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Rick Perry presidential campaign, 2016/Federalism
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 Rick Perry |
Governor of Texas (2000-2015) Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1998-2000) Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1990 - 1998) Texas House of Representatives (1984-1990) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Legislative
- In 2015, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt began asking Republican candidates on his show if they would be willing to use the Senate "nuclear option" in order to get rid of the filibuster and repeal Obamacare. Rick Perry is one of several candidates who said he would do so.[2]
Judiciary
- At a campaign stop in South Carolina in May 2015, Rick Perry highlighted the importance of the 2016 presidential election to the makeup of the Supreme Court. Before suggesting voters consider the type of judge Hillary Clinton might appoint, Perry said, "Something I want you all to think about is that the next president of the United States, whoever that individual may be, could choose up to three, maybe even four members of the Supreme Court. Now this isn't about who's going to be the president of the United States for just the next four years. This could be about individuals who have an impact on you, your children, and even our grandchildren. That's the weight of what this election is really about.”[3]
- In a December 2011 interview with the Des Moines Register, Perry called Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan "inarguably activist judges." Perry added, "I believe the Supreme Court should not be making legislative decisions and telling Americans how to live, whether it's about prayer in school, whether you can celebrate Christmas. Those are decisions that should be left to the states or to the individuals."[4]
- Perry participated in Mike Huckabee's Republican Presidential Forum in December 2011, where he advocated for a constitutional amendment to create term limits for Supreme Court justices and eliminate lifetime appointments. Perry also stated Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts were the type of jurists he would appoint, saying they were representative of "a strict constructionist, not a legislator in a robe."
- When asked what "strict constructionist" meant to him, Perry pulled out a pocket U.S. Constitution and said, "It’s right there… That’s the Constitution. Read it. Exactly what it says. That’s what we’re talking about. Don’t read anything into it. Don’t add to it. Don't use these different clauses, whether it's the Commerce Clause or any of the other clauses, to try to change what our Founding Fathers were telling us."[5]
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On March 31, 2015, Rick Perry expressed his support for Mike Pence and Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the following tweet:
- Following the Supreme Court's ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby in June 2014, Perry released this statement: "Today’s decision is further proof that Obamacare represents one of the greatest governmental overreaches in our nation’s history. Religious freedom is an intrinsic part of being American, and the Supreme Court’s decision reaffirms that the government cannot mandate that anyone operate in a fashion counter to their most deeply-felt principles."[6]
- In June 2013, Perry stated, "Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion," while signing the "Merry Christmas Bill" to allow teachers and students to use symbols and expressions of "traditional winter holidays" in public schools. Perry pledged that he would work to protect religious expression.[7]
- In 2013, Perry vetoed a bill that would have required some 501(c)(4) organizations to disclose the identity of their donors. Explaining his veto in a press release, Perry stated he was afraid the law "would have a chilling effect" on "freedom of association and freedom of speech." Perry asserted, "At a time when our federal government is assaulting the rights of Americans by using the tools of government to squelch dissent it is unconscionable to expose more Texans to the risk of such harassment, regardless of political, organizational or party affiliation."[8][9]
- In 2007, Perry signed the Religious Viewpoints Anti-Discrimination Act, a bill that provides a model policy for school districts on how to protect students' rights to religious expression and freedom to organize religious groups. On signing the bill, Perry said, "For years, our children have not been able to share their faith and beliefs for fear that they'll end up in the principal's office. That's sure not the American way and that's sure not the Texas way."[10]
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Commenting on the theater shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana, on July 26, 2015, Rick Perry called gun-free zones, like movie theaters and churches, “a bad idea.” Perry explained, “I think that you allow the citizens of this country, who have appropriately trained, appropriately backgrounded, know how to handle and use firearms, to carry them. I believe that, with all my heart, that if you have the citizens who are well trained, and particularly in these places that are considered to be gun-free zones, that we can stop that type of activity, or stop it before there's as many people that are impacted as what we saw in Lafayette.”[11]
