Posted on 06/08/2008 10:13:10 AM PDT by kellynla
I was privileged to spend some time with fellow conservatives, Republicans and concerned citizens in Hershey, PA., last Friday, where I addressed the state GOP. Here's what we discussed.
We are not here tonight just because we are Republicans. We are here because we know that we have the strongest, freest and most prosperous country in the history of the world, and that if we adhere to the traditional principles of the Republican Party, which are the first principles of our country, we will keep it that way.
We know that we were given a country based upon certain eternal truths–the wisdom of the scriptures and the wisdom of the ages … the fact that there is such a thing as human nature that has to be taken into account when governing … and most fundamentally, based upon the fact that people are meant to be free. Our founders derived from these principles a government that had its powers separated, checked and balanced because they knew that power tended to corrupt. In keeping with that they incorporated in our Constitution a system of Federalism to make sure that there was not too much power concentrated in the central government, which was given delineated powers and no others.
From these principles we developed a market economy, with the rule of law, a system of trade with other nations, and a strong national defense. From the prosperity, freedom and strength that came from this system we became a friend and example to all those around the world who aspired to those same things. We won wars, including the Cold War, and enhanced world stability and a friendlier environment within which others could pursue their own freedom. This of course enhanced our own security as Americans.
But today many of the principles that made our country great are under assault. Some of our fellow Republicans say that things are different now and we must change with the times. We recognize that appropriate change is necessary, just as the conservative thinker Edmund Burke did when he supported the American Revolution.
However we must ask those who would modify our principles, “When did freedom and liberty become outdated?” Then, “What part of our Constitutional framework needs to be abandoned?”
We need to recognize that in a constantly changing world there are still some unchanging truths. It is when our party has abandoned our principles that we have gotten into trouble. Not when we’ve adhered to them.
The Democratic Party of today would abandon many of these principles and what they would not abandon they would distort. They have their own principles. They believe:
In highlighting and dwelling on America’s imperfections. In isolationism. In policies that will give the world the impression that we are weak and divided. In declaring defeat even when we are winning. In stopping or reneging on free trade agreements with other countries, and making the word of the United States less reliable. In turning over the education of our children to the NEA. In continuing to expand our entitlement program spending even as these programs are headed bankruptcy.
Today’s Democratic Party would persuade the American people that the government is the solution to all of their problems and that every economic downturn is because of a conspiracy against them.
They would change the definition of marriage and appoint liberal judges to set our social policy. In fact, they have thrown our court system into turmoil in order to ensure that President Bush will not be able to appoint any more judges in hopes that next year a new Democratic president can give us a new batch of judges approved by MoveOn.org.
They would bring about the biggest tax increase in American history.
And to lead this effort they apparently have nominated a man who keeps repeating, “Yes we can.” Well, America now knows what he means by that and our response is, “No we won’t!” Our vision is an entirely different one.
There are two things that have been firmly established on the American political scene over the last several years. First these liberal Democratic policies have been rejected by the American people.
I had the opportunity to help make that happen. In the 90’s, we passed welfare reform, balanced the budget and began rebuilding our military. Since 2000 we’ve cut taxes for all Americans who pay taxes and seen unprecedented economic growth. We have put two good justices on the Supreme Court. We passed the Defense of Marriage Act. These things could not have been done if the American people believed in what the Democrats are now trying to sell. I might also add that under President Bush’s leadership we did the things necessary to prevent another attack on this country.
The second thing that is clear is that the American people see the need for strong, experienced leadership in dealing with matters of foreign policy and international threats. Look at the world today.
The President of Iran again this week announced the impending destruction of the United States and Israel, as Iran becomes a nuclear state. North Korea has already developed a nuclear capability. The Taliban in Pakistan continues with their plans to drive allied forces out of Afghanistan. Russia is belligerent and China is engaged in a rapid military buildup.
This is no time for on-the-job training in the White House for someone who thinks that polite conversation with state sponsors of terrorism is the key to our safety. But despite all of this the Democratic Party is nominating for President the most liberal, and one of the most inexperienced members of the United States Senate–a man who has never strayed from the official Democratic position on any issue or reached out across the aisle in any effort to compromise on issues important to our country.
