Current Texas Governor Rick Perry will, in all likelihood, be president of the United States in January of 2013.
Having already made that bold statement in the electronic media during appearances on Fox News and on the nationally syndicated Mancow Radio Experience, now it's time for to put down in "print" why I believe Perry will be our next president.
I did the same thing in December 2006. I was the first political commentator to predict that Barack Obama would be the next president, and I said that would be especially true if John McCain were his opponent.
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The story of how my prediction turned into our nation's current nightmare is documented in my new best selling book, "No He Can't: How Barack Obama is Dismantling Hope and Change."
So far, the 2012 GOP presidential field has felt odd and disjointed to me, especially since former Arkansas and Alaska Governors Huckabee and Palin were long in making their up their minds about whether to get into the presidential race.
Even now we still don't know the mind of the former Alaskan governor about 2012. But polling data was clear in the period between February 2010 - April 2010 that if President Obama had been forced to face former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee he would lose.
The rest of the current field is interesting, but essentially so much alike that while there are contrasts between the candidates they are hard to discern.
Enter the candidate who has not even announced yet, the three-term governor from Texas: Rick Perry.
As I did in my 2006 piece predicting the Obama presidency let me lay out the five reasons Governor Perry would win if he chooses to enter the race:
1. Perry Has Created More Jobs Than Obama
Of all the issues that will face the nation in 2012, the one that weighs even now most on the minds of those around household dinner tables is where they will find the next month's paycheck.
In my book I detail the deterioration and the inexplicable refusal of solutions that will work by the Obama administration.
President Obama was hired by the America people to make the economy better, to lower unemployment, to see Americans grow their wealth, and at every level he has failed.
It's bad enough that one out of ten workers can't find work. But the most damning statistic is that one out of five families is working as hard as they possibly can, but still can't pay their bills.
Meanwhile over that same time period Governor Perry has overseen job growth in Texas that sits at 47% of all jobs created in the entirety of the United States -- just during the two and half years Obama's been in office.
2. Perry Respects the Importance of Small Business
While President Obama has been loading up the tax burden, fees, fines, and penalties for small businesses with his ObamaCare plan, the threat of higher taxes, and environmental pipe-dreams like "cap-and-trade," Governor Perry has reduced trivial regulation and has made Texas a dynamic environment to grow business. He's been so successful that corporations are relocating from the troubled states of California and New York. They're coming to the Lone Star State to set up shop, provide better service, and pay their workers better wages.
Gov. Perry was even invited just a few months ago to the California Assembly to chat with lawmakers about how to create small business growth. One of those Assemblymen was so inspired by the governor he started the "draft Perry" movement.
3. Perry Understands the Issue of State Sovereignty
Governor Perry has been famous for not exactly playing ball with the folks Washington, D.C. He has tried to use everything from humor to a serious demeanor in his opportunities for dialogue with President Obama and his administration to convince them of the problems that can happen when the federal government oversteps, overreaches, and over spends.
He has refused federal monies for programs his state did not need. Even when Texas was experiencing massive wildfires his behavior was counter-intuitive for most politicians.
He did not immediately turn to Washington with his hand out. Yet when his state's resources had been depleted he did come forward and ask for federal disaster aid in fighting the blazes. He's still waiting for an answer to his multiple requests for help from the administration.
As an aside, let me say that the administration's silence on the Texas wildfires looks like pure politics.
4. Perry Has Core Convictions
Recently Governor Perry allowed his Labrador Retriever to accompany him on his daily six mile jog. While on his run, he and his pet were accosted by a menacing coyote. After remaining still and waiting to see what the wild coyote would do, the governor pulled out a .380 Ruger and shot the coyote dead when it become apparent the coyote was after his pup.
When he returned to the governor's office he was queried about his "heartless" actions towards "innocent" animals. After answering more than one question on the matter, and in a mildly exasperated manner he replied, "Don't go after my dog!" In other words while the press was confused about his value system, he saw it in very simple terms.
Gov. Perry's commonsense approach to problems and his core convictions resonate with the average American voter. There is such a thing as right and wrong. Not everything or everyone needs a presidential Blue Ribbon Commission to determine what's wrong and what's right.
5. He Appeals to All Three Categories of Conservatives
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the first Republican candidate to bring together the conservatives across the economic, social values, and strong military spectrums. Governor Rick Perry has already demonstrated his ability to do the same.
His economic abilities have already been cited. But he also supported the "loser pays" tort-reform bill in Texas. Trivial lawsuits will automatically diminish in the future because those bringing them will have little incentive to try to shake down an organization by merely attempting to wear them out.
He also supported the sonogram law, pleasing pro-family advocates, which allows a legal abortion in Texas only after the mother of the unborn child is able to see her child with her own eyes first.
He also pushed for passage of a voter ID law which will go a long way to insure the integrity of the voting process in future Texas elections.
His shared values of faith, his belief in the decency of America, and his lack of apology for sticking to his beliefs contrast very well with a current president who is best described as "ruthlessly pragmatic."
Obviously there is much ground yet to cover before the elections of 2012. But Governor Rick Perry of Texas appears to this New Yorker to have the moxie, the methods, and material success in office to challenge President Obama on his rather lackluster "credentials" over the last two years--which is all he had to begin with.
I also love the fact that Gov. Perry wasn't even interested in the 2012 presidential race until recently. Maybe it's a good thing not to have people who lust for power live only to achieve it.
He's not even in the race yet, and this column is not an endorsement, it's a prediction. As a nationally syndicated talk show host, I am committed to having all of the candidates seeking the GOP nomination on my program. Friday, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty joined me. and will ask each of them the very same important questions of our economy, our national security and our future.
All that being said, if this economy keeps feeling like a dead coyote on an empty Texas highway, all bets are off.
Kevin McCullough is the nationally syndicated host of "The Kevin McCullough Show" weekdays (7-9 a.m. ET) & "Baldwin/McCullough Radio" Saturdays (9-11 p.m. ET) on 265 stations. His latest book, "No He Can't: How Barack Obama is Dismantling Hope and Change" is available now.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/06/24/five-reasons-why-believe-texas-governor-rick-perry-will-be-our-president-in/#ixzz1SOqKQppz
Impressive!
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