Perry the Drunk

Texas Governor Rick Perry was clearly in his cups when he made this speech to Republicans in his quest for their Presidential nomination this past Friday in Manchester, NH:



Yet another disqualification for the Presidency -- at least W had the good sense to be a dry drunk by the time he hit the Oval Office. Although, I'd say his crazy 20% optional Flat Tax plan that he just released and touted -- i.e., a 14% tax drop for the 1% on top of our economy -- is disqualification enough.

And there's a brilliant expose by Matt Taibbi in the new Rolling Stone, "The Best Little Whore in Texas." It turns out Rick Perry is all about favors -- he'll giveaway any government funds you want if you contribute enough money to his campaigns:

But it's an act that should have ended after just a few steps down the rope, when he slipped up in the Orlando debate and told the truth.

Among other attacks that night, Perry was taking criticism for his decision back in 2007 to order all sixth-grade girls in Texas to be inoculated against HPV – specifically, with three shots of Gardasil vaccine, a Merck product that sells for a tidy $120 a shot. Michele Bachmann, who not only hates the move as an intrusive use of state power but probably also because it interferes with God's ability to administer punitive cancers to dabblers in extramarital sex, blasted Perry for delivering such a blatant favor to his corporate buddies at Merck. "We cannot forget that in the midst of this executive order, there is a big drug company that made millions of dollars because of this mandate," she said, pointing out that Perry's former chief of staff was the chief lobbyist for Merck.

Perry's response was telling. "It was a $5,000 contribution that I had received from them," he said. "I raised about $30 million. And if you're saying that I can be bought for $5,000, I'm offended."

The Orlando crowd applauded nervously, not quite grasping what Perry had just said. Had the debate taken place in Austin, however, the crowd would have erupted in knowing laughter. Rick Perry, as any Texan knows, does not roll over for 5,000 measly dollars. He charges a hell of a lot more than that. The price tag varies, of course, depending on the favor. Based on the donations Perry has collected, it costs an average of $39,354 to buy a seat on the board of a state university. Landing a state road project runs about half a million, while creating an entire government commission specifically designed to protect your business interests will run you more than $13 million.

I'm looking forward to the eventual investigation(s). Texas law may somehow allow it, but it's still called graft.

Nixon Wannabe

Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) is like Richard Nixon without the professionalism. He was prank called on Wednesday by someone claiming to be a Koch brother and stayed on the line revealing his planned deceptions and general toadying up to oil wealth for twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes. Think about that. Twenty minutes without the prank caller from The Beast making him suspicious, even when he said:

Koch: We’ll back you any way we can. What we were thinking about the crowd was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.

Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that —because we thought about that. The problem—the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this…[explains that planting troublemakers may not work.] My only fear would be if there’s a ruckus caused is that maybe the governor has to settle to solve all these problems…[something about '60s liberals.]…Let ‘em protest all they want…Sooner or later the media stops finding it interesting.

That means that this is the way the Koch brothers talk to the politicians they've purchased and furnished with ideological claptrap designed to take America back -- to the Robber Baron Era. It's exactly as bad as the worst you think. Because if they're considering planting agitators, you know that they've done it before.

Liar Walker's denial is hilarious: "I take phone calls all the time." What the hell does that even mean? I take phone calls from my corporate overlords all the time?

I'm just wondering which Koch brother has made his feelings known to toady Walker about this boneheaded screw up.

Like mobsters, they may have to stop talking on the phone. Do something with burners and codes, a la The Wire. After all, is this prosecutable, arguably taking an implied bribe:

Murphy: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: Once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali (California) and really show you a good time.

Walker: All right, that would be outstanding. Thanks for all the support in helping us move the cause forward, and we appreciate it, and we’re doing it the just and right thing for the right reasons and it’s all about getting our freedoms back.

He's revealed his strategy for all to see. He didn't campaign on ending collective bargaining, he's deliberately taking eyes off the banks that got the states into debt, and if his governorship doesn't crumble to the point of legislative failure (i.e. pressure on Republican legislators who don't want to be recalled or voted out next time) it will be a huge victory for him, the GOP crony con (including their conning of their easiest dupes, the tea partiers) and the Koch brothers.

It's rfall at Daily Kos who provides the most apt analysis of the call, and the most chilling:

What I haven't heard a lot about it the one thing which leapt out at me when listening to the tape after my years in corporate life.

Walker sounds exactly like someone who is in a one-on-one meeting with his boss.

He provides status on what he's doing and plans to do.

He provides rationalizations for his actions which he thinks his boss might not like.

He makes promises as to what he plans to do, things the boss wants done.

He expresses false bravado, trying to be a "good enforcer" to his boss.

In summary, he sounds like he's not talking to a Wisconsin citizen, or even a campaign contributor, but someone to whom he's clearly beholden for his job.

As I've heard it said about success in the corporate world: It's all about the reporting. Well, in some ways it's now like a bestselling political thriller.

True motives and relationships have been revealed.

Psycho

If I were anyone of note in the Republican party, I'd want this woman buried as deep as possible after this speech:



If she's the party, whether on Fox on in a 2012 Presidential Primary, the party is over. She makes Mark Sanford's meandering public confessions seem a little saner. Or maybe she just earned herself the next room in the sanatorium.

From Josh Marshall, quoting the speech:

Life is too short to compromise time and resources... it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: "Sit down and shut up", but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out.

Quitters stick to it. Winners quit.

The potential real reason:

I've now been able to get independent information from multiple sources that all of this precedes what are said to be possible federal indictments against Palin, concerning an embezzlement scandal related to the building of Palin's house and the Wasilla Sports Complex built during her tenure as Mayor. Both structures, it is said, feature the "same windows, same wood, same products." Federal investigators have been looking into this for some time, and indictments could be imminent, according to the Alaska sources.

The BRAD BLOG has not been able to receive confirm from any federal sources on this. Our information comes from local Alaskans who follow Palin, and who have been keeping an eye on this for some time, while keeping it quiet at the request of federal investigators.

She'll spin it, to be sure. Federal Obama government intruding into Alaska and personal life, political vendetta, blah blah. And her stupid, I mean committed fans will eat it up.

Bottom line, though: same ol' same ol'. If true, just another narcissistic corrupt pol.

With a 'cuda smile.