Under his leadership the Democrats would take us down the road to greater reliance upon an expanded, and in many cases inept, government to a larger national debt and weaker national defense. We are not going to let that happen.
John McCain’s entire career, his entire life, has prepared him to lead this country in the troubled times we live in today. His story is one of sacrifice, courage, and placing the interests of his country above his own. There are scores of issues that will be discussed and debated during this campaign. And we won’t always agree among ourselves. We must ask ourselves what are the things most vital to the welfare of our country. I believe, among them must be the issues of national security, the taxation of American citizens, the appointment of judges who will follow the law and the Constitution and not make it up as they go along, government reform and life itself. And on these issues John McCain has and will stand strong. Whether it’s saying no to the continued expansion of entitlement programs we can’t pay for, correcting our mistakes in Iraq to ensure success or pork barrel spending of either party, while others wavered, he stood strong–sometimes almost alone.
It is clear that as the ever-moving political pendulum has swung against Republicans this year, we have probably nominated the only Republican candidate we can get elected. Obviously, I have (not) always been of that opinion. We must take advantage of this fact and stay united as Republicans for the benefit of our country. I know that folks in Pennsylvania appreciate this more than most. Any realistic scenario for victory recognizes the necessity of our carrying the State of Pennsylvania. We must be dedicated to the proposition that America’s greatest days are still ahead of her and that they cannot be achieved by turning the keys to this country over to the most left-wing elements of the Democratic Party.
Not too long ago I was asked by a group of 11 year olds why I was so interested in government and politics. I thought about it for a minute and then I said that, while I was interested in politics from an early age, as I got older I became more interested in what politics were supposed to do, like protect our freedoms. I told them that over the years as I read world history it dawned on me just how unique our country was. How a small group of intellectuals and a much larger group of average people, servants, tradesmen, some folks who had had run-ins with the law but all of whom shared a desire for liberty, came here, carved out a place in the wilderness and decided they could govern themselves. How they came up with a Constitution that was the envy of the world and still is. How they elected a President who could have been a king, but instead served his terms, got on his horse and rode out of town never to return.
How 70 years later at a place called Gettysburg another great President wondered aloud whether a government of free people could endure when the going got rough. He had faith that it could. And it did.
Every generation of Americans since, in order to protect this unique place, has shared this faith and made its share of sacrifices and done the things necessary to make sure that our country did endure strong and free. And now it’s our turn.
Thank you for all that you have done in this effort and I look forward to our working together in this election year to add another illustrious chapter to the history of our party and our nation.
Too bad Fred did not really want to be President. He could have done a good job for America and Constitutional conservatism.
Can you do a FRed ping, and could you please send me a copy of the list?
My computer crashed, and the program I was using wouldn’t restore. *Sigh*
Thanks for posting the entire article Kelly.
TownHall takes forever to load on a 56K dialup line.
And, a MASSIVE Fred BUMP!!
He is STILL da man.
Blinding sanity in a world gone mad.
My dad wasn’t a Fredhead, I had to talk Fred up to him. But now, every few weeks, he says “I read such and such from Fred.
I really think we lost the best man.”
Wahhhhh!!!
It’s sad that there are so few good men like him nowadays.
I agree with everything he said but this...
"In stopping or reneging on free trade agreements with other countries, and making the word of the United States less reliable."
The Dems want these agreements to stay the same because it is hurting our America to have unfair trade agreements. The Republicans can not get in bed with the socialist agenda and leave the bedrock of America behind in the dust without severe consequences. We are an up lifting party, an American Dream party, not a screw you for trying, we have a bunch of new customers party...right?
It makes me sad we got the RHINO instead. I envision my grandchildren’s liberties flying out the window with McCain instead of being solidly protected as they would have been with Fred. I feel old and outvoted. The next generation is dropping the ball. The boomers apparently failed to teach them the value of the Republic that was handed to them.
So is this the same Fred that was on the campaign trail? I don’t recall hearing this message then...
