FOXNews.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
JINDAL: Who amongst us
would ask our children for a loan so we could spend money we do not have on
things we do -- we do not need? That is precisely what the Democrats in
Congress just did. It's irresponsible. And it's no way to strengthen our
economy, create jobs, or build a prosperous future for our children.
In Louisiana, we took
a different approach. Since I became governor, we cut more than 250 earmarks
from our state budget. To create jobs for our citizens, we cut taxes six times,
including the largest income tax cut in the history of our state. We passed
those tax cuts with bipartisan majorities.
Republicans and
Democrats put aside their differences. We worked together to make sure our
people could keep more of what they earn. If it can be done in Baton Rouge,
surely it can be done in Washington, D.C.
To strengthen our
economy, we need urgent action to keep energy prices down. All of us remember
what it felt like to pay $4 at the pump. And unless we act now, those prices
will return.
To stop that from
happening, we need to increase conservation, increase energy efficiency,
increase the use of alternative and renewable fuels, increase our use of
nuclear power, and increase drilling for oil and gas here at home.
We believe that
Americans can do anything. And if we unleash the innovative spirit of our
citizens, we can achieve energy independence.
To strengthen our
economy, we also need to address the crisis in health care. Republicans believe
in a simple principle: No American should have to worry about losing their
health care coverage, period. We stand for universal access to affordable
health care coverage.
What we oppose is
universal government-run health care. Health care decisions should be made by
doctors and patients, not by government bureaucrats.
We believe Americans
can do anything. And if we put aside partisan politics and work together, we
can make our system of private medicine affordable and accessible for every one
of our citizens.
To strengthen our
economy, we also need to make sure that every child in America gets the best
possible education. After Hurricane Katrina, we reinvented the New Orleans
school system, opening dozens of new charter schools and creating a new
scholarship program that is giving parents the chance to send their children to
private or parochial schools of their choice.
We believe that with
the proper education the children of America can do anything. And it shouldn't
take a devastating storm to bring this kind of innovation to education in our
country.
To strengthen our
economy, we must promote confidence in America by ensuring ours is the most
ethical and transparent system in the world. In my home state, there used to be
saying: At any given time, half of Louisiana was said to be half underwater and
the other half under indictment.
Nobody says that
anymore. Last year, we passed some of the strongest ethics laws in the nation.
And today, Louisiana has turned her back on the corruption of the past.
We need to bring
transparency to Washington, D.C., so we can rid our capital of corruption and
ensure that we never see the passage of another trillion-dollar spending bill
that Congress hasn't even read and the American people haven't even seen.
As we take these
steps, we must remember, for all of our troubles at home, dangerous enemies
still seek our destruction. Now is no time to dismantle the defenses that have
protected this country for hundreds of years or to make deep cuts in funding
for our troops.
America's fighting men
and women can do anything. If we give them the resources they need, they will
stay on the offensive, defeat our enemies, and protect us from harm.
In all these areas,
Republicans want to work with President Obama. We appreciate his message of
hope, but sometimes it seems like we look for hope in different places.
Democratic leaders in
Washington, they place their hope in the federal government. We place our hope
in you, the American people.
In the end, it comes
down to an honest and fundamental disagreement about the proper role of
government. We oppose the national Democratic view that says the way to
strengthen our country is to increase dependence on government. We believe the
way to strengthen our country is to restrain spending in Washington, to empower
individuals and small businesses to grow our economy and create jobs.
In recent years, these
distinctions in philosophy became less clear. Our party got away from its
principles. You elected Republicans to champion limited government, fiscal
discipline, and personal responsibility.
Instead, Republicans
went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington. Republicans
lost your trust, and rightly so.
Tonight, on behalf of
our leaders in Congress and my fellow Republican governors, I say this: Our
party is determined to regain your trust.
We will do so by
standing up for the principles that we share, the principles you elected us to
fight for, the principles that built this in the greatest, most prosperous
country on Earth.
You know, a few weeks
ago, the president warned that our country is facing a crisis that he said, in
quotes, "we may not be able to reverse." You know, our troubles are
real, to be sure, but don't let anyone tell you that we cannot recover. Don't
let anyone tell you that America's best days are behind her.
This is the nation
that cast off the scourge of slavery, overcame the Great Depression, prevailed
in two World Wars, won the struggle for civil rights, defeated the Soviet
menace, and responded with determined courage to the attacks of September 11,
2001.
The American spirit
has triumphed over almost every form of adversity known to man, and the
American spirit will triumph again.
We can have confidence
in our future because, amid all of today's challenges, we also count many
blessings. We have the most innovative citizens, the most abundant resources,
the most resilient economy, the most powerful military, and the freest
political system in the history of the world.
My fellow citizens,
never forget: We are Americans. And like my dad said years ago, Americans can
do anything.
Thank you for
listening. God bless you. God bless Louisiana. And God bless America.
URL: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/25/transcript-gov-jindals-gop-response-obama-address/