heavy with melancholy prophecy about how the war in iraq was lost. so i so i decided to let visit the national air and space museum for a distraction i noticed there was this. as i walked around the rotunda, i noticed they were the naysayers, the people that said it could never fly. upon examination, it was hard to believe that a tank full of canvas and what was actually struggled into the air, and coming out of the exhibit i noticed a more sturdy looking craft, with a brave title on the side, and what struck me was that it did not have a forward looking window, but a forward- looking pilot.

you could still hear the naysayers. "you are going to die just like all the others, you fool. you'll never stay awake. care, iot do it alone turc was struck by the apollo 18 lunar module, and wondered how a substance that looked like aluminum foil could support life in outer space. how was it that we found americans foolish enough to believe the issue could be strapped towns where rocket of two thousand metric tons that would break apart by design and purlieu into space, and because of somebody's mathematics calculation, you would be launched for the move count --. the moon, and because of the theory of gravity -- gravity, you'd be drawn there.

then, they would land on the moon, plant a flag, find this of aircraft, crawl back in, and sling shot back to earth then, as they came at thousands of miles per hour, but slow down when they had the fiery, parachutes will deploy in you will land in the pacific ocean and the helicopter will come and find you. [applause] [laughter] >> yet, that is exactly what we americans achieved in this country. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> but to read the headlines of the day, you would hear this -- what about the poor, though war on poverty, the things that

really matter in this country? i wonder how different our world would be today without charles lindbergh and neil armstrong? as i re-entered the gloomy mood house side of the nation's capital, i left inspired because it dawned on me that america has never been built on a labor and hard work of the senate and the critic. [applause] >> cynics and critics, soldiers of this generation have had a bellyful of them. every monumental mission our nation has asked our men and women in uniform since 9/11 has been accomplished. overthrow the taliban government, don, phil osama bin laden, kill or capture saddam

hussein, done. [applause] >> and we, the soldiers, have done it with the obstructions of liberals, cynics, and critics, telling us it was all some big mistake. nonsense. [applause] >> what can we learn from america's current war veterans? perhaps this -- there are still things worth fighting for. [applause] >>, america has not been built on the labor and hard work of the senate and the -- sick and the critic. there are still americans to know how to sacrifice, and know the difference between what is good and what is evil, who was a

threat, and was harmless. whether to live free, or quit on this country and die. americans need to sacrifice along with our soldiers, like what? sacrificed doubt. sacrifice anxiety. sacrifice cynicism. as visionary as we as republicans claim to be, we will make little headway if all or only answers are mere sideline snipes at what is wrong with this country. our task is to show the american people what is right with the united states of america. [applause]

>> it is time to ignore the cynic, and gets to work. any soldier knows you make use of the time that you have, not the time that you would like to have, and you never quit, and you stay on a mission until it is accomplished. if we want to honor those who will never come home, and never know the joys of marriage and raising children, who will never live in the freedoms that their sacrifice purchased, then we must honor them by restoring the country that they died for. [applause] >> i believe the sum total of our lives is how we invest in other people, and we, the people, the defenders of this great nation to have a responsibility to serve our god, our country, and also give of our talents and efforts to

preserve what is the dream of the american way of life. may you be such leaders, and as we face to the wind, and look to the future, we will always have the naysayers. as we endeavor to take risks, lead and achieve, we have to ignore their calls saying it will never fly. keep the faith, and not quite, god bless you all. -- do not quite. god bless you all. [applause] [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome dr. bill cassidy,

congressman from babson rouge, louisiana, representing our sixth congressional district. ♪ [applause] >> thank you all for being here. that is a good southern way of saying it. he did say i'm a doctor. some of deal heard my last line, i'm a guest serologist, and after that -- prepared me very well for washington, d.c.. on a serious note, let me start this by taking you back three years and telling a story. the issues before our country are so important, and i would like to begin with this. i have just been elected to

congress, but not yet sworn in. i went to breakfast with a friend of mine, a pastor in batson rouge, and as we go into the international house of pancakes, there is a woman sitting next to me that is sold the form, her face so different, she could not eat without the help of her assistant. i thought to myself, my gosh, if it were not for things like medicare and medicaid, she would not be able to live. i sat down, and to my left there was a father with three young children, and two of the little boys were in their parochial school uniforms, and the third was bald. i knew that meant he was on chemotherapy. the waitress came and she seemed troubled. the tester is a kind man and said is there something the matter? she said my husband lost his job. the pastor said i will pray for

you. >> i thought in this one breakfast we had the issues that will define the political debate in this time. how do we preserve programs like medicare for those who have paid into with their entire life, and now here that is going bankrupt in 2021? we have here a man who was concerned about the cost of health care so that his child can continue to receive the best health care in the world, and then we have a person whose husband has just lost her job. if you will, one breakfast has defined the issues for the 2012 election, whichever party speaks the best to those issues, will be the party whose candidate wins in 2012. we're for the speech of the president. he speaks of the stimulus package which has done nothing to lower, and perhaps as contributed to an increase in the unemployment rate to read we as in obama-care, which if i

were the gentleman sitting with young children, i would be concerned with the effect of that upon the future of health care in the indebted states. now, because the president and obama-care took $50 billion in savings, and instead of shoring up a program that is fiscally week, used in other government programs, that program is weaker. the other thing about obama- care, whatever state you are from, your state is facing higher taxes or bankruptcy because obama-care tells the state to expand medicare beyond what states can afford. in one breakfast, which touched upon that, and in the subsequent two years we have seen the response of the other party. we have solution, too. hours are different. they are not rooted in bigger government and higher taxes as a solution to everything. they are rooted in our

republican principles of individual responsibility, personal freedom, the mirror of that which is limited government, coming up with policies which are solutions for the problems that are facing our society. what are some specificities? was think about that. the economy. the road to recovery goes to energy, and that can not be the energy the president speaks of because of artificial high prices do artificial scarcity, creating artificial jobs. a test to be the development our own domestic oil and gas industry -- it has to be the development of our own domestic oil and gas industry. [applause] >> by definition that creates domestic jobs not just for those building -- pumping the oil, but for those that build the engines for the votes, the

folks in massachusetts to build their radar on top of the vote, the folks in california design the software that goes on the votes that go well to the rigs, for the men and women that worked at the petrochemical plant and turn that oil and gas into gasoline and plastic so that we live the life we of come to naught. lastly, just think about -- come to know. leslie, just think about the manufacturing jobs that are created whenever the manufacturer knows there is a reliable, inexpensive source of energy. the road to recovery goes to energy. those jobs, by the white, are good jobs, with good benefits. good benefits, imagine that? the man sitting there with three young children, one of whom is on keel -- chemotherapy, he as the benefits from a jobs such as that, he is secure the child will get the health care he needs. that is a nice way to talk about

medicare. i'm looking at some of us, and it seems like we might be on medicare or maybe soon. the people that run medicare say it will be bankrupt in 2021. medicare, the program that we have all been pained since our first job into is going to become bankrupt in 2021. the president's responses to ignore the problem. the republicans come up with important solutions. i would say that if you want to do something bad to medicare, you just kick the can down the road. you do not address it at all. if you want to say that, you propose reforms, and the reforms the republicans propose keep the program exactly how it has been for those that are on it, and those that will be on it within 10 years. its strength and sit and preserves the for those that are 54 and below. in our principles of individual

responsibility, free enterprise, limited government -- those are the sorts of solutions that will work. the president's where you just have to raise taxes to continue the program as it is, and if it goes bankrupt, is somebody else brought the problem, because you are not be present, those are unacceptable. [applause] >> now, by the way, the 2012 election starts at this conference. yes. [applause] >> and think about it. whoever wins in 2012, if it is a republican, it is going to be a product of meetings like this here, and across the country. if you believe in individual responsibility, you, i come a week, will be responsible for who the next president of the united states is.

