Perry’s proposal: Tear down Washington and rebuild

Published November 15, 2011 5:00am ET



Rick Perry is thinking big. Today at his Bettendorf, Iowa event, Perry will call for fundamental changes in the way Washington operates.

Here are some of his proposals, according to a new two-page memo obtained by Politico.

  • Cut congressional pay in half and repeal the rules that prevent members of Congress from holding real jobs in their home states and communities.
  •  Criminalize insider trading by members of Congress.
  • Until a Balanced Budget Amendment is ratified by the states, support cutting Congressional pay in half if Congress fails to propose a long-term balanced budget. Freeze federal civilian hiring and salaries until the budget is balanced.
  • Veto any bill that places a new, unfunded mandate on states, local communities, or schools.
  • Work with Congress to pass legislation requiring a 2/3s majority to pass any increase in taxes.
  • End Life-time Appointments to the Supreme Court
  • End lifetime appointments of federal judges by instituting an 18-year term limit. This would have to apply prospectively (eg. not to current Supreme Court judges) and require a Constitutional Amendment.
  • Issue an immediate moratorium on all pending federal regulations, order a full audit of every regulation passed since 2008 and repeal any regulation that is not affordable, effective and appropriate.
  • Support legislation to automatically sunset federal regulations unless Congress votes to renew them.
  • Develop an online, searchable database of all federal regulations currently in force.
  • Work with Congress to dismantle, reform, and restructure wasteful, overbearing, and redundant federal agencies:
  • The Department of Commerce, Department of Education and the Department of Energy would be completely eliminated. Essential duties – such as DoE’s Nuclear Security Administration, would be transferred to other agencies.
  • The Department of Homeland Security (including the Transportation Security Administration, which would be privatized) and the Environmental Protection Agency would be restructured and reformed entirely.