Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Perry and the Stimulus: It's Complicated
The Texas Tribune ^ | 08/17/2011 | Ross Ramsey

Posted on 08/17/2011 8:20:17 AM PDT by Rational Thought

As Gov. Rick Perry has launched his presidential campaign, he’s turned to a talking point familiar to anyone who has heard him rail against the federal government over the last two years: the perfidy of the roughly $800 billion stimulus plan orchestrated by the Obama administration in 2009.

“Washington’s insatiable desire to spend our children’s inheritance on failed ‘stimulus’ plans and other misguided economic theories have given us record debt and left us with far too many unemployed,” Perry said in his announcement speech in South Carolina on Saturday.

In his 2010 book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America From Washington, Perry wrote this: "We are fed up with bailout after bailout and stimulus plan after stimulus plan, each one of which tosses principle out the window along with taxpayer money."

But the reality of Perry's relationship with fed-stim is complicated. Through the second quarter of this year, Texas has used $17.4 billion in federal stimulus money — including $8 billion of the one-time dollars to fund state expenses that recur over and over. In fact, Texas used the federal stimulus to balance its last two budgets.

(Excerpt) Read more at texastribune.org ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: corporatewelfare; perry; rickperry; rinofreeamerica
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last
To: CodeToad

Looks to me like the Feds stole it first and the State stole it back.

Bit like Rush Limbaugh using the absurd free-drugs-for-seniors benefit. Of course, he’ll use it.


21 posted on 08/17/2011 9:06:49 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Rational Thought
The problem with this rationalization is there is no federal money and there is no Texas money.

All of the money raised and spent by the federal government belongs to American taxpayers like me.

The taxes paid to the federal government are supposed to be used to fund legitimate functions of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution.

I live in Tennessee and I don't want the federal government sending my tax money to Texas, to operate the Texas government, if Texas cannot balance its budget within the Texas taxes it collects.

The Texas government has no money. It either gets its money from Texas taxpayers or from non-Texans.

Redistribution of wealth is wrong whether its going to or coming from Texas taxpayers.

The Texas government has a fiscal responsibility and duty to live within the taxes it collects in Texas from residents of that state.

The same is true of Tennessee.

22 posted on 08/17/2011 9:08:01 AM PDT by NoControllingLegalAuthority (Where is the middle ground on insolvency of the United States government?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jospehm20
I guess you could but then why aren’t other states who take more out of the treasury then they put in all in better shape then Texas?

That other states are doing worse is not the point. The point is, if you are running for president and you emphasize that you balanced the state budget, you should be honest and state that it was only balanced because of a large influx of federal stimulus money.

23 posted on 08/17/2011 9:23:02 AM PDT by Prokopton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
Nothing like changing the topic, Perry said he was against printing money, but he is for spending it. The percentage of the states take of the money was not the topic. If you wish to start a thread on the fairness of the handout start one.

Not changing the subject. Texas sends close to $230 billion in taxes to the Federal govt. In return, they recieve $216 billion in total benefits. That is not using printed money, that is supply $14 billion for the Feds to not print money.

So what is it you expect Texas to do, send more or recieve less. Either way the math still says Texas is only receive benefits that it paid for in cash.

24 posted on 08/17/2011 9:30:10 AM PDT by CMAC51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Rational Thought
“Washington’s insatiable desire to spend our children’s inheritance on failed ‘stimulus’ plans and other misguided economic theories have given us record debt and left us with far too many unemployed"

Does Gov. Perry even understand what he's talking about?

Washington is not spending our children's inheritance.

Instead, Washington is spending claims on their future labor! There is absolutely no "inheritance" that exists in a debt-based economy.

That's basic economics, and a governor should be better prepared - especially if he's running for President of the U.S.

25 posted on 08/17/2011 9:33:03 AM PDT by politicket (1 1/2 million attended Obama's coronation - only 14 missed work!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CMAC51
Still changing the topic I see. It says Perry and the stimulus, it does not say were the funds disbursed fairly. Maybe we should move some more of the military bases out of Texas to be fairer to the other states.
26 posted on 08/17/2011 9:36:33 AM PDT by org.whodat (What does the Republican party stand for////??? absolutely nothing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: NoControllingLegalAuthority
I live in Tennessee and I don't want the federal government sending my tax money to Texas, to operate the Texas government, if Texas cannot balance its budget within the Texas taxes it collects...

