Why Rick Perry Scares the Hell out of Me

The United States, as a nation, is in total ruin. We have a federal government that is not only morbidly obese but corrupt beyond measure and so completely impotent to address any real problems that they simply continue to compound. At the Executive level we have Barry Obama, who has been the main player in crippling this nation beyond repair. We have a legislative branch so deeply out of touch that they cannot comprehend the calamity that is truly underway (not to mention they are seeking a pay raise!) And we have a Judicial branch that is infected with political ideologues and party cronies. The state of this union is not good. There are fundamental failures and loopholes at the highest level that, left immediately unfixed, will irreversibly damage what is left to salvage from this Union of States. To fix these problems at the federal level requires vision, leadership, and sound principles. More importantly the nominee to face off with Obama must be capable. It can be argued that Obama had the three traits listed above, but his general ineptitude is what put this nation full speed ahead into a field of icebergs.

Enter the 2012 GOP Presidential Contenders, and focusing on arguably the top 5 candidates (or predicted candidates): Perry, Romney, Paul, Bachmann, Palin. Of those five names, four have declared candidacy. Of those four candidates, three are basing their core support on the religious right. Of those three, two have either strongly endorsed extremely leftist candidates or passed extremely liberal state legislation regarding healthcare.

Rick Perry, more than all the others combined, scares the hell out of me. As a Republican, but more importantly as an American, I am very afraid of the potential for a Perry presidency. Perry is the Pat Robertson of 2012. Perry was propelled into the spotlight with his 'prayer for rain', and is of the general belief that the world is in the apocalyptic end times. Setting aside his controversial anti-liberty stance on forced HPV vaccinations in Texas, tax increases, or his questionable relations to extreme liberals over the years, Rick Perry is the American Ahmadinejad. Perry has even states that the US will be "guided by Christian leaders following Christian values." Which Christian values are going to guide this nation? The same values that guided Europe into the Inquisition? The same values that led to the slaughter of the Mayan and Aztecs? The same values that lead some to believe that everyone but them is doomed to an eternity in hell? What variation of Christianity will this nation bend to? This is exactly why Religion has a place in man's heart, but it does not belong in politics. That Rick Perry believes we are in the end times, and as a dutiful Christian he will choose God over country, could one not deduce that he would use the full force of the military to bring about the Messiah? The same logic used by Ahmadinejad in Iran.

I will not and cannot support Rick Perry in the Primary or General election. I have always been skeptical of leaders who rely on religion as their running mate. The solution to America's problems are not solved by Perry's brand of politics, for the same reason that Pat Robertson's lunacy continues to solve nothing. Religion has no place in political discourse, other than to state that one man's belief or understanding of God should not be forcefully put upon another man. Any time that it is elevated beyond this I am not only skeptical, but I am terrified of the outcome.

6 months of silence

Readers (who are still around) -

I spent a large part of 4 years blogging, staying extremely active in the political scene, running for office, and holding seats within the party. As you may or may not recall, I lost my best friend of 18 years in a motorcycle accident on November 30th of 2010. I refocused my efforts on myself after that incident. The seats to which I was elected within the Kitsap GOP, I resigned. I am currently in the final stages of a divorce and trying to make life as seamless as possible for my two little girls and myself as I charge forward into a brave new world.

I've been asked a number of times about starting the blog again. So I think I am going to see what I've got left inside to give to the blogging world. If I find that the stress is still too much, that jumping back into the world of political blogging is simply too much, I think I may simply hang it up for another stint and try again later...

For now, I'm going to blog when I can... and since the GOP seems to know prime time how to screw up a presidential pick, let's start there........

See you in the blogging world!

-Steven M Nielson