Gov. Rick Perry said Monday that spending more state money on inspections would not have prevented the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. plant that was last investigated by Texas environmental regulators in 2006. Excuse me for asking, but … how would Perry know? You can’t prove a negative.
The governor told the Associated Press that he remains comfortable with the state’s level of oversight following last week’s massive blast that killed 14 people and injured 200. It’s so nice to hear that Perry is comfortable with the state’s level of oversight, but perhaps the people who lost their loved ones and property in West might have a different idea. Perry also suggested in his interview that “the majority of Texas residents agree with him.” And he knows this because . . . why, exactly? Does that include the survivors in West? Who conducted that poll? This is just Rick Perry engaging in desperate CYA tactics. That isn’t leadership–it is an embarrassingly lame response.
AP Photo | Austin American Statesman, Rodolfo Gonzalez
