year that we spend to fill out of the stupid tax code. nine, nine, nine. [applause] i told you about the bull's-eye on my back. the critics are already trying to prove it is not a good idea. we designed it so it would be neutral. when you see some of these reports saying it will not do this or that, they have changed the assumptions. come to me and my people and we will explain to what the assumptions are. they do not want to do that. three additional benefits. it

certainty to the business community. 999 means jobs, jobs, jobs. [applause] those are the benefits of the 999 plan. we know it will boost it. we have headed evaluated. the other thing it will do is it will get government out of the business of picking winners and losers. there would be no loopholes other than the small number of deductions you are able to make personal like charitable contributions, businesses can deduct purchases. if you buy ingredients for your product from u.s. companies, you can deducted before you apply the 9%. if you buy your ingredients and components from foreign countries, nondeductible. [applause] it is leveling the playing field.

it gets government out of the business of picking winners and losers and allows the free market system to pick the winners and losers. that is what they 999 plan does. working on the right problem. one of the other questions that often get as close -- why are you running for president? to be president. [laughter] [applause] what did i mess? i am not running to go to disneyland. [laughter] america has problems. i'm a problem solver. that is why i am running. [applause] my challenge to you -- my

challenge to you is to stay informed because we are up against a lot of stupid people in america. who do not have a clue. that is why you have to be informed. currently, stay involved. come to conferences like this, go to rallies, good to have parties, the two parties where you watch the debates into your own evaluation. go to website come into your own research, stay involved. it is the informed and involved that are going to make sure that we change the outcome of the november, 2012 election different from what the liberals want. thirdly, state inspired. they want you to believe that we can do this. just like three months ago, i was -- the political pundits

said herman cain can i get the nomination. herman cain cannot win the presidency. because he does not have high name id. it does not have a could jillion dollars and he has never held public office. let me tell you what the american people are saying. they don't care about a katrillion dollars. america wants to raise some kaine, not a million dollars. [applause] i am running for the presidency because i and inspired not because i am worried about me and my wife. this is for the grand kids. i have three grandkids. it is not about us folks.

it is about the grand kids. i remember the first and i looked in the face of my first grandchild in 1999. the first thought that winter my mind was what do i do to make this a better nation and to make this a better world? i did not know the answer then. it took me 12 years and the grace of god to figure out what my journey should be at this point in my life. just like every major decision and every major challenge i have faced in my life, after a lot of prayer, a lot of soul- searching, a lot of prayer, and a lot of soul-searching -- once i made the decision, i never looked back. that's why when i worked with my publisher is to come up with the title of my book, "this is herman cain" i had somebody

asked me, that is a pretty bold statements -- your journey to the white house. i notice. i put it on there for a reason because i am going to the white house ! i did it for a reason. [applause] what i want you to help me do, i want you to help me as the republican and as president, to help push that shining city on the hill back to the top of the hill where it belongs. we can do it, folks. we can do that. we've got the resources. ande got the determination because we have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and because it is our right and our responsibility to do some

altering and abolishing, we will be able to push that shining city on the bill back to the top of the hill. ron reagan reminds us just how fragile this thing called freedom and this thing called liberty really is. when he said freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction. you cannot pass it on in the bloodstream. it must be fought for and protected or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our grandchildren what the united states of america used to be like when men were free. i am not going to have that conversation with my grandkids. i don't believe you want to have

that conversation with your grandkids. help me put united back into the united states of america and let's retake rebel, the shining city on the hill, the united states of america! ♪ [applause] ♪ >> thank you. my goodness, thank you all for

that very powerful welcome. her jeffries, want to thank you for a rousing introduction. he knocked out of the park. a fellow who on any given sunday is working with 10,000 texans in his church -- i just want to say thank you to quite a leader, pastor jeffries. i am proud to be joined today by my best friend, someone who has done more to enrich my life than any other person, an individual who will be a fabulous first lady for the united states of america, my wife anita. [applause] it is good to be with all of you. i want to thank tony perkins for the invitation to speak at the

