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Hillary Clinton 2016 Hillary Clinton 2016 July 28, 2016










In Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination

Democratic National Convention
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Thursday, July 28, 2016

At the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday, Hillary Clinton accepted her party's nomination. She told the audience that, despite the challenges of a changing world, we must not resort to Donald Trump's dangerous proposals. Clinton also paid tribute to the Americans who have inspired her lifetime in public service and who continue to sustain her belief that we are stronger together: her mother Dorothy; the survivors and first responders on 9/11 and our men and women in uniform.

"We have the most dynamic and diverse people in the world. We have the most tolerant and generous young people we've ever had. We have the most powerful military. The most innovative entrepreneurs.The most enduring values. Freedom and equality, justice and opportunity," Clinton said.

"We should be so proud that these words are associated with us. That when people hear them – they hear… America. So don't let anyone tell you that our country is weak We're not. Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes. We do. And most of all, don't believe anyone who says: 'I alone can fix it.' [...] Americans don't say: 'I alone can fix it.' We say: 'We'll fix it together. [...] It is with humility, determination and boundless confidence in America's promise that I accept your nomination for President of the United States!"

Clinton's remarks, as transcribed, are below:

“Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you all so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all very, very much. Thank you for that amazing welcome. Thank you all for the great convention that we’ve had.

And, Chelsea, thank you. I am so proud to be your mother and so proud of the woman you’ve become. Thank you for bringing Marc into our family and Charlotte and Aidan into the world.

And, Bill, that conversation we started in the law library 45 years ago, it is still going strong. That conversation has lasted through good times that filled us with joy and hard times that tested us. And I’ve even gotten a few words in along the way. On Tuesday night, I was so happy to see that my explainer-in-chief is still on the job. I’m also grateful to the rest of my family and to the friends of a lifetime.

For all of you whose hard work brought us here tonight and to those of you who joined this campaign this week, thank you. What a remarkable week it’s been. We heard the man from Hope, Bill Clinton; and the man of hope, Barack Obama. America is stronger because of President Obama’s leadership, and I am better because of his friendship.

We heard from our terrific Vice President, the one and only Joe Biden. He spoke from his big heart about our party’s commitment to working people as only he can do.

And First Lady Michelle Obama reminded us – that our children are watching and the president we elect is going to be their president, too.

And for those of you out there who are just getting to know Tim Kaine, you – you will soon understand why the people of Virginia keep promoting him – from city council and mayor, to governor, and now Senator. And he will make our whole country proud as our vice president.

And I want to thank Bernie Sanders. Bernie – Bernie, your campaign inspired millions of Americans, particularly the young people who threw their hearts and souls into our primary. You put economic and social justice issues front and center, where they belong.

And to all of your supporters here and around the country, I want you to know I have heard you. Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy, and passion. That is the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America. We wrote it together. Now let’s go out and make it happen together.

My friends, we’ve come to Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation, because what happened in this city 240 years ago still has something to teach us today. We all know the story, but we usually focus on how it turned out, and not enough on how close that story came to never being written at all. When representatives from 13 unruly colonies met just down the road from here, some wanted to stick with the king, and some wanted to stick it to the king.

The revolution hung in the balance. Then somehow they began listening to each other, compromising, finding common purpose. And by the time they left Philadelphia, they had begun to see themselves as one nation. That’s what made it possible to stand up to a king. That took courage. They had courage. Our founders embraced the enduring truth that we are stronger together.

Now America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. And just as with our founders, there are no guarantees. It truly is up to us. We have to decide whether we will all work together so we can all rise together. Our country’s motto is e pluribus unum: out of many, we are one. Will we stay true to that motto?

Well, we heard Donald Trump’s answer last week at his convention. He wants to divide us from the rest of the world and from each other. He’s betting that the perils of today’s world will blind us to its unlimited promise. He’s taken the Republican Party a long way from ‘Morning in America’ to ‘Midnight in America.’ He wants us to fear the future and fear each other.

Well, a great Democratic President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, came up with the perfect rebuke to Trump more than 80 years ago, during a much more perilous time: ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’

Now we are clear-eyed about what our country is up against, but we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have. We will not build a wall. Instead, we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one. And we’ll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy. We will not ban a religion. We will work with all Americans and our allies to fight and defeat terrorism.

Yet, we know there is a lot to do. Too many people haven’t had a pay raise since the crash. There’s too much inequality, too little social mobility, too much paralysis in Washington, too many threats at home and abroad.

But just look for a minute at the strengths we bring as Americans to meet these challenges. We have the most dynamic and diverse people in the world. We have the most tolerant and generous young people we’ve ever had. We have the most powerful military, the most innovative entrepreneurs, the most enduring values – freedom and equality, justice and opportunity. We should be so proud that those words are associated with us. I have to tell you, as your Secretary of State, I went to 112 countries. When people hear those words, they hear America.

So don’t let anyone tell you that our country is weak. We’re not. Don’t let anyone tell you we don’t have what it takes. We do. And most of all, don’t believe anyone who says, ‘I alone can fix it.’ Yes. Those were actually Donald Trump’s words in Cleveland. And they should set off alarm bells for all of us. Really? ‘I alone can fix it? Isn’t he forgetting troops on the front lines, police officers and firefighters who run toward danger, doctors and nurses who care for us? Teachers who change lives, entrepreneurs who see possibilities in every problem, mothers who lost children to violence and are building a movement to keep other kids safe? He’s forgetting every last one of us. Americans don’t say, ‘I alone fix can it.’ We say, ‘We’ll fix it together.’

And remember. Remember. Our founders fought a revolution and wrote a Constitution so America would never be a nation where one person had all the power. 240 years later, we still put our faith in each other. Look at what happened in Dallas. After the assassinations of five brave police officers, Police Chief David Brown asked the community to support his force, maybe even join them. And do you know how the community responded? Nearly 500 people applied in just 12 days.

That’s how Americans answer when the call for help goes out. 20 years ago, I wrote a book called It Takes a Village. And a lot of people looked at the title and asked, what the heck do you mean by that? This is what I mean. None of us can raise a family, build a business, heal a community, or lift a country totally alone. America needs every one of us to lend our energy, our talents, our ambition to making our nation better and stronger. I believe that with all my heart. That’s why ‘Stronger Together’ is not just a lesson from our history, it’s not just a slogan for our campaign, it’s a guiding principle for the country we’ve always been, and the future we’re going to build.

A country where the economy works for everyone, not just those at the top. Where you can get a good job and send your kids to a good school no matter what ZIP Code you live in. A country where all our children can dream, and those dreams are within reach. Where families are strong, communities are safe, and, yes, where love trumps hate. That’s the country we’re fighting for. That’s the future we’re working toward. And so, my friends, it is with humility, determination, and boundless confidence in America’s promise that I accept your nomination for president of the United States.

Now, sometimes the people at this podium are new to the national stage. As you know, I’m not one of those people. I’ve been your first lady, served eight years as a senator from the great state of New York. Then I represented all of you as Secretary of State. But my job titles only tell you what I’ve done. They don’t tell you why. The truth is, through all these years of public service, the service part has always come easier to me than the public part. I get it that some people just don’t know what to make of me. So let me tell you.

The family I’m from, well, no one had their name on big buildings. My families were builders of a different kind, builders in the way most American families are. They used whatever tools they had, whatever God gave them, and whatever life in America provided, and built better lives and better futures for their kids.

My grandfather worked in the same Scranton lace mill for 50 years – because he believed that if he gave everything he had, his children would have a better life than he did. And he was right. My dad, Hugh, made it to college. He played football at Penn State – and enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor. When the war was over he started his own small business, printing fabric for draperies. I remember watching him stand for hours over silkscreens. He wanted to give my brothers and me opportunities he never had, and he did.

My mother, Dorothy, was abandoned by her parents as a young girl. She ended up on her own at 14, working as a housemaid. She was saved by the kindness of others. Her first grade teacher saw she had nothing to eat at lunch, and brought extra food to share the entire year. The lesson she passed on to me years later stuck with me: No one gets through life alone. We have to look out for each other and lift each other up. And she made sure I learned the words from our Methodist faith: ‘Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can.’

So I went to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, going door to door in New Bedford, Massachusetts – on behalf of children with disabilities who were denied the chance to go to school. Remember meeting a young girl in a wheelchair on the small back porch of her house. She told me how badly she wanted to go to school. It just didn’t seem possible in those days. And I couldn’t stop thinking of my mother and what she’d gone through as a child. It became clear to me that simply caring is not enough. To drive real progress, you have to change both hearts and laws. You need both understanding and action.

So we gathered facts. We build a coalition. And our work helped convince Congress to ensure access to education for all students with disabilities. It’s a big idea, isn’t it? Every kid with a disability has the right to go to school. But how do you make an idea like that real? You do it step by step, year by year, sometimes even door by door. My heart just swelled when I saw Anastasia Somoza representing millions of young people on this stage – because we changed our law to make sure she got an education.

So it’s true. I sweat the details of policy, whether we’re talking about the exact level of lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan – the number of mental health facilities in Iowa, or the cost of your prescription drugs. Because it’s not just a detail if it’s your kid, if it’s your family. It’s a big deal. And it should be a big deal to your president, too.

After the four days of this convention, you’ve seen some of the people who’ve inspired me, people who let me into their lives and became a part of mine, people like Ryan Moore and Lauren Manning. They told their stories Tuesday night. I first met Ryan as a 7-year-old. He was wearing a full body brace that must have weighed 40 pounds because I leaned over to lift him up. Children like Ryan kept me going when our plan for universal health care failed, and kept me working with leaders of both parties to help create the Children’s Health Insurance Program that covers eight million kids in our country. Lauren Manning, who stood here with such grace and power, was gravely injured on 9/11.

It was the thought of her, and Debbie Stage. John who you saw in the movie, and John Dolan and Joe Sweeney and all the victims and survivors, that kept me working as hard as I could in the Senate on behalf of 9/11 families and our first responders who got sick from their time at Ground Zero. I was thinking of Lauren, Debbie, and all the others ten years later in the White House Situation Room, when President Obama made the courageous decision that finally brought Osama bin Laden to justice.

And in this campaign I’ve met many more people who motivate me to keep fighting for change, and with your help, I will carry all of your voices and stories with me to the White House. And you heard from Republicans and Independents who are supporting our campaign. Well, I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans, Independents, for the struggling, the striving, the successful, for all those who vote for me and for those who don’t. For all Americans together.

Tonight, we’ve reached a milestone in our nation’s march toward a more perfect union: the first time that a major party has nominated a woman for president. Standing here as my mother’s daughter, and my daughter’s mother, I’m so happy this day has come. I’m happy for grandmothers and little girls and everyone in between. I’m happy for boys and men – because when any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit.

So let’s keep going until every one of the 161 million women and girls across America has the opportunity she deserves to have. But even more important than the history we make tonight is the history we will write together in the years ahead. Let’s begin with what we’re going to do to help working people in our country get ahead and stay ahead.

Now, I don’t think President Obama and Vice President Biden get the credit they deserve for saving us from the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes. Our economy is so much stronger than when they took office. Nearly 15 million new private sector jobs. 20 million more Americans with health insurance. And an auto industry that just had its best year ever.

Now, that’s real progress. But none of us can be satisfied with the status quo. Not by a long shot. We’re still facing deep-seated problems that developed long before the recession and have stayed with us through the recovery. I’ve gone around the country talking to working families. And I’ve heard from many who feel like the economy sure isn’t working for them. Some of you are frustrated – even furious. And you know what? You’re right. It’s not yet working the way it should.

Americans are willing to work – and work hard. But right now, an awful lot of people feel there is less and less respect for the work they do. And less respect for them, period. Democrats, we are the party of working people. But we haven’t done a good enough job showing we get what you’re going through, and we’re going to do something to help.

So tonight I want to tell you how we will empower Americans to live better lives. My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States. From my first day in office to my last. Especially in places that for too long have been left out and left behind. From our inner cities to our small towns, from Indian country to coal country. From communities ravaged by addiction to regions hollowed out by plant closures.

And here’s what I believe. I believe America thrives when the middle class thrives. I believe our economy isn’t working the way it should because our democracy isn’t working the way it should. That’s why we need to appoint Supreme Court justices who will get money out of politics and expand voting rights, not restrict them. And if necessary, we will pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

I believe American corporations that have gotten so much from our country should be just as patriotic in return. Many of them are, but too many aren’t. It’s wrong to take tax breaks with one hand and give out pink slips with the other. And I believe Wall Street can never, ever be allowed to wreck Main Street again.

And I believe in science. I believe that climate change is real and that we can save our planet while creating millions of good-paying clean energy jobs.

I believe that when we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy, it would be self-defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out. Comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and keep families together – and it’s the right thing to do.

So whatever party you belong to, or if you belong to no party at all, if you share these beliefs, this is your campaign. If you believe that companies should share profits, not pad executive bonuses, join us. If you believe the minimum wage should be a living wage, and no one working full-time should have to raise their children in poverty, join us. If you believe that every man, woman, and child in America has the right to affordable health care, join us! If you believe that we should say no to unfair trade deals; that we should stand up to China; that we should support our steelworkers and autoworkers and homegrown manufacturers, then join us. If you believe we should expand Social Security and protect a woman’s right to make her own heath care decisions, then join us. And yes, yes, if you believe that your working mother, wife, sister, or daughter deserves equal pay join us. That’s how we’re going to make sure this economy works for everyone, not just those at the top.

Now, you didn’t hear any of this, did you, from Donald Trump at his convention. He spoke for 70-odd minutes – and I do mean odd. And he offered zero solutions. But we already know he doesn’t believe these things. No wonder he doesn’t like talking about his plans. You might have noticed, I love talking about mine.

In my first 100 days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II. Jobs in manufacturing, clean energy, technology and innovation, small business, and infrastructure. If we invest in infrastructure now, we’ll not only create jobs today, but lay the foundation for the jobs of the future.

And we will also transform the way we prepare our young people for those jobs. Bernie Sanders and I will work together to make college tuition-free for the middle class and debt-free for all. We will also – we will also liberate millions of people who already have student debt. It’s just not right that Donald Trump can ignore his debts, and students and families can’t refinance their debts.

And something we don’t say often enough: Sure, college is crucial, but a four-year degree should not be the only path to a good job. We will help more people learn a skill or practice a trade and make a good living doing it. We will give small businesses, like my dad’s, a boost, make it easier to get credit. Way too many dreams die in the parking lots of banks. In America, if you can dream it, you should be able to build it.

And we will help you balance family and work. And you know what, if fighting for affordable child care and paid family leave is playing the ‘woman card,’ then deal me in.

Now – now, here’s the other thing. Now, we’re not only going to make all of these investments. We’re going to pay for every single one of them. And here’s how. Wall Street, corporations, and the super-rich are going to start paying their fair share of taxes. This is – this is not because we resent success, but when more than 90 percent of the gains have gone to the top 1 percent, that’s where the money is. And we are going to follow the money. And if companies take tax breaks and then ship jobs overseas, we’ll make them pay us back. And we’ll put that money to work where it belongs: creating jobs here at home.

Now, I imagine that some of you are sitting at home thinking, well, that all sounds pretty good, but how are you going to get it done? How are you going to break through the gridlock in Washington? Well, look at my record. I’ve worked across the aisle to pass laws and treaties and to launch new programs that help millions of people. And if you give me the chance, that’s exactly what I’ll do as President.

But then – but then I also imagine people are thinking out there, but Trump, he’s a businessman. He must know something about the economy. Well, let’s take a closer look, shall we? In Atlantic City, 60 miles from here, you will find contractors and small businesses who lost everything because Donald Trump refused to pay his bills. Now, remember what the President said last night. Don’t boo. Vote.

But think of this. People who did the work and needed the money, not because he couldn’t pay them, but because he wouldn’t pay them, he just stiffed them. And you know that sales pitch he’s making to be president: put your faith in him, and you’ll win big? That’s the same sales pitch he made to all those small businesses. Then Trump walked away and left working people holding the bag.

He also talks a big game about putting America first. Well, please explain what part of America First leads him to make Trump ties in China, not Colorado; Trump suits in Mexico, not Michigan; Trump furniture in Turkey, not Ohio; Trump picture frames in India, not Wisconsin.

Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again. Well, he could start by actually making things in America again.

Now, the choice we face in this election is just as stark when it comes to our national security. Anyone – anyone reading the news can see the threats and turbulence we face. From Baghdad and Kabul, to Nice and Paris and Brussels, from San Bernardino to Orlando, we’re dealing with determined enemies that must be defeated. So it’s no wonder that people are anxious and looking for reassurance, looking for steady leadership, wanting a leader who understands we are stronger when we work with our allies around the world and care for our veterans here at home. Keeping our nation safe and honoring the people who do that work will be my highest priority.

I’m proud that we put a lid on Iran’s nuclear program without firing a single shot. Now we have to enforce it, and we must keep supporting Israel’s security. I’m proud that we shaped a global climate agreement. Now we have to hold every country accountable to their commitments, including ourselves. And I’m proud to stand by our allies in NATO against any threat they face, including from Russia.

I’ve laid out my strategy for defeating ISIS. We will strike their sanctuaries from the air and support local forces taking them out on the ground. We will surge our intelligence so we detect and prevent attacks before they happen. We will disrupt their efforts online to reach and radicalize young people in our country. It won’t be easy or quick, but make no mistake we will prevail.

Now Donald Trump – Donald Trump says, and this is a quote, ‘I know more about ISIS than the generals do.’ No, Donald, you don’t.

He thinks – he thinks he knows more than our military because he claimed our armed forces are ‘a disaster.’ Well, I’ve had the privilege to work closely with our troops and our veterans for many years, including as a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. And I know how wrong he is. Our military is a national treasure. We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces: decisions about war and peace, life and death. A president should respect the men and women who risk their lives to serve our country, including – including Captain Khan and the sons of Tim Kaine and Mike Pence, both Marines. So just ask yourself: Do you really think Donald Trump has the temperament to be commander-in-chief? Donald Trump can’t even handle the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. He loses his cool at the slightest provocation – when he’s gotten a tough question from a reporter, when he’s challenged in a debate, when he sees a protestor at a rally. Imagine, if you dare imagine, imagine him in the Oval Office facing a real crisis. A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.

I can’t put it any better than Jackie Kennedy did after the Cuban Missile Crisis. She said that what worried President Kennedy during that very dangerous time was that a war might be started – not by big men with self-control and restraint, but by little men, the ones moved by fear and pride. America’s strength doesn’t come from lashing out. It relies on smarts, judgment, cool resolve, and the precise and strategic application of power. And that’s the kind of commander-in-chief I pledge to be.

And if we’re serious about keeping our country safe, we also can’t afford to have a president who’s in the pocket of the gun lobby. I’m not here to repeal the Second Amendment. I’m not here to take away your guns. I just don’t want you to be shot by someone who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place. We will work tirelessly with responsible gun owners to pass common-sense reforms and keep guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists, and all others who would do us harm.

For decades, people have said this issue was too hard to solve and the politics too hot to touch. But I ask you: How can we just stand by and do nothing? You heard, you saw, family members of people killed by gun violence on this stage. You heard, you saw family members of police officers killed in the line of duty because they were outgunned by criminals. I refuse to believe we can’t find common ground here. We have to heal the divides in our country, not just on guns but on race, immigration, and more.

And that starts with listening, listening to each other, trying as best we can to walk in each other’s shoes. So let’s put ourselves in the shoes of young black and Latino men and women who face the effects of systemic racism and are made to feel like their lives are disposable. Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of police officers, kissing their kids and spouses goodbye every day and heading off to do a dangerous and necessary job. We will reform our criminal justice system from end to end, and rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. And we will defend – we will defend all our rights: civil rights, human rights, and voting rights; women’s rights and workers’ rights; LGBT rights and the rights of people with disabilities. And we will stand up against mean and divisive rhetoric wherever it comes from.

For the past year, many people made the mistake of laughing off Donald Trump’s comments, excusing him as an entertainer just putting on a show. They thought he couldn’t possibly mean all the horrible things he says, like when he called women ‘pigs’ or said that an American judge couldn’t be fair because of his Mexican heritage, or when he mocks and mimics a reporter with a disability, or insults prisoners of war – like John McCain, a hero and a patriot who deserves our respect.

Now, at first, I admit, I couldn’t believe he meant it, either. It was just too hard to fathom, that someone who wants to lead our nation could say those things, could be like that. But here’s the sad truth: There is no other Donald Trump. This is it. And in the end, it comes down to what Donald Trump doesn’t get: America is great because America is good.

So enough with the bigotry and the bombast. Donald Trump’s not offering real change. He’s offering empty promises. And what are we offering? A bold agenda to improve the lives of people across our country – to keep you safe, to get you good jobs, to give your kids the opportunities they deserve.

The choice is clear, my friends. Every generation of Americans has come together to make our country freer, fairer, and stronger. None of us ever have or can do it alone. I know that at a time when so much seems to be pulling us apart, it can be hard to imagine how we’ll ever pull together. But I’m here to tell you tonight – progress is possible. I know. I know because I’ve seen it in the lives of people across America who get knocked down and get right back up.

And I know it from my own life. More than a few times, I’ve had to pick myself up and get back in the game. Like so much else in my life, I got this from my mother too. She never let me back down from any challenge. When I tried to hide from a neighborhood bully, she literally blocked the door. ‘Go back out there,’ she said. And she was right. You have to stand up to bullies. You have to keep working to make things better, even when the odds are long and the opposition is fierce.

We lost our mother a few years ago, but I miss her every day. And I still hear her voice urging me to keep working, keep fighting for right, no matter what. That’s what we need to do together as a nation. And though ‘we may not live to see the glory,’ as the song from the musical Hamilton goes, ‘let us gladly join the fight.’ Let our legacy be about ‘planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.’

That’s why we’re here, not just in this hall, but on this Earth. The Founders showed us that, and so have many others since. They were drawn together by love of country, and the selfless passion to build something better for all who follow. That is the story of America. And we begin a new chapter tonight.

Yes, the world is watching what we do. Yes, America’s destiny is ours to choose. So let’s be stronger together, my fellow Americans. Let’s look to the future with courage and confidence. Let’s build a better tomorrow for our beloved children and our beloved country. And when we do, America will be greater than ever.

Thank you and may God bless you and the United States of America.”

Source: Hillary for America Donald J. Trump 2016 Donald J. Trump 2016 July 21, 2016










DONALD J. TRUMP REPUBLICAN NOMINATION ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

(Cleveland, OH) July 21, 2016 - This evening, Donald J. Trump spoke at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. During his speech, Mr. Trump took strong positions on how he will Make America Safe Again, Make America Work Again, Make America First Again, and Make America One Again.

Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Who would have believed that when we started this journey on June 16th of last year we – and I say “we” because we are a team – would have received almost 14 million votes, the most in the history of the Republican Party, and that the Republican Party would get 60 percent more votes than it received four years ago. The Democrats, on the other hand, received almost 20 percent fewer votes than they got eight years ago. 1

Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace. 2 3 4

We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order.

Our Convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation. The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country. 5 6 7 8 9

Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities. 10 11


Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims. 12

I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored. 13 14
The most basic duty of government is to defend the lives of its own citizens. Any government that fails to do so is a government unworthy to lead. 15

It is finally time for a straightforward assessment of the state of our nation.

I will present the facts plainly and honestly.

We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore. 16 17 18

So if you want to hear the corporate spin, the carefully-crafted lies, and the media myths—the Democrats are holding their convention next week.
But here, at our convention, there will be no lies. We will honor the American people with the truth, and nothing else.
These are the facts:

Decades of progress made in bringing down crime are now being reversed by this Administration’s rollback of criminal enforcement. 19 20 21 22

Homicides last year increased by 17% in America’s fifty largest cities. That’s the largest increase in 25 years. 23 24

In our nation’s capital, killings have risen by 50 percent. 25 26

They are up nearly 60% in nearby Baltimore. 27 In the President’s hometown of Chicago, more than 2,000 people have been the victims of shootings this year alone. And almost 4,000 have been killed in the Chicago area since he took office. 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

The number of police officers killed in the line of duty has risen by almost 50% compared to this point last year. 35 36

Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens. The number of new illegal immigrant families who have crossed the border so far this year already exceeds the entire total from 2015. They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources. 37 38 39 40 41

One such border-crosser was released and made his way to Nebraska. There, he ended the life of an innocent young girl named Sarah Root. She was 21 years-old, and was killed the day after graduating from college with a 4.0 Grade Point Average. Her killer was then released a second time, and he is now a fugitive from the law. 42 43 44 45

I’ve met Sarah’s beautiful family. But to this Administration, their amazing daughter was just one more American life that wasn’t worth protecting. One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders. 46 47 48

What about our economy?

Again, I will tell you the plain facts that have been edited out of your nightly news and your morning newspaper:

Nearly Four in 10 African-American children are living in poverty, while 58% of African-American youth are not employed. 49 50 51

2 million more Latinos are in poverty today than when President Obama took his oath of office less than eight years ago. 52 53

Another 14 million people have left the workforce entirely. 54

Household incomes are down more than 4 thousand dollars since the year 2000 – 16 years ago. 55 56

Our trade deficit in goods reached nearly 800 billion dollars last year alone. 57 58

The budget is no better. 59 60

President Obama has almost doubled our national debt to more than 19 trillion dollars, and growing. 61

Yet, what do we have to show for it? Our roads and bridges are falling apart, our airports are in Third World condition, and forty-three million Americans are on food stamps. 62 63 64 65 66

Now let us consider the state of affairs abroad.

Not only have our citizens endured domestic disaster, but they have lived through one international humiliation after another.

We all remember the images of our sailors being forced to their knees by their Iranian captors at gunpoint. 67

This was just prior to the signing of the Iran deal, which gave back to Iran 150 billion dollars and gave us nothing – it will go down in history as one of the worst deals ever negotiated. 68 69 70 71 72

Another humiliation came when president Obama drew a red line in Syria – and the whole world knew it meant nothing. 73 74 75

In Libya, our consulate – the symbol of American prestige around the globe – was brought down in flames. 76 77

America is far less safe – and the world is far less stable – than when Obama made the decision to put Hillary Clinton in charge of America’s foreign policy. I am certain it is a decision he truly regrets. 78 79

Her bad instincts and her bad judgement – something pointed out by Bernie Sanders – are what caused so many of the disasters unfolding today. 80 81
Let’s review the record.

In 2009, pre-Hillary, ISIS was not even on the map. Libya was stable. Egypt was peaceful. Iraq was seeing a reduction in violence. Iran was being choked by sanctions. Syria was under control.

After four years of Hillary Clinton, what do we have?

ISIS has spread across the region, and the world. 82 83 84

Libya is in ruins, and our Ambassador and his staff were left helpless to die at the hands of savage killers. 85 86 87 88

Egypt was turned over to the radical Muslim brotherhood, forcing the military to retake control. 89 90

Iraq is in chaos. 91

Iran is on the path to nuclear weapons. 92 93

Syria is engulfed in a civil war and a refugee crisis that now threatens the West. 94 95 96

After fifteen years of wars in the Middle East, after trillions of dollars spent and thousands of lives lost, the situation is worse than it has ever been before. 97 98 99 100
This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness. 101 102 103

But Hillary Clinton’s legacy does not have to be America’s legacy.

The problems we face now – poverty and violence at home, war and destruction abroad – will last only as long as we continue relying on the same politicians who created them. 104 105 106 107

A change in leadership is required to produce a change in outcomes.

Tonight, I will share with you my plan of action for America.

The most important difference between our plan and that of our opponents, is that our plan will put America First.

Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo.

As long as we are led by politicians who will not put America First, then we can be assured that other nations will not treat America with respect.

This will all change when I take office.

The American People will come first once again.

My plan will begin with safety at home – which means safe neighborhoods, secure borders, and protection from terrorism. There can be no prosperity without law and order.
On the economy, I will outline reforms to add millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth that can be used to rebuild America.

A number of these reforms that I will outline tonight will be opposed by some of our nation’s most powerful special interests.

That is because these interests have rigged our political and economic system for their exclusive benefit. 108 109 110

Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place. 111 112 113

They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does.

She is their puppet, and they pull the strings.

That is why Hillary Clinton’s message is that things will never change.

My message is that things have to change – and they have to change right now.

Every day I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation that have been ignored, neglected and abandoned.

I have visited the laid-off factory workers, and the communities crushed by our horrible and unfair trade deals. 114 115 116

These are the forgotten men and women of our country. People who work hard but no longer have a voice. 117 118

I AM YOUR VOICE.

I have embraced crying mothers who have lost their children because our politicians put their personal agendas before the national good.

I have no patience for injustice, no tolerance for government incompetence, no sympathy for leaders who fail their citizens. 119 120

When innocent people suffer, because our political system lacks the will, or the courage, or the basic decency to enforce our laws – or worse still, has sold out to some corporate lobbyist for cash – I am not able to look the other way.

And when a Secretary of State illegally stores her emails on a private server, deletes 33,000 of them so the authorities can’t see her crime, puts our country at risk, lies about it in every different form and faces no consequence – I know that corruption has reached a level like never before. 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132

When the FBI Director says that the Secretary of State was “extremely careless” and “negligent,” in handling our classified secrets, I also know that these terms are minor compared to what she actually did. They were just used to save her from facing justice for her terrible crimes. 133

In fact, her single greatest accomplishment may be committing such an egregious crime and getting away with it – especially when others, who have done far less, have paid so dearly. 134 135

When that same Secretary of State rakes in millions of dollars trading access and favors to special interests and foreign powers I know the time for action has come. 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144

I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people who cannot defend themselves.

Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it. I have seen firsthand how the system is rigged against our citizens, just like it was rigged against Bernie Sanders – he never had a chance. But his supporters will join our movement, because we will fix his biggest issue: trade deals that strip our country of its jobs and wealth. 145 146 147

Millions of Democrats will join our movement, because we are going to fix the system so it works fairly, and justly, for each and every American.

In this cause, I am proud to have at my side the next Vice President of the United States: Governor Mike Pence of Indiana.

We will bring the same economic success to America that Mike brought to Indiana. 148 149

He is a man of character and accomplishment. He is the right man for the job.

The first task for our new Administration will be to liberate our citizens from the crime and terrorism and lawlessness that threatens their communities.

America was shocked to its core when our police officers in Dallas were so brutally executed. 150 151 152

Immediately after Dallas, we have seen continued threats and violence against our law enforcement officials. 153 154

Law officers have been shot or killed in recent days in Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, Michigan and Tennessee. 155 156 157 158 159 160

On Sunday, more police were gunned down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Three were killed, and three were badly injured. 161

An attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans. 162 163 164

I have a message to every last person threatening the peace on our streets

and the safety of our police: when I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order to our country. 165 166

I will work with, and appoint, the best and brightest prosecutors and law enforcement officials to get the job done.

In this race for the White House, I am the Law And Order candidate.

The irresponsible rhetoric of our President, who has used the pulpit of the presidency to divide us by race and color, has made America a more dangerous environment for everyone.

This Administration has failed America’s inner cities. It’s failed them on education. It’s failed them on jobs. It’s failed them on crime. It’s failed them in every way and on every level. 167 168

When I am President, I will work to ensure that all of our kids are treated equally, and protected equally.

Every action I take, I will ask myself: does this make life better for young Americans in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Ferguson who have the same right to live out their dreams as any other child in America?

To make life safe for all our citizens, we must also address the growing threats we face from outside the country: we are going to defeat the barbarians of ISIS. 169

Once again, France is the victim of brutal Islamic terrorism. Men, women and children viciously mowed down. Lives ruined. Families ripped apart. A nation in mourning. 170 171 172 173

The damage and devastation that can be inflicted by Islamic radicals has been proven over and over – at the World Trade Center, at an office party in San Bernardino, at the Boston Marathon, at a military recruiting center in Chattanooga, and many more. 174 175 176 177

Only weeks ago, in Orlando, Florida, 49 wonderful Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic terrorist. This time, the terrorist targeted our LGBTQ community. 178 179
As your President, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.

To protect us from terrorism, we need to focus on three things.

We must have the best intelligence-gathering operation in the world.

We must abandon the failed policy of nation-building and regime change that Hillary Clinton pushed in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Syria. Instead, we must work with all of our allies who share our goal of destroying ISIS and stamping out Islamic terror. This includes working with our greatest ally in the region, the State of Israel. 180 181 182 183

Recently I have said that NATO was obsolete, because it did not properly cover terror, and also, that many of the member countries were not paying their fair share. As usual, the United States has been picking up the cost. 184

Shortly thereafter, it was announced that NATO will be setting up a new program in order to combat terrorism -- a true step in the right direction. 185

Lastly, we must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place. 186 187 188

My opponent has called for a radical 550% increase in Syrian refugees on top of existing massive refugee flows coming into our country under President Obama. She proposes this despite the fact that there’s no way to screen these refugees in order to find out who they are or where they come from. 189 190 191 192

I only want to admit individuals into our country who will support our values and love our people. Anyone who endorses violence, hatred or oppression is not welcome in our country and never will be.

Decades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for our citizens, especially for African-American and Latino workers. 193 194 195 196 197

We are going to have an immigration system that works, but one that works for the American people.

On Monday, we heard from three parents whose children were killed by illegal immigrants—Mary Ann Mendoza, Sabine Durden, and Jamiel Shaw. 198

They are just three brave representatives of many thousands who have suffered so gravely.

Of all my travels in this country, nothing has affected me more deeply than the time I have spent with the mothers and fathers who have lost their children to violence spilling across our border. 199 200

These families have no special interests to represent them.

There are no demonstrators to protest on their behalf.

My opponent will never meet with them, or share in their pain.

Instead, my opponent wants Sanctuary Cities. 201 202

But where was the sanctuary for Kate Steinle? 203

Where was the Sanctuary for the children of Mary Ann, Sabine and Jamiel?

Where was the Sanctuary for all the other Americans who have been so brutally murdered, and who have suffered so horribly?

These wounded American families have been alone.

But they are alone no longer.

Tonight, this candidate and the whole nation stand in their corner to support them, to send them our love, and to pledge in their honor that we will save countless more families from suffering the same awful fate.

We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities. 204 205 206
I have been honored to receive the endorsement of America’s Border Patrol Agents, and will work directly with them to protect the integrity of our lawful immigration system. 207 208

By ending catch-and-release on the border, we will end the cycle of human smuggling and violence. Illegal border crossings will go down. Peace will be restored. 209 210
By enforcing the rules for the millions who overstay their visas, our laws will finally receive the respect they deserve. 211 212

Tonight, I want every American whose demands for immigration security have been denied – and every politician who has denied them – to listen very closely to the words am about to say.

On January 20th of 2017, the day I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced.

We are going to be considerate and compassionate to everyone. But my greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens.

My plan is the exact opposite of the radical and dangerous immigration policy of Hillary Clinton. 213

Americans want relief from uncontrolled immigration. Communities want relief. Yet Hillary Clinton is proposing mass amnesty, mass immigration, and mass lawlessness. 214 215 216

Her plan will overwhelm your schools and hospitals, further reduce your jobs and wages, and make it harder for recent immigrants to escape from poverty and join the middle class.

I have a different vision for our workers.

It begins with a new, fair trade policy that protects our jobs and stands up to countries that cheat.

It’s been a signature message of my campaign from day one, and it will be a signature feature of my presidency from the moment I take the oath of office. 217

I have made billions of dollars in business making deals – now I’m going to make our country rich again. 218

I am going to turn our bad trade agreements into great trade agreements.

America has lost nearly one-third of its manufacturing jobs since 1997, following the enactment of disastrous trade deals supported by Bill and Hillary Clinton. 219 220
Remember, it was Bill Clinton who signed NAFTA, one of the worst economic deals ever made by our country. 221 222 223

Never again.

I am going to bring back our jobs to Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and New York, and Michigan and to all of America – and I am not going to let companies move to other countries, firing their employees along the way, without consequence. 224 225 226

My opponent, on the other hand, has supported virtually every trade agreement that has been destroying our middle class. 227 228 229 230 231

She supported NAFTA, and she supported China’s entrance into the World

Trade Organization – another one of her husband’s colossal mistakes. 232 233 234 235 236

She supported the job-killing trade deal with South Korea. 237 238 239 240

She has supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership – which will not only destroy our manufacturing, but it will make America subject to the rulings of foreign governments. 241 242 243 244 245

I pledge to never sign any trade agreement that hurts our workers, or that diminishes our freedom and independence.

Instead, I will make individual deals with individual countries. No longer will we enter into these massive transactions, with many countries, that are thousands of pages long – and which no one from our country even reads or understands. 246

We are going to enforce all trade violations against any country that cheats.

This includes stopping China’s outrageous theft of intellectual property, along with their illegal product dumping, and their devastating currency manipulation. 247 248 249

Our horrible trade agreements with China, and many others, will be totally renegotiated.

That includes renegotiating NAFTA to get a much better deal for America – and we’ll walk away if we don’t get the deal that we want. 250

Our country is going to start building and making things again.

Next comes the reform of our tax laws, regulations and energy rules.

While Hillary Clinton plans a massive tax increase, I have proposed the largest tax reduction of any candidate who has run for president this year – Democrat or Republican. 251 252 253

Middle-income Americans and businesses will experience profound relief, and taxes will be greatly simplified for everyone.

America is one of the highest-taxed nations in the world. Reducing taxes will cause new companies and new jobs to come roaring back into our country. 254 255

Then we are going to deal with the issue of regulation, one of the greatest job-killers of them all. Excessive regulation is costing our country as much

as 2 trillion dollars a year, and we will end it. 256 257

We are going to lift the restrictions on the production of American energy.

This will produce more than 20 trillion dollars in job-creating economic activity over the next four decades. 258 259

My opponent, on the other hand, wants to put the great miners and steel workers of our country out of work – that will never happen when I am President. 260

With these new economic policies, trillions of dollars will start flowing into our country. 261 262

This new wealth will improve the quality of life for all Americans.

We will build the roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, and the railways of tomorrow. This, in turn, will create millions more jobs.

We will rescue kids from failing schools by helping their parents send them to a safe school of their choice.

