Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks from the Governor's Mansion on May 6, 2013, against proposed changes to allow gays into the Boy Scouts of America; his video appearance was part of the Family Research Council’s “Stand With Scouts Sunday” webcast.
Rick Perry, Sam Houston, slavery--and the Boy Scouts
Rick Perry, exhorting the Boy Scouts to continue excluding gays, analogized to Sam Houston and slavery on the eve of the Civil War. We wondered about that.
A scorecard separating fact from fiction
"We have one charter school that for seven years has been rated unacceptable."
Says only 25 percent of Texas high school students graduate prepared for college or careers.
Says Sam Houston opposed slavery and as governor said Texas should not leave the union over slavery.
Says it's "estimated that 300 babies a year are sent home from the hospital with an unrecognized congenital heart defect; it is the most common birth defect in America."
Says Texas high school graduates must pass Algebra II to be eligible for automatic admission to state's public universities.
Says that according to a report, "the tech sector now drives more than one-quarter of Austin’s economy."
Says nearly 1 million people are "coming to town" in the next 20 years.
Says "we" have put more boots on the U.S.-Mexico border "than at any time in our history, and illegal crossings are down by nearly 80 percent from their peak in 2000."
"The economy added more jobs during four years under Obama than it did in the entire eight years under George W. Bush."
"Over the last 10 years, Texas created 33 percent of the net new jobs nationwide."
Says Texas leads the nation in fatal industrial accidents.
Says that under Rick Perry’s plan, "Texas has cut funding for public schools by 25%."
Says only about 250 Texans have been killed in action since 9/11.
Says proponents of a bond package for the Austin school district say the district has the second-lowest bond tax rate "among the Central Texas area school districts."
Says opponents of proposed Austin school district bonds say the district’s "debt load doubles with these new bonds."
Says the fertilizer plant that exploded in West, Texas,"had not been inspected by the state of Texas since 2006."
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Tracking the promises of Rick Perry
The latest from the Perry-O-Meter
A law that mandates fingerprinting for gun purchasers is "a requirement that's reduced gun crimes in the five states where it's the law."
— Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence Education Fund
"We have a tax code that allows groups to use their political operations within the tax code, under the guise of a charity, to use undisclosed millions of dollars to do political campaigns."
— Xavier Becerra-
"The IRS doesn't have to prove something against you ... you've got the burden of proof."
— Randy Forbes
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Says Hillary Clinton "was asked repeatedly to provide security in Benghazi on several occasions, including direct cables."
— Rand Paul
The IRS is going to be "in charge" of "a huge national database" on health care that will include Americans’ "personal, intimate, most close-to-the-vest-secrets."
— Michele Bachmann
