I, for one, have supported Governor Perry since May of 2011. Longer than some, shorter than others. I dissent and repudiate the remarks of Mr. Erickson.

As I taste the sands of defeat in my mouth so bloodied by punches and kicks, I see nothing more than the eroding freedom happening right before me on these sands. I taste not blood, but bitter body parts from those who have lost their lives to defend our freedom. I taste them, and feel the souls that look down on us from heaven waiting for us to act on the power they have sacrified their blossoming lives for us to achieve.

I assure you all, we may face defeat on Saturday: we shall not face defeat in the end, however. I see no more than prosperity ahead, but what is required along with it. Thirty six years ago, Gerald Ford narrowly defeated Ronald Reagan. He spoke of a letter he’d been asked to write that would be buried and read 100 years from that point. Most importantly, he asked if we would meet our collective and individual challenge ahead so they will be able to enjoy the freedoms we do. We, in those long thirty six years, have failed. We have not met our challenge, we have failed and repeated that time and time again. Though God has provided us with the resources to do the opposite, we have failed.

We as a collective people and as individuals, have not met the task we were assigned to by ensuring greater freedom is applied to those future generations. There is no other way to phrase it, frame it or cook it. But although hope seems on its deathbed, we only seem to be those thirty six years in–there is time. In these thirty six years we’ve retreated so the entrenching evil of communism, Islamism and liberalism has invaded our freedoms. We’ve run away at battle though our motto is peace through strength.

All of those who could have helped stop 2012′s defeat, ran away and took no chances. Those who failed at that, followed the lazy river and bothered not to endorse again when their nation called them. In the end, we know where the truth and faith belongs. It will be a much longer route to recovery; it will be an even longer route towards meeting the challenge we have been asked to meet. It all, in summary, depends on sticking out the fight and stopping with practicality and fighting the extreme route.

I remind you: extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice.

Franky Boy was caught on camera.

“Rick Perry is George Bush without the intellect.”

And then, once he was caught and realized there were cameras, he gives a great little remark to the guy that was recording it:

“Take your suit and go. This is a private conversation!”

Something tells me these two opinions–as well as the ego– are quite common at Faux News.

Oh, this is going to be FUN. Either one of two things happen now for supports: 1) They abandon him because they realize he’s a big government conservative; 2) They start supporting SOPA as “logical.”

“My general feeling is that we have a free market and a free market that works; but, like any freedom–there has to be regulation….”

Watch the entire thing. I’d thought he would just say “I’m not familiar with it.” But, no, he continues on and on about how it needs regulation.

EDIT:

There have been some people on Twitter saying the title is misleading. This is incorrect. In the video Santorum says “in regards to that specific bill.. I can’t say I have an opinion of it. However, I can give you an idea of what I’ve always said… that there are limits to the the freedom on the internet.” From there, he continues on with his nonsense about how we need to regulate away pornography and piracy. Which, of course, is SOPA itself.

~ Constitutional.

Oh, this is going to be FUN. Either one of two things happen now for supports: 1) They abandon him because they realize he’s a big government conservative; 2) They start supporting SOPA as “logical.”

“My general feeling is that we have a free market and a free market that works; but, like any freedom–there has to be regulation….”

Watch the entire thing. I’d thought he would just say “I’m not familiar with it.” But, no, he continues on and on about how it needs regulation.

EDIT:

There have been some people on Twitter saying the title is misleading. This is incorrect. In the video Santorum says “in regards to that specific bill.. I can’t say I have an opinion of it. However, I can give you an idea of what I’ve always said… that there are limits to the the freedom on the internet.” From there, he continues on with his nonsense about how we need to regulate away pornography and piracy. Which, of course, is SOPA itself.

~ Constitutional.

A lot of people don’t believe Rick Perry’s a conservative. Well, those people are wrong. They’re dead wrong. I don’t care what you say, or where you come from with some jimmy-rigged information from the bottom of a barrel concerning dead pigeons and a shot gun linking back to Rick Perry with the letter L on it. It doesn’t stand for Liberal; it stands for Liberty.

It’s time some one ran through every little nitpick on Rick Perry. I refuse to let this man fail without a fight from myself. God put Rick in this race, and now it’s time for all of us to fight for him.

Part One: Burning the falsehoods:

He’s Been in Texas Government Far Too Long:

Maybe. But look what he’s gotten done. If Rick Perry had been expelled back into the life of a tenant farmer, there would be one shining and outstanding farm in Texas–but I’m not so sure we can say the same for the entire government. Likely, Kay Bailey Hutchinson would be governor and the whole state would look very much like Washington, D.C.

But, to even further the point of “time in state government,” we have to look at Sarah Palin. Now, a lot of her supporters and a lot of Rick Perry supporters overlap; however, some do not. A common argument against Governor Perry–ironically– by Palin supporters is this issue we’re discussing: but what they neglect to realize is that Palin herself has been in political life for quite some time.

Incidentally, Sarah Palin has been in politics since 1992–when she was “Member of the Wasilla City Council from Seat E.” Although she stayed there for four years, she moved on to be mayor of Wasilla, Alaska for six years; after that, “Chairperson of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission” for a year and, after a brief break, 3 years of a governorship; plus, there’s her time since 2009 in pundit-life. That is, interestingly enough, a total of about 18 years in political life. Meanwhile, Governor Perry has been in office only a few years more than that–25 years. If you’re going to measure success, it’s hard to argue Sarah Palin was more successful in her 3 years as Governor than Governor Perry has been in his eleven years.

Gardasil, Gardasil, Gardasil:

I’ve been a strong advocate of Rick Perry and, as a result, I’ve written a few articles on RS. If Gardasil is a concern, try and read this article I wrote about a week or so ago and see if this calms your troubles: http://www.redstate.com/constitutional/2011/12/22/cancer-and-rick-perry/

He’s a terrible debater. Oops, I mean he’s a heartless, horrible stupid and foolish debater. Did I say he was stupid? 

Think again.

There have been some strong accusations against Rick Perry concerning his debating skills. I suppose, they’re with merit. Unfortunately for those merits, they’re easily and plausibly argued away with a few facts.

On Debating in General:

Perry never admitted it until recently, but, it’s long been suspected that Perry’s back surgery was the cause for his poor debate performances. In every single debate since, he’s excelled time and time again–he’s communicated his points with heart, making Mitt Romney look like a fool.

It is wrong to blame Rick Perry for his debate performances and not give him another chance. You know, I haven’t been very critical of Republicans even though I probably should. Somehow, we’re looking for this mythical white beast named Reagan who is going to win everything and throw caution to the wind with his wings being exposed and a birthday cake for every little being that he sees on the campaign trail. That ain’t true of Perry, and it isn’t true of Reagan either. Reagan had a flawed campaign and lost Iowa after he was supposed to win it. Yet, somehow, he won the nomination and kept going. Reagan’s campaign wasn’t as good as his presidency, folks. And if we’re going to look at Perry’s post-back surgery debates as what his credibility is, we could also look at the fact that the guy who had no plans to do so entered the race for all of us while he was in pain. He stood on those stages for two hours–for us. He gave up his governorship he loved–for us. He gave up his life–for us. So if you’re going to create this ridiculous image that we need a good debater well, then, you’ve got one. You just aren’t paying attention.

I also seem to remember an old, tired and stupid president that made a few gaffes in his day.

Here’s one you might not remember:

 Much as Mr. Perry drew fire for his contention in last week’s debate that the science behind global warming hasn’t been proven, Mr. Reagan was attacked for his contention that forests’ hydrocarbon production was as big a contributor to smog as were machines. “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do,” he once said, prompting hecklers at one campaign stop to hang a sign from a tree reading, “Stop me before I kill again.”

Or, if you’re really looking for some video evidence, there’s that little issue in the debate with Reagan and Mondale where he was told to pull out of the race because he couldn’t win. But, there’s that little remark that the right wing radical Reagan used to win:

We’re all “Heartless.” 

I could start this and end this with arguing the policy is good but, it’d be heartless to you to do that. The only solution for this result of fatigue is an apology and, as only some seemed to have realized, he’s apologized for it. This is an unfortunate mistake, and I think it is wrong of him to have said that. But, in the grand scheme of things, it means absolutely squat diddly. Yes, squat diddly. If you get to choose between a solid conservative who screwed up in a debate, a racist, a flip-flop or a progressive do you choose the guy that had a few slip ups or one of the three I just described? Well, I suppose that’s up to you.

Rick Perry isn’t acceptable by Fox News’ standards, how is he credible.

I’ve seen this question, presumably alluding to dealing with the media. As hot as Fox News’ women are, I’m not exactly sure they’re the biggest entity he has to deal with. However, should you have some concerns about the media: “You got a name?” Rick Perry shuts down Politico reporter over anonymous source

In-state tuition for Illegal Immigrants.

My, oh my, how this issue has been naively regarded as “funding for illegals.” Apparently, Marco Rubio was for this before he was against it. So too, were many other politicians. But much like as the previous evidence I have produced has indicated, Rick Perry is an honest man who sticks to his convictions: he could have run and said it wasn’t up to him–it was veto-proof when passed–but he didn’t. He spoke up and told the truth: rates were given to illegal immigrants under the following conditions: A) They pursue citizenship B) They’ve been going to Texas high schools. It is unfortunate for many of us, we haven’t been told how the federal government is forcing states to allow even illegal immigrants into public schools. Since the federal government has failed miserably and won’t deport their parents before the problem begins, they also saw fit to force state like Texas to allow them into public school. It’s no doubt that they’re here illegally, but it’s neither their fault they are here nor is it their fault the fools in congress refuse to secure the border.

Furthermore, it is just pure nonsense to say Rick’s not a conservative because of this move. I have heard Rush, Mark, so on and so on, say Rick “isn’t a conservative” because he’s “providing loans to illegals.” That just isn’t true. It’s a rate. This isn’t a nationwide thing, this isn’t a dream act. Nor is this Amnesty.

Chant this if you ever get scared of Rick’s position: “It’s a rate, for just the state.” Plus, if he’d have vetoed it: that whole thing called a “veto-proof” legislature thing might have hurt his chances at that working.

He’s weak on border security. Cause, you know, he’s not going to build a fence.