- In June 2013, Perry traveled to New York and Connecticut to encourage gun manufacturers to relocate to Texas. Prior to his trip, in a speech at the National Rifle Association (NRA) convention, Perry said, "We'll happily welcome any gun manufacturer who feels vilified and any of their employees who are in danger of losing their livelihoods due to this kind of hysteria. There's still a place that loves freedom in America, where people can pursue their dreams free from knee-jerk government regulation. That place is called Texas!"[12]
- In 2010, the NRA endorsed Perry, calling him "a champion and staunch defender of the Second Amendment freedoms of law-abiding Texas gun owners." As evidence of Perry's support for gun ownership rights, the NRA cited the following accomplishments: "extending the term of a concealed handgun license from four to five years; protecting shooting ranges from junk lawsuits; clarifying an individual's right to carry a handgun in a motor vehicle; preventing the confiscation of firearms and ammunition from law-abiding citizens during a state of emergency; and reducing fees by 50 percent and lowering the age from 21 to 18 on concealed handgun licenses for active-duty military and veterans."[13]
- In 2007, Perry signed a law that allowed Texans the protection of the "Castle Doctrine" "to use deadly force for means of self-defense, without retreat, in their home, vehicle or workplace."[14]
Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In June 2015, Perry disagreed with Senator Rand Paul regarding National Security Agency surveillance. Perry said, "Since our country was founded, we balanced between our safety as a country and our privacy... I think it is very important, particularly with ISIS, particularly with this challenge that we've got from cybersecurity from some of these nations...and being able to track those individuals, know what they're doing. I don't think that anyone who is really thinking about how this technology has made us be able to make our country safer would try to restrict that in a way that allows us not to be able to do that."[15]
- According to the Des Moines Register in May 2015, Rick Perry spoke at a panel sponsored by Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security, where he "indicated he would be willing to use more national security surveillance on American citizens to identify and track people who may have become radicalized or inspired by terrorist groups like ISIS."[16]
- In September 2013, Perry signed the Texas Privacy Act, a law "prohibiting drone operations over private property without the owner's permission."[17]
Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In an August 2011 profile of Rick Perry, The New York Times reported that Perry received $17 billion in federal stimulus money over two years that enabled him to balance the Texas state budget, in spite of his vocal criticism of federal power.[18]
- In July 2011, following the legalization of gay marriage in New York, Perry commented that gay marriage is a states' rights issue. Perry said, "That's New York, and that's their business, and that's fine with me. That is their call. If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business." Several days later, Perry amended his statement, saying, "I probably needed to add a few words after that 'it's fine with me,' and that it's fine with me that a state is using their sovereign rights to decide an issue. Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me. My stance hasn't changed."[19][20]
- In 2009, Perry backed a house concurrent resolution affirming Texas' dedication to the 10th Amendment and states' rights. Perry said, "I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state. That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”[23]
Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In Rick Perry's 2010 book, Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington, he called the Sixteenth Amendment "the great milestone on the road to serfdom." Perry explained, "It gave Congress the authority to levy an income tax on American citizens and absolved the federal government from a previous requirement that any such taxes be returned to states proportionally to their collection. This was the birth of wealth redistribution in the United States."[24]
- Later in the book, Perry argued in favor of repealing the Sixteenth Amendment and adopting a national sales tax or the Fair Tax, instead.[25]
Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In 2010, Rick Perry stated in his book, Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington, that the Seventeenth Amendment, which allows for the direct election of senators, was adopted "during a fit of populist rage." When asked in 2011 if he supported repealing the Seventeenth Amendment, Perry responded, "It’s important to have that conversation."[26][27]
Crime and justice
| Perry discusses criminal justice reform for nonviolent offenders in May 2015. |
