Ladies and Gentlemen,

This evening our president spoke about our nation’s future.  I imagine everyone will agree it was refreshing to hear a glimmer of hope return to his message.  Over the past month we have heard nothing but a list of economic woes and governmental promises to solve the world’s problems.  For the past 4 years news story after news story promised us recession was here and bubbles in our markets would burst.  We’ve heard nothing but crisis upon crisis:  a mortgage crisis, a liquidity crisis, a banking crisis, an auto crisis.  Those are but a few.  The fact of the matter is that we are in a recession.  Unemployment is higher than it has been in two decades and our stock market has dropped to the values of the late 1990s.  If you lost your job or money you make your retirement off of, this may indeed be a crisis for you.  For those of us far removed from the politicians in Washington DC, we’ve had friends lose jobs.  There is definite apprehension.  After hearing such doom and gloom for so long, it’s easy to overlook the positive.  An overwhelming majority of us are employed.  Nearly all those who are unemployed have the loving support of family, friends, and neighbors to aid in times of need.  America remains the envy of the world.  In this economic downturn our markets have faired better than others.  Both our society and economic systems remain the most prosperous and free the world has ever witnessed. 

As we experience this economic downturn, which is a natural part of free markets and life itself, we must not forget why we remain the envy of the world.  American individuals, you and I, remain free to follow our dreams. And for that reason we dream big and deliver wonders unimaginable, wonders some would call miracles.  We maintain such freedom out of sacrifice:  sacrifice at home and sacrifice abroad.  The men and women of our armed forces preserve and maintain freedom for this grateful nation.  They serve as guardians for countless allies:  allies as old as our nation and new allies recently born of the ultimate sacrifice as Americans and foreign friends died side by side.  These brave airmen, marines, sailors, and soldiers serve as the guard dogs for our free society and our free economic system.  They guarantee we can practice capitalism and democracy.  Without them much of the free world could not participate in either.  We owe them an immeasurable debt and eternal gratitude. 

The fine men and women of our military volunteer on their own volition.  They are  not immune from our economic downturn.  While those of us at home try to cut back and save, we cannot forget our troops.  They are still fighting a war.  As our president has announced plans to send 17000 more troops on the battlefield, we must renew our support for the men and women of our military.  When this war was new, all Americans were eager to give money, adopt a soldier, or send care packages to the troops.  This night I urge all Americans to do so again.  This recession impacts everyone.  If you can afford to do so, please send a care package to our troops.  If not within your financial means, donate your time.  Help organize support for our troops or volunteer your time to help an injured soldier.  Make cards to send to our armed forces serving in a foreign land.  Remind them we honor their sacrifice.  Most importantly, respect the men and women in uniform.  Whether at an airport, parade, sporting event or where ever, when you see someone in uniform, let them know:  cheer for them, applaud them, or simply place your hand over your heart. 

As Americans cannot forget our military neither should our government.  After 8 years of long, hard fought battle against those who seek to destroy our way of life, our munitions have been used and much equipment now requires repair, replacement and upgrades.  I was deeply saddened to learn not a single dime of the recent $787 billion spending bill was for our brave men and women.  Never did I hear a single one ask for anything.  How admirable.  The men and women of our military are always the ones to do more with less and the last ones to ask for anything.  Perhaps they would have asked, but they’re too busy winning a war. 

Our politicians had to get extremely creative thinking up ways to spend $787 billion.  They thought well enough to buy themselves hybrid cars to save the environment.  But they could not think long enough to buy one more armored vehicle to save our troops from their environment.  Maybe these politicians did not think.  Let us hope they did not think.  For if they did think long and hard about $787 billion of our money and did not think enough to spend any on our troops, then not a single one is fit to represent any of us.  This evening President Obama remembered the military.  He made future promises, but does not want you to remember his past actions.   

For arguments sake I will give the politicians who supported this spending extravaganza the benefit of the doubt.  They do not possess extreme disdain for our military personnel; these politicians simply put little thought when spending $787 billion of our money.  Because these politicians were so careless, reckless spending… I mean passing this so called “Stimulus Bill”, I call for an immediate repeal of this $787 billion in spending!  As we now look through the details of this spending junket, little consideration was given to thought, intelligence, or common sense.  Like having won a free shopping spree they’ve thrown anything and everything into the basket; and they’ve given us the bill. 

Now it is time to look through the cart, see what we have, and return a few items. 

So what do we have! 

Zero transparency! 

The new administration promised us a new level of transparency.  What has hope and change delivered?  Zero transparency. 

The TARP bailout was not given transparency.  Even worse the process congress used to spend $787 billion was the least transparent act of congress in the modern era.  Democrat party congressional leaders promised all Americans 48 hour to read over 1000 pages that comprise this bill, the same 48 hours promised to regular members of congress.  We didn’t get 48 hours.  They would not even give us 1 day to read the spending package before voting. 

Democrat Speaker, Nancy Pelosi should not have scheduled a vote until those promised 48 hours passed.  She wanted to leave for her Italian trip immediately.  She could not delay her vacation.  Nancy should have scheduled a vote when her vacation ended the following week after we could read the bill.  Speaker Pelosi did not want us to read this spending bill.  Her office intentionally replaced the original version with one that could not be electronically searched.  Nancy Pelosi tried to prevent us from reading that bill.  Nancy Pelosi and the democrat-controlled congress broke its promise for transparency and pledge to give Americans 48 hours to read this bill.  If President Obama wanted transparency, he would have vetoed this $787 billion spending bill and taken time to read it. 

