Rick Perry. George Bush. Pot, Meet Kettle.

As we climb out from a mountain of wrapping paper, bows, and Christmas garland here at Capitol Annex, we’re picking up a few stories that made headlines while we were taking a bit of a much needed holiday break.

Our favorite concerns Texas’ own Dan Quayle–I mean, Rick Perry–who was out on the campaign trail for Mayor 9/11 just before the holiday. Check out Governor Perry’s latest quotable quote:

A recent indicator: Gov. Rick Perry, who ascended to Texas’ top spot when Bush left for the White House, declared on a campaign trip to Iowa for presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, “George has never, ever been a fiscal conservative.”

This actually leaves us nearly speechless. But only nearly. Why?

It’s kind of like the proverbial pot calling the proverbial kettle black. Let’s face it: Rick Perry hasn’t exactly been much of a “Dollar Store Toilet Paper Budget” man himself. Fiscally conservative? Surely, the governor doesn’t really want to get in a “who is a bigger Fiscal Conservative” pissing match.

But, since it seems he does, we’ll refresh Lieutenant President QuaylePerry’s memory: Dude, you busted the constitutional spending cap. By $14 billion dollars. And called it tax relief!

Rick Perry could not have less bona fides to talk about fiscal conservatism than if he gave Paris Hilton a $20 million dollar payment from the Texas Enterprise Fund to set up housekeeping in Austin and then signed an executive order exempting Prada handbags from sales tax. Get real!

Not only did Perry bust the spending cap, he all but demanded that the Texas Legislature create for him a massive slush fund (aka the Texas Enterprise Fund) which he could then use to doll out corporate welfare to businesses owned by campaign contributors. Talk about your fiscal conservatism!

And, as you’ll recall, to accomplish the above required balancing the state’s budget on the backs of poor and middle class families in 2003.

Oh, and let’s not forget that $1.1 million dollar loan Perry accepted from school voucher kingpin James Leininger to help him buy the Lt. Governor’s chair back in 1998. If that doesn’t scream “Not A Fiscal Conservative!” I’m not sure what does.

There are many other examples out there. The bottom line is that Rick Perry is about as fiscally conservative as Mitt Romney is Catholic or Fred Thompson is energizing. So, for all of those Rudy disciples out there, perhaps someone should call campaign headquarters and remind them of that.

Technorati Tags Rick Perry, Rudy Giuliani

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