Rep. Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI)
Announcement of
Candidacy
WAAM Freedom
Fest
Whitmore Lake,
MI
Saturday, July
2, 2011
WAAM Freedom
Fest. Yes.
[someone plays
guitar chord in
background] Well
played. Taking
heart despite
the times and
the weather. So,
I will be brief
today, so that
none of you get
electrocuted.
First I would
like to
introduce who’s
up here with me.
My wife Rita,
our daughter
Amelia who is
thrilled to be
with us today.
Our son Timothy
who is equally
thrilled. And
not with us
today is our son
George, who is
at work. Which
is something
that every
American should
have a chance to
do.
We here in
Michigan
understand that
our pursuit of
prosperity, our
American dream
is in
endangered. We
have seen a
government that
has refused to
restructure
itself for the
future as we
have, as our
entrepreneurs
have, and as our
families have.
We have seen a
federal
government that
has tried to
spend its way
into prosperity
with our money
and it has
failed. We have
seen a federal
government that
has tried to
impose
government-run
health care upon
us despite the
consent of the
people, and it
will fail.
We have seen a
government that
has bought in to
the myth of cap
and trade and
climate change.
And it too will
fail. And we
have seen a
government buy
into the concept
that the Wall
Street banks
were too big to
fail and that
policy has
failed. But the
one thing that
will not fail,
for it is too
majestic to ever
let down Lady
Liberty, is you
the sovereign
American people.
Through your
hard work and
through your
principled
devotion to
bequeathing to
your children a
better nation
than the one
we’ve inherited,
have no doubt
that we will
restructure the
government for
the future so
that it is
citizen driven,
we will
restructure the
Wall Street
banks so the
credit can flow
and the
entrepreneurs
and the workers
can grow our
economy and
shape the next
American
economic
century.
We will defend
America from her
enemies and we
will always
support our
brave men and
women in uniform
that are
sacrificing so
much for our
security and
liberty. We will
expand freedom
to the oppressed
to ensure
freedom at home
for ourselves
and we will
stand steadfast
with our allies
in this
endeavor,
notably our dear
ally Israel.
And all those
seeking to break
off the shackles
of oppression,
be it in Iran’s
green revolution
or be it in the
Communist
Chinese
oppressed lands’
jasmine
revolution or be
it those who
stand up to Hugo
Chavez or Castro
in Latin
America, the
United States
will remain a
beacon of
liberty to
inspire the
oppressed, just
as we did on
July 2nd when
the founders
came together to
declare their
love of liberty
and their own
independence.
Because we
understand five
fundamental
principles.
Our liberty is
from God, not
the government.
Our sovereignty
is in our souls,
not the soil or
a scepter.
Our security is
from strength,
not appeasement
or surrender.
Our prosperity
is from the
private sector,
not the public
sector.
And our truths
are
self-evident,
not relative.
These are the
principles that
will guide us as
we move forward
into the future.
A future which
many in this
country believe
will be one of
diminished
opportunity for
the people of
the United
States and the
next generation.
I fundamentally
disagree. For
those who put
their faith in
big government,
that might make
sense that our
best days are
behind us. But
for those who
put their faith
in the virtuous
genius and
industrious of
you the American
people, we know
that while it is
a hard road
ahead, we will
have better
days, and we
will start now.
Too many
Americans, too
many families,
too many people
are worried
about whether or
not they are
still sovereign
in their
country. Whether
or not there is
a new concept at
work where some
individuals are
considered
disposable
citizens. Where
they are too
small to matter.
They are wrong.
Every single one
of you, every
single American
is the faith and
future of this
country. And
what we need in
Washington is
someone who
understands that
the wave of the
future is not
big government,
it is self
government.
Someone in
Washington who
will truly feel
and understand
the pain and the
anguish of 14
million
unemployed
Americans. The
feeling of being
trapped of up to
30 million
Americans today
who cannot find
better jobs,
because they are
not there.
People who
understand that
at a period of
time of when
inflation is
rising and wages
are declining.
People who need
to know that
someone in
Washington, no
matter how
derided or
disposable
someone else
thinks you are,
will stand for
you.
That is why
today I am
announcing my
candidacy for
the nomination
of my Republican
Party to serve
as your
President of the
United States.
(Chants: Thad.
Thad, Thad…)
Remember, the
storms are
coming. You may
interpret it as
any type of omen
as you wish.
And so with your
support and the
support of
anybody who will
march beneath or
beside the
banner of the
Republican
Party, I look
forward to
working with you
to ensure that
once more
through the
unfathomable
grace of God and
the virtuous
genius of you
her free people,
our free
republic will
again be a
virtuous,
prosperous,
compassionate
inspiration that
will show all
the world what a
free people can
achieve.
Thank you very
much for having
me and I look
forward to
playing with the
band.
Source: ©Transcript Mike Dec/4President Corporation