My opponent would rather protect bureaucrats than serve American children.

We will repeal and replace disastrous Obamacare. You will be able to choose your own doctor again. 263 264 265 266

And we will fix TSA at the airports!

We're going to work with all of our students who are drowning in debt to take the pressure off these young people just starting out their adult lives.

We will completely rebuild our depleted military, and the countries that we are protecting, at a massive cost to us, will be asked to pay their fair share. 267 268 269

We will take care of our great Veterans like they have never been taken care of before. My just-released Ten Point Plan has received tremendous veteran support. We will guarantee those who serve this country will be able to visit the doctor or hospital of their choice. My opponent dismissed the VA scandal – one more sign of how out of touch she really is. 270 271 272 273 274

We are going to ask every Department Head in government to provide a list of wasteful spending projects that we can eliminate in my first 100 days. The politicians have talked about it, I’m going to do it.

We are also going to appoint justices to the United States Supreme Court who will uphold our laws and our Constitution. 275 The replacement of our beloved Justice Scalia will be a person of similar views, principles, and judicial philosophy. This will be one of the most important issues decided by this election.

My opponent wants to essentially abolish the 2nd amendment. I, on the other hand, received the early and strong endorsement of the National Rifle Association and will protect the right of all Americans to keep their families safe. 276 277 278

At this moment, I would like to thank the evangelical and religious community in general who have been so good to me and so supportive. You have much to contribute to our politics, yet our laws prevent you from speaking your minds from your own pulpits. 279

An amendment, pushed by Lyndon Johnson, many years ago, threatens religious institutions with a loss of their tax-exempt status if they openly advocate their political views. I am going to work very hard to repeal that language and protect free speech for all Americans. 280

We can accomplish these great things, and so much more – all we need to do is start believing in ourselves and in our country again. 281

It is time to show the whole world that America Is Back – bigger, and better and stronger than ever before.

In this journey, I'm so lucky to have at my side my wife Melania and my wonderful children, Don, Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron: you will always be my greatest source of pride and joy.

My Dad, Fred Trump, was the smartest and hardest working man I ever knew.

I wonder sometimes what he’d say if he were here to see this tonight.

It’s because of him that I learned, from my youngest age, to respect the dignity of work and the dignity of working people. He was a guy most comfortable in the company of bricklayers, carpenters, and electricians and I have a lot of that in me also.

Then there’s my mother, Mary. She was strong, but also warm and fairminded. She was a truly great mother. She was also one of the most honest and charitable people have ever known, and a great judge of character.

To my sisters Mary Anne and Elizabeth, my brother Robert and my late brother Fred, I will always give you my love—you are most special to me.
I have had a truly great life in business.

But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country – to go to work for you.

It’s time to deliver a victory for the American people.

But to do that, we must break free from the petty politics of the past.

America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics.

Remember: all of the people telling you that you can’t have the country you want, are the same people telling you that I wouldn’t be standing here tonight.

No longer can we rely on those same people in the media, and politics, who will say anything to keep a rigged system in place.

Instead, we must choose to Believe In America.

History is watching us now. It’s waiting to see if we will rise to the occasion, and if we will show the whole world that America is still free and independent and strong.
I'm asking for your support tonight so that I can be your champion in the White House.

My opponent asks her supporters to recite a three-word loyalty pledge. It reads: “I’m With Her”. 282

I choose to recite a different pledge.

My pledge reads: “I’M WITH YOU – THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.”

I am your voice.

So to every parent who dreams for their child, and every child who dreams for their future, I say these words to you tonight:

I’m with you, I will fight for you, and I will win for you.

To all Americans tonight, in all of our cities and in all of our towns, I make this promise:

We Will Make America Strong Again.

We Will Make America Proud Again.

We Will Make America Safe Again.

And We Will Make America Great Again.

God bless You And Good Night.

**END**

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12 (Ian Lovett, “American Student, Nicolas Leslie, Died in Attack in Nice, France,” The New York Times, 7/18/16) 13 (Alyssa Davis, “In U.S., Concern About Crime Climbs to 15-Year High,” Gallup, 4/6/16) 14 (Eric Lichtblau and Monica Davey, “Homicide Rates Jump in Many Major U.S. Cities, New Data Shows,” The New York Times, 5/13/16) 15 (Jim Talent, “A Constitutional Basis for Defense,” Heritage, 6/1/10) 16 (“Lawmaker: Report Shows FBI Ignored Accused Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan Out Of Political Correctness,” CBS News, 7/19/12) 17 (K.T. McFarland, “After San Bernardino: How Political Correctness Could Get Us All Killed,” FOX News, 12/4/15) 18 (Douglas Ernst, “DHS Report Before Orlando Massacre: Don’t Offend Muslims While Combating Extremism,” The Washington Times, 6/14/16)

19 (Eric Lichtblau and Monica Davey, “Homicide Rates Jump in Many Major U.S. Cities, New Data Shows,” The New York Times, 5/13/16) 20 (Monica Davey and Mitch Smith, “Murder Rates Rising Sharply in Many U.S. Cities,” The New York Times, 8/31/15) 21 (Mark Berman, “‘We Have A Problem.’ Homicides Are Up Again This Year In More Than Two Dozen Major U.S. Cities.,” The Washington Post, 5/14/16) 22 (Andrea Noble, “Police Grasp For Answers As Homicides, Violent Crimes Spike In U.S. Cities,” The Washington Times, 5/15/16) 23 (Niall McCarthy, “America's Major Cities Saw An Increase In Homicides Last Year,” Forbes, 1/28/16) 24 (Max Ehrenfreund and Denise Lu, “More People Were Murdered Last Year Than In 2014, And No One’s Sure Why,” The Washington Post, 1/27/16) 25 (“District Crime Data at a Glance,” D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Accessed 7/19/16) 26 (Max Ehrenfreund and Denise Lu, “More People Were Murdered Last Year Than In 2014, And No One’s Sure Why,” The Washington Post, 1/27/16) 27 (Jess Bidgood, “The Numbers Behind Baltimore's Record Year in Homicides,” The New York Times, 1/15/16) 28 (“Chicago Shooting Victims,” Chicago Tribune, Accessed 7/19/16) 29 (“Index Crime Offenses/Crime Rate Comparison 2015/2014,” Crime in Illinois 2015, Accessed 7/20/16) 30 (“Index Crime Offenses/Crime Rate Comparison 2014/2013,” Crime in Illinois 2014, Accessed 7/20/16) 31 (“Index Crime Offenses/Crime Rate Comparison 2013/2012,” Crime in Illinois 2013, Accessed 7/20/16) 32 (“Index Crime Offenses/Crime Rate Comparison 2012/2011,” Crime in Illinois 2012, Accessed 7/20/16) 33 (“Index Crime Offenses/Crime Rate Comparison 2011/2010,” Crime in Illinois 2011, Accessed 7/20/16) 34 (“Chicago Police Department Crime Index Offenses 2005-2009,” Crime in Illinois 2009, Accessed 7/20/16) 35 (Gregg Zoroya, “26 Police Killed So Far In 2016, Up 44% From 2015,” USA Today, 7/9/16) 36 (Max Kutner, “Number Of Fatal Shootings Of Police Officers Is Up 44 Percent,” Newsweek, 7/8/16)

37 (Jessica Vaughan, “The Non-Departed: 925,000 Aliens Ordered Removed Are Still Here,” Center for Immigration Studies, 6/30/16) 38 (Stephen Dinan, “Illegal Border Crossings Of Families This Year Already Surpasses All Of 2015,” The Washington Times, 6/17/16) 39 (“FOIA Request by FAIR Reveals ICE Low-Balled the Number of Offenses Committed by Criminal Aliens It Released,” Federation For American Immigration Reform, 6/16/16) 40 (Mark Krikorian, “Declining Deportations and Increasing Criminal Alien Releases,” Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, 5/19/16) 41 (Michael Patrick Leahy, “Eleven Refugees Diagnosed with Active Tuberculosis Around Akron, Ohio,” Breitbart, 7/19/16) 42 (Sarah R. Saldana, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Response Letter,” Office of Senator Ben Sasse, 3/31/16) 43 (Kathy A. Bolten, “Who's To Blame For Fugitive Illegal Immigrant?,” The Des Moines Register, 4/17/16) 44 (Senator Joni Ernst, “Senator Ernst Honors Life of Sarah Root, Demands Answers Over Failure to Detain Illegal Immigrant,” Office of Senator Joni Ernst, 4/18/16) 45 (“Illegal Immigrant Goes Free After Fatal DUI Crash, May Now Be in Honduras,” FOX News, 4/11/16) 46 (Alia Conley, “'You Had A Horrible Killing Here In Omaha': After Trump's Speech, Sarah Root’s Mother Meets With Him, Says He Has Her Vote,” Omaha World-Herald, 5/7/16) 47 (Kim Palmer, “Ohio Judge Sentences Mexican Man To Life In Prison For Rape, Murder,” Reuters, 4/27/16) 48 (Eliott C. McLaughlin, “Police Chief Blames Immigration, Crime Policies In Murder Of California Woman,” CNN, 8/10/15)

49 (Carmen DeNavas-Walt and Bernadette D. Proctor, “Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/15) 50 (Eileen Patten And Jens Manuel Krogstad, “Black Child Poverty Rate Holds Steady, Even As Other Groups See Declines,” Pew Research, 7/14/15) 51 (Employment Status Of The Civilian Noninstitutional Population By Age, Sex, And Race, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9/15) 52 (“Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2008,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/09) 53 (“Income And Poverty In The United States: 2014,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/15) 54 (Susan Jones, “Record 94,708,000 Americans Not in Labor Force; Participation Rate Drops in May,” CNS News, 6/3/16) 55 (“Real Median Household Income in the United States,” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Accessed 7/19/16) 56 (Drew DeSilver, “For Most Workers, Real Wages Have Barely Budged For Decades,” Pew Research Center, 10/19/14) 57 (“U.S. Trade In Goods And Services, 1992-Present,” U.S. Census Bureau, 7/6/16) 58 (“U.S. International Trade In Goods And Services,” U.S. Census Bureau, 7/6/16) 59 (“The 2009 Long-Term Budget Outlook,” Congressional Budget Office, 6/09) 60 (“The 2016 Long-Term Budget Outlook,” Congressional Budget Office, 7/16) 61 (“The Daily History Of The Debt Results,” TreasuryDirect, Accessed 7/19/16)

62 (John W. Schoen, “Bad Roads, Bridges Could Pare $4T From GDP In A Decade,” CNBC, 5/12/16) 63 (Bart Jansen, “Study: 58,000 U.S. Bridges Found To Be 'Structurally Deficient',” USA Today, 2/18/16) 64 (“Joe Biden Says LaGuardia Airport Like a ‘Third World Country’,” NBC New York, 2/6/14) 65 (Rene Marsh, “How U.S. Airports Lag Behind The Rest Of The World,” WWLP, 5/28/16) 66 (“Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Number Of Persons Participating,” USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Accessed 7/19/16) 67 (Barbara Starr, Jim Sciutto, Jim Acosta, Stephen Collinson and Tom LoBianco, “10 U.S. Sailors In Iranian Custody,” CNN, 1/12/16) 68 (Implementation Day, “The Historic Deal that Will Prevent Iran from Acquiring a Nuclear Weapon,” The White House, 1/16/16) 69 (“The U.S. Response To Iran’s Cheating Is A Worrying Omen,” The Washington Post, 7/6/15) 70 (Elise Labott, “John Kerry: Some Sanctions Relief Money For Iran Will Go To Terrorism,” CNN, 1/21/16) 71 (Jay Solomon and Laura Meckler, “Hillary Clinton Opened Door to Key U.S. Shift Toward Iran Nuclear Deal,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/8/15) 72 (Isabel Kershner, “Iran Deal Denounced by Netanyahu as ‘Historic Mistake’,” The New York Times, 7/14/15) 73 (“Syrian Attack Should Prompt U.S. Investigation Into Chemical Weapons,” The Washington Post, 8/21/13) 74 (Fred Hiatt, Op-Ed, “Obama’s Foreign Policy Reveals The Effects Of Disengagement,” The Washington Post, 7/27/14) 75 (Ben Wolfgang, “Obama ‘Red Line’ Erased As Bashar Assad’s Chemical Weapons Use Goes Unchecked By U.S. Military,” The Washington Times, 5/17/15) 76 (David D. Kirkpatrick and Steven Lee Myers, “Libya Attack Brings Challenges for U.S.,” The New York Times, 9/12/12) 77 (Sarah Aarthun, “4 Hours Of Fire And Chaos: How The Benghazi Attack Unfolded,” CNN, 9/13/12)

78 (Scott Wilson, “Obama Makes Surprise Visit To Afghanistan,” The Washington Post, 5/25/14) 79 (Jo Becker and Scott Shane, “Hillary Clinton, ‘Smart Power’ and a Dictator’s Fall,” The New York Times, 2/27/16) 80 (Danny Freeman, “Sanders on Clinton: 'In Terms of Her Judgment, Something Is Clearly Lacking',” NBC News, 4/10/16) 81 (“State of the Union Transcript,” CNN, 6/5/16) 82 (“CIA Director Grave Warning: ISIS Dangerous As Ever,” CNN, 6/16/16) 83 (Nicole Gaouette, “U.S. General: Number Of ISIS Fighters In Libya Doubles,” CNN, 4/8/16) 84 (Paul Bedard, “Security Committee Chair: Hillary, Obama To Blame For ISIS,” Washington Examiner, 12/9/15) 85 (David D. Kirkpatrick and Steven Lee Myers, “Libya Attack Brings Challenges For U.S.,” The New York Times, 9/12/12) 86 (Nancy A. Youssef, “Hillary’s Libya Post-War Plan Was ‘Play It By Ear,’ Gates Says,” The Daily Beast, 10/20/15) 87 (Oren Dorell, “Democrats Join GOP To Blame State In Benghazi,” USA Today, 1/15/14) 88 (Josh Lederman and Kathleen Hennessey, “White House: Blame To Share For Failed Libya Aftermath,” Associated Press, 4/11/16) 89 (Matt Bradley and Reem Abdellatif, "Egyptian Military Ousts President Morsi," The Wall Street Journal, 7/4/13) 90 (Jeffrey Fleishman, "In Egypt, Hillary Clinton Offers Support For Islamist President," LA Times, 7/15/12)

91 (Tim Arango, “Days of Chaos in Baghdad: Protest or Meltdown?,” The New York Times, 5/2/16) 92 (George Jahn, “AP Exclusive: Document Shows Less Limits On Iran Nuke Work,” Associated Press, 7/18/16) 93 (Nasser Karimi, “Iran's FM Extolls Country's Ability To Restore Nuke Program,” Associated Press, 7/19/16) 94 (“Mr. Obama Stands By Silently As Russia Continues Its Onslaught In Syria,” The Washington Post, 2/9/16) 95 (Hugh Naylor, “Death By Siege In Syria’s Civil War: Hundreds Of Thousands At Risk,” The Washington Post, 1/23/16) 96 (AFP, "Kerry: Refugee Crisis ‘A Near Existential’ Threat To Europe,” The Times of Israel, 2/13/16) 97 (Tom Bowman, “After 15 Years, The State Of The War In Afghanistan,” NPR, 7/5/16) 98 (Daniel Trotta, “Iraq War Costs U.S. More Than $2 Trillion: Study,” Reuters, 3/14/13) 99 (“Conflict Casualties,” Defense Manpower Data Center, Accessed 7/20/16) 100 (Michael Schmidt and Eric Schmitt, “Leaving Iraq, U.S. Fears New Surge Of Qaeda Terror,” The New York Times, 11/5/11) 101 (Holly Yan, “How Did This Happen? Iraq, Syria, Gaza And Libya All In Flames,” CNN, 7/16/14) 102 (Lucy Madison, “Hillary Clinton On Benghazi: ‘I Do Feel Responsible’,” CBS News, 1/23/13) 103 (Scott Shane and Jo Becker, “A New Libya, With ‘Very Little Time Left’,” The New York Times, 2/27/16) 104 (“Income, Poverty, And Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2008,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/09) 105 (“Income And Poverty In The United States: 2014,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/15) 106 (Carmen DeNavas-Walt and Bernadette D. Proctor, “Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/15) 107 (Niall McCarthy, “America's Major Cities Saw An Increase In Homicides Last Year,” Forbes, 1/28/16)

108 (Gabriel Debenedetti, “Clinton Donors Disagree on Whether It’s Time To Worry,” Politico, 1/22/16) 109 (Matea Gold, Tom Hamburger and Anu Narayanswamy, “Two Clintons. 41 Years. $3 Billion.,” The Washington Post, 11/19/15) 110 (Heather Long, “71% Of Americans Believe Economy Is 'Rigged',” CNN Money, 6/28/16) 111 (Josh Gerstein, Tarini Parti, Hadas Gold and Dylan Byers, “Clinton Foundation Donors Include Dozens Of Media Organizations, Individuals,” Politico, 5/15/15) 112 (Philip Rucker, Tom Hamburger And Alexander Becker, “How The Clintons Went From ‘Dead Broke’ To Rich: Bill Earned $104.9 Million For Speeches,” The Washington Post, 6/26/14) 113 (Maggie Haberman And Steve Eder, “Clintons Earned $30 Million In 16 Months, Report Shows,” The New York Times, 5/15/15)

114 (Kathleen Ronayne and Jill Colvin, “Trump Talks Trade At Shuttered NH Factory,” Associated Press, 6/30/16) 115 (Meg Bernhard, “In N.H., Donald Trump Takes Aim At US Trade Deals,” Boston Globe, 7/1/16) 116 (Robert E. Scott, “Manufacturing Job Loss,” Economic Policy Institute, 8/11/15) 117 (Alyssa Davis, “U.S. Economic Confidence Stuck at Lower Level,” Gallup, 7/19/16) 118 (Tami Luhby, “Middle Class No Longer Dominates In The U.S.,” CNN Money, 12/9/15) 119 (Karen DeYoung, “State Department Inspector General Issues Alert Over $6 Billion In Contracting Money,” The Washington Post, 4/3/14) 120 (Adam Kredo, “State Dept. misplaced $6B under Hillary Clinton: IG report,” The Washington Times, 4/4/14)

121 (“Statement By FBI Director James B. Comey On The Investigation Of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use Of A Personal E-Mail System,” Federal Bureau Of Investigation, 7/5/16) 122 (Stephen Braun And Jack Gillum, “AP Fact Check: Clinton Email Claims Collapse Under FBI Probe,” AP, 7/5/16) 123 (Joel B. Pollak, “Two More Ways Hillary Clinton Committed Perjury At Benghazi Committee,” Breitbart, 7/6/16) 124 (“FBI Director Debunks Another Clinton Lie,” GOP, 7/7/16) 125 (“Clinton's Top Five Email Lies,” GOP, 7/5/16) 126 (Melanie Hunter, “FBI Director: 'It Is Possible Hostile Actors Gained Access to Secretary Clinton's Personal Email Account,” CNS News, 7/5/16) 127 (Steven Lee Myers, “F.B.I. Findings Damage Many of Hillary Clinton’s Claim.,” The New York Times, 7/5/16) 128 (Rachael Bade And Josh Gerstein, “Clinton Expressed Worries About Exposure Of Personal Emails At State Dept.,” Politico, 5/25/16) 129 (Julian Hattem, “FBI Didn’t Record Clinton Interview, Did Not Administer Sworn Oath,” The Hill, 7/7/16) 130 (“Hillary Clinton Email Investigation, Part 1,” C-SPAN, 7/7/16) 131 (Dan Berman, Evan Perez and Pamela Brown, “Clinton Questioned By FBI As Part Of Email Probe,” CNN, 7/3/16) 132 (Paula Reid and Hanna Fraser-Chanpong, “Report: FBI Pulls Deleted Emails From Hillary Clinton's Server,” CBS News, 9/22/15) 133 (“Statement By FBI Director James B. Comey On The Investigation Of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use Of A Personal E-Mail System,” Federal Bureau Of Investigation, 7/5/16) 134 (Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, “Ex-Officials Prosecuted For Mishandling Gov’t Info See ‘Double Standard’ In Clinton Case,” FOX News, 8/17/15) 135 (Ari Melber, Brad Gold, Marti Hause and Jonathan Berger, “How Hillary Clinton's Email Case Compares to Similar FBI Probes,” NBC News, 7/6/16)

136 (Ken Silverstein, “Shaky Foundations,” Harper's Magazine, 11/18/15) 137 (“Why The Clinton Foundation Is So Controversial,” The Economist, 2/7/16) 138 (Matthew Mosk, Brian Ross and Cho Park, “How Clinton Donor Got On Sensitive Intelligence Board,” ABC News, 6/10/16) 139 (Sarah Westwood, “Clinton Aides Rushed Top Secret Clearance For Foundation Donor,” The Washington Examiner, 6/16/16) 140 (Peter Baker and Charlie Savage, “In Clinton List, A Veil Is Lifted On Foundation,” The New York Times, 12/18/08) 141 (Fredreka Schouten, “Bill Clinton Discloses Foundation Donors,” USA Today, 12/18/08) 142 (“Clinton Thanks Amar Singh,” The Indian Express, 1/7/11) 143 (Jo Becker and Mike McIntire, “Cash Flowed To Clinton Foundation As Russians Pressed For Control Of Uranium Company,” The New York Times, 4/23/15) 144 (James Grimaldi and Rebecca Ballhaus, “Speaking Fees Meet Politics For Clintons,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/30/15) 145 (Pam Fessler, “NPR: Bernie Sanders And Donald Trump Say The Voting System Is Rigged, Is It?,” NPR, 6/14/16) 146 (Meghan Keneally and Ryan Struyk, ” Breaking Down the Numbers Behind Bernie Sanders' 'Very Steep' Path to Contested Convention,” ABC News, 5/2/16) 147 (David Weigel, “Democratic Superdelegates: The Villains Of A ‘Rigged’ System, According To Sanders’s Supporters,” The Washington Post, 6/7/16) 148 (Eric Morath, “Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s VP Pick, Can Tout Job Gains and Economic Growth in Indiana,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/16/16) 149 (Travis H. Brown, “Pence's Playbook Nets Over 100,000 Jobs In Indiana,” Forbes, 7/26/14)

150 (Adrian Sainz And Steve Megargee, ““Authorities: Highway Gunman Motivated By Police Shootings,” Associated Press, 7/9/16) 151 (F. Brinley Bruton, Alexander Smith, Elizabeth Chuck, And Phil Helsel, “Dallas Police 'Ambush': 12 Officers Shot, 5 Killed During Protest,” NBC News, 7/8/16) 152 (Jason Lange, “Three Countries Urge Caution Traveling To U.S. Amid Protests, Violence,” Reuters, 7/10/16) 153 (Lisa Marie Pane, “Attacks On Police: Inspired Or Directed By Militant Groups?,” Associated Press, 7/10/16) 154 (Greg Schreier, “Police Agencies On Edge, On Guard Amid Heightened Threats,” Associated Press, 7/10/16) 155 (Gary Fineout and Kate Brumback, “Authorities: 911 Caller Ambushed, Shot Officer In Georgia,” Associated Press, 7/8/16) 156 (Jim Salter, “Police Chief: Missouri Officer Shot in the Neck Is Paralyzed,” ABC News, 7/18/16) 157 (“Wisconsin Police Officer Recovering After Shooting,” CBS News, 7/18/16) 158 (Steve Almasy and Sara Weisfeldt, “Police Officer Shot And Killed In Kansas City, Kansas,” CNN, 7/19/16) 159 (Ralph Ellis, “Michigan Shooting: Inmate Kills 2 Bailiffs, Sheriff Says,” CNN, 7/12/16) 160 (“Authorities: Tennessee Highway Gunman Motivated By Police Shootings,” Chicago Tribune, 7/8/16) 161 (“3 Officers Dead, Four Wounded In Ambush In Baton Rouge,” Associated Press, 7/17/16) 162 (F. Brinley Bruton, Alexander Smith, Elizabeth Chuck, And Phil Helsel “Dallas Police 'Ambush': 12 Officers Shot, 5 Killed During Protest,” NBC News, 7/8/16) 163 (Jason Lange, “Three Countries Urge Caution Traveling To U.S. Amid Protests, Violence,” Reuters, 7/10/16) 164 (Adrian Sainz And Steve Megargee, “Authorities: Highway Gunman Motivated By Police Shootings,” Associated Press, 7/9/16)

165 (“Protests Against Police Violence Continue For 4th Night Across U.S.,” CBS News, 7/10/16) 166 (Matt Sedensky and Sharon Cohen, “'America Is Weeping': Taking Stock After 3 Days Of Tragedy,” Associated Press, 7/8/16) 167 (Aamer Madhani, “Chicago's Murder Rate Soars 72% In 2016; Shootings Up More Than 88%,” USA Today, 4/1/16) 168 (Kevin Rector And Justin Fenton, “Per Capita, Baltimore Reaches Its Highest Ever Homicide Rate,” The Baltimore Sun, 11/17/15) 169 (Chelsea J. Carter, “Video Shows ISIS Beheading U.S. Journalist James Foley,” CNN, 8/20/14)

170 (“Hollande: 'France Is Under the Threat of Islamic Terrorism',” FOX News, 7/14/16) 171 (Angela Dewan, Jason Hanna and Euan McKirdy, “Attack In Nice: Truck Driver Identified As 31-Year-Old Tunisia Native,” CNN, 7/16/16) 172 (“Driver In Nice Truck Attack Researched Route Ahead Of Massacre,” FOX News, 7/17/16) 173 (Benoit Morenne, “France Observes First National Day of Mourning,” The New York Times, 7/16/16) 174 (Hayley Tsukayama, Mark Berman and Jerry Markon, “Gunman Who Killed 49 In Orlando Nightclub Had Pledged Allegiance To ISIS,” The Washington Post, 6/13/16) 175 (Michael Cooper, Michael S. Schmidt and Eric Schmitt, “Boston Suspects Are Seen as Self-Taught and Fueled by Web,” The New York Times, 4/23/13) 176 (Kristina Sgueglia, “Chattanooga Shootings 'Inspired' By Terrorists, FBI Chief Says,” CNN, 12/16/15) 177 (“Chattanooga Shooting A 'Terror Attack,' FBI Director James Comey Says,” FOX News, 12/16/15) 178 (Ralph Ellis, Ashley Fantz, Faith Karimi and Eliott C. McLaughlin, “Orlando Shooting: 49 Killed, Shooter Pledged ISIS Allegiance,” CNN, 6/13/16) 179 (Laura J. Nelson, Hailey Branson-Potts and Brittny Mejia, “In A Month Of Pride, The Gay Community Becomes A Target Of Terror,” Los Angeles Times, 6/12/16) 180 (Hillary Clinton, “Clinton Defends Her Iraq War Vote,” MSNBC Hardball with Chris Matthews, 3/14/16) 181 (Secretary Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The State Department Treaty Room, Washington, DC, 8/18/11) 182 (Reena Ninan, “Secretary Clinton Says Syrian President Assad 'Must Go',” ABC News, 4/1/12) 183 (Secretary Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The State Department Treaty Room, Washington, DC, 8/18/11)

184 (Ivana Kottasova, “These NATO Countries Are Not Spending Their Fair Share On Defense,” CNN Money, 7/8/16) 185 (Julian E. Barnes, “NATO Moving to Create New Intelligence Chief Post,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/3/16) 186 (Melanie Hunter, “FBI Director Admits U.S. Will Have No Basis to Vet Some Syrian Refugees,” CNS News, 10/21/15) 187 (“USCIS Official Admits: No Syrian Database We Can Check,” Refugee Resettlement Testimony, 8/6/15) 188 (Homeland Security Committee, “Syrian Refugee Flows,” U.S. House of Representatives, 11/15) 189 (C. Eugene Emery Jr. “Donald Trump Says Hillary Clinton Wants To Let 500 Percent More Syrians Into The U.S.,” Politifact, 6/13/16) 190 (Julia Hahn, "Clinton Releases Plan to Dissolve U.S. Border Within 100 Days,” Breitbart, 5/25/16) 191 (Chris Strohm and Justin Sink, “Refugee Flow May Mask Terrorist Infiltration, Spy Chief Says,” Bloomberg, 9/9/15) 192 (Evan Perez, “Intelligence Gaps Pose Challenge For Syrian Refugee Screening,” CNN, 10/8/15)

193 (“U.S. Senate Subcommittee On Immigration And The National Interest – Chart Book,” Chairman Jeff Sessions, 1/16) 194 (George Borjas, “Immigration And The American Worker,” Center For Immigration Studies, 4/13) 195 (Steven A. Camarota, “The Impact Of Large-Scale Immigration On American Workers,” Center For Immigration Studies, 3/16) 196 (U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 7/20/16) 197 (Mark Hugo Lopez, Rich Morin, Jens Manuel Krogstad, “Latinos Increasingly Confident in Personal Finances, See Better Economic Times Ahead,” Pew Research, 6/8/16) 198 (Jessica Hopper, “Family of People Killed by Undocumented Immigrants Speak Out at RNC,” ABC News, 7/18/16) 199 (Tom Abrahams, “Donald Trump Makes Campaign Stop In Beaumont And Spoke About Paris, Guns,” ABC, 11/15/15) 200 (Colleen Shalby, “Trump Kicks Off Rally With Group Billed The 'Voice For The Victims Killed By Illegal Aliens',” Los Angeles Times, 4/29/16) 201 (Suzanne Gamboa, “Clinton Campaign: Sanctuary Cities Can Help Public Safety,” NBC News, 7/9/15) 202 (Senator Hillary Clinton, Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate, 9/26/07) 203 (Ed Payne, “Kate Steinle: San Francisco Shooting Victim Known For Thinking Of Others First,” CNN, 7/7/15)

204 (Jerry Seper, “Brutal Mexican Drug Gang Crosses Into U.S.,” The Washington Times, 4/19/11) 205 (Andrew O'Reilly, “Mexican Drug Cartel Violence Spreading To Rural U.S. As Police Crack Down In Big Cities,” FOX News, 8/12/14) 206 (Caroline May, “Report: Released Criminal Aliens Committed Nearly 10 Times More Crimes Than Obama Admin. Told Congress,” Breitbart, 6/21/16) 207 (“NBPC Statement on Colorado Primary,” National Border Patrol Council, 4/11/16) 208 (Joe Davidson, “Border Patrol Agents Union Endorses Trump,” The Washington Post, 3/30/16) 209 (Caroline May, “Border Patrol Agent: 80 Percent of Illegals the Agency Apprehends Are Released into U.S.,” Breitbart, 5/19/16) 210 (Stephen Dinan, “Border Agents: DHS Has ‘No Intention’ Of Deporting Illegals,” The Washington Times, 3/21/16)

211 (Stephen Dinan, “Nearly 1 Million Immigrants — Including More Than 170K Convicts — Ignoring Deportation,” The Washington Times, 7/1/16) 212 (Jeffrey S. Passel and D’Vera Cohn, “Homeland Security Produces First Estimate Of Foreign Visitors To U.S. Who Overstay Deadline To Leave,” PewResearchCenter, 2/3/16) 213 (“Few Support Bringing More Syrian Refugees To U.S.,” Rasmussen Reports, 9/22/15) 214 (“Voters Want to Build A Wall, Deport Felon Illegal Immigrants,” Rasmussen Reports, 8/19/15) 215 (Immigration Reform, Hillary Clinton, Accessed 7/20/16) 216 (Eric Bradner and Dan Merica, “Clinton Calls For 'Path To Full And Equal Citizenship',” CNN, 5/15/15) 217 (“Here’s Donald Trump’s Presidential Announcement Speech,” TIME, 6/16/15)

218 (“Donald J. Trump Financial Disclosure,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/22/15) 219 (Robert E. Scott, “Fast Track To Lost Jobs And Lower Wages,” Economic Policy Institute’s Working Economics Blog, 4/13/15) 220 (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/20/16) 221 (“1993 - NAFTA Signed Into Law,” History, Accessed 7/20/16) 222 (M. Angeles Villarreal and Ian Fergusson, “The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),” Congressional Research Service, 4/16/15) 223 (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/20/16) 224 (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 5/13/16) 225 (Robert E. Scott And Elizabeth Glass, “Trans-Pacific Partnership, Currency Manipulation, Trade, And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 3/3/16) 226 (Will Kimball And Robert E. Scott, “China Trade, Outsourcing And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 12/11/14) 227 (Domenico Montanaro, “A Timeline Of Hillary Clinton’s Evolution On Trade, NPR, 4/21/15) 228 (“Hillary Clinton, MIA On Trade,” The Washington Post, 5/12/15) 229 (Robert E. Scott, “Fast Track To Lost Jobs And Lower Wages,” Economic Policy Institute’s Working Economics Blog, 4/13/15) 230 (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 6/24/16) 231 (Bernie Sanders, Meet The Press Transcript, NBC News, 4/10/16)

232 (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Living History, 2003, p. 182) 233 (First Lady Hillary Clinton, Remarks At An Event For The Union Of Needle Trades, Industrial, And Textile Employees (UNITE), New York, NY, 3/6/96) 234 (Robert E. Scott, “NAFTA’s Legacy,” Economic Policy Institute, 12/17/13) 235 (Will Kimball and Robert E. Scott, “China Trade, Outsourcing And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 12/11/14) 236 (Robert E. Scott and Elizabeth Glass, “Trans-Pacific Partnership, Currency Manipulation, Trade, And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 3/3/16) 237 (Hillary Clinton, Remarks To The Council On Foreign Relations, New York, NY, 10/17/00) 238 (“Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer,” CNN, 8/26/00) 239 (Elizabeth Dwoskin and Indira Laksmanan, “How Hillary Clinton Created A U.S. Business-Promotion Machine,” Bloomberg, 1/10/13) 240 (Secretary Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The American Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, Seoul, South Korea, 4/17/11) 241 (Jake Tapper, “45 Times Secretary Clinton Pushed The Trade Bill She Now Opposes,” CNN, 6/15/15) 242 (Hillary Clinton, Hard Choices, 2014, cclxxiv) 243 (Clark Mindock, “Hillary Clinton State Department Memoir omits TPP Reference In Paperback Edition,” The International Business Times, 6/7/16) 244 (Tim Hains, “Hillary Clinton Calls For New "Trade Prosecutor" Position, Opposes TPP "In Its Current Form,” Real Clear Politics, 5/9/16) 245 (Robert E. Scott, “U.S.-Korea Trade Deal Resulted In Growing Trade Deficits And More Than 95,000 Lost U.S. Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 5/5/16) 246 (Joe Ogrinc, “The NAFTA Analysis: Not Free Trade,” Foundation for Economic Education, 5/1/1993)

247 (“The IP Commission Report,” The Commission On The Theft Of American Intellectual Property, 5/13) 248 (Will Kimball and Robert E. Scott, “China Trade, Outsourcing And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 12/11/14) 249 (Robert E. Scott And Elizabeth Glass, “Trans-Pacific Partnership, Currency Manipulation, Trade, And Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute, 3/3/16) 250 (Article 2205: Withdrawal, North American Free Trade Agreement, Accessed 7/20/16) 251 (Brian Faler, “Analysis: Clinton Proposed Almost $500 Billion In Tax Increases,” Politico, 1/26/16) 252 (Kyle Pomerleau and Michael Schuyler, “Details And Analysis Of Hillary Clinton’s Tax Proposals,” Tax Foundation, 1/26/16) 253 (Alexander Hendrie, “Hillary Confirms Trillion Dollar Tax Hike Plan,” National Association of Manufacturers, 2014) 254 (Kyle Pomerleau, “Corporate Income Tax Rates around the World, 2015,” Tax Foundation, 10/1/15) 255 (Scott A. Hodge, “The Economic Effects of Adopting the Corporate Tax Rates of the OECD, the UK, and Canada,” Tax Foundation, 8/20/15)

256 (“The Cost of Federal Regulation to the U.S. Economy, Manufacturing and Small Business,” Institute For Energy Research, 12/15) 257 (“Red Tape Record Breakers,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/19/16) 258 (“North American Energy Inventory,” Institute For Energy Research, 12/11) 259 (Joseph R. Mason, “The Economic Effects of Immediately Opening Federal Lands to Oil, Gas, and Coal Leasing,” Institute For Energy Research, 12/15) 260 (Dana Merica, “Hillary Clinton Apologizes For Coal Comments In West Virginia,” CNN, 5/3/16) 261 (Richard Rubin, “U.S. Companies Are Stashing $2.1 Trillion Overseas to Avoid Taxes,” Bloomberg, 3/4/15) 262 (David Alexander, “Big U.S. Firms Hold $2.1 Trillion Overseas To Avoid Taxes: Study,” Reuters, 10/6/15)

263 (“Joseph Lawler, “Goldman Sachs: Obamacare Forcing Hundreds Of Thousands Into Part-Time Work,” The Washington Examiner, 6/8/16) 264 (“Estimated Revenue Effects Of A Proposal To Repeal Certain Tax Provisions Contained In The ‘Affordable Care Act,’” Joint Committee On Taxation, 6/15/12) 265 (“How CBO Estimates The Effects Of The Affordable Care Act On The Labor Market,” Congressional Budget Office Report, December 2015) 266 (Erin Humiston, “'Covered California' Customers Another Obamacare Casualty,” The Institute for Policy Innovation, 7/21/16) 267 (Philip Ewing, “Fact Check: Has President Obama 'Depleted' The Military?,” NPR, 4/29/16) 268 (Rowan Scarborough, “U.S. Military Decimated Under Obama, Only ‘Marginally Able’ To Defend Nation,” The Washington Times, 2/24/16) 269 (Bruce Wright, “US Army Size 2016: Fewest Active Soldiers Since World War II As Pentagon Reduces Troops,” IBTimes, 5/9/16) 270 (Dave Philipps, “Report Finds Sharp Increase In Veterans Denied V.A. Benefits,” The New York Times, 3/20/16) 271 (Scott Bronstein And Drew Griffin, “A Fatal Wait: Veterans Languish And Die On A VA Hospital's Secret List,” CNN, 4/23/14) 272 (“VA Suicide Prevention Program Facts About Veteran Suicide,” U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs, 7/16) 273 (“America First Means Veterans First,” Donald J. Trump, 7/11/16) 274 (Hillary Clinton, “Transcript: Rachel Maddow Interviews Hillary Clinton,” MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, 10/23/15)

275 (Ginger Gibson, “Trump Identifies 11 Potential Supreme Court Nominees,” Reuters, 5/19/16) 276 (“NRA Endorses Donald Trump for President of the United States,” NRA-ILA, 5/20/16) 277 (John Santucci And Meghan Keneally, “NRA Endorses Donald Trump for President,” ABC News, 5/20/16) 278 (Ryan Lovelace, “Sessions Warns Of Historic Clinton Attack On Gun Rights,” Washington Examiner, 5/22/16) 279 (“NBC News Exit Poll Results: Evangelicals Voted for Trump,” NBC News, 5/10/16) 280 (“Charities, Churches and Politics,” IRS, Accessed 7/20/16) 281 (Nick Gass, “Poll: Half Of Millennials Say The American Dream Is Dead,” Politico, 12/10/15)

282 (Arun Kristian Das, “'I'm With Her': President Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton,” FOX 5 News, 6/9/16)

Source: Donald Trump for President Gary Johnson 2016 Gary Johnson 2016 May 29, 2016








Former Gov. Gary Johnson
Acceptance Speech

Thank you very much. You have no idea what just happened means to me. Thank you.

