>> he is the when you are going to vote for in your first election. >> thank you. got a blast. >> how are you doing? >> thank you. >> hello. >> you are my hero.

you are fantastic. >> best of luck. >> thank you. >> god bless you. >> thank you.

>> thank you. >> how are you? >> can i give you two good suggestions? >> move it along. >> take care. thank you. >> hello. chemical take a quick picture? -- can we take a quick picture? thank you very batch.

much. you very >> thank you. >> keep me on the ballot for virginia. >> i will try. [laughter]

>> thank you. >> thank you. [indistinct chatter] >> thank you. >> thank you. >> hello. that's of luck.

-- best of luck. thank you. nice to meet you. >> thank you. >> hello. can you please sign this? thank you. >> thank you. >> keep moving. >> you will win. >> thank you. bless your heart. >> there we go. >> thank you. >> we love you so much.

>> thank you. >> where are you from? >> tulsa. >> weren't you born in virginia? >> i was. he me on the ballot. -- keep me on the ballot. >> happy birthday. >> thank you. >> i will vote for you in maryland.

>> i will take it. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. [indistinct chatter] >> do you want a picture? >> yes, please. >> ok.

[indistinct chatter] >> let's take a photo with the lights over here. perfect. thank you.

[indistinct chatter] >> thank you. god bless you. [indistinct chatter] >> we do not have a camera, so unless you have a camera -- >> quick. look at the camera. helping talk about pennsylvania.

[indistinct chatter] >> thank you. >> appreciate its. >> now mitt romney at the conservative political action conference. later we will hear from former speaker newt gingrich. >> out the next is a man i know you all want to hear from. it is my pleasure to do just that about now. some of you have told me you

have not found the perfect candidate. all contentious primaries go through this at one point or another. but we need to get that guy in the white house. the reason why you are here is to hear from these three fellas. now you can make up your minds. it is my pleasure to be here to introduce this candidate. newt gingrinch, ron paul, and rick santorum all had passing grades.

mitt romney has done very, very well. [cheers and applause] for those of you who are still thinking about what you should look for in choosing a presidential candidate, let me suggest this -- values, he should be confident -- competent of leading this country, and beating barack obama. [applause] my wife and i know mitt romney and his wife very well. i am proud to report that they have a faith that humbles me.

five children and 18 grandchildren -- that is enough to be the majority in the state of montana. [laughter] one of the things that stands out in his life as a businessman and in public service as that they know how government works or does not work. jack recently said that mitt romney is the most qualified person to run for president in his lifetime. he is a pretty smart fellow himself. some say that mitt romney has changed his views over time.

it has changed to a more conservative point of view. he has evidence of executive leadership and action. let us, he has weathered attacks for his conservative positions. for instance, many people attack us for our support of traditional marriage. but we are not anti-anything. we are pro-american. we believe in american exceptionally some, which includes traditional values and traditional marriage. [applause] let me give you an example of how mitt romney handled the same issues before he thought of running for president. i will share in his own words what he said as governor of

massachusetts in 2004 about the issue of gay marriage. these are his own words, "should we abandon marriage as we know it? has america been wrong about marriage for 200 plus years? as the world been wrong about marriage? are the philosophies and teachings of all the world's religion is simply wrong? or is it more likely that four people of the seven people who sat in the supreme court who are? i believe that is the case. " [applause] he went on to say that marriage is not solely for adults.

it is for children. marriage is for the nurturing and development of children. the children of america have the right to a father and a mother. i know the goodness of mitt romney and his wife. he shares our values and he is confident as commander in chief. it is my pleasure to introduce to you, the great american, governor mitt romney. [cheers and applause] free ♪ born [cheers and applause] >> thank you. great crowd. wow. thank you. please. "mitt!"]atinnting

great reception. great room. thank you. first, thank you for that very warm introduction. thank you for this extraordinary crowd, cpac. it has been a great conference so far. we should also acknowledge president obama. he is the conservative movement's top recruiter. it turns out he really is a good community organizer. i just do not think this is the community he planned on organizing. [laughter] today we are poised for victory in november. [applause]

the pundits are saying we could win the election, but we need to tell the nation why we should win the election. it is up to us to prove that we are really ready to step forward and lead this country. this election is not just about getting votes. it is about saving america. [applause] of course we can beat barack obama. that is the easy part. the number 6 will be the easiest day our next -- november 6 easiest day.e . easiest we have faced a bankrupt ideology.

i am convinced that if we do our job, if we leave with conviction and integrity, and history will record the obama presidency as the last gasp of liberalism's great failure and a turning point for the conservative era to come. [cheers and applause] but it is not enough for us to show how they failed. we also need to prove how we will and desire to lead. i am here to ask you today to stand with me as we go forward to fight for america. as we stepped what together, now is the time to reaffirm what it means to be conservatives and why this must be our greatest hour as conservatives. america is like no other country in the history of the earth. the very heart of american

conservatism is the conviction that the principles embodied in the constitution and the declaration of independence are uniquely powerful. some are likely to credit the brilliance of the founders themselves. all of us like me see both of them. conservatives all agree that the departing from these founding principles would represent a departure from the greatness of america for our mission and from our prosperity and from our purpose. i know this president will never get it. we conservatives are proud to cling to our constitution. [cheers and applause] the wisdom of our founding documents is that they see the

nation's prosperity has not a product of government, but the conduct of individual citizens each pursuing happiness. the key to the success of the american experiment is this -- america does not just exist for the people, but it has been made exceptional by the people. [cheers and applause] it is this brilliance, a free people pursuing their own dreams, in achieving success in their own ways. that is what has propelled america and made us the most prosperous and powerful in the history of the earth. a lot of politicians on both sides of the aisle have forgotten that. they have fallen under the spell of washington. politicians are routinely elected by promising to change washington.

but when they came here, they became preachers of washington. they began to see washington as the solution to every problem. they think that the government knows better and can do better. this president is the worst offender. he is the poster child for the arrogance of government. [cheers and applause] as i say across this country, this election really is about all the battle of the soul of america. it will come down to a choice. it will be a choice if we want to be a nation of and by washington or a nation of and by

the people. we the conservatives believe in a free people and free enterprise. [cheers and applause] as conservatives, we are united by a set of core convictions. not everyone has taken the same path to get here. there are college students at this conference -- [cheers and applause] my guess is some of you got here by reading. [laughter] some of the work in think tanks are you follow the riding of some conservative -- writing of some conservative writers. i salute all of you for

achieving your conservatism. my pack of conservatism came from my family, faith, and my life's work. i was raised in a home that was rooted in conservative values. my grandfather came to america from england. as a teenager, he was alone. but he risked it all for economic opportunity and religious freedom. you must have also read about my dad. i am very proud of him. his dad was a contractor. my dad grew up poor. never had the chance to finish his college degree. but he believed in a country were the circumstances of one's birth were not a barrier to life's achievements. with hard work, and he became the head of a car company. then he became governor of the

great state of michigan. [cheers and applause] the values that allowed my parents to achieve their dreams are the same values that they instilled in my siblings and myself. those are not values that i talk about, but live every day. take my marriage. we have a beautiful life with five sons. [applause] the fate that is part of our lives, these conservative constance have shaped my life. if you are not fiscally conservative, you are bankrupt. [applause] i spent 25 years balancing budgets and eliminating waste.

i am trying to keep us as far away from government as humanly possible. i did some of the things that conservatism is designed for. i started to businesses and turn around broken ones. i not ashamed of saying that i was successful in doing it. [cheers and applause] my family, my faith, my businesses, i know conservatism because i have lived it. as governor of massachusetts, i

have defended conservative principles in the most liberal state in the nation. [applause] there are three people from massachusetts. i appreciate that. [laughter] when i took office, i was facing a deficit in the budget. we cut taxes 19 times and balance the budget all four years. i cast over 800 vetoes. [applause] i cut entire programs. i raised a $3 billion shortfall and left office by putting in place over two million in funds. if there was a program that needed cutting, we did it.

that skill i learned in the private sector. i served in government, but i did not a hill. -- inhale. the experience of slimming down and cutting and eliminating, i want to take back to washington. i want to get my hands on washington, d.c. [applause] you may recall that during my term in office, are conservative about us also came under attack. less than a year after i took office, the state also supreme court found a right to same-sex marriage in the constitution written by john adams.

i presumed to be surprised. i thought to have a say on that decision then pushed for a marriage amendment to our constitution. we lost by one vote. on my watch, we fought hard and prevented massachusetts from becoming the las vegas of the marriage. [applause] when i am president, i will defend the defensive marriage act. [applause] i will fight for an amendment to our constitution that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. [applause]

education for schools. i defended the right of the catholic church to serve the community in ways consistent with their conscience, through adoption programs that place children in a home with a mom and dad. [applause] >> my state was the leading indicator of what liberals are trying to do right now, and i fought against long odds in a deep blue state, but i was a severely conservative republican governor. [applause] >> i understand the battles we must fight because i have been on the front lines, and expect

to be on those front lines again. here, at cpac, i know you guys understand that. this gathering has always welcomed me and you have supported me not because of my rhetoric, but because of my record and experience in that deep blue state. over this conference, several candidates have been speaking or will be speaking, seeking your support to help them lead this country. what distinguishes us is not our opposition to president obama or our support but conservative convictions. what distinguishes us is the nature of our life experience, our perspective, our judgment. this election will come down to two different visions for america, but our more immediate choice will be between candidates of very different backgrounds. i spent 25 years in business, starting at the bottom,

creating a great american success story. i led an olympics out of the shadows of scandal, and helped turn around a state that was deprived of leadership. in each of these endeavors i worked with a team of skilled people, but i was, after all, the chief executive, sell success or failure was laid on my shoulders. -- so, success or failure was laid on my shoulders. leadership is about setting clear goals, building a terrific team, overcoming constant adversity, and achieving results. it is about sharing credit when times are good, and about taking responsibility when they are not. [applause] >> i happen to be the only candidate in this race who has

never worked a day here in washington. [applause] >> i do not have old scores to settle, or decades of coatroom- deals that i have to defend. as conservatives, you have learned to be skeptical of this city. my wife and i raised five boys. when you hear an excuse that does not make sense, it is because it does not make sense. any politician that tries to convince you that they hated washington so much that they just could not leave -- well, that is the same politician that will try to sell you a bridge to nowhere. [applause] >> this is a moment when our country needs serious change and dramatic reform.

so, let me tell you exactly what kind of president i will be. to get america back on track, and to get americans back to work, we need bold and sweeping reforms. these are not managerial issues of changing this department or that agency. to change washington, we will need to change the very relationship between government and the citizen. these are moral choices that will define our nation and define us for generations to come. today, we borrow 40 cents of every dollar we spend. it is not sustainable, reckless, immoral, and it will end under my presidency. [applause] >> i will approach every spending decision, every budget item with these questions --

can we afford it, and if not, is it really worth borrowing money from china to pay for it? on that basis, we will get rid of a lot of programs. as president, i will not just slow the growth rate of government. i will actually cut the spending of government. i will not just freeze the government share as a percentage of the total economy, i will reduce the government share as a percentage of the total economy. [applause] >> and without raising taxes or sacrificing america's critical military superiority, i will finally balance the american budget. [applause] >> and, and i'm sure you know, that will start with the easiest cut of all. i will eliminate obama-care. [applause]

>> let me mention a couple of other things i am going to do. i'm going to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. [applause] >> for the first time ever, i'm going to tie the compensation of benefits of federal workers -- and benefits of federal workers with that of the private sector. public servants should not get a better deal than the citizens that are paying for them. [applause]