event today and for his work in advancing the conservative constitutional principle that build the greatest nation in the history of civilization. tony, thank you. [applause] some many have come to this gathering of value boaters. it strikes me as interesting. there is no voter in america who is not a value of voter. it is just a question of whose values that they share. think about that. some have this world view that the government must be central in our lives and serve as their caretaker. they seek more than opera -- equal opportunity. they seek equal outcomes. those in the white house today don't believe in american exceptional listen. they would rather emulate the

failed policies of europe. we see what their policies can do. 40 million americans are out of work. 45 million americans are on food stamps. according to wednesday's "wall street journal," nearly half of americans now receive government benefits. in response to this economic misery, liberals are now pointing the finger of blame him at successful employers under the guise of fairness. when they other. "fair share" that you know once again that are playing fast and furious with the truth. [laughter] the truth is, you cannot read up the engine of an economic growth by keeping higher taxes and job creators. you cannot spread success by

punishing it. you cannot unite our country by dividing it. the answer to our troubles lies in a positive, optimistic vision with policies rooted in american exceptionalism. american exceptionalism is the product of unlimited freedom and there is nothing troubling our nations say that cannot be solved by the rebirth of freedom. nothing. [applause] i happen to believe in this great country of ours. i believe in the capacity of our people to create prosperity through private ingenuity. i believe in the values of the american people. americans know him anything worth achieving in life requires hard work not government handouts. this present generation of

americans are not looking for government to lead the way. they are looking for america to get out of the way so they can make the most of the freedom for their families. you cannot live free if you cannot find a job. you cannot live free if you inherit $46,000 bills in the federal debt. you cannot live free when the government gets between you and your doctor. i believe it is time to revive freedom for our families and their employers. if we are going to get entrepreneurs and small businesses off the mat and on their feet again, we need to freeze all of the pending federal regulations that are out there for the next six months. freeze them all! [applause] we need to cut taxes for families and employers because the only kind of stimulus that will work is the kind that puts

more money in your pocket, not government. [applause] we need to repeal the job killing bureaucratic nightmare that is known as obama care. [applause] there are three pillars that serve as the foundation of our country -- strong economy, strong family, and a strong military. in my own state, we have created about 40% of all american jobs since june of 2009. our success is based on four rather simple principles -- don't spend all the money and number two is keeping taxes low, 3 is provide a fair and predictable regulatory climate, and four, stopped a frivolous lawsuits. they [applause] kill]

-- they killed jobs. [applause] we passed the most sweeping tort reform in the nation which includes a new loser pay lot in the state of texas. [applause] at the same time as the fed chairman warns that the recovery is close to faltering, just yesterday, the texas comptroller's office said our tax revenues have rebounded to pre-recession levels. [applause] our august home sales rose. our employment expend it. our exports increased. manufacturing activity started climbing again. and yet, there was president obama standing in front of the white house press corps doubling

down on the same failed strategy that has worsened our economic crisis and doubled our deficit. it just goes to show you that those blinded by tax and spend big government ideology will never see the truth. every day, every day it is clear that the united states economy, for it to grow and succeed, we need new leadership. [applause] president obama's commitment to the same pro-regulation policy has failed our nation. america needs a new leader with a proven record of job creation and sound economic policies. texas is not an into the effects of the national economic environment but recent reports

show that low, flat, and fair taxes, reasonable and predictable regulations, restrained government spending is a proven recipe for job creation, the key to prosperity is liberty. the larger government grows, the smaller our circle of freedoms. the most basic unit of governments is family. as a conservative, i believe with all my heart that the government closest to the people is the best for the people. there should not be a single policy coming out of washington, d.c. that interferes with decisions best made by the family. [applause]

i am proud to be the son of two farmers. where i grew up, we did not have much in the way of material goods. we were sure rich. we were rich in spirit. we were abundant in faith. we were devoted to family. happiness was not a product of what we had but what we believed. we believed we were blessed to live in the freest nation on this earth, that we were fortunate enough to grow up for there was a strong sense of community, that there was nothing in that we could not achieve in the land of the free and home of the bridge. in fact, my little countries school where i grew up and graduated had a motto -- no dream too tall for a school so small. [laughter]