The Texas government has no money. It either gets its money from Texas taxpayers or from non-Texans.

Redistribution of wealth is wrong whether its going to or coming from Texas taxpayers.

The Texas government has a fiscal responsibility and duty to live within the taxes it collects in Texas from residents of that state.

The same is true of Tennessee.

Then you should be working to fix Tennessee. Texas gets $0.94 in benefits for every $1.00 it sends to Washington. Tennessee gets $1.27 in benefits for every $1.00 it spends.

Tennessee is spending money sent in by Texas, not vice versa. If you live in Tennessee, you are the recipient of wealth distribution. If you live in Texas you are the victim.

Every year, Texas sends roughly $230 billion to Washington while Tennessee sends less than $50 billion. It sound like Tennessee should get their act together before saying anything about Texas.

27 posted on 08/17/2011 9:45:08 AM PDT by CMAC51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Prokopton

The article discusses that Perry would have used the “Rainy Day Fund” to balance the budget. But since the stimulus money was available Perry and the Texas legislature decided to use that money instead.


28 posted on 08/17/2011 10:39:44 AM PDT by orinoco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: fabian

No state income tax in Texas!


29 posted on 08/17/2011 10:45:01 AM PDT by ImpBill ("America ... where are you now?" signed, a little "r" republican!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: CMAC51
Tennessee is spending money sent in by Texas, not vice versa.

Payback for stealing away Davy Crockett.

:-)

30 posted on 08/17/2011 10:46:10 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (In the long run spritzing perfume on the rotting elephant really won't make that much difference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: ImpBill

Great! Someday we will be rid of income theft/taxes! could you imagine the founders of this nation fighting to the death for an income taxing country? O my gosh...


31 posted on 08/17/2011 10:56:45 AM PDT by fabian (" And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, and the forests will echo with laughter")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: ImpBill

Great! Someday we will be rid of income theft/taxes! could you imagine the founders of this nation fighting to the death for an income taxing country? O my gosh...


32 posted on 08/17/2011 10:57:11 AM PDT by fabian (" And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, and the forests will echo with laughter")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: ImpBill

Great! Someday we will be rid of income theft/taxes! could you imagine the founders of this nation fighting to the death for an income taxing country? O my gosh...


33 posted on 08/17/2011 10:57:53 AM PDT by fabian (" And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, and the forests will echo with laughter")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Prokopton

It is the point, also the budget was only unbalanced in the first place partially because of the large outflow of Texas cash to other states.


34 posted on 08/17/2011 11:03:13 AM PDT by jospehm20
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: agere_contra

” balancing the (low tax) Texas budget with the money is one of the more sensible things you can do with it. “

Wrong! Giving it BACK to the taxpayers is the most sensible thing to do with it. SPENDING it was the WORST thing they could have done. More spending is not good!


35 posted on 08/17/2011 11:35:41 AM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: orinoco
The article discusses that Perry would have used the “Rainy Day Fund” to balance the budget. But since the stimulus money was available Perry and the Texas legislature decided to use that money instead.

Yes, and if it weren't for the federal stimulus money, there would be no "rainy Day Fund" left to balance the budget for 2012.

For better or worse, Texas balanced their budget for two years by using federal stimulus money, not because of some brilliant plan by the governor.

36 posted on 08/17/2011 11:56:17 AM PDT by Prokopton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Prokopton
I like the courageous speaking style of Perry so far. I'm not from Texas and I am learning more and more about Perry and what he would do as President. I think he stands up to Obama better than anyone else in the primary race so far...and that includes Trump!
I got from the article that they could have paid off all their debt with the Rainy Day fund. Texas has no income tax so I would assume they get tax money from sales taxes and local property taxes. Seems to me that they are living within their means and not over taxing and spending.
37 posted on 08/17/2011 12:25:43 PM PDT by orinoco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: agere_contra

Well if he’s a defender of people getting the money that their ‘entittled’ to back. Why did he refer to SS as a ponzi scheme?


38 posted on 08/17/2011 9:17:13 PM PDT by Tempest (Ruining the day of corporate butt kissers everywhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: precisionshootist
If that's your argument than Rick Perry should've returned the stimulus money to the taxpayers of Texas in for of a check or allowed them to vote on the money should be spent. But since he didn't he's lost any moral high ground in order to make the argument that you claim.
39 posted on 08/17/2011 9:26:27 PM PDT by Tempest (Ruining the day of corporate butt kissers everywhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson