Perry takes aim at Romney, again

Presidential hopeful and Texas Governor Rick Perry made new criticisms of presidential rival Mitt Romney as he campaigned through Iowa on Thursday. Perry has been on the defensive since Monday's Republican debate and his latest remarks show he is eagerly resuming the offense.

JEFFERSON, IOWA (Catholic Online) - Perry went right to work against Romney citing a study that reported Romney's healthcare program cost Massachusetts 18,000 jobs. "Romneycare has driven private insurance costs up by $4.3 billion in Massachusetts," he told supporters.

He also pointed out that "Romneycare" has led to a rise in Medicare and Medicaid costs for all taxpayers, and not just people in Massachusetts. "This isn't just about the state of Massachusetts and the cost to them directly. It's also costing you," he told supporters.

The return to the offense is welcome for Perry's supporters. Opponents of Perry have tried very hard to cut his lead by pointing out what they see as inconsistencies in his political past. They have delivered intense criticism on several issues, including his 2007 mandatory vaccination program for school girls and his reference to Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme." He also came under fire for signing a law that gave free tuition for illegal immigrants who  wanted to attend college in Texas. 

Perry did not address any of those controversies in Iowa. Instead, he hammered Romney on jobs, saying that Massachusetts ranked 47th in the nation for job creation and quipping that Romney has created more jobs while working in the private sector than as governor. 

Perry is currently the Republican favorite by an almost 2-1 margin over Romney and Bachmann. His August announcement on the same day as the Iowa straw poll stole much of the thunder from Michelle Bachmann, who was previously considered to be a strong contender for the Republican nomination. Now, many analysts predict that unless something significant develops, Perry should maintain a comfortable lead into the primaries. 

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