-- i, we, will be responsible for the next president of the united states is. [applause] >> with a bigger government, or the principles that we republicans no work? this battle is before us, and it is not just politics, but for the future of our country. it is a battle for which direction we shall go. is also a battle for those three people with whom i had breakfast three years ago. if we, if you, are successful at communicating our ideas, our proposals, we shall win. i did not of all the answers, and neither dare you. if any of you want to contact me, i am matt facebook/bill cassidy -- i am at facebook,/bill cassidy per i look forward to our communication, working with you

for the next 18 months, and celebrating with you in november of 2012, when we elect a president was a republican harvey nodded states of america. thank you very much krahn -- republican, who is the president of the united states of america. [applause] >> ladies and gentleman, let's welcome from the great state of tennessee, congresswoman [unintelligible] [applause] [applause] >> well, it is absolutely fantastic to be here with you in new orleans for the southern republican leadership

conference, and i am thrilled that we are holding this during the centennial of ronald reagan's birth . >> those values that he coalesced around, faith, family, freedom, hope, opportunity reject those are the values that he took with him to -- those are the values he took with him to washington in 1980, the values we need to take back to washington today, and we need to remember that those are the values that need to be in the white house in november, 2012, and we need to get out there and win this one for the gipper. [applause] >> the american people really did a great job getting a head start on this last year. look at what transpired. i think that you all sent a message to the political class

in washington, d.c., that was a pretty good lesson in civics, and limited government, and the u.s. constitution. [applause] >> and when it turns out that some of those democrats failed on that final exam in november, hugh, the people of this country, he gave them a one- white ticket home. thank you. [applause] >> because of all of your great work, we pick up seats in the senate, took control of the u.s. house of representatives, and we gave nancy pelosi the title that she so richly deserved, of minority leader. [applause] >> we sent president obama a message that change had, again, and guess what, it is going to come again next year in 2012

carry? we want a new president of the united states -- 2012. [applause] we want a new president of the united states, and we need to begin the journey today because we do not have a single second to lose. our country -- our country cannot afford four more years of barack obama's liberal policies. he is a president that is too expensive to afford by nearly every measure. by nearly every measure, the country is in worse shape when it -- than it was when he took office. 1 gallon of gas, doubled in price. unemployment, over 9% in 28 months. home values are down. obama-care has put our health- care system on life support. so-called financial reform has made too big to fail lot of the land -- no law of the land.

the epa -- >> there you go. has a short circuit in our nation's energy policy. the fcc has nationalized the internet, and most dangerously of all, the federal debt has ballooned, putting our country on a course to financial and economic ruin. meanwhile, the chair of the democratic national committee has said that obama has turned the economy around. well, here is a news flash. obama has not turned the economy around. he is turned this country and the economy upside down. according to the latest polls, one -- less than one-third of

the american people think we are on the right track. but i am hopeful. i am an optimist. because to me, that says to me two-thirds of the american people are ready for a new direction. [applause] >> let me tell you a little bit about where i come from. my district in tennessee is a great barometer for what is going on in the country -- a lot of small towns, farms, two great cities, memphis, and national, and yes, indeed, that makes me legitimately a little bit country, and a little better rock and roll. [laughter] >> as i am out and about, i talk to people from all walks of life, and you know what they tell me? they are so worried. they are so worried that the american dream is in deep, deep

trouble. that the next generation is going to have fewer opportunities than we have had, and that the president and the liberal elites in washington in just do not get it. you know, i think if you're going to save the american dream, if you're going to preserve it, you have to understand it. i understand it because i have been lucky enough to lift it. as a girl, growing up on the farm in southern mississippi, -- [applause] >> as a student working my way through college, as a salesman, out knocking on doors in the hot, summer 7480 hours away, as an entrepreneur or, hanging out shingles, as a wife, blessed to

be a mother and grandmother, i understand that americans do not work hard so that their children have to work harder. we work hard so that our children will have it better. [applause] >> this next election -- the president likes to talk about winning the future. i have to tell you, this next election is not about winning the future for some, and losing it for others. it is about securing the american dream for all americans, and let's look at specifically what we can do. if we are going to increase our majority in the house, take control of the senate, and when the white house, we need to be the party that stands for security in uncertain times. when you talk about security in uncertain times, security means a lot of different things.

retirement security, job security, financial security, border security, and most important of all, securing freedom, and we, as republicans, need to lead on every single one of those. to win in 2012, if we do need to be the power of the party of energy security. my dad made a career of selling oil-filled equipment, so this topic is pretty close to my heart, and i have seen first hand how far as technology has come over the years, and recently, in washington, i have seen firsthand how this administration and the epa gets in the way every single time. it seems that what we have is a government out of control. the epa is trying to implement cap and trade regulations right now -- 928 new regulations. congress did not pass this.

the american people do not want it, and we need to fight against it. [applause] >> and to make matters worse, the federal government is now moving forward with plans -- their plans to ban the incandescent light bulb. yes, the light bulb that you love, they want to ban it, making you use a light bulb that will cost you more money, does not work, and when it breaks it is a health hazard to read his and other example of one of washington runs its policy, your wallet is the loser every single time. when it comes to energy policy, i think there is a great solution to this -- four words -- drill here, drill now. [applause]

