Sen. Cornyn Addresses Republican Convention

Sen. Cornyn Addresses Republican Convention

As Prepared for Delivery

Thanks for that warm welcome. I hope you got a smile out of that video. My staff convinced me it was a good idea. Maybe I need a new staff. But it's actually an attempt to bring a little humor to a subject I take very seriously. We're going to have to think differently this year, work smarter and harder, and bury the "same-ole, same-ole" politics of the past.

I don't have to tell you about the challenges Republicans face this year. Some of our problems are self inflicted. A number of officials forgot why they were elected in the first place.

They particularly forgot who is in charge here. It's not the bureaucracy, or government. It's the people of the United States.

The problem is not with our ideals. The problem is the American people do not see us faithfully pursuing the policies that follow from our principles. But we can learn from our mistakes. And we must work to keep, or regain, the confidence of the American people.

We do need change -- the right kind of change. With your help, I want our party to return to our roots and our core values. If we do that, I'm convinced our candidates will win, from the courthouse to the White House.

A lot has happened since you elected me to the U.S. Senate six years ago.

I have supported our troops and military leaders as they have struggled against a determined and vicious enemy in an unstable region. My policy in the war on terror is similar to Ronald Reagan's - We win, and they lose.

I have protected American sovereignty and our right to chart our own future. I've opposed attempts to subjugate U.S. interests to international organizations.

I have fought for confirmation of judges who respect our Constitution - including two fine new U.S. Supreme Court Justices.

I have protected the sanctity of human life. I have opposed immoral experimentation done in the name of science. And I have supported the traditional American family.

I have voted to keep taxes low. I have opposed wasteful Washington spending, including abusive, secret earmarks that are often little more than pork.

I have sought to reform No Child Left Behind, to make certain our K-12 education decisions are made not in Washington - but in Texas, by parents and teachers.

And I have insisted - as we addressed the long-overdue reform of our broken immigration system - that we enforce our laws - not ignore them. The law protects all of us, no matter where we come from or how we pronounce our last names. But we must commit to a legal immigration system that serves the best interests of our country.

Fellow Texans, I am grateful for the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I have done my best to keep my word and keep faith with the people of Texas.

Republicans are the party of freedom. We stand for independence and personal liberty. We treat people as individuals, and seek to empower them. Our opponents think of people as members of groups - and victims -- whose affections can be won by doling out government favors. This promotes dependence, not initiative.

We see things differently. A Republican President once observed: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." Instead of growing government bureaucracies, and the high taxes to pay for them, we believe progress is made through the genius and hard work of a free people. If we have the courage to hew fast to our principles, the best days for Texas and America are still ahead.

It's a little dismaying to see the Democratic presidential nominee trying to hijack our message of hope and change. I sometimes think our opponents HOPE for failure of the private sector as an excuse for bigger government. You've heard this before but it's worth repeating. The CHANGE they're after is what's left in your pockets after they've raised your taxes.

The Democratic candidate is a man whose voting record is more liberal than the only avowed socialist in the U.S. Senate. How can you get farther out of the mainstream than that?

Political campaigns always produce revealing moments. Remember the one in San Francisco recently when Sen. Obama was speaking to some of his liberal backers? He said rural Americans were angry and frustrated, and so they tended to "cling" to guns and religion.

I have news for Sen. Obama. We still have a First and Second Amendment to our Constitution. They are part of what has made our country exceptional... a nation Lincoln called "the last best hope on earth." And we Texans are a positive, confident people. What makes us upset is when a politician tries to tear down our country instead of standing up for it.

Unfortunately, this attitude seems to be widely shared inside the Washington beltway. Too often the established view in Washington becomes an elitism that says "we know better" than the American people what is good for them -- and hardens into out-and-out contempt for their hopes, dreams, and wishes. One of my colleagues calls these power brokers "masters of the universe." They are a danger to our democracy.

Here's an example of that kind of thinking - on high energy prices. Republicans think the answer is simple - produce more energy. What's the Democratic response? We can't explore in Alaska. We can't explore offshore. We can't develop oil shale. We can't push clean coal. We can't build nuclear. We can't build new refineries. We can't drill. So what is the Democratic answer? They say, "Well, natural gas isn't so bad." Let me ask you - where do these people think natural gas comes from? The natural gas tree?

I want to tell you what I intend to do if you honor me by re-electing me to the United States Senate. These are more than campaign promises. These are the principles that guide me.

First, I will do my utmost to restore government to the people. I will insist on transparency, and openness, and honesty in government - and integrity from our public servants. Whether it is health care or education, freedom should mean that you have a choice. That choice must be an informed consent.

Second, I will seek to limit the size and reach of government. I will reduce taxes and unnecessary regulations whenever possible. I will work to get government off your back and out of the way so that our free enterprise system can work - and all Americans can achieve their God-given potential.

And I will do everything possible to protect our way of life in a dangerous world. I will continue to support winning the war against terrorists, and the troops and their families who make it possible, and the veterans who have given so much.

Every day, when I go to work I ask myself - what can I do today to advance Texas values, and Texas solutions, in Washington. With your help, I will continue.

Thank you for what you do for our party. And thank you for the opportunity to represent the greatest state in the greatest country in the history of the world.

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