East TN Conservative

Well, here we are again, my friends. We stand together at a time of great challenge and opportunity.

As conservatives, I think it’s fair to say that not everything has gone our way this election, and as many of us prepare to gather up in Minneapolis, we are faced with some tough choices. I truly believe that given those choices, if you care about judges who will make decision based on the Constitution, not their political leanings, if you care about shrinking a bureaucracy that will take more of your money and do less for you, if you care about the security of our homeland and the defense of freedom abroad, the choice is pretty clear.

I continue to look ahead with optimism and high expectations for the future … of our country, the Republican Party, and our conservative movement. That’s because by any measure, we live in the greatest country in the history of the world, and like generations of Americans before us, like conservative leaders before us, we have both the opportunity and the obligation to keep it that way and I know we can and we will.

We know what it will take. It means we stick to the fundamental, conservative principles that have unified us for over two centuries. It also means supporting leaders and causes who adhere to the principles that are the foundation of America and which we hold dear. They are:

• The role of the federal government is limited to the powers given to it in our Constitution, and the bigger the government gets, the less competent it is to run our lives, and we must have leaders who understand that the market works best when it regulated and legislated least.

• A dollar belongs in the pocket of the person who earns it unless the government has a compelling reason why it can use it better

• We don’t spend money we don’t have or borrow money that our children and grandchildren will have to pay back, and we must have leaders who understand this and will listen to the will of the people.

• The best way to avoid war is to be stronger than our enemies. But if we are in a fight, we win it because not doing so makes us more likely to be attacked in the future, and we must have leaders who understand this.

• The federal judiciary is supposed to decide cases, not legislate from the bench or dictate social policy and we must have leaders and judges who understand this.

These are principles that made our country free, prosperous and strong. These principles are the foundation of a conservative movement that I have been faithful to. They are principles that we share, and they are principles that represent the future of our nation.

They are also principles we must support and defend, because these principles are under assault– from the extremist, big-government, high- taxing, weak-on-defense radical left and the Democrat Party.

That is why it is important that we accept the mantle of leadership. I’m going to do my part. I’m proud that I’ve been able to help good, honorable and conservative men like Rep. Tom McClintock in California, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder of Missouri, and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell during this election cycle. I’m pleased to have helped state parties around the country raise money to put good conservatives in statehouses, and to put forward innovative, federalist-based policies. And I’m happy to carry our conservative message wherever I’ve been given the opportunity.

All of these endeavors are going to continue, and I want you to be a part of it. That’s why I’m pleased to announce the formation of FRED PAC. FRED PAC will help identify and support candidates on every level who support a platform of conservative, principles-based leadership and policies.

I want to make clear that FRED PAC is nothing like what has been set by others with an eye toward their own political futures four or eight years from now. I’m doing this with an eye toward OUR political future right now. We need conservatives on every level of politics winning, taking seats from Democrats and holding seats to rebuild our majorities. We need to develop and promote the kind of innovative, free market and principles-based policies that led to our great political victories in 1980 and 1994.

FRED PAC and its supporters will do all that. And perhaps most important, the support of FRED PAC will send a clear message to our fellow conservatives and supporters nationally that our causes and candidates who believe in our principles and who will defend them are in need of our help, leveraging the kind of support and activism that has served our movement well for two generations. Now it’s our turn to make it work.

The American people are waiting for us to step up, protect our values, defend our principles and our country. Together we can do something great for America. I welcome that challenge, and I hope you will join me in this effort.