Saturday, July 3, 2010

HELL NO!

Last night marked the first time I ever really appreciated Rick Perry, governor of my home state, when I heard him speak at the Texas Defending the American Dream Summit. Armed only with a few scribbled notes, a charming country twang, and a captivating passion for his fellow Texans, Perry easily surpassed the eloquence of Barack Obama's ubiquitous teleprompter.

He was comfortable on stage, loose enough to joke with fellow speaker Joe the Plumber, and fervent enough to command our full attention. In some of the most intensely emotional moments his voice sank to a mere whisper, at others he raised his voice to boom across the ballroom "not just no, but HELL NO!"

Perry quoted the central tenet of conservatism - "Get the hell out of the way, government!" - and wrapped it up with the most basic concepts of freedom.

Last night I began to appreciate how blessed I am to live in a state like Texas.


Texas is not like the rest of the United States. We are ranked the top state for entrepreneurs, lead the nation in job growth, and, thanks to the lack of state personal income taxes, have created a supportive environment for small businesses and economic growth. We have more Fortune 500 companies than any other state and have enacted tort reform to curtail frivolous lawsuits. As the 11th largest economy in the world, Texas leads the country in energy production and created more new jobs in 2008 than all the other states combined. And we're still growing jobs. Texas is the number one relocation destination in the United States (especially from the quickly tanking California).

Thanks to our precautionary "rainy day" fund, Texas now has a budget surplus. Next year may bring about a deficit, but with continued economic vigilance that deficit can be averted.

Texas is proof that solid conservative principles are the way to economic security, to the American Dream. With "guaranteed throwdown long-range fiscal conservatives" like Perry who are unafraid to get the government the hell out of the way, we have put the nanny state and big government tactics to shame. Because that's not the way this country works, and that's certainly not the way Texas works.

Washington, D.C., could learn a bit from us down here in God's country.

This November, and again in 2012, we're saying HELL NO! to economic ruin and progressive liberal agendas. We're taking our government back.

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