Rick Perry Accuses Obama Of Leaving Texas In The Dust

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry criticized the Obama administration on Thursday for not responding to a request for a disaster aid for the parched state, where wildfires have scorched nearly 2 million acres.

"You have to ask, 'Why are you taking care of Alabama and other states?' I know our letter didn't get lost in the mail," Perry, a Republican and frequent critic of the federal government, said after addressing a Texas emergency management conference.

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for Alabama, where storms -- including a tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa on Wednesday -- killed nearly 200 people this week.

The White House said Obama will visit the state on Friday.

"There is a point in time where you say, 'Hey, what's going on here?'" Perry said.

Perry had requested a federal declaration of emergency for Texas as the wildfires began to rage across the large state. The request has not been answered, although several federal agencies are supplying firefighters.

"They watch TV, they know what's going on here, they can recognize that there is going to be a request for assistance, a request for help," Perry said.

Two volunteer firefighters have died battling the Texas wildfires, which have destroyed more than 900 buildings.

A federal major disaster declaration could reimburse Texas and local governments 75 percent of the cost of their response. Local departments and the Texas Forest Service have spent more than $60 million since September 1 responding to wildfires, state forest service spokeswoman Linda Moon said.

"Governor Perry's request is currently under review, and will continue our close coordination with the state as they work to protect their residents and communities," FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen said.

She said Texas has already received 22 grants to help pay fire management expenses this fire season, including 16 in April alone.

In the past, Perry has charged that the Obama administration is punishing Texas. The Republican governor has been an outspoken opponent of the federal health reform law, and the state is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over a proposal to end Texas' independent air quality permitting program for factories and refineries.

Obama took a shot at Perry in an interview last week with the Dallas/Fort Worth TV station WFAA.

"Governor Perry helped balance his budget with about $6 billion worth of federal help - which he happily took - and then started blaming the members of Congress who had offered that help," Obama said, referring to 2009 federal stimulus funds.

(Additional reporting by Elliott Blackburn and JoAnne Allen in Washington; Editing by Corrie MacLaggan and Jerry Norton)

Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[ncedwards2002]

09:32 AM on 05/18/2011

Is this the same loudmouth that basically told the world that Texas didn't need anything from the Federal guv-ment...?? They would take care of themselves. well, guv, put your money where your big mouth is..

[slock84455]

07:57 AM on 05/18/2011

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps like Rush Limblow says. Didn't you tell the President to shove the stimulus money where the sun doesn’t shine? Stupid is as Stupid does Mr. Teabagger!

[sgentilejr]

05:41 AM on 05/18/2011

From reading the entire news article Texas has received 22 federal grants for fire fighting money in the year 2011 and 16 grants were in April 2011 alone. They have been getting National Guard help fighting the fires and that National Guard activation cost is also paid for by the Federal Government. The fires are sad indeed, yet money is not really the problem and instead wind and the drought is the real problem and I doubt Obama has the power to make it rain.

[RoxieinTexas]

09:24 PM on 05/19/2011

it's raining in Austin today. It rained when the President was here last week.

The problem is we have an idiot for a Governor.

FEMA has given the State of Texas 26 grants according to the San Antonio Express News that has 75% of the costs to fight the fires.

[dte018]

03:28 AM on 05/18/2011

and this is why voting here in texas does me no good. idiots like rick perry even being allowed to run for office amazes me. too the rest of the country, were not all as dumb as rick perry. to be fair though, every one of ur states have crooked politicans in it too, so dont be too quick to judge.

[baxtron]

12:52 PM on 05/18/2011

Michelle Bachman "represents" my district in MN.

[wespenn56]

08:16 AM on 05/21/2011

I feel for you. Not only do I have Perry for a governor, John Cornyn represents my district!

[Mike Benefield]

01:22 AM on 05/18/2011

Poor Ol' Ricky,

Havin trouble with wildfires and wants the Feds to help....just deal with it pardner. Employ that Texas grit and stand proud ....in your own ashes.