I have always said that it's your hard work, it's every one of your works over the years that has gotten us to this point, and I recognize that. And I will work as hard as I can to represent everybody in this room.

But for those that weren't supportive I just want to reiterate a couple of things. I tell the truth; I am not a liar. And I make plenty of mistakes, but what I say here at this convention is what I say everywhere wherever I go, and I believe it is a really libertarian message wherever I go.

And right now, leaving this convention I think that millions of people are going to be trying to understand what it is to be a libertarian and it is going to be my voice describing that to the best of my ability. And I realize, I realize the confidence that you have put in me to be that spokesperson and I'm very, very grateful for that.

Now that said, we're going to move on to the vice president. And I understand that you get to choose the vice president, but I just want you to know if it's not Bill Weld, I don't think we have the opportunity of being elected president of the United States and that is not to take anything away from any of the candidates up here on the stage.

Jim Gray in 2012 did not make one national media appearance and don't think we didn't try to have Jim Gray be on the national media. Since Bill Weld announced that he is seeking the vice-presidential nomination I would say at a minimum he has made 25 national media appearances.

And not to take anything away from any of the candidates, nothing away from any of the candidates, but Bill Weld was my role model. Bill Weld was Libertarian-Republican. Bill Weld was denied the nomination by Jesse Helms to be ambassador to Mexico because Jesse described him as pro-gay, pro-choice and pro-medical marijuana at a time when nobody else was talking about this.

It's your choice. We can go out there and we can make, and you have kind of sort of made a choice here already. And that is that we do have the opportunity to reach millions and millions of Americans.

Talk about fund-raising. The total amount of fund-raising, the total amount of funds since I've been in politics, directly or indirectly that I have raised is probably about $8 million. If you make that comparison with Bill Weld, the number is closer to a quarter of a billion dollars. It's a reality. It is a reality and I'm asking you all to recognize that reality. And I'm also asking you to recognize that you did nominate me for president, and I'm hopefully going to get elected president of the United States.

The first consideration that people are going to look at when they look at a vice president, the first consideration, maybe the only consideration is, can that person actually step in and be vice president of the United States. I'm just going to ask you to make that determination with those that are on stage. I trust in all of you that moving forward that you can see, I hope you can see, the wisdom of this Libertarian Party exploding. And at a minimum, let's just not say, at a minimum I think we are in the presidential debates.

If it's not Bill Weld I don't think that that happens. If it is Bill Weld, and not to take anything away from anybody else that is on the stage. But if it is Bill Weld there's a real possibility that we can achieve major party status in this country. And who would have dreamed that that was possible four years ago?

I have never been involved in this, ever, without the notion of potentially winning. In 2012 people would ask well, gee, how come it is you never really caught on?

Actually, I caught on big. This whole thing has been just like this from Day One. But when they don't poll you and they don't recognize that you go from zero to 1,300,000 votes, it's hard to make that pitch.

Well right now at 10-percent of the vote that's like 18 million people being represented right now. Just understand the opportunity please.

I'm laying it in your hands, and I know that you're going to make, I know you're going to make the right decision.

Thank you to all of you. You have worked so hard, every single one of you have worked so hard, and so much money has been spent over so many years for ballot access. and here we are.

I mean at some point did anybody get involved with the Libertarian Party hoping that this might someday happen. Was it going to be perfect? No, it wasn't going to be perfect, but it is here, and it is now. So. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Source: Transcript by Mike Dec

Libertarian presidential candidate named; VP balloting underway

For Immediate Release Sunday, May 29, 2016

ORLANDO – He’s already at over 10% in four polls….

Today Libertarian Party delegates elected Gov. Gary Johnson, two-term governor of New Mexico, to be the party’s nominee for President of the United States, with a mission of moving America in the direction of more personal freedom, fiscal responsibility, and less military intervention.

‘We already have over 411,000 registered Libertarian voters,’ said Nicholas Sarwark, Libertarian Party Chair. ‘And now we’ve nominated Gov. Gary Johnson as our presidential candidate for 2016. Together, he and the other Libertarian candidates will propel the rapid growth of the LP all across America and give disenfranchised voters a real choice for less government and more freedom.’

Gov. Johnson is a successful businessman and a crusader for fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and individual liberties. As governor, he vetoed over 750 bills, perhaps more vetoes than all other 49 governors combined. He cut taxes 14 times while maintaining New Mexico as one of only four states in the country with a balanced budget. He was the first U.S. governor to call for ending marijuana prohibition.

The Libertarian Party is the only alternative political party in the United States expected to be on the ballot in all fifty states this November.

After winning on the second ballot, Johnson implored delegates in his acceptance speech to elect former Massachusetts governor William Weld to be his running mate.

Six candidates met the 30-vote threshold to be eligible for the vice presidential nomination:

Gov. William Weld – 192 votes

Larry Sharpe – 161

Alicia Dearn – 104

Will Coley – 61

Judd Weiss – 46

Derrick Grayson – 33

Others under thirty votes – 109

A motion from the floor was defeated which would have made the other presidential candidates eligible for the VP nomination. In spite of this, the candidates received some votes, but not enough to push any of them over the 30-vote threshold:

Austin Peterson – 17

Marc Alan Feldman – 9

John McAfee – 6

Darryl Perry – 2

Delegates will select Johnson’s running mate later today. If no candidate for vice president attains a majority on the first ballot, the candidate finishing last will be eliminated from the race. In addition, any candidate polling less than 5 percent will also be eliminated from the subsequent ballot. A candidate securing a majority of convention delegates will be the vice presidential nominee.

Gov. William Weld wins Libertarian VP nomination

For Immediate Release Sunday, May 29, 2016

ORLANDO — Today two-term Massachusetts governorWilliam Weld became the vice presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party at its nominating convention.

Earlier today,the delegates elected two-term New Mexico governorGary Johnson to be the party’s presidential nominee.

‘This is the highest-profile ticket in the Libertarian Party’s history,’ said Nicholas Sarwark, Libertarian Party Chair. ‘And it comes at a time when Americans yearn for a credible alternative to Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.’

Weld won 441 votes on the second ballot, barely overthe required majority of votes needed. Larry Sharpe, a trainer and coach for executives, came in second place with 409 votes.

The Libertarian, Democratic, and Republicanparties are the only politicalparties in the United States expected to be on the ballot in all fifty states this November. Ted Cruz 2016 Ted Cruz 2016 April 27, 2016










Ted Cruz Chooses Carly Fiorina as Vice Presidential Running Mate

Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced that former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina would be his Vice Presidential running mate. As a groundbreaking executive and the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company, Fiorina brings a record of innovation and tremendous leadership to the Cruz campaign. An outsider to politics, Fiorina adds a fresh perspective to the difficult challenges America faces and has a solutions-oriented approach that is desperately needed in the federal government.

“In choosing the person I believe would honorably and faithfully serve in the office of the Vice President – the person who under our Constitution could ascend either temporarily or permanently to the presidency – there must be a higher criteria, and that criteria must be this: will that person keep the faith and trust of the American people?” Ted Cruz said. “For all the enormously impressive qualities I saw in others whom I considered for the office of the Vice Presidency of the United States, I found a clear choice:

“One who has never been afraid to stand up to the insider status quo. Who knows the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution because this leader has lived them – a life dedicated to the dignity of work, of our right to pursue our wildest aspirations – and to help others do the same. And a leader who understands that power never has and never will come from the government – here in the United States it comes from the people.

“Who respects the people, who has worked alongside them, and who will serve them with an unbreakable purpose of protecting every one of their rights – and making sure that the America we hand to our kids and grandkids is better than the one before us today.

“For the 13 months of this race, there has been a proven, consistent, courageous fighter. A fighter who terrifies Hillary. And who will do the same to our enemies. And that’s why I am proud to announce Carly Fiorina as my Vice Presidential running mate.”

“Ted Cruz is a constitutional conservative who has made enemies in both parties standing up to the bipartisan corruption in Washington,” said Carly Fiorina. “He has fought to change the system. He kept his word to the people of Texas, and I know, if elected, he will keep his word and bring back American jobs, defend our nation, and protect our constitutional freedoms.

“Make no mistake: this is a fight now. Ted and I can't do this without your help. And this is about all of us. It's about whether we want our kids to be able to get a good paying job when they get out of school. It's about whether we want to turn our backs on religious liberty and our second amendment. It's about whether we want to live in a nation that secures its borders and calls Islamic terrorism by its name. It is about whether we believe America must lead again in the world.

“This is why we fight. Join us. And let's elect Ted Cruz the next President of the United States.”

Source: Ted Cruz for President Gary Johnson 2016 Gary Johnson 2016 January 6, 2016










Gov. Gary Johnson Announces 2016 Candidacy For President on Cavuto
Two-term New Mexico Governor to seek Libertarian Nomination

Former New Mexico Governor and 2012 presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced today that he is seeking the 2016 Libertarian nomination for President of the United States.

Johnson made the announcement during an appearance Wednesday [Jan. 6] on Neil Cavuto’s “Coast to Coast” on the Fox Business Network. Johnson placed third in the 2012 presidential race, receiving more votes than any Libertarian candidate in history. [Click here to watch the interview on Fox Business Network’s Twitter page.]

Announcing his candidacy, Johnson said, “One need only to look at the Republican and Democrat nomination races to see that 2016 may very well be a ‘tipping point’ election year. The American people are clearly fed up and running out of patience with the status quo. I’m fed up with it also.

“By the time Barack Obama leaves office, the national debt will have reached $20 trillion. It has doubled while he has been in office, just as it doubled while George W. Bush was President. Obviously, it doesn’t really matter which of the two so-called ‘major’ parties is in control of the White House or Congress. The government just keeps growing, the spending just keeps increasing, and the debt keeps piling up.

“After two wars, seemingly endless foreign interventions and failed attempts at nation-building, can anyone credibly suggest that we are somehow safer today than we were 15 years ago? To the contrary, the threats to our safety and our liberty from violent jihadists are increasing, and if anything, we are less safe. The American people are tired of chaotic foreign and military policies that are obviously not fulfilling the government’s fundamental duty to keep the homeland and our freedoms secure. Voters are correctly demanding that their leaders focus on that most basic responsibility of the federal government.

“And the American people are fed up with politicians — both Republican and Democrat — who are determined to replace liberty with government overreach, control and intrusion into our daily lives. The United States was founded on a rejection of warrantless searches, oppressive taxation, and government interference with the free exercise of speech, religion, and personal choices. Today, we have a generation of young people growing up believing their own government to be the greatest threat to their privacy and their freedom to pursue their dreams.

“Our politicians and their refusal to abandon failed policies have sadly turned the governance of America into something the Founders would hardly recognize, much less embrace.

“America needs a President who will push back against the growth of government — and mean it. That begins with proposing a federal budget that doesn’t spend more than it takes in, and using the veto pen to enforce it if necessary. Government spends too much because it does too much, and a President who is serious about making government do and spend less can make it happen.

“America needs a President whose idea of national security isn’t to spy on American citizens and pry into their personal and financial lives without warrants or due process. The failed War on Drugs needs to end, along with the surveillance, incarceration rate and needless prosecution it has given us.

“And we need leaders whose idea of immigration reform consists of something more thoughtful — and effective — than building bigger walls, imposing unconstitutional religious tests, and militarizing our borders.

“Our system is broken. The two ‘major’ parties have become slightly different shades of the same big government, big debt and ineffective status quo. I am convinced that Americans are ready to send Washington, DC, a message, to reject the status quo and break up the political duopoly that can’t even come up with a real budget and that is fundamentally incapable of change. What is missing is a belief that there is an alternative, a belief that the rigged game can, indeed, be broken up.

“As a successful former Governor, an entrepreneur and a proven advocate for smaller government and greater freedom, I intend to offer Americans the alternative they seek.

“Liberty and the freedom to succeed are the real American values, and I’m running for President to restore those values, make America genuinely safe, and put an end to a tired status quo that has given us nothing but debt, less freedom and well-founded fears about the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren.”

This press release was issued on Jan. 6, 2016 by the Gary Johnson 2016 presidential campaign. Jim Gilmore 2016 Jim Gilmore 2016 July 29, 2015










Jim Gilmore 2016 Presidential Campaign Announcement Video Transcript

Hello, I’m Jim Gilmore and today I am announcing my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

With so many candidates already in the race some may ask “why am I running?” That’s a fair question that deserves a straight answer.

I am a candidate for president because our current Washington leadership is guiding America on a path to decline, and I can reverse that decline.

That current leadership is damaging our economic and national security to such a degree, that for this first time in American history, most Americans believe their children will not be better off than they are.

I have a vision for a different America, one that will return America to the policies of a dynamic, entrepreneurial free-market economy and a policy of peace-through-strength for our national security.

I have been looking for someone to enter the race committed to my belief that America’s economic and national security is increasingly at risk, but I have not seen a response from anyone that makes me certain about their knowledge or solutions to the threats facing our nation.

I do not seek the presidency because I want to be something. I seek it because I want to DO something -- for America.

During my service as an intelligence agent for the U.S. Army during the Cold War, during my time as Governor of Virginia – when the Pentagon in my state was attacked on 9-11; and during my service as Chairman of the national commission that warned before 9-11 about the dangers of domestic attacks on our nation – one thing was made very clear to me:

When America retreats because of weakness and failing leadership, we place our country and our citizens in harm’s way because those who would attack us know no boundaries.

Unfortunately, the actions – and the lack of actions – of the Obama-Clinton administration have put us in exactly this position.
Today we live in a dangerous world that has become more dangerous because of the Obama-Clinton foreign policy failures.

Our allies believe they can’t count on us and our adversaries neither fear nor respect us.

I believe we must take immediate action to strengthen our national defense, restore and rebuild are armed forces.

While Russia and China have dramatically increased spending for their armed forces, the United States military has had more than $1 trillion in budget cuts that have decimated our national defense.

President Obama has slashed the size of our Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to dangerous levels.

This isn’t the result of a change in America’s strategies or any recognition of the evolving threats we face. Rather, these cuts are being imposed in disregard of those threats.

The result is that much of the defenses we need here at home and through which we have helped stabilize the world for 70 years, have been abandoned.

While this dismantling of America’s military has been occurring, the policies of President Obama and Hillary Clinton have shunned our allies and embraced our adversaries, recklessly throwing away decades of American generated stability in the world.

Russia is invading and threatening the democratic governments of Eastern Europe because of America’s message of weakness and uncertainty.

China hacks the files of 21 million American citizens with no repercussions.

Now Obama has made a deal with Iran that fails to stop their support of terrorism throughout the Middle East and the world, insures them billions of dollars and modern weapons and fails to block their nuclear program.

For the security of our nation and the world this agreement must be rejected. I will do so if I become president.

Diplomacy is a vital part of restoring peace and stability in our world. But successful diplomacy requires a strong nation and a strong President, someone with the strength to walk away from a bad deal.

Ronald Reagan did that when he refused to sign an arms control agreement with Russia and continued the buildup of our military. The result— the Soviet Union collapsed and we won the Cold War.

We are not and should not be the policeman of the world. But, we do have true national interests and allies around the world who must believe that we will stand beside them and help them defend themselves

We must not make commitments lightly but, danger comes when our President says there is a line that can’t be crossed and then we do nothing when it is crossed.

Candidate Barack Obama promised “fundamental change.”

I think we can say President Obama has succeeded. Unfortunately, it is our adversaries who have enjoyed the benefits.

Now, his handpicked successor wants to continue his policies.

We learned this lesson in the 20th century. The world will not be free and successful if America is weak and apologetic.

As Commander-in-Chief I will ensure the United States reverses the course of the past seven years, rebuild our economy, our military and our place in the world.

As George Washington said, “the only sure way of preserving the peace is by preparing for war.” Not war but preparedness must become our watchword and that means we must reverse the decline caused by the Obama-Clinton policies.

America’s national security and America’s economic prosperity are not separate ideas.

We cannot achieve national security without economic strength.

Our economy has been the great engine of freedom not just for us, but for all free nations for 70 years.

The damage the Obama-Clinton policies have done to both our national defense and our economy must be corrected by policies that are aimed to integrate the recovery of one with the other.

Seeing what has happened at home and abroad as a result of the Obama-Clinton policies, I hope every American will ask themselves these questions:

Are you and your family safer than you were seven years ago? Are you better off economically? Is our country on the right track?

For a large majority of Americans, I believe the answer is “NO”.

The question then is, what can we do to change?

I believe we turn to things that work. I have proposed an economic plan called the Growth Code, which you can read on my website, GilmoreForAmerica.com.

Our program is a modernized version of the policies that worked for Presidents Kennedy and Reagan when they sought to restore Growth to sluggish economies.

A tax cut for ALL Americans, three simple tax brackets, a 15 percent corporate tax rate for all business activity that will make us competitive with our foreign countries and an elimination of the Death Tax.

These programs worked before because it placed our economy in the people’s hands, not the bureaucrats. If we do the same now, it will work again.

With these commonsense changes we can put the men and women of America back to work and allow our sons and daughters to have the opportunity to have a better life than ours.

Simply put, I believe restoring our national defense, cutting taxes and limiting the power of the government will get our nation back on track and begin the process of protecting the future of all Americans.

When the federal government can destroy your business, erode your Second Amendment rights, threaten your liberty and your security though mindless regulations and illegal executive orders, it’s time to take a new path.

I’ve come to this point in my life like millions of you. I am not a billionaire, the son of a former president, or a member of the Washington establishment. My Dad worked at Safeway as a meat cutter.
My mother was a church secretary. It was in central Virginia, but it could have been anywhere in America.

Their goal for me, like your parents’ goals for you, was that I have a better life than they did. Their generation strived and sacrificed so that we could build on their success and hand it on to our children.

Our generation has an obligation to do the same now. We must once again choose leadership and resolve over weakness and the status quo.

As the Governor of Virginia, I cut taxes by a billion and a half dollars, created hundreds of thousands of jobs, fought to protect gun rights, worked for national legislation to keep the internet free of taxes, supported our military men and women and warned early on about the dangers of terrorism.

Despite all our current challenges, despite all our current setbacks, we can overcome them.

If we trust in ourselves, our capacity for self-government, our ability to believe in ourselves, there is no hurdle we can’t overcome.

I am entering this race today because I have confidence that the experience I have gained in this free country can be used to make a difference in the direction of our nation and the future of our people.

Please join me in this campaign by going to my website at GilmoreforAmerica.com.

Today, I am ready to engage those uniquely American attributes in cooperation with you, my fellow citizens, so together we can build a better life and a prosperous future – a safe and protected future – for you, your family and for all Americans.

Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.

Source: Jim Gilmore for America John Kasich 2016 John Kasich 2016 July 24, 2015










***ANNOUNCEMENT***
--TRANSCRIPT OF REMARKS--
OHIO GOVERNOR JOHN KASICH’S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT
OHIO UNION
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
COLUMBUS, OHIO

(GOVERNOR KASICH): Wow. Listen, standing here with me, of course, are the people who I have dedicated my life to—my sweet daughters, Emma and Reese Kasich. I remember when they were born. Remember that, Sweetie?

I kept saying to the doctor, "How is it going?" He's trying to deliver two. Finally he looks me square in the eye and he said, "Can you shut up? I'm a little busy right now." And they came out, and I could hold them in the palm of my hand. It was so sweet. And so I, along with Karen, have dedicated our lives to giving them a better life than we were able to ever get from our parents. And you know what? They're doing fantastic.
(Applause)

And my wife—pray for her, she's married to me. From the very tips of my toes to the top of my head, I just love my wife so much—such a great partner and such a great lady.
(Applause)

So I want to tell you that it's this whole business of the American dream, isn't it, that we can all work to make sure the next generation is going to be in a position of greater strength than what we received. And I get my inspiration from the people who came before me. And I want to tell you about a few of the ones that inspire me.

I'd like to start with my Uncle Steve. Uncle Steve was a tough guy, the son of a coal miner, rough and gruff and tell is like it is and he found himself at Iwo Jima. And he looked around during that battle and he saw a lot of people dying.
Uncle Steve was not a churchgoing man, but in the middle of all the violence and the blood and the death, he said to God, "If you take me off this island, I will go to church every day for the rest of my life." And he did.

And Uncle Steve. When Uncle Steve came home from the war, the brothers all slept in the same room. They didn't have a lot. And Uncle George told me that he would have nightmares and he would speak in Japanese, and he told his brothers, "Never wake me—never wake me from that nightmare because I don't know what will happen. Let me sleep and wake up on my own."

And Uncle George, he's here today. He's right over here. He's 89 years old.
(Applause)

I so love my Uncle George. He's the patriarch of our family. Uncle George was in the infantry and he was scheduled to take a boat from England to Belgium, but the division he was in couldn't all fit in the boat. So they asked George to wait until the next day. Well, that boat left England on its way to Belgium, and a submarine launched a torpedo and sunk that boat and everyone on it perished.

The next day, Uncle George took another boat and he landed in France. And he fought with great honor and he returned home and became a guidance counselor and guided young people for the next 38 years of his life. What a man.
(Applause)

And my father-in-law—we call him Popsy, Grandfather—joined the Marines at the age of 17, wanted to serve his country.
But I guess most important—my mom and dad. You know, mom was—well, she was a visionary. Didn't get the education—you know her mother could barely speak English—but, boy, was she smart. And if you think I have opinions, you never met my mom.

And my father, he was the mailman, they called him John the Mailman. And when we laid my mother and father to rest there were countless numbers of people who came and said, "John the Mailman—he watched out for all of us." And they gave up so much, didn't take—I wish they had spent more on themselves. No matter what you told them they were not going to do it. Because it was all about the next generation. And they're the ones that have inspired me. And all of you here today—you're the same way, aren't you? You have the people who did so much for you who are your heroes. They don't have to be famous. They're people that you love and that you admire.

That American dream is pivotal for the future of our country, but I have to tell you, there are a lot of people in America today who are not sure that that American dream is possible, that that American dream is alive. And I can understand their concerns.
You know, when I was a kid, you went out and you got a job and you worked at that job your entire lifetime. You got your health care and retirement and everything was good. Today you could be a 51-year-old man and one day after serving and doing everything the right way, somebody walks into your office and says, "I'm sorry, but we don't need you anymore." Can you imagine that conversation? Could you imagine that dad while he's driving home or that mom when she's driving home? They lose confidence. They wonder what their future is. Can they get another job? Can they support their family? Will anybody be there to help them?

Or how about moms and dads today? They send their kids to college. Many of these young people bringing up massive amounts of debt trying to get an education and they're living in the attic. And mom and dad are wondering will they get a job? Will they pay their bills? What kind of future will they have?

Or at the same time we can also think about what all of us fear greatly and that is the problems of bad health. Can I afford those expensive drugs that I need to survive? What is it going to cost me to get treatment not just for myself, but for one of the loved ones in my family? Will I be bankrupted and lose everything I have, everything I've worked for? It's a real fear.

Or the fear of the tsunami of drugs. It's everywhere, isn't it? The kids that are here—and there are many of them—don't do drugs. Don't put that big 1,000 pound pack on your back and keep you from your God-given purpose. But all moms and dads worry that those drugs will wash away our own neighborhoods and maybe wash away our children.

And how about those that struggle to make ends meet? There are some people who just say, "Just work harder" or "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." I believe in all that. Some people just don't have the fortune that many of us have. They struggle. They struggle for a whole lifetime and they worry that can they rise? Can they pull the rest of their family members up the ladder? The promise of America and they worry about it.

Or how about a member of the minority community—an African-American? Do you wonder, "The system I think sometimes doesn't just work for me, but sometimes I feel like that system works against me." You think about the troubles that many of our African-Americans still face today in the world where we have worked to provide equal rights and opportunities. Sometimes they're not so sure. And I don't blame them.

Or how about all of us? We pick up the paper, it's Chattanooga, it's Fort Hood, it's ISIS. Are we safe? Are we going to be safe to go to the mall or safe to leave our homes?

These are the worries that many Americans have, but I have to tell you as serious as these are—and they are very serious—we've had a lot worse, much worse in this country. Think about it. The Civil War, do you remember reading about it? It's not just neighbors fighting against neighbors, but it was even family members—kin fighting against one another and killing one another on a battlefield right in America.

How about the about the racial violence that we experienced in this country? The early days of television when they put the dogs and the gas and the batons on people of another color.

Or the world wars? Where many in our families never came home, leaving widows and children without a dad.

Or the depression? The depression. Ask your grandfather, ask your mom and dad about that depression. My father used to say that he'd go down to the store and get some food for the family and the guy would say, "We'll put it on your bill." There was no bill. That's what it took for America to get through the depression.

And you all remember that crystal clear morning and the horror we felt on 9/11. But guess what? We've always gotten through it because the testing is what makes you stronger. It's the challenges that make you better. I have lived through them and I have become stronger for them and America has become stronger for them and here is how we've done it—by staying together. Not by dividing each other, but by staying together with our eyes on the horizon, with our eyes on the horizon about the future.
(Applause)

We have a little town in Ohio called Wilmington. They followed that formula. Let me tell you about these folks. They played by the rules, worked every day, highly productive, teamwork. And one day an employer said, "We're leaving. We're out of here." And thousands of people—thousands of hard working, God-fearing people like your neighbors went from getting a paycheck on a Friday afternoon to visiting a food pantry so they could feed their kids.

I was down there in 2010 after this earthquake—economic earthquake hit Wilmington. We had a campaign bus. My wife was with me. We walked through that food pantry. We looked at the people—preachers and civil servants and leaders and caregivers—they were at the food pantry but had not lost any hope because they had their eyes on the horizon. We got back on that bus. I will never forget it as long as I live. We got back on that bus and I said, "Folks, do you understand?" Some of them had been with me for a long time, so they got it, but some of the others were rookies. I said, "Do you understand what we are doing here?" This is not a political campaign." And by the way, neither will this be—this is not a political campaign. "Did you see those people? Did you see the tears in their eyes? Did you see them hugging their children? Did you see them not hopeless? We're going join in and we're going to help them, because it's our job and our mission as human beings, as children of God to work with them to lift them."
And guess what?
(Applause)

And guess what? And in Wilmington today the sun is coming up. I told them that the sun would come up again. It hasn't reached its zenith, but the sun is rising. And the sun is going rise to the zenith in America again. I promise you it will happen.
(Applause)

Listen, you know who does this? You see, it's you and me. It's teachers and preachers, and moms and dads, and doctors, construction workers. Like that sweet man in Brown County who saw his family washed away over the weekend. Keep him in your prayers. Police, firemen, and people like my dad, the mailman, John the Mailman, because we're the glue. We are the glue that holds our country together.

As for me, as for me, I'm just trying to do my best. I came here to Ohio State. I found myself on the 19th floor of one of those towers—you can hit it with a stone from here. I had 15 roommates. The place was 23 floors high. The tower the next door was the same size. Ohio State can be a pretty intimidating place. It is big. It is a big place. And I left my dorm room, went down to the first floor, and I walked right down the path to Ohio stadium. And it was a time when you could actually walk in that stadium. They didn't have the one end closed in. And I walked into that stadium—I swear this happened—and I walked right to the 50-yard line.

There was no one in the stadium that day, and I looked around. All of those seats, those big structures that were there, and I thought to myself, either this place is going to take me down or I'm going to take it down, one way or the other. Either it was going to beat me—you know, either it was going to beat me or it was going to be a place—kids, because you'll face it someday—to help me move forward.

You know what's amazing? I'm back here today. You could throw a stone and hit that stadium or you could hit that dormitory so many years later. And guess what? I am here to ask you for your prayers, for your support, for your efforts, because I have decided to run for President of the United States.
(Applause)

You know, they ask you all the time, like it's a trick question or something. "Well, why do you want to do this?" Like they're going to catch you. I mean, if you can't answer that question, you ought to be back at the 50-yard line at Ohio Stadium wondering about your future. I do this because, first of all, if we're not born to serve others? I want you to think about this. If we're not born to serve others, what were we born to do? I do this for my family, of course, for my sweet family, for my neighbors, for my friends of many, many, many years, many of whom are working with me today—30, 40 years later. I really do it for everyone. And I have to humbly tell you—and I mean humbly tell you—that I believe I do have the skills, and I have the experience.
(Applause)

I have the experience and the testing. The testing which shapes you and prepares you for the most important job in the world, and I believe I know how to work and help restore this great United States.

And I have to tell you it's a daunting challenge. I was at Wendy's on Saturday up here at Hudson Avenue and two wonderful African-American fellows were there and I was standing behind them. One said, “I don’t know if I believe what I’m seeing but I believe that's Governor Kasich standing behind me.” They said, “You better run.” Do you know what that meant to me? Two African-American guys, one with a brace on his leg and another one with a cane. And I said, “Well, you know, some people are going to have a lot more money than I am,” and they said, “But you’ve got statistics, you’ve got statistics.”

So some are going to ask, as they always have, why do you think you can do this? You know, all of my life people have told me you can't do something, okay? I'll tell you why, it's because I believe in the power of very big ideas, big, bold ideas.

In 1976 I went out to the convention in Kansas City and not only worked for Ronald Reagan, but I worked with Ronald Reagan, and I got to travel with Ronald Reagan. Yeah, I actually knew the guy, okay, the real guy, not from the history book. He lost at that convention. I had been managing, I think, five states for him. You talk about lightning striking me. I walked in and they said, “We’re one man short,” and said, “Could you manage five states for the governor?” I said, “Of course, I could.” I had no idea.

Well, he lost, as you know. And I was there when he met with his closest advisors and he said, “We've lost the battle. We haven't lost the war because I'll be back and I'm going to fix America with all of your help.” And, of course he did.
And it further cemented my notion that big ideas change the world—big ideas change the world.
(Applause)

So I came back here to Ohio and was charged up, and I was working as an aide. And I remember meeting with one of my buddies and I said I think I’m just going to run for the state Senate and beat that guy we've been watching, and I remember he was drinking something and it fell on the floor when I told him that. People—I was 24-and-a-half years old. I had no relatives that lived in the state. I didn't really know anybody, but I had a big idea. And you know what? We did. We went out and got moms and dads, a lot of moms, who went door to door. And the weekend before the election, one of the local newspapers said, “He's a fine young man but has no chance to win.” Well, I won that election with the help of the army of volunteers.

I went on to chair the Health Committee where I learned to work across the aisle because the House was run by Democrats, and that's where I learned that policy is far more important than politics, ideology, or any of the other nonsense we see.
(Applause)

You know, they said it couldn't be done. We proved them wrong.

And then at the ripe old age of 30, I decided I'm going to run for Congress. My mother and father are, like, “Johnny, what are you doing now?” Well, they said I couldn't win, I was too young and, by the way, I was going to run against an incumbent in 1982, which was the worst year. We lost 26 Republican seats that year. I was going run against a guy with his degree from Harvard. I knew I had an edge; clearly he couldn’t have gotten in to Ohio State.

And in 1982 I was the only Republican in America to defeat a Democrat all across this country. And guess what, here is the irony, I got to go to Washington and work with President Ronald Reagan, you know? They said it couldn't be done, but we proved them wrong again.

And then I got down to Washington and got on the Armed Services Committee for 18 years. I found that these hammers and screwdrivers, they cost thousands of dollars and it was taking the resources from the people that needed it who were serving in the military. We were wasting money and I said, “We need to clean this up,” and they're like, “You know, come on, it's the Pentagon. You can't—forget about it, it can't happen.”

Well, we passed some legislation and we made things right. We saved money, we improved the system, and we helped the military. They said it couldn't be done, and we proved them wrong again.
(Applause)

Let me be clear, our military must be improved. We need to—we need to cut the bureaucracy, and strengthen our services. Now, I'm the person—I’m a person that doesn't like to spend a lot of money, but in this case, national security climbs to the very top of the heap because we must be strong and must assume our role as leaders of the world.
(Applause)

So, six years after I got to Congress, I got on the Budget Committee. And I remember going to the first few meetings, Bob [former Budget Committee colleague Congressman Robert Walker (R-PA)]. It was terrible and I was complaining at a gas station in Westerville, and I was saying, “These people don't want to do anything.” And some guy walked around the pump and looked me square in the eye and said, “If things are so bad, what are you going to do about them?”

So I flew down to Washington and met with my staff, and I said, “We should write a budget.” And they said, “There's, like, 100 people in the White House working on it and probably 50 up here,” and I said, “I know we're overstaffed, but if we stay out of our way we'll be able to get this done.” We wrote a budget for the United States of America. And why? It's not about numbers. It's about vision. It's about values. And we do not have the right as grown-ups to ring up debts to suit ourselves and pass them on to the next generation. We don't have that right.
(Applause)

Ten years of my life I worked at this. My first budget was 405 to 30. I had the 30. My staff was depressed. I thought we were doing pretty well. We just kept at it and kept at it. And you heard my great friend John, one of the smart—he’s a wonderful man. If John Sununu hadn’t come to me and told he was going to help me in New Hampshire I wouldn’t have done this. He is remarkable and we did it together. And the politicians didn't care about—they didn't care about anything, about being reelected. They cared about fixing America, Pat [Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH)]. They cared about getting the budget balanced and getting it going. They said it couldn't be done, too big, too hard, and we proved them wrong again and we balanced that budget. We balanced it.
(Applause)

You want job creation? You balance the books. Am I right? You balance the books. And if I'm President or maybe I should say when I am President—
(Applause)

—I will promise you—I will promise you that my top priority will be to get this country on a path to fiscal independence, strength, and we will rebuild the economy of this country because creating jobs is the highest moral purpose and we will move to get that done.
(Applause)

And, by the way, how about a little balanced budget amendment to the Constitution so the Congress will start doing its job?
(Applause)

So I left. I left Washington and had a great time, you know? I worked at Lehman Brothers and learned about businesses and went to Fox News where I was a giant television star.
(Laughter)

I had a great time, but, you know, I had a calling. Here is how it went—I didn't hear anything but it was clear to me—You’ve had an amazing life. You have a lot of skills. You're going back. You're going back. And I sensed it when I was on a trip. And I came back and called my friends and said I guess we have to do this.

There were doubters. They said you haven’t been in politics in 10 years—in a decade—you have never run statewide and you haven't defeated an incumbent in 36 years in Ohio, and incumbents don’t lose. So we put together a vision and a team. They said it couldn't be done and we proved them wrong again.
(Applause)

And then we took over the reins. We didn't go unprepared. We knew what we wanted to do. I want to tell you. If I'm president I know what we need to do, there's no confusion about that. I know what needs to be done. I have been there at all levels. But we came in there, $8 billion in the hole, a loss of 350,000 jobs. One guy said he gave a dollar to double the rainy day fund. A lot of hopelessness here. Particularly among the poor, the minorities. People said maybe Ohio's best days are behind them. I thought that was baloney. I said, “We'll cut taxes and get the budget balanced.” I said, “Are you kidding?”

So we went to work. And we didn't have to slash—we didn't have to slash things. We had to use the 21st-century formula: improve things, make a better product at a lower price, let mom and dad stay in the home rather than being forced in a nursing home—let them stay in their own home. And if we have to knock down the special interests to get it done, so be it. That's what we did.
Now, today four-and-a-half years later, a billion in the hole—2 billion surplus, a loss of 350,000 jobs—a gain of 350,000 jobs, and tax cuts of $5 billion—the largest in the country.
(Applause)

And as I hope you all know, economic growth is not an end unto itself. If you're drug addicted, we're going to try to rehab you and get you on your feet. If you're mentally ill, prison is no place for you. Some treatment and some help is where you need to be. You're the working poor? We're going to give you an opportunity to take a pay raise and not bang you over the head because you're trying to get ahead. We're changing that system. If you have an autistic son or daughter, most of them, they can’t get insurance. We'll work to make sure all of them have it. If you're developmentally disabled, you're made in God's image. They have a right to rise. They have a right to be successful.
(Applause)

And with all this, with all this, they said it couldn't be done. Guess what, we proved them wrong again. And I'm going to take what we've learned here in the Heartland, a band of brothers and sisters that I work with every day, and we are going to take the lessons of the Heartland and straighten out Washington D.C. and fix our country.
(Applause)

Well, you know, now they're going say, “Well, you know, nice guy or good guy or not a good guy,”—whatever, whatever they're going to say—“but I don't know if he can win.” With you, and you sweetheart, okay, can you paint signs? And with all of you, together, we'll prove them wrong again, won't we? We'll prove them wrong again.
(Applause)

So our team, we'll tame the bureaucracy, restore this common sense, get rid of all the stupid rules. How about putting some people in the government that understand job creators and respect them rather than beating them down, how about that? How about some common sense? And make America stronger, militarily.

