[af_vet_rr]

He should have explained it as a pragmatic decision which is what it was. He didn’t lead the fight on this anyway, simply signed a bill that the Texas legislature had approved by almost a total majority.

And, by the way, this was done ten years ago.

Perry signed the legislation in 2001, this is true, but don't act like he did nothing else since then other than make the heartless comment in the debate last fall.

In 2005, Perry signed additional legislation to clear some legal issues that arose with the 2001 legislation. In 2007, Perry publicly defended this legislation when Republican legislators were talking about repealing it. In 2010, Perry again defended this legislation during his Texas gubernatorial campaign. In 2011 he made the "don't have a heart" comment".

Perry likes this legislation, and has a consistent record of defending this legislation over the last 10 years. Nobody twisted his arm to support this legislation in the years since, he truly believes in it.

I think he truly believes that people who don't support it, don't have a heart.

[altura]

Of course he still thinks it’s a good idea.

If he were somebody like Santorum, he could have said he ws re-thinking it or something.

It’s a small issue to me and I have a problem figuring out why you and others think it is something horrible.

Whether it was passed as a self-serving way to try to move people out of the dependent class, or as a matter of ‘having a heart’ it doesn’t cost Texans anything and it doesn’t prove that Perry is waiting at the border with a welcome wagon.

It’s just a small issue that’s been blown up to try to discredit Perry.