Despite the fact that Bush is out of the White House, the Texas GOP continues to lead the universe in asshattedness:

For months, Gov. Rick Perry has been an outspoken opponent of emergency spending measures that created a record federal deficit. At the same time, his Transportation Department has lobbied to maximize its haul of federal money from an $819 billion stimulus bill.

In December, Mr. Perry’s op-ed in The Wall Street Journal decried a "bailout mentality" that "threatened Americans’ sense of personal responsibility." In an interview with Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, he boasted that Texas was one of "only six states" with "a budget that’s in the black."

Mr. Perry’s comments have echoed in Washington, where a committee chairman, Democratic Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, recently asked Texas transportation officials if they intended to reject their share of $30 billion in road and bridge funds. Their answer: nope.

"The governor has been pretty clear that he thinks it is bad policy and does not support it," said Allison Castle, a Perry spokeswoman. "But he has said that if Washington is going to be sending out taxpayer dollars, a large portion of which is Texas taxpayer dollars, we’ll fight for our fair share."

Classic.

What’s particularly awesome is what Perry considers the essential function of government: keeping the brown people out.

"What he will continue to ask the federal government for is to fulfill their basic responsibilities such as securing our border with Mexico and aiding the victims of hurricanes Dolly and Ike."

Yeah, stuff like roads and infrastructure — pffft. Hands off, big gubmint!

And it’s obviously not just Perry that’s grandstanding. 

Perry isn’t the only Republican who has opposed the fiscal stimulus while knowing that he’ll reap its benefits. All of Texas’ Republican House members voted against the bill that the House passed Wednesday.

By federal formulas, Texas would get about $2.4 billion of the road and bridge money.

Hypocrites.

The GOP: still the party of "Do as I say, not as I do."