In my excellent drawing that would make the fanciest liberals cry, I illustrate how a border fence works. Something tells me little Juan will merely jump over the border and hop right into Texas. Or, if you’re Newt and you build a double fence: You still jump. So, again, I don’t see how putting a border on private property is going to work. What will work, however, is having a guy who has lived there all his life figure out how to secure it.

He’s stupid. No, not just stupid–Texas stupid.  I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: If Rick Perry’s Texas miracle is stupid, I don’t want to be smart. As a matter of fact I had a conversation tonight with a liberal professor of mine who said he won’t let me vote for him once he’s in office because he “doesn’t believe in the 26th amendment.” So I simply said “I don’t care; he believes in states’ rights so I’ll just campaign in all 57 states against it.” That, of course, stopped the whining of how “Rick Perry is stupid.”

He increased Government Size/Government Spending faster than Mitt Romney.

I’ve always thought it laughable that a supposedly conservative Mitt Romney would use this argument; this, of course, being the same argument Jimmy Carter used against Ronald Reagan in the 1980 debate.  But with that being said, it’s still an inaccurate argument by far. Although I can’t speak for how many people left while Mitt Romney was governor–statistic gathers were too busy measuring how he managed to lose 18,000 jobs due to ObamneyCare–I can say that Rick Perry’s Texas went from 20,851,820 million people to  25,145,561. (For those of you who will understandably compare that to ten years prior: 3,865,310 million people moved there between 90-00′; this opposed to 4,293,741 million people under Perry and an excellent 2000 people or more moving there per day.) 

Understandably, as the population grows.. the size of government will probably also grow. It’s impossible for me to find the exact details, but, Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts went from 6,349,097 people to 6,547,629. It’s not surprising, since Mitt was only 47th in job creation and left with a 66% disapproval rating. There are some facts about his “stopping the state from losing jobs, just not creating them at all during a recession” but, I’m not so sure that’ll hold up so well against a president saying the same thing.

Rick Perry isn’t “Tea Party.”

Wrong. I don’t know where Rick’s campaign from 2009 is, but he had a great one. I can most certainly say he was drinking TEA before the people even were!

Part Two: “Mr. Conservative”

Going all the way back to Rick’s race for Lieutenant Governor, he’s spoken conservatively and acted conservatively. In other words, he isn’t Mitt Romney.

With Rick, it’s almost unfortunate he’s accomplished so much. I can’t begin to describe everything he’s done, so I will go on and on until I start to ramble.

Rick’s Personal Life: Introducing Rick Perry

Articles

Here’s the text that describes Rick on his website (http://rickperry.org):

From a Place Called Paint Creek

On August 13, 2011, Rick Perry announced his candidacy for President of the United States, declaring “It’s time to get America working again… The change we seek will never emanate out of Washington, D.C. It will come from the windswept prairies of Middle America, the farms and factories across this great land, from the hearts and minds of the goodhearted Americans who will accept not a future that is less than our past…patriots who will not be consigned to a fate of less freedom in exchange for more government. We do not have to accept our current circumstances. We will change them. We are Americans.”

The 47th governor of Texas, Rick Perry grew up in the small community of Paint Creek, located along the rolling plains of West Texas. Rick Perry is the son of Ray Perry, a World War II tailgunner who flew 35 missions over war-torn Europe, and Amelia Perry, who provided a loving, nurturing home for Rick and his older sister Amelia. Ray and Amelia Perry started out as tenant farmers, providing a modest upbringing for their children. Rick Perry grew up without indoor plumbing the first five years of his life, wore clothes hand-sewn by his mother, and was even bathed in a number 2 washtub as a young boy. Perry was one of 13 students in the Paint Creek Rural School’s Class of 1968.  He played six-man football, worked on his family farm, and devoted himself to the Boy Scouts, earning the rank of Eagle while in his teens.

Perry was among the first generation in his family to attend college, enrolling at Texas A&M University in the fall of 1968.  He joined the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets and was elected twice to serve as an Aggie Yell Leader.  Perry graduated in August 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science.

Upon graduation, Perry took a commission in the United States Air Force, flying C-130 tactical aircraft to destinations around the globe, including South America, Europe and the Middle East. In 1977, Perry was honorably discharged from the Air Force with the rank of Captain, and he returned home to the family farm, where they grew dryland cotton, milo and wheat.  During the next few years, Perry would become one of millions of conservative Reagan Democrats, and marry his high school sweetheart, Anita Thigpen, 16 years after their first date.

In 1983, Rick and Anita Perry welcomed a son, Griffin, and their daughter Sydney arrived in 1986.  It was in 1984 that Perry set his sights on public office, running to represent his rural neighbors in the Texas House.  Perry would serve three terms in the House, ultimately switching to the Republican Party toward the end of his final term, before taking the bold step of running statewide for Agriculture Commissioner against a popular Democrat incumbent.  Perry scored an upset in 1990 and easily won re-election in 1994.

Four years later, Perry won a close election to become the first Republican Lieutenant Governor in more than a century. He became Governor in December 2000 when George W. Bush resigned the office to become President. Since then, Perry has won three full terms as governor.

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The Prosperity Agenda: Jobs, Tax Relief, Spending Cuts

A staunch fiscal and social conservative, Rick Perry has controlled spending and taxes in Texas.  Perry has signed into law state budgets that have invested billions of dollars more in education, and he has successfully advocated for landmark lawsuit reforms.

In the most recent 2011 regular legislative session, Perry set a conservative, fiscally responsible course. He insisted on no new taxes, worked with legislators to cut spending by $15 billion, and protected the “Rainy Day Fund,” which set aside at least $6 billion for future needs.

Perry is the only governor since World War II to reduce state general revenue spending. Perry also signed a historic property tax cut, and a tax cut for small businesses with less than $1 million in gross receipts.

Perry has a strong record on job creation.  His support for low taxes, reasonable regulations, a predictable civil litigation system and an educated workforce has produced a business climate consistently ranked among the best in the nation.  Perry has actively encouraged employers to relocate to Texas or expand their operations in the state. Since June 2009, more than 40 percent of the net new jobs created in America have been created in Texas, and today, the Lone Star State is a magnet for corporate relocations. For nine straight years, Texas has led the nation in exports to foreign countries among the 50 states.

With a strong record of job creation, restrained spending and tax cuts, Rick Perry is a committed conservative with the right vision for creating opportunity and prosperity.  He has signed into law comprehensive reforms that have made Texas a leader in the fight against lawsuit abuse.  These reforms include a recent loser pay law that will cut down on frivolous lawsuits.  His medical liability reforms have increased the number of physicians practicing in the state by the thousands, improving patient access to medical specialists.

The Perry record also includes a significant commitment to border security to stop the in-flow of illegal immigrants, weapons and drugs. Perry has ordered border surge operations that have reduced illegal crossings, and allocated hundreds of millions of dollars for border security operations that put more boots on the ground and utilize technology to detect, track and deter the criminal element.

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Liberty, Security, Prosperity

A candidate for the Republican nomination in 2012, Rick Perry not only has a record of conservative reform, but a vision for America based on greater liberty, security and prosperity.

Perry will lead the effort to repeal Obama-care, the greatest intrusion on individual freedom in a generation.  This budget-busting, government takeover of health care will rob half a trillion dollars from Medicare and saddle America with massive tax hikes and higher costs in the long term.

Recognizing that rising deficits, record debt and failed stimulus spending have jeopardized the future of our country, Perry will take his proven budget-cutting record to Washington.  He will reform entitlements and require all federal agencies to engage in a top-to-bottom review to identify and eliminate federal waste by justifying every program and every taxpayer dollar spent.

To stimulate the economy, Perry will take America on a very different course than that pursued by the Obama Administration. Instead of wasting tax dollars on massive spending bills that bloat the federal bureaucracy and slowly deliver funds to a few handpicked industries, Perry will cut taxes.  Perry’s pro-growth agenda, combined with real spending reductions, will lead to a new era of economic growth that will get America working again.

Perry’s economic policies stand in stark contrast to the Obama Administration, and his Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner who declared taxes must increase for small businesses, “so the administration does not have to ‘shrink the overall size of government programs.’” (CNSNews.com, 6/23/11,http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/geithner-taxes-small-business-must-rise). Not only has Perry cut taxes for small businesses, but his economic policies will unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of small employers so they can hire and grow again.

Perry will invest in border security and stop the federal intrusion upon states by runaway agencies like the EPA.  He will stand for the sanctity of life and the protection of the unborn.  He will return our country to constitutional principles, including a renewed respect for the 10^th Amendment to the United States Constitution and state sovereignty.

Perry is a national leader in the effort to restore the primacy of the 10^th Amendment, and wrote the book, “Fed Up” to rally Americans to restore the proper, constitutional balance between the federal government and the states. Perry’s first book, “On My Honor” defended the values of the Boy Scouts from assaults by the liberal elite.

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Believe Again

A Reagan Republican, Rick Perry will restore confidence in the American Dream and American Exceptionalism.  He will advocate for economic policies that get our country moving again.  He will work to ensure all Americans believe again in the promise of America.

Rick Perry will revive our economy, create jobs and protect America’s place as the world’s economic leader.  He will offer a clear vision for our foreign policy that is based on American interests and a profound respect for the men and women who wear the uniform of our country.

It’s time for a leader who will allow us to believe again – to believe that America’s best days are ahead, that we are not consigned to a fate of high unemployment and rising prices, and that our place in the world can once again be secure with a policy of peace through strength.

That leader is Rick Perry.  And his time is now.

As I discussed in “Cancer and Rick Perry” above, Rick Perry put Gardasil into place for a reason. Although this was a reason after he was pushing for it, this is undoubtedly a true reason:

HOUSTON (KTRK) – Texas Governor Rick Perry is still taking heat for a controversial executive order he issued four years ago. It mandated that all 11- and 12-year-old girls be vaccinated for human papillomavirus, or HPV, a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. The now-overturned order is becoming a big issue in Perry’s presidential campaign.

Governor Perry is taking a lot of criticism for the vaccine decision. The most damage seems to be due to the suggestion he forced a vaccine on 12-year-old girls to help a political donor.

