As Texas is beset by droughts and wildfires, Salon notes that Rick Perry has been begging for federal funds.

Of course Rick Perry doesn't want to see Texas burn, so it is rational of him to ignore his rhetorical distaste for the federal government and demand that it help. And Texas could use the help, because Perry and the Republicans who control all three branches of Texas government have severely slashed the budget of the Texas Forest Service.

Perry's fanatical opposition to raising revenue to close Texas' budget gap meant that his allies in the Legislature had to find creative ways to cut costs, like cutting $34 million over the next two years from the agency that fights wildfires.

Wait, so he cut important funds so he could claim to be for small government, but then he comes running to the federal government when a disaster happens? Christ, what an asshole.

* Yes, I quoted The Dark Knight in this post's headline. Deal with it.