Guest Column: Why Rick Perry is Good for Hispanics
Whether you live where I do, in deep South Texas, or across our big and growing country, this is a time of historic significance. Hispanics will take the measure of a man not by what he says but what he does. Our community, like many, is suffering because Barack Obama continues to do the wrong things to end the jobs crisis.
Rick Perry’s record is not the empty rhetoric of hope. Rick Perry’s record gives us hope.
A week ago I asked the governor to comment on the opening of a customer service center and 400 jobs that ...
Comments (53)
gerald ronson
Another sad commentary.about I got mine, go get your's,you find the uncle Tom's and tio tomas as I call them in all races where here an hispanic tout's the virtue's of someone totally against the interest's of a people.Appoint's hispanic's to head enviromental and educational positions some of the worst records in the country, and a bunch of low wage job's, no future in Texas.
Edward Martin
Rep. Aaron Pena voted against the budget Rick Perry just passed, which he is touting across the country as how we do things in Texas and how he wants the nation to run. It is far less than credible to read this guest column from someone advocating the rest of America do something he himself couldn't do: vote for Rick Perry's vision.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Pena is good for Hispanics? Not so much. Kind of like Rick Perry would be good for gays.
Cristi Parker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He shares our values, like the belief that humans must take an active role in bringing about the apocalypse.
David Huang via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm sure State Rep. Pena has some good points, but I have a hard time taking anyone who gets elected a Democrat then weeks later announces he's going to switch parties seriously.
River Green via Texas Tribune on Facebook
utter bullshit. dislike.
Elle Jons
I'd like more information from Mr. Pena. About those 400 jobs . . . what was the average wage offered? Did the jobs include health benefits? How many of those 400 jobs were part-time? What company opened the Call Center? Do they pay state and federal taxes? Families can't be supported on minimum wage jobs.
You're correct in one thing, Mr. Pena . . . watch what Mr. Perry does and (even more important) examine his historical record. Unless you are a lobbiest or a millionaire willing to significantly support his current campaign, he is not your friend!
Alexandra Bonifield via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Wolf in sheep's clothing that sips the KKKool-Aid....
Lindsay Marsh via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"State Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg" Is this from The Onion?
Erica Bozovich Hart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
yep that record of an increasing unemployment rate, a state that has the largest percentage of children without health care, a state that has a huge teen pregnancy rate and REPEAT teen pregnancy rate, a state that has the largest percentage of minimum wage jobs that are part time and offer no benefits, a state that just cut 4 bil from public education and who knows how much from higher education is hopeful how? And is good for people how? Maybe if you're rich or a corporation, but not if you're just a normal lowly citizen. What ARE these people thinking? HOPE? that's not hope, that's depressing. This state has the potential to be so much more, Rick Perry has done nothing GOOD for the general population of TX, ESPECIALLY Hispanics. 400 jobs in Edinburg? Whoop dee do....our population has grown exponentially, our unemployment rate is higher than at least 20 other states and is increasing.
Marc Lippincott via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This would make me laugh hysterically if it weren't so sad.
John Dettling via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He's hoping for an appointment in a Perry Administration. What is delivering the hispanic vote worth???
Irene M Cavazos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
WHAT????? WOW??? Aaron...You and Rick can both...UGH??? I can't even think of the words???
Jason C.N. Smith via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Sad for Aaron Pena that Perry won't be President to appoint Pena to a federal job when Pena gets beat in November 2012.
J Patrick Miculka via Texas Tribune on Facebook
THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IDIOTIC STATEMENTS COMING OUT OF THE [mouth] OF ANY POLITICIAN TODAY. (Considering the Republican contenders for the spot, that is saying a lots.)
Kathleen Painter via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What a lazy fool, tossing the dice with his eyes closed. It's scary that we are but a few in Texas who do not buy this kind of bs. Sad there are others who will.
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
if that were true he would advocate for equal rights for Americans ! HE DOESNT !!! Ask him what he thinks about same sex marriage !!
Marc Lippincott via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I love how Pena had to be elected as a Democrat and switch parties to form a Republican Hispanic Caucus. That's what Hispanics really think of Rick Perry. But some real research was involved by the Tribune to actually find someone trying to defend Perry in Texas...good work, I guess...
