The Midday Brief: Oct. 25, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "The next phase for Perry’s plan involves reaction from the Wall Street Journal editorial page, columnists and Republican politicians. The Romney campaign apparently will hold its fire but there are sure to be many attacks coming from Boston if Austin starts to gain any traction whatsoever." — Reax to Perry’s "Cut, Balance and Grow," Time

• "Rick Perry’s plan to scrap the graduated income tax and replace it with a 20-percent flat rate would call for deep cuts in federal programs and grant a major tax cut for the wealthy by eliminating estate and capital gains taxes while sharply lowering the rate the richest Americans pay on the bulk of their income, which is now set at 35 percent." — Perry Plan Would Grant Big Tax Break to Wealthiest, The New York Times

• "It’s why Perry is willing to engage in the 'fun' of hitting Obama on an issue that has long been settled fact. The birther issue is, oddly, almost beside the point. The idea of simply trying to get under Obama’s skin is what matters." — Why Rick Perry is flirting with birtherism, The Washington Post

• "The poll found Mr. Cain with the highest level of support, with 25 percent of Republican primary voters, and Mr. Romney with 21 percent. This difference is within the poll’s margin of sampling error. … Support for Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, has weakened to 6 percent, placing him among the second-tier candidates with Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, who have the backing of 10 percent and 8 percent of Republican primary voters, respectively." — New York Times/CBS News Poll: Most Republican Primary Voters Remain Uncommitted, The New York Times

• "President Obama's campaign press secretary, Ben LaBolt, released this statement as Rick Perry laid out his tax plan: 'Governor Perry and Governor Romney’s tax plans are guided by the same principle: they would shift a greater share of taxes away from large corporations and the wealthiest onto the backs of the middle class.'" — Obama camp joins a tax fight, Politico

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Rick Perry, struggling in the latest presidential polls, released a tax and spending reform plan today aimed at luring away business-minded voters from Mitt Romney and Tea Party fiscal conservatives from Herman Cain — and convincing a skeptical public that he’s got the policy chops to be a serious contender against Barack Obama." — Struggling Perry Releases Flat Tax, Spending Plan

• "An amendment to the Texas Constitution on the ballot next month will lower property taxes for landowners who practice good water stewardship. It received unanimous backing in the Legislature." — Ballot Initiative Would Improve Water, Lower Property Taxes