It is election season again here in Texas and Gov. Rick Perry will do anything in the war for voters. According to the Houston Chronicle, Gov Perry, who openly opposed the federal stimulus package, has no problem accepting “one of the biggest pots” of federal stimulus package – crime grants to local law enforcement agencies.

Perry in the past has decided what law enforcement agencies receive about $23 million a year in Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grants. Now, because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Perry will have an additional $90 million to hand out.

While Perry’s office is the conduit for the federal money, the governor chooses which agencies receive the money and how it is spent. The political payoff has been great.

About $6 million in Byrne grants helped Perry win the endorsement of border sheriffs in 2006. Perry last year held a news conference to promote $557,000 in grant money he was giving to the San Antonio Police Department to target transnational gangs.

Every time Perry doles out the federal Byrne grants, he sounds like the money is his.
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Perry created a controversy this year when he rejected $550 million in federal unemployment compensation funds, saying it had too many “strings attached,” but he later accepted more than $12 billion in stimulus funds to balance the state’s budget.

This is the same governor who cited our constitutional right to secede during a ‘tea party’ protest rally. Perry’s “secessionist” moment helped inspire the formation of a secessionist group called the Texas Nationalist Movement, who recently held a secessionist rally on the steps of the state capitol; and a Texas legislator, Rep. Brandon Creighton, to draft a resolution, HCR 50, asserting that Texas “claim sovereignty” from the federal government.

One does wonder if anybody sees the contradictions and hypocrisies? One might claim Perry’s Republican primary challenger, US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, is stepping up to the plate, but they would be mistaken. She too has also given mixed signals.

In February, Sen. Hutchison voted against the Recovery Act, however, once it passed, she had no problem attacking Gov. Perry for turning down the same stimulus money she believed “doesn’t actually stimulate.” Sen. Hutchison criticized Gov. Perry for turning down the stimulus money that would have expanded unemployment benefits.

“Governor Perry recklessly turned down the federal unemployment insurance money. He never even looked at cutting the ridiculous federal strings attached to that money like I would have done. He didn’t even attempt to negotiate a way to relieve employers from a tax increase while helping Texans affected by the economic downturn.”

Today, Texas is on the brink of ranking last or near last in almost every category. Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured children in the nation and is ranked near last in teen birth rates. Texas is dead last in the percentage of residents with their high school diploma (21%) and near last in SAT scores. Texas ranks second to last in providing aid to eligible people who are receive benefits. Texas ranked last in the nation in dealing with child homelessness.

Amidst news of rising unemployment, faltering stock markets, and uncertain government coffers, Texas does not need any more politicians who are more interested in winning elections by playing with people’s lives. Texas needs a leader who will make the much needed improvements to assure greater financial stability for it’s residents, now and in the future. We need a Governor who is willing to roll-up their sleaves to make serious reform to our education, workforce, and public infrastructure systems.

As Texans, we must demand better access to health care; measures to prevent unplanned teen pregnancies; stronger investments in existing food and housing programs for families with children; and a statewide commitment to strengthening our state’s neighborhoods, communities, schools, families, and child care centers.

It is now or never people. I choose NOW!

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Tags: Education, Elections, governor, Health Care, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rick Perry, Texas |  Print This Post |
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