Texas governor Rick Perry is to the welfare of Texas citizens what a black hole is to matter. Yesterday I linked to an article that explained how Perry, and conservatives in the Texas legislature, are allowing construction companies to get around existing law so that workers have no insurance, no workman’s comp, no safety net whatsoever.

Not only do these workers lack health insurance – in Texas, workers’ comp is optional – they’re also not paid by the hour, don’t receive overtime pay, lack safety training and, of course, get no retirement plan. If you venture out to one of the many subdivisions being built just about anywhere in Texas, you’ll see row upon row of houses under construction. The workers, mainly Latinos, are one serious injury away from needing the volunteers of the Living Hope Wheelchair Association or other faith-based groups. They’re toiling in the hot Texas sun with no safety net. If they’re hurt, they’ll be patched up at the emergency room. Their employer will not get a bill. You and I will pick up the tab through our property taxes. Socialized medicine at its best, I suppose.

Perry also just vetoed a bill that would have prevented wage discrimination against women. And last week the “Merry Christmas” bill was signed into law.

The measure allows schools to display religious symbols such as nativity scenes and Christmas trees so long as at least one other religious image or secular icon is also included. …

…“It’s a shame that a bill like this one I’m signing today is even required, but I’m proud that we’re standing up for religious freedom in this state,” Perry said at a “Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.” …

… At the Thursday signing ceremony for the new law, cheerleaders from Kountze High School wore t-shirts that read “I cheer for Christ.”

In May, a Texas judge ruled that the cheerleaders could continue to display signs at football games emblazoned with Bible verses.

Since this is Texas, in effect this means the public school system will revert to being a recruiting arm for evangelical Christianity. Let’s see what happens when a kid shows up at school with a yab-yum T-shirt. Freedom from religion will start to make sense to them then, I suspect.

Texans vote for these clowns. Texans are sheep.