there are millions of americans that are born into less than ideal circumstances. maybe there were born into poverty, born in pettitte parent, but as a society, we must stand for the principle that every life, every life is worth living, regardless of the circumstances. [applause] in america, it is not where you come from the matters but where you are going. as americans, we must affirm the value of life not just in our declaration of independence but in the ways that we live. for some candidates, pro-life is an election-year slump in to follow the prevailing political winds. to me, is about the absolute principle that every human

being is entitled to life. all human life, all human life is made in the image of our creator. [applause] every innocent life must be protected from the most frail who are elderly to the most vulnerable or unborn. that is why as governor, i have consistently worked for perot- like legislation, policies like minors seeking abortions, third trimester abortions, and a consent law and i am proud that i signed a budget that de- funded planned parenthood in texas. [applause]

thank you. thank you. our obligation is not only to protect life and be stow freedom of future generations but it is also to instill character. young americans must never be taught about rights without also learning about responsibility. [applause] we must not proclaim the responsibilities of a free society and ignore the responsibilities of free individuals. we must never mistake liberty for license. one is a right and the other is -- leads to bondage. for more than a generation, our

culture has emphasized the message of self indulgent at the expense of social obligation. we have read to the consequences in the form of teen pregnancies, divorce and broken families, the cycle of incarceration that joins young men with their father is behind bars, the fabric of our society is not government or individual freedom. it is the family. the demise of the family is the demise of and the great society. [applause] this great country of ours has never been steered off course when we have advocated policies that expand freedom and promote strong families. neither can it be preserved

without an unwavering commitment to our national security. as americans, we are blessed to have the greatest fighting force for freedom in this entire world. our men and women of the united states military. [applause] there are some out there, some misguided souls, that say you cannot find here is that more. my, my, are they ever wrong. we have here is to that. -- today. they are fighting in the mountains of afghanistan and the sands of iraq. there are those on covert missions in places we don't even know about to destroy the enemies of this country. they put their lives on the line

every day so that we don't have to. over the years, i have been so honored to have met a great many of those american heroes as i have traveled to their outpost in iraq and afghanistan. i have signed letters to their loved ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice. i consider myself so fortunate to have been able to wear the uniform of our country. from that experience, it informs my perspective about our defense policies. specifically, i believe we must never put the military on the chopping block for arbitrary budget cuts as part of some political force trade. [applause]

-- horse trade. [applause] is notstion we must aske what we can afford to spend and our military but what it cost to remain secure and free. a real key component of keeping america secure is keeping israel secure. [applause] we can never forget that it was israel that took out and nuclear capability of iraq in 1981 and syria in 2007. israel is our ally. they are our friend and when i am president of united states,

america will stand with our friend. [applause] we will not compromise when it comes to our national security and that is true when it comes to defense spending and it is also true when it comes to border security. let me say this about border security -- i have lived and breathed this issue for over a decade as a border governor. i have signed pledges that contained $400 million of state security operations along the border. i have dealt with the carnage caused by those who traffic in drugs and weapons and people. as a border governor, i know firsthand the failures of our

federal border policies. i know the answers to those failures is not to grant amnesty to those who broke the law is to come into this country. [applause] i was proud to sign legislation requiring a photo id to vote in order to protect the integrity of our elections. [applause] for the obvious security reasons, i vetoed legislation to get drivers' licenses [unintelligible] [applause] there is no homeland security without border security. let me repeat that -- there is no security without border security. make no mistake about it -- what we are seeing south of our border is nothing short of a war being waged by the narco-

terrorists. they represent a clear and present danger to our country. they are spreading violence to american cities. they are peddling poison to our children. in the face of this threat, we should not take any options off the table including security operations and cooperation with the mexican government as we did with columbia some years ago. you cannot have liberty, you can't have the opportunity, you can't have prosperity without security. the issue before our leaders of both parties is securing a better future for all americans. economic security is the topic of discussion at millions of dinner tables across this country of ours. in the past two months, i have had the great privilege to