>> as important as it is, cutting spending and bureaucracy alone are not going to be enough. in their current form, we are going to have to recognize that social security and medicare are unsustainable, not for the current group of retirees, but for coming generations, and we cannot avoid these challenges any longer. i am the only candidate that has offered a sweeping, specific plan to save medicare, and to reform social security. there are those that say you cannot talk straight to the american people on these issues and still win an election. i say we can, we must, and i will. [applause] >> what i propose are sensible and critical reforms. under my plan, no one near retirement age is going to see the changes i will describe, but the people in their 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's, will see

some changes, and by the way, tax hikes are off the table. [applause] >> we will slowly and gradually raise the retirement age for social security, and when it comes to medicare, tomorrow's seniors should have the freedom to choose between traditional medicare and a range of private plans. [applause] >> if these future seniors choose a more expensive plan, they will have to pay the additional costs. [applause] >> take a look at the paul ryan plan. we are on the same page and the same verse. i know this president and his liberal allies will attack me for where he has failed to lead. so be it. i'm going to stand and fight,

but we're going to win on this. he will attack us with the usual fear tactics, but we will remind americans that during the president's term we have seen record high job losses, record home foreclosures. he will not be lecturing to us on values, as the man whose ineptitude and failure has created so much unnecessary pain for our fellow americans. [applause] >> ours will not be the easy course, but it will be the right course, and i am confident that americans are yearning for a president who will tell them the truth, and do what is needed, not just do what is expedient. that may also be clear on this. my presidency will be a pro-

life presidency on day one. [applause] >> i will reinstate the mexico state policy, i will cut off funding for the united nations population fund, which supports china's barbaric one-child policy. [applause] >> i will insure that organizations like planned parenthood get no more federal support. [applause] >> and i will repeal every single obama regulation that attacks our religious liberty and threatens innocent life in this country. [applause] >> you know this, of course.

the presidency is more than public office. it is a sacred trust. as president, i will honor the trust by insuring that america remains the greatest military power on the face of the earth. [applause] >> i will not be cutting our military budget. this is very simple. if you do not want america to be the strongest nation on earth, i am not your president. you have that president today. [applause] >> this election is a defining moment for america and for the conservative movement. make no mistake, we have an opportunity for greatness, but with that opportunity comes defining responsibility as well. we cannot use this election to fight past battles and reward our friends.

i know that the fundamental change this moment demands that we take fresh, bold, conservative leadership with real-world solutions based on real-world experience. i will come to washington, and with your help, guidance, and prayers, i will change washington, then i will leave washington, and go back home to my family and the community that i loved. [applause] >> i believe this is the moment that demands that we return to our basic values and first principles. that is who we are as conservatives. we believe in the constitution, the declaration of independence, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. we know the brilliance that suggests that individuals pursuing their own dreams have made us the most powerful nation on earth. this is who we are.

this is our moment. this is why we are conservatives. the task before us is to reconfirm the convictions that unitas come and go forward to an -- that unite us, and go forward to insure the america that we deserve. thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you. ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪

♪

>> now, remarks by republican presidential candidate newt gingrich. he is introduced by his wife, calista. >> what a great gathering this is. we are proud to be here with you at cpac. newt and i have a great partnership with citizen united. we have created seven documentary films on conservative values, principles, and personalities. several of the documentary's are being shown here at cpac. let me take a moment to thank all of you who have been so

supportive of us throughout this campaign. when we decided to run, we knew there would be tough stories from the media as well as attacks from some of our opponents. what we did not know was how kind so many americans would be to us. throughout this great country, people have offered their heartfelt prayers and support. i want to thank everyone who has reached out. you have made our lives richer and our campaign stronger. [applause] because i know newt better than most, i am pleased to introduce him today. i would like to share a few

things about to him that he may be surprised to hear. first, he is an enthusiastic and committed golfer. true. he gets in and out of more sand traps than anyone i've ever seen. newt golfs the way he does everything, with enthusiasm and determination. he is willing to learn and he never gives up. newt loves books. we have books in every corner of our home. he also has a kindle. newt is also very supportive. when i sing at the basilica at the national shrine or play my french horn with the city of fairfax band, he is right there listening. i am personally grateful for

his wisdom in not trying to sing as a candidate. he knows his limitations. finally, we have had some great family moments over the last several months. our grandchildren have joined us on the campaign trail. newt is very committed to our grandchildren and the future of our country. we believe with all of our hearts that america is the last bastion of freedom. we believe that our current path puts the future of our great nation in jeopardy. we believe bold solutions and fearless leadership are necessary to rebuild the america we love. please welcome my husband and the next president of the united states, at newt gingrich.

[applause]d ♪ [applause] ♪ >> how are you? thank you. what she did not tell you, by the way, i am a very bad golfer. [laughter] she just would not say it. as a personal note, i want to thank cpac for recognizing such a great friend.

[applause] i want to thank the newt 2012 volunteers to have been working. we are a people-based campaign. our volunteers are very important. i have spoken here many times. cpac was founded to challenge the republican establishment. when ronald reagan came here in 1974, and gave his famous speech on bold colors, that was a decade in from his first great national speech for barry goldwater. when ronald reagan campaigned in 1980, you could see the gap between the republican

establishment and the conservative movement. reagan campaigned on supply- side economics, lower taxes, less regulation, more american energy. the establishment called it voodoo economics. the gop establishment has a single word they use with contempt for conservative ideas. they say they are unrealistic. creating 16 million jobs under reagan, unrealistic. ending the soviet union, unrealistic. the fight against the republican establishment over the very question of whether or not we should have an anti-so be it campaign. the 1994 contract with america, unrealistic. the house republican majority of 1994, elected by the largest

one party increase in american history, 9 million new voters, unrealistic. reforming welfare, unrealistic. 11 million new jobs come on realistic. four years of a balanced budget, unrealistic. [applause] the republican establishment, managing the decay is preferable to changing the trajectory because changing the trajectory requires real fights and requires a real willingness to roll up sleeves and take on the left. that is why the republican establishment, whether it is in 1996 or in 2008, it cannot win a president to campaign because

they do not have the commitment and they do not have the philosophy necessary to build a majority in this country. [applause] let me say the republican establishment in this city, where crony capitalism in congress is fully as bad as crony capitalism on wall street and they had better clean up the congress if they expect to be reelected. cpac represents a 50-year struggle that goes back to the goldwater movement in 1962. the tea party versus the republican establishment is the same fights. this has been going on for half a century. the core of it is very simple. the conservative movement, one that offers bold solutions to rally millions of americans, not just republicans, millions of americans, democrats, people

who have never been in politics before, then it went decisively. 1980, 1984, 1994 are examples of that. what i want to talk to you about today is bold solutions to get america working again. i want to contrast it with the timidity that comes from managing that decay. we won the second world war from december 7, 1941, to august, 1945. this is an example of what america can do when you unleashed the american people. in 44 months, three years and eight months, we defeat nazi germany and imperial japan. -- and fascist italy. it took 23 years to add a fifth runway to one airport.

-- to the atlanta airport. that is the establishment america. tied up in bureaucracy, red tape, incompetence, interest groups. [applause] let me be very clear. all of you have seen the washington establishment and the wall street establishment pollen top of me. all of you have seen them say things that are false. this campaign is a mortal threat to their grip on the establishment because we intend to change washington, not accommodate it. [applause] the emphasis of the second world war, there is a world that works.

most of it, but not all of it, is in the private sector. there is a world that fails. most of it, but not all of it, is in the public sector. how many of you had ever gone on line to check a package at ups or fedex? raise your hand. virtually all of you. i want to drive this home. this is not a theory. we have the technology that enables us to track 24 million packages a day while they are moving and will allow you to find out where they are for free. that is the world works. here is the world that fails. the federal government today

cannot find 11 million illegal immigrants, even if they are sitting still. [laughter] [applause] i have a simple proposal. we send a package -- [laughter] to everyone who is here illegally. when it is delivered, we pulled it up in the computer and we know where they are. let's be safe for my friends in the news media, that is hyperbole and we do not need a fact check. [applause] i will give you a series of solutions that are big enough

to get america back on the right track. i think this has been the greatest challenge of this campaign. we have lots of bickering and lots of arguments. we have no discussion, what does it take to get the most complicated society, the largest economy in the world, and move it back to been the most successful and safest and freest country in the world? we have tons of details at newt.org. you'll see an immense amount of material. the standard here is to have solutions big enough to get america working again. unleash the american people to rebuild the america we love. if i am the nominee, i will ask the republican ticket to campaign with me on the pledge that when the congress comes in on january 3, they will stay in session.

by january 20, it it will have repealed the obamacare. [applause] it will have repealed dodd- frank. [applause] all 3 of those are jobs killing bills. it increases the corruption of the political system. all three should be repealed and held at the desk until i am sworn in. we should sign the repeal of all three. that is a reasonable start. [applause]

two hours after the inaugural address, i will begin signing executive orders. all of them will have been published by october 1. the country will know precisely what this campaign is about. the very first executive order will abolish all of the white house czars as of that moment. [applause] we will sign that day in executive order which approves of the canadian pipeline to

houston, period. [applause] my message to prime minister harbor and the canadian government, you do not need a partnership with the chinese. give the american people a few months. when we beat obama, you can start buying the equipment. [applause] there will be an executive order to move the state department to put the embassy in jerusalem as of that day. period. [applause] we will reinstate ronald reagan's mexico city policy, no money for abortions overseas.

period. we will have an executive order to repeal every act of religious bigotry by the obama administration. period. my goal is that by the time president obama lands in chicago, and we will have repudiated 40% of his government on the opening day. [applause] let me talk about how to create jobs. america works when americans are working. the number one famous of the campaign will be a paycheck president versus a food stamp president. i believe we will win that

fight by a huge margin. i worked with president reagan. we created 60 million jobs. -- 16 million jobs. i worked with president clinton and we created 11 million jobs and got down to 4.2% unemployment. serious change. i have only one measure. i want the establishment to understand, this is not about fairness. this is not about being revenue neutral. this is about maximizing economic growth to put americans back to work and to greet the most dynamic economy on the planet to become the dominant country on the planet. and to rebuild our manufacturing base. [applause] how do you do that? you eliminate the capital gains tax so that it is zero capital gains for all investment in the united states.

[applause] second, you go to 100% expensing so all new equipment gets written off in one year. the goal is to make the american system the most modern in the world. [applause] if you're going to modernize the equipment, you want to modernize the workforce. unemployment compensation should be changed so that you sign up for a business training program so we are modernizing our workforce. [applause] never again should be we let somebody 99 weeks for doing nothing. [applause] 99 weeks, and you could earn an associate degree. think about the total waste of human capability when you teach

people to sit at home for 99 weeks. it is a violation of the declaration of independence. if we are serious about manufacturing, we have to eliminate the environmental protection agency. it is a job killing agency. [applause] we should replace it with a brand new environmental solutions agency made up of new people. the number one act requirement should be common sense. we should also have to take into account economics. the highest gas prices we have had, they are looking at a regulation that would raise the price of gas. it tells you how irrational epa is today and why we should replace it with a new agency. not try to reform it. the people are anti-business,

anti-local control. we also need a 21st century fda. understand the science and accelerate getting it to the patient so we said as many lives as possible, as rapidly as possible. in the process, we create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, dominating the world market in health care. [applause] we need a 12.5% corporate tax rate. it makes us competitive in at the world. it allows our companies to compete. at 12.5%, to general electric will actually pay taxes. we should abolish the death tax permanently because it is an immoral tax. [applause]

you know, governor romney released his taxes, the liberals were shocked. their answer was to raise his taxes. my goal is to get your taxes down to 15%. we have something we got from hong kong. hong kong has had a to track system. you can keep the current code, all the red tape, all the deductions, or you fill in one page. here is how much i earned comment here is 15%. here is what i want to say to the establishment. they will say, this is not revenue neutral. they're right. this is called a tax cut.