- In March 2015, Rick Perry joined the Texas Public Policy Foundation's "Right on Crime" initiative. Perry said he joined the campaign because it is "focused on helping people understand why a big, expensive prison system—one that offers no hope for second chances and redemption—isn’t conservative policy." Perry then highlighted his own efforts to reduce crime in Texas, stating, "During my leadership as governor, Texas shut down three prisons, and we saved taxpayers $2 billion. When I left office, Texas had the lowest crime rate in our state since 1968. My administration started treatment programs and drug courts for people who wouldn’t be served well by sitting behind bars. We made sure our parole and probation programs were strong. Most of all, we evaluated prisons based on whether they got results. Did an ex-offender get locked up again? Did he get a job? Is he paying restitution to his victims? In Texas, we believe in results."[28]
- According to a 2011 article in The New Republic, while governor of Texas, Perry "signed legislation to overhaul the agency and divert some child offenders to county-based programs" and "approved new standards for crime labs and compensation for the exonerated."[29]
- Perry expressed support for reforming mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenders and promoted alternatives to prison as a penalty for drug use, stating, "You want to talk about real conservative governance? Shut prisons down. Save that money."[30]
- During a September 2011 debate at the Reagan Library in California, Perry voiced his support for capital punishment, which is legal in Texas. Perry said that he was not concerned that any innocent people had been killed, explaining, "I've never struggled with that at all. The state of Texas has a very thoughtful, a very clear process in place of which–when someone commits the most heinous of crimes against our citizens, they get a fair hearing, they go through an appellate process, they go up to the Supreme Court of the United States, if that's required."[31]
- In 2003, Perry reduced alternative treatment programs, set a caloric ceiling for inmates and advocated for the privatization of state jails in an effort to cut costs.[29]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Rick + Perry + Government
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Rick Perry launches comeback White House bid," June 4, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Filibuster divides GOP 2016 contenders," July 6, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Over Barbecue in South Carolina, Rick Perry Hypes Supreme Court as Defining 2016 Issue," May 9, 2015
- ↑ ABC News, "Another Oops?: Rick Perry Misstates Number of Supreme Court Justices," December 9, 2011
- ↑ YouTube, "Huckabee Republican Presidential Forum," December 3, 2011
- ↑ NBCDFW, "Supreme Court: Some Companies Can Refuse to Cover Birth Control," June 30, 2014
- ↑ Huffington Post, “Rick Perry: 'Religious Freedom Does Not Mean Freedom From Religion' (VIDEO)," June 14 2013
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Rick Perry Vetoes GOP-Backed Disclosure Bill," May 28, 2013
- ↑ Office of the Governor Rick Perry, "Gov. Perry Announces Action on Legislation," May 25, 2013
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "In Sugar Land, Perry signs religion-in-schools bill," August 15, 2007
- ↑ CNN, "Rick Perry: Let us take our guns to the movies," July 26, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rick Perry tries to lure gun makers to Texas," June 10, 2013
- ↑ NRA-PVF, “NRA-PVF Endorses Texas Governor Rick Perry for Re-election," January 15, 2010
- ↑ Office of the Governor Rick Perry, "Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves," March 27, 2007
- ↑ The Right Scoop, "Rick Perry: Rand Paul is Wrong About the Patriot Act," June 2, 2015
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Column: Perry leans toward Senate on Patriot Act," May 20, 2015
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Buzz over local drone use getting louder," September 14, 2013
- ↑ The New York Times, "As a States’ Rights Stalwart, Perry Draws Doubts," August 28, 2011
- ↑ FOX News, "Gov. Perry: Gay Marriage Is States' Rights Issue," July 23, 2011
- ↑ Family Research Council, "Texas Gov. Rick Perry: “Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me…”," July 28, 2011
- ↑ ABC News, "Rick Perry Supports Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage," August 2, 2011
- ↑ Yahoo! News, "Understanding Rick Perry’s views on states’ rights," August 2, 2011
- ↑ Office of the Governor Rick Perry, “Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment," April 9, 2009
- ↑ Perry, Rick. (2010). Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. (page 41)
- ↑ Perry, Rick. (2010). Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. (page 183)
- ↑ Perry, Rick. (2010). Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. (page 38)
- ↑ The Nation, "Rick Perry's Attack on Democracy," September 21, 2011
- ↑ Right on Crime, "Former Texas Governor Rick Perry Joins Right on Crime Campaign," March 11, 2015
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 New Republic, "Rick Perry, Criminal Justice Reformer? The Governor’s Surprisingly Complicated Record," September 17, 2011
- ↑ FAMM.org, “Top GOP Presidential Contenders Support Mandatory Minimum Reform," July 18, 2014
- ↑ New York Times, “They Messed With Texas," September 9, 2012
