I write to provide a blanket response to my email correspondents, Facebook friends and blog readers who question why I support the re-election of Gov. Rick Perry. However popular the “sound bite”, I can’t say anything without saying a lot.

Up Till Now

Anti-war sentiment aroused over the Vietnam War and loss of confidence in government engendered by unlawful acts sanctioned by President Nixon created an upheaval among the American electorate. Former Georgia governor and peanut farmer Jimmy Carter capitalized on the mood of the nation, sensing he had an opportunity to win the Office of President. President Ford’s pardon of disgraced Richard Nixon killed his opportunity to run for the office, leaving Carter a clean road to the White House.

Jimmy Carter touted his outsider background, decrying the Washington establishment. Publicly, he cast a self-made image of himself as an Eisenhower-type leader, one untainted by insider politics. I, a proud naval veteran, was impressed his naval credentials: Annapolis graduate, nuclear program officer personally selected by Admiral Rickover.

Publicly, he came off well as an intelligent, compassionate and moral leader. As an aside, I was a member of a “human shield” as he arrived at the Fairmont Hotel, when he visited Dallas on the campaign trail. To me, he was the perfect candidate: Southern Baptist, Sunday school teacher, church-going man, respectful of his wife. Who could want more? A new Christian, I was also a Democrat, Baptist deacon and Sunday school teacher and I related well to his promises to clean up Washington politics. How could we possibly go wrong? Let me tell you how wrong it was.

Carter the peanut farmer created a political, diplomatic and economic quagmire in America, a mess that endures today and set the stage for succeeding Democrat presidents Clinton and Obama. He threw away the Panama Canal that is now under control of the communist Chinese government. His assault on the petroleum industry with deregulation and a windfall profits tax exposed his anti-capitalist, extreme liberal viewpoint. We were hit with rampant inflation that became the perfect storm for homebuyers who, lured by low-dollar variable interest rate mortgages, simply walked away from their dream homes.

Perhaps the most enduring failure of the Carter administration was the withdrawal of support for the Shah of Iran, a modern country that was enjoying western accoutrements and a booming high-tech economy. Under the Shah’s rule, civil liberties for women, educational reforms, protection of ethnic minorities, middle east stability and unprecedented economic prosperity. Other things come to mind, like an act of war against the USA when the Muslim radical government overthrew the Shah and held US Embassy employees hostage. Leading up to the present, Carter’s diplomatic mangling of Iran leaves us with an extreme Muslim government preparing to destroy Israel and soon capable of launching ICBM on us, the US. Former president Jimmy Carter continues today an enemy of Israel and a de facto lobbyist for Arab and Muslim countries, our mortal enemies.

Moving Forward to Medina

Once again our beloved nation, at least beloved by me, weathers a tsunami of public anger and discontent over failed government policies and Marxist-Socialist Democrat rule over our federal government. Current situations merit all the anger and discontent – I, too, am angry and discontented. But, I don’t subscribe to the popular wave of wholesale replacement of all incumbents.

Indeed, 2010 is a terrific opportunity for aspiring candidates at every level to run for office. Houstonian businessmen Farouk Shami and Bill White, when asked why they are running in the Democrat primary for Governor of Texas, they both replied, “Because I think I can win.” Bill White, seeing the new opportunity, changed his plan to run for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s senate seat, seeing better accommodations in the governor’s mansion.

So, Where Are We Going With This?

Carter looked good. He said the right things. Jimmy even seemed to be like most of us. But he wasn’t. Outside Georgia, we really knew nothing about him. We voters became “poster children” for the halo effect. Another way I describe this effect is to say we are looking for a Messiah, “the one”, that miraculous someone who can make all our troubles go away. Well, let me set things straight: the real Messiah has already come a first time, will come a second time and not one single political candidate is the Messiah.

In fairness to Carter, he failed in part due to his lack of relationship with Washington lawmakers, which leads me to my conclusion (yeah, I know, it’s about time).

Debra Medina comes on the scene, saying the right things, looking like another “Sarah Palin”. Her meteoric rise in polls fuels her fans and attracts others looking for “the one”.

What do we collectively know about her? Her one leadership experience: Wharton County GOP Chairman. She is bright, articulate, and right-on with respect to the issues of interest to Texans. It was my pleasure to meet her and chat briefly when she spoke at the Rockwall County Republican Men’s Club. I like her, but I don’t really know her. How, considering her outsider status, will she influence the Texas legislature? She cannot fulfill her campaign promises without the consent and cooperation of the state legislature.

Rick Perry, on the other hand, has a track record. He has been influential and instrumental in building the Texas economy. Texas still has no state income tax and tort reform encourages industries and medical personnel to move to our great state.

If Medina wins the March Primary race, I will support her. I will support the winner without exception. I don’t want to give our state back to the socialist Democrats.

What will you do, my Medina-supporting friends, if Rick or Kay wins the primary? Are you going to “teach us a lesson” by staying away from the polls? Absent a Republican vote, you vote Democrat by default.

I think the race is going to be a race between Rick and Debra. In the primary, I vote for Rick. Along the way, I recognize the more important issue – elect Republican State Representatives and State Senators, the folks who make the laws and set the state budget.

Another time awaits a discussion about the Trans-Texas Corridor and other road construction issues. As far back as Carole Keeton Strayhorn’s 2006 campaign for the Texas State House, Perry opponents began a firestorm against road construction by private companies.

Today (11 Feb. 2010), Glen Beck exposed her naiveté on the issue of the “911 Truthers” – obviously, she actually suspects the U. S. Government conspired to destroy the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Who knows? Maybe she’ll discover secret evidence locked away in an Air Force warehouse at “Area 51”.

Meanwhile, I will vote to re-elect Governor Rick Perry.

God save Texas. God bless Texas.

John White

Rockwall Conservative

http://rockwallconservative.com/