Folks, here is the thing I want to say to you—and I said this at my inaugural—some people think they just don't matter in this. Do you know how wrong that is? And we’ve got this Holocaust memorial, and there's a line etched in it that says, “If you save one life, you've saved the world.” Do you believe that? Do you believe that?
(Applause)

You save one life, you save the world, and the Lord will record what you've done for each other in the Book of Life.
Now we've got some values that we need to think about that can bring us together. Folks, we're a divided country, but we can fix it. I'll tell you what I think some of them are: personal responsibility. The dog ate my homework went out in the fifth grade. Here is the thing: we own our lives. I mean, if you're hurting, we'll help you. My mother used to say that it is a sin not to help somebody who needs help, but it’s equally a sin to continue to help somebody who needs to learn how to help themselves. Personal responsibility needs to be restored in our country.

Teach our children resilience. Everybody doesn't get a trophy just for showing up, folks. You know what resilience is? It's getting knocked down—and I have been knocked down so many times—but getting knocked down is not the problem. It's refusing to get up. We need to teach our kids, teach our children about resilience and remind ourselves that you're 51 years old and you lost your job. You're going to come back stronger and better. We'll help you.

Empathy, this one is so important. I just would ask you to think, put yourself in the shoes of another person. We're so quick to make judgments today in our country. Don't walk so fast. Yesterday I was coming downtown and there was a lady and she was older and she had a cane and was barely walking. She was putting one foot in front of another. I wanted to stop and just hug her, encourage her, people who have not been dealt the best hand in life.

Yeah, we want to hold them accountable, but the Lord wants our hearts to reach out to those that don't have what we have. I mean, that shouldn't be hard for America. That's who we are. When people have studied our country they have talked about our compassion. And we need to bring it back. Empathy, don't be so quick to judge. Ok? Me too. Me too.

And then teamwork, Tom Moe was up here. You know, he used to run the veterans [Ohio Department of Veterans Services]. I call it the bright arc of live. The man goes in the military, sits in the Hanoi Hilton, is beaten all the time. He comes home, and I put him in charge of the veterans. This is the beautiful arc of what's right. Tom had a little code…
[Governor knocks on the podium]

I don't know where he is right now—here he is—and he tapped out a code that kept them all together. And it was team that carried them through the difficult time. Uncle George, it was team that helped you to be successful. The Vietnam veterans and the Iraqi veterans and the Afghanistan veterans…we do best…or the Depression, when we all hung together. Teamwork, team, they're not the enemy, they're part of our team. We can disagree, they're our team.

And then family, it's the building block of our culture. Let's recognize it. And, of course, faith, and faith is simple for me. It's about the dos, not about the don'ts. What it's really about is: God didn't put us on the earth to take care of ourselves. He put us on the earth to make things better.

And so there are some that will try to divide us, we see it all the time. I don't pay attention to that nonsense. At the end of the day, it's about being together because, you know, it says, “We the people…”

And, by the way, if you think that I or anybody who becomes President or a big shot—we don't move America. Oh, we do our part, if we have courage and intelligence, but it's all of us in the neighborhoods, in the families, across the country, we're the strength and the glue. Please, please, please don't lose sight of it.

As for me, I'm just a flawed man, a flawed man, trying to honor God's blessings in my life. I don't even understand it. He's been very good to me. And I want you to know that I will do my very best to serve you, because you are in my mind's eye. What are you? Get up every day, go to work, work hard, follow the rules, come home, spend time with your family, and at night you go to bed and say your prayers for your family, for your neighbors, and for our nation.

And, folks, as it has been said many times, the light of a city on a hill cannot be hidden. The light of a city on a hill cannot be hidden. America is that city and you are that light.

God bless you and God bless America.
(Applause)

Thank you all very much.

###

Source: Kasich for America Scott Walker 2016 Scott Walker 2016 July 13, 2015










REMARKS BY GOV. SCOTT WALKER AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

I love America.

As kids, my brother David and I enjoyed going over to the home of a neighbor by the name of Claire Congdon. In our small town, Mr. Congdon was something of a legend. He served our country in both World War I and World War II.

Then, like so many other veterans, he returned home and continued to serve his community. Mr. Congdon helped out with the concession stand at Legion baseball, he was active in our church and he was one of the leaders of my Boy Scout troop.

Each year before Memorial Day, he would organize all of us Scouts as we put flags on the graves of the fallen. He loved America. It was impossible to be around him and not share his love for God and Country.

Thirty years ago, Mr. Congdon's American Legion Post in our small town of Delavan, Wisconsin, helped me attend Badger Boys State. This is where I learned about state and local government. It was then my honor to be chosen to represent Wisconsin at a program called Boys Nation.

There I met a Vietnam veteran from Georgia by the name of Bob Turner. Bob and the other veterans who helped run the program did more than teach us about the federal government and national elections, they shared their love for our country, and instilled within me the importance of public service as we seek to protect our freedom.

These veterans remind me that America is a can-do kind of country. We just have a government in Washington that can't seem to get the job done. Washington, or as I call it, 68 square miles surrounded by reality.

The good news is that there is still time left to turn things around.

To do this, we need new, fresh leadership; leadership with big, bold ideas from outside of Washington; the kind of leadership that can actually get things done - like we have here in Wisconsin.

Since I've been Governor, we took on the unions and won.

We reduced taxes by $2 billion and lowered taxes on individuals, employers and property. In fact, property taxes are lower today than they were in 2010. How many Governors can say that?

Since I've been Governor, we passed lawsuit reform and regulatory reform. We defunded Planned Parenthood and enacted pro-life legislation. We passed Castle Doctrine and concealed carry. And we now require a photo ID to vote in the State of Wisconsin.
If our reforms can work in a blue state like Wisconsin, they can work anywhere in America.

Traveling the country, I've heard people say that they are tired of politicians who only tell them what they're against and why they should vote against someone.

Americans want to vote FOR something and FOR someone.

So let me tell you what I'm for: I'm for Reform. Growth. Safety.

I'm for transferring power from Washington to the hard-working taxpayers in states all across the country. That's real reform.

I'm for building a better economy where everyone can live their piece of the American Dream. That's pro-growth.

I'm for protecting our children and grandchildren from radical Islamic terrorism and other threats in the world. That's true safety.

My record shows that I know how to fight and win. Now, more than ever, we need a President who will fight and win for America.

Real Reform

First, we need to be for real reform in Washington.

Our big, bold reforms in Wisconsin took the power from the big government special interests and put it firmly into the hands of the hard-working taxpayers.

Today, people elected by local taxpayers actually get to run the schools. Our reforms ended seniority and tenure. Now we can hire and fire based on merit and pay based on performance. We can put the best and the brightest in the classroom.
Four years later: our graduation rates are up, third grade reading scores are higher and Wisconsin's ACT scores are now second best in the country.

Government that is closest to the people is usually the best. This is why we should move power and money out of Washington and send it back to our states and communities in key areas like Medicaid, transportation, workforce development and education.

Sadly though, Washington seems to measure success by how many people are dependent on the government. Instead, we should measure it by just the opposite: by how many people are no longer dependent on the government.

We understand that true freedom and prosperity don't come from the mighty hand of the government, they come from empowering people to live their own lives and control their own destinies through the dignity that comes from work.

You see, my first job was washing dishes at the Countryside Restaurant. Then, I moved up to the big times and started flipping hamburgers in high school at McDonald's to save up for college.

My dad was a small-town pastor and my mom worked as a part-time secretary and bookkeeper. My grandparents were farmers who didn't have indoor plumbing until my mom went off to junior high school. My dad's dad - my Grandpa Walker - was a machinist for 42 years at Barber-Coleman.

Looking back, I realize my brother David and I didn't inherit fame and fortune from our family. What we got was the belief that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can do and be anything you want. That's the American Dream. And that is worth fighting for.

Helping adults who are able to work transition from government dependence to true independence will help more people live that dream.

In Wisconsin, we enacted a program that says that adults who are able to work must be enrolled in one of our job training programs before they can get a welfare check. Now, as of the budget I just signed, we are also making sure they can take a drug test.
When I proposed this, the status quo defenders cried that we were making it harder to get government assistance. My response? No, we're making it easier to get a job.

Strong families help too. We know that children who are raised in a household where both parents are involved are more likely to finish school, find a good job and live a life free of government dependence.

The federal government needs to support strong families by ending the marriage penalty and by reforming welfare programs that discourage fathers from being involved in the lives of their children.

I know how important both my parents were to my brother David and I when we were growing up.

That's why Tonette and I try to be good role models for Matt and Alex and we are proud of the leaders that each have become today.
We want to ensure that they - and every other son and daughter - have the opportunity to grow up in a more free and prosperous country.

Pro-Growth

To ensure that prosperity, we need to be for a pro-growth economic plan that helps individuals and families earn, save and achieve their piece of the American Dream.

Instead of the top-down, government-knows-best approach we hear from politicians in Washington, we need to build the economy from the ground up in a way that is new and fresh, organic and dynamic.

As long as you don't violate the health and safety of your neighbors - go out and start your own career, build your own business, live your own life.

That's freedom - the freedom that serves as the cornerstone of the American Dream.

To help live that dream, we have a plan to help the people of this country create more jobs and higher wages.

First, we must repeal ObamaCare. That's right, repeal the so-called Affordable Care Act entirely and put patients and families back in charge of their health care decisions - not the federal government.

As Governor, I approved Wisconsin joining the lawsuit against ObamaCare on my first day in office. We need a President who - on the first day in office - will call on Congress to pass a full repeal of ObamaCare.

Next, we need to rein in the federal government's out-of-control regulations that are like a wet blanket on the economy. Yes, enforce common sense rules - but don't add more bureaucratic red tape.

In Wisconsin, I called for an overhaul of Wisconsin's regulatory process on my first day as Governor. We can do the same in Washington, then we can act to repeal Obama's bad regulations.

Then, put into place an "all-of-the-above" energy policy that uses the abundance of what God has given us here in America and on this continent. We are now an energy-rich country and we can literally fuel our economic recovery.

We need a President who will approve the Keystone pipeline on the very first day in office and then seek to level the playing field for all sources of energy.

Next, we need to help people get the education and the skills they need to succeed. This will help people find careers that pay far more than the minimum wage.

In Wisconsin, we reformed our public schools and gave families as many quality choices as possible because I trust parents to make the right decision for their children. I believe that every child deserves access to a great education - be it in a traditional public, charter, choice, private, virtual or home school environment.

We want high standards, but we want them set at the local level. No Common Core. No nation-wide school board.
I will push to take the power and money out of Washington and send it to our states and our schools, where it is more effective, more efficient and more accountable to the people of America. Think about it: where would you rather spend your dollar - in Washington or at your child's school?

And then, we need to lower the burden on hard-working taxpayers to improve take-home pay. And we need tax levels that are competitive for job creators to bring jobs back from overseas to put more of our fellow Americans back to work.

We can do it. We did it in Wisconsin and we can do it in Washington, too.

So, why do I focus so much attention on tax relief? Well, some of you know that Tonette and I like to shop at Kohl's. Over the years, I've learned that if I'm going to buy a new shirt, I go to the rack that says that the shirt was $29.99 but now is $19.99. Then, I take the coupon from the Sunday paper up to the cashier or I take out the flyer that we get in the mail that gives us 15 or 20% off - or even 30% if we are really lucky.

Then, Tonette reaches into her purse and pulls out some Kohl's cash. Next thing you know, they're paying us to buy that shirt.
Well, not really. So how does a company like Kohl's make money?

Volume. They make it off of volume.

You see, they could charge you $29.99 and a few of you could afford it or they can lower the price and broaden the base and make more money off of volume.

That's what I think about your money - the taxpayers' money. The government could charge the higher rates and a few of you could afford it. Or, we can lower the rates and broaden the base and increase the volume of people participating in our economy.

Years ago, we saw this kind of plan work well under President Ronald Reagan. Back then, it was called the Laffer Curve. Today, I call it the Kohl's Curve because I believe that you can spend your own money far better than the government - and that will help grow the economy.

True Safety

To prosper, however, we need a safe and stable world. Let me tell you why I'm for true safety. To me, the commander in chief has a sacred duty to keep the people of America safe.

During my lifetime, the best president on national security and foreign policy was a Governor from California. Under his leadership, we rebuilt our military, stood up for our friends, stood up to our enemies and - without apology - stood for American values: this led to one of the most peaceful times in modern American history.

Today sadly, under the Obama/Clinton doctrine, America is leading from behind and we're headed toward a disaster.

We have a President who drew a line in the sand and allowed it to be crossed. A President who called ISIS the JV squad, Yemen a success story and Iran a place we can do business with. Iran...think about that.

My brother David and I used to tie ribbons around the tree in front of our house during the 444 days that Iran held 52 Americans hostage. One of them was Kevin Hermening who grew up down the road in Oak Creek. He was the youngest hostage - a Marine working at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Kevin Hermening is here today. He knows that Iran is not a place we should be doing business with. Iran hasn't changed much since he and the other hostages were released on President Reagan's first day in office.

Looking ahead, we need to terminate the bad deal with Iran on Day One, put in place crippling economic sanctions and convince our allies to do the same.

Earlier this year, the President proclaimed that climate change is the greatest threat to future generations. Well Mr. President, I respectfully disagree. The greatest threat to future generations is radical Islamic terrorism and we need to do something about it.

That means lifting the political restrictions on our military personnel in Iraq so they can help our Kurd and Sunni allies reclaim land taken by ISIS. On behalf of your children and mine, I'd rather take the fight to them than wait for them to bring the fight to us.

We need to acknowledge that Israel is our ally and start treating Israel like an ally. There should be absolutely no daylight between our two countries. That's why I went to Israel earlier this year and met with both the Prime Minister and the opposition leader to express my wholehearted support for the unshakeable bonds between our two countries.

We need to stop the aggression of Russia into sovereign nations. Putin bases his policies on Lenin's old principle: probe with bayonets, if you encounter mush, push; if you encounter steel, stop.

With Obama and Clinton, Putin has encountered years of mush. The United States needs a foreign policy that puts steel in front of our enemies.

We need to stop China's cyber attacks, stop their territorial expansion into international waters and speak out about their abysmal human rights record.

We need to have the capacity to protect our national security interests - here and abroad - and those of our allies. That begins with rebuilding the Defense budget at least to the levels recommended by Secretary Gates.

We need to honor our men and women in uniform by giving them the resources they need to keep us safe - and then give them the quality and timely healthcare they deserve when they return home.

But I believe that the best way we can honor them is by fighting to win. This is important because our goal is peace, but there will be times when America must fight.

And if we must, Americans fight to win.

The world needs to know that there is no better friend and no worse enemy than the United States of America.
America is a great country. We just need to lead again.

It's not too late. We can do it because we've done it before.

Veterans like Claire Congdon and Bob Turner remind me that what makes America great, what makes us exceptional, what makes us the greatest country in the world, is that all throughout our history during times of crisis - be it economic or fiscal, spiritual or military - what makes America amazing, is that there have been men and women of courage who thought more about future generations than they did about their own political futures.

This is one of those times in American history.

After a great deal of thought and a whole lot of prayer, we are proud to announce that I am officially running to serve as your President of the United States of America.

Tonette and I want our sons Matt and Alex - and all of the other sons and daughters like them - to grow up in a country that is at least as great as the one we inherited.

Americans deserve a President who will fight and win for them.

Someone who will stand up for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Someone who will stand up for our religious rights and all of our other Constitutional rights. Someone who will stand up for America.

You see, It doesn't matter if you're from a big city, a suburb or a small town, I will fight and win for you.
Healthy or sick, born or unborn, I will fight and win for you.

Young or old - or somewhere in between - I will fight and win for you.

Over the years, I've met some amazing people who came here from other places around the world. The people I’ve met tell me that they didn't come here to become dependent on the government.

No, the reason they came was because America is one of the few places left in the world where it doesn't matter what class you were born into or what your parents did for a living. In America, you can do and be anything you want.

Here, the opportunity is equal for all, but the outcome is up to each and every one of us.

You see, there is a reason we just took a day off to celebrate the 4th of July and not April 15th. Because in America, we celebrate our independence from the government and not our dependence on it.

That's why I love America. That's why we love America. That's why - working together - we can fight and win for America.

God bless you. God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America.

###

Source: Scott Walker Inc. Jim Webb 2016 Jim Webb 2016 July 2, 2015










Jim Webb Announces Candidacy for President
Let's work together to make America an even better place.

Dear friends:

After many months of thought, deliberation and discussion, I have decided to seek the office of the Presidency of the United States.

I understand the odds, particularly in today’s political climate where fair debate is so often drowned out by huge sums of money. I know that more than one candidate in this process intends to raise at least a billion dollars – some estimates run as high as two billion dollars – in direct and indirect financial support. Highly paid political consultants are working to shape the “messaging” of every major candidate.

But our country needs a fresh approach to solving the problems that confront us and too often unnecessarily divide us. We need to shake the hold of these shadow elites on our political process. Our elected officials need to get back to the basics of good governance and to remember that their principal obligations are to protect our national interests abroad and to ensure a level playing field here at home, especially for those who otherwise have no voice in the corridors of power. And at the same time our fellow Americans need proven, experienced leadership that can be trusted to move us forward from a new President’s first days in office.

I believe I can offer both.

We all want the American dream – unending opportunity at the top if you put things together and you make it, absolute fairness along the way, and a safety net underneath you if you fall on hard times or suffer disability or as you reach your retirement years. That’s the American Trifecta -- opportunity, fairness, and security. It’s why people from all over the world do whatever they can to come here. And it’s why the rest of us love this country and our way of life.

More than anything else, Americans want their leaders to preserve that dream, for all of us and not for just a few.

We need a President who understands leadership, who has a proven record of actual accomplishments, who can bring about bipartisan solutions, who can bring people from both sides to the table to get things done. And that leader needs to gather the great minds of our society and bring them into a new Administration and give them direction and ask them to help us solve the monumental challenges that face us.

What should you ask for in your next President?

First, there is no greater responsibility for our President than the vital role of Commander in Chief.

I have spent my entire life in and around the American military. I grew up in a military family. I fought as a Marine rifle platoon and company commander on the battlefields of Vietnam. I spent five years in the Pentagon, four of them as an assistant secretary of defense and secretary of the navy. I covered our military on many journalistic assignments, including the Marine Corps deployment to Beirut in 1983 and as an “embed” reporter in Afghanistan in 2004. And while in the Senate I spent six years on both the Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.

Let me assure you, as President I would not have urged an invasion of Iraq, nor as a Senator would I have voted to authorize it. I warned in writing five months before that invasion that we do not belong as an occupying power in that part of the world, and that this invasion would be a strategic blunder of historic proportions, empowering Iran and in the long run China, unleashing sectarian violence inside Iraq and turning our troops into terrorist targets.

I would not have been the President who used military force in Libya during the Arab Spring. I warned repeatedly that this use of our military did not meet the test of a grave national security interest, that it would have negative implications for the entire region, and that no such action should take place without the approval of the Congress. The leadership in the Congress at that time not only failed to give us a vote; they did not even allow a formal debate, and the President acted unilaterally. The attack in Benghazi was inevitable in some form or another, as was the continuing chaos and the dissemination of large numbers of weapons from Qaddafi’s armories to terrorist units throughout the region.

And today I would not be the President to sign an executive order establishing a long-tem relationship with Iran if it accepts Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons. This Administration and those in Congress should be looking very hard at the actual terms of this agreement, which we on the outside cannot yet see or evaluate. They should also be questioning whether it is appropriate for such an important agreement to be signed without the specific, prior approval of the Congress.

On the other hand, I would make it clear to our friends and our potential adversaries that we will retain vigorous relationships with our treaty partners and our allies, and that we will meet and defeat any international terrorist movement that threatens our national security. We will work with our NATO allies to restore stability in Europe, and with our friends in the Middle East, particularly Israel, our most stable partner and friend in the region, to reduce the cycle of violence and turmoil in that part of the world.

I have been warning for many years that the United States is the essential guarantor of stability in East and Southeast Asia, and that China’s increasingly aggressive military posture in that region threatens our own national security. If I am elected as your President I can promise you that we will not accept China’s continuing military expansion and intimidation in such areas as the South China Sea. Nor will we be so fearful of our economic reliance on trade with China that we fail to protect our citizens in such matters as cybersecurity, where it is becoming increasingly apparent that the personal information of millions of Americans have been penetrated and breached, apparently by Chinese intelligence agencies.

Second, on domestic issues I would ask you to look at the results we were able to obtain during my time in the Senate, when many were throwing their hands up in the air and lamenting that little could be done when the government had become so paralyzed.

I spoke loudly and consistently on the issue of economic fairness, and made this issue the principal focus when I was asked to deliver the Democratic response to President Bush’s State of the Union Address in 2007.

Despite the warnings of political advisers that being portrayed as soft on crime was political suicide in American politics, from the beginning of my campaign for the US Senate and throughout my tenure, I spoke long and loud about the need to fix our broken criminal justice system. We pushed this issue directly from my Senate office, meeting with more than 100 stake holders from across the political spectrum, taking the hits and the criticism along the way and eventually bringing the need for criminal justice reform out of the shadows and into the mainstream of political debate.

I wrote and introduced the Post-911 GI Bill on my first day in office. Some said I hadn’t earned the right to introduce such broad legislation as a brand-new freshman Senator. The Bush Administration opposed the bill until the day it was signed. But we built a bipartisan coalition – a prototype for how things can indeed be accomplished in Washington – and within 16 months we passed the finest, most comprehensive GI Bill in history, which now has allowed more than a million of our Post-911 veterans a first class shot at the future.

Third, once we have brought together many of the great minds and leaders of America, what else should we be asking them to do?

Let’s work to restore true economic fairness in this great country, starting with finding the right formula for growing our national economy while making our tax laws more balanced and increasing the negotiating leverage of our working people. Our doors will be open to everyone who wants to work with us to find real, lasting solutions, from either party and from all segments of the American economy. But our goal will be to increase the financial stability of the American work force.

Let’s work to rebuild the infrastructure of this country vigorously and thoroughly, including roads, bridges, water systems, schools, alternate energy systems, and, vitally, the electrical grid through which all of our energy sources flow. A better infrastructure guarantees the increase of our inherent national wealth – it’s a “capital” investment in all of us – and it brings jobs that cannot be exported.

Let’s put a priority on fixing our educational system, and in the process giving our young people the priorities in our society and the future that they deserve. Not long ago a high school senior made a comment that still gives me pause every time I think of it. She said, “I’m not afraid of fighting for a cause. I’m afraid I won’t find a cause worth fighting for.”

Let’s give our younger people a cause worth fighting for. Let’s clean out the manure-filled stables of a political system that has become characterized by greed. Let’s rebuild an educational system that gives everyone a fair chance. A democracy is only as strong as the promise it offers its young citizens through the public education system.

When it comes to education in America we are looking at three challenges, which could actually intersect and become opportunities. The first is the benefit we can get through Pre-K programs that would allow less-privileged children to begin socialization and education at an earlier age. The second is the huge student loan debt that is hanging over the heads of so many of our talented young people who must mortgage their futures in order to have one. And the third is the reality that about 25 percent of the young people in this country do not even finish high school.

During my time in the Senate we worked hard to create second-chance programs for those who had not finished high school, financed in part by employer tax credits combined with programs in local community colleges. If I am elected President we can make these programs happen. We could also find a way for those who have finished their education to complete a period of public service, with loan forgiveness as an incentive for that service.

Let’s work together to fix our broken criminal justice system. This isn’t a political issue, it’s a leadership issue. It’s costing us billions of dollars. It’s wasting lives, often beginning at a very early age, creating career criminals rather than curing them. It’s not making our neighborhoods safer. We can fix this, strengthen our country, and make our people safer in their own homes and communities. It won’t happen overnight, but it won’t ever happen if we don’t start.

And let’s work toward bringing the complex issue of immigration reform to a solution that respects the integrity of our legal traditions while also recognizing the practical realities of a system that has been paralyzed by partisan debate. The holistic leadership approach I instituted nine years ago regarding criminal justice reform offers a prototype that can be used on the multifaceted challenges of immigration reform.

With every one of these recommendations I can make you two promises. The first is that every endeavor will be based on the premise that has been the foundation of our society from the day the United States Constitution was signed: that we are a nation of laws, not of specially privileged people, and that our greatest strength comes from the power of our multicultural heritage. And the second is that I mean what I say, that if I make a promise I will keep it, and that outside my faith and my family, my greatest love will always be for this amazing country that for more than 200 years has given so many people the opportunity to have a good life, raise a family, live in freedom, and achieve their dreams.

Let’s work together to make America an even better place.

I am ready to fight on behalf of every one of these issues. Will you help me do that?

Source: Jim Webb for President Chris Christie 2016 Chris Christie 2016 June 30, 2015











Chris Christie: I'm Running for President

Chris Christie: "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you New Jersey. Thank you. And thank you - thank you to Livingston. You know, lots of people have asked me over the course of the last week – why here? Why here? Because everything started here for me. Everything started here for me. The confidence, the education, the friends, the family, and the love that I’ve always felt for and from this community. When I decided to make this announcement there wasn’t any choice. I had to come home and Livingston is home for me.

And I want to thank Sheila Goldklang, a dear friend of my mom’s and a wonderful representative of this town, for welcoming us here today. And I want to thank my friend Lynn Grone. Now, listen, this is very much – some of you may be confused – it may be that you thought she was being booed by her high school classmates. She was not. For reasons that I will not explain Lynn’s nickname in high school was “the juice.” Hence, it’s not a boo, it’s “the juice.” And Lynn thank you for being here.

I’m also here because this is where my family raised me. You’ll hear a lot, and have heard a lot from me about my mother and father. All of us know that for good and for bad where we come from is from our parents. And so you heard Sheila and Lynn both talk about my mom today. I’m here in Livingston because all those years ago my mother and father became the first of either of their families to leave the city of Newark and come here, and make this home for us. My Mom isn’t with us today but I feel her. And my Dad is with me here today and I am really really privileged to have him. They raised my brother and I, brought us here to Livingston when we were four years old and two years old. And then our sister Dawn joined us a few years later. And this is where we grew up. These are the fields we played on. These are the playgrounds we played on. This is the school we built our friends with and came and learned with. And up until I left to share a room with Mary Pat, I shared a room with Todd the entire time. It was a smooth transition. And my sister Dawn and Todd are as big a part of today as anybody else and they are both here and I love them both.

Everyone thinks I’m the politician in the family. We did a coin flip when we got married. I called tails – tails never fails – so I’m the guy who ran, but the politician just as good as me in the family is the women that I met all those years ago at the University of Delaware from a family of ten people. People say, why aren’t you shy in a crowd, I say, you should see the family I married into. My wife has been an indispensible part of everything that I have done with my life over the last thirty years, and she is largely responsible for the four amazing people that you see standing with her.

And ever since I’ve been Governor I’ve been happy to use the veto at home too. And so far so good, I have not been overridden there either so. And so I’m glad they’re here today. And for Andrew and Sarah and Patrick and Bridget, I couldn’t be prouder of four children than I am of them.

I told you my parents moved to Livingston, and they moved to Livingston to make this part of their fulfillment of their dream. Of their version of the American Dream. They both lost their fathers at a young age and were raised by extraordinarily strong women under really difficult circumstances. My dad, one of the best students in his high school class, admitted to Columbia University, because his father passed away he couldn’t go. They didn’t have the money. He went to work and he got drafted into the army and he came home went to work at the Breyers Ice Cream Plant in Newark, New Jersey. And then decided after he met my mom that it was time for him to make more with his life, and he went to school at night at Rutgers for six years while working at those jobs during the day, to get his degree in accounting. And my Mother – and one of the proudest pictures that she ever had was the one she called our first family picture. It was my Mom and Dad on the day that he graduated from Rutgers in June of 1962 – the first person in either of the families ever to get a college degree. And it was the first family picture because she was six months pregnant with me. And the smiles on both their faces that day were indicative of not what they accomplished, but what they saw coming ahead of them.

Their smiles were about the fact that they thought that nothing was out of reach from them then. They had each other. They were building a family. They worked together. And then with the help of both of those strong women – they gave them five thousand dollars each – probably all the money they had in the world – to put a down payment on a house in this town to give their children a chance to take the dream they had started to build and to make it even bigger and even better. So I not only think about my Mom and Dad today I think about my two grandmothers. Women who raised children largely on their own. Women who knew how to work hard, and knew that that hard work would deliver something for their children. And I know that both of them are watching down today and that part of today is a fulfillment of their dream too. I’m thinking about both of them.

One of the things my Mother always used to say all the time to me was, Christopher if you work hard enough you can be anything. She said God’s given you so many gifts, if you just work hard enough you can be anything. And that story is proof. It’s proof. Parents who came from nearly nothing except for that hard work. Parents who brought little to their marriage except for their love for each other and that hard work. And that hard work not only produced a great life for me and my brother and my sister, but think about how amazing this country is. That one-generation removed from the guy that was working on the floor of the plant of the Breyers Ice Cream Plant, his son is the two term governor of the state where he was born and raised.

See that’s not only what my parents have done for me but that’s what New Jersey has done for us. See this place – this place that represents the most ethnically diverse state in the country. The most densely populated state in the country. We’re all different and we’re all on top of each other like you’re on top of each other in this gym. And what has come from that. What has come from that is the absolute belief that not only can all of us achieve whatever dream we want to achieve because of the place where we live and the opportunities it gives us, but that we not only can do it together, but we have to do it together.

We have no choice but to work together, this country needs to work together again, not against each other. When I became governor six years ago, we had a state that was in economic calamity, an $11 billion deficit on a $29 billion budget, a state that had its taxes and fees raised on it 115 times in the eight years before I became governor, a state that no longer believed that any one person could make a difference in the lives of the people in this state and so we rolled up our sleeves and we went to work and we balanced six budgets in a row, we’ve refused to raise taxes on the people of this state for six years. We made the hard decisions that had to be made to improve our education system. We reformed tenure for the first time in 105 years. We made the difficult decisions to reform pensions and health benefits and continue that fight today. We have stood together against each and every person and every cynic who said why are you wasting your time, the state is not governable. The last six years, we proved not only can you govern this state, you can lead it to a better day and that’s what we’ve done together.

And now, and now we face a country, we face a country that’s not angry, when I hear the media say that our country is angry, I know they’re wrong. Last year I went to 37 different states across this country in one year. I met people in every corner of America and they are not angry. Americans are not angry, Americans are filled with anxiety, they are filled with anxiety because they look to Washington D.C. and they see a government that not only doesn’t work anymore, it doesn’t even talk to each other anymore, it doesn’t even try to pretend to work anymore. We have a president in the Oval Office who ignores the Congress and the Congress ignores the president. We need a government in Washington D.C. that remembers, you went there to work for us not the other way around.

And both parties, both parties have failed our country, both parties have stood in the corner and held their breath and waited to get their way. Both parties have led us to believe that in America, a country that was built on compromise, that somehow now compromise is a dirty word. If Washington and Adams and Jefferson believed compromise is a dirty word, we’d still be under the crown of England. And this, this dysfunction, this lack of leadership, has led to an economy that’s weak and hasn’t recovered the way it should. It’s led to an educational system that has us 27th in the industrial world in math and 24th in science. It’s led us - it’s led us to weak leadership around the world where our friends can no longer trust us and our adversaries no longer fear us. This weakness and indecisiveness in the Oval Office has sent a wave of anxiety through our country. But I’m here today to tell you that anxiety can be swept away by strong leadership and decisiveness to lead America again.

We just need, we just need to have the courage to choose, we just need to have the courage to stand up and say enough. We need to have the courage to course a new path for America. America knows that new path, it knows where we need to go, it must start with this. We must tell each other the truth about the problems we have and the difficulties of the solutions but if we tell each other the truth everybody, we recognize that truth and hard decisions today will lead to growth and opportunity tomorrow for every American in this country.

What are those truths? What are those truths? Those truths are that we have to acknowledge that our government isn’t working anymore for us. We have to acknowledge that and say it out loud. And we have to acknowledge that it’s the fault of our bickering leaders in Washington D.C. who no longer listen to us and no longer know that they’re supposed to be serving us. We need to acknowledge that all of that anxiety and those failures are not the end, they are the beginning. The beginning of what we can do together. What we need to decide is that we can make a difference. That we can stand up and make a difference in this country.

You see, that’s why I love, that’s why I love the job I have, that’s why I love my job as governor because kids ask me all the time, the fourth graders who come to the statehouse every week, they ask me the two questions are always asked: one, what’s your favorite color, always. Second, they always ask me, what’s your best part of your job? And I always tell them that it’s that I wake up every morning knowing that I have an opportunity to do something great, I don’t do something great everyday, I’m human. But every morning I wake up with an opportunity to do something great, that’s why this job is a great job and that’s why president of the United States is an even greater job for a great number of people.

I have spent the last 13 years of my life as U.S. Attorney and Governor of this state fighting for fairness and justice and opportunity for the people of the state of New Jersey. That fight has not made me more weary, it has made me stronger and I am now ready to fight for the people of the United States of America. America is tired of handwringing and indecisiveness and weakness in the Oval Office, we need to have strength and decision-making and authority back in the Oval Office and that is why today, I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States of America!

And now, and now as Livingston and New Jersey turns its gaze to the rest of America today, what do we see and what do we have to confront? We need a campaign of big ideas and hard truths and real opportunity for the American people. We need to fix a broken entitlement system that is bankrupting our country. We have candidates who have said we can’t confront this because if we do we’ll be lying and stealing from the American people. Let me fill everybody else in, the lying and stealing has already happened, the horse is out of the barn, we got to get it back in and you can only do it by force.

We need to get our economy growing again at 4% or greater and the reason we do is cause we have to make this once again the country my mother and father told me it was. That as hard as you work, that’s as hard and high as you’ll rise. That’s not the case anymore, we can’t honestly look at our children and say that to them because we have an economy that is weak and doesn’t present them with the same opportunities that Mary Pat and I were presented with in the mid-1980s when we graduated from college. When we graduated from college, we didn’t worry about getting a job, we worried about picking which job was the best for us. We didn’t worry about whether we were gonna be successful, we knew if we worked hard, we were gonna be successful. This country and it’s leadership owes the same thing to my children and yours and I’m ready to give it to you.

We need a tax system, we need a tax system that is simplified and will put CPAs like my dad out of business. We need to get the government off the back of our people in our businesses with regulation and we need to encourage businesses to invest in America again, not overseas, invest in our country and our people. And in a world that is as dangerous, as dangerous and frightening as any time I’ve seen it in my lifetime. There is only one indispensable force for good in the world and it is a strong, unequivocal America that will lead the world and not be afraid to tell our friends, “We’ll be with you no matter what”, and to tell our adversaries, “There are limits to your conduct and America will enforce the limits to that conduct.” Well here it comes, after seven years, after seven years I heard the President of the United States say the other day that the world respects America more because of his leadership. This convinces me, this convinces me, it’s the final confirmation that President Obama lives in his own world, not in our world. And the fact is this: after seven years of a weak and feckless foreign policy, run by Barack Obama, we better not turn it over to his second mate Hillary Clinton.

In the end, in the end everybody, leadership matters. It matters for our country, and American leadership matters for the world. But if we’re going to lead, we have to stop worrying about being loved, and start caring about being respected again, both at home and around the world. I am not running for President of the United States as a surrogate for being elected prom king of America. I am not looking to be the most popular guy who looks in your eyes everyday and tries to figure out what you want to hear, say it, and then turn around and do something else. When I stand up on a stage like this in front of all of you, there is one thing you will know for sure: I mean what I say and I say what I mean, and that’s what America needs right now. And unlike some people who will offer themselves for the presidency in 2016, you’re not going to have to wonder whether I can do it or not. In New Jersey as governor, I’ve stood up against economic calamity and unprecedented natural disaster. We have brought ourselves together, we have pushed back that economic calamity, and we are recovering from that natural disaster, and that’s because we’ve led and we’ve worked together to do it. As governor I’ve proven that you can stand up and fight those powerful special interests this state has to have, stand up and stop them, but at the same time reach across the aisle to our friends in the Democratic Party and say, “If you have a good idea, I’m willing to work with you because that’s what our country needs.” And as governor, I’ve never wavered from telling you the truth as I see it, and then acting to make sure that you know that is the truth as I believe it in my heart.

You know, as a candidate for president I want to promise you just a few things. First, a campaign without spin or without pandering or focus group tested answers. You're going to get what I think, whether you like it or not or whether it makes you cringe every once in a while or not. A campaign when I'm asked a question, I'm going to give the answer to the question that's asked, not the answer that my political consultants told me to give backstage. A campaign that everyday will not worry about what is popular but what is right, because what is right is what will fix America, not what is popular. A campaign that believes, that believes in an America that is as great as the hopes and dreams that we want every one of our children to have. Not a campaign that tears people down, but a campaign that rebuilds America to the place where you and I grew up, and where we want our children to grow up in again, and where we want free people around the world to grow up in in their countries as well. That’s what America’s always stood for, and that’s what this campaign will stand for.

And all the signs say “telling it like it is.” But there’s a reason for that. We are going to tell it like it is today so that we can create greater opportunity for every American tomorrow. The truth will set us free, everybody. All the years, all 52 years that I’ve spent in this state with our people have prepared me for this moment. We have no idea where and how this journey will end, but we know that it’s only in this country, only in America, where someone like me could have the opportunity to seek the highest office the world has to offer. Only in America could all of you believe that your voices and your efforts can make a difference to change a country as big and vast and powerful as this one. Only in America, only in America have we seen time after time after time, the truth of the words that one person can make a difference. You see, the reason that’s true is because it’s the only thing that’s ever made a difference in the history of the world. One person reaching out to another to change their circumstance and to improve the lives of their children and grandchildren.

I don’t seek the presidency for any other reason than because I believe in my heart that I am ready to work with you to restore America to its rightful place in the world, and to restore the American dream to each one of our children, whether they live in Livingston or Mendham, Newark or Camden, Paterson or Jersey City, no matter where they live across this country we need to make sure that every one of those children believes that they have a President who not only speaks to them, but who hears them, who hears them and understands that their voices, that their voices is what makes any American president great. If you give me the privilege to be your president, I will wake up everyday not only with my heart strong and my mind sharp, but with my ears open and my arms open to welcome the American people, no matter what party, no matter what race or creed or color to make sure that you know that this is your country too. We are going to go and win this election, and I love each and every one of you. Thank you very much."

