America’s Most Awful Future Presidential Candidate Also Pretty Awful In The Recent Past And All Other Times

"In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions." haha that's not about gays or abortion so it doesnt really count.

Rick Perry is shamelessly self-promoting his South-by-ChristWest festival, where people from all walks of christianity will be welcomed to the Houston Texans’ stadium in order to skip the meal between breakfast and brunch fast and pray for Jesus to fix the state budget, or in the alternative, probably something related to college football.  Meanwhile, the Houston Chronicle divulges some interesting information:

From 2000, when Perry became governor, through 2009, he earned a total of $2.68 million, according to his tax records. Of that amount, he gave about half a percent to churches and religious organizations, or $14,243.

By comparison, Americans averaged gifts of nearly 1.2 percent of their income to churches and religious groups from 2004 to 2008, according to Empty Tomb Inc., an Illinois-based research firm specializing in U.S. church-giving trends.

Perry will probably run for president because he’s in the hole to the Man Upstairs by about 35,000, plus points.

It’s possible one would think the callous execution of innocent people would deter one’s political prospects.  Obviously, we’re not all on the same page here because I guess Jesus crossed the Delaware and signed the Dead Sea Scrolls to protect the liberty of property-owning, rickets-free white men. So this lack of charitable contribution will probably be looked upon fondly by his base.

Texas Messes With Liberty

Unfrozen Caveman Governor.

  GW has been a big follower of Rick Perry ever since he proclaimed to his constituents that “secession”  is a patriotic act. 

Even recent IL Govs. Ryan + Blago wouldn’t dare make such claims.  Well…maybe if the price was right.

But there’s one thing I’m pretty confident the disgraced Land of Lincoln leaders would not turn a blind-eye to:  the execution of an innocent man.

If you have not read last month’s New Yorker article about the heart-breaking story of Cameron Todd Willingham, you should.  It’s amazing journalism and a tragic indictment of the imperfections and inequities of our justice system.

Long story, short: Mr. Willingham was sentenced to death for the arson-murder of his 3 young children in 1991.  The forensic and eyewitness evidence was shoddy at best.  Despite exculpatory evidence produced by independent fire experts shortly before his 2004 execution date,  Perry signed off on Willingham’s execution. 

And Perry is now running from the story.

Via TPM:

Sam Bassett, the former chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, has now told the Houston Chronicle that lawyers for Perry told him the case was inappropriate, and that the hiring of a nationally known fire expert was a “waste of state money…”

Last month, Perry, a Republican, had declined to re-appoint Bassett, as well as several other commissioners whose terms had expired. Bassett has since suggested that the decision was part of an effort to stymie the Willingham inquiry.

Bassett’s replacement as chair, John Bradley, immediately canceled a hearing at which the nationally known arson expert, Craig Beyler, was scheduled to testify, and has not said whether it will be rescheduled.

Bassett told the Chronicle he had been summoned to a meeting earlier this year with Perry’s then-General Counsel David Cabrales and Deputy General Counsel Mary Anne Wiley. He described it as “progressively confrontational.”

Reports the paper:

At one point, the lawyers asked Bassett how the panel chose Beyler to review the Willingham case. Bassett said he explained state regulations, requiring the soliciting of bids, were followed. When Wiley asked how much Beyler had been paid, Bassett said he responded, “$30,000, maybe a little more.” 

Wiley then remarked, “That sounds like a waste of state money,” according to Bassett.

Of course, it costs about $2 million to convict, imprison and execute a Texan, but I digress.

This looks like the cover-up of a sad, sad story.  Perry is fighting for re-election and wishes not to be bothered by his criminal negligence, and overt disregard for the truth and the life of a Texas citizen. Willingham’s widow would not even let him be buried next his daughters because authorities had convinced her he was a murderer. 

Indeed, Rick Perry’s actions would probably make Blago blush.  But there is no joke to be made here.  He’s a despicable human being who hopefully will someday reap what he sows.