Seriously? Rick Perry: I Had to Give Illegals In-State Tuition Because of the Federal Government … or Something

There has clearly been a failure of our federal government. That’s the reason that we’re having to deal with issues like in-state tuition.

~ Rick Perry

By Gary P Jackson

Just like Barack Obama, when cornered, Rick Perry is looking to blame someone, anyone but himself for the results of his antics.

Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box along with Florida Governor Rick Scott Rick Perry tells the host the reason why He signed the Texas DREAM Act into law was because the federal government won’t secure the border:

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Funny, there are 50 states in our Union, and illegals have made their way to every single one. And yet, only a few states have in-state tuition for illegals. Texas was the very first. Other states have patterned their DREAM Acts off the one Rick Perry signed into law.

Perry whines about the federal government, and it’s inability to secure the border, but as Texans know, Perry has made Texas friendly to illegals. Besides these tuition discounts, illegals have gotten over $33 million in taxpayer aid for higher education.

Perry opposes E-verify, which would help identify illegals, and pretty much everything else that would help encourage illegals to leave the state.

Texans are demanding Rick Perry end his quixotic quest for the presidency, or at least suspend it for a time, and come back to Texas and deal with these issues.

Back in January, Perry declared an “emergency,” saying something had to be done about sanctuary cities. Though separate bills have passed in the House and Senate, and only need reconciliation, Perry has done absolutely nothing to make that happen.

Perry’s multi-million dollar campaign contributors all oppose banning sanctuary cities in Texas, and pretty much everything else that makes it difficult for illegals to live and work in the state. That would be bad for their businesses.

The real problem in Texas is not the federal government’s lack of immigration enforcement, it’s Rick Perry’s lack of leadership, and inability to end programs that actually entice illegals to make Texas their destination of choice.

In Texas illegals have no problem getting a job, and there are entire cities that look the other way. It’s easy for illegals in Texas to get aid and assistance. Why wouldn’t they come here?

The United States Supreme Court has forced states to educate children of illegals K-12.

Rick Perry has called his fellow Texans, and Americans “heartless” for complaining about his DREAM Act, giving in-state tuition to illegals, and yet, many Texas school districts hire bi-lingual teachers to teach children in Spanish only, rather than immerse them in English. That’s cruel.

English is the official language in Texas. It’s also the language of business worldwide. Perry claims he wants to make sure children are educated and become productive members of society.

If Perry really cared, he’d work toward making sure all of these children were fluent in English. To not do so traps them into situations where they can be exploited. I makes it almost certain they will only be able to work long hours for low wages.

If it’s “heartless” for those who want secure borders to demand we stop the incentives that bring the illegals to Texas, then it’s cruel not to make sure these children we’re educating are fluent in our language.

Here’s the bottom line. Our federal government is a mess. It has no intentions of securing the border. Neither does Rick Perry.

Perry has had numerous opportunities to put an end to policies that make Texas attractive to illegals. Rick Perry has failed to support laws that would make it almost impossible for illegals to live and work here.

Instead of using his bully pulpit to advocated for legislation that would go along way toward curing our problems with illegals, Perry has only given lip service to the issues, while signing serious incentives for illegals, like the DREAM Act, into law.

What’s pathetic is like Obama, rather than man-up, Perry wants to blame all of his failures on someone else.

Texas Lt Governor David Dewhurst: Perry’s In-State Tuition For Illegals Is Wrong

By Gary P Jackson

Texas Lt Governor David Dewhurst has now weighed in on the latest Perry controversy, in-state tuition for illegal aliens. I wonder if Rick will call him “heartless” too?

From the Houston Chronicle:

DALLAS (AP) — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is breaking with Gov. Rick Perry by opposing in-state college tuition rates for illegal immigrants.

Dewhurst, running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Kay Bailey Hutchison, says he understands Perry’s arguments but says his stance is all about fairness.

Dewhurst’s comments came in a taping Monday for a political show to be aired Sunday on Dallas’ WFAA-TV.

Perry, seeking the Republican presidential nomination, has been criticized by opponents in his own party for his position that children of illegal immigrants in Texas through no fault of their own should pay reduced in-state college tuition.

Dewhurst says if Americans from Louisiana or Oklahoma or New Mexico aren’t eligible for the lower tuition, it’s not fair to give the break to non-citizens.

Not sure if this is just campaign season rhetoric, as Dewhurst is running for the U.S. Senate, but this can’t be good for Perry’s already floundering campaign.

In Texas the Lt Governor is a powerful position, in many ways more powerful than the Governor’s. If this guy isn’t on your side, you know you are in trouble.

I took a look at Dewhurst’s website and he expands further on this subject here and here.