The Maryland Democratic Party today held a press conference call with Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis and Texas State Teachers Association President Rita Haecker, to discuss Rick Perry’s disastrous record and his agenda, which will hurt the middle class, seniors and students while protecting millionaires and big business.
Rick Perry, who held a fundraiser today in Baltimore and announced the support of 40 Maryland Republican legislators and party leaders, is wedded to positions that are far-right, divisive and out of the mainstream. Perry, Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP field don’t have any new ideas that will create jobs in Maryland or help working class Americans. These Tea-Partying Republicans are following the lead of John Boehner and Congressional Republicans who are committed to dismantling Social Security and Medicare, rolling back critical protections for consumers and promoting economic policies that will lead the country back into recession.
Listen to the full call here.
Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis
The President wants to invest in America – in the infrastructure that will get Americans working and spur commerce, in the schools that will educate our next generation of leaders and CEOs, and in the technologies that will again make American innovation the envy of the world. Republicans are working to gut the programs that make America’s future bright.
Lt. Governor Anthony Brown
And, when [Rick Perry] talks about the Texas economy, just remember that growth has been driven by that which he cannot take credit for – like rising oil prices and increased military spending. But he did have control over other factors: tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off in the budget that took effect just this month.
Rick Perry’s jobs record fails to impress, and Mitt Romney’s isn’t any better. Romney’s record shows him to be one of the worst job creators in the country. In his time as governor of Massachusetts – his state ranked 47th in job creation.
Texas State Teachers Association President Rita Haecker
[Rick Perry] has starved public education in our state, and his two year state budget is the first budget during his life time – more than 60 years – that failed to fully fund Texas public schools financial obligations. This budget cut – 4 Billion dollars from school district formulas and another 1.4 Billion in educational discretionary grants for vital programs such as full day pre-kindergarten and dropout prevention … Thousands of teachers are already out of jobs – 49,000 school employees will get pink slips by this time next year.
Salisbury Mayor and 3rd grade teacher, Jim Ireton
Rick Perry has been putting education – the priority of those Texas children – awfully low on his list as Governor. It’s pretty clear that if he’s managed his state that way, if he comes to Washington to take the helm, he could very well run our education system into the ground.
