BLAST FROM THE PAST... 2 years ago, Rick criticized Bush for not being a fiscal conservative....

I've seen a lot of comments in the blog-o-sphere and media asking smugly "why didn't Rick ever say bad things about Washington when Bush was in office... obviously it's just because he doesn't like Obama." For example, back when the secession nonsense was flaring up, The Liberty Papers wrote (link)...

Gov. Rick Perry’s Tenth Amendment Stance: Political Pandering?

Gov. Perry’s sudden concern for state’s rights does have me wondering about his motives. As I’ve pointed out above, this erosion of Tenth Amendment rights has been happening since before the text of the amendment’s ink dried. The federal government did not just start undermining state sovereignty when Barack Obama was sworn into office on January 20, 2009.

I can’t help but wonder how concerned Gov. Perry was when his predecessor, George W. Bush, moved from the Texas Governor’s Mansion and into the White House imposing unfunded federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind? On what side of the state’s rights debate did Gov. Perry fall when the Ashcroft/Gonzales Justice Department argued successfully before the Supreme Court that Angel Raich could not use marijuana for her medical conditions pursuant to California law on the theory of interstate commerce**?

[SNIP]

While it is great to hear someone of Gov. Perry’s stature stating that there are limits to federal power, it would be a lot easier for me to accept as genuine if it wasn’t his party that was out of power in Washington.

The good news for that blog... Rick has long opposed federal power encroaching into Texas (link)...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry aired unusually pointed criticism of President Bush while stumping in Iowa for Rudy Giuliani for president last week. Perry predicted too that if Democrats prevail next year, the war on terrorism will return to U.S. soil.

Video posted online shows Perry saying that Bush failed to rein in spending increases as governor of Texas and "has never ever been a fiscal conservative." He also said Washington isn't working.

Here is the You Tube video of Rick's comments...

This sounds pretty consistent and is nothing brand new from Rick. He didn't just fall off the apple cart into a tea party and start believing this anti Washington stuff. He has been saying it even when his own buddy was in office.

Could Rick's comments back then be why the loyal Bush guy Karl Rove is rumored to be working for Kay? I have seen scant evidence of involvement by Rove, but I wouldn't doubt that he has given some advice on a few things.