The DNC maintains we have a war against immigrants, that the GOP is xenophobic and is a whites only club. Again, the lie was put to this meme over the last two days. First, Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina. Here are some of the highlights of her speech that show that she, Gov. Martinez, and Condi Rice are the transformational post race, post gender figures, NOT Barack Obama.
Governor Nikki Haley
(quotes taken from transcript at Politico, where you can see video as well)
I am the proud daughter of Indian immigrants who reminded my brothers, my sister and me every single day how blessed we were to live in this country.
They loved the fact that only in America, we could be as successful as we wanted to be and nothing would stand in our way. My parents started a business out of the living room of our home and, 30-plus years later, it was a multimillion dollar company.
But there wasn't a single day that was easy and there wasn't a single day my Mom and Dad didn't put everything they had into making that business a success.
So, President Obama, with all due respect, don't tell me that my parents didn't build their business.
Unlike Barack Obama's parents, who only instilled in him an intrinsic distrust for the nation he was blessed to have born in and be a citizen of. His father was an anticolonial socialist and his mother was an avowed Marxist who idealized the philandering huckster that was Barack Obama, Sr., making him into a Che Guevara figure for little Barry to aspire to bring his socialistic anti-progress dreams to reality. Nikki Haley's parents understood. America is the best transformational agent of change because it is about working hard and building things...without the government. But let Gov. Haley continue.
We build things in the Palmetto State. We build planes. We build cars.
We have three of the four largest tire producers in the world and are about to become the number one tire-producing state in the country.
And not too long ago, The Wall Street Journal said, "Anyone still thinking the U.S. has lost its manufacturing chops hasn't been to South Carolina." We have so much potential and so much to be proud of.
But like so many states, we have our challenges, whether they be unemployment or education or poverty. And like so many of my fellow governors, I work day in and day out to try and improve the lives of the people of my state.
And, sadly, the hardest part of my job continues to be this federal government, this administration, this president.
As I said, my parents loved that when they came to America, if you worked hard, the only things that could stop you were the limits you placed on yourself. Unfortunately, these past few years, you can work hard, try to be as successful as possible, follow the rules, and President Barack Obama will do everything he can to stand in your way.
A wonderful articulation of economic freedom and liberty and the oppressiveness of the Obama junta.
This is a woman, who like Barack Obama, has a heritage that comes from colonialism and anti-colonialism. Haley's parents saw opportunity in Amhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giferica, whereas the Obamas only saw exploitation and something to rail against. One can see this reflected in the progress of the countries of origin themselves. Both were at about the same place economically and technologically when independence declared. However, India is now an economic giant and Kenya remains a mess. Even George Obama, the President's half brother, accedes to this point. But, I digress. Another shining star and governor was Susana Martinez, the first female latina governor of New Mexico. This woman had an inspiring story of the American dream as well, one that didn't involve levelling society or blaming others. Are you listening, Mr. President?
Susana Martinez
(quotes taken from article at Politico, where you can find video)
Growing up, I never imagined a girl from a border town could one day become a governor.
But this is America
Y, en America todo es posible.
My parents taught me to never give up and to always believe that my future could be whatever I dreamt it to be.
Success, they taught me, is built on the foundation of courage, hard-work and individual responsibility.
Despite what some would have us believe, success is not built on resentment and fears.
See the difference? Obama views everything through the revolutionary prism of his mother's self loathing for her own nation and the loathing of his father for anything western (except, evidently, for polygamy). Gov. Martinez's parents embraced America, even with the challenges for Latinos, and worked to become the dream. Obama is about blame and hate. The GOP is about opportunity and freedom.
Now, my dad made sure I could take care of myself.
I carried a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum — that gun weighed more than I did!
My parents grew that small business-from one 18-year-old guarding a bingo-to more than 125 people in three states.
And sure, there was help along the way. But my parents took the risk. They stood up. And you better believe that they built it.
My parents also taught me about having the courage to stand for something. So, I went to law school and became a prosecutor.
I took on a specialty that very few choose to pursue - I prosecuted child abuse and child homicide cases. Cases that were truly gut-wrenching.
But standing up for those kids, being their voice for justice, was the honor of a lifetime.
Sometimes you pay a price for standing up.
When I was a young prosecutor, I got called to testify against my boss. I could have backed down, but I didn't. I stood up to him. And he fired me for it.
So I took him on, ran against him for district attorney and beat him by a landslide!
I fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up.
What we have now are politicians. They won't offer real plans, and only stand up when they want to blame someone else.
And I don't say that just because a Democrat is in the White House. I was a Democrat for many years. So were my parents.
Before I ran for District Attorney, two Republicans invited my husband and me to lunch. And I knew a party-switch was exactly what they wanted.
So, I told Chuck, we'll be polite, enjoy a free lunch and then say goodbye.
But we talked about issues-they never used the words Republican, or Democrat, conservative or liberal.
We talked about many issues, like welfare - is it a way of life, or a hand-up?
Talked about the size of government — how much should it tax families and small businesses?
