The Real Rick Perry Record High unemployment and low pay contrast with campaign statements

Governor Rick Perry decided to seek the Republican nomination for President of the United States while the economy is in a slow recovery from the Great Recession – created by the last Republican administration – and millions of Americans are either unemployed or underemployed. It is not surprising, then, that Perry is campaigning on his alleged record of job creation he humbly calls the “Texas miracle”.

However, when subjected to close scrutiny, this “miracle” is exposed as a mirage, promising wealth but slowly fading away to reveal the dust and dirt left behind.

According to Governor Perry’s website, as of “June of 2011, 32,000 net new jobs were created in Texas–more than any of the other states.  From June 2010 to June 2011, Texas led all other states by far, adding 220,000 net new jobs.”  Governor Perry also touts that according to the Dallas Federal Reserve, 37% of all net new American jobs through April 2011 were created in Texas.Those statements make good sound bites, but the reality is that the “Texas miracle” is a tall tale. Texas may have added some jobs in numeric terms – due mainly to geographic and demographic factors outside of Perry’s control, like the size of the state, high birth rates, a shared border with Latin America, immigration, rising oil prices, and increased military spending – but in real terms, the unemployment rate under Governor Perry tells a different story. Unemployment has grown under his watch and Texas has done worse since national unemployment peaked in October 2009.  Other facts that Rick Perry forgot to mention about his “Texas miracle” are

Rick Perry

Gov. Perry keeps pointing to the skies when talking about Texas' job growth, but the facts show another story. (Image courtesy Robert Scoble.)

  • His policies failed to create the good jobs Americans’ want and need. The positions created in Texas since 2009 are mostly minimum wage jobs.  As a matter of fact, Texas shares with Mississippi the dishonor of being the two states with the highest percentage of minimum wage workers in the nation.
  • Rick Perry has borrowed money from the Federal Government (Obama’s TARP) to balance the budget in Texas since 2009, which contrasts strongly with his supposed fight against government overreach.
We want our leaders to bring good, sustainable jobs back to our country, not to manipulate figures from the past to look better.  What matters is the reality that Texans have struggled under Perry’s policies, not the fantasy he creates for his followers.
Sep 2, 2011 1 Comment ››

  • JB

    Dont forget Perry’s other illustrious acccomplishments:

    1. Scuttled the TSA anti-groping bill this summer which passed the Texas House 180-0. 

    2.  Used executive order to force state wide vaccinations on children with Gardasil, causing 3 deaths.

    3.  Met in secret with Bildeberg in 2007 who have predetermined his presidential nomination and possibly helped provide funds, which is in violation of the Logan Act.  Hillary Clinton attend these same meetings and was fined for doing so. 
     
    4.  He supported NAFTA and is for open borders.   In 2001 he signed the Dream Act in Texas allowing undocumented workers to receive taxpayer money for in state college tuition. 

    5.  He supported Hillary care in 1993 and sent an open letter, which is simply another early version of Obama care.

    6.  Was formerly a Democrat and Al Gore campaign advisor, but now a Republican.  I guess he can’t decide which side he is on? 

    7.  He apparently according to an Austin newspaper had a scandal that involves a school drug education video that Perry had endorsed and distributed to schools state wide.  What it also involved near the end of the tape was a sex scene from the movie 1984.   The tapes were recalled, but the damage was done.  There is also apparently another incident where he took out an add for strippers and one where there was a Gay day at the governor’s mansion.   There is reports of infidelity as well, but unsubstantiated. 

    8.  He oversaw 234 executions, 100 more than Bush and when asked by Brian Williams about if he worried if one may have been wrongly convicted, Perry said “I’ve never struggled with that at all.”  So much for good Christian anguish over the sins of others and that unspoken political restraint on the use of capital punishment! 
     
    9.  His job growth numbers between June of 2010 and 2011 are apparently cooked, considering most of the jobs created were minimum wage jobs and the level of unemployment is higher.  Middle class also lost a majority of jobs, despite a large number of minimum wage jobs were added.  He also had a balanced budget in 2009, but only because he borrowed money from Tarp. 

    10.  His environmental record also seems to have more to be desired, with his closed eye for large companies locating pollution creating dumps near sensitive areas such as Waste Control Specialists locating a radioactive dump 14 feet above an Aquifer.  He also helps other oil companies with their facilities.   Generally nothing wrong with big oil, but when location of waste dumps is overlooked even after scientists recommend against it, it might be a problem!  These companies have donated large amounts of money to Perry’s campaign.