Tag Archives: americans for prosperity

HELL NO!

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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.

Texas Defending the American Dream Summit

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I just got back from the Texas Defending the American Dream Summit… and it was AWESOME! (Just a quick post before retiring so I can be up bright and early for day two tomorrow. Contrary to the title of this blog, I don’t actually enjoy staying up particularly late.)

I learned a ton from the various sessions I attended and had some great conversations. It was such a positive environment – I’ve never met so many people on the same wavelength, so excited to be there sharing what they know. The gentlemen from Texas College Republicans were especially nice, and there were quite a few other young people there as well. After a whole year at an extremely liberal university, it’s so nice to see that I’m not really alone!!

There were some great sessions on how to effectively use the Internet for conservative activism, featuring Raz Shafer (@razshafer), Melissa Clouthier (@melissatweets), Will Franklin (@willisms), and Matt Lewis (@mattklewis). I’m quite new to Twitter in particular, so these speakers were very helpful.

Keynote speakers for dinner were:

  • Steven Crowder, who was hysterical as usual
  • Rick Perry, whose awesomeness I can’t say I fully appreciated until now (more on that in a later post)
  • Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, from whom I learned more economics in an hour than I ever did from my high school economics teacher (which, granted, isn’t saying much, but still…)

Next time Americans for Prosperity holds a summit in your state, I highly encourage you to go. The Texas summit is only halfway through, but already it’s been well worth the time and money.

DAY TWO UPDATE: The conservative people of Texas are a truly remarkable bunch. I met dozens, even hundreds of fellow Texans who are concerned by the direction their government is going. And I was lucky enough to make a few new friends along the way.

Before attending sessions on cap and trade, states’ rights, and the textbook controversy, everyone gathered in the ballroom again for speeches by some of the most well-known conservative political figures – Michael Williams, Joe the Plumber, John Fund, and Herman Cain (my new favorite person in the entire world).

Clips:

I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to be Texan and so proud to be American as I am today. And I encourage all of you to look into Americans for Prosperity.