Perry Campaign Press Release - Gov. Rick Perry Calls for An End to Obama's War on the States, Promotes Low Flat Tax, Overhaul of Washington Bureaucracy and Investment in American Jobs

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Texas Gov. Rick Perry stood out as a solid conservative and the only true Washington and Wall Street outsider left in the GOP race, and decried the Obama administration war on South Carolina and other states' efforts to pass Voter ID, immigration and other laws and policies.

"This administration is out of control," Gov. Perry said. "The state of Texas is under assault by federal government. South Carolina is at war with this federal government and with this administration. What this Justice Department has done, not only have they taken them to task on Voter ID, they've also taken them to task on their immigration law, and then the most egregious thing is the National Labor Relations Board coming into a right-to-work state and telling the state of South Carolina, 'We're not going to let a private company come in here.' That is irresponsible, I will suggest to you it's unconstitutional, and when I'm the president of the United States, the states are going to have substantially more rights to take care of their business and not be forced by the EPA, or by the Justice Department for that matter, to do things that are against the will of the people."

During tonight's debate, sponsored by Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the South Carolina Republican Party, Gov. Perry laid out his commitment to overhauling Washington, cutting taxes to a flat and fair 20 percent and sparking American job creation. The debate highlighted Gov. Perry's experience creating more than a million net new jobs during the last 11 years as the governor of the state of Texas, which is the 13th largest economy in the world.

In response to the bickering between the other candidates on the stage, Gov. Perry said, "This is a great example of the insiders that are having a conversation up here, and the fact of the matter is this: Washington, D.C., needs to leave the states alone and let the states decide this issues and don't do it from Washington, D.C."

Over the last several months, Gov. Perry has traveled the country sharing his plans to get America working again and emphasizing his commitment to bringing the change the American people want to see to Washington, D.C., as president. The governor's Uproot and Overhaul Washington plan establishes a part-time Congress, and calls for cutting congressional sessions, staffs and salaries in half. The plan puts an end to bailouts and earmarks, and is designed to stop the out-of-control Washington spending that has put our nation more than $15 trillion in debt.

Gov. Perry also touted his Cut, Balance and Grow plan, which creates a simpler, flatter and fairer 20 percent personal and corporate tax rate; reigns in federal spending; and calls for a federal Balanced Budget Amendment. He has also laid out an Energizing American Jobs and Security plan designed to take advantage of our domestic energy resources, making the cost of electricity and fuel cheaper and more predictable, revitalizing manufacturing and reducing our country's dangerous dependence on hostile foreign oil sources.

"We need to cut the tax rate down to where people feel confident that they can risk their capital and have a return on their investment," Gov. Perry said. "That's the reason that I've laid out a simple and flat tax of 20 percent with their home mortgage deduction and charitable deduction and local taxes deducted, get rid of capital gains tax, get rid of the tax on Social Security benefits and then take 20 percent of that and mail your check in. Even Timothy Geithner can get his taxes in on time with that type of a system.

"Getting America back to work again — that's what I've done for 11 years as the governor of the 13th largest economy in the world. A million jobs that have been created in my state because we have created that climate where job creators know they can go out and risk their capital and have a return on their investment.

"As the president of the United States, that's what I'm going to do. Walk into Washington, D.C., work towards a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution and work to make Congress a part-time body so they stay less time in Washington, D.C., go back home and get a real job like everybody else has, and live under the laws that they pass."