The Facts: The law increases spending by $788 billion over 10 years, while achieving $931 billion in savings over the same time for a net deficit reduction of $143 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated in March 2010.

Perry On Jobs

The Claim: Perry said taxpayer-funded programs to lure employers have created 54,600 jobs in Texas. He said 75 percent of the dollars went to recipients that didn't contribute to his campaign.

The Background: As governor, Perry oversees the Texas Enterprise Fund and Texas Emerging Technology Fund. The programs provided about $633 million to companies such as Washington Mutual, now a JPMorgan Chase & Co. unit, and Countrywide Financial, now owned by Bank of America Corp. Perry's campaigns received contributions from political action committees and individuals tied to both companies.

The Facts:
Assessing job creation has been difficult because the funds haven't had to report the number of new positions produced, according to Texans for Public Justice, a nonprofit political watchdog group in Austin. Only 11 of 50 recipients of Enterprise Fund money had met goals promised by 2009, the group said in a September 2010 report.

By the end of 2009, companies receiving enterprise fund money listed 22,544 jobs created in Texas, according to the report. An additional 8,147 were tied to three projects that also got cash from the program.

Cain On Deficit

The Claim: Cain pledged to present a balanced budget a year after taking office. He said the only way to bring down the national debt is "the first year that I'm president and I oversee a fiscal-year budget, make sure that revenues equals spending. If we stop adding to the national debt, we can bring it down."

The Background: Cain, who has no experience in elective office, is seeking to demonstrate a command on the economy and fiscal issues to compete with Romney.

The Facts: A proposal by the heads of Obama's debt commission to cut the budget by $4 trillion wouldn't wipe out the deficit for more than 25 years. According to a research group, the Bipartisan Policy Center, there will be an $830 billion deficit in fiscal year 2013 assuming current policy such as the extension of tax rates. To balance the budget in fiscal year 2013 through spending cuts alone would require a reduction equal to 25 percent of all spending, the policy center said, citing Conngressional Budget Office projections. That would be more cuts than it would take to eliminate one year of spending on Medicare and Medicaid.

Cain On Taxes