[CoreySPR89]

01:30 PM on 05/14/2011

Red States motto "We don't want the Feds in our business." Why are you whining now?

[Reiner-von-Sinn]

07:23 AM on 05/09/2011

Hey pardner, Why dontcha write a letter to them thar Koch brothers and ask 'em fer a little scratch to help tide ya over 'til you can secede frum the union an' all.

[Peter Gatliff]

02:01 AM on 05/09/2011

Im all mixed up. I thought Gov. Perry stated Texas should leave the Union and refused the US Governments funds for health care Reform for the poor. Now he wants money for grass fires. Sounds
BiPolar to me.LOL

[Jim Brauer]

01:56 PM on 05/14/2011

As a Texan, I totally disagree with your lack of knowledge. There is NOTHING wrong for requesting OUR TAX MONEY. It is NOT federal money, it's money paid in by EVERY working citizen in this country. What Texas objects to is the bailing out of big business who then use the money to give big bonuses to the folks who got them in trouble in the first place.

Oh yeah - many of us wish our state WOULD leave the union. That TAX revenue we send to the feds would be OURs not something we have to ask for.

[Carmeliggy]

08:35 PM on 05/17/2011

Hey Jim,
Please leave the union.

[NOLAMoCity]

09:00 PM on 05/17/2011

Yeah, you'd have your tax money but your fire would still burn out of control.

[giving]

03:40 AM on 05/18/2011

Worse they already get oil and gas subsidies,
and farm subsidies, and lease federal land
cheap for overgrazing, and now this demagogue
wants our federal money, but only to replace
barrier island sand after a hurricane, and of course
deny public acess to the beach.
i have good friends in texas and they say that Perry
blames the gays and latinos for texas problems,
they can't handle the truth.

[Stalling]

12:57 AM on 05/08/2011

This whining from a governor who refused to debate his democratic opponent knowing full well Bill White would muss his hair when he mopped the floor with him.

[CCverve]

10:20 PM on 05/07/2011

She said Texas has already received 22 grants to help pay fire management expenses this fire season, including 16 in April alone.

Ricky... You're just downright shameful

[bholesurfers]

11:22 AM on 05/05/2011

our mansion for the governor caught fire and perry went to rent a place but if he exceeded ten grand a month it would have been a open bid..but his friend has a estate on six acres over looking the lake and he RENTED that for $9,999.99 a month so he wouldn't have a open bid..Now texas tax payers have paid over$ 250, 000.00 for his rent and up keep of landscaping and his hair cut a $ 250 .00a week. He could have bought a house and saved the tax payers that money. Perry doesn't spend a dime on his own living expenses.

[Stalling]

12:44 AM on 05/08/2011

Mr. Bhole you are the monster. Surfers rule!

[Allison Wright]

07:48 PM on 05/04/2011

Dear Rick Perry you do not have the right to get mad a President Obama because he went to visit
Alabama all we had was fires they had people who had died No one died in the fire thats being
selfish and hippacritical of you they lost homes and lives that can not be recovered Texas is not
hurt at all you really need to be thankfull no one lost homes and lifes you are so wrong i think it was better for Obama to go to the people who is in need your walking talking and breathing people lost there homes and lives was lost

[bcmom]

10:15 AM on 05/03/2011

Gov. Good hair does not want any of that government interference, why is he complaining? He got what he wanted. This man is a joke.

[frederick10]

12:55 PM on 05/02/2011

Being a Citizen of the USA and a resident of Texas for 41 years formerly of Northeastern Ohio, Iresenthas amazed me how this state hass gone in the late 60's to present from a completely Democratic State to a completely Republican state and for one reason, Johnson passing equallity
law in 65, it is damm sad, and now we have a gentlemen as Govenor and the one preceding him that has a problem with the truth and the world is wrong and he is right but the sad thing is the
population generally believe his bull cocky, but how can they not all they watch here is Glenn beck and Fox News !!!

[MyNameIsJames]

10:50 AM on 05/02/2011

Obama tell that Confederate to raise funds from his oil buddies down there to fight the fires.