money into its Medicaid system per capita, as in Massachusetts (which is receiving an extra infusion of federal revenue to help prop up RomneyCare.)

        If you are unfamiliar as to how the ubiquity of comprehensive insurance contributes to price inflation in the health-care sector, please Google the Atlantic Magazine article by David Goldhill => “How American Health Care Killed my Father.”

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  10. Mark Ottenfeld's avatar
    Mark Ottenfeld permalink
    August 30, 2011 10:38 pm

    I have to say I didn’t get the ubiquity…anyhow, my mother who is 83 developed a sepsis infection in the hospital and we were sure she was gone. She came thru and to this day ayear later, her doctors tell her how surprised they are to see her. Everyone has a story, some happy, some sad. The healthcare industry isn’t perfect, the doctors and nurses, often overworked are human,and to balance this out, my dad passed away at 73,and probably received substandard care-at the same hospital.
    There also is a finger to be pointed at the irrational and uneducated parent who get in doctors faces demanding antibiotics for everything from sunburn to a sprained toe. This has helped create the super germs that make hospital stays more dicey than going to Vegas. We have not yet seen the devastation these germs will cause.
    Now to the problem-Every Texas city has/recently had a higher uninsured rate than the national average.The sheer number of uninsured makes healthcare less affordable.Much of the cost for the uninsured is put on those that see their premiums rise or taxpayers who help pay for uncompensated care in public hospitals. In Chicago, and i’m sure elsewhere, the uninsured use emergency rooms as their doctor.I forgot the average amount of yearly visits, but maybe between 4-6 times at a cost 5 times greater(or more) than a typical doctor visit. Do you think that if everyone had a basic insurance plan, that costs just might go down? One of the things I agreed w/ in the Atlantic article was how far behind every other business the healthcare information systems are. If we truly knew the cost of the emergency room visits, we would welcome universial care.
    Lastly, the poor top 5 or 6 insurance companies saw profits again in the billions…..ceo average salaries were between $3 -$20 million. Oh, and I received notification from Allstate that my next insurance adjustment will be up -shocking.
    Lastly, lastly, close to 20000 people die every year because they don’t have insurance. Many,many more skip treatments because insurance doesn’t cover the procedure…isn’t that a financial/economic rationing system??? We spend much more on health care than other civilized countries and still deny Americans healthcare???Rationing is already here.

    Like

    • Kelly Rek's avatar
      August 31, 2011 1:44 am

      Reply to Mark Ottenfeld:

      Because our health-care system is insurance based, plus because of the licensing requirements, regulations, patent laws, and the high cost of education in Medical Schools … there is a shortage of health-care providers. This is de facto monopolistic.

      The ObamaCare will be increasing the demand for health-care (via subsidies & mandate) without increasing the supply of providers. This is a recipe for price inflation and further rationing of care.

      A better solution would entail the “deregulation” of health-care analogous to the airlines. With licensing requirements not quite so stringent, with charter hospitals and charter medical schools to compete against their monopolistic counterparts, with patent reform, etc. … prices will come down for the health-care consumer.

      With lower prices, the dependency on insurance wouldn’t be so dire. But everybody still needs to pay. This should apply to illegal aliens, too. There could be payment plans arranged, as well as the encouragement of private charities to help out, too.

      Just look at the supermarket industry. There is a proliferation of grocery stores for consumers to go shopping. With this competition, prices of food are very affordable. Everybody pays for their purchases at the check-out counter. The very poor do have Food Stamps, but this has nothing to do with insurance companies.

      Likewise, in health-care, for those who are too poor to afford routine care … they can be given Health-Care Stamps (again, nothing to do with insurance companies.) But the rest of us need to have available to us … the option to pay for our routine health-care out of pocket. (Whereas catastrophic insurance is for hospital coverage, only.)

      Like

  11. Mark Ottenfeld's avatar
    Mark Ottenfeld permalink
    August 31, 2011 10:43 pm

    To Kelly:
    There are no easy fixes, but the situation is fixable.
    There is discrepancy in numbers, but medical school enrollment has gone up or stayed steady, same with nursing school enrollment, although this upward trend maybe be advanced degree nurses, both masters and doctorates. This probably leaves a hole at the entry level.
    At least 3 new medical schools have been opened in the last year or so, and numerous other institutions are going through the accreditation process.
    Once again, keep the have nots out of the emergency room is a huge problem. It has been shown that in most cases, people with a primary care physician aren’t getting as many tests, using as much medication or visiting as many specialists…all steps that help bring medical care costs down. The wellness factor can’t be ignored either. In a country that would rather pay for the huge cost of diabetes, heart problems, etc, than pay the cost of wellness care ,to pay a little to help people avoid cancer rather than paying the extraordinary costs of cancer treatment, we have to re-think old positions.
    The disparity between the have and have nots in this country may be greater than you think. The idea that most people in this country can have some “skin” in the game may be unrealistic at this point in time. In the meantime, I tell my conservative friends that are ill and poor, to follow the lead of that great Nevada conservative sage, Sue Lowden, and just bring a chicken to your doctor for payment!

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