Today on the Allman in the Morning Show, I was asked about Rick Perry and the Texas Dream Act. This peaked my interest.  Just what is Perry’s stance on immigration, legal and illegal?  And what has he done as governor of Texas?  Here is what I have found…

From the Washington Post:

Perry’s Republican Party has blocked a federal Dream Act in Congress, and GOP state lawmakers in Texas have been busy lately trying to repeal the law there. They argue that Texas cannot afford the $40 million or so that the measure costs in lost tuition income. Never mind that the sum represents about one-twentieth of 1 percent of the state’s $80 billion in annual spending.

To his credit, Perry has stood by the legislation. “To punish these young Texans for their parents’ actions is not what America has always been about,” Perry told the New Hampshire Sunday News shortly before announcing his candidacy this month.

In the context of his party’s reflexive stance against illegal immigration, that remark is brave. However, his courage apparently fails him in the debate over a federal Dream Act, which, according to the Sunday News, Perry opposes.

So Perry passed the Dream Act in Texas but opposes it on the federal level.  This I do not like.  The conservative viewpoint is that we mustn’t encourage illegal immigration.  Coming into this country illegaly is a crime.  Rewarding the children of criminals taxes state budgets and deprives legal residents of spaces at educational institutions.  Have we forgotten that taxes are paid by legal U.S. citizens?  So in effect we have Americans funding the educations of the children of criminals.  Don’t get angry at me for stating facts.  The longer we wait to rectify this, the worse the situation will become. 

I disagree with Governor Perry on this one and I can’t wait to see how he handles immigration in the next debate.  As for his other conservative bonafides, lets go over the list:  Rick Perry is pro life, pro gun, pro states rights, strong on the death penalty, has apologized for the awful Gardasil debacle and is unapologetically Christian.  Oh and he loves America and her citizens.  I’m still willing to listen.  Consider this: the buzz online and in the news is that Perry is a very frightening prospect for those on the far left.  And that makes him a perfect candidate for conservative voters.