>> to win in 2012, we need to be the party stands for financial security. the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff has said that our national debt is the biggest threat to our national security. when i was a little girl i left to go to work with my daddy. if we passed a used car lot, and they have the sign out front that said "we told to send out." he explained that one to me, and he said baby, don't you ever let anybody tell your note. apparently, the federal government did not get that message because we have nations like china toteing our note. when you look at our publicly- traded debt, china and owns 25% of that publicly traded debt, japan over 20%, the united

kingdom 7%, opec owns 5%, and we know who makes up opec -- ecuador, bahrain, iraq, kuwait, algeria, nigeria, libya, and iran. they own 5% of our debt. let's look china alone. every day the u.s. government cuts a $119 million check in interest to the chinese government. was that, they can purchase two joint strike fighters every single week, and at the end of the year, they have enough money left over to buy a shiny aircraft carrier. by sailing to tap our -- by failing to tap our spending, we are tapping our children's

future entry in it to the people that own bad debt. if that does not the future i want for my children and grandchildren, and i know that is not the future you want for yours either. we have to be the party of job security. we know government does not create jobs. it kills them. the greatest engine of job creation i've ever known is the ingenuity of the american spirit. we need to cut red tape. we need to reduce government spending. fire of the ingenuity of the american spirit, and cut taxes. [applause] >> my presbyterian deacon husband has a great line on taxes and i think president obama needs to hear it. my husband likes to say "10%, good enough for gone on sunday,

he is absolutely good enough for an uncle sam on monday -- it is absolutely good enough for "sam on monday." [applause] >> president obama sure did like to stimulate the government with the $1 trillion stimulus bill. the only thing i saw on it was a road sign said said american recovery and reinvestment act. we have a new road sign for you, and it says stop. stop trying to spend your way to prosperity. stop proposing new taxes on small businesses. stop digging our country deeper and deeper into debt. we want to help american small business fears hang up a new sign -- small businesses have not unused sign that says how it wanted, we are hiring trend that is how we now our country is on the road to recovery -- help

wanted. we are hiring. that is how we know our country is on the road to recovery. we have republican candidates across this country to begin its review for a new job -- president of the united states of america. i have to tell you, we are an exceptional country, and we deserve an exceptional president of the united states. [applause] >> so, as these candidates debate the issues, some worry the competition will hurt whoever emerges and gets the nomination. i disagree that it is going to hurt. i think it is went out. as a former county party chairman, i learned that competitive primaries always give us a better general election candidate, and we are going to make either him or her, one or the other, i kind of liked that we have some hers, out there, don't you?

you have a major role to play in the. we are never going to get a fair shake from the mainstream media, but you know what, we do not need them. [applause] >> they were not with us in 1980, or 1984, or 2000, or 2010, but the american people were with us then, and they will be with us again." -- with us again. let me tell you how i think it works for the most important news network is you and your network of friends and families, and co-workers, and this is my call to you today -- engage your network in the issues that you care about. use social networking, or better yet, good old fashioned by printing, go door-to-door to read -- door-to-door.

set the record straight. let's give president obama and the liberal elites a lesson in a good old-fashioned politics the way it ought to be from the grassroots, and from the bottom of. i mentioned earlier that i sold books and door-to-door, and one of the lessons i learned was the more i knew about the product by was selling, the better job i did, so let's do our part to be informed on all of these issues, stick to the fact, and make sure the people realize our conservative values are american values. we are the party that can insure the american dream during uncertain times. we are the party that can defend freedom in a dangerous world. which your help, we are the party that can win big next year. despite all of the challenges that are out there, i am confident in this country's future, and you should be, too.

anybody who doubts america's future only needs to look at our past. this is the country whose founders fired the shot heard round the world. this is the country whose citizens have chosen to protect liberty in every single generation. this is the country whose free- market economy brought about the american dream, and this is the country whose future rests in your hands. let's make our founding fathers proud. [applause] foret's choose a new course this country. let's leave our children and our grandchildren in better shape. let's get out there. let's win this one for the gipper. [applause]

>> thank you. god bless. [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, we have had some confusion backstage. there is no change in the schedule. -- there has been a change in the schedule. [applause] >> i used to do all of the housekeeping. as a lot of fun.

it is not all seriousness of the time that the louisiana gop. we produced a little video that is self explanatory. i think you'll have some fun with that. ♪ [unintelligible] the cooperation and unity of purpose which we have long sought has finally been reached. yes, i can report to you tonight that i have been asked to be the honorary chair of the

republican voter registration geithner -- drive pair i am deeply touched by this high honor. i realize that i have had many differences with the republicans in the recent past. i strongly supported the government's takeover of health care, fought for irresponsible spending, increase taxes, and inflated debt ceilings, and appointed many progressives to important federal offices. [laughter] >> come to think of it, i do not know a single reason why the republicans would want me to the chair their voter republican drive. they seem to appeal by -- they seem to believe i appeal to the republican party better than anybody else [laughter] they take the federal debt limit and the constitution seriously.

if you believe this stuff, you need to be a republican. god bless you, and god bless the united states of america ca. [laughter] [applause] >> did you like it? it was funny. anyway, presumably -- and i'm not into electronics. if you are interested in doing something like this, and the way it ends by the way is there is a 10 or 15 second clip that i shall instruct people how to change their registration. so we think this might get some traction. is that the word? anyway, where is the follow that produced it? [applause]

[applause] >> whether you guys doing here? what is going on? [laughter] >> thank you. thank you, thank you. thank you. thank you. how are you? thank you. thank you. thank you all so much. now, i know that you are republicans, but that welcome was pretty weak. so, listen, i'm going to go backstage, and you're going to try that again. [laughter] [applause] the usan

♪ >> thank you. thank you. that is what i'm talking about. that is a welcome. thank you so much. yes we can. god bless you. now, now, that is enough. [laughter] >> it is my turn did speak. it's great to be back in new orleans. now, is a hot outside, or is it just al gore? [laughter] >> now, let me be clear. let me be clear -- i'm here today to extend an olive branch

to the republican party. now, i do not want to ruffle any fathers here today, but would you all mind change in this room around according to the pre-1967 sitting arrangement? [laughter] [applause] >> you over there, you over there, and you there. now, i must thank the chairman of the national republican committee for all that you do. what is it exactly that you do? 0. that is right. i appreciate you. reince priebus parent that name sounds a little fishy. could somebody -- rance priebus. that name sounds a little fishy. could somebody called donald trump and verify his birth certificate? i think we can all in event like

this needs a voice of reason, a voice from of hope, some of that will look you in the eye, and give you a big hug, and let you know everything is ok. unfortunately, michele could not be here. now, when vice president joe biden heard was coming here today, he truly wanted to be here, he was so excited. he pulled me in close, he held me tight, he leaned in, just like that, and he whispered in my ear "this is a big f-ing dell." -- deal." >> i said i know, that is why you are staying here. he might be asking yourself what is the president doing today? the budget is out of control. the deficit is rapidly growing,

and their threats of a government shutdown, so i figured i would do with any great president would do in these trying times head down to louisiana, and polish up on my golf game. looking good. i am on vacation. a few months back, my family and vacation in thetoc state of my birth, hawaii, whereas the tea party calls it, kenya. [laughter] [applause] >> but, time does fly when you are having fun. we are more than halfway through june already. my favorite month is february, black history month. you see, michele celebrates the full month, and, you know, i

celebrate half. [applause] [laughter] >> my father was a black man from kenya, and my mother was a white woman from kansas. so, yes, my mother loved the black man, and no, she was not a kardashian. [laughter] >> now, most of you know i've still not been able to quit smoking, and i might need some outside help take a look at this picture of somebody snap of me on the 2008 campaign. [laughter] >> one year later somebody snapped this photo. [laughter] >> i need help. somebody.

