Perry light on details, heavy on criticism in first domestic policy speech

Rick Perry used his first major domestic policy speech as a presidential candidate to slam President Obama and Mitt Romney while discussing his record as governor. But he avoided giving specific policy recommendations, promising that in the next few weeks he would lay out “very detailed policy prescriptions.”

The Texas governor had a rough week after a shaky debate performance
where he said those who opposed giving in-state tuition to undocumented
immigrants didn’t “have a heart,” a comment he later apologized for, and a
second-place finish at a Florida straw poll he was expected to win.

{mosads}He has also been criticized for being light on policy recommendations
— when asked during last Thursday’s debate where his jobs plan was, Perry simply said
it would be forthcoming in the next few weeks. His Friday speech was billed as
one that would flesh out his ideas for the country, but Perry repeated
that he would roll out a comprehensive economic plan later and instead
stuck to discussing his record as Texas governor and attacking his
rivals.

Perry said the medical malpractice reform he pushed through as
governor should be passed at the federal level, calling for a national
“legal system that doesn’t allow for over-suing” and describing lawsuits
as a “hidden tax” on society.

“As Republican voters decide who is best suited to lead this country in a new direction by stopping the spending spree and scrapping ObamaCare, I am confident they will choose a nominee who has governed on conservative principles — not one whose healthcare policies paved the way for ObamaCare,” Perry said.

{mossecondads}”I knew when I got into this race I would have my hands full fighting President Obama’s big-government agenda. I just didn’t think it would be in the Republican primary,” he later added.

He slammed the “onslaught of regulations” produced by Obama’s administration and called for Obama to implement a six-month freeze on all new regulations.

Texas’s environmental situation had improved without additional regulations during his time of governor, Perry said. He also mentioned that while Romney was governor of Massachusetts the state implemented a cap-and-trade program on carbon emissions. This did not occur, although Romney has in the past praised cap-and-trade as a good model for carbon regulation.

Perry did offer rare praise for Obama in his speech, for “sticking with the
government’s longstanding and aggressive anti-terror policies” and
killing American-born terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen Friday.

This post has been updated.