09.21.09

Perry’s comments on the recession

Posted in 2010 Primary, Around The State, Commentary, Election 2010, Recession, The Economy at 9:49 am by wcnews

Texas Gov. Rick Perry did his best last week the channel Marie Antoinette’s historic “let them eat cake” comment when, he attempted to feign ignorance that Texas had suffered during the current recession.  Whether his comment was politically ignorant or just plain ignorant, only time will tell.   Perry on Recession: “We’re in one?”, watch it below.

While living in a $10,000/month tax-payer funded mansion in West Lake Hills likely insulates him from the trials of everyday Texans, as governor it’s his duty to be aware of the plight of Texans.  Perry’s lucky because it’s unlikely that most GOP voters, or his primary opponents, will hold him accountable for these comments.  Heck, he’ll probably wind up admitting were in a recession but he’ll turn around and blame it on Kay Bailey Hutchinson, aka Washington.

He won’t have that luxury if he wins the primary because Hank Gilbert, of course, won’t allow it, Gilbert Slams Perry For Making Light Of Texas’ Economic Plight.

“The answer is ‘Yes,’ Governor,” Gilbert said. “Texas and the nation are in the midst of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression, and just this week your administration announced that the number of jobless Texans is at a 22-year high. Those men and women deserve better than a governor who smirks ‘Recession? What recession,’” Gilbert continued.

“This man is oblivious to the plight of everyday Texans and has no idea of the economic hardships facing working families in this state. He has no clue what is going on in Texas. It makes me wonder if he has even bothered to climb out of the utopian fog he is lost in to look at the jobless numbers the Texas Workforce Commission put out last week,” Gilbert said.

In spite of record unemployment during June, July, and August of 2009, Perry continues to pretend that Texas is not in a recession, and that our economy is doing fine.

“This governor has the worst unemployment record of any governor in Texas since the 1970s. More people were unemployed during Governor Perry’s administration than any time since 1986 and 1987 when the oil and real estate markets collapsed. His record keeps getting worse. Our jobless numbers for June, July and August of this year are the worst we’ve seen in decades. They are off the charts,” Gilbert said. “I’ve heard of wearing rose-colored glasses, but this is ridiculous. Rick Perry must have on a virtual reality helmet.”

Here’s Perry’s unemployment record in graphic form:

(Job Loss in Rick Perry’s administration has been the worst Texas has seen since the 1970s and 1986 and 1987)

Here’s the latest unemployment report from the Texas Workforce Commission, Unemployment rate hits 8% in Texas [.pdf].

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