A shocker to read this coulmn in my local republican-loving paper!
Reich absolutely slays Rick Perry and republicans for their focus on government and taxes at the state rather than the federal level.
"On average, citizens of states with strong Republican majorities get back more from the federal government than they pay in..... On the other hand, fiscal secession would be a boon to most blue states. The citizens of California – harder hit by the recession than most – receive from Washington only 78 cents for every tax dollar they send to Washington."
"Rick Perry’s fight to save America from Washington is really a secret plan to save blue states from red states."
He points out the $440 million Perry has used to subsidize comapnies for moving to Texas. It was good for TX, but America does not gain jobs. Bidding wars between states become political - as in Perry's campaign donors receiving state subsidies. This part is not included in any on-line columns I could find. I could not find the complete column on-line; even on his site. It is not on my paper's website either.
http://robertreich.org/post/9603077350