Perry Shares Staunch Commitment to Conservative Values at Thanksgiving Family Forum

The Cypress Times ^ | November 20, 2011

[Cincinatus' Wife]

DES MOINES, Iowa – Texas Gov. Rick Perry Saturday participated in the Presidential Thanksgiving Family Forum, hosted by the Family Leader, where he reiterated his principled and longstanding commitment to conservative values.

“I am a faithful, fiscal and social conservative of conviction, not of convenience,” said Gov. Perry. “As Governor of the State of Texas, I have signed more pro-life legislation than any governor in my state’s history and championed and signed the Texas Defense of Marriage Act. Traditional family values are important to me, to the people of Iowa and to citizens and future of our nation. America needs to reenergize limited government, entrepreneurship and the traditional values that helped us become the greatest, most prosperous nation in history.”

Gov. Perry is a staunch defender of life, having signed more pro-life legislation than any other governor in Texas history. He most recently demonstrated his commitment to protecting the lives of the unborn in his Uproot and Overhaul Washington plan, in which he pledged to eliminate the federal funding of organizations that fund abortions, such as Planned Parenthood. He supported this same measure in Texas’ most recent legislative session by signing important legislation, Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 1, which contain provisions prohibiting tax dollars from funding abortions.

Gov. Perry strongly supports traditional marriage. He signed the Defense of Marriage Act in Texas in 2003, and supported enshrining this law in the Texas Constitution, a measure approved by voters in 2005, which defines marriage in Texas as a union between one man and one woman. He has also pledged to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that legally defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

As a life-long hunter and concealed handgun license holder, Gov. Perry has been a strong advocate for Second Amendment rights. During his tenure in Texas, he has signed “Castle Doctrine” legislation ensuring that citizens have the right to defend themselves in their homes instead of retreating. He has also worked to prevent local governments from infringing upon Texans’ rights to have legally concealed weapons on public property, cut concealed handgun license (CHL) renewal fees for military, veterans and senior citizens, and labored to protect shooting ranges from expensive, frivolous lawsuits as part of his tort reform efforts.

Last Tuesday, Gov. Perry announced his Uproot and Overhaul Washington plan, which would establish a part-time, citizen Congress, cut congressional salaries, end lifetime appointments of federal judges, issue an immediate moratorium on new and pending federal regulations, and dismantle wasteful, redundant federal agencies.

Gov. Perry has unveiled other bold and conservative policies in recent weeks, including his Cut, Balance and Grow plan and his Energizing American Jobs and Security plan. Cut, Balance and Grow cuts personal and corporate tax rates to a lower, flat 20 percent rate, cuts federal spending, ends earmarks and corporate loopholes and calls for a federal Balanced Budget Amendment. Energizing American Jobs and Security will create up to 1.2 million jobs in every sector, reduce our nation’s dependence on hostile foreign oil, revitalize manufacturing and help contain the cost of electricity and fuel.

The Presidential Thanksgiving Family Forum, hosted by the Family Leader, included discussion among GOP presidential candidates about the conservative values Americans have long cherished. The forum was moderated by Dr. Frank Luntz, with faith leaders and socially conservative activists from counties across the state of Iowa in attendance. Citizen Link and the National Organization for Marriage served as keynote sponsors.

[Paperdoll]

>Don’t think Romney would have fared well in a Christian forum like that.<

Nor his cousin, Huntsman.

[Katarina]

Thank you for sharing this, Perry really walks the talk. I am so impressed with him and every day I am prouder of him.

[JulieRNR21]

Rick Perry doesn't need my forgiveness nor do I believe he wants it. This isn't even about forgiveness. It's about his having revealed his true feelings regarding conservatives like myself who think giving taxpayer funded subsidies to ILLEGAL aliens is wrong.

It's an ideological difference of opinion in which forgiveness doesn't play a part.

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Fair enough....but you then also have an ideological difference with the people of Texas who through their elected representatives voted almost unanimously (with only 4 no votes) in both Houses of their Legislature to grant under certain conditions.....in-state tuition, not free tuition, to those graduates of their High Schools. My friends who live in Texas tell me it was an economic decision to give these students an opportunity to learn a skill in a Community College or pursue a career rather than become a burden to the taxpayers of the state.

[South40]

Fair enough....but you then also have an ideological difference with the people of Texas who through their elected representatives voted almost unanimously (with only 4 no votes) in both Houses of their Legislature to grant under certain conditions.....in-state tuition, not free tuition, to those graduates of their High Schools.

And I take the conservative view and disagree with those people in Texas who think giving taxpayer funded subsidies to ILLEGAL aliens is a good thing.

My friends who live in Texas tell me it was an economic decision to give these students an opportunity to learn a skill in a Community College or pursue a career rather than become a burden to the taxpayers of the state.

Harry Reid...is that you? That is precisely the liberal argument Reid made when he was pushing the federal DREAM Act. It's also the exact same argument California's uber-liberal governor Jerry Brown made when he was advocating for a similar bill in the very liberal state of California. Harry Reid likes it. Jerry Brown likes it. Heck, even Bill Clinton likes it.