The donor is Mike Toomey, a longtime friend and Perry’s two-time chief of staff. Toomey has given $41,000 in campaign contributions to Perry while Perry has been governor. Only $9,000 of that was given before the HPV vaccine decision was made, though.

At the time Perry signed the executive order, Toomey was a lobbyist for the vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck. Merck is the only worldwide manufacturer of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine. Merck, through its political action committee, has given $39,500 to Perry — $22,000 of that before the decision.

It’s a lot of money, but Governor Perry had raised tens of millions of dollars during this time. While his critics are saying the decision was motivated by politics and money, we found a Houston family that says another possible motivation was far more personal.

Until you’ve seen a special photograph, Craig Wilson says you don’t know the whole story of Rick Perry’s HPV vaccine decision.

“She’s happy as hell. I mean, she is just unbelievably ecstatic,” Wilson said. “Here she is on a beautiful ranch somewhere, riding on a motorcycle, which she’s never really done, with the governor of the state of Texas.”

The guy driving the motorcycle is Governor Rick Perry. The young woman on the back is Houstonian Heather Burcham, who was at that moment just 31 years old and a few months away from dying of cervical cancer.

Heather said in an interview prior to her death, “I feel like I’m not going in vain, because I can tell others about it.”

When Heather was diagnosed, she set out to tell the world about her illness and the vaccine that would’ve prevented it. Her fear was that her pain and her death would mean nothing.

She said, “I kept thinking, ‘What good can come from this?’”

After Governor Perry got in Texas trouble for signing an executive order in 2007 mandating the HPV vaccine, Heather tried to convince lawmakers to let it stand, and in the process met Governor Perry. But more than a meeting, it sparked a friendship.

Long after the order was rescinded and Perry lost the political fight, they kept talking. Heather had Perry’s personal cell phone number and he invited her for a day at a friend’s ranch.

Wilson, a friend of Heather’s, recalled, “It was a great day, one of the great days of her life. She loved the whole thing.”

Months later, when the end was near for Heather, Perry quietly snuck into Houston and sat by her bedside. No press, no statement — just the governor and one of his 21 million constituents.

“I think he truly had a heart for this young woman,” said Mary Lee, one of Heather’s friends.

Four years later, Perry is once again in trouble for his decision.

Rep. Michele Bachmann asked during a debate, “The question is, is it about life or was it about millions of dollars and potentially billions for a drug company?”

Wilson said, “Does she know anything about what had happened at the time? Absolutely not.”

Heather’s friends are angry. They say they knew a governor motivated not by politics, but by protecting young girls.

“It solidified that he was doing the right thing,” Wilson said.

Before she died, Heather was proud she could speak out.

“That just means that God is not done using me,” she said.

Her friends think there is still something coming from it.

Wilson said, “Even this garbage that his rivals are bringing up brings the HPV and the Gardasil shot back on the front page. So now hopefully even more people know that it’s out there.”

Heather was especially to close us at Channel 13. She worked with us for a time.

I’ve also found comfort in supporting Rick Perry by reading this article, too: “The Private Life of Governor Rick Perry.”  http://www.redstate.com/onemovoter/2011/11/21/the-private-life-of-governor-rick-perry/

Advertisements that give you a clue 

I’ve always eagerly awaited new Perry advertisements. Aside from my love of seeing Rick acting as an executive, I just purely love movement from the campaign that I can see in my house—it makes me feel, oh I don’t know, connected?

What “Mr. Conservative” is going to do as president of the United States of America:

Rick Perry’s three plans are absolutely conservative. I can’t rephrase them, nor can I describe them beyond saying how great of an impact these bona fide conservative plans will have on this blessed land.

One: Energizing America. 

Speech:

Thank you for joining me today. I want to say a special thanks to Jim Garraux and the men and women of US Steel for having us here today. It is great to be on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, a city built on the work, hopes and dreams of blue-collar American workers.

The central issue facing Americans is a lack of jobs.

Fourteen million Americans are without work. One in six Americans cannot find a full-time job.  Forty-five million Americans are on food stamps. And 48 percent of American households have at least one resident receiving government benefits.

Though our president has labeled Americans as soft, I believe our people have toughed it out the best they can. But they are looking for leadership and optimism, which are all too rare in Washington today.

What I am proposing today is the first part of an economic growth package that will rebuild the engine of American prosperity.

The plan I present this morning, Energizing American Jobs and Security, will kick-start economic growth and create 1.2 million jobs.

It can be implemented quicker and free of Washington gridlock because it doesn’t require congressional action. Through a series of executive orders, and other executive actions, we will begin the process of creating jobs soon after the inauguration of a new president.

There is, of course, an important role for Congress to play. And in a matter of days I will offer to the American people a broader package of economic reforms that I will take to Congress when I am elected President. My complete economic growth package will tackle tax reform, entitlement reform and real spending reductions in order to address our growing debt crisis.

But today I offer a plan that will create more than a million good, American jobs across every sector of the economy and enhance our national security, and the best news is it can be set in motion in my first 100 days.

My plan is based on this simple premise: Make what Americans buy, buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world.

We are standing atop the next American economic boom…energy.

The quickest way to give our economy a shot in the arm is to deploy American ingenuity to tap American energy. But we can only do that if environmental bureaucrats are told to stand down.

My plan will break the grip of dependence we have today on foreign oil from hostile nations like Venezuela and unstable nations in the Middle East to grow jobs and our economy at home.

America has proven but untapped supplies of natural gas, oil and coal. America is the Saudi Arabia of coal with 25 percent of the world’s supply. Our country contains up to 134 billion barrels of oil and nearly 1.2 quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas.

We have the resources we need to fuel our cars, our homes and our power plants. They can be found in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Mexico, Alabama, Kentucky throughout the American West and, of course, Alaska.

But President Obama and his over-reaching Environmental Protection Agency won’t allow American businesses and American labor to draw on even a fraction of this domestic energy from reserves on government-owned lands.

On one hand, the Obama Administration opposes fossil fuel development at home, and then on the other hand encourages countries like Brazil to drill offshore and sell it to American consumers, creating foreign jobs and foreign profits

That’s wrong. That’s hypocritical. That’s unfair. America should not be, and when I am president will not be, held hostage by foreign oil and federal bureaucrats.

The American economy should not be beaten into the ground when greater energy independence and lower energy costs lie right under American soil.

My plan will create jobs in every sector, revitalize manufacturing, and contain the cost of electricity and fuel through four concrete actions.

First, we will open several American oil and gas fields for exploration that are currently off limits because of political considerations. The current administration has restricted exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and the mid-Atlantic.

In the Gulf of Mexico, the median time for review of permits for combined deepwater exploration and development has increased 400 percent, while deepwater exploration and development plan approvals have dropped by nearly 80 percent.

The Department of Interior has stopped off-shore exploration off the coast of Virginia over the objections of the Virginia congressional delegation, which has passed a bill in the House to achieve the will of their people. That bill is also supported by their Democratic senators, Webb and Warner.

With a series of executive orders and other executive actions, I will authorize the following:

I will work to open up Alaska’s abundant resources to oil and gas exploration, including the ANWR Coastal Plain and the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska. In this one instance, we will need congressional authorization. But it is worth it when you consider we will create 120,000 jobs.

We will initiate off-shore exploration in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas off the northern and western coasts of Alaska. This will create 55,000 jobs.

We will resume pre-Obama levels of exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and create another 230,000 jobs.

I will support the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to take Canadian Crude to coastal refineries, which would create 20,000 direct jobs for American workers.

We will begin tapping the energy potential of the American West, opening up federal and private lands for exploration in states like Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Colorado and Utah. Collectively, our western states have the potential to produce 1.3 million barrels of oil per day by 2020 and contain 87 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

They can produce more energy than what we import from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Venezuela and Russia combined!

And right here in Pennsylvania, and across the state line in West Virginia and Ohio, we will tap the full potential of the Marcellus Shale and create another 250, 000 jobs by getting the EPA out of the way.  While Marcellus shale is today’s opportunity, the deeper Utica shale formations offer equally vast potential with more jobs over the horizon for Pennsylvania and its neighbors.

The benefits of the boom in American natural gas production are also demonstrated in manufacturing and production. We see that right here at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works Plant that employs more than three thousand workers, many of whom make the steel products other companies use to develop the Marcellus Shale today.

The face of manufacturing in industrial states has changed rapidly. Natural gas exploration is a game-changer that can bring new opportunities to replace the ones that have been lost. Development of natural gas will create jobs in the supply chain and lead to lower energy costs for manufacturers.

Western Pennsylvania is known for producing great quarterbacks I want Western Pennsylvania to Quarterback a new energy revolution that creates jobs all across America.

Not only will we create jobs by expanding energy exploration, we will use the revenues generated to pay down the deficit.

At the same time, where America has ecological treasures, like the Everglades or Yellowstone National Park, we will not explore for energy.

As we roll back federal control, we seek greater cooperation with the states. And if states oppose energy exploration, we will respect that decision. But these instances represent the exception, not the rule.

It is equally important that we take a second step: eliminate activist regulations already on the books and under consideration by the Obama Administration.

While President Obama has been very public about his newest jobs proposal, behind the scenes the permanent bureaucracy is working to grind the economy to a halt in pursuit of activist regulations. A raft of new rules and foot-dragging by the EPA and Interior Department are killing job creation.

Examples include the Utility Maximum Available Control Technology rule, the Boiler MACT rule, the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, the proposed Coal Combustion Residuals regulation and Section 316 (b) of the Clean Water Act.

These new rules alone could destroy up to 2.4 million American jobs by 2020 and add $127 billion in costs to electric providers and consumers. Under my plan, each of these rules would be subject to an immediate review with a cost-benefit analysis to determine the impact on American employers and the environment.

If we face the facts, we know that none of these rules were needed to reduce emissions of the six principal pollutants by 50 percent since 1980. And they are not needed now, especially as our economy hangs in a fragile balance between recovery and recession.

I will take another step important to economic growth: I will stop the EPA’s draconian measures related to the regulation of greenhouse gases.

When you consider that any carbon reduction will be offset by the increase of carbon emissions by developing nations like China and India, the EPA would tie our economy in knots and advantage our global competitors while realizing no global environmental benefits in the process.

