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.
Well one guy said I was arbitor of good and evil so soon I may ascend conservatively to Valhalla!
You are a troll. Go find a bridge to hide under.
PS, there’s only one ‘reality’ Majaresh... And you are welcome to join the rest of our ‘chakras’ in it any time you like.
“Perry is solid on 2nd Amendment, Life, Marriage, state rights and SEALING THE BORDER”
Her plan is to tell people lies like the one above and get him the nomination. Perry is against the biggest weapons we have in the border war....Then she refuses to admit it when hundreds of posters throw the facts in her face with Perry’s own words refuting her assertion.
Some plan.
The big picture is that Romney is the man picked and the fringe Conservatives are doing his bidding for power. As the election moves on you will see very little attack on Romney and a continued assault on Perry from the right even though Cain and Romney are moving up.
[more at Post #26] ......”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.”....
NO one has given a plan. If they have please give me their names and their plans.
Perry's LINE IN THE SAND is that the border is SEALED first. Then we talk --bring ideas to the table -- but not before.
Just last year Perry met Obama on the tarmac in Austin as he showed up for a fundraiser to tell him to get his ass in gear on the border. Perry invited Obama to the border later when Obama was in El Paso for a fundraiser.
Where was any other candidate? Were they donating their own states money to couple with the Texas funds? Were they flying down to Austin to meet Perry and check out the situation on the ground? Where was Mitt, Santorum, Newt, Bachman or Palin when we were fighting this border war alone? No where. Perry was on the front lines taking the issue head on, the rest were commenting on how bad ass they would actually be on the issue,since they know nothing about it.
They would actually have to bring Perry into the Oval Office to explain the situation on the border should any of them be elected and they would ask him for advice, unless some guy from Massachusetts or Pennsylvania or Alaska or Minnesota or Georgia who has been to the border a handful of times among them all, miraculously has the real solution.
Hear! Hear!
Perry’s ‘sealing’ does not include a full fence. Lots of surveillance, patrols etc...which are needed...WITH A FULL FENCE that he DOES NOT WANT. And since he likes educating illegal aliens, meaning he cares more for them than Americans who oppose that (sorry, it’s one or the other), since he’s against 1070 styled laws and all related matters of enforcement, a sealed border is NOT part of the plan.
Seems to be against quite a few things AMERICANS want and ILLEGALS DON’T.
“Seems to be against quite a few things AMERICANS want and ILLEGALS DON’T.”
That about sums it up.
It’s one of them and a BIG one. How can you possibly believe it is not? Worked pretty damned well for China and (unfortunately) East Germany. Or are you denying historical fact? The San Diego fence GREATLY reduced crossings there as well. The Israeli fence reduced terrorism significantly.
The green zone in Iraq? Security fencing around parking lots and phone switches? Go back to the WW2 era and look at the barbed wire and ‘fencing’ on battlefields. Can you think of a reason it was there in use? There are a million legit reasons to build a fence and NONE to not do it.
Fences have worked since their creation and just because Rick Perry is AGAINST THEM that has no bearing on their historic effectiveness.
Two words: “Force multiplier”
Foolproof? No. So build it and back it up with patrols, cameras, GP Sonar, Predators etc. But a secure fence is absolutely a cornerstone of securing our border.
Or would you prefer we just machine gun them all?
Texas is a State stuck in a Country that does. The Country is actively trying to squash States that try to enforce the Federal Laws.
Perry's not my first choice, but trying to destroy him this early in the race only cuts down on our choices for a viable candidate - anyone better than Romney needs to remain viable or the establishment will give us Romney.
“Good Fences make Good Neighbors”
“They would actually have to bring Perry into the Oval Office to explain the situation on the border”
That may be the best argument yet on why a border politician is unelectable, they wouldn’t be in office if they didn’t pander to the foreign nationals.
Perry has said over and over again he is for strategic fencing particularly in urban areas. It’s the 2000 mile version he is against. If you are a sincere guy, go to newsmax.com and watch the 17 minute interview with Perry. The two issues he starts getting passionate and spot on is border security and energy production/EPA. If he does not convince you in this interview I wont be able to on fr either.
They do indeed. But they are bad for pandering politicians ;)
I am quite sincere, know his position very well and disagree totally with it.. A 2000 mile fence IS what we need. “Strategic” is a mush word in this context. There is nothing ‘strategic’ about a partial fence.
Perry is wrong.
The tuition thing has been known for a long time, longer than Perry has been a candidate, and to me it is a shame that people allow themselves to be manipulated so easily, and to have their focus controlled by others, politicians and the MSM. Or else, they have been uninformed, and which is better?!
And, as you said, it’ll be interesting to watch Perry come out of this victoriously and put these RINOS to shame.
(I am not defending in-state tuition for wetbacks, only pointing out something entirely else, OK?)
Give me a break. He didn't change his view.
Being asked to produce an enemies list of global warming deniers is side show non-sense. It pulls away from the candidates view and into a childish battle of names.
What was the vote in the house and senate on this “dream”
act?
Did it pass with a slim margin and could he have vetoed it
if he wanted to?
Mike
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