Meet Your Next. U.S. President

[Asher]

You specifically claimed that the oil and gas industry created more direct jobs. Liar.

Had you said that oil and gas were driving the economy and left it at that, you'd have been fine. But you didn't.

I quoted my statement in its entirety followed by your reply in its entirety. Who do you think you are fooling?

I never once claimed it created more "direct" jobs. I've not used that word at all.

[Al B. Sure!]

Romney:

“I don’t speak for the scientific community, of course, but I believe the world’s getting warmer. I can’t prove that, but I believe based on what I read that the world is getting warmer. And number two, I believe that humans contribute to that … so I think it’s important for us to reduce our emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases that may well be significant contributors to the climate change and the global warming that you’re seeing.’’

Please don't let Ben's kind take over the GOP. Vote Romney in your primary election.

[Kidlicious]

I wouldn't bet on O B winning. As screwed up as the world is if a president doesn't do spectacular in 4 years people want to change. These are urgent times. That said I don't have confidence in anyone.

[DaShi]

Just like after Bush's first four years.

[giblets]

Please don't let Ben's kind take over the GOP.

I think it's too late to try to stop that.

[Al B. Sure!]

I think it's too late to try to stop that.

Nah. The Real GOP got McCain the nomination last year... although it came at the cost of putting Palin on the ticket... but still... the party isn't completely Tea-ized.

[Asher]

Nah. The Real GOP got McCain the nomination last year... although it came at the cost of putting Palin on the ticket... but still... the party isn't completely Tea-ized.

But the prospect of the Negro president has riled up them southerners. Could have more turnout now.

[Kidlicious]

Just like after Bush's first four years.

No that's different.

[Dinner]

Please don't let Ben's kind take over the GOP.

Far, far, far too late for that. They've owned the Republican Party for years so this is like you urging people to stop the 1987 stock market crash in the year 2011. You're a bit behind the times.

[DaShi]

No that's different.

I stand corrected.

[giblets]

Nah. The Real GOP got McCain the nomination last year... although it came at the cost of putting Palin on the ticket... but still... the party isn't completely Tea-ized.

Just look at the crazy things the candidates say at the presidential debates to pander to voters.

[notyoueither]

Texas' gun culture is really disturbing, you see nothing wrong with it.

ACK!

Things that sound strange.

I heard a story on the radio today. A 16 yo boy and a 14 yo girl from Texas decided to make a get away and get married. I suppose they planned on just living together for a time, first.

Anyway, they wanted to get far away and so they crossed into Canada at night at an unmanned crossing (we have some of those, the moose and beaver will protect us). They were caught when their car was pulled over in Calgary. The young man announced to the constable that there were loaded weapons in the car (~3 hand guns, ~5 long guns some of which were loaded). I guess that's the procedure when pulled over in Texas.

Funny thing is, sans the guns the police probably would have left them alone to go on their way.

[Dinner]

The New York Times: The Texas unmiracle (an opinion piece but still true).

If this picture doesn’t look very much like the glowing portrait Texas boosters like to paint, there’s a reason: the glowing portrait is false.

Still, does Texas job growth point the way to faster job growth in the nation as a whole? No.

What Texas shows is that a state offering cheap labor and, less important, weak regulation can attract jobs from other states. I believe that the appropriate response to this insight is “Well, duh.” The point is that arguing from this experience that depressing wages and dismantling regulation in America as a whole would create more jobs — which is, whatever Mr. Perry may say, what Perrynomics amounts to in practice — involves a fallacy of composition: every state can’t lure jobs away from every other state...

So when Mr. Perry presents himself as the candidate who knows how to create jobs, don’t believe him. His prescriptions for job creation would work about as well in practice as his prayer-based attempt to end Texas’s crippling drought.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/the-texas-unmiracle.html

And let us not forget all the many, many ways in which Texas sucks:

Texas standings against all 50 states on a variety of issues (1st means highest ranking, 50th means lowest ranking).

• State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance – 47th

• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Scores – 45th

• % of Population 25 and Older with High School Diploma – 50th

• High School Graduation Rate – 43rd

• Per Capita State Spending on State Arts Agencies – 43rd

• Birth Rate – 2nd

• Percent of Uninsured Children – 1st

• Percent of Children Living in Poverty – 4th

• Percent of Population Uninsured – 1st

• Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured – 1st

• Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid – 49th

• Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance – 48th

• Total Health Expenditures as % of the Gross State Product – 43rd

• Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health – 50th

• Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid – 49th

• Health Care Expenditures per Capita – 44th

• Physicians per Capita – 42nd

• Registered Nurses per Capita – 44th

• Average Monthly Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Benefits per Person – 47th

• Percent of Population Who Visit the Dentist – 46th

• Overall Birth Rate – 2nd

• Teenage Birth Rate – 7th

• Births to Unmarried Mothers – 17th

• Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth – 9th

• Percent of Non-Elderly Women with Health Insurance – 50th

• Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Receive Mammograms – 40th

• Cervical Cancer Rate – 11th

• Percent of Women with High Blood Pressure – 16th

• Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester – 50th

• Women’s Voter Registration – 45th

• Women’s Voter Turnout – 49th

• Percent of Women Living in Poverty – 6th

• Mortgage Debt as Percent of Home Value – 47th

• Foreclosure Rates – 10th

• Median Net Worth of Households – 47th

• Average Credit Score – 49th

• Retirement Plan Participation – 47th

• Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions – 1st

• Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds Released into Air – 1st

• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water – 1st

• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Air – 1st

• Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated – 1st

• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Air – 5th

• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Water – 7th

• Number of Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priority List – 7th

• Consumption of Energy per Capita – 5th

• Workers’ Compensation Coverage – 50th

• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor – 9th

• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Middle Class – 5th

• Homeowner’s Insurance Affordability – 46th

• Number of Executions – 1st

[DaShi]

Dallas also has one of the worst airports in the world. How hard it is to make their trains run on schedule? And no free public wifi.

[Al B. Sure!]

Wow. Texas sucks ass. They don't have a budget problem, though, and do have low taxes.