Perry to discuss economy with Obama

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is one of more than 40 governors in Philadelphia on Tuesday who will meet with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden to discuss economic issues.

The intent of the bipartisan meetings, hosted by the National Governors Association and its chairman, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, is to allow governors to brief Obama on the impact of the economic crisis on state budgets. But with the Texas economy in far better shape than the nationwide situation, Perry’s message to Obama is expected to take a different tone, focusing on factors he believes has the Texas economy in a better position.

In his meeting, Perry intends to sell the values of low taxes, limited spending and a reasonable regulatory climate, his spokeswoman Allison Castle told the Austin American-Statesman.

“Government doesn’t need to spend every penny that it has,” she said. “Washington has no business bailing out irresponsible companies. It would apply to every industry.”

Perry has previously accused bailouts of contradicting free market principles and pandering to special interests.

As PolitickerTX.com reported in November, Perry took a far less diplomatic tone at an annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association, blasting Obama in the days after the election.

“We may have elected a president based on some pretty prose, but we all know it takes more than pretty words to govern,” Perry said.