Tag Archives: Rick Perry

It’s cronies all the way down

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Is there anything Rick Perry does that isn’t for the benefit of himself and his cronies? When Gov. Rick Perry announces that a company will get money from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, he often describes it as an important … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Statesman for White

Posted on October 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two for two. If you’re driven by campaign-trail zingers, [Bill] White might not be your candidate. But a longer listen produces the inescapable conclusion that White is a thoughtful, experienced, unifying leader — just what Texas needs now. That’s why … Continue reading →

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It’s good to be the king

Posted on October 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From TPJ: Governor Rick Perry has received $17 million in campaign contributions from his political appointees and their spouses, according to a new report by Texans for Public Justice. One out of every $5 raised by Governor Perry since 2001 … Continue reading →

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Cutting the budget means cutting education

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No two ways around it. As the single biggest consumer of state money, the Texas public education system stands to lose millions of dollars as the state grapples with a looming budget shortfall. Education Commissioner Robert Scott has suggested more … Continue reading →

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Will there be a Libertarian effect in the Governor’s race?

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to say, but the odds that there would be at least one article about the possibility of a Libertarian effect in the Governor’s race were pretty close to 100%. [Kathie] Glass, 56, is a Houston civil lawyer and Libertarian … Continue reading →

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Glass and Shafto get debate invites

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back in August, when I wrote about the upcoming media sponsored gubernatorial debate to be held will be held on October 19 that Rick Perry will duck, I said that if there was ever a time to ditch polling-related qualifications … Continue reading →

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The Blum poll

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to make of this. Ill will toward President Barack Obama and a voter belief that Republican Gov. Rick Perry has helped save the Texas economy are giving Perry a re-election lead over Democrat and former Houston … Continue reading →

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Pity poor John Bradley

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a truly beautiful thing to see the guy who was brought in to the Texas Forensic Science Commission for the express purpose of protecting Governor Perry’s political interests wail and moan about the Commission becoming a “political football” now … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry loves the stimulus

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

He just hates to admit it. When 47 state and territorial governors sent a letter on Feb. 22 asking for more federal matching dollars for Medicaid, Perry refused to sign. He likes to talk about how he thinks the American … Continue reading →

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State sues over education stimulus funds

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So much for a peaceful resolution. Texas went to federal court [Thursday] to pry loose $830 million in federal aid intended to help avert teacher layoffs. The funds — Texas’ share of a $10 billion jobs package Congress approved last … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: When nothing is something

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Farm Bureau endorses no one in the Governor’s race. The Texas Farm Bureau, which has feuded with Rick Perry over toll roads and private-property rights, opted Wednesday not to endorse anybody in the governor’s race. The decision was … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron for White

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets an early start on endorsements this year by recommending Bill White for Governor. [Governor Perry] has shown a distaste for dealing with budget details, fobbing them off on the Legislature and even suggesting in a recent news … Continue reading →

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Yes, the “D” in “Big D” stands for “Democratic”

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I continue to not understand the belief that some folks have that Dallas is a swing county. Ridgewood Park was a battlefield staging area for riled-up Republicans determined to take back their legislative district, their city and their county. In … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Dance, chicken, dance!

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of the debate Rick Perry will not be attending, I bring you this awesome chicken dance video: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: This is why I love the Internet.

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The scientists have rebelled

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. When seven [members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission] met at a hotel near Dallas’ Love Field, the ostensible goal was to finalize their report on the Willingham case. But from the start, the forensic scientists on the panel … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry’s manly man event

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Say what? In an invitation circulating this week, Governor Rick Perry is inviting some of his closest, wealthiest friends to a “Wild Game” dinner in Houston–just not their wives. The invitation from Perry’s State Finance Chair James H. Lee boasts … Continue reading →

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These are not the small businesses you’re looking for

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry released his first TV ad today. It’s a positive, morning-in-Texas kind of spot, with a montage of small businesses in Austin. Only it turns out that at least two of the owners of those businesses that are visible … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll: Perry 39, White 33

