Some Advice for Rick Perry

I have some advice for Rick Perry. Rick, you are running one of the worst campaigns in modern history. Despite having a tremendous amount going for you, your campaign is in trouble. You are the governor of one of the few states that are weathering the recession. Texas is a large and diverse state, economically, culturally, and socially. It is a protestant state and a Catholic state. It is a white state, a Hispanic state, an African American state, and an Asian state.  It is a cattle state, a farm state, an energy state, a high tech state, and a hub for international trade. It takes a great deal to run such a state successfully and you have done so admirably. Despite this, you are floundering badly, so badly in fact I feel I should offer you some suggestions.

First of all, your flat tax proposal is catchy but it does not hold up well under scrutiny. It is better than Herman Cain's "5-5-5" proposal, but not by much. Nothing is simple in politics or economics. Tax rates alone do not take circumstances into account. There is a tremendous amount of variety within each bracket that needs to be considered. First, not everyone making $100,000 a year is in the same boat. A single person making $100,000 a year can live well. The head of a household of five earning $100,000 a year with a mortgage, car payments, and a kid in college, not so well. The exemptions and deductions so often being railed against these days represent attempts to even things out. While there is a great deal of waste and absurdity in the current tax code, that does not mean the tax code is in and of itself unjust or harmful. It might be but if that is your point you are not making it well. If you insist on a flat tax code I would also suggest you find a way to distinguish between the guy who earned $10 million for developing a new microchip from the guy who made $10 million for throwing 25 touchdown passes or made the right gamble on pork futures. The company that made a bundle by developing a marvelous new diabetes drug should be distinguished from one that made a bundle by firing its workers and moving overseas. People who actually create, invent and discover things add to our economy. They should not be penalized for being successful.  Those who just move things around should pay more, but not the people who keep the U.S. moving forward. Naturally, you can fiddle with your proposal to take such particulars into account, but be careful, people won't like it. Besides, it is fiddling with the tax code that got us to where we are today.

Secondly, choose your issues carefully.  The economy is what is on the nation's mind right now, not whether creationism should be taught in schools. Talk about things like prayer and abortion only when you absolutely have to. If you feel compelled to talk about abortion, do not talk about "overturning" Roe v. Wade. That will start a fire bigger than the one we just managed to put out here in Texas a little while back. A more subtle approach is required. Talk about "handing the issue of abortion back to the voters where it belongs." It is saying the same thing but in a way that will not upset the majority of people who otherwise would not give the issue much thought. Handing issues to voters is a good thing. It shows that you trust them. People like to feel like they have a say in policy. You need to make the case that people who cling to Roe v. Wade do not want the decision overturned because they don't trust the public to see things their way. You should point out that liberals have no confidence in the public, indeed, they are often disdainful of the public and its beliefs. That is why they so often rely on the courts to advance their agenda. If you can portray your opponent as someone who doesn't trust voters enough to let them decide an issue, you will score big. But from what I have seen and read, you seem averse to subtlety.

Rick, there is no one running to the right of you. You do not need to speechify against abortion or gay marriage. Everyone knows where you stand. Your flat tax proposal has some appeal but it will not bear much weight. Your "hang em' high" approach to justice might resonate in Texas but it gives a lot of people across the nation the willies. Your defense of creationism is comic. Your stated belief in a literal understanding of the Bible is disturbing, especially as a basis for Middle East diplomacy. The Old Testament makes for a very bad foreign policy. When your name comes up you do not want people to think about abortion, the Bible, and executions. You want them to think about a better future.

 Rick, you need a new campaign manager.  You need one bad. You need a new press secretary too. Someone needs to get hold of your campaign and get it back on track. Better to shake things up now than go down in flames later. You might be rallying the faithful but you are frightening people like my mom. Indeed you are running so far to the right you risk making Obama seem like a moderate in comparison. That is no small feat. They way things are going, unless Obama gets caught in bed with a dead hooker you have to like his odds. I don't know who is running your campaign but you should fire him and hire me. If you want your campaign run into the ground I will do it for half of what you are paying the guy you have now.