Reagan Dinner Speaker Rick Perry Blasts Washington Politicians

Texas Governor Rick Perry greets guests to the Reagan Dinner Friday night

Des Moines, Iowa – Texas Governor Rick Perry was the second speaker at the Reagan Dinner held at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines Friday night.

With the normal thank you’s that normally start every speech, Perry reached out with the first olive branch of the evening by saying “I also want to recognize all my competitors that are here. Let me tell you, each and every one of them that would do a heck of a lot better job then what we got in the White House right now.” [Front runners Romney and Cain were absent from the event]

Speaking to the crowd and Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Perry said, “You might say that Newt, we’re involved in a project called Operation Occupy the White House.”

Speaking about being back in Iowa, and the people that live in the state, Perry went right after President Obama saying, “You know, the President talks about winning the future, but you can’t win the future by selling off the future. It’s wrong to put our children’s financial future in the hands of these foreign creditors.”

He went on to say that President Obama was also putting our energy security in the hands of foreign countries, “that are hostile to America.”

“Now no one can argue that the President didn’t inherit a bad economy, but no one can argue he ain’t made it worse either,” stated Perry on his thoughts about Obama’s performance on improving the U.S. economy. He went on to say 14 million Americans are without work, with one out of eight on food assistance, “The Washington solution? Stimulate the economy, grow government. About the only thing they stimulated is a higher debt.”

Perry went on to say that “tinkering around the edges,” isn’t the answer. “We’ve got to stop the big spending, the bail-outs, the big government policies that empower the bureaucrats.” Perry went on to say, “You know some want to reform Washington with a pair of tweezers. I’m for bringing a wrecking ball to Washington.”

Perry went on to explain his 20% flat tax rate, stating “it cuts taxes for every sector.” He also said filling out the form would be easier. “[It’s] simple enough you can put it on a post card,” as Perry held up a small piece of paper to represent the size the document would be. “I bet even Tim Geithner can even get his taxes in if we give him a post card this size and this simple.”

Perry outlined his plan by cutting corporate loopholes. “I want to make a little history. I want to make those loopholes history,” saying that his plan cuts federal spending “in a big way,” that would lead to a balanced budget by 2020.

A balanced budget amendment to the Constitution is something Perry claims he would work towards if elected as President. “What’s lacking in Washington D.C. isn’t ideas. What’s lacking up there is courage,” Perry said.

“The price for politicians failing to do their job is that Americans are going to be forced to live in a nation that is less secure and our young men and women in uniform are going to have fewer resources to keep them safe and to fight the battles that need to be fought across the world,” Perry said in blasting politicians that use gimmicks “that make Washington politicians do the right thing.”

Perry went on to call for the end to earmarks on legislation passed by Congress. He also called for a pay freeze on members of Congress. “I’m going to propose a cross the board pay freeze for Congress and all Federal employees pay outside of the military and the public safety areas,” Perry said.

“Let’s take our country back to those principles that America was based upon and see America great again,” Perry said to the crowd in his closing statement.