Rick Perry: “Truth” is all in how you present it

In response to an attack ad from a SuperPAC that supports Michele Bachmann, the communications director for teabagger favorite and professional kewpie doll Rick Perry said “Gov.  Rick Perry cut taxes, signed six balanced budgets, takes a hard line on spending, and led Texas to become America’s top job-creati­ng state.”

All of these statements are true … *IF* you add the factual context:

• “Gov. Perry cut taxes” True. Rick Perry cut taxes for all Texans earning more than $285,000 per year, cut business taxes by 54% aggregatel­y, and eliminated three different state transport taxes for retail corporatio­ns operating in Texas.
• “Gov. Perry takes a hard line on spending.” True … if you consider more than DOUBLING the state’s spending from 2000 to 2010, from $46 Billion to $94.7 Billion is “hard line.”
• “Gov. Perry signed six balanced budgets” True. Perry balanced two state government budgets by using more than $28 Billion from the Bush/Obama stimulus that Perry now says “hurt the economy.” Perry balanced four state government DEPARTMENT budgets (Transport­ation, Commerce, Interior and Administra­tion) by shifting funds to them out of the budgets for five other department­s (Health & Human Services, Education, Fire/Paramedics, Police, and Social Services).
• “Gov. Perry led Texas to become America’s top job-creati­ng state” True … as long as you specify that SEVENTY-EI­GHT PERCENT of all jobs created in Texas during Perry’s administra­tion are PART-TIME, MINIMUM WAGE, and/or TEMPORARY/­SEASONAL jobs.

Spin, spin, spin goes the [campaign] …

If the devil is in the details, Rick Perry needs to trade in the (Look at me! I’m just like George Bush!) cowboy hat for a red body suit, horns and a pitchfork.

Tagged: campaign lies, CNN, Government, Labor, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, Rick Perry, Tea Party, teabaggers, Texas, United States

Posted in: Political Observations