the worst part is president's age so quickly. now, looks, this is general george washington before he agreed to be our first president. his looking nice and young. this is president washington law was our president. -- while he was our president, and this is george washington today. [laughter] boo. >> do you see what i mean? >> here, is w. before september 11. is looking good. the size of, on a point. [laughter] [applause] >> now, after 9/11 -- not so

good. confused. >> now, but the. i love this photo. -- looking at this. i love this total. we were ready to take on the world. i had computer technology predict what michele and i are going to look like at the end of my first term. [laughter] >> but, despite all of that, at the halfway point in the most historic presidency in the history of the united states, five two words for each and every one of you -- your welcome.

you're welcome for the thriving economy that helped to create. [laughter] you're welcome for the peaceful middle east that i helped to forge, and the gift of humility that i've given syria and a winner. -- that i have given some anthony wiener. [laughter] [applause] >> that is right. i may have given him the gift of humility, but you pay for that cute little tall. >> truth be told, i never was a fan of winter. that boy was always trying to walk up me. i released my long form birth certificate. he releases his long form twitter photo. [laughter] >> now, i must say that the

state of our union is not good. the debt is rapidly growing. unemployment is quickly rising. people are being forced from their homes. i feel their pain, because in two years, that could be me. [laughter] [applause] >> settle down. settle down. [applause] >> yes you can. [laughter] >> that is enough out of you. now, i was criticized for joking about shovel-ready jobs the other day. but, the truth is we need to build tunnels and bridges. that way people would have something to live under or jump off of. [laughter] >> now, --

[applause] [laughter] >> in a recent poll, only 15% of americans believe there will be a great depression, but the bad news for me is the other 85% believe there will only be a very good depression. now, i am proud to say that we are finding great strides -- we are making great strides in finding non-combat solutions to find a deer with muammar gaddafi, and kim jong il, or as we refer to them in the situation room, two and a half of men. [laughter] >> look of little kim jong il. is he not cute? little, little man. [laughter]

>> now, attorney general eric holder, at my direction, will be fighting alabama's controversial immigration bill, which is even more extreme than that of arizona's. it states police have probable cause to check anybody's immigration status is anybody is equal to or greater than that of john the cry very bitter -- john boehner's. you want to see my impression of john boehner? what do you think? i have been working on the four months. i do not know why that man cries so much. the spray cans are not cheap. $40. let me be clear. i am against any state in a hearing with federal immigration

law. surely after arizona passed its bill, i received a letter that said "mr. president, i was born in this country. i get up early every day. i worked extremely hard. i come home to my wife and my kids, and still, the police stop me and question my intentions. i did not think senator john mccain should be treated that way. or do i? that,'m proud of all of but listening to the attacks from by components and the right-wing media, you think i have not gotten anything done, but it is true what harry truman once said -- if you want a friend in washington, get a dog, so i did. his name is bo.

his full name is vote to italy. officials --om mmy initials barack obama. billy comes from the amount of support at dawn from fox news. he sleeps in his dog house every night. it is not a new dog house, from what i'm told, bill clinton slept in the a lot. [applause] [laughter] >> perhaps my expectations were too high when i took this job. as yuri -- as you can recall, my slogan was yes we can, and i have to admit, i thought we could, but apparently, no we cannot. [applause] [laughter] >> so, in front of you here today, this afternoon, i'm unveiling the new slogan.

♪ >> i killed osama. what do you think? it was not george bush. it was not dick cheney. that was me. i did that for you. so, that is my new slogan. i think it is pretty cool. but, you write-winners should be proud of me because the mission to capture osama bin laden was not only successful in that i killed him, but in cooperation with two of my dear liberal supporters, proved a you are correct after all. torture does work. [laughter] >> who would have thought? [laughter]

>> but the economy is fragile. it is barely moving. it is gasping for air. is desperately clinging to life, just like newt gingrich, the campaign. come on. he is in serious trouble. his consultants are dropping faster than anthony wiener's pants in an aol chatroom. [laughter] >> speaking of candidates, a little birdie told me you are looking for someone to challenge me in 2012. really? how's that going for you? ok. well, let's see.

you have your front runner, mitt romney. now, do not get me wrong. he might make a great president, along with his first lady, second lady, third lady. [laughter] >> now, it is unfortunate that tim pawlenty could not make it here, but cut him some slack. he is having his foot surgically removed from his mouth. do not worry. luckily for him, it is covered under obamaney-care, that along with spinal transplants. >> come on. john king served him up a ball softer than barney frank's

backside. now, because of him, people are asking me when i will explain the details of my health care plan, and i have three words for you -- so am i.. now, the donald. remember him? he is threatening to run as an independent, but the only thing running independent of donald trump is his hair. [laughter] >> now we have michele bachmann to . [applause] >> now, what can i say about michele bachmann that she has not already set about herself? the other day she called me a one-term president. [applause]

[inaudible] [unintelligible] -- one syllable president. i have to go. god bless you. god bless the united states. god bless america. thank you. key why. -- thank you. [applause] >> good afternoon.

are you all still come to? -- pomp? i started with you this morning. i want to make sure you are at a certain level, or above there. very good. i'm about to introduce to you the most important man the you not yet know. his name is reince priebus. reince priebus. [applause] >> he is the chairman of the rnc. he is the point man. he is the guy to get for austin next president of the united states from the republican party. [applause] >> just a brief word about him, because we are running behind on time, money is from wisconsin. we have been following wisconsin. we know what happens there. he orchestrated the turnaround

in wisconsin from a blue state to a red state. [applause] >> he was a chief for paul ryan, our budget chairman in the house, and as you know, help scott walker become governor, and to push back against the constrictions from the unions that are killing our jobs today. so, with no further to dick -- delay, i present to your friends priebus. thank you. >> thank you, doctor. thank you, everybody. thank you for that warm welcome. it is great to be in the ones, and great to be here with dedicated conservatives that comprise the heart and soul of our great party. the dedicated conservatives who will help achieve our goal, and save america by defeating barack obama. [applause]

