Why Governor Rick Perry is NOT the choice of most Texas voters

big campaign bucks show Perry's true allegiances

by Peter Stern

It is NOT the People of Texas who want Perry reelected.

The millions in Gov. Rick Perry's reelection campaign "trust fund" were contributed by a handful of select investors. It is the same small crowd that has provided Perry consistently with support and funds for years. The millions must speak volumes to Texas voters!

Last year at around this same time Gov. Rick Perry notified publicly that he had raised 4.2 million in the last 9 days of June for his reelection bid. However, the reports filed showed that $3.4 million of that money were from 75 contributors.

Mica McCutchen Mosbacher of Houston gave $225,000. Interesting note: Ms. Mosbacher was appointed to the University of Houston System Board of Regents in 2008 by Governor Rick Perry and will serve through August 31, 2013. Her husband Robert Mosbacher is the former Secretary of Commerce.

The $100,000 contributors highlight a "who's who" of well-known wealthy political lobbyists and long-time Perry supporters: Red McCombs of San Antonio; investor Gary Petersen, homebuilder Bob Perry and the Gallagher Law firm, all of Houston; tax consultant George Ryan and businessman Harold Simmons of Dallas.

The AT&T Texas Political Action Committee was the largest corporate PAC, with a donation of $50,000.

While it was a lot of money for Perry to raise, most of it came from the usual suspects, which leaves open the question of how much they are willing to invest to ensure Perry gets back into office. Note: Many of these donors have a long history of being "heavy hitters" when it comes to contributing to the campaigns of politicians who will support their profiteering efforts.

Political Action Committees (PACs) rule the Texas political arena and the lives of Texas taxpayers. During the past decade the interests of Texas residents have been overshadowed by those of wealthy special interest PACs who make it very clear that they are lobbying with big dollars to ensure that whichever candidates become Texas leaders, they will ensure increased profiteering and special perks and consideration for the companies promoted by the PACs.

Texas voters remain "in the bellies of the [PAC] beasts".

It is time for Texans to fully recognize that Gov. Rick Perry is NOT the candidate for mainstream citizens. He continues to govern in the best interests of wealthy special interests. As long as Perry remains chief executive of the state of Texas, he will continue to provide these wealthy campaign contributors with anything and everything they need to make increasing profits while ignoring the needs of the people.

Consequently, if Perry wins reelection he will continue the path of his 8-year reign, to the detriment of hardworking and hardly-working Texans:

• Perry chastises the Federal Government for controlling people's lives, but in truth, Perry tries to control the lives of Texans

• Texans will continue to pay the highest property taxes and home insurance premiums in the nation

• Health insurance will remain unaffordable

• Under Perry homeowners pay more for their home insurance than anywhere else in the nation and double the premiums than they paid 5 years ago

• Perry actively lobbied for deregulation of various industries that caused the escalation of consumer costs while increasing costs of goods and services, e.g., electricity, higher education, communications, etc.

• Despite what Perry states publicly, he will continue to push for the cost-ineffective and eminent domain problematic Trans-Texas Corridor and other toll road plans, forcing Texans to pay ongoing and ever-increasing toll taxes and taking land away from ranchers, farmers and homeowners

• Perry unsuccessfully attempted to force all Texas girls entering 6th grade to be vaccinated against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). A conservative Texas pro-family group says Governor Rick Perry's executive order mandating HPV shots for schoolgirls entering sixth-grade not only usurps the authority of the State Legislature, but also the rights of parents. In addition, the American College of Pediatricians recommended against the vaccine for young girls.

• Instead of accepting President Obama's stimulus package, Perry has forced the state to borrow billions from the Federal Government, which places taxpayers into more long-term debt, while making it look as though Washington leaders are the culprits of our state issues rather than being the fault of a renegade and special interest Texas governor.

In reality, Gov. Rick Perry is "An Enemy of the People" and the sooner Texans recognize this fact the quicker voters will elect a better candidate for governor. In November Perry will face former Houston Mayor Bill White at the polls. While there are fewer candidates who opt to run for government for the best interests of the majority of Texans, at least White provides a viable alternative to a 3-term Governor Perry who has shown that his allegiances are to his wealthy supporters.

There is little doubt that Texans need a real governor. Perry must go and Texans have a great chance to get rid of Perry by voting for Bill White. While White is not without her faults, he is a better alternative for hardworking Texans.

In summary and to the point: Texans have had a myriad of urgent issues that have not been addressed by the Governor and Legislature. Gov. Perry is NOT a governor of the people, rather, he remains the cornerstone of special interest motivation and profiteering. After years of Perry's reign as "King of Texas" the people need a change for the better. Texans have a chance to initiate that positive change in the November election by voting for Bill White.