this is going to become a huge argument inside the republican party. i worked and held the balance the federal budget for four years. when people say, he is being irresponsible. we will get a federal budget balanced. my intention is to shrink spending down to the level of revenue, not to raise revenue up to the level of obama's spending. [applause] this is a fight we had in 1984 when we cut and no tax increase platform against the establishment. our principal was simple. we are not the tax collectors for the welfare state. we are interested in a tax code that creates jobs, maximizes

freedom, gives you a chance to take care of your family, your charities, your church or synagogue. that is a different model than the establishment model. we will not tax the american people for barack obama's credit card. [applause] how did it to a balanced budget? you cut spending, you cut taxes to maximize economic growth, you reform government, and you use american energy. a huge increase in revenue and a big decline in costs. take people off the food stamps, medicaid, off of public housing, unemployment, off of welfare. but then to work in taxes. -- put them to work paying

taxes. the government gets more revenue without a tax increase. this is the first big step to balance the budget. let's talk about cutting spending. this is what i mean by bold proposals. we should replace the 130-year- old civil service system with a new model of modern management using systems and we should be prepared to save $500 billion a year in the operation of the federal government and increase the economy by $2 trillion a year by the simple act of having a government cease to be incompetent, inefficient, and a hindrance to the future of the american system. [applause] we should look at cutting spending by looking at every single agency and we should start by abolishing the department of energy, which has been a total failure since it was founded. [applause] resupplied the system of american express, mastercard, to cut out fraud. it is almost a trillion dollars

a decade justin at one end zone. -- just in that one zone. we should apply the 10th amendment implementation to return power back home. [applause] we also have things that are on energy. i believe we have an obligation to open up the american system to produce the maximum amount of oil and gas for three reasons. keeping the 500 or $600 billion here at home strengthens our economy. if we maximize production our goal should be to get back to $2 a gallon gasoline to prove to the american people that the free market works.

a practical way that affects your life. this is pure supply and demand. when you realize that north dakota alone has 25 times as much energy as the u.s. geological survey found eight years ago, 25 times as much, and we are not allowed to look at alaska. we do not look offshore. obama has been an anti-american energy president and every american pays the price every time they go to a gas station. [applause] i have a very simple principle. we want to insure that no future president ever against the bows to a saudi king again -- period. [applause]

we need to move towards a personal social security savings account for young americans will taking social security off budget for senior citizens. no politician likes to our senior citizens by threatening to keep from them checks that they earned and desert. the trust fund is there even if there is no trust in barack obama. we need to have a complete audit of the federal reserve to find out every single decision. we deserve to know who got our money and why. if ben bernanke has not resigned by the day i am sworn in, i will ask the congress to pass a law ending his term. we need a commission on gold and solid currency, much like

the one that ronald reagan had in 1981. let me close onto big topics. they're very important. this administration is waging war on religion, but so are the courts. this is why we need a movement that is bigger than beating obama. we need a movement that understand we will change the congress, the white house, the bureaucracy, and where necessary, the courts. in this country was founded by people who came here in order to avoid religious persecution. a very basis of the country was religious liberty. the record document says we are in doubt by our creator. -- endowed by our creator.

barack obama will wage war on the catholic church the morning after he is reelected. we should not trust him. we should make sure the country knows who he is. [applause] for those of you do not understand what a bold solution approach is, go to newt.org. there is a 54-paper that outlined how to rebalance the judiciary and how to reestablish the right of the people to protect themselves against judges you are writing the constitution rather than enforcing the constitution. it is a very serious topic. finally, this administration, which lies about to our enemies are, it refuses to tell the truth about what threatens us,

is blind to the dangerous, seeks to weaken it our defense system, has crippled our intelligence system, and is making a series of decisions around the world that are stunning in their misunderstanding of the nature of reality. we have americans held hostage in egypt. precisely like jimmy carter with hostages in iran. we have the person who helped us find osama bin laden has been arrested by the pakistan government. what more do you need to know? they said, this is terrible, how could you help the americans? we need a profound national debate about our entire policy and it needs to start by telling the truth about radical islamists who seek to kill us. [applause]

this is going to be a big choice, a big decision election. i am seeking the republican nomination, it has to be an american campaign. we want to say to every american, if you favor paychecks over food stamps, join us no matter what your background, no matter where do live, we want to be with you and creating a work oriented jobs the economy. we want to say to every american, if you believe that honesty about our enemies, strength and our defense is vital to our survival, join us. we do not care for you once were. we do not care what he once did. finally, we need to say to every american, if you believe in the declaration of independence, you believe in the constitution, and you believe in the federalist papers, we want you to be with us.

we understand others will be with barack obama and radicalism, but everybody to believe that we are endowed by our creator, we want you to come from every background, every community in the country. i need your help. i hope he will go to newt.org. we are running a people campaign. we do not have the money that some of our competitors do. but we do have a plan. we have a conservative dream team. like hermain cain, rick perry, oliver north, a tremendous team. in the end, we need you. if we can be together, and all the years i have worked with this party, this is the year to reset this country in a

decisive bold away. we need to teach the republican establishment a lesson. we are determined to rebuild america, not to manage its decay. with your help, that is what we will do. god bless you. [applause] ♪

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>> following his speech, republican presidential candidate newt gingrich and his wife, this is a little over 10 minutes.

[indistinct conversations]

>> thank you, sir. >> how are you? >> nice to meet you. >> move here for a minute.

>> thank you. >> how are you? >> thank you very much. >> thank you. hello. how are you? >> we need your help. >> thank you. we need your help. oh, really? that is great. thank you.

>> thank you. thank you very much. happy valentine's day. >> hold on one second. >> all rights. -- all right. >> good?

>> we need your help. k you very much. >>thank you very much. >> we need your help. >> that is very nice.

where are you from? [unintelligible] nice to meet you. all right. [indistinct conversations]

>>thank you. i need your help. >> how are you? where are you from?

>> thank you for being here. we need your help. >>hi. how re yare you? nice to see you.

>>sorry about that. >> we need your help. >>thank you. >> nice to meet you.

very good.

>> thank you. what is your name? >> bill. >> hey bill. >> i'm good. how are you? >> thank you. we need your help. nice to meet you. >> have you learned a lot?

>>yes. >> that's good. >> c-span continues its coverage of the conservative political action conference tomorrow with senator john cornyn at 3:05. grover norquist at 4:00. that is followed by the presidential straw poll. sarah palin is at 4:30. our live coverage begins at 2:15 eastern on c-span. now, more from the annual conservative political action conference being held in washington, d.c. oklahoma senator focuses on

global warming. this is about 55 minutes. ♪ >> how is everybody doing? are there any tea partiers here? who thinks that the federal government should balance its budget? i got about 100% on that. who thinks we should raise taxes one more time if they promise to stop doing that. we have to talk about how to get a balanced budget amendment without raising taxes. first i would like to introduce senator john barrasso from wyoming. he was wyomings position of the

year. he serves on the energy natural resources committee environment of public works. next, congressman connie mack from florida. he happens to be a candidate for u.s. senate. [applause] some remarks. >> it is wonderful to be back with you. last year i had a chance to talk about why "obamacare" is wrong for america, and today after hearing senator santorum, i can hear from all of you that that argument is still as important as it has ever been, that piece of legislation is less popular

with americans than it has ever been before. today we will talk about another important issue, and that is washington's runaway spending. what is a fundamental step in getting it under control, which is a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. we are now entering year four of the obama economy. washington's debt is $15.30 trillion, 42% higher than when president obama took office. before there was a president obama, the good old days, we had never had an annual budget deficit of more than $459 billion. over the four years of his

term, which will never see a deficit of less than $1 trillion. that is why for the safety and security and prosperity of this country, this has to be his only term. people ask, where is all the spending? first, there is a trillion dollars worth of budget tricks that are making it more expensive for private sector businesses to create jobs. under this health care plan -- a lot of town meetings, any place i go, i say, how many of you think you will pay more for health care under "obamacare"? every hand goes up. how many of you believe that the quality of your care will go down, and every hand goes up.

that is not what the american people have come to expect, not what they will accept. then where did the money go? the so-called stimulus program. $800 billion, many going to companies like solyndra. remember all those shovel-ready products? all he did was shovele millions of dollars of debt out the door on to the next generation. the president got absolutely everything he wanted in the first two years of his administration. he passed everything he wanted with the democrat-controlled house, democrat-controlled senate, and we know how that worked out. 13 million americans out of work, unemployment still above 8%, 36 months in a row.

just last week the congressional budget office came out saying unemployment is going to get worse this year and even worse next year. to me it is not too complicated. president obama has failed because his only answers are higher taxes, more spending, and bigger government. we have a better idea. reduce spending, reform taxes, and removed obama. -- remove obama. what you have planned for this year? have we seen the budget? we have not seen it, when he comes up with it, it will not be a balanced budget. he has never submitted a balanced budget. the budget he submitted last year was so outrageous that harry reid would not bring it up for a vote, so mitch mcconnell brought it up for a vote. nobody voted for it.

it failed 0-97 in the senate. that is saying something. it has been over 1000 days since the democrats have passed a budget in the senate. that is what we have gotten under the obama economy. the question we have is, do we need a balanced budget amendment, and yes, of course we do. we tried before in 1982. the senate passed the amendment and it fell short in the house. at that time the total debt was $1.10 trillion. it came back again in 1997 under the leadership of orrin hatch. when the senate failed by one vote to pass an amendment, the debt was $5 trillion. today we're looking at a $15 trillion in debt. even obama's advisers realize what a threat this is to our

security and our future. the democrats think it is a taxing problem. they think we are not taxed enough. it is a spending problem. we spend too much. the american people get it, 74% believe we need an amendment to the constitution. i hear it in wyoming every weekend. i will be there later this evening. a constituent said in wyoming we do not spend more than we make. to do anything else would label one a fool. we know what we have to do with families. we know what states do. conservative governors have been doing it right. but at indiana, ohio, new jersey, florida, and back home in wyoming. all these governors across the country are doing it right. wyoming has earned the reputation of being a great

state. we have six young conservatives here from the university of wyoming today during the crowd, and they will tell you we do it right because we believe in very low taxes, reasonable regulations, and every year by law we have to balance our budget at home in wyoming. that is why we are rated so highly, and that is why all of us believe it is important to have a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. 30 years ago, 1982, reagan gave a speech on the steps of the capitol, and he was a favorite of cpac. this is what he told the crowd. he said, there are elitists. he said there are elitists who resent americans like yourselves getting involved in the serious business of changing the constitution. he said, but our constitution was not written to protect the government from its people. it was written to protect the

people from their government. [applause] 30 years ago the solutions today are the same -- a balanced budget amendment to the constitution, and he said all of them are not the same. a balanced budget that caps spending as a share of the economy, and we can get into a discussion of that, and requires super majorities of both houses of congress to either run a deficit or to raise taxes. [applause] we just cannot let a balanced budget requirement become what the democrats would want it to be, an excuse for the democrats to raise taxes and just keep on spending. that is the reason i co- sponsored the senate republican plan which does all of these

things, and i will tell you all 47 members of the republicans in the senate have co-sponsored that bill, which is an amendment that has teeth, it is an amendment that we need, it is an amendment whose time has come. it also tells you what we need a majority of republicans in the united states senate, and for that what we are relying on each and everyone of you to go home and make sure we elect a republican majority for the senate. look, we -- barack obama may have inherited a tough situation, but he has made it worse. and with ideas like a balanced budget amendment and everyone in this room, i believe we can overcome the about upcoming and start things better for a strong and prosperous future. i look forward to the discussion. thanks so much for letting me be with you today. thank you.

