I just posted a story from the Texas Tribune about Rick Perry’s latest attempt to divide the country and appeal to the basest of instincts. It’s typical Perry — indecent, bashing people and, of course, lying.

The Texas Tribune’s story, which includes the video of Perry’s gay-bashing ad because we follow the rules in publishing the story under the Creative Commons license, points out that Perry is making this primary campaign into a religious war. His recent characterization that “liberals” lack faith was another salvo in his destructive mentality and another example of dishonesty.

No one has declared war on Christianity in the United States and no one has barred prayer in school. For someone who claims that the U.S. Constitution is sacred, Perry has a pretty selective view of the document. And, lest anyone take on the American Civil Liberties Union as anti-Christian, the organization recently defended the right of a child to wear a rosary to school.

Folks, let’s get this straight: Perry’s campaign is in the dumper. His own incompetence in the debates, added to his gaffes and his ignorance, coupled with the national media’s attention to his abysmal record as governor, once you take his propaganda away, has shown the nation Perry isn’t ready for prime time. His behavior is that of a drowning man flailing in the water.

His strategy is that of a scoundrel. Perry wishes to crush his opponents at all costs and leaves no room, therefore, for compromise. In the end, that hurts democracy and civic progress as much as the deceitfulness that has become the hallmark of his campaign and his character.

The choices on the Republican side of the ledger are poor and two of the most decent contenders are getting no traction. I am referring to Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson, the former governors of Utah and New Mexico, respectively. I don’t know much about Huntsman, but I covered Johnson during the 1998 New Mexico legislative session in Santa Fe and concluded that he was an honest and decent man. I like his libertarian streak that basically calls for government to stay out of our “stuff,” as it were.

Frankly, I wish Perry would stay in the race long enough for all of us to see his character and for Texans to be so embarrassed by him that he doesn’t return to the palatial home we have rented for him.