Rick Perry in MSNBC news programs

On Social Security: FactCheck: Softened "fraud" rhetoric in current campaign

Rick Perry 1.0 thought Social Security was a "disease" inflicted on the population by the federal government. Rick Perry 2.0 thinks Social Security deserves being saved "for generations to come." Mitt Romney said in the debate, "In writing his book, Gov. Perry pointed out that in his view that Social Security is unconstitutional, that this is not something the federal government ought to be involved in."

THE FACTS: Perry indeed roundly criticized Social Security in his book, but not quite to the point of calling it unconstitutional. Perry branded the program the "best example" of the "fraud" and "bad disease" spread by Washington in Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.

Perry now has abandoned such rhetoric, adopting the conventional Republican view in a USA Today column Monday that its finances must be made whole to protect current and imminent retirees and make it viable for "generations to come."

Source: MSNBC FactCheck on 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA Sep 7, 2011

The above quotations are from Rachel Maddow Show and other MSNBC news shows. Click here for other excerpts from Rachel Maddow Show and other MSNBC news shows. Click here for other excerpts by Rick Perry. Click here for a profile of Rick Perry.
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