Oops! Rick Perry Completely Implodes Republican Immigration Field Hearing
One of the big pieces of “news” to come out of Thursday’s Republican Anti-Immigrant Antiques Roadshow was the fact that Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas) wants the National Guard to “secure our border” from the 50,000 children who are streaming across it from Central America, but less reported is Perry’s complete faceplant when Democratic Congressman Filemon Vela (D-Texas) asked him the simplest of questions.
After an hour or so of testimony from Perry, Vela completely hobbled the Republicans’ main talking point on this immigration crisis by asking Perry “If we had a thousand National Guard at our borders, as you propose, how would that have prevented the influx of these unaccompanied children who, for all practical purposes, are surrendering themselves?”
Perry hesitated, then launched into a verbal dance-off with himself. “The power of boots on the ground cannot be overstated,” Perry began, then proceeded to demonstrate that it also can’t really be explained. Instead of describing how the National Guard could repel unaccompanied children from the border, Perry instead went off on several tangents about criminal activity, neighborhood watches, and concluded by saying there would be no influx of children because that’s what he thinks.
Watch:
Later in the hearing, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) helped Perry further destroy the Republican narrative on the current immigration crisis when…READ MORE
William July 5th, 2014 at 4:24 pm
It’s like a scrabble game exploded inside his head.
Suzanne McFly July 5th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
He is fun to watch when he is involved in an adult conversation. I have to admit though, seeing him in those new glasses somehow does make him SEEM smarter.
William July 5th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Oh yeah it’s an old trick.
Denise July 5th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
how in God’s name was this ma. elected governor, what, thrice? is the water in Texas contaminated with meth/crack down there or what? Perry is an absolute buffoon!
Dwendt44 July 5th, 2014 at 7:07 pm
I think there is indeed something in the water. Not just Perry, but Gohmer and King are also drinking deeply from that well where ever it is.
fancypants July 5th, 2014 at 9:30 pm
2 words..
RED STATE
fantagor July 5th, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Perry’s still straining to remember the 3rd department he’d nix if he were POTUS (hint: it’s either commerce, energy or education…guess which one he could benefit from).
Carla Akins July 5th, 2014 at 4:40 pm
So he woud treat abused, hangry children as enemy combatants?
uzza July 5th, 2014 at 4:51 pm
He would. He can’t come right out and say what he really wants, it’s not “boots on the ground’, it’s boots on the Mexicans”
.
Carla Akins July 5th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
thank you for being so kind not to point out the numerous spelling error in a simple 10 word sentence. Geez. And I agree, he would.
Linda1961 July 5th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
They are the “Other,” so of course he would.
Carla Akins July 5th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Great word. Yes, you are correct.
Republicans_are_Evil July 5th, 2014 at 4:46 pm
Liberalland, I am very impressed by the sheer number or articles you are grinding out, even on the holiday weekend when most sites are dormant.
Eric Trommater July 5th, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Just because he has the genetic tendency toward being a horse’s ass does mean he has to act on it.
Obewon July 5th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
The power of 1,000 boot pairs spread across 1,954 miles Texas-Mexico border ground cannot be ‘misunderoverstated, “it also can’t really be explained.” How did Perry in 2012~ poll so well among GOP only? “0% +/- 2% Margin of error.”
Suzanne McFly July 5th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
I would love to speak to anyone who was polled and picked Perry, I bet they would crack me up.
fancypants July 5th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
“Border security” is the conservatives’ magical immigration amulet, the go-to demand they make whenever they need an excuse not to do anything, but it simply doesn’t apply in this case, as Perry’s response makes painfully, awkwardly clear. these kids aren’t slipping through, they are being apprehended. They aren’t being drawn here by policies that were enacted years ago, they are being driven from Central America by their desire not to be murdered.
Perry’s got an answer for that, too, though, because if we allow this to continue, maybe angry anti-immigrant Americans will start doing some murdering of their own, right? Is there some other way to interpret this?
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Is it safe to say by now that gov. perry is not a “people person “
MerryMarjie July 5th, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Rick Perry is highly implodeable, besides being a dumba$$, of course. I certainly hope he runs again for President in 2016 because the Republicans really, really need a brain like his. Maybe he and Rand Paul and Ted Cruz could run as a triumvirate!
Trumbull Desi July 5th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
He should run just for the entertainment value alone.
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
I’d like to see a mash-up of Rick Perry’s OOPS debate with Dubya’s “Fool me once” speech.
Trumbull Desi July 5th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Now that would be comedy gold!
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 7:15 pm
We should work in a little Herman Cain too.
Trumbull Desi July 5th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
I like your style, kid!
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Thanks. We have GOT to find a way to make this funny as hell, or we will go nuts.
