--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Rick Perry says I can do for America…" description: "\"When Rick Perry says I can do for America what I've done for Texas, pay attention. That's no idle threat.\" — Jim Hightower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/jim-hightower-10047_america_when-rick-perry-says-i-can-do-for-americ_1035602.jpg" --- # When Rick Perry says I can do for America what I've done… ![“When Rick Perry says I can do for America what I've done for Texas, pay attention. That's no idle threat.” quote by Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/jim-hightower-10047_america_when-rick-perry-says-i-can-do-for-americ_1035602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/jim-hightower-10047_america_when-rick-perry-says-i-can-do-for-americ_1035602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/jim-hightower-10047_america_when-rick-perry-says-i-can-do-for-americ_1035602.jpg) > “When Rick Perry says I can do for America what I've done for Texas, pay attention. That's no idle threat.” [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that a political claim may be a serious, actionable promise, not just rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Beware of political promises that may become real actions. Key Takeaway Treat political statements as potential policies. Themes politics accountability leadership Mood cautious critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - voter decisions - policy analysis - media commentary Key Concepts policy impact public trust political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify the feasibility of a political claim? - What safeguards ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Political promises can be used to mobilize support or intimidate opponents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texas/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) ## Related quotes > [Texas Governor Rick Perry now says his wife has been encouraging him to run for President. Remember first he told us God told him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/texas-governor-rick-perry-now-says-his-wife-has-been-encouraging-him/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“Perry says that he feels like going to Priest Pond and knocking the daylights out of Great-Aunt Nancy. I told him he must not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/perry-says-that-he-feels-like-going-to-priest-pond-and-knocking-the/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“You said he carries a gun?" "Yeah, that's the bad news." Perry whispers, "What's the good news?" I pause. "I read recently that eggs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-manning/you-said-he-carries-a-gun-yeah-that-s-the-bad-news-perry-whispers/) [Edmond Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-manning/) > [Anybody who says it is in America's interest to not have better relations with Russia doesn't know what they're talking about when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/anybody-who-says-it-is-in-america-s-interest-to-not-have-better/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“There is a proverb that says America is always 3 days away from revolution. Stop delivering food to the supermarkets, and see what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-dilouie/there-is-a-proverb-that-says-america-is-always-3-days-away-from/) Craig DiLouie > [There's no law of nature that says America must remain the most powerful country in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/there-s-no-law-of-nature-that-says-america-must-remain-the-most/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [When Trump says America first, it doesn't mean cheering for America only. It means if you want to care for your neighbors, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/when-trump-says-america-first-it-doesn-t-mean-cheering-for-america/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [Between Ron Paul and Rick Perry, I think the lesson is don't get sick in Texas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/between-ron-paul-and-rick-perry-i-think-the-lesson-is-don-t-get-sick/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Rick Perry dropped out of the presidential race. When asked what went wrong, Perry said, I guess America is not ready to elect a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/rick-perry-dropped-out-of-the-presidential-race-when-asked-what-went/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Texas Governor Rick Perry distanced himself from George W. Bush by saying, 'I went to Texas A&M. He went to Yale.' In other words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/texas-governor-rick-perry-distanced-himself-from-george-w-bush-by/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Rick Perry, started out like a ball of fire from Texas and then he started to drop and now he's retooling. He's adding advisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/rick-perry-started-out-like-a-ball-of-fire-from-texas-and-then-he/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Texas governor Rick Perry has been in the race only three days, and he's already blowing away the competition like it is a trespassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/texas-governor-rick-perry-has-been-in-the-race-only-three-days-and-he/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Survival starts by paying attention to what is close at hand and immediate. To look out with idle hope is tantamount to dreaming one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/survival-starts-by-paying-attention-to-what-is-close-at-hand-and/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I've never heard anybody in my family say anything but good things about Rick Perry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-ve-never-heard-anybody-in-my-family-say-anything-but-good-things/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [When Rick Perry was told about Kim Jong Il, he said, 'I never heard of him, but then again, I don't listen to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/when-rick-perry-was-told-about-kim-jong-il-he-said-i-never-heard-of/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## More by Jim Hightower > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/do-something-if-it-doesn-t-work-do-something-else-no-idea-is-too-crazy/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-opposite-for-courage-is-not-cowardice-it-is-conformity-even-a/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/some-people-say-we-need-a-third-party-i-wish-we-had-a-second-one/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [There's enormous progressive activism and, more often than not, success at the grassroots level - everything from living wage campaigns to efforts to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/there-s-enormous-progressive-activism-and-more-often-than-not-success/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [If it's dangerous to talk to yourself, it's probably even dicier to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/if-it-s-dangerous-to-talk-to-yourself-it-s-probably-even-dicier-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [You have to learn to read between the lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/you-have-to-learn-to-read-between-the-lies/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. Populists want to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/liberals-want-to-manage-the-damage-with-government-programs-to-take/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populists have always been out to challenge the orthodoxy of the corporate order and to empower workaday Americans so they can control their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populists-have-always-been-out-to-challenge-the-orthodoxy-of-the/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The middle of the road is for yellow lines and dead armadillos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-middle-of-the-road-is-for-yellow-lines-and-dead-armadillos/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Part of the failure of the corporate media is that they don't dig out stories anymore. They are looking down from the top floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/part-of-the-failure-of-the-corporate-media-is-that-they-don-t-dig-out/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Politics ought to be fun. It shouldn't be just boring meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-ought-to-be-fun-it-shouldn-t-be-just-boring-meetings/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) [Explore all 68 Jim Hightower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Rick Perry says I can do for America what I've done for Texas, pay attention. 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