In Dubuque, Rick Perry emphasizes states' rights

"How many of you know who Louis Brandeis is?" Perry asked. "Louis Brandeis was an old Supreme Court justice, and he really understood that our founding fathers were visionaries and brilliant in the crafting of our Constitution, and in particular the Bill of Rights."

While frequently referring to Brandeis' concept as states being the "laboratories of democracy," Perry highlighted the Tenth Amendment as the guide by which he would govern if he were president. That amendment, which deals specifically with states' rights, is one the country needs to respect, Perry said.

"The federal government is supposed to do a few things. They're enumerated in the Constitution, like stand a strong military, secure our border." Perry said. "It'd be pretty awesome if they'd just do those two."

States, not the federal government, should be empowered to design health care policy, Perry said.

"They told us that we would have more access to health care. They told us we would have costs going down, and if you liked your doctor you could keep your doctor. Does anyone disagree that we were told all these things, and that obviously did not happen?" Perry said. "I trust (Iowa Gov.) Terry Branstad and the Legislature here to come up with more ways to make this state more competitive to deliver health care."

Perry took two questions from attendees, including one about the renewable-fuel standard (RFS) and wind-power subsidies. Perry said he is an "all-of-the-above energy believer," but he also said that he is against both policies. Perry said Texas is the largest wind energy producing state in the nation.

"(Wind energy has) become a mature industry and I'm a big believer that once you can stand on your own two feet that those subsidies or mandates need to go away," he said. "I'm honest. I come to Iowa and I stand up in front of Iowa (farmers) and I say I'm not for RFS."

Loras sophomore Zachary Schroeder asked about the government's role in education. Perry again said states are best able to address their own needs.

"Remember what Louis Brandeis said? He said from time-to-time, a state is going to experiment somewhere, and it's going to be unsuccessful, and it's going to do harm to their citizens," Perry said. "If federal government was the answer, don't you think Mississippi would be doing better?"

Schroeder said he was unconvinced by Perry's answer.

"I just think that for too long we've left it up to the states," said Schroeder, who identified as a Democrat. "It's not really working."

Perry was the second high-profile Republican to visit Loras since Saturday, when former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush hosted a similar event. Loras senior and former college GOP president Nathaniel Kapraun said he was impressed with both Bush and Perry.

"As governor of Texas, he did a fantastic job, especially in the economy he had," Kapraun said about Perry. "I like what he's doing with the border, trying to secure that, but yeah, I think any GOP nominee is just a breath of fresh air compared to the Democrat reign that we've had these past six years."

In a statement emailed to TH Media ahead of Perry's appearance at Loras, Iowa Democratic Party spokesman Sam Lau took aim at the former governor's economic approach and his position on RFS.

"We know the type of economy Rick Perry would 'unleash' on this nation because we've seen it in Texas -- an economy where the rich and corporations can thrive but working families get left behind," Lau wrote. "In Rick Perry's world, corporations should receive tax breaks, but the Renewable Fuel Standard that supports more than 70,000 Iowa jobs should be scrapped. Rick Perry simply has the wrong priorities for Iowa families."