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Why Ross Perot Has the President in His Hip Pocket

Speaking here yesterday, FOX political analyst Brit Hume credited Dallas’ Ross Perot Sr.–he called him the “little guy” with the charts–for first focusing public attention on federal budget deficits during Perot’s run for the presidency in 1992. Back then the annual deficit was around $250 billion; today’s it’s upwards of $1.6 trillion. So, when we bumped into the billionaire businessman at last night’s bash for the Museum of Nature & Science, we asked if he sees any hope for getting the current deficit under control. “Not right now, because they’re printing money left and right,” Perot replied. “I thought our numbers were bad [in '92], but the ones today are makin’ our numbers look good.” Then, with a flourish, he pulled a crisp new bill out of his wallet and held it up, grinning. It had President Obama’s picture in the middle and the inscription, “One Trillion Dollars.” [FB commenter "Parker," I did this one especially for you.]

Hensarling: Build a Bank Fund, And It Will be Used

Dallas’ own Jeb Hensarling is among the opposition speaking out against financial regulatory reform legislation approved by the House Financial Services Committee today. One of the measures would require big banks to pay fees into a $150 billion fund to be used in case one of them fails.

Here’s what “the GOP’s Most Powerful Nobody” said:

“Pre-funding the fund would lead to more bailouts because the fund would be sitting and available to be used,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. “If you build it they will come, it will create an expectation that the fund would be used.”

Brit Hume: 2010 May Look Like ‘94

Veteran newsman Brit Hume says Democrats are in “fairly serious trouble” because unemployment–the most important economic indicator in political terms–is likely to remain above 10 percent through 2010. Speaking at a Dallas luncheon today, the senior political commentator for FOX News (pictured) also said most Americans are more concerned with budget deficits than with reforming health care, especially after passage of the “bloated, reckless,” $787 billion stimulus bill. While President Obama has bet the ranch on health reform, Hume said, the public believes the reform tab will only worsen the deficit at a time when they’re “really worried about it.”

The president has pressed so hard on health care–and on other initiatives like climate-change legislation–because he knows that, with next year’s elections looming, it’s now or never, the newsman said. So, “what will President Obama do if he and his party suffer major losses next year?” Hume asked. He doubts the “quite liberal” president will move to the right, as Bill Clinton did after Democrats were rousted in the 1994 elections, but “that’s a decision [Obama] will face,” he said. Hume was guest speaker at the Salvation Army’s annual Doing the Most Good luncheon at the Anatole.

Dreher Reads Sarah Palin So You Don’t Have To

The News columnist reviews Going Rogue today for “All Things Considered” on NPR.

Rick Perry To Be Installed as Governor-For-Life

Kay Bailey Hutchison’s campaign is falling apart. Her heart is clearly not in it. Yesterday’s Houston ”event“  with Dick Cheney was only the latest in a desultory series. Two-hour delay? Five-minute speech? A crowd of 150?

A FrontBurnerian emails:

Ugh.  She shaved her legs for that? Call me old fashioned, but I’d envisioned a ballroom fundraiser with hundreds of fat cat contributors, anxious to hobnob with the former veep and delivering bundles of checks, regardless of whether she  attended or not.

 

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An Abundance of Bushes at the Meyerson

No fewer than three George Bushes were on stage for an event at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Monday night, including Jeb Bush’s son George P. P’s Uncle George, the former president known as W, referred interestingly to W’s dad, the one called George H.W., as “the real President Bush.” Then 43 talked some about the book he’s writing, saying it would tackle subjects ranging from 9/11, Afghanistan, and Iraq to Hurricane Katrina, his “freedom agenda,” and the financial meltdown. “My hope is that when objective history is finally written, that historians will use [the book] as a basis to understand our times,” W said. Then he proceeded to read an irreverant “excerpt” from the tome that had 1,000+ people rolling in the aisles. SweetCharity has the details.

Ed Wallace: Texas Should Raise Its Gas Tax

Our fair state faces a huge impending budget shortfall. On top of that, TxDot will soon be out of money. But we’re still growing. So the question is, how to build the roads and rail needed to keep from strangling ourselves?