The third part of my plan is to reform the bureaucracy, in particular the EPA, so that it focuses on regional and cross-state issues, providing scientific research, as well as environmental analysis and cost-comparison studies to support state environmental organizations. We will return greater regulatory authority to the states to manage air and water quality rather than imposing one-size-fits-all federal rules.

I reject the notion that Washington is more committed to environmental stewardship than state and local officials who must live with the consequences of their own environmental policies.

The fourth component of my plan is to level the competitive playing field among all energy producers.

As the governor of the nation’s leading producer of wind energy, I clearly believe there is an important role for green sources of energy as a part of our generation mix. The fact is, every energy producer receives incentives and subsidies that cost taxpayers and distort the marketplace.

My plan will stop the practice of Washington writing subsidy checks to any and all sectors of the energy industry. It will also stop industry-specific tax credits, phasing out both over a period of time, allowing the market time to adjust.

We will, however, preserve tax incentives for research and development.

We believe the best way to invest in emerging technology is to allow private industry the freedom to develop it. The shocking reality concerning Obama energy policy is high energy prices are not an accident, but intentional.

From an energy secretary who said he wanted European prices for fuel, to a president who said it was necessary to raise the price of electricity, this Administration has intentionally sought to make conventional generation from coal and natural gas more costly, taking more out of the pockets of American families.

And the reason why is they want to drive consumers to green energy. But we don’t produce enough green energy to fill the void, so the result is greater reliance on foreign sources of energy.

Increasing the use of green energy is a laudable goal. We have done it successfully in my state. But we have used renewable sources to expand the energy supply not replace conventional generation.

Natural gas and coal are responsible for roughly two-thirds of the electricity generated in this country. How can we have stable and affordable electricity when federal agencies target America’s top two fuel generation sources for electricity?

Hostility to coal is not confined to this Administration, it has wrongly been targeted by some members of my own party. I take a different view: I welcome the continued development of coal as an important part of job creation in America. Allowing industry to invest in research and development is the best way to pursue clean coal technology.

I do not accept the false choice that we must pick between energy and the environment. It is time for a balanced, pro-American, pro-jobs energy policy.

Technologies in place today, and under development, can ensure cleaner development of conventional sources.

The EPA’s war on American fossil fuel production comes despite the fact they can’t point to a single incident of unsafe hydraulic fracturing of natural gas. If they have their way in shutting down gas and coal production, the Obama legacy will be more than 2.4 million energy jobs lost in oil, gas and coal.

The choice this election is between two very different visions for our country.

When it comes to energy, the President would kill domestic jobs through aggressive regulations, while I would create 1.2 million American jobs through safe and aggressive energy exploration at home.

President Obama would keep us more dependent on hostile sources of foreign energy, while my plan would make us more secure by tapping America’s true energy potential.

His energy policies are driven by the concerns of activists in his party, my policies are driven by the concerns of American workers without jobs.

We must get America working again. A big part of the solution is under our feet and off our coast.

It can be done without being mired in Washington gridlock, because a president has all the authority he needs to rollback intrusive regulations, create energy jobs, and make our nation more secure.

Creating jobs in America is as simple as changing presidents. That is the choice facing Americans.

America needs jobs. America needs energy. America needs a “made in America” energy revolution.

I have the long-time experience and track record of success in this critical area for American jobs and economic growth to create a new wave of American independence – energy independence.

End the over-regulation. End the excess litigation. End the bureaucratic intimidation. Let’s get back to what works to get America working again.

Make what Americans buy, buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world.

Link to Rick’s Plan: http://www.rickperry.org/energizing-american-jobs-html/

Two: Cut, Balance and Grow (Flat Tax)

Speech:

Thank you. It is great to be in the stomping grounds of a great conservative senator, Jim DeMint. I want to thank ISO Poly Films CEO John McClure for opening his business as we discuss my plan to get America working again.

Today I lay before the American People my cut, balance and grow plan. It cuts taxes and spending. It balances the budget by 2020. And it grows jobs and the economy.

It neither reshuffles the status quo, nor does it expand the ways Washington can reach into our pocketbooks.

It reorders the way they do business in Washington by reinventing the tax code and restoring our nation to fiscal health through balanced budgets and entitlement reform.

Central to my plan is giving every American the option of throwing out the three million words of the current tax code, and the costs of complying with that code, in order to pay a 20 percent flat tax on their income.

The size of the current code, which is more than 72,000 pages, is represented by this pallet and its many reams of paper.

The best representation of my plan is this post card, which taxpayers will be able to fill out to file their taxes.

Each individual taxpayer will have a choice: you can continue to pay taxes, as well as accountants and lawyers under the current system, or, you can file your taxes on a postcard, with deductions only for interest on a mortgage, charitable giving, and state and local tax payments.

Under my plan, you will no longer have to worry about paying taxes on social security when you retire, or your family members paying the death tax when you die. And you can wave goodbye to the capital gains tax, as well as the tax on dividends.

We will increase the standard exemption for individuals and dependents to $12,500, meaning families in the middle on the lower end of the economic scale will have the opportunity to get ahead. Taxes will be cut across all income groups in America. The net benefit will be more money in Americans’ pockets, with greater investment in the private economy instead of the federal government.

On the corporate tax side, I am offering equally bold reform. My plan closes corporate loopholes, ends the special breaks for special interests, and stops the gravy train of lobbyists and tax lawyers at the Washington trough.

In exchange for a corporate tax free of carve-outs and exclusions, I offer a much lower rate of 20 percent that represents the average corporate rate among the developed nations, and that will make our corporations more competitive on a global scale.

We will shut down the cottage industry of corporate tax evasion by creating a tax that is broad, fair and low.

And my plan offers incentives for corporations to invest in America again, with two major reforms. First, we will transition to a territorial tax system on corporate income earned overseas. This means companies pay the appropriate corporate tax in the country where income was earned, but aren’t taxed a second time when that income is moved back into the United States.

Second, for all corporate profits currently languishing overseas, I will offer a one-time reduced tax rate of five and a quarter percent for a limited period of time on repatriated earnings.

The U.S. Chamber estimates this one-time tax reduction would bring more than $1 trillion in capital back to the U.S, create up to 2.9 million jobs, and increase economic output by $360 billion.

In other words, it’s the kind of economic stimulus President Obama could have achieved if he wasn’t hell-bent on passing big government schemes that have failed American workers.

Today, America’s combined corporate tax rate of 39.2 percent is the second highest in the developed world. It is time to overhaul our tax code so companies like ISO Poly Films can invest more in their people and their products.

Tax rates have consequences. The liberals myopically ignore the realities of human nature. They think in raising rates they will raise revenue. But they don’t understand large employers have choices, as do wealthy individuals, and that includes moving money off-shore. When they try to take too much, they end up hurting the very people they seek to help: the working class.

We need tax policy that embraces the world as it is, and not what liberal ideologues wish it to be.

The goal of my cut, balance and grow plan is to unleash job creation to address the current economic crisis, while generating a stable source of revenue to address our record deficit and put our fiscal house in order.

My plan should not be viewed in a vacuum, but in comparison to the continuation of the status quo. It provides employers and investors certainty, which is critical to getting capital back into the economy. The president’s plan provides temporary tax relief, which does nothing to encourage long-term investment because it doesn’t provide the private sector certainty.

The way to stimulate the economy is not through temporary tax relief or government spending; it is to stimulate private spending through permanent tax relief.

The flat tax will unleash growth. But growth is not enough. We must put a stop to the entitlement culture that risks the financial solvency of this country for future generations.

The red flags are alarming. Our children are born into $46,000 of federal debt. Our credit was downgraded for the first time this past August, in part because of a lack of seriousness about deficit reduction. According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, by year’s end our debt will exceed the size of America’s economy for the first time in 65 years. We are on the road to ruin paved by state serfdom.

Freeing our children from financial disaster requires the courage to reform entitlements. My plan establishes firm principles to preserve Medicare and Social Security for today’s beneficiaries, while saving it for tomorrow’s.

I am putting forward five principles to save Social Security for the long-term. First, we will protect existing benefits for current retirees, and work with Congress on the exact age where those nearing retirement are grandfathered out of changes to the program.

Second, we will end the current pillaging of the Social Security Trust Fund by Washington politicians. Here is the hard truth: the trust fund is full of IOU’s, without a single dime of money left over from what workers have paid in. The politicians have borrowed against it for years. And in order to redeem the IOU’s in the fund, they will have to either raise taxes or cut spending on other programs to replenish it.

Here is the other hard truth: if we don’t act, in 25 years benefits will be slashed 23 percent overnight. Protecting Social Security benefits begins with protecting the solvency of the fund, and stopping all current borrowing from the fund, just as we have done with the highway trust fund.

The third principle of reform is to allow young workers to invest a portion of their payroll taxes into private accounts if they so choose.

I am not naïve. I know this idea will be attacked. But a couple of facts are worth stating: one, the return on investment in Social Security is so small it is like an interest bearing savings account. Over the long-term, the markets generate a much higher yield.

Second, opposition to this simple measure is based on a simple supposition: that the people are not smart enough to look out for themselves. The liberals think the American people cannot be trusted to safeguard even a portion of their own retirement dollars. It is time to end the nanny state and empower our people to exercise greater control over their money.

The fourth principle is to return to pre-1983 law and allow state and local governments to newly opt out of Social Security and instead allow their employees to pay solely into state or locally run retirement programs. This has been done around the country, with better results. We ought to allow it again.

Lastly, we ought to work to raise the retirement age for younger workers – on a gradual basis – to reflect the longer life-span of today’s Americans. I will work with Congress to determine the right formula, beginning at the right age. But this is common sense, and it can help save Social Security for future generations.

We will also reform Medicare to save it for future generations of Americans.  We will do this by working with Congress on several options, including giving patients greater flexibility in choosing the plan that best fits their unique needs through bundled premium support payments to the individual, or as a credit against purchase of health insurance.

Second, we should look at gradually raising the age of Medicare eligibility. Third, we should consider adjusting Medicare benefits to be paid on a sliding scale based on the income of the recipient. And lastly, we must tackle the $100 billion in annual waste and fraud to save this valuable program as Americans live longer.