travel across this country and have listened to thousands of americans. they are not under any illusions about the current state of our current. they'd have never mistaken hope for a handout because they want to earn their keep. they are not looking for speeches. they are looking for common sense solutions. they know our first order of business to getting america working again is sending our current president to the private sector. [applause] like all of you in here, i still believe in the exceptionalism of america. to paraphrase abraham lincoln

and ronald reagan -- america remains the last best hope of mankind. we must never forget that the exceptionalism of america can be traced right into our founding principles. the fact that the framers of our constitution were the first in the history to declare that all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and the province has guided america throughout ourthroughout our hi. from those first colonists to arrive in the new world, to the courage of george washington during the darkest hours in a while before urge. -- in valley forge. to the tyranny of two world wars, and a cold war, time and

again. america has been the source of light in a world beset by darkness. like a light house perched on the shore, we have provided safe harbor to the millions who have been adrift in a sea of economic misery. we can still be the country that we aspire to. a source of light and hope to all that live here and come here. anchored by our ideals, we can rebuild on a solid foundation of truth instead of the shifting sands of moral relativism. we can restore hope at home while projecting our values abroad. we can be the freest, most prosperous people to occupy the planet, if we remain one nation, under god.

god bless you. thank you for coming and allowing me to participate today. thank you. [applause] country music ♪ >> michele bachmann takes part in a town hall meeting in new hampshire, part of her campaign to lure of the state. live coverage, sunday, 3:00 eastern, c-span and c-span.org. >> what more video of the candidates, see what the political reporters are saying, attract the contributions with the c-span 2012 web site. it helps you to navigate the campaign with biographies and

polling data, as well as links to c-span learning partners in the caucus states. now, republican presidential candidate and former massachusetts governor, mitt romney, delivers a foreign- policy address in charleston, south carolina. >> i welcome the opportunity you have given me to speak. it is always an honor to be here in south carolina, where patriotism is a passion that tops barbeque and football. [applause] and it is a great honor to be here at the citadel. every great university and college produces future

engineers, doctors, lawyers. here you do all of that, but you have another specialty as well, you produce heroes. over 1400 of your alumni have served in iraq and afghanistan, and elsewhere, fighting the war against terrorism. 16 have paid the ultimate price. since 1842, every tyrant, petty thug, and great power that threatened america, they learned that if he wanted to threaten america, you would have to take on the citadel as well. that is a lot of heroes that have never broken, and never will be. [applause] this is, in fact, a true citadel of american honor, values, and courage. the other day i heard the

president say that americans had gone soft. and guess he was not talking about how hard it was for americans to try to get a job or stretch their paychecks. as each of you looks beyond this institution, i know you face many difficult questions. america is in an economic crisis, the likes of which we have never seen it in our lifetime. europe is struggling with the greatest economic crisis since the cold war. one that calls into question the definition of the european union. our next president will face extraordinary challenges. today, i want you to join me in looking forward, beyond the next recognition day and ring weekend, to four years from

today, october 7, 2015. what kind of world will we be facing then? will iran -- will iraq be in the hands -- will iran be in the hands of the ayatollah? suicidal fanatics, blackmailing the world? 2015, will israel be even more isolated by a hostile international community? will have -- will they have been forced to fight yet another war to protect its citizens and its right to exist? in afghanistan, after the united states have withdrawn their forces, will the taliban fight

their way back to power? will the country sink back into terrorist rule? pakistan faces an uncertain future, armed with more than 100 nuclear weapons. the danger of a failed pakistan is difficult to overestimate. could a nuclear weapon be in the hands of islamic fundamentalists? china has made it clear that it plans to be a military and economic superpower. will its rulers lead its people into a new time of freedom and prosperity? or will they go down a darker path, brushing aside an inferior navy in the pacific, building a global acts of totalitarian states? russia is at a historic

crossroads. vladimir putin has called the breakup of the soviet empire the great tragedy of the 20th- century. will he bludgeon the countries of the former soviet union into submission, intimidating europe? to the south, will the socialism of venezuela undermine the prospects of democracy in a region thirsting for freedom and prosperity? our border with mexico remains an open sore. will drug cartels dominate the region, pushing greater and greater violence on our country? will we have failed to secure the border against the drug smugglers and terrorists who increasingly make their way into our midst?

