The American Spectator

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p> NOT SO FAST br> Re: Seton Motley's Simply Conservative : /p> p>Texas Gov. Perry sounds almost too good to be true. Has he been mentioned for '08? And if not, why? br> -- C.S. /p>

I was pleased this morning to see the byline of one Seton Motley on the web page of The American Spectator. He's a good egg who has spent a long time haunting the halls of the Texas Capital Building, and his head and heart are in the right place politically, so it's good to see his name and writing being distributed on a wider basis.

That having been said, the thesis in his piece on Texas Governor Rick Perry's performance in office is (how to put this nicely?) a tad overstated on the Governor's behalf.

Don't get me wrong: Governor Perry has done a good, solid, workmanlike job for the people of Texas over the last six years. He has kept a keen eye on government spending and waste, and he has indeed signed the good bills that have been sent to him by the Texas Legislature.

But Motley's piece makes it sound as if he accomplished all these things standing alone against the evil forces of Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and an out-of-control Texas Legislature, and somehow overcame a terrible mess left behind by the departing George W. Bush. This is a reading of history that is at best misguided and quaint.

First of all, the only real powers the Governor of Texas has is to veto bills and make appointments to state commissions and boards. Other than those real powers, the Texas governor only has his personal powers of persuasion. It is in this second, less-defined area that a Texas governor can have the most effect, and it is in this area that George W. Bush was extremely effective and Governor Perry has been more than a little lacking.

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