You know, there is one thing about Hillary that I am really impressed with - she doesn’t back down to the media. When the media starts their drumbeat about what a Republican should do, the republicans cave within days. After the first few primaries, the media started their drumbeat about how it’s time for Hillary to step out of the race, AND SHE IGNORED THEM! While she has ‘suspended” her campaign, she’s technically STILL in the race. The media treated her like they treat Republicans, and she didn’t cave.
Where can we get some of that attitude in the Republican party? Maybe if our Republican “leaders” didn’t cave so quickly in the face of media disapproval, they’d have done what they said they would back in 2000 and would still be in the majority.
Hillary recognizes that the media doesn’t decide for the voters (at least not anymore), and that’s where she’s ahead of all Republicans.
* sniff *
I miss Fred.
Obama wouldn’t even know what hit him. Fred would just squash him like a litte bug—perhaps like a...gnat? ;^)
The text surrounding your quote is ...
The Democratic Party of today would abandon many of these principles and what they would not abandon they would distort. They have their own principles. They believe: In highlighting and dwelling on America’s imperfections. In isolationism. In policies that will give the world the impression that we are weak and divided. In declaring defeat even when we are winning. In stopping or reneging on free trade agreements with other countries, and making the word of the United States less reliable. In turning over the education of our children to the NEA. In continuing to expand our entitlement program spending even as these programs are headed bankruptcy.
would have been a fine acceptance speech....
“I don’t recall hearing this message then...”
You weren’t listening.
I miss Fred, too.
Fred, Y’all need to be knocking some sense into that friend of yours, John.
Fred needs to be right next to John’s ear.
Which was, I believe, exactly the problem. He was not reported in the media.
Fred is a pretty savvy guy. I believe he saw they way he was being ghosted in the media vs. the way Juan MxCain was being butt-smooched, fawned over, talked up, etc and figured out early in the race the media was going to bury him anyway so he stopped while he was ahead. If you hung out on Fred's website when he was running you would have seen a lot more of what he wrote above.
townhall.com has copies of his columns and statements here.
Warning: If you read Fred's commentary you probably will not be able to force yourself to vote for little Juan.
Yep!
Here is a list of his commentary on the issues just from April to August. But ya did not hear a scrap of this from the MSM did ya?
Tuesday Aug 21, 2007
A New York State of Mind Average Vote:
Saturday Aug 18, 2007
The Importance of Border Security Average Vote:
Tuesday Aug 14, 2007
Sanctuary Cities Average Vote:
Monday Aug 13, 2007
The Gas Tax Average Vote:
Tuesday Aug 7, 2007
The Economic Reality
Wednesday Aug 1, 2007
Judge Southwick Should Be Confirmed
Monday July 30, 2007
Eminent Domain
Friday July 27, 2007
On Federalism
Thursday July 26, 2007
Hazleton Immigration Decision
Friday June 29, 2007
A Better than Fair Day
Thursday June 28, 2007
The Darfur Genocide and Global Warming
Wednesday June 27, 2007
Common Sense on Capital Punishment
Tuesday June 26, 2007
Duplicating Disaster
Monday June 25, 2007
The Queen and Free Speech
Friday June 22, 2007
Tax Cuts for Kids
Thursday June 21, 2007
A Federalist Approach to Malpractice Abuse
Wednesday June 20, 2007
Good News about CAIR
Tuesday June 19, 2007
Union Dues and Secret Ballots
Tuesday June 19, 2007
Fred Thompson’s Remarks to Policy Exchange in London
Monday June 18, 2007
Reading Harry Reid
Friday June 15, 2007
Banning Dave Barry
Thursday June 14, 2007
The Castro/Chavez Axis
Wednesday June 13, 2007
A Prescription for the Nursing Shortage
Monday June 11, 2007
An Unsustainable Development
Thursday June 7, 2007
The New Hostages
Thursday June 7, 2007
Sentencing of Scooter Libby
Monday June 4, 2007
A Story of Vigilance
Friday June 1, 2007
Speaking Up for Freedom
Wednesday May 30, 2007
Living in Terror
Friday May 25, 2007
I Remember Average Vote:
Monday May 21, 2007
Tolerating Trafficking
Saturday May 19, 2007
The Immigration Bill: Comprehensive or Incomprehensible?
