Miracle Guile: Rick Perry Has an Odd Way of Measuring Success

http://www.dallasobserver.com/2011-08-18/news/miracle-guile-rick-perry-has-an-odd-way-of-measuring-success/

There's tons of anti-miracle stuff out there, from any number of sources: Texas is dead last among states in percentage of population with health insurance; ranked eighth in percentage of population living below the poverty level; tied with Mississippi for the percentage of hourly workers earning the minimum wage or less; 27th in median household income (though we're near the top in state gross domestic product); 29th in average public teachers' salaries; near the bottom in high school completion rates; near the top in teen pregnancies; and worst in the nation in pollution.

Oh, and we're pretty fat, too.

As miracles go, the fact that Texas has been tops in job-creation during the recession — although we're still 26th in unemployment — seems more like one of those Jesus'-face-on-grilled-cheese kind of miracles than a real God-sent event, like, say, the parting of the Red Sea or the canceling of Kate Plus 8. It's the sort of miracle that makes a proud Texan want to drop to his knees and thank the Lord for creating Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia and for making us look good.

Texas League of Conservation Voters Calls  Governor Rick Perry’s Disbelief in Global Warming Irresponsible, Ill-Informed

Leading Texas Statewide Environmental Group Blasts GOP Presidential Contender’s Remarks

AUSTIN, TX—The following statement should be attributed to David Weinberg, Executive Director of the Texas League of Conservation Voters. Mr. Weinberg is responding to comments made today by Texas Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry (R-Texas) on global warming:
“As Texas experiences one of the most terrible droughts in the state’s history, Gov. Perry’s comments regarding global warming are irresponsible since global warming only exacerbates droughts.
“The Lone Star State releases more heat-trapping carbon dioxide pollution – the primary greenhouse gas – than any other state in the union, but perhaps the significant political contributions Gov. Perry has taken from the fossil fuel industry has clouded not only our air but also his vision and understanding of sound science.
“The overwhelming consensus of the scientific community, as well as many in Gov. Perry’s own party, is that global warming is very real and poses a serious threat to our long-term health and prosperity.”
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