My plan also restructures Medicaid, returning control over the program and the dollars needed to administer it to states. One-size-fits-all health care doesn’t work for people on private plans in the form of Obamacare, and it doesn’t work with public plans, such as Medicaid. Washington has broken it, and shown no will to fix it. We must give state leaders the flexibility to fix Medicaid and control its costs.

These reforms are essential to balancing the budget. My plan balances the budget as fast as any serious plan offered, in the year 2020, with reforms to entitlements, with greater economic growth, and with cuts to discretionary spending.

I do not take the tack of the current President, with arbitrary cuts to defense spending. The question we must ask is not what we can afford to spend on our national defense, but what does it cost to keep America secure.

At the same time, we will reform the way we spend money in Washington so we can balance the budget in eight years. But to truly protect taxpayers, we need the extra protection of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution.

I will reduce spending in the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the EPA, and a whole host of other agencies, returning greater control to the states.

My plan reduces non-defense discretionary spending by $100 billion in year one, and builds on those savings in the years to come.

I will also institute several principle reforms to the budgetary process, which are contained in my Cut, Balance and Grow Plan on my website.

It is not the length of a “War and Peace” novel, and is easy to understand, yet bold in its approach.

Included in my budget reforms are elimination of baseline budgeting that assumes previous expenditures are sacrosanct, an end to non-emergency spending in emergency bills, and a permanent stop to “bridge to nowhere” projects through the elimination of earmarks. I will couple these budgetary reforms with an overhaul of the regulatory process.

When federal agencies like the NLRB are dictating to companies where they can create jobs and where they cannot, they have over-stepped their bounds and undermined our free market system. On my first day in office, I will freeze all pending federal regulations and immediately begin a review of all new regulations since January of 2008.

Today the Federal Register contains 165,000 pages. The index alone is eleven hundred pages long. And somehow, despite not having any of these new regulations for our first 219 years, America not only survived, we thrived.

The federal nanny state’s heavy-handed regulations are keeping our economy in the ditch. It is time to review and scrap regulations that harm jobs and growth.

Lastly, one of the greatest impediments to investment in America are the Dodd-Frank banking regulations, and I will lead the charge to eliminate them.

Dodd-Frank is killing small banks, and freezing access to credit just when small businesses need it most. It enshrines bailouts and the notion of “too big to fail” in federal law, benefitting Wall Street while killing Main Street. It’s wrong. It’s unfair. It must go.

My plan does not trim around the edges. And it does not bow down to the established interests. But it is the kind of bold reform needed to jolt this economy out of its doldrums, and renew American prosperity. Those who oppose it will wrap themselves in the cloak of the status quo.

America is under a crushing burden of debt, and the president simply offers larger deficits and the politics of class division. Others simply offer microwaved plans with warmed-over reforms based on current ingredients.

Americans, however, aren’t searching for a reshuffling of the status quo, which simply empowers the entrenched interests. This is a change election, and I offer a plan that changes the way Washington does business.

The great issue facing this nation is whether we have the courage to confront spending and the vision to get our economy growing again. We need a tax code that unleashes growth instead of preventing it; that promotes fairness, not class warfare; that sparks investment in America instead of overseas interests.

It is time to create incentives for American companies to invest in American workers. It is time to end the corporate loopholes, end the special tax breaks for special interests, end the gravy train for lobbyists and tax lawyers.

It is time to pass a tax that is flat and fair, that frees our employers and our people to invest, grow and prosper.

We will set our employers and our people free by slashing the cost of government, cutting taxes for middle class families, balancing our budget and growing our economy.

The future of America is too important to be left to the Washington politicians. To get America working again, we must cut taxes and spending, balance the federal budget, and grow our economy and jobs.

My plan unleashes American ingenuity for a new American Century.  Restores the hopes and dreams of our people. Renews our great promise. And entrusts the fate of this nation into the hands of our People, setting them free.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

Link to Rick’s Plan: http://www.rickperry.org/cut-balance-and-grow-html/

 —

Three: Overhaul Washington, D.C.

Speech:

Thank you. It is great to be here at Schebler in Bettendorf, Iowa.

I want to say a special thanks to Jim Anderson, your president, for opening your facility to us, and letting us meet the hardworking men and women of this plant. And I am especially delighted to be joined by the governor of a nearby Midwestern state, Kansas governor Sam Brownback.

Governor Brownback not only has the perspective of a leader in America’s heartland, but was a United States Senator, where he had an up-close view of just how broken Washington is, and has witnessed Washington’s encroachment on the 10^th Amendment from both perspectives. He shares my desire for fundamental reform in Washington, and I am delighted to be joined by him today here in Iowa.

The issue this election is not whether Washington is broken, but how we go about fixing it. There are two approaches, and even my own party is split.

There are some who want to tinker with the status quo. They want to work within the current system to achieve marginal change. Then there are those who believe, as I do, that Washington is too broken to be fixed by tinkering on the margins.

I do not believe Washington needs a new coat of paint, it needs a complete overhaul. We need to uproot, tear down and rebuild Washington, D.C. and our federal institutions.

We should apply the wisdom of Solomon to Washington. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, says, “there is a time to plant and a time to uproot, there is a time to tear down and a time to build.”

It is time to tear down the monuments to bureaucratic failure, and in their place build a smaller, more efficient federal government that puts the American People first.

The Washington Insiders won’t address Beltway decay, they won’t try a totally new way, because they like things as they are.

The lobbyists make their living on protecting corporate loopholes, and securing earmarks for the special interests they represent.

The status quo is good to the Washington Insiders. It’s good to the overpaid bureaucrats. It’s good for the power-players who can trade favors to build fiefdoms of influence.

While the rest of America remains mired in the ruin caused by Washington’s out-of–touch, big government economic policies, Washington is doing fine.

In fact, the Washington metro area is now the most affluent metropolitan area in the country. That’s because all the lobbyists, contractors and over-paid czars and bureaucrats haven’t suffered one bit in the worst economy in 70 years. While Main Street’s windows have been boarded up, the cash continues to flow to Wall Street financiers and Beltway profiteers.

Let me ask you a question: if you found out the house you built had crumbling walls, faulty wiring, and a leaky roof, would you call in the original incompetent builder to fix it?

And if it was fundamentally flawed, would you add on to the same faulty structure, or would you tear it down, and re-build again with a totally new crew?

Our country’s foundation – the American people and the United States Constitution – is still strong.

It’s what the politicians and bureaucrats have built upon that foundation, on the backs of American taxpayers, that must be replaced and rebuilt.

Those who got us into this mess will not get us out. Those who increased the debt $4 trillion in three years cannot be trusted to bring in a new era of fiscal austerity. Those who made the economic crisis worse do not have the capacity to make it better.

In recent weeks our president has taken to pointing the finger of blame instead of taking responsibility. He has called us soft and lazy, and he has said Americans lack ambition and imagination.

Mr. President, Americans aren’t soft or lazy, and Americans do not lack ambition of imagination, Washington has failed us.

We need new leadership. We need a new builder. We need a Washington Outsider.

Unique to the Republican field, I have never been an establishment figure, have never served in Congress or part of an Administration, and have never been a paid lobbyist. My career has been that of a Washington Outsider.

Here is my plan to fix our three broken branches of government.

Part one of my plan is to reform the federal judiciary by ending life terms for unelected federal judges. Too many federal judges rule with impunity from the bench, and those who legislate from the bench should not be entitled to lifetime abuse of their judicial authority.

Under my plan, future appointees to the federal bench will not receive a lifetime appointment.

Part two involves deconstructing the permanent political class in the legislative branch. Congress is out of touch because Congressmen are overpaid, over-staffed and away from home too much. Americans have had enough.

It’s time to create a part-time Congress where their pay is cut in half, their office budgets are cut in half, and their time in Washington is cut in half.

And if they do not submit a budget that balances by 2020, as my plan calls for, we should cut their pay in half again.

And when I take office, we will work to freeze congressional and agency salaries until the budget is balanced.

We have a lot of well-intentioned members of Congress. But they have become creatures of Washington. They get paid more than three times the average American Family, and they have doubled their own budgets in the last decade.

They are completely detached from the people, who are struggling to get by, and can’t vote to raise their own pay.

Some have even abused the public’s trust, trading on inside information to pad their stock portfolios. Congress has proven it can’t be trusted to watch our money, and now its clear they can’t be trusted with theirs’.

Any Congressman or Senator that uses their insider knowledge to profit in the stock market ought to be sent to jail – period.

And my plan makes that clear. But in reality, they shouldn’t wait until we have a new president, they ought to pass a law right now that criminalizes Insider Trading in Congress, no ifs, ands or buts.

We send members of Congress to look out for America, not enrich themselves. But too often, they are taken captive by the Washington culture.

That’s why we need a part-time Congress. I say send them home to live under the laws they pass among the people they represent.

Further, we must change the spending culture in Congress.

No more bailouts of bankers, no more earmarks for pet projects, and no more spending beyond our means.

I will bring spending down to 18 percent of GDP, the average amount of the last 50 years. And I will fight in every corner of this country for a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution.

And two more points on spending: no longer will we prop up failed entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were at the heart of the economic collapse because of mortgage financing policies that gave false confidence to homebuyers who have now defaulted or are under water.

We will privatize Fannie and Freddie so politicians can no longer politicize them, and taxpayers will no longer be fleeced by them.

And lastly, we will put a permanent stop to federal funding of Planned Parenthood because our tax dollars should never be used in taking an innocent, unborn life.

The third part of my plan involves the dismantling and rebuilding of the permanent bureaucracy.

We will eliminate agencies that perform redundant functions. I will get rid of the Commerce Department, the Department of Education, and the Department of Energy.

We will downsize and re-task the EPA so it no longer torments job creators or gives an official stamp to phony science.

We will end the TSA’s harassment of law-abiding travelers and return transportation security to the private sector.

And we will restructure the behemoth that has become the Department of Homeland Security.

We will perform a full audit of the Federal Government, and there will be no sacred cows, including wasteful spending at the Department of Defense, where every dollar we spend should support our warfighters around the world.

