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Is the Governor's Refusal of Federal Funds a Change of Heart? [Politics]
If you look at a sample of press releases published by Governor Perry’s office over his tenure (at least from 2002-2008), various releases announce or ask for federal funds for use on various Texas projects. They are funds for job creation, education, homeland security, healthcare, flood protection, and other incentive programs. In this sample alone, Gov. Perry touted more than $3.5 billion in federal funds. In one press release, Gov. Perry actually asks the federal government for another $1.9 billion in funding.
These press releases as well as several others over the near decade of Perry’s governorship are far different from his press releases during 2009 and 2010. In 2009, the Governor refused money from the federal stimulus bill. Although, he finally accepted some of it in order to balance Texas’s budget. This year, Governor Perry also refused $700 million dollars in education funds. Still, the federal government is making it possible for individual school districts to accept these federal dollars - a step taken, in part, because of Governor Perry’s actions.
A recent Perry ad claims that he rejected “federal dollars with strings attached” and refuses to help the federal government continue its “unprecedented debt”. However, many of the Governor’s previous press releases announce the acceptance of the very funds that have attached strings. And the federal government had unprecedented debt when the Governor was demanding more than $2 billion in disaster relief, transportation, and healthcare grants.
Since 2009, Gov. Perry seems to have done a 180 from the Gov. Perry of before. Texas’s financial situation hasn’t changed. In fact, decreasing property prices and drops in sales revenue means that the state’s and local governments’ streams of revenue will decrease this fiscal year and the next. If anything, it makes more sense that Texas would need more financial help from the federal government.
The two major differences between 2008 and 2009 were the election of Barack Obama and the rise of the Tea Party movement. One represents who Gov. Rick Perry has increasingly opposed, the other is whose support he has increasingly sought.
To accomplish this support, Gov. Perry had to show that, unlike the previous years, Texas was no longer doing business with Washington (i.e. no longer accepting money from it). This also helped set up his most strategic story line - the dichotomy between Sen. Hutchison from Washington D.C., the very person who helped him get the funds he once sought, and Tea Party supporters who, like him, no longer want anything to do with Washington.
Governor Perry may no longer seek funds from Washington because he truly believes that Washington D.C. demands too much while irresponsibly increasing federal debt. Like Gov. Perry says, “Washington is Broken”; however, this does not explain why the federal debt in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 wasn’t irresponsible while he actively sought and accepted federal funds. Or why the mandates for Medicaid, education and transportation funds that the Governor accepted in those same years had acceptable strings attached, but now, the demands are too stringent.
One only has to review the Governor’s own press releases of 2008 with those of 2009 to realize that Gov. Perry has either had a policy revelation or has sought a political opportunity. Whatever it is, it appears to be working for him in the Republican Primary.