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Source: Chris Chritie for President Bobby Jindal 2016 Bobby Jindal 2016 June 24, 2015










GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL'S PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUCNEMENT REMARKS

NEW ORLEANS – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced he is running for President of the United States of America. The text of his announcement remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

My name is Bobby Jindal, I am the Governor of the great state of Louisiana, and I am running for President of the greatest country in the world – the United States of America.

44 years ago, a young couple who had never been on an airplane before left their home on the other side of the world to come to a place called America. They had never seen it, there was no internet to search. But they had heard the legend that there was a place in this world where the people were free, and the opportunities were real. They weren't really coming to a geographical place, they were coming to an idea…and that idea is America.

To them, America represented all that was good in the world, where you could get ahead if you worked hard and played by the rules. A place where what matters is the content of your character, not the color of your skin, the zip code you were born in, or your family's last name.

My dad grew up in a house without electricity or running water, and he was the only person in his family to get past the 5th grade. He and mom came to Louisiana because they believed in America. And when they got here they found that the legend was true. They found that the people of Louisiana accepted them. And they found that America is indeed the land of the free and home of the brave.

37 years later, my parents' oldest son became Governor of Louisiana. It was the aftermath of Katrina, our economy was locked in a downward spiral, our biggest city was reeling, and for 25 straight years more people had left this state than had moved into it. Louisiana was in big trouble…So we had to make big changes. We had to believe in Louisiana Again. And that is exactly what we did.

We reformed our ethics laws. We went from one of the worst states to one of the best.

We privatized our outdated government-run hospital system, we reformed education, with nearly 100% charter schools in New Orleans.
And now we have statewide school choice – because every child deserves an equal opportunity for a great education.

Instead of the child following the dollars…we make the dollars follow the child….because we trust parents not bureaucrats to make the best decisions for our kids.

We did what they said could not be done – we shrank our government. We cut our budget by 26%. We cut the number of government bureaucrats by more than 30,000.

It was not easy, the big government crowd fought us every step of the way. They protested. They filibustered. They even took us to court. But we won.

Today we have more people moving into Louisiana than out of it, our highest population in history. Our kids are coming home.

And now we have more people working than at any time in our state's history, with the highest incomes in our state's history. A job for your family and a paycheck in your mailbox are the ultimate proof your state is doing things right.

But of course, there is another side to the story – the big government crowd hates what we have done – they say we have cut government more than anyone, and that government budgets are always running low on funds with me in the Governor's office.
My response to the big government crowd is simply this – yes. I am guilty as charged, and our state is better off for it today.

It's time for the folks in Washington to admit the truth -- You can't grow the economy and the government at the same time. It's an either or choice. Hillary Clinton wants to grow the government in Washington, but we want to grow the real economy out here in America.

Here's the key difference – the Democrats evaluate success in terms of the prosperity of government. We define success in terms of the prosperity of our people.

My approach is different from most of the other people running for President.
The United States of America - was made great by people who get things done. Not lots of talk or entertaining speeches. To be sure, there are a lot of great talkers running for President already. But none of them, not one, can match our record of actually shrinking the size of government. If great speeches helped our country, we would be on easy street right now. The guy in the White House today is a great talker, and we have a bunch of great talkers running for President. We've had enough of talkers, it's time for a doer. I'm not running for president to be somebody, I'm running for President to do something.

It's easy to talk about the mess that Obama has made of our country. Every American knows about it, and every Republican candidate talks about it.

That's not even half of what we should expect of the next President. We owe voters more than just a tirade about the problem – we owe them honesty about our solution.
I will do the things that you cannot do in Washington, and say the things you cannot say.

I served two terms in Congress so I can tell you how it works in Washington -- If you want to be with the cool kids, be liked by the media, and be invited to cocktail parties, you have to accept that there are things in Washington you just cannot do.

They say you cannot reduce the size of government or the number of bureaucrats. Oh, you may be able to cut the rate of increase here and there. But they say you cannot actually cut government spending. But we can, and we will.

They say the 18 trillion dollar national debt can't really be addressed, and it's just part of doing business, so it's better not to talk about it. But we can and we will.
They know Social Security and Medicare are going bankrupt, but they are afraid to do anything about it, so they deny the math and pretend everything is fine. But we can reform and save these programs and we will.

In Washington they say Term Limits is a quaint idea that we are naive to believe in. They think we need a permanent class of elites. It's safer to not rock the boat. But we can rock the boat, and we will.

In Washington they know that the voters want the border secured, but they refuse to do it. But you and I can, and we will.

Finally…. They say we can't really repeal and replace all of Obamacare. But I am the only candidate who has written a replacement plan, a free market plan that focuses on reducing costs. We can repeal Obamacare and we will.

But today's Republican Party in Washington has been beaten into submission and is increasingly afraid to speak the truth. It's time to say what everyone is thinking --the emperors in Washington are not wearing any clothes.
In case it's not clear by now, I'm running for President without permission from headquarters in Washington DC. But rest assured -- I'm tanned, rested, and ready for this fight.

Here's the truth about most politicians – They are selfish, and they are followers not leaders. They worry more about their own fate than the country's fate. They take polls, figure out where the public is headed, and then run out front and pretend to be leading the parade.

It's easy to be a popular politician, don't rock the boat, kiss babies and cut ribbons, and don't make big changes. But I will not take the easy way out. If you want someone who will pretend that everything is fine and just make some small tweaks – then you want someone else.

I will never lead from behind.

I know that some believe that I talk too much about my faith. But I will not be silenced in order to meet their expectations of political correctness.

They don't accept the idea that you can be both intellectual and Christian. They can't fathom the notion that you can be both smart and conservative. But, they need to get out more. There's a big country out here with millions of Americans who believe in God and are not ashamed to say so.

I would be wary of a president who didn't seek wisdom from the Almighty. I don't know about you, but I've met many very smart people who lack wisdom. Yet Christianity is under assault today in America. But the liberals have forgotten their history. Religious liberty is not some quaint notion from the past. It is fundamental to our freedom. That's why it is protected in the First Amendment to the Constitution. I'm going to say this slowly so that even Hillary Clinton can understand it. America did not create religious liberty, religious liberty created the United States of America.

And it's time we stopped trying to divide ourselves against each other. Hillary Clinton is already trying to divide us by ethnicity, by gender, and by economic status. As for me, I'm sick and tired of people dividing Americans. And I'm done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. We are not Indian-Americans, Irish – Americans, African– Americans, rich Americans, or poor Americans – we are all Americans.

While I'm at it, here's another thing you aren't allowed to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. We cannot allow people to immigrate to this country so that they can use our freedoms to undermine our freedoms. That's exactly what has happened in Europe, where they have 2nd and 3rd generations of immigrants who refuse to embrace the values and culture of the countries they have moved into. We must not let that happen here.

It is not unreasonable to demand that if you immigrate to America, you must do so legally, and you must be ready and willing to embrace our values, learn English, and roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Now, let's do something different and tell the truth about our political situation. Republicans must stop being afraid to lose. If we try to hide who we are again…we will lose again. You've heard Jeb Bush say that we need to be willing to lose the primary in order to win the general election. Let me translate that for you, I'm going to translate that from political-speak into plain English. He is saying that we need to hide our conservative ideals. But the truth is, if we go down that road again, we will lose again.
Let's do something new, let's endorse our own principles for a change and boldly speak the truth without fear.

As Republicans, we've already tried to appease the Left, to make the media like us better, to talk in politically correct language, to hide some of our beliefs by calling them distractions. We've tried to mask our conservative ideals, and we have failed.
Every Republican will say they are for school choice, shrinking government, cutting the government workforce, and getting rid of Common Core. But talk is cheap. Talk is just talk. I haven't just talked about doing these things, I've actually done these things.

Every Republican will say they will fight to protect the unborn, repeal Obamacare, secure the border, and destroy ISIS. I won't simply talk about these things, I will do these things.

It's time to level with the American people. This President, and his apprentice-in-waiting Hillary Clinton, are leading America down the path to destruction. Economically, culturally, and internationally. But the most devastating thing they have tried to do is redefine the American Dream.

Instead of the dream being to have opportunity and freedom to control your own destiny and make your own way, their dream is for the government to take care of you and make people dependent on the government. We want to guarantee equal opportunity, but they want to guarantee equal outcomes.

The simple fact is they are trying to turn the American Dream into socialism. The folks in Washington may call that the American Dream, but out here in America, we call that the European Nightmare.
To be clear, we are not simply trying to reclaim the past, no, quite to the contrary, we are laying our claim on the future, a future where America leads the world.

This is not a cause any of us can resist. It is our destiny, it is our mission. As America goes, so goes the world. We are the light of freedom in a dark world, and it's time we start acting like it.
I will not be intimidated from talking about the fact that radical Islam is evil and must be destroyed.

Containment is a strategy for losers. But as General George S. Patton famously observed – "Americans play to win all the time."
Americans don't play to lose. President Obama has it wrong, Secretary Clinton has it wrong,
Our allies need to trust us. Our enemies need to fear us. It's time we play to win again.

As President I'll have four objectives:

I will secure our borders;

I will replace Obamacare with a health care system that focuses on reducing costs and restoring freedom;

I will grow the private sector economy by shrinking the size, scope, and reach of the federal government;

And I will rebuild America's defenses and restore our standing on the world stage.

I'm not asking you to simply join my campaign, I'm asking you to join a cause.

If you are looking for a candidate who will politely manage America's descent into mediocrity, I'm not your man.

But… if you are chasing a dream and looking for a land where the people are free, and the opportunities are real, I'm asking you to believe.

My dad told me as a young kid that Americans can do anything. I believed him then, and I believe it now.

I know that in your heart you believe it too, I am asking you to Believe again.

Believe in what we can do. Believe in what America can do.

Thank you, may God bless you, and may God bless our great country.

Source: Bobby Jindal Presidential Exploratory Committee Donald J. Trump 2016 Donald J. Trump 2016 June 16, 2015










DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
AS DELIVERED
TRUMP TOWER
NEW YORK CITY
JUNE 16, 2015

Our country is in serious trouble. We are not respected by anyone. We are a laughing stock all over the world.

ISIS, China, Mexico are all beating us. Everybody is beating us. Our enemies are getting stronger and we are getting weaker.

Politicians are all talk and no action. They will never be able to fix our country. They will never bring us to the Promised Land, and I cannot sit back and watch this incompetence any longer.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for President of the United States.

While I love my company and what I have built, I love my country even more. When was the last time the US won at anything? When was the last time we beat China or Japan in trade? or Mexico at the border? or anybody in negotiation? When was the last time we had a military victory that was so complete and total that the other side just said “We Quit!” It just doesn’t happen for the US anymore.

Our country needs and deserves a comeback…but, we are not going to get that comeback with politicians. Politicians are not the solution to our problems-- they are the problem. They are almost completely controlled by lobbyists, donors and the special interests—they do not have the best interests of our people at heart.

We will never achieve our full potential if we send yet another politician to the White House. They will grow government, not cut it--they will grow debt, not stop it. We are right now in a massive bubble that could be ready to explode—real unemployment in the range of 20%, artificially induced low interest rates, and a stock market that bears no relation to reality-- are symptoms of something that could be catastrophic. We better have a great leader who truly understands what’s going on.

Our country has a debt which will soon pass $20 trillion. We have unsecured borders. There are over 90 million Americans who have given up looking for work. We have 45 million Americans on food stamps and nearly 50 million Americans living in poverty.

Clearly, our so called “leaders” in Washington are failing us. They have failed to honor their sacred duty to care for our veterans and their families. They have failed to keep our military strong and vibrant. Through gross incompetence, we give billions of dollars of high grade military equipment to our enemies. Our President truly doesn’t have a clue!

At the same time, the world is becoming far more dangerous every day. Iran is racing towards developing nuclear weapons. China is exponentially expanding its military power, ISIS is beheading Christians simply for being Christian. In Benghazi, Islamic terrorists killed our diplomats without any consequences. Iran and ISIS, separately, are taking over vast areas in the Middle East and with it the largest oil reserves in the world. Our President has no plan.

The America we love will continue its decline because Washington is broken. We will never fix Washington from the inside unless we send someone to Washington from the outside. It is time for government to be run efficiently and effectively. It is time to get things done, and by done I mean properly done!

This is our time to once again make our government a government of the people, by the people and for the people. That is why today I am declaring my candidacy for President. I will Make America Great Again!

We will change Washington together and defeat the special interests. I am not a politician. I can’t be bought. I won’t be running around the country begging people for money for my campaign. I won’t owe anybody anything. I won’t be beholden to anyone except to you, the American people, if you elect me to serve as your President.

It is time to take our country in a bold new direction.

It is time to get Americans back to work.

It is way past time to build a massive wall to secure our southern border – and nobody can build a bigger and better wall than Donald Trump. A country without borders is, quite simply, not a country. Mexico is not our friend. They are beating us at the border and hurting us badly at economic development. They are sending people that they don’t want—the United States is becoming a dumping ground for the world.

It is of primary importance to take care of our veterans and their families -- to make sure that every veteran has access to great medical care and attention. Our veterans are our heroes but are treated as third class citizens.

It is essential to rebuild our military so we have a strong presence that will send a clear message to our enemies that America is the leader of the free world. As President Reagan proved, there is only peace through strength.

The government must honor its obligations to our seniors. We must protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, without cuts…there will no longer be any waste, fraud and abuse on my watch.

ObamaCare must be repealed and replaced with something far superior and at far less cost.

Likewise, we must greatly simplify our tax code. Our middle class, which has been totally forgotten, will thrive once again under President Trump.

It is time to stop sending jobs overseas through bad foreign trade deals. We will renegotiate our trade deals with the toughest negotiators our country has… the ones who have actually read “The Art of the Deal” and know how to make great deals for our country.

It is time to close loopholes for Wall Street and create far more opportunities for small businesses.

It is necessary that we invest in our infrastructure, stop sending foreign aid to countries that hate us and use that money to rebuild our tunnels, roads, bridges and schools—and nobody can do that better than me.

We have to stop Common Core. We must keep education local and under parental control. Unelected Washington bureaucrats shouldn’t determine what is best for our children.

It is important for our allies to know they can once again depend on us. We will no longer bow down to our enemies.

We must stand by Israel. We will remind the world that a threat against Israel is a threat against the United States.

We need to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. We cannot allow a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

It is time to defeat ISIS. With a proper plan, it can be done quickly and effectively.

It is time to get tough with the Chinese on currency manipulation and espionage. We will tax China for each bad act, and if they continue then we will tax them at an even higher level.

Quite simply, it is time to bring real leadership to Washington.

The fact is, the American Dream is dead -- but if I win, I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before.

Together we will Make America Great Again!

Thank You!

###

Source: Donald Trump for President Jeb Bush 2016 Jeb Bush 2016 June 15, 2015










JEB BUSH ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH

Miami, FL—Today, Governor Jeb Bush will announce his candidacy for President of the United States of America. Below are his remarks, as prepared for delivery.

“Thank you all very much. I always feel welcome at Miami-Dade College. This is a place that welcomes everyone with their hearts set on the future – a place where hope leads to achievement, and striving leads to success. For all of us, it is just the place to be in the campaign that begins today.

“We are 17 months from the time for choosing. The stakes for America’s future are about as great as they come. Our prosperity and our security are in the balance. So is opportunity, in this nation where every life matters and everyone has the right to rise.

“Already, the choice is taking shape. The party now in the White House is planning a no-suspense primary, for a no-change election. To hold onto power. To slog on with the same agenda under another name: That’s our opponents’ call to action this time around. That’s all they’ve got left.

“And you and I know that America deserves better

“They have offered a progressive agenda that includes everything but progress. They are responsible for the slowest economic recovery ever, the biggest debt increases ever, a massive tax increase on the middle class, the relentless buildup of the regulatory state, and the swift, mindless drawdown of a military that was generations in the making.

“I, for one, am not eager to see what another four years would look like under that kind of leadership.

“The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next.

“So, here’s what it comes down to. Our country is on a very bad course. And the question is: What are we going to do about it?

“The question for me is: What am I going to do about it?

“And I have decided.

“I am a candidate for president of the United States.

“We will take command of our future once again in this country.

“We will lift our sights again, make opportunity common again, get events in the world moving our way again.

“We will take Washington – the static capital of this dynamic country – out of the business of causing problems.

“We will get back on the side of free enterprise and free people.

“I know we can fix this. Because I’ve done it.

“Here, in this great and diverse state that looks so much like America.

“So many challenges could be overcome if we just get this economy growing at full strength. There is not a reason in the world why we cannot grow at a rate of four percent a year.

“And that will be my goal as president – four percent growth, and the 19 million new jobs that come with it

“Economic growth that makes a difference for hard-working men and women – who don’t need reminding that the economy is more than the stock market.

“Growth that lifts up the middle class – all the families who haven’t gotten a raise in 15 years. Growth that makes a difference for everyone.

“It’s possible.

“It can be done.

“We made Florida number one in job creation and number one in small business creation. 1.3 million new jobs, 4.4 percent growth, higher family income, eight balanced budgets, and tax cuts eight years in a row that saved our people and businesses 19 billion dollars.

“All this plus a bond upgrade to Triple-A compared to the sorry downgrade of America’s credit in these years. That was the commitment, and that is the record that turned this state around.

“I also used my veto power to protect our taxpayers from needless spending.

“And if I am elected president, I’ll show Congress how that’s done

“Leaders have to think big, and we’ve got a tax code filled with small-time thinking and self-interested politics. What swarms of lobbyists have done, we can undo with a vastly simpler system – clearing out special favors for the few reducing rates for all.

“What the IRS, EPA, and entire bureaucracy have done with overregulation, we can undo by act of Congress and order of the president.

“Federal regulation has gone far past the consent of the governed.

“It is time to start making rules for the rule-makers.

“When we get serious about limited government, we can pursue the great and worthy goals that America has gone too long without.

“We can build our future on solvency instead of borrowed money.

“We can honor our commitments on the strength of fiscal integrity.

“With North American resources and American ingenuity, we can finally achieve energy security for this nation – and with presidential leadership, we can make it happen within five years.

“If we do all of this, if we do it relentlessly, and if we do it right, we will make the United States of America an economic superpower like no other.

“We will also challenge the culture that has made lobbying the premier growth industry in the nation’s capital.

“The rest of the country struggles under big government, while comfortable, complacent interest groups in Washington have been thriving on it.

“A self-serving attitude can take hold in any capital, just as it once did in Tallahassee.

“I was a governor who refused to accept that as the normal or right way of conducting the people’s business.

“I will not accept it as the standard in Washington.

“We don’t need another president who merely holds the top spot among the pampered elites of Washington.

“We need a president willing to challenge and disrupt the whole culture in our nation’s capital.

“I will be that president because I was a reforming governor, not just another member of the club.

“There’s no passing off responsibility when you’re a governor, no blending into the legislative crowd or filing an amendment and calling that success.

“As our whole nation has learned since 2008, executive experience is another term for preparation, and there is no substitute for that.

“We are not going to clean up the mess in Washington by electing the people who either helped create it or have proven incapable of fixing it.

“In government, if we get a few big things right, we can make life better for millions of people, especially for kids in public schools. Think of what we all watched not long ago in Baltimore where so many young adults are walking around with no vision of a life beyond the life they know.

“It’s a tragedy played out over and over and over again.

“After we reformed education in Florida, low-income student achievement improved here more than in any other state.

“We stopped processing kids along as if we didn’t care – because we do care, and you don’t show that by counting out anyone’s child. You give them all a chance.

“Here’s what I believe.

“When a school is just another dead end, every parent should have the right to send their child to a better school – public, private, or charter.

“Every school should have high standards, and the federal government should have nothing to do with setting them.

“Nationwide, if I am president, we will take the power of choice away from the unions and bureaucrats and give it back to parents.

“We made sure of something else in Florida – that children with developmental challenges got schooling and caring attention, just like every other girl and boy. We didn’t leave them last in line. We put them first in line because they are not a problem. They are a priority.

“That is always our first and best instinct in this nation filled with charitable hearts. Yet these have been rough years for religious charities and their right of conscience. And the leading Democratic candidate recently hinted of more trouble to come.

“Secretary Clinton insists that when the progressive agenda encounters religious beliefs to the contrary those beliefs, quote, “have to be changed.” That’s what she said, and I guess we should at least thank her for the warning.

“The most galling example is the shabby treatment of the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Christian charity that dared to voice objections of conscience to Obamacare. The next president needs to make it clear that great charities like the Little Sisters of the Poor need no federal instruction in doing the right thing.

“It comes down to a choice between the Little Sisters and Big Brother, and I’m going with the Sisters.

“It’s still a mystery to me why, in these violent times, the president a few months ago thought it relevant at a prayer breakfast to bring up the Crusades.

“Americans don’t need lectures on the Middle Ages when we are dealing abroad with modern horrors committed by fanatics.

“From the beginning, our president and his foreign-policy team have been so eager to be the history makers that they have failed to be the peacemakers.

“With their phone-it-in foreign policy, the Obama-Clinton-Kerry team is leaving a legacy of crises uncontained, violence unopposed, enemies unnamed, friends undefended, and alliances unraveling.

“This supposedly risk-averse administration is also running us straight in the direction of the greatest risk of all - military inferiority.

“It will go on automatically until a president steps in to rebuild our armed forces and take care of our troops and our veterans.

“They have my word – I will do it.

“We keep dependable friends in this world by being dependable ourselves.

“I will rebuild our vital friendships. That starts by standing with the brave, democratic State of Israel.

“American-led alliances need rebuilding too, and better judgment is called for in relations far and near.

“Ninety miles to our south, there is talk of a state visit by our outgoing president.

“But we don't need a glorified tourist to go to Havana in support of a failed Cuba.

“We need an American president to go to Havana in solidarity with a free Cuban people, and I am ready to be that president

“Great things like that can really happen. And in this country of ours, the most improbable things can happen. Take that from a guy who met his first president on the day he was born, and his second on the day he was brought home from the hospital.

"The person who handled both introductions is here today. She’s watching what I say – and frankly, with all these reporters around, I’m watching what she says. Please say hello to my wonderful Mom, Barbara Bush.

“Long before the world knew my parents' names, I knew I was blessed to be their son.

“And they didn’t mind at all that I found my own path. It led from Texas to Miami by way of Mexico.

“In 1971, 8 years before then-candidate Ronald Reagan said that we should stop thinking of our neighbors as foreigners, I was ahead of my time in cross-border outreach.

“Across a plaza, I saw a girl.

“She spoke only a little English. My Spanish was okay but not that great.

“With some intensive study, we got that barrier out of the way in a hurry.

“In the short version, it has been a gracious walk through the years with the former Columba Garnica de Gallo.

“Whatever else I might or might not have going for me, I’ve got the quiet joy of a man who can say that the most wonderful friend he has in the world is his own wife.

“And together, we had the not-so-quiet joy of raising three children who have brought us nothing but happiness and pride: George, Noelle, and Jeb.

“The boys have also brought us more Bushes – their wives, Mandi and Sandra, and our grandchildren Georgia, Prescott, Vivian, and Jack.

“Campaigns aren’t easy, and they’re not supposed to be.

"And I know that there are good people running for president.

“Quite a few, in fact.

“And not a one of us deserves the job by right of resume, party, seniority, family, or family narrative. It’s nobody’s turn. It’s everybody’s test, and it’s wide open – exactly as a contest for president should be.

“The outcome is entirely up to you - the voters. It is entirely up to me to earn the nomination of my party and then to take our case all across this great and diverse nation.

“As a candidate, I intend to let everyone hear my message, including the many who can express their love of country in a different language:

“Ayúdenos en tener una campaña que les da la bienvenida. Trabajen con nosotros por los valores que compartimos y para un gran futuro que es nuestro para construir para nosotros y nuestros hijos.

“Júntense a nuestra causa de oportunidad para todos, a la causa de todos que aman la libertad y a la causa noble de los Estados Unidos de América.

“In any language, my message will be an optimistic one because I am certain that we can make the decades just ahead the greatest time ever to be alive in this world.

“That chance, that hope requires the best that is in us, and I will give it my all.

“I will campaign as I would serve, going everywhere, speaking to everyone, keeping my word, facing the issues without flinching, and staying true to what I believe.

“I will take nothing and no one for granted. I will run with heart.

“I will run to win.

“It begins here and now

“And I’m asking for your vote.

“Thank you. God Bless You.”
Source: Jeb 2016 Hillary Clinton 2016 Hillary Clinton 2016 June 13, 2015










Hillary Clinton in Official Launch Speech: I Will Be a Fighter for All Americans

Today, Hillary Clinton delivered her Official Launch Speech to a capacity crowd on New York City’s Roosevelt Island. In the speech, she talked about her personal story and how it guides her fight for everyday Americans and outlined her guiding principle that the true measure of America’s success shouldn’t be how those at the top are doing, but how all American families are doing.

A full transcript of her remarks is included below:

Thank you! Oh, thank you all! Thank you so very, very much. (Cheers, applause.)

It is wonderful to be here with all of you.

To be in New York (cheers) with my family, with so many friends, including many New Yorkers who gave me the honor of serving them in the Senate for eight years. (Cheers, applause.)

To be right across the water from the headquarters of the United Nations, where I represented our country many times. (Cheers, applause.)

To be here in this beautiful park dedicated to Franklin Roosevelt’s enduring vision of America, the nation we want to be.

And in a place… with absolutely no ceilings. (Cheers, applause.)

You know, President Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms are a testament to our nation’s unmatched aspirations and a reminder of our unfinished work at home and abroad. His legacy lifted up a nation and inspired presidents who followed. One is the man I served as Secretary of State, Barack Obama, (cheers, applause) and another is my husband, Bill Clinton. (Cheers, applause.)

Two Democrats guided by the -- (cheering) Oh, that will make him so happy. They were and are two Democrats guided by the fundamental American belief that real and lasting prosperity must be built by all and shared by all. (Cheers, applause.)

President Roosevelt called on every American to do his or her part, and every American answered. He said there’s no mystery about what it takes to build a strong and prosperous America: “Equality of opportunity… Jobs for those who can work… Security for those who need it… The ending of special privilege for the few…(cheers, applause.) The preservation of civil liberties for all… (cheers, applause) a wider and constantly rising standard of living.”

That still sounds good to me. (Cheers, applause.)

It’s America’s basic bargain. If you do your part you ought to be able to get ahead. And when everybody does their part, America gets ahead too.

That bargain inspired generations of families, including my own.

It’s what kept my grandfather going to work in the same Scranton lace mill every day for 50 years.

It’s what led my father to believe that if he scrimped and saved, his small business printing drapery fabric in Chicago could provide us with a middle-class life. And it did.

When President Clinton honored the bargain, we had the longest peacetime expansion in history, a balanced budget, (cheers, applause) and the first time in decades we all grew together, with the bottom 20 percent of workers increasing their incomes by the same percentage as the top 5 percent. (Cheers, applause.)

When President Obama honored the bargain, we pulled back from the brink of Depression, saved the auto industry, provided health care to 16 million working people, (cheers, applause) and replaced the jobs we lost faster than after a financial crash.

But, it’s not 1941, or 1993, or even 2009. We face new challenges in our economy and our democracy.

We’re still working our way back from a crisis that happened because time-tested values were replaced by false promises.

Instead of an economy built by every American, for every American, we were told that if we let those at the top pay lower taxes and bend the rules, their success would trickle down to everyone else. (Jeers, booing.)

What happened?

Well, instead of a balanced budget with surpluses that could have eventually paid off our national debt, the Republicans twice cut taxes for the wealthiest, borrowed money from other countries to pay for two wars, and family incomes dropped. You know where we ended up.

Except it wasn’t the end.

As we have since our founding, Americans made a new beginning.

You worked extra shifts, took second jobs, postponed home repairs... you figured out how to make it work. And now people are beginning to think about their future again – going to college, starting a business, buying a house, finally being able to put away something for retirement.

So we’re standing again. But, we all know we’re not yet running the way America should.

You see corporations making record profits, with CEOs making record pay, but your paychecks have barely budged.

While many of you are working multiple jobs to make ends meet, you see the top 25 hedge fund managers making more than all of America’s kindergarten teachers combined. And, often paying a lower tax rate.

So, you have to wonder: “When does my hard work pay off? When does my family get ahead?”
“When?”

I say now. (Cheers, applause.)

Prosperity can’t be just for CEOs and hedge fund managers.

Democracy can’t be just for billionaires and corporations. (Cheers, applause.)

Prosperity and democracy are part of your basic bargain too.

You brought our country back.

Now it’s time -- your time to secure the gains and move ahead.

And, you know what?

America can’t succeed unless you succeed. (Cheers, applause.)

That is why I am running for President of the United States. (Cheers, applause, chanting.)

Here, on Roosevelt Island, I believe we have a continuing rendezvous with destiny. Each American and the country we cherish.

I’m running to make our economy work for you and for every American.

For the successful and the struggling.

For the innovators and inventors.

For those breaking barriers in technology and discovering cures for diseases.

For the factory workers and food servers who stand on their feet all day. (Cheers, applause.)

For the nurses who work the night shift. (Cheers, applause.)

For the truckers who drive for hours and the farmers who feed us. (Cheers, applause.)

For the veterans who served our country.

For the small business owners who took a risk.

For everyone who’s ever been knocked down, but refused to be knocked out. (Cheers, applause.)

I’m not running for some Americans, but for all Americans. (Cheers, applause.)

Our country’s challenges didn’t begin with the Great Recession and they won’t end with the recovery.

For decades, Americans have been buffeted by powerful currents.

Advances in technology and the rise of global trade have created whole new areas of economic activity and opened new markets for our exports, but they have also displaced jobs and undercut wages for millions of Americans.

The financial industry and many multi-national corporations have created huge wealth for a few by focusing too much on short-term profit and too little on long-term value… too much on complex trading schemes and stock buybacks, too little on investments in new businesses, jobs, and fair compensation. (Cheers, applause.)

Our political system is so paralyzed by gridlock and dysfunction that most Americans have lost confidence that anything can actually get done. And they’ve lost trust in the ability of both government and Big Business to change course.

Now, we can blame historic forces beyond our control for some of this, but the choices we’ve made as a nation, leaders and citizens alike, have also played a big role.

Our next President must work with Congress and every other willing partner across our entire country. And I will do just that -- (cheers, applause) to turn the tide so these currents start working for us more than against us.

At our best, that’s what Americans do. We’re problem solvers, not deniers. We don’t hide from change, we harness it. (Cheers, applause.)

But we can’t do that if we go back to the top-down economic policies that failed us before.

Americans have come too far to see our progress ripped away.

Now, there may be some new voices in the presidential Republican choir, (laughter) but they’re all singing the same old song...

A song called “Yesterday.” (Laughter, cheers, applause.)

You know the one -- all our troubles look as though they’re here to stay (laughter)… and we need a place to hide away… They believe in yesterday.

And you’re lucky I didn’t try singing that, too, I'll tell you! (Laughter, cheers, applause.)

These Republicans trip over themselves promising lower taxes for the wealthy and fewer rules for the biggest corporations without regard for how that will make income inequality even worse.

We’ve heard this tune before. And we know how it turns out.

Ask many of these candidates about climate change, one of the defining threats of our time, (cheers, applause) and they’ll say: “I’m not a scientist.” (Laughter.) Well, then, why don’t they start listening to those who are? (Cheers, applause.)

They pledge to wipe out tough rules on Wall Street, rather than rein in the banks that are still too risky, courting future failures. In a case that can only be considered mass amnesia.

They want to take away health insurance from more than 16 million Americans without offering any credible alternative. (Booing.)

They shame and blame women, rather than respect our right to make our own reproductive health decisions. (Cheers, applause.)

They want to put immigrants, who work hard and pay taxes, at risk of deportation. (Booing.)

And they turn their backs on gay people who love each other. (Cheers, applause.)

Fundamentally, they reject what it takes to build an inclusive economy. It takes an inclusive society. (Cheers, applause.) What I once called “a village” (cheers) that has a place for everyone.

Now, my values and a lifetime of experiences have given me a different vision for America.
I believe that success isn’t measured by how much the wealthiest Americans have, but by how many children climb out of poverty... (cheers, applause)

How many start-ups and small businesses open and thrive…

How many young people go to college without drowning in debt… (cheers, applause)

How many people find a good job…

How many families get ahead and stay ahead.

I didn’t learn this from politics. I learned it from my own family.

My mother taught me that everybody needs a chance and a champion. She knew what it was like not to have either one.

Her own parents abandoned her, and by 14 she was out on her own, working as a housemaid. Years later, when I was old enough to understand, I asked what kept her going.

You know what her answer was? Something very simple: Kindness from someone who believed she mattered.

The 1st grade teacher who saw she had nothing to eat at lunch and, without embarrassing her, brought extra food to share.

The woman whose house she cleaned letting her go to high school so long as her work got done. That was a bargain she leapt to accept.

And, because some people believed in her, she believed in me. (Cheers, applause.)

That's why I believe with all my heart in America and in the potential of every American.

To meet every challenge.

To be resilient… no matter what the world throws at you.

To solve the toughest problems.

I believe we can do all these things because I’ve seen it happen.

As a young girl, I signed up at my Methodist Church to babysit the children of Mexican farmworkers, while their parents worked in the fields on the weekends. And later, as a law student, I advocated for Congress to require better working and living conditions for farm workers whose children deserved better opportunities. (Cheers, applause.)

My first job out of law school was for the Children’s Defense Fund. (Cheers, applause.) I walked door-to-door to find out how many children with disabilities couldn’t go to school, and to help build the case for a law guaranteeing them access to education. (Cheers, applause.)

As a leader of the Legal Services Corporation, I defended the right of poor people to have a lawyer. And saw lives changed because an abusive marriage ended or an illegal eviction stopped.

In Arkansas, I supervised law students who represented clients in courts and prisons, organized scholarships for single parents going to college, led efforts for better schools and health care, and personally knew the people whose lives were improved.

As Senator, I had the honor of representing brave firefighters, police officers, EMTs, construction workers, and volunteers (cheers, applause) who ran toward danger on 9/11 and stayed there, becoming sick themselves.

It took years of effort, but Congress finally approved the health care they needed. (Applause.)

There are so many faces and stories that I carry with me of people who gave their best and then needed help themselves.

Just weeks ago, I met another person like that, a single mom juggling a job and classes at community college, while raising three kids.

She doesn’t expect anything to come easy. But she did ask me: What more can be done so it isn’t quite so hard for families like hers?

I want to be her champion and your champion. (Cheers, applause.)

If you’ll give me the chance, I’ll wage and win Four Fights for you.

The first is to make the economy work for everyday Americans, not just those at the top. (Cheers, applause.)

To make the middle class mean something again, with rising incomes and broader horizons. And to give the poor a chance to work their way into it. (Cheers, applause.)

The middle class needs more growth and more fairness. Growth and fairness go together. For lasting prosperity, you can’t have one without the other.

Is this possible in today’s world? (Crowd responds.)

I believe it is or I wouldn’t be standing here. (Cheers, applause.)

Do I think it will be easy? Of course not.

But, here’s the good news: There are allies for change everywhere who know we can’t stand by while inequality increases, wages stagnate, and the promise of America dims. We should welcome the support of all Americans who want to go forward together with us. (Cheers, applause.)

There are public officials who know Americans need a better deal.

Business leaders who want higher pay for employees, equal pay for women (cheers, applause) and no discrimination against the LGBT community either. (Cheers, applause.)

There are leaders of finance who want less short-term trading and more long-term investing.

There are union leaders who are investing their own pension funds in putting people to work to build tomorrow’s economy. (Cheers, applause.) We need everyone to come to the table and work with us.

In the coming weeks, I’ll propose specific policies to:

Reward businesses who invest in long term value rather than the quick buck – because that leads to higher growth for the economy, higher wages for workers, and yes, bigger profits, everybody will have a better time.

I will rewrite the tax code so it rewards hard work and investments here at home, not quick trades or stashing profits overseas. (Cheers, applause.)

I will give new incentives to companies that give their employees a fair share of the profits their hard work earns. (Cheers, applause.)

We will unleash a new generation of entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing tax relief, cutting red tape, and making it easier to get a small business loan.

We will restore America to the cutting edge of innovation, science, and research by increasing both public and private investments. (Cheers, applause.)

And we will make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century. (Cheers, applause.)

Developing renewable power – wind, solar, advanced biofuels…

Building cleaner power plants, smarter electric grids, greener buildings…

Using additional fees and royalties from fossil fuel extraction to protect the environment… (cheers, applause)

And ease the transition for distressed communities to a more diverse and sustainable economic future from coal country to Indian country, from small towns in the Mississippi Delta to the Rio Grande Valley to our inner cities, we have to help our fellow Americans. (Cheers, applause.)

Now, this will create millions of jobs and countless new businesses, and enable America to lead the global fight against climate change. (Cheers, applause.)

We will also connect workers to their jobs and businesses. Customers will have a better chance to actually get where they need and get what they desire with roads, railways, bridges, airports, ports, and broadband brought up to global standards for the 21st century. (Cheers, applause.)

We will establish an infrastructure bank and sell bonds to pay for some of these improvements.

Now, building an economy for tomorrow also requires investing in our most important asset, our people, beginning with our youngest. (Cheers, applause.)

That’s why I will propose that we make preschool and quality childcare available to every child in America. (Cheers, applause.)

And I want you to remember this, because to me, this is absolutely the most-compelling argument why we should do this. Research tells us how much early learning in the first five years of life can impact lifelong success. In fact, 80 percent of the brain is developed by age three.

One thing I’ve learned is that talent is universal – you can find it anywhere – but opportunity is not. (Cheers, applause.) Too many of our kids never have the chance to learn and thrive as they should and as we need them to.

Our country won’t be competitive or fair if we don’t help more families give their kids the best possible start in life.

So let’s staff our primary and secondary schools with teachers who are second to none in the world, and receive the respect they deserve for sparking the love of learning in every child. (Cheers, applause.)

