By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZThe Paz Files
AUSTIN, Texas - Flinty Rick Perry marches into Orlando, Florida tonight to debate his Republican opponents in the race for the party's 2012 presidential nomination. He arrives much-whipped and in dire need of a convincing victory.
His position on social security benefits, however, may doom the hard-headed Aggie.
Florida is a senior citizen haven, and senior citizens used to receiving their monthly social security checks want nothing to do with anyone interested in messing with the check-delivery schedule. Perry is on record as calling the federal program a "ponzi scheme." That lingo, brash and blustery within the insipid Perry Camp, will not sell in the Sunshine State.
Already, pundits and others who follow national politics say Perry's showing will say much about the future of his Wild West campaign. Stumble and lose whatever edge he received when he bolted onto the scene 40 days ago. Get through it without seeing a mob of seniors storm the stage and rip his face off and, well, as they say here, it'll be "Git along, Lil Doggie" time for Slick Rick.
At last check, a double-digit lead Pery held over Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and the second-place candidate in the race, had been sliced in half. Still, he remains the frontrunner in a race many say is nothing more than a precursor to Perry's 2016 aspirations.
It is still early. The General Election is a year and two months away, yet Perry has managed to make his bid a win-lose proposition even before the race gets to the primary in South Carolina. He is not expected to win the Iowa Caucus vote in January, and he is not projected to win the New Hampshire primary ahead of South Carolina.
Florida is a key state in the Republican primary, and in the General Election.
To body-block the government's social security program would seem to be a bad move by any candidate. Senior citizens now number a sizable block of votes, and, as everyone always notes, seniors do vote, come rain or shine. Rick Perry does not like to back down, even from his crazier comments, such as secession from the union and wishy-washy stances on immigration, but he would be wise to re-frame his concerns for the workings of the social security program.
Ponzi won't sell in Florida.
Too many of the state's Jews were blindsided by Bernie Madoff in his Ponzi scheme, many losing entire fortunes. They remember, and they absolutely do not make the connection between the SSN and Madoff's criminal work Perry makes so cavalierly. Their numbers are huge, most of them retirees who have flooded-in to occupy the state's Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
No one is calling this race between Perry and Romney yet. The first turn is still up ahead and their dust is barely leaving a trace. Both gallop along, looking over their shoulders and seeing the likes of Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum and Ron Paul slowly falling farther and farther behind.
It's a two-horse race now, and all Perry's backers can do is hope he can rein-in his penchant for making idiotic statements...
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11 comments:
Perry will stumble and it won't be prety. He's Old School, still thinking like a goddamned stupid cowboy. Lame, dude!
Perry is a fraud. He doesn't stand the test. Only dumbass Teabaggers believe in him and they are people who overdose on Pepto-Bismol and other stomach medicines. That's the only way anyone can stomach Rick Perry. He's not the answer, folks!
the valley has some ugly Teabaggers, all women living in Harlingen! do a story on them apples.
Harlingen teabaggers are gloating, because of Gov. Perry.
Side bar: Troy Davis execution.
I went to bed last night with some hope that he was going to be given a chance to prove his innocence, that as a people we could withhold vengence that did not mirror justice but once again we showed that we would rather blindly commit mistakes than take the time to reflect and do the right thing. This man's life has been taken, can never be restored and yes, you can say the same is true for the victim but until there is no doubt that he committed the crime, there is no justice in executing him to avenge the crime. We are guilty of committing a crime here, just because we had the power to do so with no personal risk. Once again we stood by and allowed a miscarriage of justice. At some point we have to realize that this power we have given ourselves to kill people is turning us into barbarians.
Blogger M, you are very right. But it is so easy to take a life anymore. Too easy. we all should be ashamed.
How many of those illegals that got jobs through Rick Perry live in the Valley? lots!!!!
I hate to disappoint everyone, I don't like Perry and I plan to vote against him. But he is leading in the poles.
Obama needs to get on the attack.
Obama Hire Jerry's women, they can throw punches pretty good.
They are throwing upper cuts to Juan Ortega.
I wonder how the guys that inject the people on death row feel?? I would never accept a job like that. Sorry, but that is a lot of baggage.
Don Pancho, you have to admit that it doesn't take much of a reach to throw an uppercut to Juan Ortega.
Blogger M, you are right, but those silly women, despice J.J.O with a passion. I mean, dislike is an understatement.
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