It’s not the line in the sand that Col. William Travis famously drew at the Alamo, when he asked all those who believed in Texas to cross over and join him in a hopeless resistance against Mexican forces.
But the offer Rick Perry made to Gov. Cuomo has its own drama. In New York again to persuade Empire State businesses that everything’s bigger in Texas but the taxes, Gov. Perry politely challenged Cuomo to a political debate.
On Tuesday, during an appearance on the radio show of Post columnist Frederic U. Dicker, Perry said a debate “would be not only interesting and fun, but a thoughtful way for us as a country to have a discussion between two of the major states in America, talking about which one of these policies are actually better for our people.”
He also rattled off the stats. To name just one: Perry noted that while CEO magazine places New York 49th on its “best place to do business,” Texas has taken the No. 1 slot for nine years running.
A public debate would be a public service. It would be illuminating to hear Gov. Cuomo explain, for example, why his tax reforms are better than Gov. Perry’s — or why Jimmy Fallon tax credits for Hollywood are better than the zero income tax for all that prevails for Texas.
Ever since his State of the State Address, Gov. Cuomo has been boasting that “New York is now ranked No. 2 in the nation in number of jobs created since the recession.” (Texas, of course, is No. 1.)
Gov. Perry has now given Gov. Cuomo an opportunity to make the case that New York’s approach is superior. If it really is, what has our governor got to lose?