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Watch full panel discussion here.
Transcription of Rep. Graves remarks:
Thank you for that introduction, Colin. It’s good to see you again – and it is great to be with all of you.
The Question that I was given 10 minutes to address today is…
“Why is it so hard for Congress to cut spending -- and what do we need to do about it?”
We’ll…No disrespect to the fine folks who’ve organized C-PAC…but it won’t take 10 minutes to answer that one:
In order for Congress to cut spending…It requires 3 essential traits…
o The Will
o The Resolve
o And the Political Courage
And as someone from North Georgia recently told me…”We’re a few clowns short of a full circus.”
For me…the question is not “Why is it so hard for Congress to Cut Spending”…
Rather…the question is…”What happens if we don’t…What will the
future hold?”
Now…I’m just a country boy conservative…
Pro-life
Pro-gun
Tax cutting
Constitutional
Conservative
Not one who grew up in wealth and politics.
Just the opposite…very simple beginnings.
I grew up in a single-wide trailer on a tar and gravel road.
But I had parents who instilled in me the drive to…Dream big…work hard…and achieve more than they had ever achieved.
In an America…where someone like me can go from the hall of a single-wide trailer to the halls of Congress.
This story – and millions of others like yours and mine – embody the American dream… a dream that’s in jeopardy.
I believe we’re at a decision point…a crossroads for our Nation.
And as we consider the choice…know it’s a choice between two futures…
Each of us has a responsibility…because we are each a scribe in time.
Writers who’ll decide between a future of debt and dependency… or a future of opportunity and prosperity.
The choice to close the book on this concept of freedom and free enterprise…
Or the opportunity to continue writing… the story of America as the greatest nation to ever exist.
The first choice…
The decision to end the American story looks a little bit like this…
We ignore the foundational principles that have set us apart from all others–
The Principles of… less government…lower taxes…personal responsibility…and liberty and justice for all –
And, instead allow the erosion of these pillars to continue.
Yielding to those who wish to empower the government…rather than empowering the citizen
Those that believe in the power of government benevolence…over that of the church.
Those who believe in punishing success…while rewarding idleness.
Those who promote equal outcomes …not equal opportunities.
Those who define the rules of fairness…based on the rules for radicals.
Those who see the constitution as an afterthought… not the anchor.
And finally, those who believe you can compromise your way out of a mess….that was itself created by decades of compromises.
The end result…we’ll find ourselves in bondage once again…centuries distant from the War for Independence:
Dependent on the Middle East for our energy.
Dependent on Asia to finance our debt.
Dependent on the central government for our basic needs: paycheck…grocery money…student loans…mortgage…health care.
This is the future that is not the America that we know…or one that resembles the beacon of liberty and opportunity we were gifted.
It’ll be the chapter in our story…that concludes with the words…”The End.”
The road we envision looks very different...it’s a continuation of the American story…a new chapter…
Because it’s the other future…one of opportunity and prosperity.
But this road means making tough choices now!
This road means reducing the size and scope of the federal government…and fitting it back into the small box it was intended.
It means rolling back regulation…cutting federal programs…simplifying the tax code…promoting personal responsibility –
This is the choice that unleashes the American people to do what we do best –
Strive for a better life…fight for a brighter future…battle to create opportunity..jobs…businesses…and hope for the future.
If we take this action now – the chapter we’ll be writing will be a story of triumph.
Hard work…sacrifice…and determination…will prevail over adversity.
Common sense…will conquer liberal ideology.
Common sense – like that instilled in my 11-year old boy, John.
We are each authors…and every day we wake up with a pen in our hand…with the ability to write our own stories.
Collectively…we are the scribes of this American story.
And, so far…it’s been one of the best reads ever put to paper.
And, if we confront this latest challenge – this fiscal crisis – and face it down –
It will be yet another great chapter in the American story.
Even more importantly, the story will continue.
Because when our time is up on this earth–
We’ll be able to pass our pens to the next generation.
We’ll give them the opportunity to continue the story of this beacon of liberty –
The story of the greatest nation to ever exist.
The choice of two futures – close the book – or turn the page.
The choice is ours.