So what is causing the economy to grow?

It sure as hell not growing due to the Obama Administration

The only thing flowing into South Texas due to Obama is illegal Guatemalans

Smitty: the Republicans are not great but they are better than the alternative and that stink may be Holder's diaper.  

Abuse of Power: Travis County Special Prosecutor Michael McCrumb is a disgraceful political hack

Abuse of Power by "Special Prosecutor" Michael McCrumb

Allegations of personal misconduct and partisan politics involving Michael McCrumb

And when Democrats Alan Dershowitz and David Axelrod question this indictment of Rick Perry, something stinks in Austin.  Jonathan Chait thinks the Perry Indictment is "Unbelievably Ridiculous."

Eugene Volokh notes that this indictment does not square with Texas appellate precedent. 

Prior EBL Post: Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg's Booking Footage

More from Jonathan Turley via Instapundit

Gov. Perry indicted: Everything's big in Texas, even this B.S......http://t.co/BDhqcBhKKV
— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) August 18, 2014

Mark Steyn 

Wombat : Perry: I stood for the rule of law
This is helping Perry and Punch back twice as hard

Rosemary Lehmberg loves her some Cîroc!
Perry Indictment Backfires on Texas Dems

Update:
Rick Perry is not afraid of this farce prosecution
More from Protein Wisdom
Even the NYTs gets it, sort of

Rick Perry booking photo pic.twitter.com/8Ds7qykepH
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) August 19, 2014

Smitty: Go for the fundraiser Perry 

Travis County District Attorney Lehmberg's Booking Footage and oh by the way she and her friends just indicted Governor Rick Perry

When Democrat District Attorneys get arrested for DUI:

As Ace notes (with a flaming skull) Democrats play for keeps.  The case stems from Perry’s vetoing the $7.5 million biennial funding for the Travis County Public Integrity Unit last year. He threatened to withhold the money unless District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigned. So the payback is she and her cronies worked together to indite Governor Perry over using his veto.

And Rosemary Lehmberg did plead guilty to DUI.

Democrats have a history of siding with drunk drivers #txlege #RosemaryLehmbergDrinks #RosemaryLehmberg pic.twitter.com/gZBwTPOfiB
— Kevin Sinclair (@unclemeat80) August 16, 2014

More at Lem's Place 
Instapundit
DaTechGuy approves of drunk DAs
Rosemary!

@Swohtz @BoboFromTexas @instapundit @sheilaaj @PatVPeters pulling @tomdelay on him #StandWithRickPerry pic.twitter.com/PiQAo9nShl
— RonMurphy II (@THETXEMBASSY) August 16, 2014

TOM: Texas Democrats and the Rule of Law
This Indictment of Rick Perry is Unbelievably Ridiculous
The Star Chamber comes to Texas
The criminalization of politics (it has to end)
And yes, Lehmberg was really drunk.
Dershowitz outraged by Perry Indictment
Even Axelrod thinks it is sketchy!
Perry indictment results in unlikely allies joining in speaking out against prosecutorial abuse

Rosemary Lehmberg loves her some Cîroc!
Perry Indictment Backfires on Texas Dems

What Mitt Romney lacked...

Instead of  Mitt Romney being like this...

Mitt Romney came off like this.

And I am (I hope obviously) not suggesting Mitt Romney needed to become Deanna Troi in appearance or (God forbid) décolleté.  Mitt needed to convey some of Deanna Troi's empathy.  There was not enough of this stuff shown.  This is really too bad because the truth is Mitt Romney is probably more empathetic to people than Barack Obama in real life. But in messaging, Mitt Romney failed to convey that and also let the Democrats define him as uncaring and cold.  So that messaging of Shamus the Dog on the roof of the car, Bain Capital, the 47%, was all about killing Romney's chances with those voters who ultimately went overwhelmingly with Barack Obama.  

This is interesting:

Haidt’s research further elucidates the particular importance of care as a moral foundation. His study of anthropology and evolutionary theory led him to the conclusion that humanity possesses six moral foundations: care, fairness, liberty, authority, sanctity, and loyalty. In over 130,000 individual interviews on how relevant each of these moral foundations are to determining right and wrong, Haidt found that conservatives respond to each of them whereas the center and the left appreciate essentially only two: care and fairness.
With the shrinkage of the Republican base by 9 percent over the last few years increasing the importance of attracting voters beyond the base, it is critical that Republicans frame the discussion of their policies in the context of these two moral foundations that resonate with the entire country. That, or they can slip into permanent minority status. 

