Texas Governor Rick Perry was in Atlantic this (Friday) afternoon, speaking to a group of employees at the local Coca-Cola Bottling Plant. The Republican Presidential Candidate spoke about President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul plan, often referred to as “Obamacare,” his GOP rival Mitt Romney, Social Security, and the stay of execution for a man accused of murder in his state. Perry said

TX Governor Rick Perry

foremost on the minds of those he’s spoken with, is the creation of jobs. He says Mitt Romney’s “Romneycare” health plan is much like President Obama’s plan, and it will mean the loss of jobs if it’s not repealed. He says Romney’s plan cost his state 18,000 jobs and cost $8-billion dollars to implement. Perry said Obamacare would kill many more jobs and cost the taxpayers. He says Romney has to answer for his failed policy, and Obama will as well. Perry said he would make a promise to repeal Obamacare if he’s elected to office.

On the topic of Social Security, Perry said the program will be in-place for those on the program and those who have just entered into it. But he said the same thing will not be the case for those couples just starting out, who plan to have a family. He says they’ll be paying into a program that won’t be available. That’s why other options should be available. He says said he spoke with Wisconsin Republican Representative Paul Ryan about the issue, and praised him for admitting Social Security — which Perry called a “Ponzi” scheme — is broken, and for offering an alternative to Obama’s plan. He says young American’s shouldn’t be mislead into thinking Social Security will be around by the time they are ready to retire.