The inimitable Jay Smooth's latest Ill Doctrine post contains his thoughts on something Texas Governor Rick Perry said during a campaign event in New Hampshire last Saturday:
Perhaps the best question came from a 9-year-old boy who asked Perry, “If you could be any superhero, who would you be and why?”
Grinning, Perry said he doesn’t know the newer superheroes.
“But there was one back in my day who was Superman,” he said. “And Superman came to save the United States.”
Critics may call his reasons for picking Superman (not for powers such as flight or heat vision, but because he "came to save the United States") self-aggrandizing, but they'd be missing the most salient (and perhaps nerdiest) part of this episode.
Jay reminds us of the roots of the Superman legend -- the secular elements of which correlate strongly to undocumented immigration. The Kryptonian known as Kal-El arrived on Earth not to "save the United States" (whose citizenship he recently renounced). He came only because his parents had to send him somewhere he'd continue to survive and thrive (which was not their home planet, which was about to explode). He helped Americans (and other Earthlings, by the way) only because he was here -- and had the opportunity, will and means to do so. All while doing his best to fit in as an ordinary guy.
Draw parallels where you will.
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I can't wait for the debates.......I have goooooooose pimples...this is gonna be Hooorlarious!!!!!....late night T.V. hosts....set your Tevo!!!
Doesn't look like Gov. Perry is going to make the debate due to fire crisis in Texas.
Fortune smiles on the "Man".....He was praying for this just as Republicans prayed for a upside-down economy....Wow...two wishes at once....Maybe prayer does work?
Govenor Perry better hope prayer works since the state cut aid to fire departments from 30 million dollars to 7 million. Smooth move during a drought.
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/09/texas-cut-fire-department-funding-by-75-percent-this-year/
No choice. Perry has to run for POTUS now, since it's unlikely he could ever be re-elected as governor. Maybe one of those imaginary "high-paying" private sector jobs, that the republicans still say they're gonna create for us, is more suited to his future.
At least he didn't say he was a superhero who would keep unemployment below 8 percent, cut the deficit in half, close Guantanamo, repeal the Bush tax cuts,...oh, wait, that wouldn't be a superhero...that would be our current President.
For more on this topic and documentation see politifact:
politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/
Rob, you forgot to include the link to the promises kept by Obama, which are 3 times as many as those that were broken.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-kept/
There is much to be desired from this president, but he has gotten a lot done as well that he needs credit for.
I really hope Rick Perry is our next President.....I look forward to your comments after his first Year in office....
he was a superhero who would keep unemployment below 8 percent,
LOL you are right there as there is no such thing as a superhero (kind of like republican party).
but can you show me exactly where and went President Obama said such a thing about unemployment staying below 8%.
thanks
LOL
Why don't you take your right wing "politafact" over to the focks blog.
RV, let em stay....good to know who the nuts are.....and also good for a laugh....Now we know what interesting bedtime stories are being told at Faux Not So News.
BVHTX, good point and with documentation. Great.
Vampire Press,
me, too, which would mean a change from the current administation.
RVGramdpa, yours is the kind of response I usually get. No thought, no truth, just accusations. Politifact is a Pulitzer Prize winning from the St. Petersburg Times, hardly "right wing."
Pilotshark, you comment was the most challenging and the best I can give is I was only "barely right." See following link:
politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jul/13/george-will/will-obama-said-stimulus-would-cap-unemployment-8-/
Most times when I get in a in depth fact based discussion, the other commenter doesn't want to explain or document.
Guvnah Perry prayed for rain and he got wildfires. Maybe he's not the prophet, Superman or best buddy of the lawd he pretends to be, eh?
come on guys....let's be serious...none of these guys want to be president...this is all about paid speaking gigs for the next 5 years....Free media exposure for books, DVD sells, etc.....Let's track the actions of each candidate for the next 6 years....document the paydays and you will be sick to your stomach!!!
He's super cool! Thanks Jamil.
Perry might be considered a superhero in Bizzaro World where up is down, down is up, black is white, white is black, etc. That might be the same place the rest of the Tea Party originated.
There's gonna be sooo much good footage to mash up this election season....
Also, one of Superman's creators was a Canadian.
Maybe one was Canadian, but both of Superman's creators were Jewish. :-)
Gov Rickie Perry joins the ranks of none other than the turbulent twins Sarah Palin & Michelle Bachmann. Sarah sees Russia and is guarding the NW Territories, which she thinks AK is a part of. Michelle, on the other foot in her mouth, can't quote 5th grade history correctly. Yes Michelle, Concord is in the northeast somewhere. And Gov Goodhair clearly states in the video that Superman saved the United States. !!News Flash!! - Superman saved first Metropolis, and then the rest of the universe in one episode or another. If you're going to be Superman, at least know where in the *u*k you live.
wonder where his ancestors came from , heck he might think he came from another world! and maby he did !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we may never know
oh yes we may never care !
Maybe we should look at his birth cert, huh Sonny? Maybe we should look at ALL of them. Give them as much S*&% as they gave Obama.
or Bush.
Of course the 1938 story of Kal-El -- aka Superman, aka Clark Kent -- coming to Earth was an allegory for Jews escaping Nazi persecution. It isn't that he saves Earth/America. Earth/America saves him, by (literally) empowering him.
Never fear folks! Rickie-poo Perry is going to flame out in very short order. I'll be surprised if he even shows up to debate on Wednesday. While my prayers are with the people of Texas with the wildfires, Rick is probably breathing a sigh of relief; he would rather face the fires than the folks. All he needed was an excuse.
Really like the video post! I thought Rachel and followers will appreciate this new God of Greed video comic strip about "Dink Berry" and greedy Christians:
It's really all about greed! I want it all and don't want to share my pile of stuff with anyone!
Why doesn't anybody seem to remember that this whole "Tea Party" business started out as a bunch of paid agitators sent to disrupt political rallies. Sent by whom? Corporate interests, of course...
Governor Perry created jobs in Texas in the Oil and Gas Industry by $150 a barrel oil and $4 a gallon gas. As President Perry, I see $500 a barrel oil and $20 a gallon gas. Texas and Oklahoma will boom!
Superman was just a wet back, and Texas was built on the back of wet backs, that is why Superman is Perry's hero. A Super wetback that you can under pay... a gift from heaven, that every Texan prays for.
Governor Perry created jobs in Texas by $150 a barrel oil and $4 a gallon gas. As President Perry, he will create jobs with $500 a barrel oil and $20 a gallon gas. Texas and Oklahoma will boom! This is how Perry created jobs in Texas. And Texas Legislature only meets every other year. This year the legislature is out. Superman is every Texans dream a Super wetback. Texas was built on the backs of wetbacks that are under paid. This is what every Texan Prays for.
careful - facts are Perry's kryptonite.
Now we know it: PERRY SUPPORTS AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. At least one: Superman. Yes, Superman is an illegal immigrant. But he wasn't born in Kenia. (Or any other Negro-country.) So Republicans shouldn't have an issue with him.
I for one would love to see Jay Smooth as a regular segment on TRMS.
Bush took crap about his birthplace, Eric? That's news to me. We all know where he was born and it sure wasn't Texas. Maybe that's why he's so afraid of horsies ...