Maybe you're a Republican?
In today's America ask a growing number of high school and college students, their teachers and professors, the self-anointed media elite and/or hard working men and women of all ethnicities, the question, "What is a Republican?" and you'll be told ".. a rich, greedy, egotistical individual, motivated only by money and the desire to accumulate more and more of it, at the expense of the environment, the working poor....and all whom they exploit..."
I am a Republican - And I am none of those things....and I don't know any Republicans who are!
WHAT I AM first and foremost, is a loving husband of some 52 plus years, the father of four and an American who's proud of his country...and his country's heritage
WHAT I AM is the grandson of immigrants who risked every-thing, including their lives and those of their children, to escape tyranny in search of freedom.
WHAT I AM is a man who grew up during the Depression and witnessed first hand the effects of the Stock Market crash and the soup lines that followed. I watched as both my parents and grand parents, who had very little themselves, share what food they had with a half dozen other families, who had even less.
WHAT I AM is someone who worked his way through college by holding down three and four jobs at a time and then used that education to build a better life.
WHAT I AM is a husband who at age 24 started his own business for the "privilege" of working 60, 70 and 80 hours a week, risking everything I had including my health, in search of a better life for myself and my loved ones.
WHAT I AM is a businessman whose blood, sweat and tears....and plenty of them.., made it possible for me to provide a secure living not only for my family and myself, but also for literally hundreds of my employees throughout the years. Employees who in turn were able to buy their own homes, raise their own families and give back to their communities and their country.
WHAT I AM is a man who believes in God; a God who has blessed this country... and all for which it stands.
WHAT I AM is someone who knows, if you doubt miracles exist in today's world, you need only to look into the face of those who received them....and the eyes of those who give them.
WHAT I AM is an American who's proud that his President embraces a belief in God; proud of a President who understands, as "politically incorrect" as it may be, there is evil in this world and for the security and safety of all freedom loving people everywhere, it must be confronted...and it must be defeated.
WHAT I AM is an American who takes comfort in the knowledge that our President refuses to allow decisions concerning the very safety and security of this nation, to be governed by the political whims of foreign governments.
WHAT I AM is tired of hearing from leading Democrats who see only negativity in
WHAT I AM is a former democrat who now understands that it is the soldier and not the reporter that guarantees us our freedoms of press, speech and dissent.
WHAT I AM is a man who believes in the sanctity of life. A man who is repulsed by the pandering of the political left for votes, at the expense of the unborn.
WHAT I AM is a husband and father who believes in the sanctity of marriage and the preservation of the family unit.
WHAT I AM is a ex-movie goer who is repulsed by those insecure, socially inept, elementary thinking, ego-inflated "entertainers" who have appointed themselves "experts" in the fields of national security and geo-politics and then use their forum to attack this nation, its leaders and its actions....much to the delight and encouragement of our enemies.
WHAT I AM is an American who understands the difference between "censorship" and "choice." Evidently, these individuals do not, because when these same "celebrities" receive public ridicule for their offensive actions, the first thing they yell is "censorship." What they seem incapable of understanding is...the right of free speech and dissent is shared equally by those offended...as well as those who offend. I support and will continue to support those films and performers whom I choose to and refuse to support those I don't. It is my right as an American a right I will continue to enthusiastically exercise.
WHAT I AM is a voter, tired of politicians who every time their voting records are subjected to public scrutiny, try to divert attention from their political and legislative failures by accusing their opponents of "attack ads" and "negative campaigning"....and the news media who allow them to get away with it.
WHAT I AM is a Catholic who loves his God and his Faith....and who's been taught to respect all religions whose teachings are based in love, peace and charity. As such, I am embarrassed and ashamed of those individuals in both private and public life whose decisions and actions are devoid of any sense of character or morals; individuals who are only driven by what's best for them....rather than what's right... often times at the expense of many....including our national security.
WHAT I AM is a realist who understands that the terrorist attack that murdered hundreds of innocent Russian children could have occurred here, in our heartland. That's why I sincerely believe
WHAT I AM is eternally grateful to Ronald Reagan for having the bravery to speak out against Communism and the courage of his convictions in leading the fight to defeat it; and George W. Bush for the vision, courage, conviction and leadership he has shown in America's war on terrorism amidst both the constant and vicious, personal and political attacks both he and his family are made to endure.
WHAT I AM is a human being, full of numerous faults and failures, but a man nonetheless who though not always successful has continually strived to do "what's right" instead of "what's easy." A man who is challenging the religious leaders of all faiths, to not only preach to their congregations the fundamentals of "what's right" and "what's wrong," but to also then hold them accountable for their actions in both the public and private sectors.
WHAT I AM is disgusted with the Courts who on one hand call the murder of a pregnant woman a "double homicide," but then refer to the abortion of her baby as "pro-choice".
WHAT I AM is someone deeply troubled by a political party which embraces a candidate whose primary "leadership" qualities center around his protesting of the Vietnam war and his labeling the honorable men and women who fought in it, (50,000 of whom gave their lives in that action), as rapists, and war criminals (John Kerry). That same political party then stepped forward this year to block the appearance of a true Vietnam war hero, retired Admiral and former United States Senator, Jeremiah Denton, (a man who spent seven years and seven torturous months in a North Vietnam prison), from speaking before an open session of the California legislature as part of that state's 4th of July celebration. The reason Democrats gave for refusing to allow this American hero to speak before their state legislature was because of the "conservative" nature of his views. As an American, that troubles me deeply....as well it should you. (Are you listening Mr. D?)