What do we have! 

Zero oversight! 

The $787 billion in spending has zero oversight.  Have we learned nothing from the mistakes of the past 4 months!  We passed the TARP bailout without any oversight in place and almost immediately lost 20% overpaying for securities.  Neither congress nor the Obama administration has put any oversight in place.  After these politicians in DC wasted over 20% of the first urgent bailout, why would we give them more money?  We didn’t want to.  Ten to 1 we called congress urging them not to pass this spending bill.  They did it anyway.  But don’t worry, now that they have our $787 billion President Obama promises to add oversight that was need yesterday, not in the future.  Least we forget it took a couple weeks to lose $68 billion on the last bailout.  Too little too late. 

Where was the president’s veto?  Laying on top of his “oversight plan”. 

President Obama, nor his administration had time to read the 1000 pages of that spending bill before it was signed into law.  President Obama knew congress was not given a chance to read this bill.  President Obama knew congressional democrats broke their pledge to give American citizens 48 hours to read this bill.  We needed congressional oversight. 

President Obama, you had an obligation to the American people to veto this bill. 

This is a lousy spending package.  It should be repealed immediately.  We were sold a bill of goods.  Touted as a “Stimulus Package” this was $787 billion of increasing welfare spending and pork.  Mr. Obama does not know what a stimulus bill is.  He thinks government spending is stimulus.  That stimulates only big government and inflation.  It is a drain on our economy.  We need economic stimulus for job creation.  Take a close look at what they’re spending money on:  more welfare, and I imagine we’ll spend more than they’ve estimated. 

This is what Nancy Pelosi and democrats in congress believes is what we need to end a recession.  I wished they learned history, because they are repeating the mistakes from four months ago and beyond. 

Now President Obama has already told us doing nothing would have been worse.  That may be true in the land of make-believe.  But in the real world actions have consequences, very real consequences that can harm millions.  President Obama is not a bad man.  He wants nothing more than to help improve things.  Like an anxious, newly hired employee, he wants to jump in and help out.  Actually, he is that anxious new employee.  But he must remember this is real; actions have consequences.  Before acting it is important to step back and see what’s worked before and what has failed.  The facts are conclusive:  excessive government spending during a recession may only ease some short term pains, but it will extend the recession.  Let’s not repeat our government’s failed policies of the past. 

President Obama has not done nothing.  He signed into law a $787 billion spending bill with zero transparency zero oversight, which is why this spending bill must be repealed immediately.  It is fiscal irresponsibility, a proven failed policy with no transparency and no oversight. 

I do not only call for the repeal of this $787 billion spending bill, I call for its repeal as part of a larger call for fiscal responsibility. 

Government is incapable of living beyond its means.  But government can live beyond our means, yours and mine.  For far too long government has done precisely that.  Assigning sole responsibility to the past administration is not a valid excuse.  The democrat-controlled congress approved all their budgets with Mr. Obama’s support.  President Obama has been more of the same, multiplied by 10, as he has over doubled the deficit in 30 short days.  Now he promises to reduce his deficit to levels before he took office in 4 long years.  Great scheme:  double the deficit in 30 days, then promise to reduce it in 4 years. 

Enough! 

Over the past year amidst massive deficit spending, our government has thrown hundred-billion dollar check after $100 billion check at one problem to the next.  Each bailout, government backed debt, spending plan has failed and made matters worse.  Spending intended to stabilize our markets has repeatedly, continually caused our markets to freefall.  After decades you would think Washington politicians would learn throwing money in the hole does not work.  They tell us there is a crisis and their spending will solve it.  That is their story of America. 

I have a very different vision of America, of time-tested truth.  Hard work is rewarding.  We celebrate success; Failure is discouraged.  The rest of us outside Washington like to call this vision “reality”.  Unfortunately, we in the real world know economic downturns are natural.  Through sacrifice and hard work we, the American people, will over come the burdens befallen us and create prosperity.  Government spending comes out of the dollars in our pockets, hard-earned income.  When we have less of our money, we must do with less.  Less money for spending, less money for investing, and less money to create jobs, create prosperity. 

The economic solution is simple, not easy.  We must stop expanding the welfare state for our state governments, corporations, and individuals.  We must force government to balance its budget.  We must force government to begin paying down our debts.  We must immediately stop our government from borrowing from our children not yet born for they have no say and should not be taxed without representation.  We had a little tea party over that up in Boston once upon a time. 

Who has the capacity to solve these economic times?  The American people. 

The world looks to America for leadership.  In these trying times our new administration and congressional policies of exponentially increasing government spending is making everyone wary.  But they have solace because they know the genius of America is not government, it is her people.  As we stumble through economic hardship, immigrants by the thousands continue to sacrifice all to come to here. 

America is a place where a boy, loved by parents who sacrificed all for their child, can go on to become president.  Then, as president, inspire a revolution that tears down a wall of tyranny to reunite a nation divided, liberate millions and end a war without a single shot fired.  That America is still raising boys and girls with dreams unimaginable, but attainable.  Right now at this very moment there is one child out there thinking, “I want to grow up to be as good as he was”.  And right now from heaven our former president is saying, “No.  You will be better.” 

And that is the essence of our American Dream that President Reagan lived.  Every mother, every father wishes their kids are better off than they were.  At times we may stumble and suffer setbacks, but:

We will not tire, we will not falter, we will not fail. 

The ingenuity of the American individual is the greatness of America for that reason we will continue that American Dream. 

God bless the American people!  And God bless these United States of America!