The Problem with the Perry Performance

Rick Perry had a momentary lapse of memory in the Republican debate this week. All sorts of people have momentary lapses of that kind. Supposedly they are more likely if one is anxious, and in spite of his relaxed appearance he may well have been anxious debating before an audience of millions, assured that any stumble would become a sound bite to be repeated interminably on television. He had back surgery this summer and had been standing for almost an hour, and may well have been quite uncomfortable if not in pain. I don't think the gaff itself is the problem.

Of course, one would expect that a candidate for president would have thought long and hard before suggesting that a major government reorganization be made. If one were to abolish three cabinet departments, which of the agencies that they include would be abolished and which would be transferred to other departments?

• If one were to abolish the Department of Commerce, one would not want to abolish the Patent and Trademark Office,; the Census is required by the Constitution and the Census Bureau would have to be somewhere; the Bureau of Economic Analysis would seem rather important in our current economic crisis; would one want to abolish the International Trade Administration when we need so badly to promote American exports?; one would not wish to abolish the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
• If one were to abolish the Department of Energy would one want to abolish the nuclear security program? Would the government stop the energy research program that is developing the science that will underlie new energy saving technologies we need to cut oil imports or new energy technologies that our industry can commercialize to create jobs and exports?
• If one were to abolish the Department of Education where would one put the administration of financial student aid, or would one simply write off all the student loans? How about the programs seeking to improve the use of technology in the schools or improve the scientific basis for teaching?

The real problem with Perry's proposal is that it would be a very bad idea to abolish three cabinet departments and undertake a government wide reorganization now. And indeed, it is extremely unlikely that the Congress would ever go along with such a proposal even if Perry were elected.

By the way, Texas ranks 51st in the United States in portion of adults with high school diplomas, According to the Texas state government website:

• Texas is #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation (493) and #46 in average math SAT scores (502).
• Texas is #36 in the nation in high school graduation rates (68%).
• Texas is #33 in the nation in teacher salaries. Teacher salaries in Texas are not keeping pace with the national average. The gains realized from the last state-funded across-the-board pay raise authorized in 1999, which moved the ranking from 33 to as high as 26th in the nation, have disappeared over the last five years.
• Texas was the only state in the nation to cut average per pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2005, resulting in a ranking of #40 nationally; down from #25 in fiscal year 1999.

If you believe the future of the United States depends on giving our kids world class educations, then it would be a worry to have a former Governor of Texas as a president. It would be even more worrisome that Governor Perry is making abolition of the Department of Education a keystone of his campaign (when he can remember to).