We will put a moratorium on every pending federal regulation, and order a full audit of the last five years of new regulations, repealing those that are not affordable, effective or that kill jobs.

And we will say to every bureaucrat except our military and law enforcement: no salary increases until the federal budget is balanced. And because a president must lead by example, we should cut his salary in half until the budget is balanced.

Washington is so broken, Americans will accept nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way business is done in America.

Americans know there is a season for everything under the sun. And this is the season for tearing down and rebuilding again, for uprooting the broken branches of government in Washington, and building a new government that is smaller and more humble, so America can be stronger and freer again.

Rick’s record proves he’s “Mr. Conservative”:

There’s no better proof of Rick being “Mr. Conservative” than his record. Unlike Flippy, Newty, Santorum and the others: Rick has an actual record filled with conservatism.

Rick, back in 2003, passed Tort Reform. That, along with balancing every budget while still adding money to the Rainy Day fund, vetoing $3 billion dollars in spending (as of 2010), cutting taxes for 40, 000 small businesses, rejecting TARP and creating 1 million new jobs? Well, that means something. It means Rick Perry isn’t lying when he says he’s going to do the same for the nation. He’s tangled with the beast called “veto” time and time again and won– he’s made it clear that he meant it when he said “on these principals of conservatism.. I will not waiver.. I will not falter.. I will not compromise.”

He didn’t compromise, and now Texas is the number one job creator in the country. While everyone sits at home, waiting for the perfect candidate that can debate Obama, we find ourselves in a perplexing situation: do we think someone can debate on why Republicanism is better if they’re excluding ObamaCare, job creation and practically everything else or do we, with God’s help, put faith in a candidate who has create an environment and maintained it so well that jobs come to his state like pot heads to California? I know, and that’s why I wrote this article. I choose the latter, do you?

Well, if you still don’t.. there is the closing.

In Closing. 

Everything I have written in this article is why my heart has told me for a long time that Rick Perry’s the guy we’ve been looking for. I prayed with all my heart for him to even enter; I sure as hell am not going to give up on him now. I made a promise to God that I’d put my faith in him forever if he just made one miracle happen–yes, of all the miracles to happen in the world I chose for a conservative to run for president.

My faith and my conservative beliefs have kept me from prematurely disregarding Governor Perry. Since Governor Perry’s downward spiral in the polls, we’ve gone through countless front-runners and none have been able to match Governor Perry’s proven conservatism. They’ve surged, and then surged back down: because they aren’t conservatives, they’re losers. We can surge every candidate around, but we’re not going to find a more conservative, honest and trust-worthy man than the one I’ve spoken of here today.

This isn’t just speculation or some ridiculous illusion I’ve conjured up in the backrooms of Karl Rove’s Texas mansion: this is all true and proven fact. I’ve shown you his record, his policies and his downfalls. But none have distorted him from being the most conservative in the race.

Even with all that said: some still doubt. It’s my hope that this article brought you around to his side. If you choose to support candidates based on what they look like or what the media tells you they are, it’s going to spiral until our Republic becomes fit for the gutter and, instead of a “Free Republic”, it will simply be a “Failed Republic.” However, if people choose to practice what they preach and support a conservative record: well, then it may just all be alright for us once again.

If all of that still hasn’t done it for you, I’ve got one more thing for you to read. Read this speech he gave in 2002 and then the quote following it from Senator Barry Goldwater. Ask yourself, is he the one who can do it–is he, the man who has proven himself as a conservative by implementing real conservative leadership in the state of Texas, the man who was the only one to mention the Bill of Rights’ 220th anniversary in the last debate and the man who has never abandoned the guide of the Constitution, the same guy that you can put your faith in? I hope so, because he’s putting his faith in you.

Remarks by Governor Rick Perry at the 2002 Republican State Convention

Convention
Friday, June 7
Note: the governor often deviates from text

Thank you. Chairman Weddington, my fellow office-holders and candidates, members of the party of Lincoln, Reagan and Bush: I am proud to stand before you today first, and foremost, a Texan…and as your nominee for the Office of Governor of the state of Texas.

The journey I began in Paint Creek I would not trade for the world. At a young age I learned the enduring values taught on a family farm…that neighbors help neighbors, that hard work instills pride, and that community is not defined by a place on the map, but by an attitude of love and sacrifice for your fellow man.

As a member of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, and as a pilot in the Air Force, I learned about the blessings of freedom, and the duty and honor inherent in protecting it.

As a citizen-legislator, as your commissioner of agriculture, and as your lieutenant governor, I was given the great opportunity to serve the people of Texas, and to make a lasting difference in the shaping of public policy.

And since December of the Year 2000, I have cherished every day serving in the greatest job on the face of the earth…governor of the state of Texas.

Guiding me all along the way have been two extraordinary Texans. They taught my sister, Milla, and me the importance of hard work, and respecting others. Dad served as a tailgunner on a B-17 during World War II, and later as a county commissioner for close to three decades. Mom made sure we had everything we ever needed…and she always knew what we were getting into at school before we ever made it home.

Please join me in welcoming the Perry County Chairs for Haskell County…my parents Ray and Amelia Perry!

But pPerhaps no onething along this journey has impacted my life more than a woman I met at a childhood piano recital many years ago. She is a tremendous mother to Griffin and Sydney…an individual of quiet intelligence and strong faith…the first lady of my life…and the First Lady of Texas …Anita Perry.

My friends, I am proud of our Republican party and the team we have assembled to carry our banner in November. Ours is a ticket of experienced and accomplished leaders… men and women with strong records and the right ideas to make Texas better…individuals of different backgrounds, but united behind a philosophy of empowerment and opportunity for all Texans.

And so today, I have a prediction to make…have you heard ofon November 5th, that so-called “Dream Team”? Well, on November 5th, when the dream is over, they will be in for a rude awakeningturn into . t

Our strong leaders, and our grassroots volunteers and activists are going to work hard, organize hard and emerge victorious on Election Day!

The differences are clear. There is only one teamticket with a record of leadership…onlyone team ticketwith the experience to handle the challenges of the future…onlyonly one team tickettalking real issues, and putting forward a positive vision for the future.

And I’m not talking about the teamicket led by that banker who changesse positions with the wind…I’m talking about the diverse, talented and experienced leaders running under the Republican banner in 2002.

Under our strong Republican leadership, our public schools are better, our colleges are more accessible, our taxes are lower, and our budget is balanced. And my friends, the best is yet to come.

But as we gather today, our purpose is not neitherto celebrate our many shared accomplishments. nor coronate Together we have planted many seeds…we have tilled the fields…we have watered and pruned…but our labor is not complete.

After our many years of work, we must not become passive with our progress. We must not allow the passage of time to dim our enthusiasm for the cause. We must put aside dissension and disagreement, and must renew our sense of purpose.

I think often about the idealism that propelled me into service…and the fervent beliefs that live in my heart to this very day. Some run for office to tell you what they are against…I ran because I there weare certain things I strongly believe.

I believe public service is honorable, and good men and women must be willing to serve and make a difference.

I believe “the people” are not the subjects of government…government is subject to “the people.”

I believe tax dollars should be invested prudently, and not viewed as a blank checkbook to fund government excess.

I believe the ingenuity that fuels our progress is found in the hearts and minds of free men and women, and not in a handbook of government regulations.I believe government cannot dispense enduring virtue, but it should always reflect it.

I believe that human life is a sacred gift from Our Creator, and it is to be preserved, protected and uplifted.

I believe a good education can unleash the hopes and dreams of every child, and there is no greater investment we can make in our future than to invest in learning opportunities for all our children.

I believe children should not be forced to abandon their faith at the schoolhouse door.

And I believe, regardless of where you come from…the sound of your last name, the color of your skin, the neighborhood where you live…the promise of Texas is yours to inherit if you have the capacity to dream, and are willing to pursue those dreams.

On these principles II will not waver…I will not falter.
…I will not compromise.

I want to continue to lead this state as your governor because we must build upon the solid foundation we have constructed, and ensure Texas is a place where opportunity is the birthright of all.

I want to lead this state because the people of Texas deserve a governor with experience…a governor who will tell it like it is…a strong leader who will stand on principle.

The Office of Governor is a platform The Office of Governor is not for the highest bidder, but the strongest leader!not a hobby, like racehorse breeding, to satisfy a rich man’s ego.

I have done in office what I said I would do, and my platform for the future builds on that record of success.

Over the last three and a half years, we have prioritized health care and education…public safety and security…economic development and transportation.

And once those priorities have been met, we returned some of the surplus to its rightful owners by passing the largest tax cut in Texas history – nearly $2 billion dollars in consumer, small business and property tax cuts.

We protected the state Rainy Day fund against those who wanted to spend it and I used my line-item veto authority to trim the state budget of a half-billion dollars in unneeded spending.

Our budget is balanced and will remain balanced. And despite the cries of some in the other party, we will not need tax hikes to keep our budget balanced…but we will need strong, experienced and conservative leadership.

Our schools are better than they were four years ago. Parents have more choices than ever – including charter schools and home schooling.

The teaching of basic subjects –math, science, and phonics-based reading – is working.

Education funding, teacher pay, and student test scores are higher than ever. And more Texans are enrolled in college than ever before, thanks to the $300 million TEXAS Grant scholarship program and other incentives.

Our high standards and effective accountability are models for the nation. And we’ve ended the destructive and discredited practice of promoting children from grade to grade even if they’re not ready.

Some want to turn back the clock – weakening standards, undermining accountability and restoring social promotion. As Governor of this state – as the product of our great public schools and the parent of two public school children – I will fight any effort to weaken our schools and our strong system of accountability!
Our state budget is balanced because we set clear priorities and funded them. I fought to protect the state’s Rainy Day fund against those who wanted to raid it for bigger government, and I’m proud to say that that fund contains nearly $900 million for future emergencies.

I reduced state appropriations by a half-billion dollars with my line-item veto authority.

The Texas economy is outperforming most state and we’re in strong position as our national economy recove
We have also made all of Texas healthier through record investments in health careAnother $6 billion is going to health and human services It has also gone to health care.. More than 500,000 children of working families have access to routine, preventative health care thanks to the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

We have invested in health care along the border; for the elderly in nursing homes; and for women suffering from breast and cervical cancer.

