Video: Gov. Rick Perry’s Announcement Speech
Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced his run to become the 45th President of the United States earlier today at the RedState Gathering in Charleston, SC. The full text of Gov. Perry’s speech is here. And here is video of the speech.
Perry’s speech sets up a race of strong contrasts. Barack Obama promised gauzy hope and change in 2008 but has delivered a government that has sought to “spread the wealth around” and insert itself ever more deeply into the lives of Americans. Obama’s agenda is stifling the American economy and has led to higher unemployment. Obama’s lack of leadership has led to the first ever downgrade of US credit in our history. Perry, by contrast, has presided over a Texas whose credit has gone up as its economy has fought the national economy’s strong headwinds. He announced in very clear terms that he does not seek the presidency to empower Washington. He would use the presidency to empower Americans themselves.
It is time to get America working again. And that’s why, with the support of my family, and an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today as a candidate for President of the United States.
It’s time for America to believe again. It’s time to believe that the promise of our future is far greater than even our best days behind us. It’s time to believe again in the potential of private enterprise, set free from the shackles of overbearing federal government. And it’s time to truly restore our standing in the world, and renew our faith in freedom as the best hope for peace in this world that’s beset with strife.
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 – 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. That’s what we do. We roll up our sleeves. We go to work. We fix things.
We stand up and proudly proclaim that Washington is not our caretaker and we reject the state that, in Margaret Thatcher’s words, she said a state that takes too much from us in order to do too much for us. We will not stand for that any longer.
—
In America, the people are not subjects of government. The government is subject to the people. And it is up to us, to this present generation of Americans, to take a stand for freedom, to send a message to Washington that we’re taking our future back from the grips of central planners who would control our healthcare, who would spend our treasure, who downgrade our future and micro-manage our lives.
It is time to limit and simplify the taxes in this country. We have to quit spending money we don’t have. We need to get our fiscal house in order and restore our good credit. And we will repeal this President’s misguided, one-size-fits-all government healthcare plan immediately.
We’ll create jobs. We’ll get America working again. We’ll create jobs and we’ll build wealth, we’ll truly educate and innovate in science, and in technology, engineering and math. We’ll create the jobs and the progress needed to get America working again.
And I’ll promise you this: I’ll work every day to make Washington, D.C. as inconsequential in your life as I can. And at the same time, we’ll be freeing our families and small businesses and states from the burdensome and costly federal government so those groups can create, innovate and succeed.
Those are Reaganesque words. Barack Obama cannot even say those words without the irony overwhelming him. But Rick Perry can, and did today, and now the race is really on.
I hope, with all my heart, Rick is ‘the real deal’. I hope his campaign will focus on repealing Obamacare, dismantling the TSA and getting rid of the Patriot Act and at least put the Fed under a real microscope. I know, I know, but I can dream.
He’s got several messes he needs to address: the Trans Texas corridor, immigration and the vaccine fiasco come to mind. Not good things at all.
But he is of my tribe: Christian, cowboy, a real Texas in Justin boots and an Aggie. He isn’t perfect; far from it. And there are so many fires, big and small, to put out that I don’t know how anyone could be 100% successful.
I would love to see the ideals of Dr Paul put into place: fidelity to the Constitution and limited government and sound money. I don’t think Dr Paul can secure the nomination let alone win the general election.
During the course of the campaign, we’ll see if Gov Perry advances the cause of freedom in any real sense.
that is a great comment
many are already trying to “gotcha” perry and apply the unpassable 100% “conservative” purity test
if perry addresses his faults straight on and in a matter of fact manner then his future gets bright
your great insight regarding ron paul and the notion of perry adopting paul’s strongest points (constitutional and economic only) for a wider audience may be the impetus with all of the r. paul internet warriors quick to belittle rick perry
I do agree as well, but I’ve been wondering lately if we (who love what Ron Paul stands for) stopped excepting this notion that Ron Paul is amazing but can’t win, how would things change. Its like he’s got winning and high-scoring polls left and right, huge loyal fan base, and is saying all the things that Americans NOW want to hear, but we then dismiss him as unable to win. Just makes me think.
Why does the video say Campaign 2010 C-span???
that’s a good catch!
nevertheless, perry did make reference to the debacle in afganistan and specifically mentioned the seals so it must be current, right?
As far as immigration I would like to see the border secure. If the Berlin wall was kept secure for all these years why can’t the US do it? They can, they just have to want to do it! Why should we put up with employers who get away with paying lower wages to illegals, hospitals having to care for non citizens free gratis, our schools having to teach illegals and even in a foreign language. Go to Mexico and see how they treat people there illegally. I’ll guarantee you won’t get the free-bees they get in the US. Once we get the border secure (really secure) and the employers scared to hire illegals because of strong daily fines then after two years whatever illegals that have stayed we should consider something about their status, but not until.
He speaks well, much better than President Obama. And he didn’t need a teleprompter! But he was kind of skimpy on foreign policy. Not so important now, but at some point he will have to address it. Governor of a large border state like Texas necessarily entails some dealings with other nations, but nothing compared to what a president does. President Obama, for all his failings, still has experience that no one else has just because he is the President.
Hope he is for real. Sounds amazing.
Nice speech same old rhetoric. Having said that tho’ Perry HAS been good for Texas and I pray that God and the people of America give him the chance to be good for America.
Perry has my vote…A true American…Lets go America….