And when we left that lunch, we got in the car and I looked over at Chuck and said, "I'll be damned, we're Republicans."
When you move past the labels and just talk values, many people discover they are Republicans. Many discover that they don't agree with the parties of their forebears. They find out, as Gov. Martinez did, as Ronald Reagan did, that the Democrat party left them behind as it moved closer to radical socialism and humanism.
That's not the kind of leadership we are seeing from President Obama.
He promised to bring us all together, to cut unemployment, to pass immigration reform in his first year and even promised to cut the deficit in half in his first term.
Do you remember that?
But he hasn't come close.
They haven't even passed a budget in Washington, DC in three years!
If he can take credit for government building small businesses, then he can accept responsibility for breaking his promise and adding 5 trillion dollars to the national debt.
Because he did build that.
As the first Hispanic female governor in history, little girls often come up to me in the grocery store or the mall. They look and point, and when they get the courage, they ask "Are you Susana?" and they run up and give me a hug.
And I wonder. How do you know who I am?
But they do. And these are little girls.
It's in moments like these when I'm reminded that we each pave a path. And for me, it's about paving a path for those little girls to follow.
No more barriers.
In many ways Mitt Romney and I are very different. Different starts in life. Different paths to leadership. Different cultures.
But we've each shared in the promise of America, and we share a core belief that the promise of America must be kept for the next generation.
El sueno Americanos es tener exito.
It's success.
Success is the American Dream.
And that success is not something to be ashamed of, or to demonize.
There is one candidate in this election who will protect that dream, one leader who will fight hard to keep the promise of America for the next generation.
And that's why we must stand up and make Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.
Fantastic. The GOP doesn't believe in divided America. We just believe people should have opportunity to access and work to live the American dream. Success is the American dream. And we should never be ashamed of that success or apologize or seek to destroy ourselves to level things out. Governor Martinez is my rising star to watch out of this convention. Governor Haley was already on the radar, but Susana Martinez may just be the next superstar.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
And lastly, Condi Rice. I have heard Dr. Rice speak before, and i wasn't looking for anything spectacular to come from Dr. Rice. However, I was wrong. Condi articulated conservative principles not just on foreign policy, but also on domestic issues in a way I have never seen her do. She also succinctly told about what the victory that should be the civil rights story, not the continued race baiting.
Dr. Condi Rice
(speech excerpts via the Weekly Standard)
we have seen once again that the desire for freedom is universal – as men and women in the Middle East demand it. Yet, the promise of the Arab Spring is engulfed in uncertainty; internal strife and hostile neighbors are challenging the fragile democracy in Iraq; dictators in Iran and Syria butcher their own people and threaten the security of the region; China and Russia prevent a response; and all wonder, “Where does America stand?”
Indeed that is the question of the moment- “Where does America stand?” When our friends and our foes, alike, do not know the answer to that question – clearly and unambiguously -- the world is a chaotic and dangerous place.
Truly the problem of our time. President Obama has fudged up foreign relations so much our allies don't know what we are doing and our enemies look to take advantage. We have effectively turned our back to Israel. We have allowed Iran to edge ever closer to nukes. We have abandoned eastern Europe again to the Russians. We have insulted the British time and again. Why? Because Obama hates colonialism as well as the West. He believes the West to be the cause of evil and discord in former colonies. Perhaps that is why he sides with Argentina in the Falklands issue, and why he returned the bust of Churchill, who was in charge of colonies as Prime Minister. Obama is shaped by the resentment of the west carried by his father and mother, as well as his surrogate father, Communist USA party member #47544, Frank Marshall Davis. America was not a land of opportunity, but oppression. It was not a beacon of hope, but a truncheon of evil. That is the stark difference between so-called progressives and those of us who still believe in America, between those in the Civil Rights movement and black communities who succumbed to hate, and those who worked hard and embraced the opporturnities even with hazards and setbacks. But let me allow Dr. Rice to continue:
The U.S. has since the end of World War II had an answer – we stand for free peoples and free markets, we are willing to support and defend them – we will sustain a balance of power that favors freedom. ..
And I know too that there is weariness – a sense that we have carried these burdens long enough. But if we are not inspired to lead again, one of two things will happen – no one will lead and that will foster chaos --- or others who do not share our values will fill the vacuum. My fellow Americans, we do not have a choice. We cannot be reluctant to lead – and one cannot lead from behind.
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan understand this reality -- that our leadership abroad and our well being at home are inextricably linked. They know what needs to be done. Our friends and allies must be able to trust us. From Israel to Poland to the Philippines to Colombia and across the world -- they must know that we are reliable and consistent and determined. And our adversaries must have no reason to doubt our resolve -- because peace really does come through strength. Our military capability and technological advantage will be safe in Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan’s hands.
We must work for an open global economy and pursue free and fair trade – to grow our exports and our influence abroad. In the last years, the United States has ratified three trade agreements, all negotiated in the Bush Administration. If you are concerned about China’s rise – consider this fact – China has signed 15 Free Trade Agreements and is negotiating 20 more. Sadly we are abandoning the playing field of free trade – and it will come back to haunt us.