>> by the white, it was nice to barack obama to talk about my name. i know it is a bizarre name. i promise you i am learning to live with it. i'm as normal as they come, and to prove it to you, my son's name is jack, my daughter is grace, my wife is sally, and i got rhines i actually was at a fund-raiser in orlando a few months ago. you may have heard we need to raise a few dollars at the rnc. somebody pulled a lapel pin off of my jacket and said look at this. if you take in the vaults out of reince priebus dtv take the --

if you take the vowels out of reince priebus. >> obviously i am honored. while the job description, my goal is simple. it is to make barack obama a one-term president. the greatest moral measure of good leadership comes down to one simple but substantial question. do we leave our children and america that is freer, stronger, and more prosperous than we founded? will they be better off than we

were? the answer to that question today is, sadly, no. for the first time, and a long time, more americans believe that the next generation, your kids and my kids, will be worse off than we were at their age. there were many threats to our freedoms in the world today and they are worthy of a strong fight. foremost among them are three principles that we can all believe in that were spelled out in the path to prosperity. number one, a government that loses its sovereignty to its bondholders cannot guarantee prosperity or freedom to anybody, and a government that

buries its kids and it's grandkids in an avalanche of debts cannot rest in the moral high ground. and a government that stifles economic growth with excessive taxation, litigation, and regulation cannot create a competitive climate for economic expansion. i believe that a culture of complacency has settled in over washington. to many leaders in our country are not content in doing what is right, but what is easy. they lack the will, the capacity, and the courage to make hard decisions today that will put our country on a path to prosperity tomorrow. these are times of great fiscal consequence in this country. if we do nothing, if we are

complacent, then i believe we are complicity in an imperiling freedom, prosperity, an opportunity for the next generation. because the fight for a return to fiscal discipline and financial sovereignty is fundamentally a fight for freedom. my son, who is 6, asked me just a few weeks ago -- he literally ask me, dad, are you president obama's worst enemy? a pundit in the making. the trick is, no, obviously, the president is a gifted politician, no doubt about it. but you know, as i do, that good pollack 6 do not yield good policies.

-- that good politics do not yield good policies. good speeches do not yield a good jobs. you know that winning debates does not mean that you are winning the future. legacy is ant's legacy of failed leadership. does it feel like the president has turned to the economy around? does it feel like we are better off today than we were three years ago? does it feel like we are winning the future? no, we are losing the future. we are falling behind. we are leaving our children with a destiny of debt and a future of uncertainty. confronting the reality and acting with principal and purpose to change its is one of our great moral callings of our

time. don't be afraid to see what you see, is what president reagan told us. well, this is the barack obama that we have seen. he said that we need an america to live within its means. he said we need to reduce the deficit and address the debt ceiling. he said we need to reduce wasteful washington spending. the president says, and the president says, and the president says, but the results do not match the rhetoric. this is what we have seen. we have seen a washington that barrault's roughly $.5 billion every day just to pay its bills.

borrows $4.5 billion every day just to pay its bills. the trajectory we are launched upon in spending in this country, when my little jack is my age, it will cost 43 cents on every dollar made in america just to run the federal government. just think about that. 43 cents on every dollar made in america, just to run the government. in the last two years, non- defense discretionary spending has increased almost 25%. how many of their budgets have increased 25% over the last two years? anybody? if we do nothing, by 2040, our national debt will equal twice

our entire economy. that is the economic definition of bankruptcy. at the end of the day, a country controlled by china cannot compete with china. this is america, the greatest country on the face of the earth, and we are going broke. on his watch. and raising the debt ceiling continuously, providing a blank check, a credit card with no limit, is not the solution, is the problem. because the day will come when the ceiling collapses, and with it, the foundation of the american dream. our country was not built on blank checks. our economy was built on

ingenuity, hard worker, and sacrifice. it was built on the backs of americans who came together to make america great. where is that spirit in washington? this president seems to think that hope is a solution. hope is a sound bite, and the last i checked, hope is not hiring in america. [applause] this path that we are on, this irresponsible and unsustainable economic course, puts freedom in peril. ladies and gentlemen, we are in a battle for freedom in this country. we are in a battle for freedom. 43 cents on every dollar made in america to run the government. that is a battle for freedom.

that is the same battle for freedom that founded our country. it is the same battle for freedom that james madison reaffirmed in the bill of rights. it's the same battle of freedom that founded our party, and here we are today. the most important election of our lifetime. we are in a battle for opportunity, a battle for freedom, a battle for self- determination. so the question remains, do we want a country that leads or do we want to have a country that follows. do we want to have a country of makers for a country of takers? do you want to have were people writing the wagon -- riding wagon or driving the wagon? as we gather here today, the president's advisers are charting a course for a $1

billion campaign for reelection. i think he is going to need more than a billion dollars. as i said before, i came here to listen to you, to learn from you, and i came here to work with you. a lot of people ask me, how did you get interested in politics? i thought about that a lot, and i am here is a product of hard work. i was a person putting together the phone banks, putting the pizza parties together, making sure we had enough phones and people in 2000, making sure we were getting in the voter effort and the phone call effort out. but i can remember as a little guy, my mother's entire family lives in greece. we can learn a lot from what is happening in greece right now.

i can remember as a little guy going to greece, and my grandfather was very interested in politics. they have three parties. the have the communist party, the socialist party, and the new democracy party. those are the good guys. i remember on his balcony, he had a flag that said new democracy. he had another flag, and it was the american flag. i can remember when they would come to kenosha, wisconsin. i would sit on the couch with my grandfather in he would take out the world book and look up residence -- presidents. he would tell me stories about every president. it could be jimmy carter, dwight eisenhower, and everyone of them was great.

by eisenhower was fantastic. ronald reagan -- love ronald reagan. the one thing i remember about that was that the person that i looked up to the most, the person that i would listen to anything that he said, love america. he loved this country, and he was not from here. i can promise you on my life that did not run for chairman of this party, and i would venture to guess that not what -- not one single one of you in this crowd is here because you have some great concern about the future of the republican party. i love this party. of course, we all do. but i ran for chairman, and you are here today listening, because you are worried about the future of this country. this is about america, not about the republican party or the democratic party. this is about america.

[applause] we have an opportunity in this country, if we work together. we could disagree on a lot of things. i am sure to squabble about a thing or two here or there. but we have all been blessed, everyone of us, in a different way. god has blessed us all differently. but we are unified in one thing, and i know for sure that we are unified together in this party to defeat this president, save this country, and in the process, we will save our party. with that, i appreciate everyone here today. i look forward to spending the afternoon with you. god bless you, and thank you very much for listening. [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, welcome colonel mike mcallister from the state of florida. [applause] >> what a fine looking group of americans. it is kind of funny being up here as a retired colonel, a little bit after our commander in chief. too bad he does not know how to run a war in libya. by -- as i look out at the

energy and excitement in this room, no wonder the democrats are getting scared. i know that some of you see yourselves as a tea party- minded individual. keep up the good work, you are going to save this country. what a great day to be a part of this fight to take america back. i am god-fearing first, women during second. america loving, flag-waving conservative businessmen and retired colonel that is running for united states senate. i am from florida, and we really clean house in 2010. we elected governor rick scott and mark o. rubio, and we sent a hard-charging colonel named allen west to washington. i want to recognize the view of the groups here. ladies, everywhere i go, you are involved in your effort and your impact is simply outstanding in this fight.