Thursday May 17, 2007
You’re Listening to Radio Free Congress
Thursday May 17, 2007
Those Who Cannot Remember the Past
Wednesday May 16, 2007
It’s a Small World After All
Wednesday May 16, 2007
Those Who Cannot Remember the Past
Tuesday May 15, 2007
Power of The President
Monday May 14, 2007
First Principles First Average Vote:
Friday May 11, 2007
Armed with the Truth Average Vote:
Thursday May 10, 2007
A Toast to Monsieur Sarkozy Average Vote:
Wednesday May 9, 2007
Tenent’s Time with Tim Average Vote:
Tuesday May 8, 2007
To the Shores of Tripoli Average Vote:
Saturday May 5, 2007
Excerpt: Prepared Remarks for Speech to Lincoln Club Annual Dinner
Friday May 4, 2007
Images of Oppression
Thursday May 3, 2007
The myth of Cuban health care
Monday Apr 30, 2007
Sticks and Stones
Saturday Apr 28, 2007
The NFL Backdraft
Thursday Apr 26, 2007
Rewriting History a Classroom at a
Tuesday Apr 24, 2007
Black and White Decisions
Monday Apr 23, 2007
Talking about Federalism
********************************
Here is a typical example of one that clearly indicates the other candidates were like screechy little kids next to his grasp of events, the nation and world affairs...
Friday, June 01, 2007
Speaking Up for Freedom
By Fred Thompson
Well, he’s done it. Hugo Chavez was already systematically silencing criticism of his autocratic rule through threats and intimidation. Journalists have been threatened, beaten and even killed. Now he’s shut down the last opposition television networks in Venezuela and arrested nearly 200 protesters – mostly students. It’s a monumental tragedy and the Venezuelan people will pay the price for decades to come. Americans are also at risk as he funds anti-American candidates and radicals all over Latin America.
It’s equally tragic that the U.S. is in no position to provide the victims of this emerging dictator with the truth. There was a time, though, when Americans were on the front lines of pro-freedom movements all over the world. I’m talking about the “surrogate” broadcast network that included Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, often called “the Radios.”
When Ronald Reagan was elected, he greatly empowered the private, congressionally funded effort and handpicked the Radios’ top staff to bring freedom to the Soviet Union. Steve Forbes led the group.
Cynics still say that the USSR fell of its own weight, and that President Reagan’s efforts to bring it down were irrelevant, but Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev say differently. Both have said that, without the Radios, the USSR wouldn’t have fallen. The Radios were not some bland public relations effort, attracting audiences only with American pop music. They engaged the intellectual and influential populations behind the Iron Curtain with accurate news and smart programming about freedom and democracy. They had sources and networks within those countries that sometimes outperformed the CIA. When Soviet hardliners and reformers were facing off, and crowds and tanks were on the streets of Moscow and Bucharest, the radios were sending real-time information to the people, including the military, and reminding them of what was at stake.
Then we won the Cold War. The USSR collapsed in 1991, and America relaxed. Military downsizing began and the Radios began to reduce broadcast air time to target countries.
Now, of course, we know that the Islamofascists, many trained by the old Soviets, were making plans and plots of their own. Unfortunately, the plans to broadcast a pro-freedom message into Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kurdistan and Ukraine were shelved or diluted. Reagan’s ideological audacity was replaced with a more “diplomatic” tone.
And see where it’s got us? Not only has Islamic totalitarianism spread without a true ideological challenge, many of the freed Soviet bloc countries are slipping back into repression. Russia is making the same old threats and even protecting Iran’s efforts to build nukes.
We’ll never know if Afghanistan might have rejected al Qaeda if America had actively engaged that country as we did those Eastern Europeans. We can’t know if Venezuelans would have chosen liberty over the false security of authoritarianism if they had been challenged to face the issues. I do know, though, that it’s time for a new generation of Americans to stand up for freedom — like others before us. And this time, we’ll have a whole new set of media technologies.
It was very disappointing to see him cave to the media pressure of their message (he's too old, he doesn't have any energy, he started to late yada yada yada).
Now, when will the Republican Party start listening to this message? Or is it really too late, and a new party will be necessary to get back to celebrating Freedom instead of Diversity?
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