Georgia governor makes outrageous statement comparing opponents of his massive tax hike to French politicians who won't join America's war efforts.

WASHINGTON - Hyperbole is commonplace in political rhetoric. But sometimes hyperbole crosses the line and becomes outrageous, offensive, or even worse.

And so goes it for Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, who on Saturday compared concerned taxpayers to officials in the French government. "The time for diplomacy is over," Perdue said, echoing a line by President Bush. "I want to know if folks are going to go with me or stay in the foxhole with the French."

Taxpayer advocate Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) in Washington, DC and a fierce critic of the tax hike called the Governor's harangue "the most ironic of jokes, coming from a French apologist in a Republican's disguise."

"Vous êtes français, Monsieur Perdue," said Norquist. "The French have among the highest taxes in Europe, and calling people opposed to tax hikes 'the French' is like calling Ronald Reagan a tax-and-spend liberal. Oh wait - he did say that! Perdue is a guy who compares himself to Ronald Reagan, a man who cut taxes more than anyone in the last half-century, for having the chutzpah to propose a tax hike. It's time to leave your dreamland of opposites, Mr. Governor," he continued.

Currently, forty-four states are facing overspending commitments that threaten taxpayers. The governor's tax hike proposal would increase tobacco taxes by almost 500%, even while ATR has put forward recommendations to balance the budget without raising taxes. ATR submitted those proposals, which recommend reducing waste and inefficiency, while generating cost savings, on Feb. 5th. This, while a cluster of state-owned office space remains vacant in downtown Atlanta, costing taxpayers bundles.

"Tax hikes are caused by careless politicians who put special spending interests in front of taxpayers," continued Norquist, "and it's time for Governor Perdue to quit playing roughshod and reckless with the pocketbooks of Georgia taxpayers in order to promote a big government agenda," he continued.

* "Army" is to frogs as "pride" is to lions as "gaggle" is to geese. For more information on unusual plurals, visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/young_naturalists/namegame/index.html