And we have levied $40 million in fines and restitution on slow-paying HMO’s and insurance companies.

I’m proud of that record, and will work hard to protect and defend it against the forces of mediocrity who would blow a hole in our school accountability system, bust our budget, and take Texas in the wrong direction.

I want to keep Texas on the pathway to progress…a pathway built on strong schools, accessible colleges and universities, affordable health care, and a 21st Century system of transportation.

My education plan builds on our master reading and math initiatives with a new science initiative, so our children are well-grounded in reading, math, AND science, and ready to fill the technology jobs of the future.

I want to protect teachers against frivolous lawsuits so they can do their job, which is to maintain classroom order and stretch the potential of young minds.

My plan expands early childhood learning options so our children are ready for school the first day by focusing Head Start and pre-school on the basics of learning.

Let’s use technology, such as on-line diagnostics, to identify and correct learning problems early. And let’s keep students from dropping out by providing alternative learning environments, more counselors and flexible scheduling for students with extraordinary family obligations.

And I want to build on the success of our TEXAS Grant Program and continue to increase college enrollment with incentives for first-generation college students and zero-percent interest college loans. And w

To improve health care choices, my plan will make it easier for small businesses to insure their employees, and ensure that senior citizens have access to prescription drug coverage.

We’ll reduce medical lawsuit abuse because doctors practice medicine to save lives, not appear regularly in court. And low-income women fighting breast and cervical cancer will not also have to fight insurance companies…they will get the treatment they need because their lives are worth every penny.
(pause)

(No longer can Texas move forward on over-crowded and dangerous roadways. For years we have had a policy of expansion based on the greatest urgency. In downtown Austin, what will we tear down next to expand I-35, the U.T. Basketball arena, or the U.T. Baseball field?

As an Aggie, I say both…but as a leader, I say there has to be a better way. My proposal…the Trans Texas Corridor…will make existing routes safer, get hazardous transport vehicles out of our crowded areas, reduce pollution, and provide small and large cities access to oil and gas resources, electric transmission lines, broadband connectivity, and water utilities.

It is a big plan…but so
At the dawn of the 21st Century, Texas needs a governor with experience…a governor who stands for the values dear to our people…a leader who will propose solutions, and fight for ideas.

The test of leadership is not whether you are the loudest critic or the biggest cynic.

The test of leadership is standing for something…taking strong positions, and standing by them, come hell or high water.

Next weekend, our friends in the other party will gather. Their leaders will do their best to distance themselves from Clinton and Gore, Daschle and Gephardt., Carville and McAuliffe. But their records and ideas have more in common with those Washington politicians than the citizens of Texas.

They can run away from their party leaders, but they can’t run away from their flawed ideas.

Their vision for education is to blow a hole in our school accountability system. They would bring casino gambling to Texas. They have offered billions in unfunded promises for programs they cannot explain.

They supported the Clinton-Gore tax hikes of 1993, opposed the record state tax cut George W. Bush and I passed in 1999, and have even proposed more taxes for the future. And they are against a law that will protect the sanctity of marriage…the Defense of Marriage Act.

They think they can score points by attacking Texas schools, employers and our health care system. If you close your eyes and listen to the ads trashing Texas, you’d think After they’re doneAl we’ll feel like Al Gore was running again. running for president again.

My challenge to the loyal opposition is to finally offer a positive vision for the future…say how you’ll pay for it…and debate on the issues. You…th owe it to the citizens of Texas.

The dream that is Texas has spanned several generations, and is alive today. It lives in the heart of a child in a colonia who dreams of a future their ancestors could never conceive. It is the driving motivation for a single mother who serves as the provider, caretaker and inspiration to the children she loves. And it is sustenance for an educator whose greatest compensation is stretching the potential of a child.

We are a diverse people of many talents, and various walks of life. Much has been made of our great diversity this election. But for all the talk about our differences, we must remember we share common hopes: that our children succeed, and live meaningful lives…that our communities are vibrant and safe…that economic opportunity is abundant…and that our own lives will leave a lasting imprint.

Nine months ago, when our nation suffered from attack, we watched with horror as the people of New York City ran away from danger, while heroes rushed into it.

As they fled from the towers, some were so covered with dust and debris that you could not determine their race or ethnicity. But it didn’t matter. During that hour of tragedy, we were reminded of an important fact…despite all our differences, we are one people…one nation under God, indivisible!

We are united by a common humanity that is greater than anything that could ever divide us.

As long as I serve in office, I will welcome all and include all, because I will always be a governor who represents all.

My campaign will take no voter…no region…for granted. I will appeal to the highest aspirations of a great people. And on November 5th…when that last vote is counted…we will be victorious!

I need your help, your prayers, your energy and your shoe-leather once again.

Will you join me in this fight? Will you lend your hearts and prayers to this cause?

Today marks the beginning of a 151-day journey. We must stand united each and every day for the hopes and dreams of the Texas of tomorrow. We must not waver, we must not grow weary.

The Texas of tomorrow is in the hands of the Texans of today. May our every action today be worthy of future generations and their unlimited promise. THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU…ON TO VICTORY!

“In July, I again claimed the attention of my fellow senators to speak out against deficit spending. This was in opposition to the requests of a Republican administration. Our national debt at that point was $272 billion; our gross national income only $340 billion. I predicted there would be a day of reckoning, that deficit spending would produce inflation, that wages would increase, and then prices would increase, and that the never-ending spiral would ultimately lead to the collapse of the Republic.

~ Barry Goldwater in 1953.  

From my heart,

Constitutional.  

You know, I have had many differing opinions in the seventeen years I have lived in this wonderful land called America. I’ve switched from a liberal perspective–where my naivete met no bounds and my incompetence spread through my feet to the ground around me, creating an everlasting sewer of peril in life– to a God-loving, conservative perspective; I don’t think I have ever felt more at ease, resting in the arms of principle and sense. And although it would nearly seem as though from my opening statement my convictions are rock solid, they aren’t always. I’ve been discouraged, I’ve been on the verge of tears from the fear of failure and the cusp of success; but, somehow, there has always been a link to find my way back to the Earth–Ronald Reagan.

Tonight, I felt as if I was lost in the fog of battle; unable to understand anything, because I was so stuck in my rut that I couldn’t think out the truth. I couldn’t feel out the rythms of the coming battle, let alone get out of the ones we’ve fought before; us conservatives are tough, but even the darkest days can get to us all. I had one of those dark days today and, sure enough, I had Ronald Reagan to show “the light that lies in all darkness,” in the words of Benjamin Netanyahu.

It’s useless, I suppose, to describe the events of the day; they’re obvious. As a Governor Perry supporter, there aren’t a lot of people I can say that are saying he’ll win. But, I’ve never given up. He’s the only true one that I can understand, he’s the only one that understands me. I just can’t explain it, but he gives me “a thrill up my leg,” if you will. That’s not to say it doesn’t get me discouraged though and, as I’ve also said before, I seek the words of Ronald Reagan to find understanding in the jumbled mess that is this race.

I’ve seen nearly every speech Ronald Reagan has given; nerdy, I know. There are a few speeches, however, that I’ve never listened to–on purpose, out of fear I’d one day need something new to soothe the cataclysmic impact of demoralization. Maybe I should have saved this for tomorrow, but I needed something simple now. I chose, perhaps out of chance or by the will of God, the “Berlin Wall” speech. Oddly enough, it fit the bill for what I needed. And more.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I’ve heard snippets of this masterpiece before–who hasn’t. I, however, have never read nor listened to this emphatic denial of communism before, and I suppose that’s just the way it was meant to be. This speech has been praised for decades for the words “tear down this wall” but, I would suggest to you, those aren’t the best words nor is the section they’re located in even the best in this speech. In fact, it was a paragraph towards the end that settled my troubles for now–no, for a long time to come:

What keeps you here? Certainly there’s a great deal to be said for your fortitude, for your defiant courage. But I believe there’s something deeper, something that involves Berlin’s whole look and feel and way of life–not mere sentiment. No one could live long in Berlin without being completely disabused of illusions. Something instead, that has seen the difficulties of life in Berlin but chose to accept them, that continues to build this good and proud city in contrast to a surrounding totalitarian presence that refuses to release human energies or aspirations. Something that speaks with a powerful voice of affirmation, that says yes to this city, yes to the future, yes to freedom. In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love–love both profound and abiding.

As you read in the paragraph above, Reagan asks the audience what they feel keeps them there–what keeps them from leaving to depart to another? Is it courage, is it fortitude? No, he remarks–”I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love.” 

It’s true, I suppose, I and many others are afflicted by the same delightfully delicious disease called love for Governor Perry. (However, I think it would be best to leave the marital loving for his wife, we simply love his conservatism!) Just as no one could live in a tortured city without purpose, no one could support an abused candidate without their purpose as well. I would submit to you that just as the freedom that exists in this particular city– for this particular speech I was drawn into by either randomization or fate– is feared and therefore hated, the conservatism that Rick Perry embodies is so too. This booby-trapping for Governor Perry, my friends, is a wallthey have built for themselves to keep any good will or conservatism out. I don’t know the names of everyone, but you and I certainly have an idea of who they are. We stand here in America looking at a free Germany because of a conservative’s will; we have yet to find out if we will stand in a free America with a conservative’s will.

I stand with Governor Perry because he’s the only one who will provide me with true freedom.

~ Constitutional

Results of the 2008 caucus: Mike Huckabee (34%), Mitt Romney (25%), Fred Thompson (13%)

None of which, I might add, won the nomination; it was the fourth place finisher, Senator McCain from Arizona, that did.

Now, three years later, we stand here looking at this possible top three: Rick Perry, a conservative who has consistently proven himself and is #1 in job creation; a guy from MA who is 47th in job creation and who is so liberal he makes Ted Kennedy look like just a murderer; a guy with an earmark problem–yes, the same guy that supported the guy that, in turn, was the last vote needed to pass ObamaCare; finally, there’s Ron Paul, a racist and anti-semetic pig.

It might not be such a bad thing if Rick’s #4, would it be John? 