>> next up, congressman connie mack from florida. >> thank you. thank you very much. good morning. how is everyone at cpac doing today? you know what is exciting about cpac? there is a roomful of people who believe in the constitution. there is a roomful of people who believe that the answer to the future of america lies within its citizens, not another government bureaucracy. we have got a room full of people who believe the way to the future is by cutting spending, balancing our budget, standing up with our allies. i have been spending time lately listening to some of the pundits on television, and they talk about how divided republicans are and how is this

dangerous, is there any momentum. i keep trying to tell them, and they will listen to you, republicans are energized, and the reason is we have had it with big government -- had it with big ideas and liberal ideas coming out of this white house. [applause] we want a government that respects you, the individual. we want a government that relies upon and understands it is the risk takers in this country that make america strong. people like you that are willing to get up in the morning, put it all on the line, for yourself and your family, create a business, create jobs, and in the white house we have a president who believes the answer to all these problems is more bureaucracy, czars, government, and he thinks he knows better than you, what is best for you and your family. it is time we make a change in

this administration. it is time we brought -- it is time we brought a majority into the united states senate. [applause] it is time that we put the american people first and the guiding light and decisions that we make in the government should be based upon the constitution, not based upon governments, big ideas, and big plans. i look forward to going to the senate and fighting for those principles that we all believe in, the idea of less taxes, less government, and more freedom. we have an opportunity to change the relationship back to what the founding fathers originally envisioned, and that is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. [applause] this is a government -- let's take some examples.

"obamacare." this is a government who came in and said we did not care about the constitution. we are going to force "obamacare" on the people of this country. we will tell you if you have to buy insurance. this is against what our founding fathers fought for. this is against the constitution of the united states. i do not know how some of these liberal senators, liberal members of the congress, how they can in washington, d.c., vote as a liberal and go home and say to their constituents, i do not trust you to make any decisions for yourselves, but can i have your vote? those times are over. there's a new way moving forward, and that is to look at the people in the florida, and say i trust you. i believe that you are the heart and soul of america. i believe that a stronger

america comes because you want to engage in a free market, capitalist society that respects individuals. that message, my friends, will sell, because people are what make this country, not government. i want to talk -- [applause] i want to talk real quickly about this budget scenario, and let me give you a little history. i was first elected in 2004, and as a freshman member in the congress, i had the honor to serve on the budget committee. this is when republicans were in the majority. i was the only republican to vote no on our own republican budget because it spent too much. whether it is president obama or even in times republicans who believe maybe a little less government is not the right answer, i am willing to stand

up and say we have to do the right thing, we have to balance our budget. today we're here to have a discussion about how to balance the budget. we will talk about a balanced budget amendment. how many of you are for a balanced budget amendment? we all are for a balanced budget amendment. why? because everyone of you have to do it that home. shouldn't the federal government have to do the same thing? in florida, the government, we have to have a balanced budget. we cannot spend more than we bring in. this makes sense. some in washington did not want to put that kind of spending control in because they want to be able to spend money whenever and however they want. we all are going to work together to fight for a balanced budget amendment. here's my challenge to you. we cannot pass a balanced budget amendment unless we have a strong majority in the house and a strong majority in the senate.

it is going to take you to get involved, to not only come to events like this, but talk to your friends and your neighbors, tell the importance of a balanced budget amendment, tell them the importance of making sure we bring the majority back in the senate. i'm not talking by one senator. we need a veto-proof type ofi'm. we need a veto-proof type of maturity. -- majority. we need 60 members of republicans in the united states senate, and it is about you. if you will join hands with us, if you will join hands with those around this country that are willing to fight for less government, freedom, security, and prosperity, we can deliver a balanced budget amendment, but it will take hard work, working together to get that done. in the meantime, there is another idea that i am proud of. it is called the mack penny

plan. there is another way for us to balance the budget. we can balance the budget by cutting 1% of spending a year. that is not draconian. 1%, one penny out of every federal dollar. you have had to cut at least one penny out of every dollar of your business budget. the federal government should be required to the same thing. if we do this for six years, we can cap spending at 18% of gdp. in the eighth year, we balance the budget, and after 10 years we cut $7.50 trillion. this is how you balance the budget. [applause] we currently have 71 sponsors in the house and i believe nine or 10 in the senate, of which my colleague is also a supporter of the penny plan. we need you to get involved.

we need to be part of the movement. we need to get you energized[,] not only a balanced budget amendment, but the mack penny plan. i want to thank you for this opportunity. i am excited about the future, because i see people who are going to fight for what is right. i see people who are willing to engage in the process to ensure that we bring conservative principles back to our government. this is exciting days. we should cherish this day, and let me finish with this. i am honored to have someone special here today with me. my wife, mary mack. we will continue to fight for america and together we will win in november. whatever republican president,

and the republic merger -- republican majority in the senate so we can have a balanced budget amendment. thank you very much. [applause] >> ok, we have a few minutes left and i want to ask a few questions. are there microphones in the audience? let me ask the first one. we all agree we should balance the budget and agree we should have a super majority to protect congress from ratcheting up the tax base. it takes time to pass a constitutional amendment. what do we do day one when the senate is republican, when the house is republican, and when the president is republican? all of you have run to balance the budget. >> assuming we do not get to the 60, which is where i would rather be, 51, 52, you have republicans, we use reconciliation to repeal

"obamacare." that is number one. and i told the president to his face, this is going to bankrupt the country. the expenses are going to explode. the benefits are questionable. if you do nothing else, that is going to help you on the right path. about half of our time should be used in oversight and things that are being duplicated, waste. tom coburn has worked on this to get us on a path. you get rid of "obamacare," work on oversight, it will take a long way. ultimately you need to have the big spenders, medicare, medicaid, social security, and work to -- >> we cannot hear you. >> can you hear us now?

>> if we have 51 and less than 60 senators, use reconciliation to repeal "obamacare." it is a program that i believe is going to bankrupt the country. there's no way that the country maintains financial stability with the obama health care law in place. >> can you hear me? if i were president, this is going to shock you, but i would pass the mack penny plan. >> great idea. >> but i am not and i am not going to be. if we work together on day one, when we have majorities in the senate, house, and president, we can begin to move forward on the mack penny plan and a balanced budget amendment at the same time.

it will take time to get there, but let's move that immediately, get into the process so we can begin to get to that balanced budget. it has to get ratified by the states. in the meantime, at the same time, let's put forward the back penney plan -- mack penny plan, to balance the budget in the eighth year, and to cut $7.50 trillion, and we will do it in eight years, and we will do it together. that may make sure everyone understands. you will hear out of washington about a baseline budget. everybody believes that a baseline budget is flat. in washington, d.c., a baseline budget is an increase of spending every year by up to 8%. we cannot afford to borrow money from china to pay for

this. we have to flatline that baseline. we can no longer continue to spend 5% to 8% every year. this is a common-sense solution. there is bipartisan support for this, and i think the reason it makes sense, but we know we have to try all the things we know is not going to work before we get to the things that will work. >> the balance -- the budget would be balanced by the time the amendment kicks in. >> great answers. one question i'd like to ask both of you. senator, what type of balanced budget amendment matters, because when i got to this town in the 1980's, there was a liberal senator named paul simon, and he had a balanced budget amendment. i am sure no one in this room would support his plan to balance the budget.

>> it is an excuse to raise taxes and do additional spending. i believe the democrats are always looking for a way to expand the reach of government. as i tell people in wyoming, you do not want to send them the money in washington because they will spend it. we need to have a balanced budget amendment that ties spending to the size of the economy, and the republican bill, co-sponsored by all 47 republicans in the senate, is 18%. so the courts cannot mandate additional spending. you say you need 2/3, supermajorities, to go through it or to raise taxes. which focuses on what the problem is today, which is the spending. >> if you do not understand, the entire senate republican caucus supported a good bill, across the board. that is quite an accomplishment.

>> it was tremendous work by michael lee and orrin hatch, both of utah. our hats are off to them. >> you keep hearing about 18% of gdp, and why is that number important? we did not just pick at number. historically, revenues in this country have been at 18% of gdp. what does that mean to you? if you make x amount of dollars, cannot spend more than you make. that is what the revenue is at historically to the federal government. we did not pick the number out of a hat. if you want to balance the budget, you cannot spend more than you bring in. >> ok, guy, give it up for connie mack and john barrasso. ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable jim inhofe, in 9 states senator. -- united states senator. >> thank you. ok, you are wonderful. i have asked for an additional 44 seconds, and i tell you why. they are tough guys back here. they have a big hook. this is not scripted. this come from the heart. i heard some comments right after rick santorum spoke. i want to share one thing with you. i probably know rick santorum better than anyone in this audience. we were in the house together, elected the same day, have gone

weekly to a prayer breakfast together, bible study. i want to tell you two things. what he tells you is not scripted, it is from the heart. number two, he is the real deal. that is not what i am here today. [applause] let me introduce myself to some of you who may be new here. i am in the bad guy that dared to look at the sides of global warming back in the year of 2000. [applause] and i am the bad guy who, in 2003, -- and i want to read this to you to make sure i get it right -- "the concept that man-made gases are causing catastrophic global warming may well be the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the american people." [applause] hence, this book.

the last time i was here, five years ago, some of you were here. if you remember what was happening then, it was not very fun. democrats took over the senate, i was chairman of the internment committee. that was taken over by barbara boxer. al gore was on the top of the world. he had just released his science-fiction movie and everyone was talking about it. of course, the media fell in love with al gore. they called him the man of our times. how quickly that came tumbling down. five years later, it is now on the credibility of the united nations intergovernmental committee on climate change. you know what that is. that completely collapsed. well, anyways. the american people, we won.

by the way, i need to tell you about something you did not know. the united nations throws a big party every year for 192 nations to come in, like group therapy, how they will all comply with global warming. the last meeting was in copenhagen. i was very fortunate. the timing could not have been better. i went to copenhagen and i spoke after four people. it was barack obama, nancy pelosi, hillary clinton, and john kerry. they said, we are going to send all this money to developing countries. i spoke after them and was able to tell the truth it is dead, gone, we have defeated cap and trade, it is not going to happen here.

those 191 countries had one thing in common. they all hated me, but it was great. after that, the sites fell apart. you have to listen to this. -- the science fell apart. david bellamy would carry the banner in the uk for global warming. he converted and came over to our side. a socialist from france, a leader who later i changed over and said proponents of global warming are being motivated by money. another guy, a young guy, outstanding. an astrophysicist from israel. he was with the global warming groups, but that he had a chance to really look into a study. he said, the sun can explain the 20th-century global warming.

can you believe that? the sun is hot. [laughter] we started on my website, and on the senate floor, all of the scientists started to come over to our side. there is a guy that was a big help to me. mark morano -- i cannot see out there, but he has a website. climatedepot.com. you can see how this thing is moving. it is incredible. i thought it was over. i had stopped writing my book at that time. obama and epa label -- give up their legislation. we had defeated the bills. we thought it was over until we discovered they would try to do something that i had not thought about. they would try to do it through regulation. you need to know about this. in order to do it by

regulation, the epa, the administration has to have an endangerment finding. right before i went to copenhagen, we had the administrator of the epa in a committee hearing. i said, i have a feeling as soon as i get on the plane, you will have an endangerment finding. it needs to be based on science. what is the source of the science? she says it is the united nations. this is where the poetic justice came in. the day after that, climategate took place, so all of that credibility was destroyed. this is what he said in england. attending this is not a real crisis is not going to make it go away. "the daily telegraph" in london said that this scandal could be the biggest scandal in modern

history. that was pretty exciting. to put this in context, i want to share with you the four things that are the most destructive to our nation which obama is doing. as was articulated by john barrasso, it is the budget, the trillions of dollars. a lot of people do not know the budget does not come from the house or senate, it comes from the white house. he has had four budgets. each one has had a deficit of more than $1 trillion. you do not need to be told that. the second thing, he is disarming america. i am the second ranking member on the bonds services committee. i would love to tell you what he is doing to the military. you already know that. he is destroy domestic energy. his battle against also feels. what we do not know is the

overregulation taking place right now is probably greater, in terms of harm to america, the power plants, one. million -- 1.2 million jobs. every manufacturer in america has a boiler. jobs will be lost if they continue on with these regulations. i have to move on because of the timing. the crown jewel of over regulation. regulating -- the epa will regulate co2. we are talking about more than $3 billion a year. i know you are not much more different than i am. i keep track of how many families in my state of oklahoma pay income taxes every year. that would be $3,200 for every

family in america. however, this thing it will actually be more than that. that is based on the big refiners and manufacturers doing cap and trade emission controls. if they do it through regulation, it is a tough concept -- you have to listen to this. they would do it with the clean air act. that would be virtually every hospital, every school, every church, all over the country. even the epa admits they would have to hire 230,000 people. they would need an increase of $21 billion in their budget to do this. how can we stop this? some of you are old enough to remember what i did on the discharge petition many years

ago. we were able to stop that process. it was here where we were able to engender that support. we stopped cap and trade, all of this legislation. it is because of you guys. [applause] here is something you need to understand. there are three things you can do. i honestly believe -- because i have seen this happen. the combined magic of this group, you can actually make this happen. there is a book that should be required reading. "american political patterns" by dan nemo. you will come to the conclusion that the decisions of this country are made by 1% of the people, and those decisions are driven by activists. i do not see 10,000 people here. i see 2 million people here. each one of you is an army of 200 people. first of all, you should learn how important you really are.

