Did you know Perry used stimulus money from Washington to balance the Texas budget? A lot of it

[NNN0LHI]

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/23/news/economy/texas_perry_budget_stimulus/index.htm

Texas's love/hate relationship with Washington's money

By Tami Luhby, senior writer

January 24, 2011: 7:29 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry likes to tell Washington to stop meddling in state affairs. He vocally opposed the Obama administration's 2009 stimulus program to spur the economy and assist cash-strapped states.

Perry also likes to trumpet that his state balanced its budget in 2009, while keeping billions in its rainy day fund.

But he couldn't have done that without a lot of help from ... guess where? Washington.

Turns out Texas was the state that depended the most on those very stimulus funds to plug nearly 97% of its shortfall for fiscal 2010, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

[BlueCaliDem]

1. I knew this. What I don't know, is, why did he get money?

GWB refused to help out California because some pundits claimed that he was disgusted with the state that wouldn't vote for him. He even sent Arnie packing when he won the recall election with the promise to talk to his friend in Washington, and to get back more for California. I even recall him flying to the WH to get GWB's help to ask Congress.

Big brouhaha when he flew off, but not a peep when he returned with Republican tail between his legs.

But after being heckled by Texas, in every conceivable media outlet, and then allowed to preach secession unfettered, why didn't the U.S. government refuse the rightwing state - whose Repub U.S. Senators and majority Repub House Reps obstruct President Obama repeatedly - stimulus funds?

And why in the HELL isn't this reported as frequently in the media as President Obama's low approval numbers?? Wouldn't this go a long way to discredit Republicans who wail about the stimulus but who couldn't grab those extra billions fast enough?