It would appear as if the old issue the “conservative warriors for the truth” fought against back in August, is coming up again now that Rick Perry’s beginning his uptick. You remember, right? How Michele Malkin and Michele Bachmann rallied against the crony-capitalism involved in the Gardasil deal and frankly, the mere absurd fact that Rick Perry even would sign an executive order that gives children retardation.

Except: there was no crony capitalism, an apology was issued and in the end he respected the legislatures veto enough to say “okay, I was wrong.” But to understand his reasoning  as not being money-motivated, you have to understand the personal story Rick Perry has to tell–in fact, you have to understand my story, too.

(I’ll break this into three parts, because it will be awfully long: A) What Gardasil Prevents;  B) Rick Perry’s Motivation; C) My Own Motivation.)

What Gardasil Prevents:

In most cases, your body’s immune system defeats an HPV infection before it has a chance to create any warts. When warts do appear, they may vary in appearance depending on which variety of HPV is involved:

• Genital warts. Genital warts may appear as flat lesions, small cauliflower-like bumps or tiny stem-like protrusions. In women, genital warts appear most commonly on the vulva but may also occur near the anus, on the cervix or in the vagina. In men, genital warts may appear on the penis and scrotum or around the anus. Genital warts rarely cause discomfort or pain.
• Common warts. Common warts appear as rough, raised bumps that usually occur on the hands, fingers or around fingernails. In most cases, common warts are simply a nuisance because of their appearance, but they may also be painful or susceptible to injury or bleeding.
• Plantar warts. Plantar warts are hard, grainy growths that usually appear on the heel or ball of your feet, areas that feel the most pressure. These warts may cause discomfort or pain.
• Flat warts. Flat warts are flat-topped, slightly raised lesions darker than your regular skin color. They usually appear on your face, neck, hands, wrists, elbows or knees. HPV infections that cause flat warts usually affect children, adolescents and young adults.

Cervical cancer
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by two specific varieties of genital HPV. These two HPV strains usually don’t cause warts, so women often don’t realize they’ve been infected. Early stages of cervical cancer typically cause no signs or symptoms. That’s why it’s important for women to have regular Pap tests, which can detect precancerous changes in the cervix that may lead to cancer.

When to see a doctor
If you or your child has warts of any kind that cause embarrassment, discomfort or pain, seek advice from your doctor.

Causes

HPV infection occurs when the virus enters your body through a cut, abrasion or small tear in the outer layer of your skin. The virus is transferred primarily by skin-to-skin contact.

Genital HPV infections are contracted through sexual intercourse, anal sex and other skin-to-skin contact in the genital region. Some HPV infections that result in oral or upper respiratory lesions are contracted through oral sex.

Rarely a mother with an HPV infection may transmit the virus to her infant during delivery. This exposure may cause HPV infection in the baby’s genitals or upper respiratory system.

Risk factors

HPV infections are common. Risk factors for HPV infection include:

• Number of sexual partners. The greater your number of sexual partners, the more likely you are to contract a genital HPV infection. Having sex with a partner who has had multiple sex partners also increases your risk.
• Age. Common warts occur most often in children and adolescents. While plantar warts may occur in adults, they’re more likely to initially surface in childhood. Genital warts occur most often in adolescents and young adults.
• Weakened immune systems. People who have weakened immune systems are at greater risk of HPV infections. Immune systems can be weakened by HIV/AIDS or by immune system-suppressing drugs used after organ transplants.
• Damaged skin. Areas of skin that have been punctured or opened are more prone to develop common warts. For example, people who bite their fingernails are more likely to develop warts around their fingernails.

Complications

• Oral and upper respiratory lesions. Some HPV infections may cause lesions to form on your tongue, tonsils, soft palate, or within your larynx and nose.
• Cancer. Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by two specific varieties of HPV. These two strains may also contribute to cancers of the genitals, anus, mouth and upper respiratory tract.

Preparing for your appointment

If you think you have an HPV infection, you’ll probably first see your family doctor. Depending on where your warts are located, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in disorders of the skin (dermatologist), feet (podiatrist) or reproductive organs (gynecologist or urologist).

What you can do
Before your appointment, you may want to write a list of questions to ask your doctor, including:

• What kinds of tests do I need?
• How can I prevent HPV infection in the future?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you’re prescribing me?
• Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
• Under what circumstances should I plan for a follow-up visit?

In addition to the questions that you’ve prepared to ask your doctor, don’t hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don’t understand something.

What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
• What are your symptoms?
• Where have you noted lesions?
• Are the lesions painful?

Tests and diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor may be able to diagnose genital HPV infection after visual inspection of any warts or lesions. If warts aren’t visible, you may need one or more of the following tests:

• Vinegar solution test. Your doctor may apply a vinegar solution that turns HPV-infected genital areas white. This may help in identifying difficult-to-see flat lesions.
• Pap test. Your doctor collects a sample of cells from your cervix or vagina to send for laboratory analysis. Pap tests can reveal abnormalities that may lead to cancer.
• DNA test. This test can recognize the DNA of the high-risk varieties of HPV that have been linked to genital cancers. The test is conducted on a sample of cells taken from your cervix.

Treatments and drugs

Warts often go away without treatment. But even if your warts have disappeared or have been removed, you can still harbor HPV and may transmit the virus to others.

Medications
Medications to eliminate warts are typically applied directly to the lesion and usually take many applications before they are successful. Examples include:

• Salicylic acid. Over-the-counter treatments that contain salicylic acid work by removing layers of a wart a little bit at a time. Don’t use these products for genital warts, as they will cause severe irritation.
• Imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara). This prescription cream may enhance your immune system’s ability to fight HPV.
• Podofilox (Condylox). Another type of prescription cream, podofilox works by destroying genital wart tissue.
• Trichloroacetic acid. This chemical treatment burns off genital warts.

Surgical and other procedures
If medications don’t work, your doctor may suggest one of the following procedures, which physically remove warts by:

• Freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy)
• Electrocautery, which uses an electrical current to burn off warts or lesions
• Surgical removal
• Laser surgery

My own preference would be to let each state fashion its own program to meet the distinct needs of its citizens. States could follow the MA model if they choose, or they could develop plans of their own. These plans, tested in the ”state laboratories of democracy,” could be evaluated, compared, improved upon, and adopted by others. But the creations of a national plan is in the direction in which Washing currently is moving. If a national approach is ultimately adopted, we should permit individuals to purchase insurance from companies in the other states in order to expand choice and competition.

What we accomplished surprised us: 444,000 people who previously had no health insurance became insured, many paying their own way. We made it possible for each newly insued person to have better care, and ultimately healthier and longer lives. From now on, no one in MA has to worry about losing his or her health insurance if there is a job change or a loss in income; everyone is insured and pays only what he or she can afford. It’s portable, afforadblab, health insurance–something people have beeen talking about for decades. We can accomplish the same thing for everyone in the country, and it can be done without letting government take over health care. 

The bold, italicized line is the line that was deleted from his paperback edition.

Clearly, if you read the two paragraphs above, they are almost certainly in contradiction to one another: “my own preference would be to let each state fashion its own program to meet the distinct needs of its citizens” and then saying “We can accomplish the same thing for everyone in the country, and it can be done without letting government take over health care,” is essentially like saying “I’m a conservative” and then later saying “I am Justice Kennedy.”

There is something relevant about the “state-level” argument for that last line. True, there is obviously a very good argument that the last line could argue for all states individually adopting a policy of a mandate. (Although, I’d say that still qualifies as believing in a socialism-at-the-state-level-approach.) However, it is frankly just as relevant to note that during both paragraphs he never argues against a federal approach, nor does he say it wouldn’t work at the federal level.

I guess you owe Rick $10,000, Mitt.

Lately, there has been a mass hysteria — like that of James Dean and all of the woman that were after him — over Newt Gingrich. I, frankly, just don’t know why that is. Perhaps it’s because “he’s the smartest guy in the room.” Or, if we’re to believe the media and those conservatives who just want to beat Obama so badly they’ll nominate whoever can debate the best, it’s because he’s a great talker.

I find something wrong with those two assumptions.

First of all, Newt Gingrich is an intellectual; no one can take that away from Newt. But, even with all that brain-power, he comes up with ridiculous statements like saying Paul Ryan’s budget is “right-wing social-engineering” and that he’s “a Teddy Roosevelt Republican.” If that weren’t bad enough, he occupies preposterous positions more fit to be assigned to Mitt Romney than this God-like creature people seem to purport him to be. The individual mandate is a big, great thing  – this worse than Romney’s bill, because it’s at the federal level – he says and  TARP was also great: (http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/284472/newt-gingrich-said-iwhati). His statements vary from strange –

“In October 2005, Gingrich called for “universal but confidential” DNA testing” — to absolutely abhorrent:

Lawmakers should take the time to at least thumb through this report, especially those who have been demanding Secretary General Kofi Annan’s resignation, supporting the ill-conceived nomination of John Bolton as the United States ambassador to the United Nations and backing the latest benighted attempt to withhold America’s legally obligated dues.

to, well, Mitt Romney-esque: http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/29/examples-of-gingrich-comments-in-favor-of-federally-funded-abortion-stem-cell-research/

And, in an effort to shore-up the “I want a fence” vote, he’s promising a “double-border fence.”

Newt Gingrich isn’t a God-like creature. Newt Gingrich is a God for people who apparently disregard facts in an effort to get what they want with the “surest bet,” or is a God because he’s “so much smarter than everyone else.” This reminds me a lot of the times my mother has said “you’re so impatient, going with what you think is the best. If you just waited it out, instead of what’s good in the store, maybe you won’t wind up with a broken heart after it doesn’t work out.” (She doesn’t say that anymore.)

With all of these leftist, looney, ludicrous policies, I have yet to understand why on Earth the world’s biggest, bestest, most smarterest debater is also the stupidester person in the world when it comes to making coherent policy statements to conservatives. In my honest opinion, Newt either has the biggest ego in the world to think he has a shot at being the nominee, or he thinks everything he has said, is conservative. Or both.

So, while we all will dip our toes in the Newt-fad for a while, his campaign is certainly going to end the way — to put it bluntly — Jame’s Dean’s life did: dead. 

Next thing you know, he’s going to be telling everyone he’ll be the nominee and the searching is over.