I have an exciting announcement to make--I am with the Back To Basics PAC as the Director of the New Media operations. I have established the Back to Basics account here on Dailykos in which you can follow the latest news and updates about the bad decisions and hypocrisy of elected officials in Texas.
All official communications will come from that account once it is active next week. This is the only diary on my work with Back to Basics that I will be posting here under this account since this diary is for the purpose of full disclosure. I have been in contact with the front-pagers here on Dailykos, namely DavidNYC, Adam B, and Meteor Blades about my new work. I will be keeping both accounts separate in accordance to their advice, and I thank them all for their advice in this situation. I want to make it clear that the diaries posted under this account are my personal opinions, and do not represent the opinions of anyone else.
And as for the Back to Basics PAC, we will shine the light on the bad decisions that Governor Perry and other elected officials make that puts regular Texans at a disadvantage to big business special interests in Texas. You can see the ad that we've produced that shows the blatant hypocrisy of Governor Rick Perry in slashing funding for education, nursing homes, and vetoing an expansion of the pre-K program here in Texas while living like a king on the taxpayer dime:
In the past two years, Governor Rick Perry has spent almost $600,000 of state taxpayer money to rent a mansion that is valued at $1.85 million dollars.
In this recession, instead of cutting down on his living expenses like regular Texan families have, Governor Perry is living like a king to the tune of $10,000 monthly rent with his expensive Neiman-Marcus curtains.
Here's how Governor Perry is using our taxpayer dollars for his extravagant lifestyle to while our friends and families in Texas are tightening their belts to cope with the recession:
* $18,000 for "consumables" such as household supplies and cleaning products
* $1,001.46 in window drapes from Neiman Marcus
* $1,000 "emergency repair" for an ice machine
* $700 clothes rack
* $70 for a two-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine
* $8,400 for maintenance of heated pool
And let's not forget the $44,000 that Governor Rick Perry spent on lawn care at his taxpayer-subsidized mansion, $9,500 more than the average net worth of Texan households which is $34,500, according to CPPP. There also is the small issue of $130,000 in contributions to his campaign coffers from his special interest palsthat Governor Perry has spent to throw parties, buy food and drink, and cable at his mansion. That's a nice, rich lifestyle to live on especially for a Governor like Rick Perry who gets an annual state income of $150,000.
Since we've released the ad showcasing the double-faced hypocrisy of Governor Perry, Texans have taken notice, and we've clearly struck a nerve with Governor Perry. The day after our ad aired on a $250,000 buy in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, the Texas GOP filed a frivolous complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission to try to shut us down. You also can see the news round-up below of the coverage of our ad in Texas newspapers and blogs:
- "Anti-Perry Ad To Launch On TV Tonight" Texas Tribune.
- "Back To Basics Launches Ad Against Rick Perry" Burnt Orange Report.
- "Cuts For Thee But Not For Me" Off The Kuff.
- "PAC Says It Complied With Law" Austin-American Statesman.
We'll keep on shining the light on the hypocrisy and bad decisions of politicians like Rick Perry in the days ahead to come with ads and reports like these. Texan families deserve more from their elected officials, and with your help as well, we can keep our politicians focused on the needs of everyday Texans, rather than their own fancy lifestyles.