Texas GOP convention - Or, How the Crazy Turns

Well, it's over and it was more or less as expected. Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison made nice.  Party Chairman Cathie Adams, who steered the Texas GOP to a half a million indebtedness, is no longer chair of anything. Tea Party faithful had their booths with their subtle wares. In all a typical GOP state convention.

 Guns, guns and a poke at Ted Kennedy. Yep, it's Republican.

 One more reason I want to get out Williamson county. This gentlemen is a fellow Round Rockian. *sigh*

Perry kicked off the madness with a speech to the Texas Eagle Forum where he told the party faithful,

"We will raise our voices in defense of our values and in defiance of the hollow precepts and shameful self-interests that guide our opponents on the left," Perry said to the receptive audience.

He said the November election is bigger than "red states and blue states, conservatives or liberals, stimulus or budget cuts."

"We are in a struggle for the heart and soul of our nation," Perry said.

"That's the question: Who do you worship? Do you believe in the primacy of unrestrained federal government? Or do you worship the God of the universe, placing our trust in him?"

Seriously, this is an actual quote via the Dallas Morning News. It helps to understand that the Texas Eagle Forum was founded by Phyllis Schlafly and gave the Texas State Board of Education's soon-to-be-former Chair, Don McLeroy, its Patriot award for his efforts to pass the new social studies curriculum "despite the efforts by certain groups to undermine the curriculum review process."
Needless to say, Perry knew to whom he was speaking.

He backed that up with his speech on the convention floor attacking his opponent Bill White and painting Texas as having the small government answers that everyone is looking for. Citing all of White's supposed faults, which boil down primarily to being anti-gun, pro cap and trade and a Democrat, Perry spouted this jewel,

"Are liberals that blinded by their intellectual elitism, leftwing ideology and the worship of big government?"

Yup, that's it Governor Good Hair. I'm an intelligent ideologue who thinks government has all the answers to my every woe. You got one out of three. Not bad.

Today before they called it quits, the Texas GOP decided on the party platform for the next two years and my friends, it has one bright sparklie itself. They decided to add to the platform a call for state legislation similar to Arizona's that would "bar illegal immigrants from 'intentionally or knowingly' living in Texas" and would require local police to verify US citizenship when making arrests. 

Then the new party chairman "pledged to reach out to independents, disenchanted Republicans and minority groups, especially the burgeoning Hispanic community, to strengthen the party.” Hmmm. That might be a mite difficult there pardner.

In 2008, Texas was home to 8.9 million Hispanics, roughly 37% of our population. The top ten counties in the nation with the highest percentage of Hispanic population are all in Texas. In 2008, roughly half of the nation's Hispanic citizens voted, up 3% from 2004. I predict an even higher increase in 2010, fueled in part by the rising tide of crazy immigration platforms.

So, I say to the Texas GOP - Pass this legislation. I dare you. It will be the last significant thing you do for some time in this state. When almost 40% of your state rises up and kicks you out of office, there will be rejoicing.