Palin/Perry 2012!

I'm serious.... :)

Rick Perry is my Governor, the Governor of Texas. He's had some squishy tendencies in the past, but recently he's been sounding great.

His anti-Washington remarks have become more strident the past few weeks as that 2010 race gets going and since Perry rejected $550 million in federal economic stimulus money.

I absolutely love, love, love what he said yesterday during the tea parties!

An animated Perry told the crowd at Austin City Hall — one of three tea parties he was attending across the state — that officials in Washington have abandoned the country's founding principles of limited government. He said the federal government is strangling Americans with taxation, spending and debt.

Perry called his supporters patriots. Later, answering news reporters' questions, Perry suggested Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to secede from the union, though he said he sees no reason why Texas should do that.

"There's a lot of different scenarios," Perry said. "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."

After praising veterans in the cheering crowd Wednesday, he said: "I'm just not real sure you're a bunch of right-wing extremists. But if you are, we're with you."

Hell yes! :)

There was also this tidbit I read on Ace the other day. Perry believes in exercising the 10th amendment:

"I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union."

If this is political posturing, so be it. I love the message. We need more messages like this from our Republican leaders. If he's angling for POTUS or VPOTUS bring it on. I would love to see him in that role. I would love to see him as Palin's VP pick.

You know, I think Perry like many of us has been affected by Obama's election. It affected people on such a deep level that it drove us to re-evaluate our elected officials, strengthened our Republican/conservative ideals, organize tea parties, start blogs, seek out other news outlets, start communicating with other Republicans about the situation we're all in. It affected all of us. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can recover and I think that's where we're at as a party right now.

I think he was also inspired by Sarah Palin. She has that effect. :) When she was selected as McCain's VP, Perry said some wonderful things about her and continues to do so. She's the first person in a long time Republicans can get excited about. She said things that most were thinking but were too afraid to say. Now previously squishy types like Perry are taking a more hardline approach. I love it.