Let’s make college affordable and available to all …and lift the crushing burden of student debt. (Cheers, applause.)

Let’s provide lifelong learning for workers to gain or improve skills the economy requires, setting up many more Americans for success.

Now, the second fight is to strengthen America’s families, because when our families are strong, America is strong.

And today’s families face new and unique pressures. Parents need more support and flexibility to do their job at work and at home. (Cheers.)

I believe you should have the right to earn paid sick days. (Cheers, applause.)

I believe you should receive your work schedule with enough notice to arrange childcare or take college courses to get ahead. (Cheers, applause.)

I believe you should look forward to retirement with confidence, not anxiety.

That you should have the peace of mind that your health care will be there when you need it, without breaking the bank. (Cheers, applause.)

I believe we should offer paid family leave (cheers, applause) so no one has to choose between keeping a paycheck and caring for a new baby or a sick relative. (Cheers, applause.)

And it is way past time to end the outrage of so many women still earning less than men on the job (cheers, applause) -- and women of color often making even less. (Cheers, applause.)

This isn’t a women’s issue. It’s a family issue. Just like raising the minimum wage is a family issue. (Cheers, applause.) Expanding childcare is a family issue. Declining marriage rates is a family issue. The unequal rates of incarceration is a family issue. (Cheers, applause.) Helping more people with an addiction or a mental health problem get help is a family issue. (Cheers, applause.)

In America, every family should feel like they belong.

So we should offer hard-working, law-abiding immigrant families a path to citizenship. (Cheers, applause.) Not second-class status. (Cheers, applause.)

And, we should ban discrimination against LGBT Americans and their families (cheers, applause) so they can live, learn, marry, and work just like everybody else. (Cheers, applause.)

You know, America’s diversity, our openness, our devotion to human rights and freedom is what’s drawn so many to our shores. What’s inspired people all over the world. I know. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

And these are also qualities that prepare us well for the demands of a world that is more interconnected than ever before.

So we have a third fight: to harness all of America’s power, smarts, and values to maintain our leadership for peace, security, and prosperity.

No other country on Earth is better positioned to thrive in the 21st century. No other country is better equipped to meet traditional threats from countries like Russia, North Korea, and Iran – and to deal with the rise of new powers like China.

No other country is better prepared to meet emerging threats from cyber attacks, transnational terror networks like ISIS, and diseases that spread across oceans and continents.

As your President, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Americans safe. (Cheers, applause.)

And if you look over my left shoulder you can see the new World Trade Center soaring skyward. (Cheers, applause.)

As a Senator from New York, I dedicated myself to getting our city and state the help we needed to recover. And as a member of the Armed Services Committee, I worked to maintain the best-trained, best-equipped, strongest military, ready for today’s threats and tomorrow’s.

And when our brave men and women come home from war or finish their service, I’ll see to it that they get not just the thanks of a grateful nation, but the care and benefits they’ve earned. (Cheers, applause.)

I’ve stood up to adversaries like Putin and reinforced allies like Israel. I was in the Situation Room on the day we got bin Laden. (Cheers, applause.)

But, I know -- I know we have to be smart as well as strong.

Meeting today’s global challenges requires every element of America's power, including skillful diplomacy, economic influence, and building partnerships to improve lives around the world with people, not just their governments.

There are a lot of trouble spots in the world, but there’s a lot of good news out there too.

I believe the future holds far more opportunities than threats if we exercise creative and confident leadership that enables us to shape global events rather than be shaped by them. (Cheers, applause.)

And we all know that in order to be strong in the world, though, we first have to be strong at home. That’s why we have to win the fourth fight – reforming our government and revitalizing our democracy so that it works for everyday Americans. (Cheers, applause.)

We have to stop the endless flow of secret, unaccountable money that is distorting our elections, corrupting our political process, and drowning out the voices of our people. (Cheers, applause.)

We need Justices on the Supreme Court who will protect every citizen’s right to vote, (cheers, applause) rather than every corporation’s right to buy elections. (Cheers, applause.)

If necessary, I will support a constitutional amendment to undo the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United. (Cheers, applause.)

I want to make it easier for every citizen to vote. That's why I've proposed universal, automatic registration and expanded early voting. (Cheers, applause.)

I’ll fight back against Republican efforts to disempower and disenfranchise young people, poor people, people with disabilities, and people of color. (Cheers, applause.)

What part of democracy are they afraid of? (Cheers, applause.)

No matter how easy we make it to vote, we still have to give Americans something worth voting for. (Cheers, applause.)

Government is never going to have all the answers – but it has to be smarter, simpler, more efficient, and a better partner.

That means access to advanced technology so government agencies can more effectively serve their customers, the American people.

We need expertise and innovation from the private sector to help cut waste and streamline services.

There’s so much that works in America. For every problem we face, someone somewhere in America is solving it. Silicon Valley cracked the code on sharing and scaling a while ago. Many states are pioneering new ways to deliver services. I want to help Washington catch up. (Cheers, applause.)

To do that, we need a political system that produces results by solving problems that hold us back, not one overwhelmed by extreme partisanship and inflexibility.

Now, I’ll always seek common ground with friend and opponent alike. But I’ll also stand my ground when I must. (Cheers, applause.)

That’s something I did as Senator and Secretary of State -- whether it was working with Republicans to expand health care for children and for our National Guard, or improve our foster care and adoption system, or pass a treaty to reduce the number of Russian nuclear warheads that could threaten our cities -- and it’s something I will always do as your President.

We Americans may differ, bicker, stumble, and fall; but we are at our best when we pick each other up, when we have each other’s back.

Like any family, our American family is strongest when we cherish what we have in common, and fight back against those who would drive us apart.

People all over the world have asked me: “How could you and President Obama work together after you fought so hard against each other in that long campaign?”

Now, that is an understandable question considering that in many places, if you lose an election you could get imprisoned or exiled – even killed – not hired as Secretary of State. (Cheers, applause.)

But President Obama asked me to serve, and I accepted because we both love our country. (Cheers, applause.) That’s how we do it in America.

With that same spirit, together, we can win these four fights.

We can build an economy where hard work is rewarded.

We can strengthen our families.

We can defend our country and increase our opportunities all over the world.

And we can renew the promise of our democracy.

If we all do our part. In our families, in our businesses, unions, houses of worship, schools, and, yes, in the voting booth.

I want you to join me in this effort. Help me build this campaign and make it your own.

Talk to your friends, your family, your neighbors.

Text “JOIN” J-O-I-N to 4-7-2-4-6.

Go to hillaryclinton.com and sign up to make calls and knock on doors. (Cheers, applause.)

It’s no secret that we’re going up against some pretty powerful forces that will do and spend whatever it takes to advance a very different vision for America. But I’ve spent my life fighting for children, families, and our country. And I’m not stopping now. (Cheers, applause, chanting.)

You know, I know how hard this job is. I’ve seen it up close and personal. (Laughter.)

All our Presidents come into office looking so vigorous. (Laughter.) And then we watch their hair grow grayer and grayer.

Well, I may not be the youngest candidate in this race. But I will be the youngest woman President in the history of the United States! (Cheers, applause.)

And the first grandmother as well. (Cheers, applause.)

And one additional advantage: You’re won’t see my hair turn white in the White House. I’ve been coloring it for years! (Cheers, applause.)

So I’m looking forward to a great debate among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. I’m not running to be a President only for those Americans who already agree with me. I want to be a President for all Americans.

And along the way, I'll just let you in on this little secret. (Laughter.) I won’t get everything right. Lord knows I’ve made my share of mistakes. Well, there’s no shortage of people pointing them out! (Laughter.)

And I certainly haven’t won every battle I’ve fought. But leadership means perseverance and hard choices. You have to push through the setbacks and disappointments and keep at it. (Cheers, applause.)

I think you know by now that I’ve been called many things by many people (laughter) -- “quitter” is not one of them. (Cheers, applause.)

Like so much else in my life, I got this from my mother.

When I was a girl, she never let me back down from any bully or barrier. In her later years, Mom lived with us, and she was still teaching me the same lessons. I’d come home from a hard day at the Senate or the State Department, sit down with her at the small table in our breakfast nook, and just let everything pour out. And she would remind me why we keep fighting, even when the odds are long and the opposition is fierce.

I can still hear her saying: “Life’s not about what happens to you, it’s about what you do with what happens to you – so get back out there.” (Cheers, applause.)

She lived to be 92 years old, and I often think about all the battles she witnessed over the course of the last century -- all the progress that was won because Americans refused to give up or back down.

She was born on June 4, 1919 -- before women in America had the right to vote. But on that very day, after years of struggle, Congress passed the Constitutional Amendment that would change that forever.

The story of America is a story of hard-fought, hard-won progress. And it continues today. New chapters are being written by men and women who believe that all of us – not just some, but all – should have the chance to live up to our God-given potential.

Not only because we’re a tolerant country, or a generous country, or a compassionate country, but because we’re a better, stronger, more prosperous country when we harness the talent, hard work, and ingenuity of every single American.

I wish my mother could have been with us longer. I wish she could have seen Chelsea become a mother herself. I wish she could have met Charlotte.

I wish she could have seen the America we’re going to build together. (Cheers, applause.)

An America, where if you do your part, you reap the rewards.

Where we don’t leave anyone out, or anyone behind.

An America where a father can tell his daughter: yes, you can be anything you want to be. Even President of the United States. (Cheers, applause.)

Thank you all. God bless you. And may God bless America. (Cheers, applause.)

###

Hillary Clinton to Run For President in 2016 Urges Americans to Join the Campaign: “It’s Your Time”

Hillary Clinton pledged to be a champion for everyday Americans and their families when she announced her plan to run a grassroots campaign for President of the United States today. Hillary believes this campaign is about voters, not her, and urged people to get involved in her campaign saying, “It’s your time.”

The announcement came first in a tweet with an accompanying video and then in an email to her supporters. The video features middle class families talking about their lives and planning for what’s ahead. You can watch the video HERE:

In the video, Hillary explained why she is running, saying, “Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top.” She argued for an economy where “you can do more than just get by, you can get ahead and stay ahead, because when families are strong, America is strong.”

Hillary is committed to earning every vote and is starting with a focus on the early Democratic primary states. She will start with stops in Iowa this week to talk with Iowa voters, ramping up to a campaign kickoff in mid-May.

Hillary Clinton has served as U.S. Secretary of State, Senator from New York, First Lady of the United States and First Lady of Arkansas, but the first thing her friends and family will tell you is that she’s never forgotten where she came from or who she’s been fighting for.
From her mother’s own childhood – in which she was abandoned by her parents – to her work going door-to-door for the Children’s Defense Fund to her battling to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program, she’s fought for children and families all her career.

You can read her full bio online at www.hillaryclinton.com/bio.

THE RAMP UP

Just like the families in her video who are getting ready for fresh starts, Hillary is preparing her campaign organization. She’s committed to spending the next 6 to 8 weeks in a “ramp up” period where her team will start to build a nation-wide grassroots organization, and she will spend her time engaging directly with voters.

In her announcement video, Hillary urged people to get involved in the cause saying, “It’s your time. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.”

In May, once her supporters in all 50 states are organized for house parties or to watch over live-streams, Hillary will hold her first rally and deliver the speech to kick off her campaign.

Source: Hillary for America Lincoln Chafee 2016 Lincoln Chafee 2016 June 3, 2015 Lindsey Graham 2016 Lindsey Graham 2016 June 1, 2015










FULL REMARKS: Senator Lindsey Graham Announces Candidacy for President of the United States of America

Alexandria, VA – Today, Lindsey Graham 2016 released the full speech Senator Graham delivered today in Central, SC officially announcing his candidacy for President of the United States of America.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
June 1, 2015
Central, SC

Good morning. Thank you for coming.

Many of you have known me for a long time. Some of you have known me since my family lived in the back of the bar in that building. But I’m pretty sure no one here, including me, ever expected to hear me say:

I’m Lindsey Graham, and I’m running for President of the United States of America.

It’s because of you that I can make that statement.

Everything I am, and everything I will be, I owe to the kindness and generosity and example of people in Central and Clemson and Seneca and Walhalla and other towns and farms of upstate South Carolina. Thank you . . . for everything.

I want to be president to protect our nation that we all love so much from all threats foreign and domestic.
So get ready. I know I’m ready.

I want to be president to defeat the enemies trying to kill us, not just penalize them or criticize them or contain them, but defeat them.

Ronald Reagan’s policy of “peace through strength” kept America safe during the Cold War. But we will never enjoy peaceful co-existence with radical Islam because its followers are committed to destroying us and our way of life. However, America can have “Security through Strength.”

I want to be president to meet our problems head on. Honestly and realistically, for the purpose of solving them, not hiding them or taking political advantage of them.

I want to be president to make government work for you, not the other way around.

I want to make government keep its promises to you, to support your dreams, embrace your values, reflect your character.
I want to be president to help us build a future greater than our amazing past. And I’ll work with anyone to do it.

We’ve made some dangerous mistakes in recent years. The Obama Administration, and some of my colleagues in Congress, substituted wishful thinking for sound national security strategy. Every day the headlines attest to the failures of the Obama/Clinton policies.

Simply put, radical Islam is running wild.

They have more safe havens, more money, more weapons and more capability to strike our homeland than anytime since 9/11.
They are large, rich and entrenched.

As president I will make them small, poor and on the run.

I’m afraid some Americans have grown tired of fighting them. I have bad news to share with you -- the radical Islamists are not tired of fighting you.

In partnership with others, we must take the fight to them, building lines of defenses over there so they can’t come here. Building up and supporting regional forces to go after their safe havens that could be used to attack our homeland.
The world is exploding in terror and violence but the biggest threat of all is the nuclear ambitions of the radical Islamists who control Iran.

If the United States isn’t firm in our intention to deny them such weapons, Iran will trigger a nuclear arms race in the least stable region on earth, and make it more likely that people who aspire to genocide will have the most effective means to commit it.
Our close ally, Israel, is at risk as a result of Obama’s failed leadership. We share values, we share democracy, and our friendship is unbreakable. To our friends in Israel, I will never abandon you. I will always stand firm in supporting the one and only Jewish state.

I too say - never again.

I am running for president because I have the experience, judgment and will to deny the most radical regimes the most dangerous weapons.
But to defeat this enemy, it will require more than military might.

The most powerful weapon in our arsenal isn’t a gun. It’s an idea. The terrorists are selling a glorious death. We must sell a hopeful life.

I’ve learned from my travels that a small schoolhouse in a remote region educating a young girl can do more damage to radical Islam than any weapon we possess.

Radical Islam is not the only threat we face, old adversaries are seizing new opportunities to challenge our interests. Putin seized Ukrainian territory, and threatens our NATO allies.

China is building – literally building – their own islands in resource rich waters claimed by other nations and challenging free navigation of the seas.

Our allies feel the absence of America’s leadership. Our adversaries are taking advantage. American weakness anywhere hurts us everywhere.

Our enemies are emboldened and our friends are going it alone. Both reactions are detrimental to our interests.
The next President must be an informed and decisive Commander-in-Chief, ready immediately to address these threats.
We’ve learned over the past six years that speeches alone won’t make us safer. Superior power and resolve will.
I’m running for President because I am ready to be Commander-in-Chief on day one.

I’m ready on day one to defend our nation with sound strategy, a strong military, stable alliances, and steady determination.
I’ve been to the Middle East more times than I can count, both in my capacity as a U.S. Senator and as a reserve officer in the United States Air Force.

I have more experience with our national security than any other candidate.

I know the players - our friends and our enemies alike. Most importantly, they know me.

I have listened, learned and prepared myself for the job of Commander-in-Chief.

I served in the Air Force for thirty-three years. I spent much of my adult life as part of a team committed to defending America.
Politicians focus on elections. The military focuses on the mission.

If given the privilege to serve as your President, I’ll focus on the mission – to defend America, protect our way of life, and leave the next generation a stronger, safer, better nation than we inherited.

That won’t be easy. It never has been.

There are dangers that must be faced, and as usual, the best of us will have to face the worst of them.

The best of us are the one-percent of Americans who are the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

I cannot promise as Commander-in-Chief that the dangers they confront, the risks they run, the sacrifices they make will be fewer or easier.

But I can assure them they will have the leadership to defeat our enemies. I can promise them their sacrifices won’t be wasted. They won’t fight with their hands tied behind their backs.

We will end this conflict on our terms. We will win.

Those who believe we can disengage from the world at large and stay safe by leading from behind, vote for someone else. I’m not your man.

Those who believe the best way to defend ourselves is to lead the world, to make history rather than be overwhelmed by it, I ask for your support.

Join me if you want to tackle problems at home that have been kicked down the road because they’re too hard to fix and too easy to demagogue.

Washington’s failure to do the hard but right thing has put Social Security and Medicare in serious jeopardy. As my generation retires both programs are on track to go bust. We’re living longer and fewer workers are supporting more retirees. That’s unsustainable. Everybody knows it. Not everybody admits it.

We have to fix entitlement programs to make sure people who need the benefits the most receive them. That’s going to require determined presidential leadership.

I know from personal experience how important those programs are to the lives of millions of Americans. I lost my parents when I was a young man and my sister was in middle school. We depended on Social Security benefits to survive.
I’ve been fortunate. I’ve done better than I’ve ever dreamed. If I and others like me have to take a little less and pay a little more to help those who need it the most, so be it. And, younger workers might have to work a little longer.
As President, I’ll gladly do what it takes to save a program that once helped my family.

To those who yearn for a safe and healthy environment, I will join your cause. To those who seek energy independence, I will be your champion.

I’m tired of sending hundreds of billions of dollars to buy oil from people who hate us. We must have energy independence. And in the process, I believe it is possible to produce a safe, clean environment, and create new well-paying jobs for Americans of all generations.

To my fellow Republicans, I’ll be a champion for limited and effective government and a strong national defense. I’ll be a voice for social conservative values without apology or animosity. I love my party. I’m committed to see it prosper and grow.

To my friends in the other party, on the big things we share a common fate. I’ll work with you to strengthen the country we both love. Our differences are real, and we’ll debate them. But you’re not my enemy. You’re my fellow countrymen.

My enemies are those who despise our shared values, the enemies of enlightenment, the culture of death that seeks to destroy the dignity of life. We’ll fight them together with our partners. And we’ll win.

To Americans who trust neither party, I will seek the political common ground our nation so desperately needs to find.
That’s what I’ve done before. Don’t take my word for it. Examine my record.

I intend to be president not of a single party, but of a nation. I want to do more than make big government smaller. I want to help make a great nation greater.

I’ve traveled the world, and had experiences and opportunities that I never dreamed of. I’ve been lucky so much of my life, but never luckier than in the people and place I come from.

Those of you who’ve known me a long time know I had some ups and downs as a young man. I lost my parents, and had to struggle financially and emotionally. I would not have made it through those times without you, and without the example my parents set for me.

There are a lot of so-called “self-made” people in this world. I’m not one of them. My family, friends, neighbors and my faith picked me up when I was down, believed in me when I had doubts. You made me the man I am today.

I’m a man with many debts to my family, to you, to South Carolina and to the country. I’m running for president to repay those debts, to fight as hard for you as you fought for me. In the end, that’s the only promise I can make and the only pledge I’ll sign, the only one that matters.

If you make me president, I’ll fight each day harder than I fought the day before to keep this country safe, prosperous and as good as the people who made it great. I humbly ask for your support and your vote. I will work everyday to make you proud.
Thank you, and God bless.

###

Source: Lindsey Graham for President Martin O'Malley 2016 Martin O'Malley 2016 May 30, 2015










Governor O’Malley Announces for President

Baltimore, MD —This morning, Governor Martin O’Malley is announcing his intentions to seek the Democratic Nomination for the President of the United States.

His remarks—as prepared for delivery—are below:

1. Introduction

My fellow Americans.

I want to talk with you today about The American Dream we share…
its powerful history,
its current condition, and most importantly,
its urgent need for rebuilding.

Our nation was founded on two self-evident truths...

That All of us are created equal.

And that we are endowed by our Creator with the rights to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

With these words, the American dream began.

No fine print. No expiration date.

All of us are included.

Women and men.

Black and white people.

Irish Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Americans.

Young and old. Rich and poor. Workers and Business owners. Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and straight Americans.

Every person is important, each of us is needed.

In our idea of country, there is no such thing as a spare American.

There is, however, a growing injustice in our country today.

It is the gap between the strong and just country our children need for us to be,... and the country we are in danger of becoming.

For today in America, seventy percent of us are earning the same or less than they were 12 years ago. This is the first time that has happened this side of World War II.

Today in America, family owned businesses and farms are struggling to compete with ever larger concentrations of corporate power,...

Fifty years ago, the nation’s largest employer was GM. An average GM employee could pay for a year’s tuition at a state university with two weeks’ wages.

Today in America, with dreams of college, a decent paying job, and a secure retirement slipping beyond the reach of so very many,... the American Dream seems to be hanging by a thread.

And yet, for America there is always a yet.

The final thread that holds us just might be the strongest.

It is the thread of the generosity, the compassion, and the love of one another that brings us together as One American People.

For over 200 years we’ve been the architects of our own future. And now we must build anew today.

My father and mother, Tom and Barbara O'Malley, were born to the Great Depression and grew up as part of that great generation that won the Second World War. My dad flew 33 missions over Japan in a B-24 Liberator, and went on to college only because of the GI Bill.

My mom, herself, flew in the Civil Air Patrol at the age of seventeen.

They raised their children -- the six of us -- to a middle class future secured largely by the sacrifices and better choices of their generation.

But they would never accept the notion that somehow theirs was the "greatest generation." For they believed and they taught us that every generation of Americans has the ability -- and the sacred responsibility -- to become great.

And so we must. No matter how long the odds, no matter how large the challenge, and no matter how tough the fight.

This is the urgent work calling us forward today: to rebuild the truth of the American Dream for ALL Americans. And to begin right now!

2. Baltimore/Economy

Last month, television sets around the world were filled with the anger and the rage, and the flames of some of the humblest and hardest hit neighborhoods of Baltimore.

For all of us who have given so much of our energies to making our city a safer, fairer, more just and more prosperous place, it was a heartbreaking night in the life of our City.

But there is something to be learned from that night, and there is something to be offered to our country from those flames.

For what took place here was not only about race…not only about policing in America.

It’s about everything it is supposed to mean to be an American.

The scourge of hopelessness that happened to ignite here that evening, transcends race or geography.

Witness the record numbers of young white kids killing themselves with heroin in suburbs and small towns across America.

The hard truth of our shared reality is this: Unemployment in many American cities and in many small towns across the United States is higher now than it was eight years ago.

Conditions of extreme and growing poverty, create conditions for extreme violence.

We have work to do…

Our economic and political system is upside down and backwards and it is time to turn it around.

What happened to our economy -- what happened to the American Dream -- did not happen by chance.

Nor was it merely the result of global forces somehow beyond our control.

Powerful, wealthy special interests here at home have used our government to create -- in our own country -- an economy that is leaving a majority of our people behind.

An economy that has so concentrated wealth in the hands of the very few that it has taken opportunity from the homes of the many.

An economy where a majority of our people are unheard, unseen, un-needed, and left to conclude that their lives and labors are literally worth less today than they were yesterday,... And will be worth less still tomorrow...

We are allowing our land of opportunity to be turned into a land of inequality.

Main Street struggles, while Wall Street soars.

Tell me how it is, that not a single Wall Street CEO was convicted of a crime related to the 2008 economic meltdown. Not. A. Single. One.

Tell me how it is, that you can get pulled over for a broken tail light in our country, but if you wreck the nation’s economy you are untouchable.

This is not how our economy is supposed to work!

This is not how our country is supposed to work!

This is not the American Dream!

And it does not have to be this way!

This generation still has time to become great.

We have saved the world before and we must save our country now – and we will do that by rebuilding the American Dream!


3. The Agenda

As I look out here this morning over the original "land of the free and the home of the brave," I see the faces of people who have done so much for so many in our City and our State.

Together, we made our City a safer, healthier and better place for kids.

Together, we made our city Believe again. We invented a new and better way of governing called CitiStat, and we got things done.

Together, we made our State's public schools the best in the United States. We made college more affordable for more families.

We led our people forward through a devastating national recession. We took greater care to protect our land, our air, and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

We passed Marriage Equality and we passed the DREAM Act.

Together, we raised the minimum wage and we sustained the highest median income in America. We achieved top rankings for innovation, entrepreneurship, and minority and women's business development.

Yes, understanding precedes action.

And it took new leadership. New perspectives. And new approaches.

But we believed in the dream,...together we took action to make it real,... and that is exactly what we must do as a nation today.

Our economy isn't money, our economy is people—all of our people.

We measure success by the growing prosperity and security of our people–all of our people.

A stronger middle class is not the consequence of economic growth -- a stronger middle class is the cause of economic growth.

Together, as one nation we must build an American economy that works again for all of us.

That means good jobs and wage policies that allow hardworking families to actually get ahead. That means a higher minimum wage, overtime pay for overtime work, and respect for the rights of all workers to organize and collectively bargain for better wages.

If we take these actions…the dream will live again.

Climate change is real. We must create an American jobs agenda to build a new renewable energy future.

We must launch a new agenda to rebuild America's cities as places of Justice and Opportunity for all.

And if we take these actions… the dream will live again.

For the sake of our country's security, and our country's well-being, and our country's economic growth, we must also bring 11 million of our neighbors out of the shadows by passing comprehensive immigration reform.

Because the enduring symbol of our nation is not the barbed wire fence,... it is the Statue of Liberty.

We are a nation of immigrants. We are a compassionate and generous people. And if we act according to our principles--and the better angels of our nature—if we return to our true selves, the dream will live again.

Make no mistake about it -- our ability to lead the world and be safe in this world depends on the strength of the American Dream here at home. The challenges we face in the world today are different from the challenges we faced in the 1990’s.

Together, we must construct a New National Security Strategy and build new alliances that are forward-seeing and forward-acting.

The center of this new strategy must be the reduction of threats. Fast-evolving threats -- from violent extremism, pandemic, cyber attacks, nuclear proliferation, nation-state failures, to the drought, famine, and floods of climate change.

Together, we must craft a New Foreign Policy of Engagement and Collaboration. We must join with like-minded people around the world -- especially with nations here in our own hemisphere -- for the cause we share of a rising global middle class.

We must put our national interest first, we must put America first.

But we cannot rebuild the American Dream here at home by catering to the voices of the privileged and the powerful.

Let’s be honest. They were the ones who turned our economy upside-down in the first place. And they are the only ones who are benefiting from it.

We need to prosecute cheats, we need to reinstate Glass-Steagall, and if a bank is too big to fail without wrecking our nation’s economy…then it needs to be broken up before it breaks us…again.

Goldman Sachs is one of the biggest repeat-offending investment banks in America. Recently, the CEO of Goldman Sachs let his employees know that he’d be just fine with either Bush or Clinton.

I bet he would...

Well, I've got news for the bullies of Wall Street --

The presidency is not a crown to be passed back and forth by you between two royal families.

It is a sacred trust to be earned from the people of the United States, and exercised on behalf of the people of the United States.

The only way we are going to rebuild the American Dream is if we re-take control of our own American government!

4. Conclusion

The poet laureate of the American Dream, Bruce Springsteen, once asked:

Is a dream a lie, if it don’t come true?…
Or is it something worse?

Whether the American dream becomes a lie, or becomes an ongoing truth that our children can enjoy,...can build upon,... can live,... is really up to you and me.

It is up to all of us.

It's not about Wall Street, not about the big five banks, it's not even about big money trying to buy our elections.

It's about U.S.

It is about whether, together, We the People still have the will to become great Americans.

I believe we do.

My decision is made.

Now you will all have a vital choice to make next year, for the good of your families, and for the good of the country you love and carry in your hearts.

It is a choice that people will ask you about for years to come.

And so, when a child with a world of learning ahead asks who you voted for, I want you to be able to tell that child, “I voted for you.”

When you see a dad sweating through another long shift in order to give his daughter a better future, I want you to be able to tell him, “I voted for you.”

When you see a mom working long hours at two jobs for the dream of sending her son to college, I want you to be able to tell her, “I voted for you.”

When you see a young father who hungers for a decent job to support his family, I want you to be able to tell him, “I voted for you.”

The story of our country’s best days is not found in a history book, because this generation of Americans is about to write it!

And that is why today,... to you -- and to all who can hear my voice -- I declare that I am a candidate for President of the United States….and I’m running for YOU.

May God Bless you and may God Bless the United States of America.

###

Source: Martin O'Malley for President George Pataki 2016 George Pataki 2016 May 28, 2015










Former Governor George Pataki Announces Candidacy for President
Speaks in Exeter New Hampshire, Birthplace of Republican Party

George Pataki
May 28, 2015
Exeter Town Hall

Thank you. Thank you all for being here.

As I look around this room I see so many friends from Peekskill and New York, from Texas and Illinois, and of course from here in New Hampshire. THANK YOU.

Many of you helped me get elected Governor of New York three times. And you are here again. Thank you for your loyalty!

Y tambien gracias a todos mis amigos que estan con nosotros hoy.

We are here in Exeter, NH, birthplace of the Republican Party.

Abraham Lincoln's party, who saved the Union and brought the promise of freedom to all Americans.

Teddy Roosevelt's party, who fought for the Square Deal, to make sure the rich and powerful couldn't limit the freedom of working Americans.

And Ronald Reagan's party, who restored Americans' belief in ourselves and in the transcendent value of freedom; the freedom that has given us the greatest country the world has ever known; the freedom a man named Amos Tuck, declared as the foundation of that party right here in Exeter, NH.
The same freedom that I fear is at risk today from an ever more powerful, ever more intrusive government in Washington.

It is to preserve and protect that freedom for us that I stand here today. It is to preserve and protect that freedom for future generations that I rise. It is to preserve and protect that freedom that I am announcing I am a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

*****

When people think of NY they generally think of NYC, and I understand that. But my upbringing was quite different. I grew up on a small farm in a small town in the Hudson Valley called Peekskill NY.

My four grandparents were all immigrants who went through Ellis Island.

Peekskill's wealth was not in its money but in its people; black and white, Christian and Jew, both rural and urban at the same time. We weren't wealthy, we weren't well-connected, we weren't well-known. And yet every one of us growing up in that small town believed in the American dream, believed in hard work, and believed in ourselves.

We believed, no we really KNEW that if we dreamed something, we could do it. If we worked hard, studied hard, had faith, family and friends encouraging us, nothing was beyond our reach. We believed in the American Dream, and it was real.

My father was a mailman. When he went to first grade he couldn't speak one word of English. No one ignored him…or lowered their expectations. Instead they helped him learn the skills he needed to succeed.

My mother had to turn down a scholarship to Cornell to work as a waitress. She was the only one in her family with a job during the darkest days of the Great Depression. By the way, she is 99 and doing great, and watching us now live on CSPAN. Thank you mom.

They never saw themselves as victims, they were Americans. And though they might not have had every opportunity for themselves, they knew their children could accomplish anything.

My brother Lou and I worked on our farm as kids. When I was in college during Christmas and summer vacations, I worked at the Fleischmann's Factory with my cousin Bobby, and in the evening and weekends, we'd work on the farm with our other cousins.
For my Dad, working two jobs was the norm. He would leave at 5 in the morning, deliver mail during the day, work on the farm in the evening until dark, and then if the alarm rang in the middle of the night, respond to a fire as Captain of the volunteer firefighters.

It wasn't always easy, but today my brother is an astrophysicist and I am a candidate for the highest office in our country. This is the promise of unlimited opportunity America held for my family and me.

It is that promise of unlimited opportunity, that belief in America, which I want to restore for every family and every child living in America today.

*****

Today, too many Americans feel the best days of our Country are behind us, that our children won't have the opportunities we did.

Government has grown too big, too powerful, too expensive, and too intrusive. Washington politicians and bureaucrats believe they know better than us, and can tell us how to run our lives, from what health care each of us can have, to trying to dictate what every child in every school must learn.

A young mother seeking to open a small business is inundated with oppressive paperwork and regulations and gives up. A small manufacturer seeking to build the next plant and create American jobs is faced with excessive taxes and forced to build the factory overseas.

Too many Americans feel the path of opportunity is closed to them.

We must make sure that it is not.

The problems we face are real. But I've never been one to dwell on problems. I'm a solutions guy. When you grow up on a farm and have a problem, you don't ask the government to solve it, you just figure out what needs to be done, and go do it. That's the American way.

If I have the honor to lead this country, let me tell you some of the things I'd do right away to get oppressive government off the backs of Americans.


• Today, there is one former member of Congress lobbying for every current member and the first thing I would do is ban members of Congress from ever lobbying. If you serve one day, you are banned, go home.

• I'd repeal oppressive laws like Obamacare and end Common Core.

• I'd eliminate excessive taxes that crush small business.

• I'd throw out an incomprehensible tax code written by lawyers at the direction of lobbyists in the interests of the powerful and replace it with simpler, lower rates that are fair to us all.

• I'd lower taxes on manufacturers to the lowest in the developed world so that factories and jobs could spring up here.

• And I'd shrink the size of the federal work force, starting with bureaucrats overseeing Obamacare, and fire every corrupt IRS employee abusing government power to discriminate on the basis of politics or religion.


*****

And let's let every Washington politician know: from now on, you will live under the same rules and laws we do, no exemptions for politicians from laws they impose on us, no special rules for the powerful.

Our justice department will treat all fairly, and uphold the Constitution. No one will be above the law, not even if you are a former Secretary of State whose name happens to be Clinton.

*****

Let's deliver a clear message to the politicians in Washington: you are our servants, not our masters.

*****

We do this and small businesses will thrive. We will make things and build things here in America again. We will create and innovate. Jobs will flourish and peoples' faith in America's future will soar.

Some say this can't be done. That the course of history leads inexorably towards bigger, more expensive, more powerful government.

Don't you believe that for a second.

They told me that when I ran for Governor of New York.

That too many people were dependent on government. That the bureaucrats and powerful interests were too strong. That the people couldn't regain their confidence in NY's future. In a sense they were right: THEY couldn't do it. But I knew that I could. And we did.

*****

In 12 years NY went from a State with the highest tax burden, the lowest credit rating, and billions of dollars in deficits, to a State with 143 billion in lower taxes, billions in surplus, and its highest credit rating in generations.

All it took was for me to get government out of the people's way.

*****

It seems like liberals have so much compassion for the poor that they keep creating more of them. When I took office, we had every poverty program Government could think of, yet one in 11 of every New Yorker was on welfare. Not Social Security or Disability. One in 11 of every man, woman and child in the state of New York, from the tip of Long Island to the shores of Lake Erie, was on welfare.

The American Dream did not seem real to them. But after 12 years of my conservative policies, we replaced dependency with opportunity, resignation with hope, mere existence with dreams, and a welfare check with a pay check. When I left office over 1 Million fewer people were on welfare than when I began.

*****

Conservative policies replaced dependency with opportunity in New York State. I know we can do the same thing in the United States.

*****

I was the Governor of NY on September 11th. It was a horrible time for us, and I'm sure for all of you as well. The personal loss was devastating. It still is.

I saw up close the horrible consequences of too many believing that because radical Islam was thousands of miles away across an ocean, that we were safe in America. Sadly, it wasn't true then, and it's not true now.

The most important thing Government does is provide for the security and safety of its citizens.

Sadly, Washington is not doing that. I will not forget the lesson of Sept. 11th. I fear too many in Washington already have.

To protect us, first we must secure the border.

Yes, I am the proud product of immigrants. But we must know that everyone coming to America is coming here legally, and that everyone coming here is coming not to harm us, but to be a part of a better America.

*****

And, in the face of an increasingly dangerous world this is not the time to weaken America’s military, it’s time to strengthen our military. Not so that we can use it, but so that we don't HAVE to use it. A strong America is a safe America.

*****

Ronald Reagan proved that peace through strength is more than a slogan. Peace through strength is a policy that works. Weakness, equivocation and false promises lead only to chaos, brutality and war. The world is a better place when America is strong, and a champion of liberty and freedom.

*****

Allies and friends of America must know that our word is our bond. We will stand with our ally Israel, a democracy on the front lines of terror and barbarism. We will stand with our allies in NATO and the free Baltic states against a resurgent Russia.

We will make sure the number one sponsor of state terror in the world, Iran, never has a nuclear weapon. We will provide whatever aid necessary to those already fighting ISIS on the ground to stop their barbarism and inhumanity. And yes, if necessary American force will be used to actually defeat and destroy ISIS, so they can pose no threat to us here.

We will not spend a trillion dollars or a decade nation building overseas. But, I will never forget the lesson of September 11th. We will destroy radical Islam's ability to attack us over there, before they have the chance to attack us here.

*****

Our allies must trust us. Our enemies must fear us. And they will.

We will defend our freedom, but we will not be the world's policeman.

Libby and I have 2 sons, both of whom served overseas. Teddy, as a Marine Lieutenant, deployed to Iraq for a year. Owen, as a Lieutenant in the 10th Mountain Division, returning from Afghanistan just this past September.

Libby and I know what it's like to lie awake dreading a call in the middle of the night when your child is in harm's way overseas.

I do not want one parent, one husband, one wife, one child or loved one to experience that fear unless it is absolutely necessary. But we will do whatever is required to protect the American people.

*****

While the challenges facing America today are real, I've no doubt we will rise above them.

Think of what this great country has overcome. Washington at Valley Forge, Lincoln trying to hold together a nation divided, Roosevelt facing both the Great Depression and Nazi Germany. Yes, the challenge of a large and oppressive government in Washington is real. But this is still America. The power of freedom is real. And compared to those challenges we’ve overcome in the past these seem trivial. And I have no doubt that we will rise above these as well.

Today, those in the other party, instead of offering ideas, seek to divide. When you have no solutions, instead you offer fear.

They say we, are anti-immigrant!

We the proud children, grandchildren, and descendants of immigrants know that immigration has and will continue to enhance the greatness of this country.

Let's send that party a clear message.

Unlike them, we don't believe newcomers to this Country come so they can get a Government handout. We know they come to work, to strive, to build a better life for their families. And we welcome all who come here legally.

They say we are against the middle class.

This too is nonsense.

