Posted on 10/01/2011 1:40:24 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Voters encountered a confident and combative Rick Perry last night at the first New Hampshire town-hall meeting of the Texas governor's presidential campaign.
After uneven debate performances, Perry didn't hesitate as he took questions from voters about job creation, Social Security and global warming at the Adams Memorial Opera House in Derry. Throughout, he pitched himself as the Republican candidate who presents the clearest contrast to President Obama.
"We need a nominee for the Republican Party that is a clear contrast with Barack Obama," Perry said. "Ronald Reagan said it pretty good when he said 'Now is the time for bright colors, not pale pastels,' and let me tell you I am that bright color."
Perry needed little prompting to repeat his earlier characterization of Social Security as a Ponzi scheme, a description that rival Mitt Romney has seized upon. When state Rep. Al Baldasaro, a Londonderry Republican, praised Perry as the "only candidate that has stood up" and used the comparison, Perry said the government must reform the program so it will be there for younger generations.
"If we have not addressed this issue of Social Security it will not be there for them," he said. "And that is in essence the description and the characterization of a Ponzi scheme, for them to pay into it and those that are in first get the money and those that are in last don't get it."
He advocated allowing states to opt out of Social Security and create their own programs. Perry also said states should receive block grants to pay for Medicaid.
"Washington, D.C., has to get a lesson," he said. "And the lesson is all wisdom does not emanate out of Washington, D.C. They need to let the states be greatly more involved in how our Medicaid populations are taken care of."
When Cindy Brasier, a 56-year-old from Salem, asked if she would lose a portion of her Social Security benefits under his plan, Perry assured her that she would receive her payments in full. He said a new program should be created for people who are still young but said he doesn't know what age should be the cut-off.
Earlier, state Rep. Phyllis Katsakiores, a Republican from Derry, told Perry seniors are having a hard time, in part because their Social Security benefits have not risen in recent years. Perry responded that the government could help seniors by bringing down energy costs. That could be done by reducing environmental regulations that stifle domestic energy production, he said.
"Allow those energy sectors to compete against each other, and that will drive down the cost of these seniors' expenses because they're on fixed income," he said. "Everything that we can do to drive down those fixed costs for our seniors citizens."
One man challenged Perry about his skepticism of global warming. The man charged that Perry had ducked a question in a previous debate when moderators had asked him what sources served as his evidence.
"I'm ready for you this time," Perry said, prompting a laugh. He went on to say that in recent weeks a "Nobel laureate of some acclaim," whom he did not name, had decided there is no definite proof that global warming has been caused by humans. The audience applauded.
"For us to take a snapshot in time and say what is going on in this country today and the climate change that is going on is man's fault and we need to jeopardize America's economy," he said. "I'm not afraid to say I'm a skeptic."
Perry said that Texas substantially reduced its levels of certain greenhouse gases during the decade after 2000.
When the questioner tried to interject, Perry responded, "Hold on, I got the mic here. You got your question, and I'm going to answer." But he let the man speak again afterward.
Throughout the meeting, Perry spoke of the need to foster a strong economic climate by lowering taxes, limiting regulation and erecting barriers to frivolous lawsuits. He also got into the discussion about whether New Hampshire should adopt a right-to-work law, which would prevent unions from charging fees to non-members. The state Legislature passed the legislation, but it was vetoed by Gov. John Lynch. Perry told the crowd last night that New Hampshire could become one of the most competitive states if it adopted the policy.
"Right-to-work is not anti-union bill, it is a pro-jobs bill," Perry said. "And our friends who have chosen to be in unions, they'll have more access to more jobs."
The town hall was moderated by John Stephen, the 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate, who selected the questioners. Perry took questions for a little more than half an hour. He kicked off the meeting by signing an anti-tax pledge before Tom Thomson, the son of former governor Meldrim Thomson.
For you to drag out this discredited line of attack means Perry’s caught his stride.
LINKS!
I’m “distorting” the reasons your candidate enacted a DREAM act before Mr. Obama did? How so? When he signs a blanket amnesty, will you spin that, too?
You don’t understand: When they said “are you all in for Al Gore?” he thought they said “general store” and went along to get a Moon Pie and a Dr Pepper...
I just scroll on by..Some are so predictable.
There a 2 times as many students in Texas colleges and universities as the number of citizens in the state of Alaska. 1% of them are students brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents, who went to Texas high school for 3 years and graduated. Most of them attend community colleges and NOT the U. of Texas (as Romney was so "clever" to use to distort).
Mitt Romney says illegal immigrants get a $100,000 break on University of Texas tuition over four years ......."Not only is that UT tuition break the very highest that Romney could have cited among Texas public universities, it went to only 4 percent [of 1% of 1,300,000 total enrollment] of the illegal immigrants who received in-state tuition rates last year.
The vast majority of affidavit students in Texas last year got an average in-state tuition reduction of $1,600 to $2,600. If they got that rate for four years, the total "discount" would be $6,400 to $10,400. And that group of 12,028 community college affidavit students made up less than 1 percent of the 1,364,911 college students enrolled in Texas last year."....
You’re just a hater./s/
How dare you point out the truth.
Perry must really be making headway. How many times have I given you information that the Texas Dream Act of 2001 is an education program NOT the Federal Dream Immigration Act which Perry opposes?
But you aren't interested in facts, you're interested in promoting another candidate by distorting the facts about Perry. Or are you a trial lawyer? A union teacher? An EPA regulator? A profiteer in some way that Perry's opposition threatens....?
And once again you refuse to address the issues I point out, yet have plenty of time to discuss ‘Conservative Ascendency’ whatever the heck that’s supposed to mean (other than a nice catch phrase to distract from Perry’s actual record).
Pathetic. From what I see on these threads, you and your candidate are down to about 20-30 supporters, so I doesn’t matter anyway. Most Freepers saw the truth any voted with their feet.
Perry said: “.....let me tell you I am that bright color.”
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Hate to tell you this Rick, but we native Texans who know you best know that you are NOT that bright.
Never heard of them, but these are close: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h1oRP7FfBw
It seems that Perry is finally doing his homework.
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Nah; he’s just a slow learner.
Are you disabled due to ptsd?
Perish the thought. He is in a Conservative Ascendency!
Lets break that down...
“Conservative” can be defined as moving/reacting slowly rather than rapidly or in a burst.
“Ascendency” is taken from “Ascend” which is to rise.
But this is Texas, home of Mission Control. And in this particular context it therefore stands to reason that a “Conservative Ascendency” is one (Perry’s campaign) that will never reach escape velocity due to a lack of actual power (supporters) to sufficiently propel it and will thus crash into the ocean.
“Houston, we have a problem...”
No, heart problems.
When you apply to college in Texas, do you have to prove that you’re legal?
I don’t remember having to do that in my state. All you had to prove was that you’ve been a resident for a year to get in-state tuition, and that was easy to fake with a bogus rent receipt.
If Perry supporters don’t matter, don’t bother coming to Perry threads to construct long distorted posts hoping to keep Perry supporters defending long discredited issues used by his opposition.
Obviously Perry and his supporters do matter to you and others as evidenced by the predictable arrival of the same anti-Perry posters, spouting the same tired issues (time to find something new).
I had thought after Perry’s last disasterous debate you had taken a long vacation. Wrong! You are back in the saddle in true Texas fashion, defending every mistake your marbles-in-the-mouth candidate makes. Oy! It’s gonna be a long primary season.
We certainly do and Perry is going to revive the U.S. national space program that has been ripped to shreds by Obama.
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