Debby's July 5th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
Rick Perry really shouldn’t be in a position where he has to evaluate problems, evaluate solutions, or think and answer questions. It’s just too hard for him!
mea_mark July 5th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
He can comb his hair real nice though.
Linda1961 July 5th, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Yes, I’ll give him that – Rick Perry has purty hair.
Carla Akins July 5th, 2014 at 5:52 pm
He does. That’s because there’s nothing under it to interfere.
Suzanne McFly July 5th, 2014 at 6:12 pm
All that fertilizer in his head helps him grow thick, supple locks.
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 6:16 pm
It does seem to grow fast and bushy…
Carla Akins July 6th, 2014 at 12:00 am
Well everyone is blessed with gift, his was not brains but hair.
CCreadme July 5th, 2014 at 7:41 pm
It’s a rug.
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 6:16 pm
He probably has “people” who do that for him.
Tommy6860 July 5th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Isn’t it amazing how the wingers go into “Duh” speak, when asked the simplest of relevant questions. This is the brain of a politician, whose greatest strength is to appeal to the low effort thinkers and haters.
Suzanne McFly July 5th, 2014 at 6:10 pm
Another point of view could be that these politicians aren’t to bright to start off with, they can be bought. Look at our last President, I really don’t think anyone could credibly debate the fact that he was below average when it comes to smarts, however many contracts were awarded and many egregious oversights were committed. Without financial backing, bush would not of been able to “win” the last two elections.
mea_mark July 5th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Bush really is an idiot. When he was gov. of Texas he would spent most of his time playing card games on a computer. Well, at least that is what his staff and interns would say when they were, off the record.
Suzanne McFly July 5th, 2014 at 6:58 pm
Not surprised, when he was President, he spent a LOT of time clearing brush from his yard. It’s not like he had a job, dick was in charge day one.
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
I would really love to see some articles explaining who these refugees are and why they are fleeing their countries. (Hint–our war on drugs and anti-commie activities in the region MIGHT have had something to do with it.) Imagine how desperate you would have to be as a parent to trust your children to strangers to take them 1,000 miles in hopes that they will just be able to survive to grow up.
arc99 July 5th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
There are probably as many different reasons as there are children coming north. I do recall seeing a story several years ago, (perhaps 60 Minutes but I am not certain) about the devastating effect on Central and South America from aggressive mining operations leased to both foreign and domestic companies, accompanied by little or no environmental regulation. That could also well be part of the puzzle.
I admit I am as gadget-happy as any American. But I am coming to the conclusion that our lifestyle is not unlike of the Roman aristocrats at the height of the Roman empire. We are up on the top deck of the boat, enjoying the view and having a nice lunch. Meanwhile, below decks human beings providing the paddling power are being literally worked to death and thrown overboard when they are no longer useful.
The gadgets and material possessions we love so dearly and simply must upgrade every other Christmas, come with a cost in labor and in impact on the earth. As I said, I am as guilty as anyone and it is up to each of us how to do our small part to change the status quo.
Being aware of the issue is, I think, the first step in the process.
http://snobear.colorado.edu/Markw/Research/08_peru.pdf
In July 2008, Peru declared a state of emergency at a mine near Lima over fears that its tailings dam, weakened by seismic activity and subterranean water filtration, could release arsenic, lead, and cadmium into the main water supply for the capital.
Debby's July 5th, 2014 at 8:03 pm
Well said arc! Well said!
Nicholas Russell Harris July 7th, 2014 at 5:52 am
We will fall like Rome did as well at this point.
mea_mark July 5th, 2014 at 6:56 pm
I saw a report recently that a lot of it is because there are people charging money to get you to the border and they are hyping it as a great way to improve your life and are telling people how easy it is.
M D Reese July 5th, 2014 at 7:13 pm
They are preying on people who are desperate to escape. This surge of unaccompanied children and women with children are not job seekers from Mexico. They are refugees. Many have relatives here and the hope is that they can be united with them. It reminds me of the children who were sent here and to Canada from the UK to live during the Blitz of London and WWII.
LightningJoe July 8th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
“They are refugees.”
Exactly. Time to dust off the asylum laws…
Roctuna July 5th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
The hair used to be enough, now he needs the glasses but he’s still the same old Ricky-Bobby, cheerleader
Shades July 5th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
I highly recommend everyone click the link and read the entire article. At the end he appears to suggest that if those children are allowed in, “The American people” will take matters in to their own hands, “electorally and otherwise.”
Dwendt44 July 5th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
As far as I know, no Republican has yet introduced a bill that would allow the military to enforce our borders. There is a law against it currently.
M D Reese July 6th, 2014 at 9:37 pm
It’s all a matter of perspective.