Everyone here understands it is the men and women who go to work, pay their bills, and follow the rules that are the backbone of this country.
We are the party of the middle class. Unless by middle class, they mean someone who left the White House "dead broke", and 10 years later had 100 Million dollars. Unless by middle class they mean someone who charges a poor country $500,000 for a half hour speech. That’s their party's Candidate. She speaks for the Middle Class? THEY are the party of privilege; WE are the party of the Middle Class.

*****

They are the party of the past. WE must be the party of the future! I KNOW that with the policies we believe in, we can change the world.

Let the next decade be the decade when the American worker and innovators, the best workforce in the world, accomplish things we can only dream of.

Let the next decade be the decade when Americans finally cure cancer and end for all time the scourge of Alzheimer's.

Let the next decade be the decade when American energy powers the world with our own clean, unlimited resources.

Let the next decade be the decade when Americans travel from city to city in trains faster than planes, in cars that drive themselves, and over paths we have yet to imagine.

Let the next decade be the decade where Americans can have boundless economic growth while enhancing and improving, our natural environment.

Let the next decade be the decade where America proves to the world”: you ain't seen nothing yet.

*****

While I saw the horror of Sept 11th firsthand, in the days, weeks, and months that followed, I also saw the strength of America on display. For those months, we were not Republicans or Democrats, black or white, young or old. We were Americans. We had been attacked and we were going to stand together to show the world that we were unbowed, unafraid, and would come back stronger than ever.

I completely reject the idea that we can only unite in adversity…we’re so much better than that. I know we have true greatness within us because I have seen it countless times.

I have seen what Americans can do when we understand we share common dream, a common future, a common destiny.
I know that working together, with the support of a government dedicated to restoring freedom rather than restraining it, we will once again astonish the world with what we accomplish.

*****

Let us come together as Americans and unite to face the challenges ahead. Let us transcend those challenges and seize the unlimited opportunities the future holds.

Let us move forward so that just as the dreams of that young child growing up in Peekskill came true, so too the dreams of a young child born today, whether in downtown Baltimore or Upstate New York, can come true.

Stand with us, let's go forward together and I guarantee you the 21st Century is going to be America's greatest century!! Thank you, God Bless you and God bless America.

-End-

Source: George Pataki for President Rick Santorum 2016 Rick Santorum 2016 May 27, 2015










Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Announcement of Candidacy
Penn United Technologies
Cabot, Pennsylvania
May 27, 2015

Thank you so much. What an amazing feeling to be up here with the folks who have made it possible for me. You know I would start with my family, and so I am.

I just want to thank Karen, my sweetheart, all of my kids, for all of the sacrifices they made so we could be here today. I love you more than words. God bless you. Thank you so much.

As you can see, we brought a little special gift up; she wanted to meet you. And that’s our sweet daughter Bella, who just turned seven years old a couple of weeks ago. Bella also requested that she could go play during the speech. So we’re going to let her go.

Now I know this stage looks densely populated with our family, but we are actually still missing one member of our family and that is our son Daniel, who just last week, went to field training in the Air Force down in Alabama. Daniel, I am proud of you. Thank you.

And, I also have to thank Penn United Technologies. We have disrupted this entire place for a week. God Bless you Bill, Becky, and everybody, thank you.

And I just want to thank all of you for being here, for taking time out of your work and your schedule. And for many of you, there are people from 32 states that are here tonight. so I just want to thank you for being here.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a piece of coal. This is where my American story started. My grandfather, Pietro, was a coal miner who brought my Dad, 7 year old Aldo, from fascist Italy.

Like millions of other Americans, he didn’t come for this [holding up the piece of coal]. He came for this [holding up folded American flag] – freedom.

My dad grew up in a coal town, actually a company town, during the Depression, without indoor plumbing. It took a war to get him out of the coal town – off to the Pacific – then the G.I. Bill to college. And then to a Veterans Hospital in West Virginia. It’s there he met a wonderful nurse, Catherine Dughi, who is my mom.

Mom is 96. She shouldn’t be here today, but I just want to say hello to my mom, who I know is watching. They took me on a voyage at seven years of age from West Virginia to Butler, Pennsylvania. We lived on the VA post in World War II government apartments surrounded by our nation's veterans.

Most of my friends though, their dads worked in the mills and the mines. They got off shift and coached us in sports and in life. They were the generation of God-fearing people who built this country and at the same time, were the foundation of the country.

In the late 70's, like many of you, we saw the economic devastation here in Southwestern Pennsylvania and across this country, particularly in manufacturing, as a result of the excesses and indifference of big labor, big government, and yes, big business. Here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the epicenter, we lost over 100,000 jobs in what seemed to be overnight.

That has to and did leave a mark on all of us. Afterwards, big government and big business told our workers that times have changed, American workers could no longer compete with low foreign wages and that those jobs were gone forever. Well, what about those politicians? For all those years, what did they do? What did they do for communities across this area and across this country and in small town America? They had no plan, and they provided no hope. And to that, I say, no longer.

As Middle America is hollowing out, we can’t sit idly by as big government politicians make it harder for our workers and then turn around and blame them for losing jobs overseas. Working families don’t need another President tied to big government or big money. And today is the day, today is the day we are going to begin to fight back.

I am proud to stand here among you and for you, the American workers who have sacrificed so much, to announce that I am running for President of the United States.

I'll offer a bold vision for America, one that’s clear and conservative, that has plans to reform and has a proven track record that I have in my time in service. Step one in taking back America, step one, let's scrap the corrupt federal tax code and the IRS that goes with it.

It’s time to give America a simple, fair, flat tax. It will create millions of good paying jobs. It will rebuild our factories, and it will increase take-home pay for workers in America.

Powered by the shale revolution and the renewable revolution. Powered by those two revolutions, we have regained the title of the world leader in energy production.

With low-cost energy and our bold plan, I promise you we will regain the title of a leader in world manufacturing.

And that’s not all. We will shrink government, we will reduce spending, we will revoke every executive order and regulation – yeah. We will revoke every executive order and regulation that costs American jobs.

From day one, we will work to bring back America and put Americans back to work.

American workers deserve a shot at these jobs. Over the last 20 years, we’ve brought into this country, legally and illegally, 35 million mostly unskilled workers. And the result, over that same period of time, workers' wages have flat lined.

Hillary Clinton and big business, they have called for a massive influx in unskilled labor. Business does it because they want to control costs. Hillary does it – well – she just wants votes. Their priorities are profits and power. My priority is you, the American worker.

You don't believe me, don’t take my word for it. Yesterday, the largest pro-worker immigration group just published a survey that showed that only one candidate got an "A" standing behind American workers, and he’s standing here today.

We can create jobs, but as we’ve all seen America can't succeed unless we strengthen the first economy – the American family. It’s time we have a President who sees the struggle of working families in America not as an opportunity to divide us along race or class – but as a chance to unite us around the ideal that every child in America deserves her birthright – to be raised by her parents in a healthy home.

Stronger families and more jobs will result in better schools. But our children, well, they deserve and education customized, customized, to maximize their potential. The first step in the process is joining me to drive a stake in the heart of Common Core.

I can’t forget about the other people that I grew up with out at the VA in Butler – our wounded warriors. I saw the price of freedom. I saw the cost of failed political leadership. The Obama-Clinton team, they don’t understand that peace comes through strength. [chants: USA, USA...]

But, when I see our heroic veterans dying, waiting in line at the VA, because these very same leaders don’t care enough to give them what they’ve earned – the best medical care in the world. – I say join me, take back America, and help these veterans.

As you’ve seen, Commander in Chief is not an entry-level position. And the White House is the last place for on-the-job training. It’s critical that both our allies and our friends know what to expect from our next President.

Last month, i was featured in an online magazine. That’s usually a good thing. But in this case, the online magazine was the magazine of the Islamic state, ISIS. Under the headline, under the headline "in the words of our enemy," was my picture and a quote. "After 12 years of legislating and warning about the gathering storm of radical Islam, they know who I am and I know who they are." In that article, I described who they are and how to defeat them. And ladies and gentlemen, if I’m the next President, we will defeat them.

Finally, we must take back America from those who seek to deny us our God-given rights of life and liberty. As President, I will stand for the principle that every life matters – the poor, the disabled, and the unborn. I will also fight for the freedom for you to believe what you are called to believe, not just in your places of worship, but outside of your places of worship too.

Karen and I have learned a lot in our life and if there's one thing we've learned, man is limited and God is not.

There is much we can do. But first, we need to pray for the same kind of great awakening that inspired and provided our founding to come to this country to heal our land.

Now if you watch any of these announcements here coming up this week, you are going to see a lot of folks saying what they’re going to do. That’s what they do. But how do you know who to trust? Well, you look at their record.

I went to Washington and said I was going to fight corruption. And I delivered.

I went to end welfare, to reduce poverty, and to put people back to work. And I delivered.

I went to give patients control over their health care through Health Saving Accounts. And I delivered.

I went to end partial-birth abortion. And I delivered.

I went to impose sanctions on Syria and Iran to protect the state of Israel and this country. And I delivered.

And I went to cut taxes and promised never to raise them. And I delivered.

Our record of standing for you and standing up against big government is clear. 92% conservative voting record. How does someone like that get elected in the Mon Valley of Pittsburgh, in one of the most Democratic areas of the state?

How does someone with a conservative voting record get elected twice to the state of Pennsylvania, where there’s over a million more registered Democrats than Republicans?

Because I stood for you and against big government in Washington DC.

Fighting in those races, both here in Southwestern Pennsylvania and across Pennsylvania, I know what it’s like to be an underdog.

Four years ago, well, no one gave us much of a chance. But we won 11 states. We got four million votes. And it’s not just because I stood for something. It’s because I stood for someone – the American worker.

I promised then as I promise you now, I will take money and power out of Washington and put it back where our Constitution says it belongs – in the people who earned it. [chants: Rick, Rick...]

The last race, we changed the debate. This race, with your help, and God's Grace, we can change this nation.

Join us. Join us. RickSantorum.com. And let’s take back America. God Bless you. God Bless America.

Source: Transcript by Mike Dec, 4President.org Bernie Sanders 2016 Bernie Sanders 2016 May 26, 2015










Remarks by Sen. Bernie Sanders Waterfront Park, Burlington, Vermont

“Thank you all very much for being here and for all the support that you have given me over the years: as the mayor of this great city, as Vermont’s only congressman and now as a U.S. senator. Thanks also to my longtime friends and fellow Vermonters Bill McKibben, Brenda Torpey, Donna Bailey, Mike O’Day and Ben and Jerry for all that you do – and for your very generous remarks. Thanks also to Jenny Nelson for moderating this event and for your leadership in Vermont agriculture.

I also want to thank my family: My wife Jane, my brother Larry, my children Levi, Heather, Carina and Dave for their love and support, and my seven beautiful grandchildren – Sonny, Cole, Ryleigh, Grayson, Ella, Tess and Dylan who provide so much joy in my life.

Today, here in our small state – a state that has led the nation in so many ways – I am proud to announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America.

Today, with your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we begin a political revolution to transform our country economically, politically, socially and environmentally.

Today, we stand here and say loudly and clearly that; “Enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people, and not to a handful of billionaires, their Super-PACs and their lobbyists.”

Brothers and sisters: Now is not the time for thinking small. Now is not the time for the same old – same old establishment politics and stale inside-the-beltway ideas.

Now is the time for millions of working families to come together, to revitalize American democracy, to end the collapse of the American middle class and to make certain that our children and grandchildren are able to enjoy a quality of life that brings them health, prosperity, security and joy – and that once again makes the United States the leader in the world in the fight for economic and social justice, for environmental sanity and for a world of peace.

My fellow Americans: This country faces more serious problems today than at any time since the Great Depression and, if you include the planetary crisis of climate change, it may well be that the challenges we face now are direr than any time in our modern history.

Here is my promise to you for this campaign. Not only will I fight to protect the working families of this country, but we’re going to build a movement of millions of Americans who are prepared to stand up and fight back. We’re going to take this campaign directly to the people – in town meetings, door to door conversations, on street corners and in social media – and that’s BernieSanders.com by the way. This week we will be in New Hampshire, Iowa and Minnesota – and that’s just the start of a vigorous grassroots campaign.

Let’s be clear. This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. It is not about Hillary Clinton. It is not about Jeb Bush or anyone else. This campaign is about the needs of the American people, and the ideas and proposals that effectively address those needs. As someone who has never run a negative political ad in his life, my campaign will be driven by issues and serious debate; not political gossip, not reckless personal attacks or character assassination. This is what I believe the American people want and deserve. I hope other candidates agree, and I hope the media allows that to happen. Politics in a democratic society should not be treated like a baseball game, a game show or a soap opera. The times are too serious for that.

Let me take a minute to touch on some of the issues that I will be focusing on in the coming months, and then give you an outline of an Agenda for America which will, in fact, deal with these problems and lead us to a better future.

Income and Wealth Inequality: Today, we live in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world but that reality means very little for most of us because almost all of that wealth is owned and controlled by a tiny handful of individuals. In America we now have more income and wealth inequality than any other major country on earth, and the gap between the very rich and everyone is wider than at any time since the 1920s. The issue of wealth and income inequality is the great moral issue of our time, it is the great economic issue of our time and it is the great political issue of our time. And we will address it.

Let me be very clear. There is something profoundly wrong when the top one-tenth of 1 percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent, and when 99 percent of all new income goes to the top 1 percent. There is something profoundly wrong when, in recent years, we have seen a proliferation of millionaires and billionaires at the same time as millions of Americans work longer hours for lower wages and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country on earth. There is something profoundly wrong when one family owns more wealth than the bottom 130 million Americans. This grotesque level of inequality is immoral. It is bad economics. It is unsustainable. This type of rigged economy is not what America is supposed to be about. This has got to change and, as your president, together we will change it.

Economics: But it is not just income and wealth inequality. It is the tragic reality that for the last 40 years the great middle class of our country – once the envy of the world – has been disappearing. Despite exploding technology and increased worker productivity, median family income is almost $5,000 less than it was in 1999. In Vermont and throughout this country it is not uncommon for people to be working two or three jobs just to cobble together enough income to survive on and some health care benefits.

The truth is that real unemployment is not the 5.4 percent you read in newspapers. It is close to 11 percent if you include those workers who have given up looking for jobs or who are working part time when they want to work full time. Youth unemployment is over 17 percent and African-American youth unemployment is much higher than that. Today, shamefully, we have 45 million people living in poverty, many of whom are working at low-wage jobs. These are the people who struggle every day to find the money to feed their kids, to pay their electric bills and to put gas in the car to get to work. This campaign is about those people and our struggling middle class. It is about creating an economy that works for all, and not just the one percent.

Citizens United: My fellow Americans: Let me be as blunt as I can and tell you what you already know. As a result of the disastrous Supreme Court decision on Citizens United, the American political system has been totally corrupted, and the foundations of American democracy are being undermined. What the Supreme Court essentially said was that it was not good enough for the billionaire class to own much of our economy. They could now own the U.S. government as well. And that is precisely what they are trying to do.

American democracy is not about billionaires being able to buy candidates and elections. It is not about the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson and other incredibly wealthy individuals spending billions of dollars to elect candidates who will make the rich richer and everyone else poorer. According to media reports the Koch brothers alone, one family, will spend more money in this election cycle than either the Democratic or Republican parties. This is not democracy. This is oligarchy. In Vermont and at our town meetings we know what American democracy is supposed to be about. It is one person, one vote – with every citizen having an equal say – and no voter suppression. And that’s the kind of American political system we have to fight for and will fight for in this campaign.

Climate Change: When we talk about our responsibilities as human beings and as parents, there is nothing more important than leaving this country and the entire planet in a way that is habitable for our kids and grandchildren. The debate is over. The scientific community has spoken in a virtually unanimous voice. Climate change is real. It is caused by human activity and it is already causing devastating problems in the United States and around the world.

The scientists are telling us that if we do not boldly transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies, this planet could be five to ten degrees Fahrenheit warmer by the end of this century. This is catastrophic. It will mean more drought, more famine, more rising sea level, more floods, more ocean acidification, more extreme weather disturbances, more disease and more human suffering. We must not, we cannot, and we will not allow that to happen.

It is no secret that there is massive discontent with politics in America today. In the mid-term election in November, 63 percent of Americans did not vote, including 80 percent of young people. Poll after poll tells us that our citizens no longer have confidence in our political institutions and, given the power of Big Money in the political process, they have serious doubts about how much their vote actually matters and whether politicians have any clue as to what is going on in their lives.

Combatting this political alienation, this cynicism and this legitimate anger will not be easy. That’s for sure. But that is exactly what, together, we have to do if we are going to turn this country around – and that is what this campaign is all about.

And to bring people together we need a simple and straight-forward progressive agenda which speaks to the needs of our people, and which provides us with a vision of a very different America. And what is that agenda?

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: It begins with jobs. If we are truly serious about reversing the decline of the middle class we need a major federal jobs program which puts millions of Americans back to work at decent paying jobs. At a time when our roads, bridges, water systems, rail and airports are decaying, the most effective way to rapidly create meaningful jobs is to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. That’s why I’ve introduced legislation which would invest $1 trillion over 5 years to modernize our country’s physical infrastructure. This legislation would create and maintain at least 13 million good-paying jobs, while making our country more productive, efficient and safe. And I promise you as president I will lead that legislation into law.

I will also continue to oppose our current trade policies. For decades, presidents from both parties have supported trade agreements which have cost us millions of decent paying jobs as corporate America shuts down plants here and moves to low-wage countries. As president, my trade policies will break that cycle of agreements which enrich at the expense of the working people of this country.

Raising Wages: Let us be honest and acknowledge that millions of Americans are now working for totally inadequate wages. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage and must be raised. The minimum wage must become a living wage – which means raising it to $15 an hour over the next few years – which is exactly what Los Angeles recently did – and I applaud them for doing that. Our goal as a nation must be to ensure that no full-time worker lives in poverty. Further, we must establish pay equity for women workers. It’s unconscionable that women earn 78 cents on the dollar compared to men who perform the same work. We must also end the scandal in which millions of American employees, often earning less than $30,000 a year, work 50 or 60 hours a week – and earn no overtime. And we need paid sick leave and guaranteed vacation time for all.

Addressing Wealth and Income Inequality: This campaign is going to send a message to the billionaire class. And that is: you can’t have it all. You can’t get huge tax breaks while children in this country go hungry. You can’t continue sending our jobs to China while millions are looking for work. You can’t hide your profits in the Cayman Islands and other tax havens, while there are massive unmet needs on every corner of this nation. Your greed has got to end. You cannot take advantage of all the benefits of America, if you refuse to accept your responsibilities.

That is why we need a tax system which is fair and progressive, which makes wealthy individuals and profitable corporations begin to pay their fair share of taxes.

Reforming Wall Street: It is time to break up the largest financial institutions in the country. Wall Street cannot continue to be an island unto itself, gambling trillions in risky financial instruments while expecting the public to bail it out. If a bank is too big to fail it is too big to exist. We need a banking system which is part of the job creating productive economy, not a handful of huge banks on Wall Street which engage in reckless and illegal activities.

Campaign Finance Reform: If we are serious about creating jobs, about climate change and the needs of our children and the elderly, we must be deadly serious about campaign finance reform and the need for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. I have said it before and I’ll say it again. I will not nominate any justice to the Supreme Court who has not made it clear that he or she will move to overturn that disastrous decision which is undermining our democracy. Long term, we need to go further and establish public funding of elections.

Reversing Climate Change: The United States must lead the world in reversing climate change. We can do that if we transform our energy system away from fossil fuels, toward energy efficiency and such sustainable energies such as wind, solar, geo-thermal and bio-mass. Millions of homes and buildings need to be weatherized, our transportation system needs to be energy efficient, and we need a tax on carbon to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel.

Health Care for All: The United States remains the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care for all as a right. Despite the modest gains of the Affordable Care Act, 35 million Americans continue to lack health insurance and many more are under-insured. Yet, we continue paying far more per capita for health care than any other nation. The United States must join the rest of the industrialized world and guarantee health care to all as a right by moving toward a Medicare-for-All single-payer system.

Protecting Our Most Vulnerable: At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to keep their heads above water economically, at a time when senior poverty is increasing, at a time when millions of kids are living in dire poverty, my Republican colleagues, as part of their recently-passed budget, are trying to make a terrible situation even worse. If you can believe it, the Republican budget throws 27 million Americans off health insurance, makes drastic cuts in Medicare, throws millions of low-income Americans, including pregnant women off of nutrition programs, and makes it harder for working-class families to afford college or put their kids in the Head Start program. And then, to add insult to injury, they provide huge tax breaks for the very wealthiest families in this country while they raise taxes on working families.

Well, let me tell my Republican colleagues that I respectfully disagree with their approach. Instead of cutting Social Security, we’re going to expand Social Security benefits. Instead of cutting Head Start and child care, we are going to move to a universal pre-K system for all the children of this country. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt reminded us, a nation’s greatness is judged not by what it provides to the most well-off, but how it treats the people most in need. And that’s the kind of nation we must become.

College for All: And when we talk about education, let me be very clear. In a highly competitive global economy, we need the best educated workforce we can create. It is insane and counter-productive to the best interests of our country, that hundreds of thousands of bright young people cannot afford to go to college, and that millions of others leave school with a mountain of debt that burdens them for decades. That must end. That is why, as president, I will fight to make tuition in public colleges and universities free, as well as substantially lower interest rates on student loans.

War and Peace: As everybody knows, we live in a difficult and dangerous world, and there are people out there who want to do us harm. As president, I will defend this nation – but I will do it responsibly. As a member of Congress I voted against the war in Iraq, and that was the right vote. I am vigorously opposed to an endless war in the Middle East – a war which is unwise and unnecessary. We must be vigorous in combatting terrorism and defeating ISIS, but we should not have to bear that burden alone. We must be part of an international coalition, led by Muslim nations, that can not only defeat ISIS but begin the process of creating conditions for a lasting peace.

As some of you know, I was born in a far-away land called Brooklyn, New York. My father came to this country from Poland without a penny in his pocket and without much of an education. My mother graduated high school in New York City. My father worked for almost his entire life as a paint salesman and we were solidly lower-middle class. My parents, brother and I lived in a small rent-controlled apartment. My mother’s dream was to move out of that small apartment into a home of our own. She died young and her dream was never fulfilled. As a kid I learned, in many, many ways, what lack of money means to a family. That’s a lesson I have never forgotten.

I have seen the promise of America in my own life. My parents would have never dreamed that their son would be a U.S. Senator, let alone run for president. But for too many of our fellow Americans, the dream of progress and opportunity is being denied by the grind of an economy that funnels all the wealth to the top.

And to those who say we cannot restore the dream, I say just look where we are standing. This beautiful place was once an unsightly rail yard that served no public purpose and was an eyesore. As mayor, I worked with the people of Burlington to help turn this waterfront into the beautiful people-oriented public space it is today. We took the fight to the courts, to the legislature and to the people. And we won.

The lesson to be learned is that when people stand together, and are prepared to fight back, there is nothing that can’t be accomplished.

We can live in a country:
Where every person has health care as a right, not a privilege;
Where every parent can have quality and affordable childcare and where all of our qualified young people, regardless of income, can go to college;
Where every senior can live in dignity and security, and not be forced to choose between their medicine or their food;
Where every veteran who defends this nation gets the quality health care and benefits they have earned and receives the respect they deserve;
Where every person, no matter their race, their religion, their disability or their sexual orientation realizes the full promise of equality that is our birthright as Americans.

That is the nation we can build together, and I ask you to join me in this campaign to build a future that works for all of us, and not just the few on top.

Thank you, and on this beautiful day on the shore of Lake Champlain, I welcome you aboard.”

Source: Bernie for President 2016 Mike Huckabee 2016 Mike Huckabee 2016 May 5, 2015










Gov. Huckabee announces presidential run in hometown of Hope, Ark.

Huckabee: "I'm running for President because I know that there is a difference between making a speech and making government accountable to the people who pay for it."
Little Rock, Ark. - Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee announced today that he is running for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. He made the announcement in his hometown of Hope, Ark. in a speech titled "From Hope to Higher Ground." The following is the transcript of his speech:

"It's a long way from a little brick rent house on 2nd street in Hope, AR to the White House. But here in this small town called Hope, I was raised to believe that where a person started didn't mean that's where he had to stop. I always believed a kid could go from Hope to Higher Ground. Like a lot of Americans, I grew up in a small town far removed from the power, the money, and the influence that runs the country. But power and money and political influence have left a lot of Americans lagging behind. They work hard, lift heavy things and sweat through their clothes grinding out a living, but they can't seem to get ahead or in some cases, even stay even. My parents were like that. My Dad wasn't an educated man, but he was a smart man. He and my mother didn't have much, but they had honesty to the bone, and taught me the basic lesson of life that I was to do unto others as I would have others do unto me.

"It was here in Hope that I learned how to swim, how to ride a bike, how to read, how to work, and how to play fair. I learned the difference between right and wrong. I learned that God loves me as much as He loves anyone, but that He doesn't love some more than others. I learned about America. In Miss Mary's Kindergarten and Brookwood Elementary School, I learned the pledge of allegiance, the Lord's Prayer, and Preamble to the Constitution. We prayed at the start of each day and before lunch. I learned that this exceptional country could only be explained by the Providence of God. I learned how to handle a firearm and a fishing pole and spent many hours with both. I got my first BB gun at age five-a Daisy model 25 that I still have and that's in mint condition. I learned the basic rules of gun safety and never thought of using a firearm to murder someone.

"I ran trotlines all night at Bois D' Arc Lake with my Dad and Grandfather to catch catfish that we'd freeze and live off of for weeks. It was here I was baptized in the Garrett Memorial Baptist Church after accepting Jesus in a Vacation Bible School when I was ten years old. I truly went from Hope to Higher Ground. It was here that I met the girl who would become my wife of 41 years and give me three hildren and share what will soon be five grandchildren. We knew each other from elementary school and started dating our senior year of high school. It was here that I got a job at KXAR Radio at age 14 that would not only pay my way through school, but give me the opportunity to be mentored by Haskell Jones, the station manager and one of the few Republicans in the entire county. It was here that I became the first male in my family lineage to graduate from high school at the same campus that stands today and from here that I went on to college at Ouachita Baptist University. And it was here that I first ran for elected office when I ran for Student Council in Hope Junior High School. So it seems perfectly fitting that it would be here that I announce that I am a candidate for President of the United States of America.

"Eight years ago, a young, untested, inexperienced, and virtually unknown freshman Senator made great speeches about 'Hope and Change.' But eight years later, our debt has more than doubled, America's leadership in the world has evaporated, and the country is more polarized than ever in my lifetime. 93 million Americans don't have jobs, and many who do have seen the full time job with benefits they once had become two part time jobs with no benefits. We were promised hope, but it was just talk --- now we need the kind of change that really could get America from Hope to Higher Ground. Veterans who kept their promises to America and kept us free wait for months for our country to keep its promises to veterans for basic health care and assistance to cope with the scars of wars we sent them to fight. Our veterans should be getting the first fruits of our treasury-not the leftovers. If I'm President, our veterans won't be left on the streets and in waiting rooms to rot, but will be treated with the dignity they have earned and deserve. When I meet men with an American Legion cap or one that says "veteran", I try never to fail in saying "thank you for giving me my freedom!" But we owe them more than a pat on the back. We need to take them from Hope to higher ground.

"Washington is more dysfunctional than ever and has become so beholden to the donor class who fills the campaign coffers that it ignores the fact that one-in-four American families are paying more than half their income for housing. Home ownership is at the lowest level in decades and young people with heavy student debt aren't likely to afford their first home for a while. Our federal policies for affordable housing aren't designed to protect families, but to protect bureaucrats. A record number of people are enrolled in government operated help programs like food stamps, not because they want to be in poverty, but because they are part of the bottom earning 90% of American workers whose wages have been stagnant for 40 years. The war on poverty hasn't ended poverty; it's prolonged it. I don't judge the success of government by how many people are on assistance, but by how many people have good jobs and don't need government assistance. And we don't create good jobs for Americans by entering into unbalanced trade deals that forego Congressional scrutiny and looking the other way as the law is ignored so we can import low wage labor, undercut American workers, and drive wages lower than the Dead Sea.

"I governed in a state that was the most lopsided and partisan in the country-no Republican Governor had more Democrats and fewer Republicans. I challenged the deeply entrenched political machine that ran this state. It was tough sledding, but I learned how to govern and how to lead, and even in that environment we passed 94 tax cuts, rebuilt our road system, saw dramatic improvements in student test scores, and fought the corruption of the good ol' boy system so working class people would be given a fair shake. And we saw family income increase by 50% during my tenure.

"Some propose that to save safety nets like Medicare and Social Security, we need to chop off the payouts for the people who have faithfully had their paychecks and pockets picked by the politicians promising that their money would be waiting for them when they were old and sick.

"You were forced to pay for Social Security and Medicare for 50 years. The government grabs money from our paychecks and says it will be waiting for us when we turn 65. If Congress wants to take away someone's retirement, let them end their own Congressional pensions-not your Social Security. As President, I promise you will get what you paid for!

"How can anyone ever trust government again if they steal from us and lie to us? It didn't help when Congress took $700 Billion out of Medicare to pay for Obamacare. And instead of helping families find affordable health care, we created a monster that forces us to buy coverage we don't want, don't need, and can't afford. And imagine members of Congress boasting they will fight to repeal Obamacare and then turning around and signing up for it. Real health care reform will focus on prevention and cures rather than costly intervention. Hope comes from finding cures for cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's the same way we once lined up at the courthouse in the 50's and took our vaccines and eradicated polio. Cures could give real hope to families who hear a dreaded diagnosis and are sentenced to a slow and agonizing death. Alzheimer's Disease alone will cost well over $1 trillion by 2050. Focusing on cures instead of treatment saves money, lives, and families. I remember President Kennedy telling us we'd send a man to the moon and bring him home within the decade. President Kennedy didn't live to see that come true, but I did, and it made me believe America could do anything it set its mind to. As President, I'd launch a curative approach to health care and save money and lives-not government programs.

"We face real threats from radical jihadism in the form of savage groups like ISIS and state terrorists like Iran, but we put more pressure on our ally Israel to cease building bedrooms for their families in Judea and Samaria than we do on Iran for building a bomb. Dealing with radicals who chant death to America and who fund bombs and rockets to murder civilians in Israel is nonsense. But when I hear the current President say he wants Christians to get off their high horse so we can make nice with radical jihadists, I wonder if he could watch a western from the fifties and be able to figure out who the good guys and bad guys are! As President, I promise you that we will no longer merely try to CONTAIN jihadism; we will CONQUER it! We will deal with jihadis just as we would deal with deadly snakes. And let there be no doubt--Israel will know--as will the world--that we are their trusted friend, and the Ayatollahs of Iran will know that hell will freeze over before they ever get a nuclear weapon! And I will never, ever apologize for America!

"We face not only the threats from terrorism, but also the threat of new kinds of dangers, from a cyber war that could shut down major financial markets to threats of an electromagnetic pulse from an exploded device that could fry the electrical grid and take the country back to the Stone Age in a matter of minutes. Waiting until it happens is too late.

"But we've lost our way morally. We have witnessed the slaughter of over 55 million babies in the name of choice, and are now threatening the foundation of religious liberty by criminalizing Christianity in demanding that we abandon Biblical principles of natural marriage. Many of our politicians have surrendered to the false god of judicial supremacy, which would allow black-robed and unelected judges the power to make law and enforce it-upending the equality of our three branches of government and the separation of powers so very central to our Constitution. The Supreme Court is not the Supreme Being, and they can't overturn the laws of nature or of nature's God.

"Government in Washington is dysfunctional because it's become the roach motel-people go in, but they never come out. As President I'll fight for Term limits on all 3 branches of government. That would help return us to the Founders dream that serving the public would be a temporary duty-not a lucrative career with generous pensions and paychecks not available to the people who pay for them. And if someone is elected to an office, then give the taxpayers what they're paying for and what you said you wanted. If you live off the government payroll and want to run for an office other than the one you're elected to, then have the integrity and decency to resign the one you don't want and pursue the one you decided you'd rather have.

"As President, I would take seriously the 10th amendment and actually abide by it. Power was never intended to be so concentrated at the federal level. Our Constitution was explicitly clear about keeping the federal government small so it could focus on some simple things like providing a military and securing our borders. There are things being done at the federal level that should have been left in the hands of the states or even better, the families. There is no Constitutional authority to dictate education from the federal government. Why even have a federal department of education? It has flunked and it needs to be expelled. Education policy should be set by states, local school boards, and best of all, by the moms and dads of the children. Common sense tells us the best government is the most local and the most limited. We've supersized the federal bureaucracy, but we've downsized the military and left our borders open and uncontrolled. We need to address the immigration issue, but not with amnesty, but start by taking control of our own borders. But we ought to get on our knees every night and thank God we still live in a country people are trying to break into, instead of one they are trying to break out of.

"I'm running for President because I know that there is a difference between making a speech and making government accountable to the people who pay for it. You can't spend money you don't have or borrow money you can't afford to pay back. The federal government ought to live by the rules YOU have to live by and they should function under a balanced budget law like I had to every year I was a Governor. And I don't want to hear politicians talk about tinkering with the tax code and making little adjustments that still let powerful Washington interests pick the winners and losers. We can never create prosperity for working people, grow our economy out of the bottomless pit of debt, and move America back to the greatest economy on earth if we punish productivity and subsidize reckless irresponsibility. The man I met at a machine shop in New Hampshire told me of how he started working a double shift to help his daughter pay for grad school. He naturally figured that if he worked 16 hours a day instead of 8, he'd bring home twice the pay. But he found out that the money he worked for on that second shift put him in a new tax bracket and the government got more of it than he did. It's not that our tax system is punishing the richest people in America-they can afford accountants and lawyers who will find a way to protect them. It's the people working for wages who can't get ahead if the government penalizes them for trying to do better. As President, I'll work to pass the Fair Tax, which would no longer penalize people's work, their savings, their investments, or their good stewardship. And it would be the end of big government bailouts and most importantly, we finally rid ourselves of the biggest bully in America, the IRS. The IRS would disappear and April 15 would be just another beautiful spring day.

"The struggle for many families isn't helped when the government solution is fighting over what the MINIMUM wage should be. It's a race to the bottom to figure out what the government determines the least you can make. We need to be promoting the MAXIMUM wage, which is set by the worker who is willing to avail himself or herself of training for a job that pays a maximum amount. We will never break the cycle of poverty by pushing people to their minimum wage, but by empowering them to reach their maximum wage. That is how we take people from Hope to Higher Ground!

"This country has to do three things to stay free: Feed itself, Fuel itself, and Fight for itself. Our farmers and ranchers provide our food and fiber and we need to keep them from being regulated out of business; we have enough energy resources under our feet to bring affordable energy to America and become the largest exporter so that Americans prosper in developing the energy and aren't impoverished by paying for it when produced by a Saudi Sheik or a Russian robber-baron. And we need to be able to fight for ourselves by bringing manufacturing back to our communities where we make our own planes, tanks, bullets and bombs.

"The journey that begins in Hope today can lead this nation to Higher Ground, but I can't do it without people being my partners--many who have never been involved in politics before now. I never have been and won't be the favorite candidate of those in the "Washington to Wall Street" corridor of power. I will be funded and fueled not by the billionaires, but by working people across America who will find out that $15 and $25 a month contributions can take us from Hope to Higher Ground. If you want to give a million dollars, please do it, but most can't. But I will ask you to give something-in the name of your children and grandchildren.
I've walked away from my own income to do this, so I'm not asking you for a sacrifice I'm not willing to make. I don't have a global foundation or a taxpayer funded paycheck to live off of. I don't come from a family Dynasty, but a working family. I grew up blue collar and not blue blood. I ask you to join with me today not just so I can be President, but so we can preserve this great Republic and that someday YOUR children and grandchildren can still go from Hope to Higher Ground.

"I still remember when my Dad took me to the dedication of the newly constructed Bois D' Arc Lake, just a few miles from here, now named for Dr. Lester Sitzes, my best friend since 3rd grade. I was eight years-old and he said, "Son, the Governor is coming to dedicate the new lake and I'm going to take you there to hear him make a talk, because you might live your whole life and never get to meet a Governor in person." Had my Dad lived four months longer, he would have seen me do more than MEET a Governor. He would have seen me become the 44th Governor of my state. I always wished he could have been there and maybe spend the night in the Governor's Mansion, a place he never thought he'd get close to. I always wanted to feel that he did see that moment-from the best seat in the house! And I hope he's able to watch in January of 2017, when that bashful little kid from the orange brick rent house on 2nd Street is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. And with your help and God's, we will make that journey from Hope to Higher Ground."

Source: Mike Huckabee for President Ben Carson 2016 Ben Carson 2016 May 4, 2015










Ben Carson Announces Exploratory Committee

With the launch of this website, I formally establish what is called a presidential exploratory committee to examine whether I should become a candidate for President of the United States. In so doing, I very much need and look forward to your feedback and help.

All of us are frustrated with the way Washington has let us down. The career politicians simply don't understand the disappointment, anger and pain in real America. As they cater to the special interests first, they don't even seem to care about how failed policies and waste actually affect us, the people of the United States.

I think it's time for us to show them how much we do care about the job they are doing.

If I run for president it will be because I know what it's like to grow up in a tough neighborhood and feel marginalized.

If I run it will be because I know first hand that quality education is the ladder to climb out of poverty and dependence.

If I run it will be because I know the very survival of our great country depends on strong leadership to address our real concerns about security, about jobs, about America's standing in the world.

If I run it will be because it is not acceptable for us to be dismissed and ignored by Washington politicians who we entrusted to lead this country.

While I don't claim to have all the answers to every question that plagues us, I do have a passion to reach out, listen, and build common sense solutions to the problems that are holding us back as a nation. That's how America became great and how we can leave our children the opportunities that enable greatness in them.

I have spent most of my life caring for the health and well-being of children. Today, I am no longer their doctor, but I am more concerned about their future than ever. I worry. How will they get the education they need to find good jobs? Will there be jobs to find? Will the world be more dangerous than it is right now? How can they possibly pay off the massive debt we are piling on their shoulders?