if you do that, you have to have the issues, you have to know the major issues. you can either read the book or you can go to -- watch shot vanity on the 27th -- i will be on the program -- sean hannity on the 27 -- i will be on the program. also, remember that you are an army of 200, each one of you. the third pen, right on time, if you are going to be activists, act like activists. do not be afraid. if you know what i have gone through over the last 10 years, you may not be willing to get out there, but i think you will. that is what is important. the world is full of appeasers.

that is the guy that will throw his friends to the alligators, hoping that he will be in last. i love you guys. you can do it. do not do it for me, do it for future generations, do it for my 20 kids and grandkids. one of the foremost scientists in the world today said controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. if you control carbon, you control life. that is what this hoax is all about. if you join me in this work, the lord will bless you for it. amen. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, carly fiorina, vice chair of the national republican senatorial

committee. >> thank you. good morning. great to be with you this morning. i began my business career as a secretary in a small business that employed nine people. eventually, i would become the chief executive officer of one of the largest companies in the world, hewlett-packard. having travelled all over the world, i know that my story is only possible in america. [applause] and i also know that there are countless american stories just like mine. only in america can you start from nowhere and go anywhere. that is because our country was founded on a truly radical idea.

that radical idea is that every individual has got-given gifts and potential -- god-given gifts, and potential, and that these rights come from god and cannot be taken away by government. here in america, it does not matter where you come from. all that matters is where you are going. we called this the american dream. it inspires this dream of ours, inspires people of all races and religions and cultures. my story is also a uniquely american because i started in a small business. a small business is the first rung on the american dream for most americans. in the last 40 years, all the new net job growth in our

country has come from small businesses. [applause] small businesses generate 11 times the number of patents that big but this is to -- businesses do. today, more small businesses are failing and fewer are starting than at any time in the last 40 years. i became involved in politics as a volunteer, as a contributor, fundraiser, a candidate, because i believe we are making the american dream too hard for too many people. i ran for the senate because all the reforms that we believe in, real health care reform. as a cancer survivor, i know how important real health care

reform is, how important the repeal of obamacare is. [applause] tax reform, regulatory reform, entitlement reform, energy reform, budget reform. all of these reforms require a republican majority in the senate. today, i served as vice chairman of the national republican senatorial committee. while i could not win in california, i, we, can help other senate candidates around the country when and regain the republican majority. [applause] you just heard from my good friend senator jim inhofe. you know who the chair person of the committee on environment and public works is today? barbara boxer. there is more than one way to skin a cat.

i could not beat her, but we can get her out of her chairmanship and put him in. [applause] as conservatives, we are engaged in a great battle of ideas. what will it take to reignite our economy, to bring the american dream back and read for more people? what will it take to make this a land of equal opportunity for all? how do we install the of entrepreneurial foundation of this country? i am from california, the state blessed with an abundance of beauty and natural resources. california is also proof positive you can take one of the largest and most vibrant economies in the world, and you can bring into a tipping point. you can transform it into a state of persistent double- digit unemployment, yawning budget deficits, deteriorating public services, he constantly increasing tax rate with a

constantly eroding tax base, and a dysfunctional political process. california has been brought to this point by that policy and that political decisions. the battle of ideas we are engaged in as conservatives has real consequences for real people and real economies. the battle of ideas is more or less government the answer matters more than ever. california is the proof point. i also come from the world of technology. it is this world that provides us with our answers in the battle of ideas. in the internet age, in the 21st century, only conservative principles will work. [applause] allow me to explain. technology, the microprocessor, the computer. the iphone, skindell. the internet, social media.

technology has brought us to the point where any piece of information, and the book, a piece of music, and the interview, film, any thought, experience, anything that humankind has ever known or experienced or ever invented, anything, can be accessed at any time by anyone from anywhere. think about this. anything can be accessed by anyone at any time from anywhere. think about this in its truly revolutionary implications. for the first time in human history, anyone can know anything. of course, you have to have access to the right technology, but we have seen in real time the incredible power of 21st century technology.

let's face it. it can be scary. a radical cleric in yemen can recruit new terrorist recruit here in this country simply by sitting in front of his computer. wikileaks can distribute massive amounts of previously secret information with the push of a button. but 21st century technology can also be incredibly empower ring and liberating. anyone can learn from anywhere. a small business can look as good as a big business. customers can be found. connections can be made. movements can be borne. dictators can be exposed. the world can be changed. technology is an historic game changer because technology empowers the individual. technology means that more things are more possible for more people in more places than

ever before in human history. technology unleashes everyone, from entrepreneurs to revolutionaries. technology unlocks potential. you have heard the old and true saying, information is power. guess what? information and power are moving from institutions to individuals. in fact, big bureaucracies, with their slow, deliberate decision making processes cannot keep up any more with the speed of information flow. hierarchical centralized decision making is doomed to be constantly behind the curve. this is why every enlightened business work to decentralize decision making and empower individual employees with relevant technology and capability. this is why the military spends billions to put information into hands of every soldier, so

that they are smart and empowered on the battlefield. so what do we, as conservatives, believe? we believe power and decision making 7 p decentralized as much as possible. -- should be decentralized as much as possible. we believe individuals make better decisions for themselves and institutions and bureaucracies can make for them. [applause] we trust entrepreneurs and risk takers more than we trust regulators and bureaucrats. [applause] we know what president obama and the democrats believe. they believe more government and more government programs are the answers to our problems. they entrust power to institutions and regulations. their political philosophy does not work in the 21st century. every government agency and program is played by too much

spending and 2 q results. -- too few results. this is because these ponderous bureaucracy and their ossified hierarchy's cannot keep up with the pace of change and the power of technology. i am not arguing there is no role for government. i am arguing government needs to be fundamentally reformed to be smaller, less intrusive, less s -- and expensive, and more effective. i am arguing the internet age shows us the way forward, decentralize decision making, and to empower and unleashed as many individuals as possible. i am arguing that conservative political principles are the most modern, and the most pragmatic approach to every challenge we face. [applause] our ideas work better to solve real problems and to make a difference in people's lives. in closing, i will say this.

if you look up "progressive" in the dictionary, you would find words like change, forward motion, advancing. if you look a conservative in the dictionary, you will read, opposed to change. the age of technology has turned these definitions on their head. it is progressives that fight to preserve a system of big government and institutional power that is increasingly anachronistic and ineffective, not to mention too expensive. it is conservatives who are fighting to limit the power of bureaucracies and unleash the power of the individual. progressives are fighting against the tide of history and the power of technology. conservatives embrace the principles upon which our great nation was founded and upon which the new world of the 21st century must be built. empower the individual, unleashed the auctioneer, and truly on what the potential of

this great nation. [applause] the 21st century should be, must be, can be, will be, with your help, america's greatest century. that radical idea, that every person has potential, and the right to fulfill it, that idea is now made more possible for more people than ever before in human history. so let us read gather our strengths and fight on for fundamental reform, let us fight to restore the american dream. that it does not matter who you are or where you come from, or what your last name is. all that matters is where you want to go. history and technology on art -- are on our side. thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. fight on.

[applause] thank you, god bless you. thank you. [applause] >> c-span continues tomorrow with chairman of the national republican committee at 3:00. kroger norquist at four o'clock followed by the results of the presidential straw poll. and, remarks by sarah palin. coverage begins at 2:15 p.m. on c-span. >> one eye for start and i also thought this must be an american story.

this is about the religion of self-reliance. it turns out that we are laggards when it comes to living alone. it is more common in european nations, scandinavia. it is even more common in japan. >> looking at the growing trend of american adults choosing to live alone and what that means for the country. also, the second cousin of condoleezza rice on her work to reduce gang violence in l.a. and starting a dialogue between gang leaders and police. and a one-woman play and book of the same name, revenge of the women's study this professor. -- studies professor. >> president obama has announced

a change to the revision. women are guaranteed access but if there employee of jack's, the responsibility will fall on the insurance provider. these remarks are about 10 minutes. >> here we go. >> here he is. >> sounds pretty good. >> hello, everybody. [laughter] i was actually going to say good morning. but i guess it's afternoon by now. as part of the health care reform law that i signed last year, all insurance plans are required to cover preventive care at no cost. that means free check-ups, free mammograms, immunizations and other basic services. we fought for this because it saves lives and it saves money - for families, for businesses, for government, for everybody. that's because it's a lot

cheaper to prevent an illness than to treat one. we also accepted a recommendation from the experts at the institute of medicine that when it comes to women, preventive care should include coverage of contraceptive services such as birth control. in addition to family planning, doctors often prescribe contraception as a way to reduce the risks of ovarian and other cancers, and treat a variety of different ailments. and we know that the overall cost of health care is lower when women have access to contraceptive services. nearly 99 percent of all women have relied on contraception at some point in their lives - 99 percent. and yet, more than half of all women between the ages of 18 and 34 have struggled to afford it. so for all these reasons, we decided to follow the judgment of the nation's leading medical experts and make sure that free preventive care includes access to free

contraceptive care. whether you're a teacher, or a small businesswoman, or a nurse, or a janitor, no woman's health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much money she makes. every woman should be in control of the decisions that affect her own health. period. this basic principle is already the law in 28 states across the country. now, as we move to implement this rule, however, we've been mindful that there's another principle at stake here - and that's the principle of religious liberty, an inalienable right that is enshrined in our constitution. as a citizen and as a christian, i cherish this right. in fact, my first job in chicago was working with catholic parishes in poor neighborhoods, and my salary was funded by a grant from an arm of the catholic church. and i saw that local churches

often did more good for a community than a government program ever could, so i know how important the work that faith-based organizations do and how much impact they can have in their communities. i also know that some religious institutions - particularly those affiliated with the catholic church - have a religious objection to directly providing insurance that covers contraceptive services for their employees. and that's why we originally exempted all churches from this requirement - an exemption, by the way, that eight states didn't already have. and that's why, from the very beginning of this process, i spoke directly to various catholic officials, and i promised that before finalizing the rule as it applied to them, we would spend the next year working with institutions like catholic hospitals and catholic universities to find an equitable solution that protects religious liberty and ensures that every woman has access to the care that she

needs. now, after the many genuine concerns that have been raised over the last few weeks, as well as, frankly, the more cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football, it became clear that spending months hammering out a solution was not going to be an option, that we needed to move this faster. so last week, i directed the department of health and human services to speed up the process that had already been envisioned. we weren't going to spend a year doing this; we're going to spend a week or two doing this. today, we've reached a decision on how to move forward. under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services - no matter where they work. so that core principle remains. but if a woman's employer is a charity or a hospital that has a religious objection to

providing contraceptive services as part of their health plan, the insurance company - not the hospital, not the charity - will be required to reach out and offer the woman contraceptive care free of charge, without co-pays and without hassles. the result will be that religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly. let me repeat -- these employers will not have to pay for, or provide, contraceptive services. but women who work at these institutions will have access to free contraceptive services, just like other women, and they'll no longer have to pay hundreds of dollars a year that could go towards paying the rent or buying groceries. now, i've been confident from the start that we could work out a sensible approach here, just as i promised. i understand some folks in washington may want to treat

this as another political wedge issue, but it shouldn't be. i certainly never saw it that way. this is an issue where people of goodwill on both sides of the debate have been sorting through some very complicated questions to find a solution that works for everyone. with today's announcement, we've done that. religious liberty will be protected, and a law that requires free preventive care will not discriminate against women. we live in a pluralistic society where we're not going to agree on every single issue, or share every belief. that doesn't mean that we have to choose between individual liberty and basic fairness for all americans. we are unique among nations for having been founded upon both these principles, and our obligation as citizens is to carry them forward. i have complete faith that we can do that. thank you very much, everybody.

