John Stephen - Speech at the NH GOP meeting (5/18/08)
John Stephen for Congress
Good afternoon. It’s important to get the chance to speak here today because it is so critical that we get Republicans back to fighting for Republican principles, and we need to start now. When Republicans act and vote like Democrats, we lose. When we got away from the values that made us a majority party in Washington, the voters told us loud and clear that we no longer deserved to be in the majority.
2006 was a humbling time for Republicans, but no one should have been surprised. We didn’t lose the majority in Congress, we squandered it away. With massive deficit spending, huge new programs and cumbersome regulations, our own representatives gave up the high ground on fiscal responsibility, limited government and personal freedom.
Today, more Americans trust the Democrats on the economy than Republicans, and the Democrats have already told us they want to raise taxes in the middle of an economic downturn! The voters are trying to send us a message- unfortunately, it’s not getting through to our party.
Just this week, a more than half of Republicans in the House in Congress voted in favor of a bloated, pork-filled farm bill that raises the cost of food for Americans and spent billions of taxpayer dollars to do it. When are we going to learn the lessons of 2006? Thankfully, Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu voted against this disastrous bill. They understand that Republicans need to stand for something.
We saw this Congressional seat change from Republican to Democrat because the incumbent forgot what made Republicans a majority by voting for massive federal spending every year and sponsoring legislation like Real ID and Medicare Part D, which already has a greater unfunded liability than Social Security. Voters may not have been able to tell who the Republican was.
Now, when the top issue for most Americans is the cost of gasoline, you would be hard pressed to find a difference between Jeb Bradley and Carol Shea-Porter on energy. Both consistently voted to stop new energy exploration here in the United States by banning drilling in Alaska, off our shores and in the Rockies. I thought Republicans supported new energy exploration to keep costs down and to protect our national security. At a time when gas costs $3.75 and gallon and diesel is $4.50, voters need to know that there is a difference on this critical issue, but there hasn’t been one in this district for the past six years.
As a party, we need to change. If Republicans are going to become the majority party again, it will be because we regained the trust of the people that we will return the core values that brought us to power- low taxes, limited government, less regulation and more freedom. These are the very reason I am running for the 1st District seat.
Acting like Democrats is what cost us control of Congress. Acting like Republicans, and convincing the public that we are serious this time, is the only way we will win. It’s time to get back to the message that made our party strong. It’s time to send people to Washington who have a track record of supporting Republican values. It’s time to win again.
I ask you for your support and your vote. Thank you, God Bless you and God Bless America!
SPEECH TO NHGOP SPRING MEETING
5/18/2008
5/18/2008
Good afternoon. It’s important to get the chance to speak here today because it is so critical that we get Republicans back to fighting for Republican principles, and we need to start now. When Republicans act and vote like Democrats, we lose. When we got away from the values that made us a majority party in Washington, the voters told us loud and clear that we no longer deserved to be in the majority.
2006 was a humbling time for Republicans, but no one should have been surprised. We didn’t lose the majority in Congress, we squandered it away. With massive deficit spending, huge new programs and cumbersome regulations, our own representatives gave up the high ground on fiscal responsibility, limited government and personal freedom.
Today, more Americans trust the Democrats on the economy than Republicans, and the Democrats have already told us they want to raise taxes in the middle of an economic downturn! The voters are trying to send us a message- unfortunately, it’s not getting through to our party.
Just this week, a more than half of Republicans in the House in Congress voted in favor of a bloated, pork-filled farm bill that raises the cost of food for Americans and spent billions of taxpayer dollars to do it. When are we going to learn the lessons of 2006? Thankfully, Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu voted against this disastrous bill. They understand that Republicans need to stand for something.
We saw this Congressional seat change from Republican to Democrat because the incumbent forgot what made Republicans a majority by voting for massive federal spending every year and sponsoring legislation like Real ID and Medicare Part D, which already has a greater unfunded liability than Social Security. Voters may not have been able to tell who the Republican was.
Now, when the top issue for most Americans is the cost of gasoline, you would be hard pressed to find a difference between Jeb Bradley and Carol Shea-Porter on energy. Both consistently voted to stop new energy exploration here in the United States by banning drilling in Alaska, off our shores and in the Rockies. I thought Republicans supported new energy exploration to keep costs down and to protect our national security. At a time when gas costs $3.75 and gallon and diesel is $4.50, voters need to know that there is a difference on this critical issue, but there hasn’t been one in this district for the past six years.
As a party, we need to change. If Republicans are going to become the majority party again, it will be because we regained the trust of the people that we will return the core values that brought us to power- low taxes, limited government, less regulation and more freedom. These are the very reason I am running for the 1st District seat.
Acting like Democrats is what cost us control of Congress. Acting like Republicans, and convincing the public that we are serious this time, is the only way we will win. It’s time to get back to the message that made our party strong. It’s time to send people to Washington who have a track record of supporting Republican values. It’s time to win again.
I ask you for your support and your vote. Thank you, God Bless you and God Bless America!