Rest assured that if I run for president I will do so with only one goal in mind and that is to heal and strengthen this great nation. For over 200 years, all that has been asked of each generation of Americans is to leave this country better off than the one they inherited. This is our solemn duty. Together we can do better; we must, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

If I believe that I have your support and your commitment to help, I will run for president to lead this great country to a brighter future.

I will use these next few months to listen to you and prepare to answer that question myself.

Please sign up, and stay in touch with me at www.bencarson.com. Thank you and may God continue to bless America.

Ben Carson Facebook Message

I am pleased to announce that I have established a Presidential Exploratory Committee to examine whether I should become a candidate for President of the United States. If I believe that I have your support and your commitment to help, I will run for President to lead this great country to a brighter future. I will use these next few months to listen to you and prepare to answer that question myself. I look forward to traveling across this mighty nation to listen to your thoughts and ideas.

Ben Carson Twitter Message

I am pleased to announce that I have established a Presidential #ExploratoryCommittee http://www.bencarson.com #BenCarson

Meet Ben Carson

For over two hundred years all that has been asked of each generation of Americans is to leave this country better off than the one we inherited. This is our solemn duty. Together, we can do better and we must. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

If I believe that I have your support and your commitment to help, I will run for President to lead this great country to a brighter future.

Ben's Story

Ben Carson had a childhood dream of becoming a physician.

But growing up poor in a single-parent household in Detroit with bad grades and a horrible temper, the statistics were certainly not in his favor.

Fortunately, Ben’s mother, having only completed third grade herself, challenged her two children to reach beyond their meager circumstances through reading and building their knowledge of the world.

As he began to appreciate reading, Ben's grades improved dramatically and he started to develop what would become a life-long love affair with learning. Young Ben excelled in high school and upon completion, went on to attend college at Yale University where he met Candy, the young lady who would become his wife.
A Career of Service
Ben Carson observing charts Dr. Carson directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for 29 years.

After graduation, Ben would work as an X-ray technician, a bank teller, a school bus driver, a supervisor for highway cleanup crews, and a crane operator in a steel factory, before being accepted into The University of Michigan School of Medicine.

Ben and Candy were married, and after graduating medical school, Ben moved his family to Baltimore where he performed his residency training at the Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.

Little did he know at the time, but Johns Hopkins and Baltimore, Maryland would become his home for most of his career, as Dr. Carson went on to direct pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for 29 years.

Some of Dr. Carson's career highlights include the first and only successful separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head in 1987, the first completely successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins in 1997 in South Africa, and the first successful placement of an intrauterine shunt for a hydrocephalic twin.
Honors & Awards
Ben Carson receiving the Medal of Freedom Dr. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the land, in 2008.

In 2001, Dr. Carson was named by CNN and TIME Magazine as one of the nation’s 20 foremost physicians and scientists. That same year, he was selected by the Library of Congress as one of 89 “Living Legends.”

He is also the recipient of the 2006 Spingarn Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the NAACP. In June, 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor in the land.

Dr. Carson holds more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees, is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Science, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, and many other organizations.

He sat on the board of directors of numerous entities, including Kellogg Company, Costco Wholesale Corporation, the Academy of Achievement, and is an Emeritus Fellow of the Yale Corporation, the governing body of Yale University.

He was appointed in 2004 by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Council on Bioethics, and has spoken twice during the National Prayer Breakfast, in 1997 and again in 2013.
Giving Back

As a strong believer in the power of education, and alarmed by studies showing America’s students falling behind the rest of the world, Ben and Candy Carson founded the Carson Scholars Fund in 1994.

Built to reward young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments, the Carson Scholars Fund now operates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, having awarded over $6.2 million dollars to more than 6,200 scholars.

The program also establishes Carson Reading Rooms in schools across the country to encourage young students and their families to discover the pleasure of reading and to recognize the true power of learning. To date the program has established over 100 reading rooms in 14 states across the U.S.
Author & Thinker

Dr. Carson is a prolific writer and author, having published eight books, including his autobiography, Gifted Hands, and two titles that were New York Times Bestsellers, America the Beautiful, Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great, and One Nation, What We All Can Do to Save America's Future, which was on the New York Times Best Sellers List for twenty weeks, five of those weeks at #1. Gifted Hands was the subject of the award-winning, made-for-television movie under the same title as the book in which Cuba Gooding, Jr., played Dr. Carson in the leading role.

Source: Carson America Exploratory Committee Website Carly Fiorina 2016 Carly Fiorina 2016 May 4, 2015 Marco Rubio 2016 Marco Rubio 2016 April 13, 2015










Text of Marco Rubio's Announcement Speech

As Prepared for Delivery

Thank you.

After months of deliberation and prayer about the future of our country, I have come here tonight to make an announcement on how I believe I can best serve her.

I chose to make this announcement at the Freedom Tower because it is a symbol of our nation’s identity as the land of opportunity. And I am more confident than ever that despite our troubles, we have it within our power to make our time another American Century.

In this very room five decades ago, tens of thousands of Cuban exiles began their new lives in America. Their story is part of the larger story of the American miracle. How, united by a common faith in their God given right to go as far as their talent and work would take them, a collection of immigrants and exiles, former slaves and refugees, became one people, and together built the freest and most prosperous nation ever.

For almost all of human history, power and wealth belonged only to a select few. Most people who have ever lived were trapped by the circumstances of their birth, destined to live the life their parents had. But America is different. Here, we are the children and grandchildren of people who refused to accept this.

Both of my parents were born to poor families in Cuba. After his mother died when he was nine, my father left school to go work. My mother was one of seven girls raised by a disabled father who struggled to provide for his family.

When they were young, my parents had big dreams for themselves. But because they were not born into wealth or power, their future was destined to be defined by their past. So in 1956 they came here, to the one place on earth where the aspirations of people like them could be more than just dreams.

My father became a bartender. My mother a cashier, a maid and a Kmart stock clerk. They never made it big. But they were successful. Two immigrants with little money or education found stable jobs, owned a home, retired with security and gave all four of their children a life far better than their own.

My parents achieved what came to be known as the American Dream. But now, too many Americans are starting to doubt whether achieving that dream is still possible:

Hard working families living paycheck to paycheck, one unexpected expense away from disaster…

Young Americans, unable to start a career, a business or a family, because they owe thousands in student loans for degrees that did not lead to jobs…

And small business owners, left to struggle under the weight of more taxes, more regulations and more government.

Why is this happening in a country that for over two centuries has been defined by equality of opportunity?

Because while our people and economy are pushing the boundaries of the 21st century, too many of our leaders and their ideas are stuck in the twentieth century.

They are busy looking backward, so they do not see how jobs and prosperity today depend on our ability to compete in a global economy. So our leaders put us at a disadvantage by taxing, borrowing and regulating like it’s 1999.

They look for solutions in yesterday, so they don’t see that good-paying modern jobs require different skills and more education than the past. They blindly support an outdated higher education system that is too expensive and inaccessible to those who need it most.

And they have forgotten that when America fails to lead, global chaos inevitably follows, so they appease our enemies, betray our allies and weaken our military.

At the turn of the 19th century, a generation of Americans harnessed the power of the Industrial Age and transformed this country into the leading economy in the world. And the 20th century became the American Century.

Now, the time has come for our generation to lead the way toward a new American Century.

If we reform our tax code, reduce regulations, control spending, modernize our immigration laws and repeal and replace ObamaCare, the American people will create millions of better-paying modern jobs.

If we create a 21st century system of higher education that provides working Americans the chance to acquire the skills they need, that no longer graduates students with mountains of debt and degrees that do not lead to jobs, and that graduates more students from high school ready to work, then our people will be prepared to seize their opportunities in the new economy.

If we remember that family – not government – is the most important institution in society, that all life deserves protection, and that all parents deserve to choose the education that’s right for their children, then we will have a strong people and a strong nation.

And if America accepts the mantle of global leadership, by abandoning this administration’s dangerous concessions to Iran, and its hostility to Israel; by reversing the hollowing out of our military; by giving our men and women in uniform the resources, care and gratitude they deserve; by no longer being passive in the face of Chinese and Russian aggression; and by ending the near total disregard for the erosion of democracy and human rights around the world; then our nation will be safer, the world more stable, and our people more prosperous.

This election is not just about what laws we will pass. It is a generational choice about what kind of country we will be.

Just yesterday, a leader from yesterday began a campaign for President by promising to take us back to yesterday.

But yesterday is over, and we are never going back. We Americans are proud of our history, but our country has always been about the future. Before us now is the opportunity to author the greatest chapter yet in the amazing story of America.

We can’t do that by going back to the leaders and ideas of the past. We must change the decisions we are making by changing the people who are making them.

That is why today, grounded by the lessons of our history, and inspired by the promise of our future, I announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America.

My candidacy might seem improbable to some watching from abroad. In many countries, the highest office in the land is reserved for the rich and powerful. But I live in an exceptional country where even the son of a bartender and a maid can have the same dreams and the same future as those who come from power and privilege.

I recognize the challenges of this campaign, and the demands of the office I seek. But in this endeavor as in all things, I find comfort in the ancient command to, “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I have heard some suggest that I should step aside and wait my turn. But I cannot. Because I believe our very identity as an exceptional nation is at stake, and I can make a difference as President.

I am humbled by the realization that America doesn't owe me anything; but I have a debt to America I must try to repay. This isn't just the country where I was born; America is the place that changed my family’s history.

I regret my father did not live to see this day in person. He used to tell me all the time: En este pais, ustedes van a poder lograr todas las cosas que nosotros no pudimos.

“In this country, you will achieve all the things we never could.”

On days when I am tired or discouraged, I remember the sound of his keys jingling at the front door of our home, often well past midnight, as he returned from another long day at work. When I was younger, I didn't fully appreciate all he did for us, but now as my own children grow older, I fully understand.

My father was grateful for the work he had, but that was not the life he wanted for his children. He wanted all the dreams he once had for himself to come true for us. He wanted all the doors that closed for him to be open for me.

My father stood behind a small portable bar in the back of a room for all those years, so that tonight I could stand behind this podium in the front of this room.

That journey, from behind that bar to behind this podium, is the essence of the American Dream.

Whether or not we remain a special country will depend on whether that journey is still possible for those trying to make it now:

The single mother who works long hours for little pay so her children don’t have to struggle the way she has…

The student who takes two buses before dawn to attend a better school halfway across town…

The workers in our hotel kitchens, the landscaping crews in our neighborhoods, the late-night janitorial staff that clean our offices … and the bartenders who tonight are standing in the back of a room somewhere…

If their American Dreams become impossible, we will have become just another country. But if they succeed, the 21st Century will be another American Century. This will be the message of my campaign and the purpose of my presidency.

To succeed on this journey, I will need your prayers, your support, and ultimately, your vote. Tonight I am asking you to take that first step with me, by joining us at marcorubio.com.

My wife Jeanette and my four children are here tonight. The next 19 months will take me far from home. I will miss watching Amanda run track, Daniella play volleyball, Anthony play football and Dominick play soccer.

But I have chosen this course because this election is about them. Theirs is the most important generation in American history. If we can capture the promise of this new century they will be the freest and most prosperous Americans ever. But if we fail, they will be the first generation of Americans to inherit a country worse off than the one left for their parents.

The final verdict on our generation will be written by Americans not yet born. Let us make sure they record that we made the right choice. That in the early years of this century, faced with a rapidly changing and uncertain world, our generation rose to face the great challenges of our time.

And because we did, there was still one place in the world where who you come from does not determine how far you can go.

Because we did, the American miracle lived on.

And because we did, our children and theirs lived in a new American Century.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

###

Source: Marco Rubio for President Rand Paul 2016 Rand Paul 2016 April 7, 2015










RAND PAUL TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
A Different Kind of Republican, Will Defeat the Washington Machine to Unleash the American Dream

LOUISVILLE, KY - U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) today announced that he will seek the Republican nomination for President of the United States of America. Transcript as prepared for delivery can be found below.

TRANSCRIPT:

I have a message!

A message that is loud and clear and does not mince words!

We've come to take our country back!

We've come to take our country back from the special interests that use Washington as their personal piggy bank.

The special interests that are more concerned with their personal welfare than the general welfare.

The Washington machine that gobbles up our freedoms and invades every nook and cranny of our lives ---must be stopped!

Less than 5 years ago, I stood just down the road in Bowling Green and said those same words after I won my primary.

I wasn't supposed to win. No one thought I would. Some people asked me then -- why are you running?

The answer is the same now as it was then.

I have a vision for America. I want to be part of a return to prosperity. A true economic boom that lifts all Americans.

A return to a government restrained by The Constitution. A return to privacy,
opportunity and liberty!

Too often, when Republicans have won, we've squandered our victory by becoming part of the Washington machine.

That's not who I am. That's not why I ran for office for the first time, just a few years ago.

The truth is, I loved my life as a small town doctor.

Every day when I woke up, I felt lucky to be able to do the things I loved. More importantly, I was blessed to be able to do things that made a difference in people's lives as a physician...

I never could have done any of this without the help of my parents who are here today. I'd like you to join me in thanking my Mom and Dad for all their help and support through the years...

With my parents help, I was able to make it through long years of medical training to finally become an eye surgeon.

For me, there is nothing that compares with helping someone see better.

Last August, I traveled to Guatemala on a medical mission trip, and together with a team of surgeons from across the US, operated on more than two hundred people who were blind or nearly blind from cataracts. I was grateful to be able to put on my scrubs, peer into the oculars of the microscope, and focus on the task at hand - to take a surgical approach and fix a problem!

One day, in Guatemala, a man arrived and told me that I had operated on his wife the day before.

His wife could see clearly for the first time in years and she had begged him to get on the bus with her and travel the winding mountain roads back to our temporary surgery center.

He too, was nearly blind from hardened cataracts. After his surgery the next morning, his wife sat beside me as I unveiled the patch from his eyes.

It was a powerful, emotional moment for me to see them looking at each other clearly for the first time in years.

To see the face they loved again. As I saw the joy on their eyes, I
thought: this
is why I became a doctor.

In that moment, I also remembered my grandmother, who inspired me to become an eye surgeon.

She spent hours with me as a child, telling me stories as we sorted through her old coin collections, looking for wheat pennies and Indian Heads.

As her vision began to fail, I became her eyes to inspect the faintness of mintmarks on old weather-worn coins.

I went with my grandmother to the ophthalmologist, as she had her corneas replaced.

I was also with her when she received the sad news that macular degeneration had done irreparable damage to her eyes.

My hope that my grandmother would see again made me want to become an eye surgeon...to make a difference in people's lives.

I have been fortunate to be able to enjoy the American Dream. I worry, though, that opportunity and hope are slipping away for our sons and daughters.

As I watch our once great economy collapse under mounting spending and debt, I think, what kind of America will our grandchildren see?

It seems to me that both parties and the entire political system are to blame.

Big government and debt doubled under a Republican administration and is now tripling under Barack Obama's watch.

President Obama is on course to add more debt than all the previous Presidents in
history-- combined.

We borrow a million dollars a minute. This vast accumulation of debt threatens not just our economy, but our security.

We can wake up now and do the right thing --- quit spending money we don't have
-- or we can stand idly by and watch our once great nation wither and fail.

This message of liberty is for Americans from all walks of life.

The message of liberty, opportunity and justice is for all Americans, whether you wear a suit, a uniform or overalls, whether you're white or black, rich or poor.

In order to restore America . . . one thing is for certain:

We cannot, we must not, dilute our message or give up our principles!

If we nominate a candidate who is simply "Democrat-lite," what's the point? Why bother?

We need to boldly proclaim our vision for America!

We need to go boldly forth under a banner of liberty that clutches the Constitution in one hand, and the Bill of Rights in the other!

Washington is horribly broken. I fear it cannot be fixed from within.
We, the people,
must rise up and demand action.

Congress will never balance the budget unless you force them to do so.

Congress has an abysmal record with balancing anything.

Our only recourse is to force Congress to balance the budget with a Constitutional Amendment!

I have been to Washington and let me tell you -- there is no monopoly of knowledge there.

I ran for office because we have too many career politicians.

I believe it now more than ever.

We limit the President to two terms. It's about time we limit the terms of Congress!

I want to reform Washington. I want common sense rules that will break the log-jam in Congress.

That's why I introduced a Read the Bills Act.

The bills are thousands of pages long. And no one reads them. They are often plopped on our desks only a few hours before a vote.

I've proposed something truly extraordinary...

Let's Read the bills, every page!

From the time I was a very young boy, I was taught to love and to appreciate America.
Love of liberty pulses in my veins.

Not because we have beautiful mountains or white sand beaches, and not because of our abundance of resources, it's more visceral than that.

Our great nation was founded upon the extraordinary notion that government should be restrained and freedom should be expanded.

America, to me, is that beacon.

We are unique among nations in that our country stands for freedom.

Freedom nurtured our country from a rebellious group of colonies into the world's greatest nation.

When tyranny threatened the world, America led the way to rid the world of Nazi and Fascist regimes during World War Two.

Resolutely, we stood decade after decade against Communism -- the engine of capitalism finally winning out against the sputtering, incompetent engine of socialism.

We won the Cold War. America and Freedom are so intertwined that people literally are dying to come to America.

The freedom we've fostered in America has unleashed genius and advancement like never before.

Yet, our great nation still needs new ideas and new answers to old problems.

From an early age, I worked. I taught swimming lessons, mowed lawns and did landscaping.
I put roofs on houses. I painted houses.

I never saw work as punishment. Work always gave me a sense of who I am. Self-esteem can't be given, it must be earned. Work is not punishment. Work IS the reward.

Two of my sons work minimum wage jobs while they go to college. I am proud of them as I see them realize the value of hard work. I can see their self-esteem grow as they cash their paychecks.

I have a vision for America where everyone who wants to work will have a job!

Many Americans, though, are being left behind. The reward of work seems beyond their grasp. Under the watch of both parties - the poor seem to get poorer and the rich get richer.

Trillion dollar government stimulus packages have only widened the income gap.

Politically connected cronies get taxpayer dollars by the hundreds of millions, and poor families across America continue to suffer.

I have a different vision. An ambitious vision. A vision that will offer opportunity to all Americans, especially those who have been left behind.

My plan includes, Economic Freedom Zones to allow impoverished areas like Detroit, West Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky to prosper by leaving more money in the pockets of the people who live there, by helping these poverty stricken areas to bail themselves out.

Can you imagine what a billion-dollar stimulus could do for Detroit?
Or for Appalachia?

I am convinced that most Americans want to work. I want to free up the great engine of American prosperity.

I want to see millions of Americans back at work.

In my vision for America, we'll bring back manufacturing jobs that pay well.

How?

We will dramatically lower the tax on American companies that wish to bring profits home.

More than $2 TRILLION dollars in American profit currently sits overseas.

In my vision for America, new highways and bridges will be built across the country
-- not by raising your taxes but by lowering the repatriation tax and putting that revenue into the highway fund.

This tax cut has bipartisan support. Even in this polarized Congress, we have a chance of passing this.

I say, let's bring $2 trillion dollars home...to America... now!!

Liberal policies have failed our inner cities. Our schools are not equal and the poverty gap continues to widen.

Martin Luther King spoke of two Americas. He described them as "two starkly different American experiences that exist side by side."

In one America people experience "the opportunity of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

In the other America, people experience a "daily ugliness" that dashes hope and leaves only "the fatigue of despair."

Although I was born into the America that experiences and believes in opportunity, my trips to Detroit, Appalachia, and Chicago have revealed what I call an 'undercurrent of unease.'

It is time for a new way, a way predicated on justice, opportunity and freedom!

Those of us who have enjoyed the American Dream must break down the wall that separates us from "the other America."

I want all our children to have the same opportunities that I had. We need to stop limiting kids in poor neighborhoods to failing public schools and offer school choice, not just for the privileged, but for everyone!

It won't happen, though, unless we realize that we can't borrow our way to prosperity.

Currently some $3 trillion comes in to the U.S. Treasury in taxes.

Couldn't the country survive on just $3 trillion dollars?

I propose we do something truly extraordinary -- let's just spend what comes in!

In my Vision for America, Freedom and prosperity at home can only be achieved if we defend against enemies who are dead-set on attacking America.

Without question, we must defend ourselves and American interests from our enemies.

Until we name the enemy, we can't win the war. The enemy is a barbarous aberration.

The enemy is Radical Islam and not only will I name the enemy, I will do what ever it takes to defend America from these haters of mankind!

We need a National Defense robust enough to defend against all attack, modern enough to deter all enemies, and nimble enough to defend our vital interests.

But we also need a foreign policy that protects American interests and encourages stability -- not chaos!

At home conservatives understand that government is the problem, not the solution.

Conservatives should not succumb to the notion that a government inept at home will somehow succeed in building nations abroad.

I envision an America with a National Defense unparalleled, undefeatable, and unencumbered by overseas nation building!

I envision a National Defense that promotes, as Reagan put it, 'Peace through Strength.'

I believe in applying Ronald Reagan's approach to foreign policy to the Iran issue.

Successful negotiations with untrustworthy adversaries are only achieved from a position of strength.

We brought Iran to the table from strength, through sanctions I voted for.

Now we must stay strong. That's why I co-sponsored legislation that insures that any deal between the US and Iran must be approved by Congress.

Not only is that good policy, it is the law.

It concerns me that the Iranians have a different interpretation of the agreement than the Obama state department. It concerns me that they may attempt to unilaterally and prematurely halt sanctions.

I will oppose any deal that does not end Iran's nuclear ambitions and have strong verification measures. I will insist that any final version be brought before Congress.

The difference between President Obama and myself-he seems to think you can negotiate from a position of weakness.

Yet, everyone needs to realize that negotiations are not inherently bad, that trust but verify is required in any negotiation but that our goal always should be and always is . . . peace not war!

We must realize, though, that we do not project strength by borrowing money from China to send it to Pakistan.

Let's quit building bridges in foreign countries and use that money to build some bridges here at home!

It angers me to see mobs burning our flag and chanting death to America in countries that receive millions of dollars of our foreign aid.

I say it must end. I say not one penny more to these haters of America!

To defend our country, we need to gather intelligence on the enemy.

But when the Intelligence Director is not punished for lying under oath, how are we to trust our government agencies?

Warrantless searches of American's phone and computer records are un-American and a threat to our civil liberties.

I say, that your phone records are yours. I say the phone records of law-abiding citizens -- are none...of their damn...business!

The President created this vast dragnet by Executive Order. As President...on day one...I will immediately end this unconstitutional surveillance!

I believe we can have liberty and security, and I will not compromise your liberty for a false sense of security. Not now... not ever!

We must defend ourselves, but we must never give up who we are as a people, we must never diminish the Bill of Rights as we fight this long war against evil.

We must believe in our founding documents. We must protect economic and personal liberty again.

America has much greatness left in her.

We are still exceptional and we are still a beacon for the world. We will thrive when we believe in ourselves again.

I see an America strong enough to deter foreign aggression, yet wise enough to avoid unnecessary intervention.

I see an America where criminal justice is applied equally, and any law that disproportionately incarcerates people of color is repealed!

I see an America with a restrained IRS that cannot target and harass American citizens for their political or religious beliefs.

I see a simplified flat tax that unburdens our citizens.

I see our big cities once again shining and beckoning with creativity and ingenuity, with American companies offering American jobs.

With your help, this message will ring from coast to coast -- a message of liberty, justice and personal responsibility.

Today begins the journey to take back America, to rescue a great country, now adrift.

Join me as together we seek a new vision for America!

Today, I announce, with God's help,

...with the help of liberty-lovers everywhere . . .

That I am putting myself forward as a candidate for President of the United States of America. . .

If you love liberty, Stand with me!

If you want the Bill of Rights to guarantee justice for all, Stand with me!

If you want to defeat the Washington machine, Stand with me!

God bless you. God Bless America.

###

Source: Rand Paul for President Ted Cruz 2016 Ted Cruz 2016 March 23, 2015










Ted Cruz Chooses Carly Fiorina as Vice Presidential Running Mate

Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced that former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina would be his Vice Presidential running mate. As a groundbreaking executive and the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company, Fiorina brings a record of innovation and tremendous leadership to the Cruz campaign. An outsider to politics, Fiorina adds a fresh perspective to the difficult challenges America faces and has a solutions-oriented approach that is desperately needed in the federal government.

“In choosing the person I believe would honorably and faithfully serve in the office of the Vice President – the person who under our Constitution could ascend either temporarily or permanently to the presidency – there must be a higher criteria, and that criteria must be this: will that person keep the faith and trust of the American people?” Ted Cruz said. “For all the enormously impressive qualities I saw in others whom I considered for the office of the Vice Presidency of the United States, I found a clear choice:

“One who has never been afraid to stand up to the insider status quo. Who knows the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution because this leader has lived them – a life dedicated to the dignity of work, of our right to pursue our wildest aspirations – and to help others do the same. And a leader who understands that power never has and never will come from the government – here in the United States it comes from the people.

“Who respects the people, who has worked alongside them, and who will serve them with an unbreakable purpose of protecting every one of their rights – and making sure that the America we hand to our kids and grandkids is better than the one before us today.

“For the 13 months of this race, there has been a proven, consistent, courageous fighter. A fighter who terrifies Hillary. And who will do the same to our enemies. And that’s why I am proud to announce Carly Fiorina as my Vice Presidential running mate.”

“Ted Cruz is a constitutional conservative who has made enemies in both parties standing up to the bipartisan corruption in Washington,” said Carly Fiorina. “He has fought to change the system. He kept his word to the people of Texas, and I know, if elected, he will keep his word and bring back American jobs, defend our nation, and protect our constitutional freedoms.

“Make no mistake: this is a fight now. Ted and I can't do this without your help. And this is about all of us. It's about whether we want our kids to be able to get a good paying job when they get out of school. It's about whether we want to turn our backs on religious liberty and our second amendment. It's about whether we want to live in a nation that secures its borders and calls Islamic terrorism by its name. It is about whether we believe America must lead again in the world.

“This is why we fight. Join us. And let's elect Ted Cruz the next President of the United States.”

Source: Ted Cruz for President Rick Perry 2016 Rick Perry 2016 June 4, 2015










Governor Rick Perry Announces For President

Austin – Today, Gov. Rick Perry announced his candidacy for President of the United States of America during a speech in Addison, Texas. Here are Gov. Perry’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thank you. I was born five years after the end of a global war that killed more than 60 million people.

I am the son of a veteran of that war, who flew 35 missions over war-torn Europe as a tail gunner on a B-17.

When dad returned home, he married mom, and they started a life together.

They were tenant farmers.

They were raised during a time of great hardship, and had little expectation beyond living in peace, putting a roof over our heads and putting food on our table.

Home was a place called Paint Creek. Too small to be called a town, but it was the center of my universe.

For years we had an outhouse, and mom bathed us in a number two washtub on the back porch. She also hand-sewed my clothes until I went off to college.

I attended Paint Creek Rural School, grades one through 12. I played 6-man football. I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 48, became an Eagle Scout, and went off to Texas A&M where I was a member of the Corps of Cadets and an animal science major.

I was proud to wear the uniform of our country as an Air Force officer and aircraft commander.

After serving, I returned home to the rolling plains and big skies of West Texas, and I returned to farming.

There is no person on earth more optimistic than a dryland cotton farmer. We always know a good rain is just around the corner, no matter how long we’d been waiting.

The values learned on my family’s cotton farm are timeless: the dignity of work, the integrity of your word, responsibility to community, the unbreakable bonds of family, and duty to country.

These are enduring values. Not the product of some idyllic past, but a touchstone of American life in our small towns, our largest cities, our booming suburbs.

I have seen American life from the red dirt of a West Texas cotton field, from a campus in College Station, from the elevated view of a C-130 cockpit, and from the Governor’s office of the Texas Capitol.

I served a small rural community in the Texas Legislature, and I led the world’s 12th largest economy.

I know that America has experienced great change, but what it means to be an American has never changed: we are the only nation in the world founded on the power of an idea that all “are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Our rights come from God, not from government, and our people are not the subjects of government, but instead government is subject to the people.

It has always been the case that there has been a social compact between one generation of Americans and the next: to pass along an inheritance of a stronger country full of greater promise and possibility.

And that social compact has been protected at great sacrifice. This was never more clear to me than when I took my father to the American cemetery that overlooks the bluffs at Omaha beach.

On that peaceful, wind-swept setting, there lie 9,000 graves, including 45 pairs of brothers, 33 of whom are buried side by side, a father and a son, two sons of a president. They all traded their future for ours in a final act of loving sacrifice.

In that American Cemetery, it is no accident each headstone faces west: west over the Atlantic, towards the nation they defended, the nation they loved, the nation they would never come home to.

It struck me as I stood in the midst of those heroes that they look upon us in silent judgment. And that we must ask ourselves: are we worthy of their sacrifice?

The truth is we are at the end of an era of failed leadership.

We have been led by a divider who has sliced and diced the electorate, pitting American against American for political purposes.

Six years into the so-called recovery, and our economy is barely growing. This winter, it actually got smaller.

Our economic slowdown is not inevitable, it is the direct result of bad economic policy.

The president’s tax and regulatory policies have slammed shut the door of opportunity for the average American trying to climb the economic ladder, resigning the middle class to stagnant wages, personal debt, and deferred dreams.

Weakness at home has led to weakness abroad.

The world has descended into a chaos of this president’s own making, while his White House loyalists construct an alternative universe where ISIS is contained and Ramadi is merely a “setback” – where the nature of the enemy can’t be acknowledged for fear of causing offense, where the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran, can be trusted to live up to a nuclear agreement.

No decision has done more harm than the president’s withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

Let no one be mistaken, leaders of both parties have made grave mistakes in Iraq. But in January, 2009 – when Barack Obama became Commander-in-Chief – Iraq had been largely pacified.

America had won the war. But our president failed to secure the peace.

How callous it seems now as cities once secured with American blood are now being taken by America’s enemies, all because of a campaign slogan.

I saw during Vietnam a war where politicians didn’t keep faith with the sacrifices and courage of America’s fighting men and women, where men were ordered into combat without the full support of their civilian commanders.

To see it happen again, 40 years later, because of political gamesmanship and dishonesty, is a national disgrace.

But my friends, we are a resilient country. We have been through a Civil War, we’ve been through two world wars, we’ve made it through a Great Depression – we even made it through Jimmy Carter. We will make it through the Obama years.

The fundamental nature of this country is our people never stay knocked down. We get back up, we dust ourselves off, and we move forward. And we will again.

I want to share some important truths with my fellow Americans, starting with this truth: we don’t have to settle for a world in chaos or an America that shrinks from its responsibilities.

We don’t have to apologize for American exceptionalism, or western values.

We don’t have to accept slow growth that leaves behind the middle class, and leaves millions of Americans out of work.

We don’t have to settle for crumbling bureaucracies that target taxpayers and harm our veterans.

And we don’t have to resign ourselves to debt, decay and slow growth.

We have the power to make things new again. To project American strength again, to get our economy going again.

And that is why today I am running for the presidency of the United States of America.

It is time to create real jobs, to raise wages, to create opportunity for all. To give every citizen a stake in this country. To restore hope, real hope to forgotten Americans, millions of middle class families who have given up hope of getting ahead, millions of workers who have given up hope of finding a job.

Yes, it’s time for a reset, time to reset the relationship between government and citizen.

Think of the arrogance of Washington, DC, representing itself as some beacon of wisdom, with policies smothering this vast land with no regard for what makes each state and community unique. That's just wrong.

We need to return power to the states, and freedom to the individual.

Today our citizens and entrepreneurs are burdened by over-regulation and unspeakable debt.

Debt is not just a fiscal nightmare, it is a moral failure. Let me speak to the millennial generation: massive debt, passed on from our generation to yours, is a breaking of the social compact.

You deserve better. I am going to offer a responsible plan to fix the entitlement system, and to stop this theft from your generation.

To those forgotten Americans drowning in personal debt, working harder for wages that don’t keep up with the rising cost of living, I come here today to say your voice is heard.

I know you face rising health care costs, rising child care costs, skyrocketing tuition costs, and mounting student loan debt. I hear you, and I am going to do something about it.

To the one in five children in families on food stamps, to the one in seven Americans living in poverty, to the one in ten workers who are unemployed, under-employed or given up hope of finding a job: I hear you, you are not forgotten.

I am running to be your president.

For small businesses on Main Street struggling to just get by, smothered by regulations, targeted by Dodd-Frank: I hear you, you’re not forgotten. Your time is coming.

The American People see a rigged game, where insiders get rich, and the middle class pays the tab.

There is something wrong when the Dow is near record highs, and businesses on Main Street can’t even get a loan.

Since when did capitalism involve the elimination of risk for the biggest banks while regulations strangle our community banks?

Capitalism is not corporatism. It is not a guarantee of reward without risk. It is not about Wall Street at the expense of Main Street.

The reason I am running for president is I know for certain our country’s best days lie ahead. There is nothing wrong in America today that cannot be fixed with new leadership.

We are just a few good decisions away from unleashing economic growth, and reviving the American Dream.

We need to fix a tax code riddled with loopholes that sends jobs overseas and punishes success.

We have the highest corporate tax rate in the western world. It is time to reduce the rate, bring jobs home and lift wages for working families.

By the time this Administration has finished with its experiment in big government, they will have added more than 600,000 pages of new regulations to the Federal Register.

On my first day in office, I will issue an immediate freeze on all pending regulations from the Obama administration. That same day, I will send to Congress a comprehensive reform and rollback of job-killing mandates created by Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and other Obama-era policies.

Agencies will have to live under strict regulatory budgets. And health insurers will have to earn the right to your money, instead of lobbying Washington to force you to hand it over.

On day one, I will also sign an executive order approving the construction of the Keystone Pipeline.

Energy is vital to our economy, and to our national security. On day one, I will sign an executive order authorizing the export of American natural gas and oil, freeing our European allies from dependence on Russia’s energy supplies.

Vladimir Putin uses energy to hold our allies hostage. If energy is going to be used as a weapon, I say America must have the largest arsenal.

We will unleash an era of economic growth, and limitless opportunity. We will rebuild American industry. And we will lift wages for American workers.

It can be done because it has been done in Texas.

During my 14 years as governor, Texas companies created almost one-third of all new American jobs.

In the last seven years of my tenure, Texas created 1.5 million new jobs. Without Texas, America would have lost 400,000 jobs.

We were the engine of growth because we had a simple formula: control taxes and spending, implement smart regulations, invest in an educated workforce, and stop frivolous lawsuits.

Texas now has the second highest high school graduation rate in the country and the highest graduation rates for African-American and Hispanic students.

We led the nation in exports, including high-tech exports. We passed historic tax relief, and I was proud to sign balanced budgets for 14 years.

We not only created opportunity, we stood for law and order.

When there was a crisis at our border last year and the president refused my invitation to see the challenge that we faced, I told him, “Mr. President, if you won’t secure the border, Texas will.”

Because of the threat posed by drug cartels and trans-national gangs, I deployed the Texas National Guard.

The policy worked. Apprehensions declined by 74 percent. If you elect me your president,
I will secure this border.

Homeland security begins with border security. The most basic compact between a president and the people is to keep the country safe.

The great lesson of history is strength and resolve bring peace and order, and weakness and vacillation invite chaos and conflict.

My very first act as president will be to rescind any agreement with Iran that legitimizes their quest to get a nuclear weapon.

Now is the time for clear-sighted, proven leadership. We have seen what happens when we elect a president based on media acclaim rather than a record of accomplishment.

This will be a “show-me, don’t tell me” election, where voters look past the rhetoric to the real record.

The question of every candidate will be this one: when have you led? Leadership is not a speech on the senate floor, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.

And we will not find the kind of leadership needed to revitalize the country by looking to the political class in Washington.

I have been tested. I have led the most successful state in America. I have dealt with crisis after crisis – from the disintegration of a space shuttle, to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, to the crisis at the border, and the first diagnosis of Ebola in America.

I have brought together first responders, charities and people of faith to house and heal vulnerable citizens dealing with tragedy.

The spirit of compassion demonstrated by Texans is alive all across America today. While we have experienced a deficit in leadership, among the American People there is a surplus of spirit.

And among our great people, there is a spirit of selflessness – that we live to make the world better for our children, and not just ourselves.

It was said that when King George the Third asked what General Washington would do upon winning the war, he was told he would return to his farm and relinquish power. To that, the monarch replied, if he did that, he would be the greatest man of his age.

George Washington lived in the service of a cause greater than self.

If anyone is wondering if America still possesses the character of selfless heroes, I am here to say, “Yes, I am surrounded by such heroes.”

They are of different generations, but they are woven together by the same thread of selfless sacrifice.

They are heroes like Medal of Honor Recipient Mike Thornton, who survived an ambush by enemy forces in Vietnam, and made it back to the safety of a water rescue, only to find out a fellow team member had been left behind, presumed dead.

He didn’t leave though, he returned through enemy fire and retrieved Lieutenant Norris who was still alive – and then swam for two hours keeping his wounded teammate afloat until they were rescued.

Heroes like Marcus Luttrell, who survived a savage attack on the side of a mountain in Afghanistan, losing his three teammates and 16 fellow warriors shot down trying to rescue him.

He is not just the lone survivor, to Anita and me he is a second son.

And Taya Kyle, who suffered the deep loss of her husband Chris, an American hero. When I think of Taya Kyle, I think of a brave woman who carries not just the lofty burden of Chris’ legacy, but the grief of every family who has lost a loved one to the great tragedy of war, or its difficult aftermath. Anita and I want to thank her for her tremendous courage.

America is an extraordinary country. Our greatness lies not in our government, but in our people.

Each day Americans demonstrate tremendous courage. But many of those Americans have been knocked down and are looking for a second chance.

Let's give them that chance. Let’s give them real leadership. Let’s give them a future greater than the greatest days of our past.

Let’s give them a president who leads us in the direction of our highest hopes, our best dreams and our greatest promise.

Thank you, and God bless you.

###
Source: Rick Perry for President

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