Dallas Republican state senator John Carona has an idea: raise the gas tax 10¢.  When asked about it, Rick Perry demurred, but said if the Legislature voted it, he’d have to go with it. That left an opening for KBH to attack him (proving once again that even the slightest hint of fiscal responsibility wins no friends in a GOP primary). 

KLIF talk-show host and BusinessWeek columnist Ed Wallace thinks they are all a bunch of pantywaists. On Saturday’s show, he argued strongly that Texas ought to raise gas prices 20¢. With the way gas prices have been fluctuating the last two years, basically nobody would notice. But the hike would bring in $2 billion a year — more than enough to cover the state’s transporation shortfall, not mention CHIPs, education, and the unemployment fund. In his Monday Star-Telegram column (the man is a multi-media machine), Wallace argued that a national gas tax beats the daylights out of cap-and-trade, which will end up as another bonanza for lobbyists and Wall Street.

A guide to state gas taxes is here.

Rod Dreher on Journalists and Religion

The DMN’s Rod Dreher has penned a great column about Islamic fanaticism, including this part which concludes with my nomination for Sentence of the Week:

That routine is, alas, not alien to American Muslim leaders with whom I’ve clashed since. They obfuscate what they really believe and try to intimidate critics into silence with accusations of bigotry. They cannily understand that’s kryptonite to many journalists, who find Baptists scarier than Wahhabists.

Completely Unsurprising Headline, Ctd.

At the ribbon-cutting tonight for Dallas’ Main Street Garden, Mayor Tom Leppert said he wasn’t fazed or “surprised” by today’s news that GOP gubernatorial hopeful Kay Bailey Hutchison will remain in the U.S. Senate at least until next March. He also said it wouldn’t affect his future plans one way or the other–plans that Gromer Jeffers Jr. of the DMN reported today include considering a run for Hutchison’s Senate seat. “I told [Jeffers] that I’d look at things as they come up–as I always have in life,” Leppert said, downplaying The News‘ account. “That was much overdone.”

Hutchison Plays Hamlet: Will Stay in Senate (For Now)

In the latest surprising development in her squirrelly “campaign” for Texas governor, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison now says she’ll remain in the U.S. Senate until after next year’s primaries. Gromer Jeffers Jr. got the scoop.

Completely Unsurprising Headline: “Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Considering Run For U.S. Senate”

He finally admitted it during a taping of Inside Texas Politics. It only took him a year.

A ‘New’ Bush Makes His Debut at SMU

These days you seem to hear one of two things about George W. Bush’s new policy institute and presidential library, museum and foundation on the SMU campus. It’s either going to jam traffic so badly the area will resemble an L.A. freeway at rush hour–or nobody will come to the thing and, besides, the library will just have a couple of coloring books in it, anyway. This afternoon we got a decidedly different view from W and his wife Laura, who showed up at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium to outline plans for the public policy part of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the George W. Bush Institute.

The Bushes took turns speaking at a single lectern on a very presidential-looking stage, with a backdrop including an American flag and these words in giant letters: Freedom. Opportunity. Responsibility. Compassion. W said his new institute would focus on four areas–education, health, human freedom, and economic growth–and added that he’s hiring some top people to do some groundbreaking work in those fields. The new hires include Sandy Kress, a former local chairman of the Democratic Party, and Mark Dybul, an openly gay man who served as the former president’s global AIDS coordinator.

Laura’s portion of the presentation, meantime, stressed that a “women’s initiative” would be a big part of the institute, with a major conference for Afghan women on the schedule for next March. That focus on women’s issues seemed smart–as did most elements of the Bushes’ plan for the presidential center, a $300 million project that will even be green: LEED Platinum-certified. Thus a “new” W was revealed at SMU today: serious, inclusive, bipartisan, a lofty thinker–much different from the beaten-down prez whose party lost everything last fall. And, the 1,500 or so people in the McFarlin audience seemed to like it. They gave the Bushes four standing O’s.

Perry: Obama ‘Hell-Bent’ On Socialism

That’s what the guv said in Midland yesterday. Check out the video; then, all you Rick Perry critics, start your outrage machines.