Flor Salas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He is not for every American. America is made up of all faiths, religions, sexual orientation, ethnicity and cultures and class. He is only for christian, heterosexual, wealthy people (you have to be all that). What about the rest of us?
Elizabeth D. McDonald via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What a load of crap, hispanics are suffering the most with his education cuts!!! He will serve them up just like every other voter who is stupid enough to elect him as our President.
J.r. Armendariz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Aaron Peña is a joke. Switching parties after getting elected into office pretty much discounts anything that comes out of his mouth. It was a dispicable move.
Sally Perez-Ramos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
wtf is this a joke?
Mary Sue James Sipes via Texas Tribune on Facebook
he just slapped his own face...
Michael Choate via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yeah because I really "hope" to work at McDonald's some day. His job numbers are a myth. When you say biggest increase in jobs you must use the qualifier "minimum wage". There was very little increase in jobs that actually grow our economy.
A Lerma Stickelbault via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Mary Sue: yes, he slapped his own face........how could he miss. eating too many weenies.
Jill Meredith Bergene via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Oh, lord. You gotta be kidding.
Jill Meredith Bergene via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Um, the Hispanic communities I saw in San Antonio were hardly functional...so I guess, yeah, Perry does share those values.
Jerry Chinagozi Okafor via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I wanna say this bloke is suffering from Stockholm syndrome, but it's more likely that he's just a shameless sycophant, who goes where he thinks the grass is greener. You just don't change your principles overnight like that.
Irene M Cavazos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I sure hope Aaron Pena is reading all these responses...i know Rick Perry isn't but i hope Aaron is so he can know how he betrayed everyone and rest assured he won't be re-elected!!
Joel Stanford via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You have got to be kidding me. Methinks that this man, the picture of greed, avarice, boot-licking, and gluttony, is clearly sucking up for a potential cabinet position. He also listed Garcia as leader of the TCEQ. He doesn't even know that the chairman of the commission that Garcia sits on is actually Dr. Shaw or that the ED actually leads the same agency. What an embarrassment to south Texas.
Austin Stout via Texas Tribune on Facebook
LOL......has Aaron Peña ever voted for Rick Perry in the 20 years he's been running for statewide office?
Kathy Kilmer Moak via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Talk about delusional...
Enedelia Obregon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm speechless!
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick Perry switched party !
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He was a democrat!
Elle Jons
Waiting for your facts, Mr. Pena. Just lookin' for the facts that back up your claims. If your definition of "hope" is simply to make a career at minimum wage jobs, then your future and the future of your constituents is bleak indeed. An opinion or a promise does not qualify as a fact - or truth.
Kim Batchelor via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Actually, I don't think he does believe in hard work. Evidence seems to show that he spends very little time on his job, yet doesn't mind taking the people's money and spending it on his luxury digs.
Emily Miller via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Aaron Pena is one of the few people who can make Phil Gramm look principled.
Margaret Puckett via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"Hispanics will take the measure of a man not by what he says but what he does." Hhmmm so Perry SAYS he has values and believes having a steady job is necessary not only for the individual, but that individual's family. Rick Perry says he cares and has the same values as hispanics (or so Mr. Pena claims). Why is it then that he cut 5 billion dollars from education? That cuts jobs and increases the size of classrooms. Why is it then that he cut money for texas scholarships? As a student in the texas public school system and a hispanic, I honestly don't care what Rick Perry says, his actions are a major turn off.
Linda Childs via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I think I'm going to throw up now...
Chris Searles via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Oh, Aaron!
brian jensen
only had to read to the 2nd or 3rd paragraph before i knew it wasn't worth reading the rest. thanks for getting to the pointless quickly.
Bert Chadwick
I am sorry but Mr. Peña is absolutely wrong. Besides, this past Legislature Gov. Perry betrayed the Hispanic community. He deceived the Latino community that's why in San Antonio was received with a cold hello. I would not doubt
You ask Dallas Representative Roberto Alonzo, Rafael Anchia, or any other Hispanic legislator and you see what they will tell you, nothing but the truth. Gov, Perry teamed up with Senator Tommy Williams from The Woodlands to harm Latinos with their anti-immigrants proposals. Here I could also add several names of Republican legislators who have cause great deal of harm to the immigrant comunity.