We must not allow the chance to attain energy independence to slip from our grasp. We have a great gift of oil and gas reserves here in North America that must be and can be developed while protecting our environment. And we have the ingenuity in the private sector to tap alternative sources of energy.
And most importantly, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will rebuild the foundation of American strength – our economy – stimulating private sector led growth and small business entrepreneurship. When the world looks at us today they see an American government that cannot live within its means. They see a government that continues to borrow money, mortgaging the future of generations to come. The world knows that when a nation loses control of its finances, it eventually loses control of its destiny. That is not the America that has inspired others to follow our lead.
After all, when the world looks to America, they look to us because we are the most successful political and economic experiment in human history. That is the true basis of “American Exceptionalism.” The essence of America – that which really unites us -- is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion – it is an idea -- and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things. That it doesn’t matter where you came from but where you are going.
What beautiful and true words! We lead because it is our responsibility...to those who are given much, much is required....or as Spider-Man's uncle Ben said, 'with great power comes great responsibility.' Obama seeks to shirk this power so we can all be miserable and live in a far more uncertain world...
Ours has never been a narrative of grievance and entitlement. We have not believed that I am doing poorly because you are doing well. We have not been envious of one another and jealous of each other’s success. Ours has been a belief in opportunity and a constant battle – long and hard -- to extend the benefits of the American dream to all – without regard to circumstances of birth.
But the American ideal is indeed endangered today. There is no country, no not even a rising China, that can do more harm to us than we can do to ourselves if we fail to accomplish the tasks before us here at home.
More than at any other time in history –the ability to mobilize the creativity and ambition of human beings forms the foundation of greatness. We have always done that better than any country in the world. People have come here from all over because they believed in our creed – of opportunity and limitless horizons. They have come from the world’s most impoverished nations to make five dollars not fifty cents– and they have come from the world’s advanced societies – as engineers and scientists -- to help fuel the knowledge based revolution in the Silicon Valley of California; the research triangle of North Carolina; in Austin, Texas; along Route 128 in Massachusetts – and across our country.
We must continue to welcome the world’s most ambitious people to be a part of us. In that way we stay perpetually young and optimistic and determined. We need immigration laws that protect our borders; meet our economic needs; and yet show that we are a compassionate people.
We have been successful too because Americans have known that one’s status at birth was not a permanent station in life. You might not be able to control your circumstances but you could control your response to your circumstances. And your greatest ally in doing so was a quality education.
Let me ask you, though, today, when I can look at your zip code and can tell whether you are going to get a good education – can I really say that it doesn’t matter where you came from – it matters where you are going. The crisis in K-12 education is a grave threat to who we are.
My mom was a teacher – I have the greatest respect for the profession – we need great teachers – not poor or mediocre ones. We need to have high standards for our students – self-esteem comes from achievement not from lax standards and false praise. And we need to give parents greater choice – particularly poor parents whose kids – most often minorities -- are trapped in failing neighborhood schools. This is the civil rights struggle of our day.
We are allowing liberal teachers unions to teach our children jim crow education. We are teaching our children that they are victims. We are teaching them to not value hard work. We are teaching them lies of false praise. We are failing our children. We are not teaching them about opportunity. We are oppressing them. We must lift our children up again. We must reform education. Fantastic!
America’s victorious revolutionary founding – against the greatest military power of the time; a Civil War – hundreds of thousands dead in a brutal conflict – but emerging a stronger union; a second founding – as impatient patriots fought to overcome the birth defect of slavery and the scourge of segregation; a long struggle against communism – that ended with the death of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Europe, whole free and at peace; the will to make difficult decisions, heart-wrenching choices in the aftermath of 9/11 that secured us and prevented the follow-on attacks that seemed preordained at the time.
And on a personal note– a little girl grows up in Jim Crow Birmingham – the most segregated big city in America - her parents can’t take her to a movie theater or a restaurant – but they make her believe that even though she can’t have a hamburger at the Woolworth’s lunch counter – she can be President of the United States and she becomes the Secretary of State. Yes, America has a way of making the impossible seem inevitable in retrospect. But of course it has never been inevitable – it has taken leadership, courage and an unwavering faith in our values.
That bold line brought tears to my eyes. How beautiful. What an articulation of MLK's dream! What an articulation of what the movement was about. And it shows again the fundamental difference between those of us who value America and understand the promise of its heritage, founding and rights, and people like Obama who only see the dark side and seek to exploit our goodness and generosity to level us all into misery in some perverted sense of retribution for sins committed long ago. Knocked it out of the park.
For supposedly being unwelcoming to women, we have some fantastic examples of successful, independent, and hard working women who understand what makes America great! The democrats...they have Debbie Blabbermouth Schultz, Nancy Pelosi, and Eva Longoria, a woman who makes her money playing a ditzy but conniving housewife who sponges off her husband while having affairs in a high class suburb...tell me, who is really about the value and contributions women can make?