our seniors, you are our national heritage. you worked hard to build this country with your sweat and blood and tears. as for the sacrifices you made, we cannot let you down, and we must restore america to the greatness you created and keep it there. i want to recognize all of our military veterans and veterans' families, and let there be no doubt, you are our nation's heroes. those conservative bloggers that are getting out the word of conservatism, keep out working. this is still the greatest nation on the planet. american is the world's last true global military power and protector of freedom around the world. as a fairly recently retired colonel, i can tell you confidently that we today have the very finest young airman, seamen, rings, and soldiers in the world.

americans never need to go anywhere in the world and hang their head. this country has saved the world more than once with our most precious blood, and i think we are all tired of the president's standing on foreign soil, vowing to muslim kings and apologizing for who we are, and it has got to stop. [cheers and applause] you hear people say that nobody likes america anymore, and perhaps it was stated as eloquently as ever by a british gentleman who made the statement, the best way to take measure of any nation is how many people want end and how many want out. i think the events of recent weeks sent a strong message to any enemy or a threat warning to test the will, resolve, or spirit of the american people. if you feel lucky today, bring

it on. it does not matter how much it costs or how long it takes, we will hunt you down, and we will eliminate you. [applause] my vision for america i am sure is the same as yours. i want us to be strong, prosperous, said, proud, soccer, and respected around were for who and what we are, and we have earned it. we need a strong economic future, by getting government out of the way and america back open for business again. we have to realize what we are up against. we are 5% of the world. china and end up -- china and india are 40% of the world. china is now the largest manufacturer of goods and the largest exporter. they have virtually no patent laws, and they now have the most academic hours in the school year. so we have work to do. we have to bring industry and jobs to america. we need a more business friendly

environment. we have 25 million americans who are either unemployed or underemployed. we need lower taxes, less and regulations and tort reform. we need an effective value chain analysis to get all of our companies plug into their industry mainstream. we need to provide incentives to american companies, and we need to get america back leading the way in manufacturing and development of high-tech goods and services. we need to strategically aligned our healthcare system and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. we need tort reform so doctors and hospitals do not have to prescribe unnecessary tests just to get paid or avoid being sued. we have to upgrade education. we need to get industry more involved in our curriculum's at all levels of high school, college, and tech schools. we need to be graduating students that are prepared for

future jobs that will be well paid. we need to elevate the curriculums of tech schools for those students who do not want to go to college, and we need more internships for students where they get academic credit to go out in the workplace and learn how competitive and serious it is, and they will be a better student when they come back. we need to take a moment and look at what is going on around us. we are under attack everywhere we look. internally, we have uncontrolled spending by the federal government. union management not accepting the reality of foreign competition, and liberal judges making up rules as they go. we have a failing education system that is not keeping up with global competition. the federal government is ignoring the rights of our states and citizens, and restrictive laws and cut in american productivity and our competitive spirit.

we still have communism working in our country to destroy a family values. illegal immigration and and secure borders taking our jobs and costing us money with government benefits. we have a growing black market , phony credits cards, and phony of voter cards, and it has got to stop. the liberals do not want to acknowledge the reality of any of this. expertly, we have an unfair trade practices. they are bridging our patterns and investment with china and brazil that is robbing us from our proprietary technology and economic strength. this results in foreign goods robbing us of our jobs and our industrial base. we still have global proliferation of weapons of mass discussion reject of mass

destruction. -- proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. we still have a global war on terror and radical islamic expansion around the world with al qaeda and hamas, and vladimir putin with his vision in russia returning to their former power. we have money-laundering and drug-trafficking as well as black market oil. the terrorists have to pay their bills, too. cyber as banaszak of our secrets. pirates operating openly on the seas, and you in initiatives trying to tell us where to live and take away our guns. how are we going to do these threats? i think ronald reagan had it right. you threaten us, we win, you lose. [applause] we need less regulation and fewer laws that restrict

business, jobs, and freedom. we need to decrease or eliminate the u.s. department of education and return that control to the states. we need to secure our borders. to put this altogether, how we are going to go forward and when this entire battle, we need a comprehensive and integrated national security policy that returns american pride, strength, and respect around the world. were our allies and with us at all times pitbull we have to ensure our national secrets and vital interests are protected. no more wikileaks. we need a policy to consist of six core pillars. an immigration policy that allows states to protect themselves and check the legal status when visitors or someone is here and is questionable of their citizenship. we need to require certified citizenship and birth certificates to obtain of voter registration card.

if you are here illegally, we are going to return you to your home country at their expense, and no amnesty. my friends, this is not a garage sale on being a citizen in america. we need an energy policy that decreases our dependency on foreign oil and stops the strain on our economy. we need to increase our domestic oil production and refinery capacity, and we need the department of energy and the epa facilitating that process instead of constantly standing in the way. we need an economic policy. we have to address both sides of our balance sheet. we are in business to sell products and services. we need to cut spending with a federal balanced budget amendment and start paying off this $14 trillion debt. we have to make sure that we save medicare and social security, protect and promote

small business, restore or free markets, and promote entrepreneurialism and new business start-ups. we have did have trade agreements to protect our jobs and patents and technology. we need a foreign policy that returns american prestige and honor and pride around the world. our u.s. embassies and an ambassador teams need to be formidable. we need to have no trade agreements with nations that are breeding our patents, harboring terrorists, or not supporting us to the world at all time. we need no foreign aid to any country that does not stand with us at any issue or time. we needed domestic policy here at home that protect america's homeland. we need to restore the constitution as the law of the land. it is the law of the land. we need to limit union bargaining and government jobs. when we do it infrastructure development, it needs to be american workers, materials, and equipment.

we need to protect our proprietary technology in force employers to ensure that their workers are here legally and in the tax system. we need effective homeland security and we need to make sure there is no sharia law, courts, or bank in this country. i think we need to try anyone that is a terrorist in a military tribunals and not the conference of civilian court. we need a military policy. we must maintain the strongest and best military and the world and fulfill all commitments to our veterans. when the day comes that someone continues to be a threat to our country and they will not play well in the sandbox and we have exhausted every other option, we have to go to the tool box and get the big hammer. but we have to do it right, and not like this poor management

that is going on in libya. you have to accurately assess the threat. what are their strengths and weaknesses? we take a look at establishing a fourth package that brings to bear overwhelming force and integrates all assets and resources of national power into a fully joint operation that completely dominates the battles base at every level, strategically, operationally, and tactically. in every in burma, land, sea, and air. you have rules of engagement that level the playing field for our troops and takes away the unfair any advantages. you have a clearer vision sigyn know what the big three will look like. you command the tempo and you dictate the outcome, and you kick their butt. [applause]

when the military objectives are achieved and the victory is secure, you have a well orchestrated and designed exit strategy and bring the troops out, but you protect them and their families while they are gone. i don't want to see any more foreclosures of homes of our troops when they are protecting our country. where do we go from here? we must continue despite to take our country back and entities liberal giveaways. i took an oath as did many of us to protect and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies, foreign and domestic. we need our judges, congress, and president to respect and defend the constitution, and we must replace the ones that are not doing what is right for america and future generations. we need to take control of the u.s. senate in 2012 with real

conservatives with serious credentials to face these global threats. i get asked where i stand on the second and the 10th amendment. i would like a sign at every harbor and airport, warning, the justice will be served with the second amendment. [applause] we have to trash this obama economics that has doubled our debt and given as 9% unemployment and throw the obama health care in the trash for good. we need to let the american spirit and ingenuity go back to work and restore the family as the pillar of american society. we have to keep the ownership of america in the hands of american citizens and out of the hands of our federal government, china, and the un.

