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New Texas Law Requires Sonogram Prior to Abortion

May 24th, 2011

Yesterday, I wrote an article speculating about Governor Perry’s political aspirations. In that article, I suggested that the Governor has not always been true to the conservative ideas he espouses around election time. But I have to give him some credit when and where I believe it’s due. Today our governor signed House Bill 15 into law. The new legislation requires any woman seeking an abortion, to first undergo a sonogram. The physician is then required to show and explain the image to the mother, as well as allow her to hear the child’s heart beat.

The purpose of course is to make sure that women are being provided with all possible information before they make the life changing decision to terminate a pregnancy. Critics of the bill say it makes an already difficult decision even more difficult. Really?! By making sure all information is available? Is that the story the pro-aborts are going to stick with? Honestly I don’t see why this is such a terrible idea. No one is prohibiting the woman from making her choice. The goal is simply to make sure she doesn’t make one she’ll regret later!

Some Pro-life groups were also opposing the law on the basis that it provides too many loopholes. These organizations fear that the law is too easy to bypass thanks to exemptions like the baby being a product of rape or incest, or being diagnosed as having “an irreversible medical condition.” While I agree that these and other exemptions are probably too open to interpretation, and while I’m quite sure that various groups who promote abortion will certainly employ them to the point of questionable legality, I have to think that an imperfect protection of the rights of mother and child, is certainly better than no protection at all! Look, this all seems very reasonable to me! At the end of the day who really loses? A child gets another shot at living to term. And the mother has the peace of mind that comes from knowing she’s making a huge decision with all available information, and maybe avoids one that will ruin her life and cost the life of her child unnecessarily. Oh… well of course if she chooses to forgo the abortion and carry the child to term, that’s one less abortion performed and one less check written to a doctor or “reproductive counseling” organization. But of course, nothing this serious is ever about money!

Is Governor Perry Going to Run for President?

May 23rd, 2011

Is another Texas governor going to seek the presidency in 2012? Reports were trickling out last week that Governor Perry may seek the Republican nomination for president. In a race that thus far, promises to be populated largely by governors, Perry would constitute another moderate southerner (which means relatively conservative in today’s political climate), with a solid chance winning the party’s nod.

The electorate typically tends to favor governors being promoted to the Whitehouse. Of the last eight presidents, five have been former governors. It seems that, for the most part, voters are most comfortable with strong executives holding the highest post in the land, rather than legislators, whose stock in trade tends to be compromise and deal making. If the Texas governor did enter the race he would be one of a crowded field of State executives running, or who have considered running. They include the following names: Tim Pawlenty(MN) running, Mitt Romney (MA), running, Sarah Palin (AK), considering run, Mitch Daniels (IN) just decided not to run, and Mike Huckabee, (AR) who also decided not to run. In addition to these potential candidates, are popular favs, who, were they to enter the race, would probably inspire a ground swell of popular conservative support. They also happen to be governors and include names like: Bobby Jindal, (LA) and Chris Christy (NJ).

Reports of whether or not Mr. Perry will throw his name into the race are still sketchy, but in recent years Texas voters seem interested in a change. Even republicans are dubious of their governor’s conservative credentials, despite his attempt to shore them up around election time. Perry’s victory over Bill White last year was more of a vote against the contender than it was a wholesale endorsement of the incumbent. A move on the nomination would potentially do a couple of things for the Texas Governor. First, it may reunite his base at home with the prospect of another Texan running for President. Secondly, it would be an opportunity for upward mobility in an election year when the nation is again going to be largely concerned with voting against an unpopular incumbent. And lastly it would provide a capstone to a political career that will otherwise, likely end with this term in office.

Would I vote for the governor’s promotion? Not sure. He certainly has accomplishments to his credit, but there are certainly other candidates I’d like to see whose conservatism I find more authentic, and who are more willing to fight in a sure to be contentious campaign. As a Texan, I’m generally prone to support our candidates when they go national, but I have to be a purest on this one. I will support Governor Perry if he wins the nomination, but until then, I’ll have to hold out a while and see how the field shapes up. At the end of the day I’ll be surprised if Mr. Perry takes the plunge. The public mood seems to want something new and different. Personally, I think the governor looks too much like an establishment candidate. But that’s just me…

Rick Perry Returns to Tyler

November 12th, 2010

Fresh from his most recent election victory nearly two weeks ago, Governor Perry visited Tyler again today. He wasn’t stumping this time however. Instead, Mr. Perry held a book signing in coordination with the Grassroots America group. The book is entitled: “Fed Up — Our Fight to Save America from Washington.”The book highlights the importance of state and local authority, and the need for citizen action to oppose a growing Federal government. All proceeds for the book go to “Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Tenth Amendment Studies.”

Over the past couple of years, particularly since the election of President Obama, we’ve seen the governor being politically born again. Tenth amendment or state’s rights issues have been central to Governor Perry’s administration of late and he has spent a great deal of time traveling the state and country making a case for smaller government. While I like him well enough, I’ve been a sort of tacit supporter of Mr. Perry’s over the years; mostly because he has never been considered a rock solid conservative. Indeed it seems that he tends to become more conservative around election time. But In light of our current political situation, Mr. Perry has come to resemble Ronald Reagan… ok not even close, but you get my point. His pro- business and generally low tax policies have kept our state fiscally sound, or more so than many or our sister states, in tough financial times. He has also been an advocate for citizen groups like Grassroots America and the Tea Party since their inception. The governor’s participation in events like the one in Tyler today, have been frequently chalked up to election year politics, but with November second behind us, and the county in a decidedly anti- government mood, he may see an opportunity to move toward the right on a more permanent basis. Of course, only time will tell if he’s actually had something of a political epiphany. In the meantime you’re welcome in Tyler Governor, come back anytime!

For more information on Grassroots America and what they’re doing in our community, go to the following web sites: http://gawtp.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grassroots-America-We-The-People/157828612919.