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Gov. Perry Unveils
"Uproot and Overhaul Washington" Plan
Calls for part-time
Congress, ending lifetime appointments for federal judges, elimination of
agencies and privatizing TSA, Fannie and Freddie
BETTENDORF, Iowa - Gov. Rick Perry
today unveiled his Uproot and Overhaul Washington plan to fundamentally
reform the three branches of government and review all federal departments,
agencies, and spending programs from the top down.
The governor's Uproot and Overhaul
Washington plan includes establishing a part-time, citizen Congress, cutting
congressional salaries, ending lifetime appointments of federal judges, issuing
an immediate moratorium on new and pending federal regulations, and dismantling
wasteful, redundant federal agencies, Gov. Perry announced his plan at the
Schebler Manufacturing Facility in Bettendorf, Iowa.
"Washington is too broken to be fixed
by tinkering on the margins," said Gov. Perry. "I do not believe Washington
needs a new coat of paint, it needs a complete overhaul. We need to uproot, tear
down and rebuild Washington, D.C. and our federal institutions.
"Washington is so broken, Americans
will accept nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way business is done in
America. We need new leadership. We need a new builder. We need a Washington
Outsider. Unique to the Republican field, I have never been an establishment
figure. My career has been that of a Washington outsider."
Gov. Perry's plan will reform the
federal judiciary by ending lifetime appointments of all unelected federal
judges. He will champion a constitutional amendment to prospectively institute
18-year terms for the Supreme Court, staggered every two years, so that justices
are replaced in order of seniority every other year. This will instill
regularity to the nominations process, discourage justices from choosing a
retirement date based on politics and put an end to the ever-increasing tenure
of justices.
Second, the governor's plan calls for
fundamental reform of the legislative branch by establishing a part-time,
citizen Congress that cuts in half their salaries, office budgets and time in
Washington. Additionally, if Congress cannot balance the budget by 2020, as the
governor has previously called for, their salaries should be cut in half again.
Gov. Perry will also work to freeze Congressional and federal civilian salaries
until the budget is balanced, holding Congress accountable to the American
people.
"Congress is out of touch because
Congressmen are overpaid, over-staffed and away from home too much," said Gov.
Perry. "It's time to create a part-time Congress where their pay is cut in half,
their office budgets are cut in half, and their time in Washington is cut in
half. And if they do not submit a budget that balances by 2020 as my plan calls
for, we should cut their pay in half again."
Gov. Perry also noted recent abuse by
Congressional members of insider information that has been used to enhance their
stock portfolios, and is calling for the criminalization of such insider trading
by members of Congress. Not only will that be a part of the governor's
government reform plan, but he is also calling on Congress to pass such a law
immediately (watch Gov. Perry's video calling for an end to this practice at http://bit.ly/uj73gl).
The governor added, "Congress has
proven it can't be trusted to watch our money, and now its clear they can't be
trusted with theirs. Any Congressman or Senator that uses their insider
knowledge to profit in the stock market ought to be sent to jail -
period."
Third, Gov. Perry's plan will reform
congressional spending, through measures that include:
- Ending bailouts and earmarks,
and veto of any legislation containing such measures
- Passing a balanced budget
amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Ending federal funding of
Planned Parenthood
- Vetoing legislation that
places new, unfunded mandates on states, local communities or schools
- Supporting legislation
requiring a two-thirds majority to pass tax increase
- Capping federal spending to
18 percent of GDP (average amount over last 50 years)
Lastly, Gov. Perry called for the dismantling and rebuilding of federal
bureaucracy, including the privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the
elimination of agencies that perform redundant functions.
"No longer will we prop up failed
entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were at the heart of the
economic collapse because of mortgage financing policies that gave false
confidence to homebuyers who have now defaulted or are under water," said Gov.
Perry. "We will privatize Fannie and Freddie so politicians can no longer
politicize them, and taxpayers will no longer be fleeced by them."
The governor's plan will also eliminate
the departments of Commerce, Education and Energy, moving key programs, like
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Nuclear Security
Administration and civil rights programs, among others, to more appropriate
federal departments. The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of
Homeland Security will be completely restructured and reformed, and the
Transportation Security Administration will be transitioned to a public-private
partnership.
"We will perform a full audit of the
federal government, and there will be no sacred cows, including wasteful
spending at the Department of Defense, where every dollar we spend should
support our warfighters around the world," Gov. Perry said. "And we will say to
every bureaucrat: no salary increases until the federal budget is balanced. And
because a president must lead by example, we should cut his salary in half until
the budget is balanced."
Additionally, the governor reiterated
his call for a moratorium on all pending federal regulations, an audit of every
regulation promulgated since 2008 and subsequent repeal of any regulations that
are not found to be affordable, effective and compatible with job
creation.
Gov. Perry's plan is the third in a
series of key policy initiatives Gov. Perry has unveiled in the last several
weeks, including his Cut, Balance and Grow plan and his Energizing
American Jobs and Security plan. Cut, Balance and Grow cuts personal
and business tax rates to a lower, flat 20 percent rate, cuts federal spending,
ends earmarks and corporate loopholes and calls for a federal Balanced Budget
Amendment. Energizing American Jobs and Security will create up to 1.2
million jobs in every sector, reduce our nation's dependence on hostile foreign
oil, revitalize manufacturing and help contain the cost of electricity and
fuel.
For more information about Gov. Perry's
record, presidential campaign and plan to get America working again, please
visit: www.rickperry.org.
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