Texas Press Conference

While I haven't lived in the US for a couple years and will probably never return, I still try to catch the news - sometimes from The Daily Show and sometimes from downloaded podcasts - since our cable (Foxtel) only gives us the Fox News version of US events.

"Do they side with those in Washington who are pursuing this unprecedented expansion of power, or do they believe in individual rights and responsibilities laid down in our foundational documents."

I'd have thought that after the last 8 years they would have been able to recognize an unprecedented expansion of power. I'd be much more concerned with Vice Presidential death squads, secret CIA torture camps, "deporting" US citizens, spying on citizens without warrants... and the list goes on.

What I believe Perry is talking about is when the US government funds programs in the states but put conditions on the money. Example - if you get federal funds for highway improvement you can't charge for the use of the roads (tollways). Obviously some states have figured they come out better charging tolls than they would accepting federal funds. They've done similar conditions to encourage setting a 21 year drinking age and speed limits. A handful of primarily republican governors are trying to cry foul because the federal government say if you want this money, you have to spend it in these areas. Some of them are refusing to take a small percentage of the stimulus dollars because they don't want to spend them on things like extending unemployment benefits (cuz unemployed people are just lazy and should get a job).

To me it seems incredibly hypocritical considering how republicans behaved when they were in power - to claim they are concerned with individual rights. It also looks stupid and petty since for all the kerfuffle, their "principled stand" only rejects a tiny percentage of the handouts they're grabbing from the feds.