Why California Lags Texas

William Voegeli in this report in City Journal comparing the two states finds that California has a higher revenue per citizen than Texas ($11,160 vs. $7,558) but accomplishes less with the money. On education:

According to a report issued earlier this year by McKinsey & Company, Texas students “are, on average, one to two years of learning ahead of California students of the same age,” though expenditures per public school student are 12 percent higher in California.

What’s the reason for the disparity?

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Rick Perry for President?

That’s the general idea, theorizes the great Paul Burka.

Does the Health-Care Bill Undo Texas Tort Reform?

David Frum thinks so, citing Section 2531(4)b of the bill. This is one of many provisions that cannot be allowed to make it through the Senate. That brings us to an interesting point: what’s the best strategy for eliminating it?

The Republicans seem to be intent on stonewalling, as they did in the House. The danger is that the Democrats only need to peel off one or two votes to get their 60 supermajority. If that happens, all we can do is hope that tort reform is a bargaining chip. But with so many giant flaws in the House version to be fixed, the senator peeling off (hello, Olympia Snowe) could — and does — have other priorities.  But what if 5 or so Republicans said, we’ll vote for your bill if you change these 10, 15, or 20 things — and they were serious, not just posturing (as Republicans tend to do).

They’d get what they wanted. Section 2541(4)b would be history.

Dick Armey Profile in NY Times Magazine

Michael Sokolove does a fair job in portraying the former Denton congressman and majority leader’s second act as the lead organizer of the conservative protest movement. Many on the other side properly ask where all the Tea Partiers were when the Bush Administration and a Republican Congress were running up huge deficits. I admire Armey because he was fighting his own party every step of the way, as this Salon piece from 2004 shows.

In the New York Times article, Armey refers to ”those nitwits who took over after we left.” He means Tom DeLay, Dick Cheney (”Deficits don’t matter”), and Karl Rove, whose political strategy consisted of (a) paying for two wars on a national-debt credit card, and (b) trying to create a “permanent Republican majority” by buying off large segments of the population with massive entitlements like the Medicare prescription bill, which Armey fought against.  Give the guy credit for consistency back when opposition made him an outcast in his own party. To my mind, that makes him worth listening to now.

Tidbit: Much as I like Armey, it’s also interesting to find out that his protesting earns a salary of $550,000 a year.  Wowza.

While 95 Percent Shun the Polls, A Burmese Immigrant Actually Wants to Vote

Speaking of that 5 percent-6 percent voter turnout yesterday, sometimes it takes a legal immigrant to put us “citizens” to shame. It happened yesterday at our polling place in Merriman Park, where SweetCharity and I proudly voted for insurgent DISD candidate Bruce Parrott (Zac!). Ahead of us in line was a new neighbor we’d met Halloweening with his family last Saturday–a legal U.S. resident from Burma/Myanmar by way of Thailand. Trying to communicate in broken English, the Burma native was showing his I.D. card and pleading with the poll official to let him vote. After the official explained that one needs to be a citizen to cast a ballot, our neighbor finally “got it” and walked away, dejected but smiling. Ironic to be reminded about the importance of voting by a guy from Burma–a police state marked by political repression, forced labor and ethnic cleansing.

Mitch Rasansky to Run for Dallas County Judge?

Having heard the rumor, I called former city councilman Mitch Rasansky to ask him if he was, indeed, seriously considering running for Jim Foster’s county judge seat. I got him on the phone, but Rasansky had to call me back. On the other line, he was talking to an irate person who still thought he was a city councilman. Which is awesome. Then, when he called me back, I almost didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said “Ferrari Dallas.” I asked him why, and he said he was surprised to hear that; they don’t even have caller ID at his office. Twenty-five or 30 years ago, Rasansky said, he used to buy and sell Ferraris. Maybe that’s why it still says that. Again, awesome. (I mean, Mitch Rasansky behind the wheel of a Ferrari?)

So, about that rumor. Rasansky says: “About 10 days ago, I had two calls in concert from people asking me to run. I hadn’t even been considering it. Since then, those two people have gotten other people to call me. … I am thinking about it. I have called some people for some advice. I did attend a commissioners court meeting. … I am weighing in my mind whether I can do good for the city of Dallas. I’m a workaholic; the time isn’t an issue. If I decide to do it, it’s only for my love of the city.”

I don’t know Rasansky well. It’s hard for me to say what to read between the lines. But the guy has worked for the city in one capacity or another for 23 years. Sort of seems like it’s in his blood. I do know this: Wade Emmert is the handpicked Republican gunning for Foster’s seat. I know which way Emmert hopes Rasansky will go.

Is Dallas Primed for a Revolution?

On the first full week of every month, I get the pleasure of broadcasting with Adriana Bate on WRR for about a half hour from One Arts. Now that we’ve moved our offices downtown, that means I get to walk down Flora Street for our 11 o’clock date every day. My trip takes me past the Nasher, the Meyerson, the Winspear, and the Wyly. It’s lovely, especially when the weather is as nice as it is today. But I’ve been studying something on my walk that has caught my eye before: the cobblestones (or bricks, really) that pave the sidewalk. In front of the Meyerson, they are a wreck. Some are missing. Many have become dislodged. We don’t get much practice here in the United States, but over in Europe, where they’ve been at it a bit longer, they know that cobblestones make perfect projectiles to throw in times of revolution. All I’m saying is, if the workers rise up and clash with the police down in the Arts District, the police are in for a tough fight.

Bruce Parrott, Potentially Anthropomorphic District 3 School Board Candidate

I should probably, at this point, have further investigated the various candidates for the District 3 spot on the Dallas ISD school board, since that’s the district in which I vote. I’ve been busy. I’m sorry. But, in a way, I have been paying attention to at least one candidate. His name is Bruce Parrott. I drive past his signs every day. After a month or so of staring at those signs while stopped at this light or that, I’ve come to a conclusion. Based on his name and general appearance, I believe Bruce Parrott to be an anthropomorphic parrot. That’s right. A real bird. I don’t know how it happened, but there it is. I also may be staying up too late.

I don’t know. You tell me if I’m crazy, based on the most recent head shot I could find. It’s after the jump.

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Rick Perry’s “Secret” Junket to Israel

CBS11 devoted more than 7 minutes last night to this Bennett Cunningham report on Rick Perry’s family excursion to Jerusalem, paid for by Israeli oil interests who have scored big in Texas.  The trip took place while Perry was announcing a reduction in travel by state employees and carried a taxpayer price tag of $70,000 — plus overtime — for Perry’s security detail (the Israelis don’t provide security?). The purpose of the trip was so that Perry could receive a “Defender of Jerusalem” award.

As for how secret the trip was, the News’s Christy Hoppe reported on it in August, so maybe it was only a secret to CBS11.  Hoppe further noted that Perry is an unusual recepient of such an award, since in 2006 he said he agreed that Jews and non-believers will be condemned to eternal damnation.

Knives Come Out for Texas Trib Launch

I am a proud founding member of the new Texas Tribune, the online state news service that starts up on Tuesday. I know FrontBurner looks forward to stealing a lot of their material while the ink is still fresh on the server. But some are not so happy, as this Austin Chronicle appraisal makes plain. I was especially interested to see that Evan Smith enjoys a higher salary than I do.  But then again, he’s Evan Smith and I’m not.

Leppert Attacks Cause of City Hall Corruption, Ctd.

Wick earlier promised to release the results of ethics reform vote. Now he’s tagged me in to keep you apprised. And the results are? Nothing yet. This morning, there was a motion to defer the vote until December 16. It failed 8 (Leppert, Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway, and council members Sheffie Kadane, Carolyn Davis, Linda Koop, Ron Natinsky, Delia Jasso and Jerry Allen) to 7 (Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano, council members Tennell Atkins, Vonciel Jones Hill, Angela Hunt, Dave Neumann, Steve Salazar, and Ann Margolin). This afternoon, there was a second motion, this time to reconsider the original vote against deferring. It was made by Jasso who, as noted, was originally on the side of “let’s do this today.” It also failed, this time 7-7 (Davis was not present ). And there’s your update.

Cheney to Campaign for Hutchison

In a piece of asymetrical warfare aimed at Rick Perry’s right flank, the Hutchison camp is saying the former vice president will endorse Kay Bailey’s gubernatorial campaign at a fundraiser next month.