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Dan Rackley

Dan Rackley is a US Naval veteran living in Philadelphia and a contributor to "Will They Ever Trust Us Again?"

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August 31st, 2011 2:01 PM

I have to admit, I do not know as much about Texas Governor Rick Perry as I probably should. After all, he is a man that wants to be President of the United States. But let’s face it people, there’s just so many candidates out there for the Republican Party it’s hard to keep up with them all. They almost have enough people on their side vying for Obama’s job they could field a baseball team; including a full relief pitching staff. I don’t think you can officially count Sarah Palin as a candidate yet. I think she’s still deep in a debate about lemon squares or shooting something with antlers. So at the very least I don’t have to try and figure out the gobbledygook that comes out of her mouth.

But Rick Perry is someone that to be perfectly honest, if the Republican Convention were held today would probably be the nominee. He’s a Christian, which a great deal of voters like. Hell, he even took his appearing at a prayer rally in early August and turned it into somewhat of a dress rehearsal for announcing his candidacy. If you think that it wasn’t, you’re just not seeing things clearly. Christian or not, he did not go to that rally solely to praise Jesus. He went there to do that just as much as he did to see if people would vote for him because he was praising Jesus. If people really want a separation of church and state, they should vote solely on his stance on issues. Not what God he prays too. But he has the best chance of everyone.

Then we have Michele Bachmann. I don’t even know where to start there. Earlier in the week, I wrote a column which many of you read where I spotlighted the ignorant statement she made concerning Hurricane Irene. This is once again a kook that I hope gets the hint and drops out before the primaries. Can you just see her getting elected and then a natural disaster hitting somewhere in the country? “I’m sorry folks, but that tornado that destroyed your entire town was God saying you should spend less.” And don’t think it wouldn’t come out of President Bachmann’s mouth. Even the words President Bachmann make me ill. She’s one step away from copying Pat Robertson chapter and verse when he said God told him to run for president.

By now, Ron Paul is this election’s proxy Ralph Nader. Remember that comment he made earlier in the month about how the government should default on some of its debts? Yeah, that sounds like a fellow I would vote for. Just don’t do anything about the problem and everything will be fine. Anyone that got pranked by Sacha Baron Cohen should not be president.

I’d say something about Mitt Romney, but he hasn’t been seen or heard from since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. But seriously, other than Rick Perry, Mitt Romney has a great chance of getting the GOP nomination next summer. He could possibly even beat Obama. He’s likeable, and I would say is pretty charismatic. But like with Kennedy in 1960, he is going to face the daunting problem of his religious beliefs and people thinking they will affect his decision making. But he’s got enough of what it takes to be a leader. If it comes down to it, it will be either Perry or Romney. But that decision is still months away. It’s all in the hands of the American people. But please folks, do not put your checkmark next to a guy’s name because of what church he goes to.

Separation of church and state rests in the hands of the people as much as the people we elect to represent us. If you wouldn’t vote for a person because they are a Mormon or a Muslim, do not vote for them because they are Christian. Vote for them because they have better ideas, not beliefs.