Palin, Perry a New Breed of Western-style Conservatism

Super Bowl Sunday in Texas. You’d think football-centric Texans would be preparing for the big game. Beer buys, card table set-ups of chips and dip, backyard BBQs firing up. Politics definitely not on the menu. But you’d be wrong.

This Super Bowl Sunday, at least in Houston, was all about the re-election campaign of incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry.

About 5,000 Texans gathered at the Berry Center in northwest Houston, to hear the Governor and a very special guest – Sarah Palin.

State Senator Dan Patrick warmed up the crowd. Patrick gleamed with Pro-Texas sentiment, reminding the crowd:

“We’ve got the strongest economy in the United States,”

And then Ted Nugent took the stage to give his guitar solo rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. A bit clichéd but received approvingly, Nugent blurted out:

“I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could. Texas is the Number One State in the Nation.”

Perry then took the stage, thanked his buddy Nugent. He took the mic and blurted out:

“There’s a game going on today, but the real action is here.”

And then he welcomed Sarah Palin to thunderous applause as George Straight played in the background. Decked out in a wild almost shiny black fur skirt and boots, Palin with her daughter Piper at her side, took the stage.

Looking in her direction Perry said: “Washington would be a lot better off if they did things the Texas way. They’d be a lot better off if they had Sarah Palin running things too.”

“In Alaska we’re proud of our guns and religion,” Palin shouted out. In a very libertarian tone, she reminded the attendees, “that government is best, which governs least.” And went on to firmly place the pair on the side of Reaganism: “Rick and I believe in what Ronald Reagan believed. It’s all about American success.”

The Texas Governor and the former Alaska Gov. have known each other through the Governors Association since the early 2007. They’ve allied almost identically on energy issues, promoting a less regulatory business climate, and jobs through economic growth, low taxation, and a stable, litigation at a minimum environment for business. Though, both are generally social conservatives, the fiscal issues are front and center, in the tradition of Western-style conservatism. It’s a brand of conservatism virtually identical to libertarian beliefs. But it’s a more mainstream, more palatable libertarianism, clothed in patriotism, and strong support for the military, as opposed to a fringe Ron Paul view.

The mainstream libertarian approach seems to be working for Perry. He is currently way out ahead in the GOP primary by nearly 20 points, and comfortably ahead for the general election in a match-up against former Houston Mayor Bill White.

And Palin said on Fox News Sunday that she’d be open to a 2012 Presidential run. Independent-minded Texas and rugged individualistic Alaska teaming up. Quite a contrast to the current Beltway nanny-statism, over-regulation, and federal mandates.