we have to quit using the government to collect union dues for paychecks and stop giving our money away and use it to save medicare and social security. i would fire janet napolitano and get someone running homeland security that understands that that job is to protect american citizens, and not those who are hill illegally. we need a full audit of the federal reserve. they need to add transparency to the gao. we have to get back to the values and principles that made this country great. we need to get the pride of american history, the teaching of the constitution, the american flag, and the pledge of allegiance back in our schools. [cheers and applause] we have to stop this political correctness and coddling of

islamic terrorists. these radicals want to kill us, and it cannot be tolerated. we cannot allow islamic banks or courts in our country, and we must fully support israel as the only democracy and ally we have in the middle east. i would never issue of building permit for a mosque on sacred american soil, stained with the blood of innocent citizens by a terrorist attack. [applause] we must secure our borders, and no more live service. i worked in u.s. special operations command on terror. we have everything coming through this border, not just people wanting to pick strawberries where i live. we have to stop rewarding people for being here illegally. we need to realize that led the

world know that being in this country is a privilege and not our right. americans that paid the ultimate price, but just because you show up does not mean we owe you anything. if you want to be here, you have to be here illegally. if you want to work here, you have to be in the tax system. if you want to live here, you need to be a contributor and not a taker. if you want to be a citizen, we have a process that you need to follow, and please learn to speak english. [cheers and applause] my friends, we are going to close, but we need to recognize that this election next year, the liberals are formidable. they will go to any extreme. let's not kid ourselves. we have to get our game face on and put our most qualified players on the field at every level.

next year's elections will have long-lasting consequences. how many of you all have children or grandchildren? next year's election is about our children, grandchildren, and our country. it is not about political careers. we have to put formidable people against these threats. we are under attack, and we need all hands on deck. freedom is never more than one generation away from the station. it must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. i friends, this is still the land of the free and home of the brave, and one nation, under god. we must keep america strong, prosperous, and stop those that want to give away or take it away. failure is simply not an option. americans have always found a

way to fight and win, and we will once again. too often our politicians but themselves first, but soldiers put america first. in 2012, florida ins are going to send another hard-charging kernel to washington to give allen west some reinforcements. [applause] i want to thank you for letting me be here today. you are doing great work. we are going to win this fight. never let your head get down. i want to thank you, and may god bless you, and may god bless america. [cheers and applause]

>> i think mike is on the upper well, don't you? -- summed it up pretty well. michele bachmann, 191 votes. herman cain, 100 four votes. newt gingrich, 69 votes. jon huntsman, 382 votes. gary johnson, 10. sarah palin, 41 votes. ron paul, 612 votes. i am just the messenger.

tim pawlenty, 18 votes. buddy roemer, nine votes. mitt romney, 74 votes, and rick santorum, 41 votes. ron paul is the winner of the all rnc. -- winner of the rnc. -- rlc. >> from louisiana, our own tony perkins.

>> note to self, never follow a straw poll. that we tell you, it is great to be back in my home state, among friends at this republican leadership conference. at first i was surprised it was not the southern leadership conference. at first i was a little concerned, but i understand we have invited folks from across the country to come and celebrate the centennial of ronald reagan. ofu will honor the legacy occu ronald reagan. it was from southern california. his favorite dish was macaroni and cheese. that is no substitute for fried catfish and jambalaya. change the title, but leave the menu alone. i want to thank each and everyone of you. you are the backbone of the conservative movement. many of you have labored from

your early years advancing a unifying vision, the same vision that ronald reagan articulated so well. peace through strength, small government, free enterprise, and traditional values. -- my first political involvement was not until i ran for and won a legislative seat here in louisiana. in fact, elected office and shaping public policy never entered my mind as a youth. as a teenager before i began working in law enforcement, at the age of 15, i felt called into the ministry, and i began preaching. i began preaching in nursing homes. i did not know it at the time, but that was great preparation for the legislature. i think it is fitting that we are honoring ronald reagan. he believed in the permanent things of hearth and home. he understood who we are as a

people, and who is the source of our liberties. over the past seven months, ever since last november's extraordinary events at the ballot box, a gaggle of media voices and a few politicians have trotted out the argument that economic and fiscal issues are tromping social issues and that we should show of those issues aside. the implication is that americans -- people are no longer concerned about the social state of our country, that they want the values issue to be downplayed or even dismissed altogether. on the way here i got a tweet that said social and values issues are no longer relevant to the national political debate. former congressman anthony weiner. by the way, apparently the last straw for the congressman was

the revelation that he had been pleading with ginger lee, a porn star. someone asked how she could get involved in such a sleazy business. she responded, i don't know how i got involved. [laughter] as we meet here today, i do not pretend to know how the critical, moral issues of our time will play out. we see through a glass darkly in this life, the way ahead is full of perils, seen and unseen, but even if we cannot predict where our nation is headed, we as conservatives know where we must stand today. we must cut, cap, balance, and berry. we must cut the budget, cap federal spending, pass a balanced budget amendment, and barry obamacare -- bury

obamacare. some argue that government spending, budget deficits and the national debate are out of control, and other matters must be set aside indefinitely. one prominent political figure called for a truce on course social issues. ironically, the priority of his own family concerns of priority that i only commend him for embracing. it has not dissuaded him from seeking higher office. this is not unique consort -- not a unique circumstance for one conservative leader. read the letters of washington, jefferson, and madison. there you will find the abiding sense that they serve their nation not to expel the enterprises of government, but to preserve the liberties they

most enjoyed in the meadows of mount vernon and monticello. they saw the government as the servant of the people, not the other way around. we aim to recover that spirit. in fact, we insist upon it. to accomplish this goal at a time of internal uncertainty, it is no small task. but we cannot accomplish it as a fragmented and feuding bad engaged in regina in endless internal squabbles over priorities. we must embody and express a coherent and compelling vision, one that unites the three mighty cords of conservatism and draws them snugly together. we seek the nation that is militarily strong and secure, economically prosperous and free, and socially help the and virtuous. some say these principles of conservatism are negotiable.