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Another poll result. Republican Gov. Rick Perry leads his Democratic challenger, Bill White, by 6 percentage points — 39 percent to 33 percent — in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Libertarian Kathie Glass has the support of 5 … Continue reading →

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Feds reject Texas’ application for education funds

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. The U.S. Department of Education has rejected Texas’ application for $830 million in federal money for schools and asked the state to resubmit its request without conditions. The rejection was based on a line in the state’s application that … Continue reading →

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Another debate Rick Perry won’t attend

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This one will be in Houston. The latest debate, set for Oct. 3, is to be hosted by the Harris County League of Women Voters and the Harris County Department of Education. Perry has refused to debate until Democrat Bill … Continue reading →

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How big is the hole, Susan?

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think with all of the talk about the budget and the projected shortfall, we’d have heard an opinion from our State Comptroller, Susan Combs, as to just how things look right now. Especially given that Governor Perry has publicly … Continue reading →

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New PPP poll: Perry 48, White 42

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

A bigger spread than last time, but still another example of a poll showing a close race. [Rick] Perry holds a 48-42 lead over [Bill] White with 8 weeks left to go until election day. The race is confounding the … Continue reading →

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Texas Watch poll: Perry by 1

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We have some new polling data to play with. A statewide public opinion survey conducted by Republican polling firm Hill Research Consultants on behalf of the Texas Watch Foundation reveals an electorate divided between incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry (42%) … Continue reading →

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Perry asks for federal education funds

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

About time. Gov. Rick Perry on Friday submitted the state’s application for the money, which is intended to help school districts save teacher jobs now. But Texas faced a bigger hurdle than other states because of an amendment authored by … Continue reading →

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Bell scores $2 million verdict against RGA

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Chris Bell racks up his second legal victory related to a lawsuit stemming from the 2006 Governor’s race. A state district judge Tuesday ruled that the Republican Governors Association violated state campaign finance laws and ordered it to pay Chris … Continue reading →

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The Dirty Dozen

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, announced the inaugural state-level Dirty Dozen program. Rick Perry is one of 12 candidates for state office from around the … Continue reading →

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Them that has, gets

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is how it works in this state. Some of Texas’ most vulnerable residents – the very poor, the mentally ill, those suffering from birth defects, and children from troubled families – would lose state support and services under several … Continue reading →

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The TYC still has problems

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Three years after the Texas Youth Commission was rocked by a sexual abuse scandal, there are still major problems at its facilities. In a formal complaint asking the U.S. Justice Department to investigate, Texas Appleseed, Advocacy Inc., the Center for … Continue reading →

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The one-man debate

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One way or another, we will have a gubernatorial debate. The Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman and the state’s other major newspapers will host a gubernatorial debate this fall, even if just one candidate shows up. The newspapers, along with Austin … Continue reading →

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His calendar is wide open

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Let me briefly sum up Elise Hu’s story about the sparseness of Governor Perry’s calendar: Either he’s lying about how much he actually works, or he does an awful lot of stuff that he doesn’t want the public to know … Continue reading →

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A preview of tomorrow’s paper

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Look for the following ad in Tuesday’s newspaper: Click on it to see a larger version, and to visit the latest site that the Back to Basics PAC has worked up. I confess, I’m still rather partial to the chicken … Continue reading →

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Where in the Constitution is that?

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m reading this story about the just-passed federal legislation that would provide some $850 million in extra funds for public school districts in Texas to help prevent layoffs and whatnot, conditional on Texas agreeing to actually use the money on … Continue reading →

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From the “You get what you pay for” department

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Cut the budget enough at your flagship state university, and the quality of that university may suffer. Who knew? The president of the University of Texas at Austin warned Thursday that expected state budget cuts would put the school further … Continue reading →

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There’s playing chicken, and there’s being chicken

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Quite the suitable choice of words here. Suggesting his opponent has something to hide, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday he will not budge on his refusal to debate unless Democrat Bill White releases more income tax returns. The Republican governor … Continue reading →

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