Politics

Perry attempts to re-energize with jobs plan

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Following a debate performance panned by critics this week, Texas Governor Rick Perry attempted to energize (pun definitely intended) his campaign Friday by introducing an energy-focused economic prescription for the country at the United States Steel Mon Valley Irvin Plant in Pennsylvania.

“This American jobs plan is based on a simple premise: Make what Americans buy, buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world,” said Perry. “We are standing atop the next American economic boom – energy – and the quickest way to give our economy a shot in the arm is to deploy American ingenuity to tap American energy. But we can only do that if environmental bureaucrats are told to stand down.”

According to his campaign, Perry’s “Energizing American Jobs and Security” plan will create 1.2 million American jobs and contain energy costs, while minimizing the country’s dependence on foreign oil. They say the beauty of his plan is that Perry could institute much of it via Executive Order, thereby avoiding “Washington gridlock.”

The plan focuses on reducing red tape by opening land currently off limits for energy exploration in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, the Mountain West region and the Northeast Marcellus Shale.

Perry also plans to review the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and completely eliminate its ability to regulate greenhouse gases.

A President Perry would also work with Congress to eliminate tax credits and subsidies that “distort the energy marketplace,” but would keep in place tax incentives for research and development.

“I do not accept the false choice that we must pick between energy and the environment,” Perry said. “It is time for a balanced, pro-American, pro-jobs energy policy.”

Perry explained, with harsh words for President Obama, that opening up areas for energy exploration and reducing undue regulation will be a boon to the economy.

“The choice in this election is between two very different visions for our country. When it comes to energy, the president would kill domestic jobs through aggressive regulations, while I would create 1.2 million American jobs through safe and aggressive energy exploration at home,” Perry said. “President Obama would keep us more dependent on hostile sources of foreign energy, while my plan would make us more secure by tapping America’s true energy potential.”

“The president’s energy policies are driven by the concerns of activists in his party, while my policies are driven by the concerns of American workers without jobs,” the governor added.

Perry surged in the polls as the job-creating governor, with a record to back it up, following his August entry into the race. After several poor debate performances, Perry’s poll numbers have dropped, his refocus on jobs and the economy could be an opportunity to rebound.

According to Reuters, Perry plans to give a speech highlighting the second portion of his economic plan — focused on tax and entitlement reform — on October 25th.

See the full plan here.

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