WHAT I AM is a man who feels the need to spend, ONE HUNDRED & FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS ($104, 655.60, tax paid) of his own money, to purchase this advertisement, in order to set the story straight. Some may say this money would have been better spent feeding the world's poor. At the risk of sounding self-serving, as an American and as a Republican, for the last six decades of my life, I have done exactly that...and more. Following the examples of my parents and grand parents, I have used my earnings to feed the poor, shelter the homeless, provide housing for the elderly and medical care for the sick.....and continue to do so...and I'm not alone in that work.
WHAT I AM is someone who is paying for this announcement at my sole expense in hopes of opening the eyes of those led blindly by ill-informed elements of our great nation, who, through either ignorance, or malicious intent, repeatedly attack and belittle those of us who belong to a political party that holds true to the belief, "The rights of the governed, exceed the power of the government." For those interested, I am speaking only as a tax-paying individual who is in no way associated with the Republican National Committee, nor with any of its directors, or delegates.
WHAT I AM is a man who understands, "the American way of life" is a message of self-empowerment for all.
WHAT I AM is an American who is grateful that our nation gives each of us the opportunity of self-determination and the right to benefit from the fruits of self achievement.
WHAT I AM is an American who wants to preserve that way of life for all who seek it.
WHAT I AM is blessed to be an American.... and proud to be a Republican.
Historically, the party has supported
The abolition of slavery The right of free speech Support of women's suffrage The reduction of the power of Federal government The reduction of Federal bureaucracy The return of power to state governments The support of the idea of the primacy of the individual To fight for the right of individuals in opposition to large "bloated" government In 1866, a Republican government passed the 1866 Civil Rights Act a law which restricted the right of states (though this was aimed at the Southern states in particular) to restrict the right of Black Americans to testify in a court of law and to restrict the right of Black Americans to own property The Republicans proposed the 14th Amendment which became part of the Constitution.Jeanette Rankin - a Republican - became the first woman to serve in the House of Representatives, for the state of Montana. The Republicans claim that they were the first party to officially push for women's suffrage.
The Republicans claim to be the first party to favour environmental issues when President Nixon pushed for a Clean Air Act which was duly passed by Congress.
The Republicans claim to be the party of tax cuts. The Ford Administration cut taxes significantly while under the Republican president George W Bush, all registered tax payers received a cheque for $300 in tax rebate in July 2001 as promised by Bush in the run-up to the 2000 election.
Ronald Reagan promised to make federal government smaller known as "New Federalism". Reagan believed that local governments knew what their community wanted more than Washington and he pushed for a development in the powers of local government.
Reagan's first term as president saw a marked increase in the number of women in powerful positions Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed the first female Supreme Court judge in America while Jean Kirkpatrick was the first female US representative to the United Nations.
In 1993, Hayley Barbour was elected as Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He emphasised
The importance of individual freedom The importance of personal responsibility The reduction in the powers of Federal governmentThe 104th Congress was dominated by Republicans and
Commissioned the first independent audit of Congress in its history
Cut the budget of Congress by 10% - $200 million
Eliminated three Congressional committees and 25 sub-committees
Imposed term limits on committee chairs
Planned for a balanced budget reducing the deficit to zero in 7 years without raising taxes
Improve Medicare
THE PRESIDENT'S 2008 BUDGET
Reducing Deficits Each Year and
Balancing the Budget by 2012
The President's 2008 Budget continues the focus on pro-growth policies that have helped fuel our Nation's strong economic expansion. The President's tax relief helped generate increased economic activity that resulted in strong job creation and record tax receipts in the last two years, even in the face of historic challenges and the 2001 recession, corporate scandals, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina. Our robust and resilient economy, coupled with disciplined spending restraint, has helped cut the deficit in half three years ahead of schedule and put the budget on a path to balance by 2012.
While working with Congress to successfully reduce the growth in non-security discretionary spending, the President continues to invest in the Nation's prosperity and security. To keep the economy vibrant, the Budget makes tax relief permanent, and proposes pro-growth policies to improve education, health care, and energy security.
The FY08 Budget also takes steps to improve the budget process, including proposals such as comprehensive earmark reform and a legislative line item veto. Lastly, to tackle the unsustainable growth of entitlement programs, the biggest long-term budget challenge, the Budget will make sensible steps toward reforming these vital entitlement programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, to ensure they are sustainable in the long-term.
The 2008 Budget makes necessary investments in the Global War on Terror and homeland security, as well as addresses three key issues that are on the minds of many Americans: the quality and cost of their children's education, rising health care costs, and our Nation's dependence on foreign sources of energy from unstable parts of the world.
A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR
The work ahead offers many challenges, but I am looking forward to them. I know that working together we can accomplish good things for the people of Florida - good things like less taxing, less spending, less government and more freedom.
I am committed to always listening - to both the needs that are important to the people, and to ideas for meeting those needs. This exchange of ideas is what makes Florida a great place - for both today and tomorrow.
May God bless continue to bless the great state of Florida.