>> tomorrow, the president of the league of conservation region conservation voters. he minivans white house correspondents john gizzi talks about the 2012 campaign and shirley malcom discusses the new government spending for programs to boost math and science education in the united states. "washington journal" is at 7:00 a.m. on c-span. >> effective april 1, a japan will lower its combined corporate rate to 38%. that will leave the united states with the highest corporate tax rate indian -- in

the world. that will make it that much more challenging to invest where we need jobs. >> someone say it is like seeing sausage made. you do not want to see it. >> it is time to put aside our wish lists and to work collective least two support a more coherent and equitable -- to support a more corporate parent and equitable tax policy. >> follow the discussion on line at the c-span video library. >> three republican president candidates were featured of this annual political conservative actions -- conference in washington, d.c.

we will hear first from rick santorum then mitt romney and former speaker of the house newt gingrich. this is just under 30 minutes. ♪ >> life is so fun and filled with humor. there is a bar a couple of doors down. a conservative, a liberal, and a moderate walked into the bar. the bartender says, high -- hi, mitt. [laughter] [applause] people ask why i support rex santorum. i have known him for 16 years.

he is a dear friend. he is competitive and a fighter. the minute i saw him speak, his authenticity. when a nice contrast, the authenticity with the audacity with the current president. this is the combative spirit we will need to win. he has the 3 lakes of the reagan store. -- legs of the reagan stool. i do not agree with all of his policies. he is so convicted i cannot move him to any of my ideas which is distressing to me. but here is why i support him. not only does he have the best chance of winning, but maybe only chance.

we cannot support these experienced warhorses, these veterans. it did not work with bob dole. the democrats learned it did not work with al gore or john kerry. how did the democrats win? they brought in clinton and carter. they've brought barack obama from beyond nowhere. [applause] rick santorum was described. he said mitt romney -- and sorry, and newt gingrich is a visionary. ron paul is an ideologue, mitt romney is an executive. rick santorum is a servant. [applause] this is what resonates. when he gave a speech, one said

this will be the first time the republicans run a blue-collar candidate. he has been able to defeat, and he had a million more democrats against him. he reaches out to the blue- collar worker. the grandson of a coal miner has an advantage over another guy who was a lot of money. that is not fair. i do not like that i am considered evil because i have a lot of money. the grandson of a coal miner has an opportunity to identify. the other thing i love about rick santorum, you will never hear him annies -- say anything divisive. he brings people together. he does not talk about the rich and the poor. when he speaks, maybe i'm stealing his speech, but we are in this together. we have to bring america back. we are in this together.

catholic, and you, what ever. that is what makes america great. that is what we have to work to achieve. it reminds me of a story. a fellow of drives into a ditch. he cannot get out. because a farmer. -- he calls a farmer. pull, nothing happens. pull, get him right out. why behalf to call your name -- course for names? >> uc, former -- you see, homer is blind. if he thought he was the only one polling, and he would not give a damn. it is an honor to bring the man who will unite us all.

i want you to give a welcome to the next president of the united states, rick santorum. [applause] ♪ >> thank you. thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you very much. you are eating into my time. thank you. this is not the von trapp family and we are not going to sing. [laughter]

but it is great to be here at cpac. i'm not telling any jokes, i think foster cornered the market on that. thank you for that wonderful reception for not just me, but my family that is here. the folks walking in with me today and walking the journey with me are here with me today because this is who i am. they are here with me. i want to introduce -- most of you have seen them before, but this is my wife, karen, the rock that i stand upon. [applause] sarah, patrick, daniel, elizabeth, peter, and john. [applause] and of course, the one who is not here with us but is home and recuperating well and doing

amazingly well thanks to your prayers, our little girl. [applause] i came here back right after the 200010 election. i came to a lot of cpacs over the years, and i said that conservatism cannot fail our country. conservatives failed conservatism. that is what i believed then, and that we in fact lost heart. we listen to the voices who said we had to abandon our principles and our values to get things done, to win. we hear those same voices today, that we have to learn our lesson. we hear that we need to compromise and do what is

politically reasonable and pushed some ford who can win. -- push someone forward who can win. the lesson we learned is that we will no longer abandon and apologize for the policies and principles that made this country great for a hollow victory in november. [applause] the other thing we should recognize -- as conservatives and tea party folks, we're not just wings of the republican party, we are the republican party. [applause] folks, i've been here before. we know each other. we have worked together. we have taken on the tough

battles that confront this country. i know you and you know me. that is important. i think knowing the people who are the conservative leaders, no one the people -- knowing the people who bring the ideas and the breadth at wellspring of ideas to conservatism is important. policies are personnel. personnel is what makes it. knowing the people to bring and to surround yourself with. the voices we listened to in the past were people we brought in who told us we cannot stand by those principles. this engine, and, as president of the united states, we will surround ourselves in this administration with people who share our values and are committed to the principles that made this country great, leaders of the conservative movement. [applause]

we now there is a lot of excitement here, because this election is about very big things. this is not just about jobs, although it is about jobs. we need to do something about jobs in this country, and we put forward an economic plan that "the wall street journal" called supply-side economics for the working man. we care to make sure that every american has the opportunity to rise, that the ladder goes down not just people who might be voting for us, but yes, the very poor, the people what and suffering and -- the people out and suffering and left behind. we want opportunity for all americans, blue-collar americans, to rise in society. we have a plan that reinvigorates the manufacturing base in our society. that is important. it is important that we tackle

this huge, monsters in debt that -- monstrous debt that we have in our country, a debt that is crushing america and our children, an immoral debt. [applause] i put forward another plan that says we will cut $5 trillion in five years, and every year we will spend less money than the year before, year after year after year until budget is balanced. no more cuts in the rate of growth. [applause] we know it is about big things, though, more than just the economy. it is about foundational principles and we have seen that in the last few weeks. every speech i have given, from its 381 town hall meetings in iowa, i talked about founding principles. this campaign is going to be

about a vision. it is about who we are as americans, because in essence that is what is at stake. it is an election about what kind of a country you are going to lead for the next generation. are we a country that believes as our founders did, that our rights don't come from the government, they come from a much higher authority? [applause] there are those in our country and those in the oval office who believe that is not the case. they believe that rights to come from the government, and they have gone around convincing the american public that they can give you rights. the most important one they have been able to shut down the throats of the american public was the right to health care, the right to health care,

obamacare. we see what happens when government gives you rights. when government gives you rights, government can take away those rights. one government gives you rights, they can course you -- coerce you enter exercising the rights they have given. i have talked about how obamacare will crush economic freedom and make people dependent on government for the most important things, their very lives. as a result, government will own you because you have to pay tribute to washington. one of the reasons i am in this race, the major reason i am in this race, it is because i think that obamacare is a game changer for america. [applause]

market thatcher said when she left the prime ministership of england that she was never able to accomplish what reagan accomplished. once people have that dependency, they are never really free again. we have seen this play out the last few weeks. we have seen the president of the and i is that it's not only tell you what insurance coverage you should have, how much you should pay, but he is now telling the catholic church that they are forced to pay for things that are against their basic teachings, against their first amendment rights. interestingly enough, here is what they are forcing them to do -- in an insurance policy, they or forcing them to pay for something that costs a few dollars. is that what insurance is for? the foundational idea that the government tells you that you

have to pay for everything as a business, things that are not really things you need insurance for, and still forcing on something that is not a critical economic need, when you have economic distress where you would need insurance, but forcing them even of the more to do it for minor expenses. ladies and gentlemen, this is the kind of coercion we can expect. it is not about contraception. it is about economic liberty, i guess about freedom of speech, freedom of religion --. it is about freedom of speech, freedom of religion. it is about government control of your lives, and it has got to stop. [applause]

this isn't the only place that president obama has tried to control your lives. one of the favorite things of the left is to use your sentimentality, and your proper understanding and belief that we are stewards of this earth and we have a responsibility to head off a beautiful earth to the next generation. they use that and they have used it in the past to try to scare you into supporting radical ideas on the environment. they tried it with this idea, this politicization of an idea called man-made global warming. president obama, you may remember, tried to pass cap- and-trade and tried to get control not only of the health care system but of the energy industry, the manufacturing industry, two big sectors of this economy, and using this

facade of man-made global warming. i stood up and fought against those things. why? because they will destroy the very foundation of prosperity in our country. you look at any country in the world, you look at their energy consumption and the cost of energy and the quality of life, their standard of living, the more energy consumption, the higher the standard of living. that is just the bottom line. we need in america, if we are going to fuel a great and vibrant economy, we need affordable energy. this administration has gone out and not only has attacked us with cap-and-trade and global warming, but now that that has been slowed in the dustbin of history, they are going after hydro fracking. i come from pennsylvania. we are doing a little bit of that in pennsylvania, thank god. [applause]

and guess what? of course, now that we are doing fracking near population centers, the bogeyman comes out. ooh, look at what is going to do to you. there have been wells fracking in the united states. 700,000, 800,000. where is all the noise? they it scare you and intimidate you to trust them and give them more power. we need somebody who is willing to go out on these big issues of the day and draw contrasts. we are not going to win this election, ladies and gentlemen, because the republican candidate as the most money to beat up there on and win the election -- their opponent and win the election. [applause] we are not going to win this election with overt or lopsided many advantages. we won't have one in the fall.

president obama will have more money, whoever our nominee is. it is going to take ideas, mission, contrast, a record of accomplishment that can go against the failed policies of barack obama. that's the winner. [applause] let's just take a look at in the republican field. who has the boldest contrast, the record they can run on? who has the old plan -- the bold plans to turn this country around and support the institutions that provide the foundation for our country, faith and family? who has that strong record and that contrast? [applause]

ok. i guess i can quit now, since you are convinced of that. [laughter] on the issue of obamacare, who has a record of supporting all the savings accounts, tort reform, bottom-up consumer- driven health care? who has supported the stepchild of obamacare, the person in massachusetts who had the largest government-run healthcare system in the united states? someone who would simply give that issue away in the fall? give the issue a way of government control of your health? who would be the better person to go after the obama administration on trying to control the energy and manufacturing sector of our

economy and try to dictate to you what lights to turn on and what cars to drive? would it be someone who bought into man-made global warming and a post the first -- imposed the first carbon cap in massachusetts, the first in the country? would it be someone who took on the other big issue of government control of our economy, the government control the financial services sector? we see everybody up on stage at the debate complaining about dodd-frank. two of the three candidates supported the wall street bailout, the predecessor of which dodd-frank was based upon. who would provide a clear contrast? believing in the conservative and vision, bottom-up, free people, free markets, not government dependency, government control. we're not going to win with money. we are going to win with

contrast, win with ideas, when by making -- win by making barack obama and his failed policies the issue in this race. [applause] we won in 2010 because conservatives rallied. they were excited about the contrasts, excited about the candidates were put forth in that election. that is why we won. we always talk about how do we get the moderates. why would an undecided voter vote for a candidate who the party is not excited about? [applause] we need conservatives now to

rally for conservatives to go into november, excite the conservative base, and defeat barack obama in the fall. [applause] as i close, i would just say this -- when i started the speech, i referred to where our rights came from, and that is in the declaration of independence. i know a lot of folks like to focus on the constitution, and the constitution is obviously the operator's manual for america. it is the how of america, and it is essential that we return our government to the constraints of the constitution. but the why of america, who we are, is in the declaration. "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and are in doubt by their creator with certain

-- endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights." the one thing government is to do is to protect those rights so that you can for families, churches, community organizations, civic groups, schools, and all the great and just society from the bottom up. that is the conservative vision for america. that's who we are. at the end of that declaration, there's a phrase. the signers signed the declaration with this pledge -- state bank pledged their lives, their fortune, and there sigrid -- under th -- they pledged their lives, their fortune, and their sacred honor. man and woman steps forward every day and put the uniform of the military on every day. [applause]

i am not asking for your fortune, although if you go to ricksantorum.com -- [laughter] a piece of that fortune would be very helpful. but i am asking for your honor. honor is a term that is not used in america very often anymore, but it is exactly what is at stake. we are stewards of our great inheritance, and it is our responsibility to shepherd that inheritance and make it a greater and richer one for the next generation. if we fail to do that, we have failed our duty and our honor as americans.

this is our opportunity. many generations come and go in america living in inconsequential times. you are blessed to live at a time when america needs you. [applause] please walk out of this gathering, choose the candidate that you believe is the right person to lead this country not just to victory, but to the changes that are necessary for the victory to be won so you can say "i have done my duty, i have kept my honor." thank you, and god bless. [applause]

♪ >> rick santorum took part in a meet and greet session with supporters. he made brief report to the media respecting the conference and responded to questions about the obama administration's contraception decision. >> we are encouraged by a lot of

things. i will take a question or two, and then we will wrap it up. >> i do not know what the rules are, so i do not want to comment. quite what are you trying to get out of this event? you are going to face undoubtedly tons of a new negative attacks. >> it is typical of the governor romney to run negative ads. it bears repeating -- rodney at not going to have the money to outspend the president 5-1. the people here are

conservatives and republicans around the country -- hopefully it will be even at best when it comes to resources. that is the kind of case you look at. i we have the best opportunity. >> can you tell us a little bit about the recent issues concerning contraceptives? >> this has nothing to do with social conservatism. it has to do with basic fundamental liberty. you can pick the issue, but the president is trying to enforce a religious organization, someone who has first amendment rights, to do something that specifically violates both first

amendment rights for no good reason. people should have the access if they want to contraceptives creat. this has nothing to do with access. this that's something it -- this has to do with making people pay for it. it is not an insurable items. this is something that is affordable and available. you do not need insurance for these relatively small expenditures. this is typically someone trying to impose their values on someone else. that should offend everybody, people of faith and no faith, that the government can get in that role. >> a number of republicans -- what does the white house need

to do to satisfy you? >> understand that this exit a clear intrusion into people's fundamental liberties. there is no great value gained by forcing a religious organization to pay for something that is a relatively small expenditure when it comes to healthcare. [unintelligible]

[unintelligible]

[unintelligible]

>> now, remarks by republican presidential candidate mitt romney at the annual conservative political action conference being held this weekend in washington, d.c. later, we will also hear from former house speaker newt gingrich.

>> we can all do without this pace of the primary. contentious primaries go to the stages at one time or another. we want to at some point in time get a guy to go to the white house. the reason why you are here in part appears to hear from these free fellows today, and yesterday from the other candidates, and make up your own lines. "it is my pleasure to introduce this one. newt gingrich, ron paul, and rick santorum got a good passing grades. we believe mitt romney may surpass very well. [applause] for those of you still thinking

about what you should look for in choosing a presidential candidate, let me suggest a test we do in our family. one, do you share my values? two, you must be confident to lead ungoverned the greatest nation on earth. 3, he must be capable of beating president barack obama. [applause] my wife and i note them well. they became even more kindred spirits when they faced similar health issues a couple of years ago. i am proud to report they share a care -- share a courage and faith. we know the family well. five children, five daughters in long, and 18 grandchildren -- enough to become a majority in

the state of montana. [laughter] they are the real deal. god loving, hardworking, patriotic americans. one of the things that stands out in his life is he worked in a hostile government long enough to work of government works or does not work, but not for so long that he only goes up to work for the government. mitt romney is the most qualified person to run for president in his lifetime. that is a pretty smart fellow himself. concerns expressed about -- there have been concerned about governor mitt romney changing his views at times. the evolution has been towards a true conservative point of view as evidenced by more than a decade -- [applause] evidenced by more than a decade of leadership and executive action. that is the type of evolution

conservatives are welcome and embrace. many people, even some of fox news contributors, attacked us for support of traditional marriage. acu is pro every american, but we are also a staunch offenders of our culture of american conceptualism, which includes our values and a traditional marriage. [applause] let me give you an example of how mitt had billed these issues before a thought of running for president. i was chair what he said as governor of massachusetts in 2004 about the issue of gay marriage these are his own words at that time brigid given the

position of the massachusetts supreme court, should we abandon marriage as we know where it and as it was known by the framers of our constitution? has america been wrong about marriage for 200 years? we are generations that spanned thousands of years from all civilizations. were they all bring about -- were they wrong about marriage? are the philosophies and teachings simply wrong, or is it more likely that four people among the seven that sat in a court in massachusetts have erred? i believe that is the case. [applause] he said marriage is not solely for adults. he said marriage is principally for the nurturing and development of children. children have the right to have a father and mother. i know mitt romney meets my tests.

my fellow conservatives, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, a great american, governor mitt romney. ♪ i was born free i was born free free, like a river raging ♪ >> great crowd. wow. thank you. please. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. please. wow. great reception. great room.

thank you. [applause] first, thank you to al for that warm and generous introduction, and thank you for this extraordinary crowd at cpac. it is a great conference so far. for that, i suppose we should acknowledge president obama. here's the conservative movement's best recruiter. it turns out he's a really good community organizer. [laughter] >> today, we really are poised for victory in november. [applause] >> the pundits and the pollsters are saying we can win the election, but we have to tell the nation why we should win the election. it is up to us to prove we are

ready to step forward and lead the country. [applause] >> of course we can defeat barack obama. that is the easy part. november 6 will be the easiest day our next president is going to face. this country that we love is in jeopardy. it is more than economic statistics. it is the pain that we feel in our hearts. for three years we've suffered through the failure of not only a weak leader, but a bankrupt ideology. [applause] >> i am convinced that if we do our job, if we lead with conviction and integrity, history will record the obama presidency as the last gasp of

liberalism's great failure, and the turning point of the conservative era to come. [applause] >> but, it is not enough for us to show how they failed. we also have to prove how we will and deserve to lead. i am here to ask you to stand with me as we go forward to fight for america. as we step forward together, now i think is a time to reaffirm what it means to be conservative, and why this must be our greatest hour as conservatives. america is like no other country. the principles embodied in the constitution and the declaration of independence are uniquely powerful, foundational, and defining. some see the hand of providence.

others are likely to credit the brilliance of the founders themselves. a lot of us, like me, see both at play. conservatives all agree the departing from these principles would represent a departure for the greatness of america -- our freedom, our prosperity, our purpose. i know this president will never get it, but we are not just proud to cling to our guns and religion, but also proud to cling to our constitution. [applause] >> the nation's prosperity is not a product of government, but it's a product of pursuing happiness. the key to the american

experiment is this -- america does not just exist for the people. it is made exceptional by the people. [applause] >> it is this brilliance, a free people, pursuing their own dreams, achieving success in their own way, that is what has propelled america, and made us the most prosperous and powerful nation in the history of the earth. a lot of politicians have forgotten that, if they ever understood it at all. they have fallen under the spell of washington. but politicians are routinely elected by promising they will change washington, but when they came here, they become creatures of washington, and they see government as the answer to every challenge. they try to substitute the heavy hand of government for

free citizens and free enterprises operating in a free manner. they think government knows better and can do better than a free people exercising their free will. this president is the worst offender. barack obama is the poster child for the arrogance of government. [applause] >> so, as i say across this country, this election is about a battle for the soul of america, and it will come down to a choice -- a choice of whether we want a nation to be of and by washington, or a nation of and by a free people, and we conservatives believe in freedom, free people, and free enterprises. [applause]

>> now, as conservatives, we are united by a set of core convictions. not everyone has taken the same path to get here. there are college students at this conference that are reading burke. [applause] >> when i was your age, you could have told me they were in-fielders for the detroit tigers. some of you work for think tanks or follow the writings of conservative writers. some of you probably worked in government or labored on the frontline of conservative causes. i salute all of you in achieving your vision of conservatism. my path came from my family, my faith, in my life's work. my home was rooted in conservative values.

my grandfather came to america from england. as a teenager, he was alone in this new country but risked it all for the chance for religious liberty and economic opportunity. you probably also heard about my father. he was born to parents living in mexico. his father was a contractor. my father grew up poor. he never had the chance to finish his college degree. he believed in a country where the circumstances of birth was not a barrier to life's achievement. he became the head of a car company, and then the governor of the great state of michigan. [applause] >> the values that allowed my parents to achieve their dreams are the same values they

instilled in my siblings and me. they are not values that i just talked about. they are values that i live every day. my 42-year marriage to my wife, ann, the life we have built with my five sons. [applause] >> the faith that is part of our life -- these conservative constants have shaped my life, and then there is business. in business, if you are not fiscally conservative, you are bankrupt. [applause] >> i mean, i spent 25 years balancing budgets, eliminating waste, and by the way, keeping as far away from government as humanly possible. [applause] >> i did some of the things conservatism is designed for. i started new businesses and i turned around broken ones, and

i'm not ashamed to say i was successful in doing it. [applause] [applause] >> my family, my faith, my businesses -- i know conservatism because i have lived conservatism. as governor of massachusetts, i had the unique experience of defending conservative principles in the most liberal state in the nation. [applause] >> three people from massachusetts are here.

even with a legislature that was 85% democrat, we cut taxes 19 times, and balanced the budget all four years. i cast over 800 vetoes, and i cut entire programs. i erased a budget shortfall. if there was a program, a department that meeting, and -- that needed cutting or elimination, we did it. a television commentator said i did not go after the sacred cows. mitt romney went after the whole herd. [applause] >> that practice, learned in the private sector and in massachusetts, that experience

of slimming down, cutting, eliminating, i want to take back to washington. i want to get my hands on washington, d.c. [applause] >> now, you may recall that my conservative values came under attack. less than one year after i took office, the supreme court in the state found a right to same- sex marriage in the constitution written by john adams. [laughter] >> i presume he would be surprised. i thought to have a stay on that decision, then pushed for a marriage amendment. we lost by only one vote. i successfully prohibited out-

of-state couples from coming to our state and getting married. we fought hard to prevent massachusetts from becoming the las vegas of gay marriage. [applause] >> when i am president i will defend the defense of marriage act, and will fight for an amendment that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. [applause] >> during my term in office i also stood up to those who wanted to call into question the definition of life. i vetoed a bill that would have opened the door for cloning. i fought for abstinence education for schools.

