Rick Perry—GameChanger–and a Fascinating Flashback

Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Saturday announcement to seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States had been expected for some time–but is still a game changer in the 2012 race.

It came on a politically loaded day that saw Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann win the Iowa Straw Poll 29% to 28% over Rep. Ron Paul. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty came in fourth and had the “class” and wisdom to withdraw from the race a day later.

With Perry’s announcement, Bachmann’s win, and Mitt Romney’s top tier status, I’m having an unusual flashback to a previous era.

Perry is the key to it–but the other comparisons are very interesting…

First of all, Rick Perry.

His entrance into the race is truly a game changer because he is the clearest alternative to Barack Obama for a number of reasons:

Executive experience

He’s the longest serving governor in America at eleven years and counting. Barack Obama entered the White House with zero years of executive experience under his belt–and it has showed in a very inept presidency including his lack of leadership in the recent debt-ceiling debate. If it weren’t for what Sean Hannity calls the “Obamamania Media,” Barack Obama would be compared to Jimmy Carter–one of the most ineffective presidents in history.

Not Perry. He’s a skilled leader and manager whose administrative team has been together a long time and brings rave reviews everywhere they go.

Job-creating expertise

Though jobs can be counted in a variety of ways, a clear consensus says that the state of Texas, under Rick Perry’s leadership, has created 30-50 percent of all the jobs created in the United States in the past ten years. That amounts to nearly one million jobs in just one of the fifty states. Very impressive. This stands in stark contrast to the abysmal loss of jobs and rising unemployment under the Obama administration.

The simple truth is that Governor Rick Perry and the state of Texas understand that balanced budgets, lower debt and taxes, less government regulations, greater freedoms for entrepreneurs–i.e. smaller government–is the engine of job growth.

On the other hand the Obama Administration is stuck in the failed philosophy of Keynesian economic ideas–that government stimulus and controls are the key to economic prosperity.

It didn’t work in FDR’s New Deal and it’s not working now.

The experts keep saying that Obama has “run out of options.” Really? No, he’s just run out of the wrong options of government interventionism that are cursing our economic recovery. He could easily pivot to many of the right actions of shrinking deficits, modifying entitlements, getting rid of onerous federal regulations, and reforming the tax code.

But Barack Obama is deeply committed to the European socialist model of wealth re-distribution. He doesn’t appear willing to change.

Commitment to constitutional, limited government.

Perry is known for his commitment to smaller, leaner, Constitution-based government. Texas is famous for this equation and it shows in their robust economy. This is really the choice being offered to Americans in 2012:  Do you want the Big Government policies of Barack Obama to guide into the 21st century, or are you willing to return to the time-tested formula of the US Constitution and its principles which brought America into greatness?

All of the Republican candidates believe in cutting the size or growth of government–but Rick Perry has actually done it in America’s second largest state. He is a clear alternative to Barack Obama’s faith in the ever-growing nannny state and its immense restraints on freedom.

Evangelical faith

A number of the Republican candidates are strong evangelicals (such as Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty), but Rick Perry’s faith also produces action. He was the recent visionary for The Response which drew scores of thousands of people to Texans Stadium for a day of fasting and prayer for America. Many others joined them from around the nation.

Rick Perry understands the fundamental equation for liberty: Faith in God in individual lives and familes–producing morality and stability in society–creating freedom, opportunity, inventiveness and prosperity.

Governor Perry had the guts to call the nation–and its 49 other governors–to a 2 Chronicles 7:14 day of repentance before God on August 6. He personally led the gathering in prayer. He understand that economic tweaks or reforms won’t get us anywhere if we are not right with God as a people. Talk about inspiring hope and change! 

That leads me to my first flashback: Rick Perry reminds me an awful lot of Ronald Reagan–who, in my book, was the greatest president of the 20th century. Perry has Reagan’s faith, worldview, executive experience in a large state, charisma, humility, and potential.

Rick Perry is a game-changer for the 2012 elections.

Then there is the rising star of Michelle Bachmann. She is one of the most principled voices of the current GOP candidates. She is also a strong evangelical, a mother who has raised 26 foster children, an attorney, an effective legislator–and in her words–a woman with a “titanium spine” who will stop the disease of runaway spending and over dependence on government.

She’s not only articulate on the stump–but she’s fearless in her positions and the causes that she believes in. This is the reason that America appears to be falling in love with her: They know that she is an uncompromising leader who could also bring us some true hope for the future.

Michelle Bachmann reminds me of another flashback–Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of Great Britain. Mrs. Thatcher was known for her strong faith and conservative principles. During her tenure as English PM from 1979-1990, she earned the nickname of “The Iron Lady.”

Michelle Bachmann fits the same bill. And God knows we need some leaders with spine to take us through the difficult days ahead.

Then there is Mitt Mitt Romney, a leading contender for the Republican nomination. Mitt is a Mormon with good principles and strong executive experience as governor of Massachusetts. Probably his greatest asset is his business acumen and experience which is definitely needed in the government sphere.

Mitt Romney brings me a flashback of businessman Ross Perot. He also ran for president to bring good business sense back into the public domain.

Watch for the “Impalinization” for all three of these candidates in the coming months. That’s a made-up word. It’s a combination of “impale” which means to: a. To pierce with a sharp stake or point.b. To torture or kill by impaling.” And it refers to the unfair but successful media destruction of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign and years following.

The secular press, which wants the United States to continue heading in a secular/socialist direction, will use every tactic of “Impalinization” to destroy these three leaders between now and November 2012.

Let’s pray against the bias, and ask God for his truth to prevail.

I’m having a flashback of Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Ross Perot in Rick Perry, Michelle Bachmann, and Mitt Romney–all in one party and election. Call it a Dream Team.

I don’t know if the comparisons fit, but time will tell. The other conservative candidates are also very attractive and deserve a chance to compete.

May God guide us in our choice of leaders, forgive us as a people for turning from Him and His ways, and bring blessing and renewal to these United States of America.