I chose NOT to watch or listen to the campaign speech that President Obama gave tonight. I WAS following the comment threads on a couple of blogs, which sounds like it was more entertaining than the speech.
Then I caught Governor Jindal's response. Wow!~ In case you missed it, read on:
Americans Can Do Anything "Good evening. I'm Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana.
Tonight, we witnessed a great moment in the history of our Republic. In the very chamber where Congress once voted to abolish slavery, our first African-American President stepped forward to address the state of our union. With his speech tonight, the President completed a redemptive journey that took our nation from Independence Hall . to Gettysburg . to the lunch counter . and now, finally, the Oval Office.
Regardless of party, all Americans are moved by the President's personal story -- the son of an American mother and a Kenyan father, who grew up to become leader of the free world. Like the President's father, my parents came to this country from a distant land. When they arrived in Baton Rouge, my mother was already 4 ½ months pregnant. I was what folks in the insurance industry now call a 'pre-existing condition.'
To find work, my dad picked up the yellow pages and started calling local businesses. Even after landing a job, he could still not afford to pay for my delivery -- so he worked out an installment plan with the doctor. Fortunately for me, he never missed a payment.
As I grew up, my mom and dad taught me the values that attracted them to this country -- and they instilled in me an immigrant's wonder at the greatness of America. As a child, I remember going to the grocery store with my dad. Growing up in India, he had seen extreme poverty. And as we walked through the aisles, looking at the endless variety on the shelves, he would tell me: 'Bobby, Americans can do anything.'
I still believe that to this day. Americans can do anything. When we pull together, there is no challenge we cannot overcome.
As the President made clear this evening, we are now in a time of challenge. Many of you listening tonight have lost jobs. Others have seen your college and retirement savings dwindle. Many of....
...you are worried about losing your health care and your homes. And you are looking to your elected leaders in Washington for solutions.
Republicans are ready to work with the new President to provide those solutions. Here in my state of Louisiana, we don't care what party you belong to if you have good ideas to make life better for our people. We need more of that attitude from both Democrats and Republicans in our nation's capital.
All of us want our economy to recover and our nation to prosper. So where we agree, Republicans must be the President's strongest partners. And where we disagree, Republicans have a responsibility to be candid and offer better ideas for a path forward.
Today in Washington, some are promising that government will rescue us from the economic storms raging all around us. Those of us who lived through Hurricane Katrina, we have our doubts. ...
There is more. As you all know, I am not an American, but I have to tell you, when I read the words of what Gov. Jindal said? I feel my great optimism for America invigorated. Truly, I do. Huge doses of common sense, and I have to wonder, how DID the Republicans lose this last election? Oh wait, that was a rhetorical question. From where I sit, I know one of the many reasons why: Republicans such as this Governor were unable to bridge the chasm that the msm helped to forge. That chasm meant that millions of Americans didn't get to hear, or understand, the most fundamental philosophical differences between the two options offered at the ballot box.
Governor Jindal:
...The strength of America is not found in our government. It is found in the compassionate hearts and enterprising spirit of our citizens...
...To solve our current problems, Washington must lead. But the way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians. The way to lead is by empowering you -- the American people. Because we believe that Americans can do anything. ...
...Democratic leaders say their legislation will grow the economy. What it will do is grow the government, increase our taxes down the line and saddle future generations with debt.
Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things 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....
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 is under water -- and the other half is under indictment.
No one says that anymore....We need to bring transparency to Washington, DC -- so we can rid our Capitol of corruption and ensure we never see the passage of another trillion dollar spending bill that Congress has not even read and the American people haven't even seen...
...we must remember for all 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 make deep cuts in funding for our troops.America's fighting men and women can do anything. And if we give them the resources they need, they will stay on the offensive, defeat our enemies and protect us from harm....
The American spirit has triumphed over almost every form of adversity known to man -- and the American spirit will triumph again. ...
My fellow citizens, never forget: We are Americans. And like my Dad said years ago, Americans can do anything. ...
That's just snippets of what this Governor said, and I have to tell you, I feel 'stimulated' by his words. You can read the complete text, and I urge you to do that here.
Gov. Jindal is not into the whole "the sky is falling" rhetoric. This speech proves he can talk the talk needed to engage/inspire those disenfranchised Americans that I have been hearing from. However, as we all know, talk IS cheap. Now we need to see Gov Jindal and ALL Republicans walk the walk.
I believe: Americans can do anything.
