As the pundits - at least many of them - keep harping on Texas Governor Rick Perry's "miraculous jobs record", it's time to bring out the magnum microscope and begin a closer examination of the claims. (Dems, you paying attention?). Because at least in a few limited quarters the news has managed to escape that Perry's "miracle" is more swagger than substance, more smoke and mirrors than decent, well paying jobs.
First, let's get the superficial story: Texas has gained more than a million new jobs since Perry took office in December, 2000. (The same month the treasonous five on the Supreme Court interrupted the Florida state recount and handed Bush the presidency. Those who wish to read more, can get hold of Vince Bugliosi's The Betrayal of America, Thunders Mouth, 2001). During this same period, the nation as a whole lost 1.3 million jobs - mainly during the peak of the recession in 2008. Meanwhile, Texas unemployment rate stands at 8.4% compared to the national 9.1%.
And what is Perry's secret? Economists have summarized his template thusly:
"low wages, low taxes and light regulations"
In other words, applied to the first, wages are kept at just state minimum wage level, meaning most Texans with such jobs lack benefits and have to find at least another gig to make ends meet ...to pay their mortgage, buy groceries or get health care.
As for the second, any corporations entering to set up business are given passes on property taxes and other (state) income taxes while those burdens are passed on to the state's citizens. Meanwhile, in order to pay for them, cuts are made to programs including education, school meals, and Medicaid.
The third means that new companies are free to pollute to their hearts' content including chucking toxic runoff (including dioxins, chromium III) wherever they want and no reg cop will look, as well as easing up on the labor safety regs - so workers may be forced to work under risky conditions and well....if they get hurt...they will have to take care of themselves!
Not surprisingly, Texans' health issues have exploded, and as many as 100,000 new cancers are forecast over the next five years, most of which (cancer of the breast, liver, lungs, prostate, bladder) citizens will have to take care of on their own with precious little in the way of medical insurance (which they can't afford given the low quality of 85% of Texas' 1 million great jobs).
Meanwhile, no less a conservative bastion than 'The Club of Growth' (WSJ, today, 'Perry's Job Creation Funds Draw Flak from Right', p. A2) notes - based on an evaluation of his record released in Washington last week that his tactics largely depend on corporate welfare. They add (ibid.):
Governor Perry is more pro-business than he is pro free markets"
Which, of course, is obvious to anyone who knows the slightest thing about actual free markets, in which businesses are expected to come into a place and succeed on their own steam, enterprise and competition - as opposed to being given carte blanche in subsidies, tax benefits and perks (off the backs of the state's hard pressed citizens).
Meanwhile, the Libertarian oriented "Republican Liberty Caucus" has stated that the first thing voters need to know of Perry's Texas jobs "miracle" is the "business slush funds" used to sustain it.(Ibid.) According to one Austin Businessman, David Naile, quoted in the piece:
"it's a high risk operation that is open to corruption and favoritism"
The most loathsome thing about this whole hyped up sham is how Perry has not just let many companies go tax-free, but actually showered largesse from his "slush fund" on them for setting up shop! For example, The Dallas Morning News reported last October that more than $16 million of Perry's special fund had gone to companies with substantial links to some of Perry's campaign backers.(Ibid.)
Meanwhile, "one $4.5 million grant went to an Austin pharmaceutical start-up founded by David Nance who's donated more than $75,000 to the Governor since 2001" (ibid.).
One can just imagine the shenanigans if this guy gets elected to the Presidency! "Teapot Dome Scandal II" anyone?
One would have thought that one Texan in office would have been at least enough to last a generation. But maybe Americans are so taken in by swagger, drawl and brash talk that they will succumb to this dolt. If they do, we can really say 'hasta la vista' to what's left of this country! "Third World America" won't merely be a distant fear but an immediate reality.
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