i defended the right of the catholic church to serve the community in ways consistent with their conscience, through adoption programs that place children in a home with a mom and dad. [applause] >> my state was the leading indicator of what liberals are trying to do right now, and i fought against long odds in a deep blue state, but i was a severely conservative republican governor. [applause] >> i understand the battles we must fight because i have been on the front lines, and expect to be on those front lines again. here, at cpac, i know you guys understand that. this gathering has always

welcomed me and you have supported me not because of my rhetoric, but because of my record and experience in that deep blue state. over this conference, several candidates have been speaking or will be speaking, seeking your support to help them lead this country. what distinguishes us is not our opposition to president obama or our support but conservative convictions. what distinguishes us is the nature of our life experience, our perspective, our judgment. this election will come down to two different visions for america, but our more immediate choice will be between candidates of very different backgrounds. i spent 25 years in business, starting at the bottom, creating a great american success story. i led an olympics out of the shadows of scandal, and helped turn around a state that was

deprived of leadership. in each of these endeavors i worked with a team of skilled people, but i was, after all, the chief executive, sell success or failure was laid on my shoulders. -- so, success or failure was laid on my shoulders. leadership is about setting clear goals, building a terrific team, overcoming constant adversity, and achieving results. it is about sharing credit when times are good, and about taking responsibility when they are not. [applause] >> i happen to be the only candidate in this race who has never worked a day here in washington. [applause]

>> i do not have old scores to settle, or decades of coatroom- deals that i have to defend. as conservatives, you have learned to be skeptical of this city. my wife and i raised five boys. when you hear an excuse that does not make sense, it is because it does not make sense. any politician that tries to convince you that they hated washington so much that they just could not leave -- well, that is the same politician that will try to sell you a bridge to nowhere. [applause] >> this is a moment when our country needs serious change and dramatic reform. so, let me tell you exactly what kind of president i will be. to get america back on track, and to get americans back to

work, we need bold and sweeping reforms. these are not managerial issues of changing this department or that agency. to change washington, we will need to change the very relationship between government and the citizen. these are moral choices that will define our nation and define us for generations to come. today, we borrow 40 cents of every dollar we spend. it is not sustainable, reckless, immoral, and it will end under my presidency. [applause] >> i will approach every spending decision, every budget item with these questions -- can we afford it, and if not, is it really worth borrowing money from china to pay for it? on that basis, we will get rid of a lot of programs.

as president, i will not just slow the growth rate of government. i will actually cut the spending of government. i will not just freeze the government share as a percentage of the total economy, i will reduce the government share as a percentage of the total economy. [applause] >> and without raising taxes or sacrificing america's critical military superiority, i will finally balance the american budget. [applause] >> and, and i'm sure you know, that will start with the easiest cut of all. i will eliminate obama-care. [applause]

>> let me mention a couple of other things i am going to do. i'm going to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. [applause] >> for the first time ever, i'm going to tie the compensation of benefits of federal workers -- and benefits of federal workers with that of the private sector. public servants should not get a better deal than the citizens that are paying for them. [applause] >> as important as it is, cutting spending and bureaucracy alone are not going to be enough. in their current form, we are

going to have to recognize that social security and medicare are unsustainable, not for the current group of retirees, but for coming generations, and we cannot avoid these challenges any longer. i am the only candidate that has offered a sweeping, specific plan to save medicare, and to reform social security. there are those that say you cannot talk straight to the american people on these issues and still win an election. i say we can, we must, and i will. [applause] >> what i propose are sensible and critical reforms. under my plan, no one near retirement age is going to see the changes i will describe, but the people in their 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's, will see some changes, and by the way, tax hikes are off the table. [applause]

>> we will slowly and gradually raise the retirement age for social security, and when it comes to medicare, tomorrow's seniors should have the freedom to choose between traditional medicare and a range of private plans. [applause] >> if these future seniors choose a more expensive plan, they will have to pay the additional costs. [applause] >> take a look at the paul ryan plan. we are on the same page and the same verse. i know this president and his liberal allies will attack me for where he has failed to lead. so be it. i'm going to stand and fight, but we're going to win on this. he will attack us with the usual fear tactics, but we will remind americans that during the president's term we have

seen record high job losses, record home foreclosures. he will not be lecturing to us on values, as the man whose ineptitude and failure has created so much unnecessary pain for our fellow americans. [applause] >> ours will not be the easy course, but it will be the right course, and i am confident that americans are yearning for a president who will tell them the truth, and do what is needed, not just do what is expedient. that may also be clear on this. my presidency will be a pro- life presidency on day one. [applause] >> i will reinstate the mexico

state policy, i will cut off funding for the united nations population fund, which supports china's barbaric one-child policy. [applause] >> i will insure that organizations like planned parenthood get no more federal support. [applause] >> and i will repeal every single obama regulation that attacks our religious liberty and threatens innocent life in this country. [applause] >> you know this, of course. the presidency is more than public office. it is a sacred trust. as president, i will honor the trust by insuring that america remains the greatest military

power on the face of the earth. [applause] >> i will not be cutting our military budget. this is very simple. if you do not want america to be the strongest nation on earth, i am not your president. you have that president today. [applause] >> this election is a defining moment for america and for the conservative movement. make no mistake, we have an opportunity for greatness, but with that opportunity comes defining responsibility as well. we cannot use this election to fight past battles and reward our friends. i know that the fundamental change this moment demands that we take fresh, bold, conservative leadership with real-world solutions based on

real-world experience. i will come to washington, and with your help, guidance, and prayers, i will change washington, then i will leave washington, and go back home to my family and the community that i loved. [applause] >> i believe this is the moment that demands that we return to our basic values and first principles. that is who we are as conservatives. we believe in the constitution, the declaration of independence, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. we know the brilliance that suggests that individuals pursuing their own dreams have made us the most powerful nation on earth. this is who we are. this is our moment. this is why we are conservatives. the task before us is to reconfirm the convictions that unitas come and go forward to

an -- that unite us, and go forward to insure the america that we deserve. thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you. ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪

>> now remarks by new gingrich at the conservative political action conference. he was introduced by his wife. >> what a great gathering this is. i am so happy to be with you. newt and i have a wonderful partnership with citizens united. together, we have produced seven films on conservative values, principles, personalities. several of these are being shown here at cpac. let me take a moment to thank all of you who have been so supportive of us throughout this campaign. when we decided to run, we know there would be tough stories from the media and personal attacks from some of our opponents.

what we did not know was how kind so many americans would be to us. >> people have offered their heartfelt prayers and support. i want to thank everyone who has reached out. you have made our lives richer and our campaign stronger. [applause] because i know newt better than most, i am pleased to introduce him today. i would like to share a few things about to him that he may be surprised to hear. first, he is an enthusiastic and committed golfer. true. he gets in and out of more sand traps than anyone i've ever seen. newt golfs the way he does

everything, with enthusiasm and determination. he is willing to learn and he never gives up. newt loves books. we have books in every corner of our home. he also has a kindle. newt is also very supportive. when i sing at the basilica at the national shrine or play my french horn with the city of fairfax band, he is right there listening. i am personally grateful for his wisdom in not trying to sing as a candidate. he knows his limitations. finally, we have had some great

family moments over the last several months. our grandchildren have joined us on the campaign trail. newt is very committed to our grandchildren and the future of our country. we believe with all of our hearts that america is the last bastion of freedom. we believe that our current path puts the future of our great nation in jeopardy. we believe bold solutions and fearless leadership are necessary to rebuild the america we love. please welcome my husband and the next president of the united states, at newt gingrich. [applause]d ♪

[applause] ♪ >> how are you? thank you. what she did not tell you, by the way, i am a very bad golfer. [laughter] she just would not say it. as a personal note, i want to thank cpac for recognizing such a great friend. [applause]

i want to thank the newt 2012 volunteers to have been working. we are a people-based campaign. our volunteers are very important. i have spoken here many times. cpac was founded to challenge the republican establishment. when ronald reagan came here in 1974, and gave his famous speech on bold colors, that was a decade in from his first great national speech for barry goldwater. when ronald reagan campaigned in 1980, you could see the gap between the republican establishment and the conservative movement. reagan campaigned on supply- side economics, lower taxes, less regulation, more american energy.

the establishment called it voodoo economics. the gop establishment has a single word they use with contempt for conservative ideas. they say they are unrealistic. creating 16 million jobs under reagan, unrealistic. ending the soviet union, unrealistic. the fight against the republican establishment over the very question of whether or not we should have an anti-so be it campaign. the 1994 contract with america, unrealistic. the house republican majority of 1994, elected by the largest one party increase in american history, 9 million new voters, c. reforming welfare, unrealistic.

11 million new jobs come on realistic. four years of a balanced budget, unrealistic. [applause] the republican establishment, managing the decay is preferable to changing the trajectory because changing the trajectory requires real fights and requires a real willingness to roll up sleeves and take on the left. that is why the republican establishment, whether it is in 1996 or in 2008, it cannot win a president to campaign because they do not have the commitment and they do not have the philosophy necessary to build a majority in this country. [applause]

let me say the republican establishment in this city, where crony capitalism in congress is fully as bad as crony capitalism on wall street and they had better clean up the congress if they expect to be reelected. cpac represents a 50-year struggle that goes back to the goldwater movement in 1962. the tea party versus the republican establishment is the same fights. this has been going on for half a century. the core of it is very simple. the conservative movement, one that offers bold solutions to rally millions of americans, not just republicans, millions of americans, democrats, people who have never been in politics before, then it went decisively. 1980, 1984, 1994 are examples of that. what i want to talk to you about

today is bold solutions to get america working again. i want to contrast it with the timidity that comes from managing that decay. we won the second world war from december 7, 1941, to august, 1945. this is an example of what america can do when you unleashed the american people. in 44 months, three years and eight months, we defeat nazi germany and imperial japan. it took 23 years to add a fifth runway to one airport. that is the establishment america. tied up in bureaucracy, red tape, incompetence, interest

groups. [applause] let me be very clear. all of you have seen the washington establishment and the wall street establishment pollen top of me. all of you have seen them say things that are false. this campaign is a mortal threat to their grip on the establishment because we intend to change washington, not accommodate it. [applause] the emphasis of the second world war, there is a world that works. most of it, but not all of it, is in the private sector. there is a world that fails. most of it, but not all of it, is in the public sector.

how many of you had ever gone on line to check a package at ups or fedex? raise your hand. virtually all of you. i want to drive this home. this is not a theory. we have the technology that enables us to track 24 million packages a day while they are moving and will allow you to find out where they are for free. that is the world works. here is the world that fails. the federal government today cannot find 11 million illegal immigrants, even if they are sitting still. [laughter] [applause]

i have a simple proposal. we send a package -- [laughter] to everyone who is here illegally. when it is delivered, we pulled it up in the computer and we know where they are. let's be safe for my friends in the news media, that is hyperbole and we do not need a fact check. [applause] i will give you a series of solutions that are big enough to get america back on the right track. i think this has been the greatest challenge of this campaign. we have lots of bickering and lots of arguments. we have no discussion, what does it take to get the most

complicated society, the largest economy in the world, and move it back to been the most successful and safest and freest country in the world? we have tons of details at newt.org. you'll see an immense amount of material. the standard here is to have solutions big enough to get america working again. unleash the american people to rebuild the america we love. if i am the nominee, i will ask the republican ticket to campaign with me on the pledge that when the congress comes in on january 3, they will stay in session. by january 20, it it will have repealed the obamacare. [applause]

it will have repealed dodd- frank. [applause] all 3 of those are jobs killing bills. it increases the corruption of the political system. all three should be repealed and held at the desk until i am sworn in. we should sign the repeal of all three. that is a reasonable start. [applause] two hours after the inaugural address, i will begin signing executive orders.

all of them will have been published by october 1. the country will know precisely what this campaign is about. the very first executive order will abolish all of the white house czars as of that moment. [applause] we will sign that day in executive order which approves of the canadian pipeline to houston, period. [applause] my message to prime minister

harbor and the canadian government, you do not need a partnership with the chinese. give the american people a few months. when we beat obama, you can start buying the equipment. [applause] there will be an executive order to move the state department to put the embassy in jerusalem as of that day. period. [applause] we will reinstate ronald reagan's mexico city policy, no money for abortions overseas. we will have an executive order to repeal every act of religious bigotry by the obama administration. period.

my goal is that by the time president obama lands in chicago, and we will have repudiated 40% of his government on the opening day. [applause]