Former Texas governor Rick Perry announced that he is running, again, for the Republican presidential nomination. His cause? Fixing the American economy by emulating Texas.
Meanwhile, former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee announced that he is running for the Democratic presidential nomination. His cause? Adopt the metric system.
I’d like to hear from supporters of either of these gentlemen, explaining why he would make a better candidate and a better president than his primary rivals.
From Rick Perry launches 2016 presidential campaign, USA Today:
Former governor Rick Perry officially kicked off his second bid for the White House on Thursday with a blistering critique of the Obama years and a campaign pitch that touted his record in Texas.
“We have the power to make things new again, to project America’s strength again, and to get our economy going again. And that is exactly why today I am running for the presidency of the United States of America,” Perry told supporters at the kickoff of his campaign. . .
During his speech, Perry highlighted his credentials as a former military officer. He also reminded supporters of Texas’ economic prosperity during his 14 years as governor. Economic polices used in Texas – lowering taxes, lessening regulation, stopping frivolous lawsuits – could be imported to Washington, he said.
“It can be done because it has been done – in Texas!” Perry said to cheers and chants of “Run Rick Run!” from the audience.
From Lincoln Chafee to Run for President, USA Today:
Former Rhode Island governor and ex-Republican Lincoln Chafee joined the Democratic presidential race Wednesday with a long-shot campaign focused so far on one major issue: Hillary Clinton’s 2002 vote for the Iraq War.
“I just don’t think the Democratic Party should have — as our nominee — someone who made that mistake,” Chafee said in a brief interview following his announcement speech at George Mason University in Arlington, Va.
The only Republican senator to oppose the 2002 resolution authorizing military action in Iraq, Chafee has harped on Clinton’s vote in preparing to challenge her for the 2016 Democratic nomination.
The war — based on “false premises” that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction — killed too many Americans and cost the nation billions that could have been spent on education, infrastructure, health care and other domestic needs, Chafee said in his speech.
“This Iraq war, obviously, angers me,” Chafee told USA TODAY, calling it another Vietnam. “Everyone says, oh, that’s a long time ago — no. We live it with it today.”
Chafee said he be believes he can prevail over Clinton — and other Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley — by stressing “high ethical standards” and a “vision for the future” that can enable him to win a national election.
“I just don’t think Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic nominee,” Chafee said, saying there are “enough questions” about her “credibility” to give voters pause.
The former mayor, governor and senator said he does plan to do fundraising, but pointed out that the race begins in the “retail states” of Iowa and New Hampshire, where money is less of a factor. “I’m going to run a low-budget, grassroots campaign on the issues” he said.
Will Chafee, who is independently wealthy, put in his own money? “We’ll see,” he said.
In arguing that the Iraq war damaged the U.S. reputation with other nations, Chafee made a unique proposal to improve global relations: Have the U.S. adopt the metric system.
“Let’s join the rest of the world and go metric,” he said in his speech. “I happened to live in Canada as they completed the process. Believe me it is easy.”
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