the troubling and threatening world for america. but it is not unrealistic. these are some of the very real dangers faced by america if we continue the feckless policy of the past three years. of course, it does not have to be this way. this is not our destiny. it is a choice. we are a democracy. you decide. in this campaign, i will offer a very different vision of america's role and destiny in the world. our next president is going to face many difficult and complex foreign policy decisions. i am here today to tell you that ibm guided by one overwhelming conviction and passion. this century must be an american century. [applause]

in an american century, america has the strongest economy and military in the world. in an american century, america leads the free world and the free world leads the entire world. god did not create this country to be a nation of followers. america is not destined to be one of several equally balanced global powers. america must leave -- must leave the the world, or someone else will. without american resolve, the world becomes a dangerous place. liberty and prosperity would be amongst its first casualties. as president of the united states, i will devote myself to

an american century. i will never, ever apologize for america. [applause] now, some may ask, why america? why should america be any different about scores of other countries around the globe? i believe that we are an exceptional country with a unique destiny in the role -- in the world. not exceptional the way the current president has described. in his profoundly mistaken view, there is nothing unique about the united states. but we are exceptional. because we are in a nation founded on a precious idea berthed in the american

revolution and compounded by our greatest statesmen in our fundamental documents. we threw off the yoke of tyranny and established a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. in the language of our declaration of independence, we hold certain truths to be self- evident. namely that all men are created by their creator with certain, unalienable rights. it is our belief in the universal nature of these inalienable rights, which lead us to our exceptional will roll on the world stage as a great champion of dignity and freedom. we love the principles of america's founding. i was born of -- born in 1947. class of baby boomer. i grew up in a world filled with

the soviet union and communism. the drills that we learned in school resulted from a threat that came from a known, identifiable enemy. we needed spy planes to find the hidden missile bases in cuba, but we did not need them to find nikita khrushchev. president reagan could negotiate with soviets, and sign treaties, and when we caught the soviets cheating, we could bring the world's attention to their transgressions. today our world is far more chaotic. we still face grave threats, but they do not come from one group or one ideology. what america and our allies are facing is a series of threatening forces. ones that overlap. to defend america and secure a peaceful and prosperous world,

we need to grasp their complexity and formulate a strategy that deals with them before they explode into conflict. dealing with one hot spot after another. but to do it this way is to be shaped by events, rather than shaping events. the president must have a broad vision of the entire world, coupled with purposelessness. they are determined, powerful forces that may threaten freedom, prosperity, an american national interests. first, islamic fundamentalism,

with which we have been at war since september 11, 2001. second, the struggle in the middle east. the danger of the destabilizing ripple effects in which terrorists found safe haven. iran, venezuela, cuba, all of which are seeking nuclear weapons. china, determined to be a world superpower, and the resurgence of russia, led by a man who believes that the soviet union was great, not evil. there is no wall that the next president can demand be torn down. but there is one unifying thread.

when america is strong, the world is safer. president and -- president reagan called this peace through strength and he was never more right than he is today. conceived of in the broadest terms, an international system that ensures the prosperity of the united states and our friends and allies around the world. american strength rises from a strong economy and defense, as well as our and during strong values. [applause] unfortunately, under this president, all three of those elements have been weakened. as president, on day one i will focus on rebuilding america's economy. it is a foundation of our strength.

