Perry Downplayed Allegations at Centers for Disabled
Part two of two.
Yesterday: Two years after Texas leaders signed a federal agreement to improve care at the state’s institutions, not even a quarter of its terms have been met, and mistreatment is still commonplace.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign hinges on one overarching message: that states perform best when left to their own devices and federal regulators should butt out. Yet during his decade-long tenure in the governor’s office, Perry and his staff repeatedly downplayed the severity of abuse and neglect allegations at Texas’ state-run institutions for the disabled — until conditions became so dire ...
Comments (10)
gypsy314 ne
I think Perry is doing what he can on the issue but he has failed Texans on many other issues such as illegal immigration and spending tax payer money on illegal aliens. if he would make a 180 on immigration he would be president. He should have veto the texas dream act and recalled another special session to pass SB9. We must vote out as many democrats from office as we can and do not forget the rhinos they must go too.
BiffTannen
Yeah, people are abused and killed in the state's care, but get those illegals!!!
gypsy314 ne
Yep remove them from our system and maybe someone could see there way to using money saved from illegal aliens to help the disable and our schools. I also think unions should go too there is know need for them they are just a cost for the members and cost to tax payers.
gypsy314 ne
democrats check this out http://patriotupdate.com/13817/supreme-court-eligibility-rulings-vanish-from-net/comment-page-1#comment-339142
Michelle Hudson Yoxall via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Shame on you, Rick Perry!
Tom Sweazea via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So, Perry hasn't even done a half assed job....
Clay Boatright
When a system is inherently flawed and is the opposite of what most people want, then trying to explain and justify it is futile. Putting more money into that flawed system, even with the best of intentions, simply makes it worse. What’s needed is a well thought out action plan which respects everyone involved and moves us away from institutions to consumer preferred options. President George H.W. Bush understood this when he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act over 20 years ago.
Like him or not, in 2008 then-candidate Obama formed a panel of experts to create a disability-specific platform which the campaign marketed to the disability community prior to the November election. Hearing nothing sustentative from the other campaign, other than a line in a convention speech, more than a few life-long Republicans who have family members with disabilities broke tradition and rewarded the Obama campaign with their vote. Did it change the election? Probably not, but if Governor Perry and his rivals for the nomination want to be considered credible to people and families with disabilities, then they should address the issues important to this group of constituents.
Leslie Aisenman
OMG will blessings never cease. Texas Trib publishes non Perry Puff. Was the flack payment missed? Or--whatever.... Perry's performance as Governor is on par with his performance as idiot savant Pres. Candidate, F+. He rates a plus only because I am ever hopeful that our A&M Dolt will find his way to the promised land, and I don't mean Dominionist Land. He rates a 10 on a scale where 10 is worst, just as he has managed us to eclipse Mississippi as the worst and cheapest state in the Union. His mantra is destroy and privatize. He has managed to create new crises where one never existed. He is a champion Freedmanite who never saw a scam he didnh't love.
jpt51
If not for efforts four years ago by Texas Senator Steve Ogden, Perry would still be trying to sweep the issue under the rug. Sadly, Ogden is one of a handful of Texas office holders that have contributed to Perry's Republican Presidential campaign. What a disappointment for a guy that I often disagree with but felt he had among the highest ethics in the Ledge..
Paul Johnson
Take a minute to look at the language used in this article which comes from the Governor's office and potential GOP hopeful, Rick Perry:
• executive order designed to improve conditions
• had the resources to fund reform
• committed to ensuring the safety of the residents
• continue to monitor the progress
• governor’s office suggested the problems had already been solved.
• important not to sensationalize these incidents
• governor is “always interested in ways to improve state government.”
• watchdog group says the state has met just 20 percent of the standards required to comply.
Politically, this is where he has lost and likely continue to lose credibility on a national stage. As a country, and as President larger and even more complex problems. If this were President Obama using the same rhetoric as the Governor, he would be vilified as "killing innocent people" and so on.
Governor Perry's response and the responses from his office suggest that the myopic perspectives and limited exposure would cripple this nation. The Governor is also showing his weakness in this article, which is his inability to hold people accountable, and provide evidence of action. What you tend to see is a "lot of activity" disguised as action, which reminds me of a child when you ask them to clean their room and there is a flurry of activity, and the parent let's them go to the party. This is, in essence what Governor Perry is doing. The American people, and Texans in particular are not dumb. This type of political maneuvering will not cut it on a national level.