we have been told that the commitment to these principles is a political liability, that purity is an enemy of victory. i would say, just look at recent election results. when it comes to these conservative principles, compromise is a companion of losers. this past sunday marked the 24th anniversary of the speech made by ronald reagan that changed the course of history. and june 12, 1987, standing in front of the brandenburg gate at the berlin wall, ronald reagan challenged general secretary gorbachev, the leader of the soviet state. he said, if you truly seek peace, if your desire is true for the well-being of your people, then open the gate way to prosperity. allow the people of eastern europe to experience economic, social, and spiritual bounty that a free society and a free economy produces.

if you remember, he then challenged him to remove the confining all of godless communism that had enslaved millions with these now famous words, "mr. gorbachev, tear down this wall." [applause] in america, we have watched as our government has erected a wall of debt through the expansion of government programs and policies and has served to insulate our government from the voice of the people. this wall of debt built with the blocks up the government has subjugated the businesses that drive our economy, indenture are dramas, and now threatens to enslave our children and grandchildren. president obama, if you truly seek what is best for america, if you seek prosperity for america's families, if you seek the well-being of our children and our children's children, then mr. president, tear down

this wall of debt. [applause] we do not need to raise the ceiling, we need to tear down the wall. this wall of debt did not just happen. it was erected one government program at a time, as federal policy devalued the role of family and community. when a citizen is content in his home life, confident in his neighbors, and in control of his own resources, his need for government is very small. but when the family falters, when mothers avoid marriage and father's plea responsibility, when youth lax supervision and crime rises, when schools flounder and local capital evaporate, and broken windows proliferate, then government will grow relentlessly, and dependency becomes a mere necessity.

as the author mark stein recently commented, he said social issues are not separate from the debt crisis. the collapse of the american family is a fiscal issue. unwed women are one of the most reliable boating groups for big government. as a father of five, i can affirm this basic truth. two full-time parents are barely enough to keep up with the human needs of children. the single mother returns to government for provision is only acting rationally. as our nation approaches having a majority of its children born out of wedlock, something over a dozen european countries already have, it is no wonder we are reaching a turning point in the size and scope of government. that me be specific. the cost of family breakdown is huge in direct terms, and

compounds at an unfathomable rate. several years ago, the georgia family council, the institute for marriage and public policy and the institute for american values calculated the annual cost of the breakdown of the family to u.s. taxpayers. the study examined only direct costs of divorce and unwed childbearing. it was $112 billion a year. we cannot be any clearer. what is the prescription? let me assure you, the prescription is not another dose of costly government, but rather government taking a new hippocratic oath when it comes to family policy. first, do no harm. government from the time of the great society has devised ever more laws and programs that enable and encourage father absence. other decisions have devalued

human worth, undermine personal responsibility, and chipped away at the cornerstone of civil society. something terrible happened along this path wake of court created rights. we forgot duty and honor. we ask less of men, and now today, they tell us we have reached the end of men. government does not need to spend billions more to change the course in this area. it should and can spend billions less. needs to encourage work, embrace the complementary nature of men and women, honor marriage and celebrate the family. that me be equally clear about something else. pradesh family and pro-like conservatives are not now and have never been in different to the economic needs for growth and fiscal security. we are passionate about those

issues as well, and we understand what is at stake. those who bear today's children are the last people willing to see enormous deficits and debts handed down to future generations. the scripture tells us that no parent who hears a sons plead for brett will hand him a stone, or for a fish and hand him a steak. the stones and stakes of today or crushing, indigestible mountains of debt that this nation is amassing. $4.2 billion a day. who will forgive us if we as conservatives, of all people, failed to free future generations to share the blessings that we have known? [applause] let me close with a short story.

there was once a mediocre music conductor who led an equally mediocre an undisciplined orchestra. they had been having problems with the bases. they were the least professional of all his musicians. it was the last performance of the season. beethoven's ninth symphony, which required extra effort from the basses. that were passing the bottle. the nervous conductor knocked over his music stand and sheet music scattered across the floor. as he stood there in front of his orchestra, he realized his worst fear. it was bottom of the ninth, there was no score, and the basses were loaded. [laughter]

i don't know how you deal, but to me, this could well be the bottom of the ninth for our beloved country. we faced enormous deficits, a faltering economy, and a weak dollar. uncertain leadership abroad, alliances that are imperil, a level of family disruption beyond anything our nation has ever seen. this is no time for us to lapse into becoming an undisciplined orchestra with different parts set off against each other. instead, we need a rousing symphony, the drums of strong national defense, the horns of economic abundance, and the strings that bind families together. this is not a political opportunity for republicans. it is a civic and moral duty for americans. it is the vision that has brought our nation and our

movement its best days. i know you'll understand a reference to the hero of this conference by say our best days are yet to come. thank you, god bless you, and may god bless the united states of america. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, from the great state of louisiana, congressman rodney alexander. [applause] >> good afternoon, fellow republicans. i am certainly glad to be here with you today on this special occasion. ending the conference that has

been such a success, a conference for our party, for honoring our favorite president, ronald reagan. thank you for your tireless leadership, and most of all, the commitment and hard work you have put in. most of you know that yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of president obama's ill-fated recovery summer. president obama, along with the majority in his party, have been trying to persuade the american people that 28 consecutive months of unemployment above 8% is merely a bump in the road. wow, what about that is.

with the president considers to be a bump, i consider to be a brick wall. i grew up in the construction business, and i remember running a motor a greater in my debts construction business. for those of you do not know what that is, it is a piece of construction equipment that smoothes out both in the road. i am here to say that bumps can be smoothed out in a road, but mr. president, this is not a bump, this is major. order to smooth this economic bump, we must if we adopt policies -- government needs to get out of the way. it needs to remove the barriers it has created that stifle growth and investment. it must allow businesses to get back to business.

my generation grew up in a land of opportunity, a gift bestowed by the hard working generations that came before us. i was raised in rural louisiana. i parents instilled in me a strong work ethic -- my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic and a mentality of individual responsibility which lead me to believe that anyone can accomplish the american dream. i began working again in the construction business, running a small business with my brother, who is here, a staunch republican. i brought my family up in the same great community in which i was raised. i served the great -- the people of the great state of louisiana as a member of congress. my parents' generation left this world a better place, yet i cannot say the same will be true

for the world we are leaving for the generations that follow us. our current governmental policies have created much uncertainty for the future of america. today, as the massive debt burdens our nation and it continues to mount, we are watching the american dream vanish before our very eyes. our economy remains stagnant, because we are placing too much trust and power in the government, and not enough trust and power in the hands of the american people. president thomas jefferson understood this all too well over 200 years ago, when he said "to preserve the independence of the people, we must not let our rulers lotus with perpetual debt."

president reagan even understood that and hoisted perfectly by a saying "individual liberty depends on keeping government under control." unfortunately, there are those in washington who refuse to listen and he these important words. to those who still believe that a bloated