Texas Gov. Rick Perry Goes on Fox News - When the Going Gets Tough, the Un-Tough Conservatives Go on Fox

And they Stay Away From Those Meanies on Meet the Press and Face the Nation 

The one time front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is now struggling in the polls.  He may well be in single digits, and not just 8 -9%, some really low single digits.  So Mr. Perry goes to where he knows he is not going to be pressed on difficult questions, Fox News Sunday.

But even on an ultra network Mr. Perry had his problems.  A big problem with his tax plan is that it promises to balance the budget while at the same time cutting tax revenues and reducing taxes on the wealthy.

Host Chris Wallace noted that Perry’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination estimated that the plan he laid out in South Carolina last week will mean $4.7 trillion less in revenue over time.

Mr. Perry’s response did not deny this figure, and said

“And, you know what, there’s nothing wrong with lower revenue,” Perry told him, reiterating his promise to balance the federal budget by 2020

So how does Mr. Perry balance a budget with $4.7 trillion less revenues over a presumably 10 year period.  Obviously one has to severely cut Federal spending.  So what Federal spending is Mr. Perry going to cut?

When Wallace pressed him on programs he would cut that would actually impact people’s lives, Perry said he could trim $25 billion from the Education Department.

Ok, everyone knows math wasn’t Mr. Perry’s major, but really, isn't a $25 billion cut per year to offset $4.7  trillion ten year  revenue shortfall an obvious problem even to Mr. Perry?  And while Mr. Perry criticizes Mr. Romney for changing his position, it turns out Mr. Perry is not Snow White on this issue either.

When presented with a 2008 letter he wrote to the energy secretary, seeking federal support of a nuclear power generating facility in Texas, Perry acknowledged that he has changed his position on federal loans to energy companies.

“Let me just tell you: I’ve changed my position from the standpoint of having any desire to have the federal government,” he said

So did Mr. Perry help himself by not being able to distinguish himself on the Conservative puff pastry network?  Let’s just say Mr. Romney is not losing sleep over this performance by Mr. Perry.