Perry has some doubts vs Liberal beliefs

My liberal friends are having a good time sending me mocking messages about Texas Governor Perry’s alleged belief that “evolution is only a theory.”  I say alleged because it is clear from watching the clip that Perry is trying to handle a kid and his over-bearing mom politely more than he is expressing a view on evolution.  And in any event, while doubting evolution tells us something about Perry’s thinking its policy implications strike me as remote to non-existent.

In contrast, the dubious beliefs of liberals get translated into state and national policy almost without fail.  For example, that the way to “win the future” is through public investments in green technology.  A recent New York Times story reports that “the number of green jobs hasn’t lived up to promises.”  San Jose currently has 4,350 green jobs, its city council has promised 25,000 by 2022 (what they are doing making such promises should be question #1).  In a similar vein, Governor Jerry Brown has promised 500,000 clean technology jobs by the end of the decade, and President Obama has pledged 5 million green jobs in 10 years.  Of course federal and state money has gone into making this happen with a predictable lack of results.  According to the story, in the South Bay area of California, a Brookings study found the sector actually lost jobs.

Perhaps my favorite part of the article is the $186 million of stimulus money that went to weatherize drafty homes.  After two years California has only spent a little over half that money creating just 538 full time jobs.  Part of the problem “The weatherization program was initially delayed for seven months while the federal Department of Labor determined prevailing wage standards for the industry.”  Seven months to figure out what to pay people and I’m supposed to re-up for more of this because Perry might have some doubts on evolution?  I don’t think so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/us/19bcgreen.html?_r=2