Texas Governor's Race

Tuesday -- election day -- will soon be upon Texas voters and we will find out who the Republican nominee for Governor will be. I just now saw a Perry commercial on t.v. He was wearing a Carhart jacket and sitting in front of the Texas flag. Some of the Hutchinson commercials try to pull off the "good-ol'-country-gal" look but somehow it doesn't quite work. She just has a hard time fitting that image.

The article linked below might be of interest to those of you following the race:

http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2010-02-01/feature

So, what do you think? Is Perry positioning himself for a national race? Perhaps. I hope he can handle the attacks from the left if that is his plan.

What about Hutchinson? She might come back as an Independent and face Perry again in the General election if the primary is close. I don't think it will be. The real question is her Senate seat. Will she really retire? If so, I think Michael Williams is our best candidate for the seat. It may be an interesting year.

Michael Williams at Entrepreneur Alliance in Amarillo

Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams is in Amarillo today. I had the opportunity to visit with him briefly when he stopped at the Entrepreneur Alliance offices.

It was a fitting setting for the U.S. Senate Candidate whose message is music to the ears of Texas businessmen. He is one of the few principled and consistent conservative political figures in the country. His message is pro-business and pro-USA.

He spoke briefly on a topic that sends chills up my spine -- the Cap and Trade Scheme that Congress is working to pass. According to Williams (and I agree completely) it will have a disproportionately negative impact on Texas. It targets energy and agriculture for a significant tax burden that would cripple the state economy. I like the way he referred to it as the bill that would "cap our economy and send trade somewhere else." I think that sums it up.

Texas is one of the few states that has had positive news through the economic downturn that our country has been experiencing. That positive news is due to our pro-business economic climate. Cap and Trade will reverse those positives.

Commissioner Williams has been a public servant for 10 years on the Texas Railroad Commission. During that time he played a significant role in shrinking the size of the Commission from around 900 employees to about 600.

Hmm....smaller government, pro-business, pro-family, pro-USA...we could use some of that in Washington. With his record of integrity in office and the conservative positions that he has taken on the issues near-and-dear to all Texans, I think it is time to get him up there so that he can get to work.

I wonder what Senator Hutchison's plans are? Will she resign her seat? Or, will she try to hold onto it through the upcoming race for Governor? It promises to be interesting....

Resistance is NOT Futile

It will be very difficult to sustain a grassroots movement among Conservatives because of their very nature, however, we have a start with the Tea Parties conducted yesterday. There are a lot of disaffected people in this country right now -- especially when you get out of the cities and into the Heartland where there is still productivity which results from a strong work ethic and sense of independence instead of dependence on the Federal largess. My home state of Texas is one of those states where we see the backlash against the extreme growth in federal power is growing quickly. On at least some levels, it is being fueled by some of our leading political figures. The article linked below is an example:

Governor Says Texans May Want to Secede From Union But Probably Won't

The real question to me is this: Governor Perry, are you truly serious about taking control back from Washington or is this all just political rhetoric in light of the race to retain the Governor's mansion?

We have two of the more conservative Senators in Washington but even they are not immune to the corrupting influences of power politics played on the national stage. I pray that they will fight the fight of the people and resist the forces that are moving us toward -- not Socialism -- but, an all pervasive and invasive government that seeks to run every aspect of our lives. That my friends is something to be feared. It is all about power and that power was handed to a group of people who, under the guise of the Democratic Party, will stop at nothing to consolidate their hold on the reins of power. If they are not stopped now, it will become increasingly difficult to stem the tide of corruption and government invasion into our lives. We must create a groundswell of resistance to the tide of Big Government that is washing over our country. It will be a long and arduous fight that is difficult to sustain but it must be done if we wish to save the United States.

10th Amendment

I am sometimes a little slow in catching up on the news. Below I've linked an article that includes a video of Texas Governor Rick Perry announcing his support of the HCR 50 that addresses the subject of state's rights versus federal intrusion. It is worth reading and the video is worth viewing. I must admit that I chuckle at the video for the reason that the Governor's speaking style is somewhat reminiscent of his predecessor.

Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment

I still see the likelihood of Governor Perry running to replace Senator Hutchinson in Washington and Senator Hutchinson running for the Governor's mansion. Don't you love Texas politics??

Is Texas Influence Waning?

There's an article in Politico today about how Texas is losing its clout in Washington. There is little doubt that in positions of leadership (in title at least), the country will suffer from the lack.

One thing that I find interesting about the article is how it links figures such as LBJ with the conservatives of recent years and the middle-ground figures such as both Presidents Bush. It discusses how being Texan in Washington automatically brings connotations of conservative Republican. Such views are revealing of the author's biases.

The article does mention U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn. While Hutchison is somewhat more moderate than Cornyn, both certainly fall toward the conservative side of the political spectrum.

There is speculation that Senator Hutchison may choose to run for Governor in the next election. Such a run would again change the influence of the state. It is entirely possible, and I think likely, that current Texas Governor Rick Perry would run for Senator Hutchison's seat if she were to make that move. It would certainly put an interesting twist on the races.

Governor Perry has established himself as a national figure in many ways. He has received national attention over ethanol subsidies, immigration and trade with Mexico as well as providing leadership among the governors of the nation. It would be difficult to adjust to being a junior Senator, but, it might be a great springboard for a run at the Presidency in 2016. After all, how many Presidents have been both governor of a large state and had Senate experience?

All that aside, I think we will see Senator Cornyn moving into a strong position of leadership within the National GOP. He has the experience and the influence as well as the support of his home state. The Senator is strong on family values and has fought for legislation that is important to not only his state, but the nation -- in particular, energy related issues. I look to see Senator Cornyn rising quickly now that the election is past and his seat is secure for a few years.

Texas will still play a key role in shaping the national political scene. Which state's economy is strongest in the current economic turmoil? Texas without a doubt. Which state is leading the way in developing alternative energy solutions? Texas, with its vast wind resources and developing solar energy. Texas also has a couple of nuclear power plants in the works. Texas is also a player in the high-tech sector with the silicon corridor stretching along I-35. It continues to be a leader in agriculture and is well positioned in many other areas. After all, it is THE ECONOMY that elects Presidents. Someday folks will figure that out...maybe....

Hutchison for Governor?

The rumors are flying and seem to have credibility that Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison will run for Governor in the 2012 election. That may seem like a long time away but it will be here before you know it. I applaud her move.

Texas Governor Rick Perry has done an admirable job but it is time for someone else to step into that position. We might even see Governor Perry run for her Senate seat. I suspect that his ambitions run in that direction. Senator Hutchison's announcement that she would resign her Senate Policy Committee Chairmanship was met with a political riposte by a Perry spokesman that indicated she should be focused on helping Texans recover from hurricane Ike rather than on politics.

We will see what Hutchison's move does for Senator John Cornyn, currently the junior Senator from Texas. It could mean that he will move into her Chairmanship post. It may place him in a stronger position within the Texas Republican political hierarchy as well. He is challenged this year for his Senate seat by Rick Noriega. Noriega has conducted a bumbling campaign so far and with only a few weeks until the election is expected to fall well behind Senator Cornyn in the voting. It is in Texas' best interest to return Senator Cornyn to Washington. He has become a strong and very influential player in the Senate.