As Bob previously pointed out, Governor Rick Perry and the Republicans of Texas have employed all sorts of fiscal-tomfoolery to give the state budget the appearance of being balanced, when in reality all they've really accomplished is kicking the can down the road.

This 10-year-long adventure in shit-kicking has resulted in a 281% increase of public debt under Rick Perry's stewardship.

From 2001 to 2010, state debt alone grew from $13.4 billion to $37.8 billion, according to the Texas Bond Review Board. That’s an increase of 281 percent. Over the same time, the national debt rose almost 234 percent. [...] Still, the trend is undeniable. While Texas lawmakers have refused to raise taxes — and often criticize Washington for borrowing and spending — the state has been paying for much of its expansion with borrowed money.

Debt owed by the state of Texas has nearly tripled under Governor Rick Perry and has grown much faster than the debt of the Diabolical Federal Government!

And yet, if Rick Perry were to enter the Republican presidential race tomorrow, he would probably be seen as the savior of the party in the South and the most serious candidate to throw their hat into the ring thus far. He may even run as a fiscal conservative!

Not coincidentally, a former governor from Texas is also the person most responsible for the 234% increase of the national debt over the same time period.