Posted on 01/13/2012 10:38:23 AM PST by Qbert
Rick Perry is still struggling to remember which three Cabinet-level government agencies he would like to eliminate if elected president.
Perry was asked about his proposal during a radio interview with Savannah, Ga., radio host Bill Edwards, according to ABC News.
“Three right off the bat, you know, Commerce, Interior and Energy, are three that you think,” Perry said.
But Perry had previously suggested that he would eliminate the Department of Education, not the Department of the Interior. Edwards went on to ask Perry about the Department of Education later in the interview.
“They are blackmailing states with our own money, basically saying, 'Here is the national test, and here are the national standards you’re going to put into place,' ” Perry said. “One size fits all doesn’t work. Well, maybe it does in gym socks, but it sure doesn’t in how we educate our children.”
During a November Republican debate in Michigan, Perry famously could not remember all three agencies he would eliminate.
“I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education and the — what’s the third one there? Let’s see,” Perry said.
As other candidates threw out suggestions in an attempt to aid the Texas governor, he continued to struggle, prompting moderator John Hardwood to ask if he genuinely couldn't remember the third of the agencies.
“I can’t. The third one, I can’t. Sorry. Oops," Perry said.
Perry spokesman Mark Miner later told ABC that all departments would be evaluated for elimination.
"Every agency is on the chopping block," Miner said. "It shouldn't be surprising that the governor is talking about another agency that needs to be looked at and cut."
Let’s see:
Totally eliminate:
EPA (officially not “cabinet-level” agency but gone nonetheless)
Labor
Health & Human Services
Housing & Urban Development
Energy
Education
also, HUGE cuts to:
Agriculture
Commerce
Dept. of Homeland Security
Interior
(I don’t think I forgot any of the ‘big’ ones, but many other non-cabinet-level agencies also need to go.)
Well some Perry folks here on FR blamed his flubs on pain and pain pills from his back surgery. Wonder what the excuse will be this time?
Second..but from two sources.
Apparently Rick likes his cocktails.
He should just streamline his message and avoid these attacks for forgetting the three by saying he will eliminate all Dept’s.
Wow! You're really going to support someone for how they look on stage.
Some people say that presidents are essentially powerless now. All they really do is photo-ops while the ship of state continues to float in the direction it was always going to go anyway.
Maybe we should just put a mannequin in the White House and end the charade.
And how many agencies do any of the other candidates want to cut?
Tell us more. Is this 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, or 4th-hand information that you acquired?
Well there is the famous “Drunk Speech” Perry gave in NH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21z30aNO3cA
Shh...
Don’t anyone tell Cincinattus...
Pssst....We already have a mannequin in the White House.
And you think Bubba got the women's vote because he was short, fat and bald??
I agree with you that it shouldn’t be substantially about Rick’s embarrassing lapses—heck, I love the guy; on substance and on the issues he is as fine as anyone, BUT, the public simply can’t take the anxiety that these verbal bumblings cause. It’s a dang distraction and damaging to confidence. Public ridicule, the loss of a news day covering it, trying to defend it, is just a bridge too far, given as you say the extreme importance of the presidency this time around. The perils of the time and our country’s demise trumps dealing with brain freezes and anxiety.
Sadly, the time has long run out for Rick’s political recovery from it. Of course it’s very unfair to Rick, but it’s the truth. The people are exhausted by big stuff, like beating out Romney.
If his people should have him remaining in the race just to rehabilitate his image, then shame on them. By Florida, with all those delegates, we a path to take Romney on, one on one. Santorum is weak going against Romney in South Carolina. Santorum needs to go, and if Perry numbers are not in the 20’s, so does he.
Indicative of nothing. If you say he had been drinking, that would be your opinion, no more, no less.
It’s a huge assumption (on hearsay) that his health (memory) is affected by drinking.
* Four consecutive balanced budgets
* $500 billion cut
* Major welfare reform
* 11 million new jobs
* 4% unemployment
Interior is another rogue agency that should be eliminated.
So is he in the middle of having a stroke in that speech? Did he bump his head right before reaching the podium? I have been to enough bars in my time to know what a guy sounds like when he is loaded.
Your opinion is your opinion.
How is it that you know what they don't know because it isn't so?
Perry is the most small government candidate in the race...and actually has the record to prove it.
None are so blind as those who refuse to see!
Perry has forgotten more about cutting the budget than Romney or Obama will ever know.
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