Texas Governors Say The Darndest Things

During the 2000 campaign, Bush went around championing ‘his record’ as Texas Governor. Having prior knowledge of Texas history and government, I laughed. And Rick Perry’s recent distancing from Bush's ever-sinking administration has me doing it again. He's attempting to take credit for Texas' budget. Which is interesting — particularly since he's constitutionally prohibited from managing it.

Like many other citizens educated in Texas public schools, I know that being governor of this state doesn't actually mean you get vested with day-to-day governing power. Most members of the state cabinet must run apart from the governor for their offices. The lieutenant governor is the one who controls the Texas Senate's workflow. This leader of the Legislative Budget Board handles the state’s budgeting process. Several agencies actually have the powers that Perry is attempting to run around and boast about 'holding'. He's a figurehead!

This unique arrangement was a constitutional reaction from conservative elites following the Civil War. I’ll bet that Perry’s 19th century ideological forerunners would be shocked to know they prevented him from enacting even more right-wing policies. Being unable to go about and directly do whatever he wants — even to appease today’s conservatives — continues to safeguard Texas!

It also contrasts his predecessor’s past policy ‘successes’ against the ongoing and ever-growing tide of Washington D.C. competency crises. Where there had been little for Bush to do as Governor of Texas, there also was little for him to damage. His performance as president got people across America to remove the 'W' stickers from their cars.

Remember, the direct-management responsibilities which are required of the United States President ultimately brought in Brownie, Alberto R. Gonzales, Harriet Miers, and a whole crew of equally incompetent figures. The Texas GOP hopes that, as in 2000, people from 'other states' see Governor Perry and then assume that he is automatically qualified to assume some upcoming national role: after all, he did run a 'big' state. But eight years of President George Bush should remind America that bigger states do not always deliver executives with better governing skills.