Do you really believe that advocating for liberal policies is a good thing simply because some people in Texas may like it? I don't -- most conservatives don't -- it is, in fact why Rick Perry is polling at 3% because Americans don't.

There is NO legitimate excuse for any Republican to be advocating for taxpayer funded subsidies for ILLEGAL aliens. None. But I am sure Harry Reid, Jerry Brown and Bill Clinton would thank you for making their argument for them.

[Col Freeper]

I have some concerns about Gov. Perry (as I do about all the candidates), but I want him to continue in the race.

I'm not influenced by all the polls that are posted.

FR is where the truth about all the candidates will come out eventually, though it usually takes a while, and is prefaced by lots of verbal arm wrestling, head bonks, and wedgies.

Let Gov. Perry give it his best shot, let FR posters take their best shots at him (pro and con), and let the chips fall where they may.

[jonrick46]

"I will tell anyone, I can give a flip about the “rich” Tex-Mex heritage of Texas. Just commit to building a fence in a way that sounds believable. So far RP has not done this.

Governor Perry has described in detail what he wants to do on the border. He as promised to seal the border within a year if he is President. You should know that there is not enough money for Texas to do it alone. This is a federal responsibility. We should thank the people of Texas for being willing to finance what they have done.

The job of running a fence is a complicated matter. I give a quick look at the Rio Grande River portion of the fence problem. The river makes up 1,254 miles of the nearly 2,000-mile border. So, let's put on our pragmatic thinking caps and look at the problem of fencing the Rio Grande:

You talk about America as a sovereign nation. What about the land rights of your fellow citizen? Do you want a fence to take out their access to property that goes out to the middle of the Rio Grande? How are you going to build a fence out in the middle of the Rio Grande? Are you going to sit back and watch people lose hundreds of acres of land that their families have owned for generations be cut off with a fence? And, will the rich land owners let the fence cut through their property.

If people are so intent on a fence, why not start a citizen's fence building fund. Included in that cost, will be proper compensation for the loss of land (and the future loss of income). Included will be the cost of fencing along the Rio Grande which would destroy all kinds of economic activities along the river. For instance, gourmet river trips in Big Bend National Park:

Instead, you want this?

Just to prevent this?

When they have run tunnels under the Rio Grande like this one:

Do you think Governor Rick Perry could have built a fence with all of the complicated issues involving just the Rio Grande River?

Put on your pragmatic thinking cap.

[jonrick46]

"Gov GoodHair . . ."

You sound very superficial, along with all those who do it, to be making fun of how a man combs his hair.

Here is a man who knew how to comb his hair:

See much difference?

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[JulieRNR21]

There is NO legitimate excuse for any Republican to be advocating for taxpayer funded subsidies for ILLEGAL aliens. None. But I am sure Harry Reid, Jerry Brown and Bill Clinton would thank you for making their argument for them.

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I don’t understand how you can call it a ‘subsidy’ since they are paying tutition to go to a Texas community or state college.

My friends who told me their rational for supporting this are conservative and they said it made economic sense to them.

I believe the people of a state have the right to determine tuition guidelines for their state. My friends live there, vote there and pay taxes there....so it is their right regardless of what you or I think.

[dennisw]

That GoodHair® helps get him elected in Texas and maybe to the Presidency. If Obama was a bald headed stooge he would not have been elected President. Millions of people decide who to vote for based on how the candidate appears on the boob tube

[South40]

You need to stop listening to whoever is filling your head full of BS. Your “friends” are PerryBots. They are part of the 3% that support Rick Perry. They have lost all these arguments before and they are using you to lose them again. Nothing personal but I have better things to do.

[jonrick46]

If the millions of Youtubed masses vote according to how Governor Rick Perry looks compared to Zer0, Zer0 losses big. I only hope that the majority are not that superficial. There are issues that take a few cups of coffee and a thinking cap. 2012 is going to be a big decision for the American electorate. I hope they get the right answer.

[JulieRNR21]

Nothing personal but I have better things to do

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Me too.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[txrangerette]

Julie, when s40 says it isn’t about forgiveness that is so true in that mindset that posts anti Perry insults and falsehoods 24-7.

To them, he said the word through eternity. When the truth is, as I reminded, he said that particular word was the wrong choice because it called into question the motives of those who disagree with the policy, so even though he originally chose the word, he said it was wrong.

You have to back up and realize there’s nothing he could do, for them of that mindset to stop doing what they do here. Might as well expect them to stop breathing, because when they do that, is when they will stop with their insulting, erroneous rants and their propaganda machine.

This isn’t a rational discussion held under respectful rules.

I thank you for your efforts, though.

[South40]

Julie, when s40 says it isn’t about forgiveness that is so true in that mindset that posts anti Perry insults and falsehoods 24-7.

Read the thread, troll. She wanted me to debate her friends through her. It's clear to any thinking person that is a useless endeavor which explains clearly why it has escaped you.

Name the "falsehoods", troll.