i will reverse the president's massive defense cuts. we have seen attempts to balance the budget by weakening the military leading to a far higher price in the future. not only in treasure, but also blood. my strategy of american strength is guided by a core principles. american foreign policy must be prosecuted with clarity and resolve. friends and allies must have no doubts about where we stand. if the world knows that we are resolute, our allies will be comforted. those that wish us harm will be less tempted to test that resolve. second, america must promote open market, representative government, and respect for human rights. the path to freedom is not always a straight line or an

easy evolution, but history teaches us that nations that share our values will stand with us for a shared prosperity. third, the united states will apply the full spectrum of hard power and soft power to influence events before the conflict. resorting to force is always the costliest option. we must therefore employ all the tools of statecraft to shape the outcome before they demand military action. the united states should always maintain military supremacy to deter would-be aggressors and defend our allies and ourselves. [applause] know this -- if america is the

undisputed leader in the world, it reduces our need to police a more chaotic world. united states must exercise leadership and multi-level organizations, breeding faith in the ultimate success of any action and attracting full participation from other nations. american leadership will focus multilateral institutions on achieving the substantive goals of democracy and human rights in their charters. too often, those bodies prize the act of negotiating over the outcome to be reached. shamefully copper they can become forums for the tantrums of tyrants and anti-semitism. the united states must fight to return these bodies to their proper role. you should know

this, always we must work alone to protect our vital national interests. [applause] in my first 100 days in office, i will take a series of measures to put these principles into action. i would place america and the world on favored footing. among these actions will be an effort to restore america's national defense. i will reverse the hollowing of our navy and announce an initiative to increase shipbuilding from 9 per year to 15 per year. [applause] i will begin reversing obama-era cuts to national missile

defense, prioritizing the full deployment of a multi-layer, national deployment missile defense system. i will order the the women of the national cyber-security strategy to deter against a growing threats of militarized cyber-attacks and cyber- espionage. [applause] i will enhance our deterrent against the iranian regime by ordering the regular presence of aircraft carrier task forces -- one in the eastern mediterranean and one in the persian gulf region, and i would begin discussions in israel and reiterate that iran obtaining a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. [applause]

i will begin organizing all of our diplomatic efforts in the greater middle east under one official with the authority and accountability necessary to train our soft power resources and making sure that the arab spring does not turn into a long winter. i would launch a campaign to promote economic activity in latin america, contrasting free trade and free enterprise against the venezuelan and cuban model. i would order a full review of our transition to the afghan military. i will speak with our generals in the field, receiving the best recommendations of our military commanders. the force level to maintain and the gains and achieve them successfully is a decision that

i will make free from politics. [applause] i will bolster and repair our alliances. friends should never fear that we will not stand by them in an hour of need. i will reaffirm, as a vital national interest, the existence of israel as a jewish state. i will count dear our special relationship with the united kingdom. i will begin talks with mexico to strengthen our cooperation and shared problems with drugs and security. this is america's moment. we should embrace the challenge and not shrink from it. not fall into an isolationist shell, not wave the white flag of surrender, asserting that the

time of america has passed. complete nonsense. eloquently justified world leadership surrender is still surrender. if you do not want america to be the strongest nation on earth, i am not your president. you have that president today. [applause] [cheering] the 21st century can, and must be, an american century. it began with terror, war, economic calamity. it is our duty to steer it on

the path of freedom, peace, and prosperity. my hope is that our grandchildren will remember us in the same way that we remember the past generations of americans that overcame diversity and came through the great depression and gained victory in the cold war. let the future generations look back on us and say that they rose to the occasion, embraced their duty, leading our country to safety and greatness. [applause] the greatest generation is passing. as their light fades, we must seize the torch that they carried so gallantly and with such great sacrifice. is an eternal torch of decency, freedom, and hope.

it is not america's covert pish alone, but itorch is our duty to hold it high as. believe in america. thank you so much. god bless you. [applause] >> i guess you want to get a

picture with me in the cadets. that sounds great. where am i? ♪ [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] ♪

♪ ♪

>> next, live, your calls and comments on "washington journal." after that, a discussion between -- on the relationship between the u.s. and israel. mop with a boss. >> the only people allowed in the east conference room are the nine justices. who gets the door? >> i was paying very close attention to the discussion as i remembered it. and i fail to hear a knock on the door. billy brennan on my right, they both got up and answered the door. it made me feel like i was two feet high. i learned from that that one of the most important jobs of the junior justice is to remember that you are the dormant. >> john paul stevens on his new memoir,