Rick Perry is not good for Hispanics. Period.
Denise Flores
Y'all realize he's going to dismiss all of these comments as some sort of concentrated effort by the "professional Left" to try to bring him down, right? Alas, I recognize some familiar faces from the Valley and I'm pretty sure the Rep. knows we're over his blatant pandering. Help! I need a new Rep!
Julie Clegg McKain via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can we get a dislike icon on Facebook, Please???
Brazos County Tejano Democrats via Texas Tribune on Facebook
straight from the mouth of Judas and Benedict Arnold rolled into one! One thing Hispanics don't like for sure is two turncoats and especally you Mr. Pena! How do you sleep at night after you betrayed your community you coward!
Dennis Boyter
One Republican shilling for another. Nothing new here.
Will Davidson
I agree with much said here, however... I must ask what your definition of "respect" is. Maybe disrespect is what you meant. How many million dollars a year do the border hospitals lose to unpaid emergency room births? The very idea of illegal border crossing is rife with disrespect.
baltazar acevedo
Just another "Latino Gringo" with a half-baked
opinion. I am so glad that someone wrote this
editorial for you since neither you or your
ghost writer know Mexicano Borderlanders.
Please cite and provide tangible evidence of
how the educational wherewithal has increased
for Tejanos under this Bubba. When was the
last time that Pena spoke to a living and breathing Mexicano?
Please stay under your rock and do not come out
until your GOP handlers yank your chain.
El Yaqui de Muleshoe
Rudy Gonzales
I have no Idea who these people are talking to, or whom they have interviewed, but this article is off target! Tejano's are not happy at all with this Texan. Perry's constant preaching about the border and "Sanctuary cities", has alienated more than is expressed in this article. Perry's over-stepping in women's rights and TWIA protection have alienated numerous Hispanics who lost their homes or had to fight the bureau for adequate funding for repairs. Perry graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972 with a 2.22 GPA, earning a bachelor's degree in animal science. Perry knows nothing about Global warming, economics or anything else! Rick Perry became a millionaire on Texas taxpayers quarter! Rick does not have an economics degree but he and the TEA party-ers have been doing everything they could to do away with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid! Perry barely won the governorship in the last election and word on the street in our "Barrios" is "He will not get our vote!"
gypsy314 ne
HE WANTS YOUR VOTE AND HE HAS STAB THE REST OF TEXANS IN THE BACK OVER SB9 AND SIGNING DREAM ACT FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
Dangling Wrangler
I'm assuming the writer can read and do elementary math - "Perry’s Texas has created more than 40 percent of America’s net new jobs in the last two years. That’s a remarkable and humbling statistic: 40 percent of new jobs created by us, here, in our Lone Star State."... this statement is the same hypocritical GOP jobs trash talk we rational Americans have heard before and we do see all those minimum wage jobs 550,000 of them 9.5% of the entire wage force of Texas that can't live in this economically devastated America on those wages.
We're talking about mostly adults here at the humiliating 550,000 unemployed mark - since unemployment for the young worker in most states in sky high, only exceeded by african American unemployed. You should be ashamed by your misrepresentation of the facts. What is your background - donor/beneficiary of privledged Texas legislation or appointee perhaps to some government job you are so critical of?
It's pretty fair to say, not knowing the specific details of the support company that relocated those 400 jobs to South Texas that the best tax incentives were offered by Perryland in which the middle class Texas tax payers could muster, while the executives laughed hysterically all the way to the bank. Yeah man - you are so right on target with your ridiculous headline - Texas Miracle !
Evelyn Escamilla
What planet are you living on Pena!!!?!?! "Like President Clinton, he could have put real compromise ahead of political posturing. Instead, he’s turned decidedly in the other direction." are you for real? That's ALL Obama has done is freaking compromise...it's YOUR PARTY that has done nothing but political posturing and turning in the other direction. EVEN WHEN OBAMA PROPOSES THEIR OWN IDEAS BACK TO THEM! Praying the Valley voters see through the opportunism that has caused you to change your stripes and vote you out.