As I watched Texas Governor Rick Perry announce his presidential candidacy this weekend, he gave me a sense of hope and his speech really resonated with me.
His words reminded me of the respect that we as Americans deserve, and the importance of a government that works for us and with us – rather than the downward spiral that the current political and economic climate has continued to indulge.
In his speech on Saturday, Perry pledged to free Americans from "the grips of central planners who would control our health care, who would spend our treasure, who downgrade our future and micromanage our lives." And I’d like to think that he would keep his word.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks at an Alabama Republican Party dinner in Birmingham, Ala., Friday, Aug. 12, 2011.
He has successfully led Texas for more than 10 years through one of the hardest economic downturns in American history.
Now, being a practicing physician, naturally, health care reform is high on my radar. Over the past few years, I have commented extensively on the topic and the overall challenges that the practice of medicine is facing these days. So I decided to take a closer look at the state of medicine in Texas.
I was surprised to find that Texas is considered by many doctors, nurses and health care professionals in general, to be among the best states in the country to practice medicine.
Several surveys have found that there are many benefits to practicing medicine in the state of Texas including a variety of top-quality medical centers, affordable housing for medical professionals and their families, no state income tax, and finally, a well-balanced liability reform which protects both patients and doctors, without the looming threat of frivolous law suits.
I have to say, that my first impression of Gov. Perry, as the successful leader of the second largest state in the union has piqued my interest in seeing what he would be capable of achieving for our country.
According to a video appearing on the left-leading website Think Progress, a reporter asked Perry what he would do about the Federal Reserve.
Standing next to a "Perry President" sign, the governor replied, "If this guy prints more money between now and the election, I don't know what y'all would do to him in Iowa, but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas."
"I mean, printing more money to play politics at this particular time in American history, is almost treacherous, or treasonous, in my opinion," he added.
Perry officially launched his presidential campaign Saturday. Slamming President Obama on the stagnant U.S. economy has served as the centerpiece of his campaign so far, and he has touted his own state as the "epicenter of job growth."
Perry kicked off his campaign after the stock market completed one of its most volatile weeks ever. The stagnant job market and the deficit have also taken center stage, with unemployment at 9.1%.
Congress took so long to raise the debt ceiling that it prompted Standard & Poor's to downgrade U.S. debt. The resulting stock volality has fed fears of a potential double dip recesssion.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve recently decided to keep rates "exceptionally low" through 2013, stemming from Bernanke's less-than-bullish outlook on the economy.
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