God Bless Texas

I think I have to take back everything I've ever said about Texas now. The State House just extended a certain middle finger to one Gov. Rick "The Fightin' Secessionist" Perry:

AUSTIN – House members virtually wiped out Gov. Rick Perry's office budget Friday in order to help veterans and the mentally ill.

With little debate, the House on a voice vote approved erasing 96 percent of the nearly $24 million that budget writers had recommended for Perry's office operation over the next two years.

Some Democrats cast the House's move as a rebuke of the governor's recent comments about Texas seceding from the Union.

"That's the headline: 'Two days after governor says we ought to secede, House zeroes out the governor's budget,' " said Appropriations Committee vice chairman Richard Raymond, D-Laredo.

I'm sure that eventually, his office will get funding, as the piece makes clear. But that's one hell of a nice headline. Maybe the Governor can secede from the legislature.