I thought that's what we don't want?

In all fairness, the higher percentage of undocumented workers in the border states might have something to do with the higher rates of uninsured, so it might be a little overblown to criticize Texas that much. But on the other hand, Texas also touts itself as one of the few states in the union that's still a good place to set up business, so ou'd think that people wouldn't be quite so poor off down there.

As Washington Spectator editor and political author Lou Dubose pointed out to Maddow, the Texas governorship is "a ribbon-cutting position." Good thing, because he's not too bright, is he?

But how does he compare to his predecessor?

Perry:

“A government-run healthcare system is financially unstable. It’s not the solution.”

Apparently "Governor Good Hair" has never heard of the VA. I wonder how many he'll shut down on the same grounds he's using to try and keep the Public Option out of Texas?

(Note to editor: It's "Good Hair", not "Great Hair". grin)

Who pays for Perry's health care?

My parents live in Texas, and they tell me most people they speak with are furious at Perry because he refused to accept money to help pay unemployment benefits. The state's budget deficit is as large as it has ever been, and the judicial system has been corrupted by right wing ideologues.

Let's not make the same mistake twice. Let them secede. In fact, we should pay them to do it. Over time it would cost us a lot less, both in terms of money and lost opportunities to improve our citizens' lives, than keeping them in the Union and having to deal with their obstructionism and constant trips to the public trough. Keith Olbermann laid it our awhile ago (transcript at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30826495) </snark>. I'm well aware, of course, that Perry doesn't speak for all Texans, or maybe even most. There's a very good chance that guys like him on both sides of the aisle are going the way of the dodo in the next few years. Americans are increasingly not so interested in leadership they can have a beer with as leadership they can entrust with their kids lives.

We need to help the people of Texas any way we can.

Not the politicians who keep saying they'll "secede" from things every time they don't get their way: "I get it my way, or I take my state and go home."

As in all states, I'm sure there are people in Texas I wouldn't agree with about much. But Texas is also home to millions of hard-working, honest people--people who need services, who want health care, who want to simply do the best they can for their families. And many of their leaders, including their governor (and their senators), don't appear to want this for them.

How can we help Texans get the representation they deserve? How can Texans help themselves? Suggestions?

Our Governor is a tool, just like the last one. Immigrants are a ready scapegoat for many, but to the people that own Texas, they are a valuable check on labor costs; doing the jobs that Americans won't do (for substandard wages or without health and safety standards.) Gov. Good Hair brags on Texas being great for business. The only welfare he believes in is corporate welfare. We lead all states in some measures but in matters of public health, education, or justice we come in 49th, and the word here is "thank God for Mississippi."

1 in 4!!! As a former Texan and person that has 2 relatives that are doctors I'll tell you Perry DON'T care. I've lived abroad I still can't understand why some people in the USA are so dumb as to let themselves be brainwashed into thinking national healthcare is BAD! Not if run properly. In many countries it works and they ain't all broke. I lived in Japan and have friends in Sweden and Italy (Americans) and they love it. I could always choose any doctor or hospital in Japan. The amount of people that get screwed because of pre-exsisting conditions, go bankrupt and are just plain fed up is sick! Ask how many seniors want medicare to vanish. Greed. Look it up. That is the definition of our healthcare system. The industry will use any tactic to be sure they make all the money and you get Fu---d It's just sad. Heard of Wall Street? When will people use their heads, how many elected officals (Perry) have good care and also benefit somehow because we do not.

If we can only get what Sen. John (Hagee-is-my-spiritual-advisor) Cornyn identifies as 33% of the Texas electorate out to vote next time we choose a governor, The Hair will be toast. With the anti-Sotomayor campaign by Cornyn and other Repubs still bristling Hispanics, any good Dem candidate MIGHT beat Perry, especially now that Kay Bailey Hutchison has expressed doubts she will run against him in the GOP primary. Obviously, no Dem would have declined the stimulus monies as Perry did, hurting not only Hispanics but us po' white trash as well, and the same could be said of the healthcare package.

My feeling is, Perry is living in a twilight zone. His only constituency is wealthy suburban Anglos and those po' whites who still swallow the Repub talking points hook, line, and sinker, the mostly-racist folks who still go to the Tea Parties and think Obama is not actually president because he doesn't have a valid birth certificate. Those people constitute two distinct "minorities," but Perry was swept in on Dubya's coattails and he has done nothing good for Texas since his first election to the office.

Unfortunately, the two minorities mentioned above have overlaps in a third: the religious right, which is big in Texas (make that HUGE). I cannot forget the photo of John McCain standing on a dais next to Rev. John Hagee, the man who actually believes Katrina was "God's punishment" on New Orleans for that city's hosting a gay pride event prior to the hurricane's arrival. (Talk about post hoc, ergo propter hoc!) Cornyn was elected to the Texas Supreme Court (the "Nine Nutty Professors") on insurance company money. CBS even did a "60 Minutes" program on it called "The Best Justice Money Can Buy." Perry is on the same gravy train. These people do not care a whit about the poor, the uninsured, the hungry. They only care about their bank balance...and their coiffures.

she can take time to report the real details of the JFK assassination along with Dick Cheney's role in the events of 911.

Jim Hightower has already suggested a name for the new country: Absurdistan.

Please Texas secede from the union-and take Alaska with you. You could start your own country called Alaxes. When can we progress as a country and move to improve the lives of the working class? Instead we keep voting in people who continue to vote against our interests.

Mitch McConnell on Meet the Press bragged about our health care system because he and McCain visited a hospital in Texas that is so great people come from all over the world to receive care. Before I read this article I knew the reason the foreign people come here. If the hospital waited for American patients it would go broke. Many Americans have no insurance. Insured Americans cannot afford health care anyway; high deductables, beyond usual (reasonable) and customary price that is allowed, procedure not recognized, and pre-existing conditions. Foreigners can take their national health insurance anywhere. Americans have a choice; go to the hospital or keep a roof over your head and buy groceries. Still in all you think it must be better here or they would stay home for health care? A European doctor will tell you when it's useless to continue treatment. He will not refuse treatment, only tell the truth. Most people are afraid of death. So they come here with their portable insurance or tons of cash. Many of them go home to die after being tortured by our system because the doctor in Europe was right.