Rick Perry: Man Of Principle (If You Define Principle As Backpedaling Weasel)

Last March, when Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that he was refusing $556 million in stimulus money for unemployment benefits, he said:

This was pretty simple for us. Keep things going like they're going in Texas. We can take care of ourselves. And we do not need any more strings from Washington attached to programs.

And he meant it. Well, except the part about taking care of themselves. And the amount:

Texas is now asking the federal government for a $170 million loan so that benefits keep getting paid.  [...]

Texas is expected to request $650 million, roughly $100 million more than Perry initially rejected.

I'll go out on a limb here and predict that he won't be at the next round of tea parties, advocating secession for Texas.