Rick Perry did not do well in the GOP Primaries.  But Governor Perry is promoting policies that are conservative, pragmatic and also convey that he gets what voters are facing out there.  That is very important.  I am not saying Gov. Perry should be our next nominee (that is not my point).  What I am saying is who ever we run in 2016 needs to recognize how important reaching out to all voters is.    

For a guy who did poorly during the primaries, Rick Perry is looking pretty smart now...

This is an excellent idea.  With on line classes, there is no reason why a basic liberal arts degree need to cost the equivalent of a home mortgage.  We do students no favors by getting them sometimes hundreds of thousand of dollars in debt to get a college education (especially in the Obama job market desert).  For most students, they would be far better off financially by not getting saddled with massive undergraduate school debt.

And this also puts pressure on universities to start lowering tuition over all, which has been growing much faster than inflation.

Update:
I knew Instapundit would be on this issue soon enough...

The character of the GOP candidates...

"I heard those words, 'cradle of leadership.' Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here, it has fallen! Makers of men, creators of leaders — be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here"

"Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan, some guys run and some guys stay..." 

Guess who is Rick Santorum and who is Newt Gingrich in the video.
Let me give you a hint:  There's Rick Santorum, facing the fire, and there is Newt (Perry, Huntsman, etc.) — hiding in Big Daddy's pocket.

The Other McCain notes: Rick Santorum shows some character in not trashing Mitt Romney over Bain...  

A few weeks ago, Newt tells everyone Mitt was a good manager while at Bain (at 6:20)

And Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman, Lt. Col Frank Slade (Ret.) has something to say to you two as well (watch the embedded video and see if you can pick yourselves out). 
Yesterday's EBL Post:  GOP candidates chase Romney  "The creature was a party of boys, marching..."

Ace yesterday:  "By choosing to make their last stand in a way that seems anti-conservative, they might have sealed this all up for the Romnster...And here's my next fear: That this film makes Romney unelectable, and Perry and Gingrich have made themselves unelectable by pushing it."

Protein Wisdom Today:  "GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum defends capitalism, defends Mitt Romney’s earlier engagement of capitalism on capitalist grounds (as opposed to Romney himself, who appealed for a defense to progressive corporatism), and yet the GOP establishment and its attendant media — as well as an increasing number of sober, pragmatic, 'it’s time to rally behind a single candidate' members of the conservative base — tell us that it is Santorum who is unelectable, and throw their support behind the candidate who enacted state-run health care, and who can’t even defend his own engagement in capitalism without retreating to a progressive defense."

The Retorician
The Lonely Conservative:  At least Rick Santorum is still sane.
Breitbart (quoting Joe Scarborough):  Perry sounds like stoned NYU grad student in Zucotti Park.
Giuliani to Newt: What the hell are you doing?  “What the hell are you doing, Newt? I expect this from Saul Alinsky,” Giuliani said. 
Dan Riehl: The GOP embarrasses itself...
The Other McCain: Gov. Zombie (Perry) stumbles towards humiliation in South Carolina...
The Weekly Standard Surprises (linked via Protein Wisdom)

Perry To Reassess Campaign After Fifth Place Iowa Finish

Breitbart.tv » Perry To Reassess Campaign After Fifth Place Iowa Finish

Ace of Spades HQ

I thought he would stay in till South Carolina...but I did not see a viable path beyond that so maybe it is better to call it quits now.

Update: Decision Made! Perry is going to South Carolina.

Update II:  Michael Barone on why Perry is still in.

There can be only one café...

Win, place...?

Win  Place?

John McCain to endorse (see whoa)?

Place Win?

And show for Uncle Paul.

And Whoa.










Update:  Santorum is leading by 19 votes at 99% reporting?  Still, even if Mitt pulls ahead it is still a big night for Santorum.


Update II:  Did Ron Paul actually win tonight? (guess who is going to the GOP convention...Uncle Paul's supporters)  H/T:  Hot Air

Update III:  Mitt Romney won Iowa.   Still a big night for Santorum.


Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are tied in the Iowa caucuses, with just 19 votes separating the two after 99% reporting.  Romney and Rick Santorum are tied in the Iowa caucuses, with just 19 votes separating the two after 99% reporting.