February 9, 2012

Written by Juliana Simone

Washington, D.C. – Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell took the stage at CPAC’s 39th event shortly after popular Florida Senator Marco Rubio. A different stripe but shared philosophy as fellow conservative Rubio, McConnell opened his speech telling attendees, “for those of you who haven’t noticed our ranks are growing.” He added ‘I’m happy to have the reinforcements – I needed them.’ Referring to his caucus, McConnell said, ‘conservatives are simply more open – there’s a reason for that -we’re always right.’ Democrats are always wringing their hands and trying to convince others what’s wrong is right, he said.

The President’s job is to unite the country not divide it….encourage success not condemn it…he continued. I think the President should have higher priorities than picking on Fox News!, McConnell continued…adding how he was always looking for a scapegoat. The Senate Minority leader went on to discuss how under President Obama the government has gone into the auto industry, health care industry, etc. and how none of these things should be government business.

McConnell said his caucus was going to push hard for tax reform and to subsidize energy among many other vital issues. He told CPAC attendees, “We’re not in this because of a tsunami in Japan – but because the President got everything he wanted for two long years.” “It’s the Obama economy now and we’re not going to let the American people forget it” he declared, energizing the audience.

In referring to statistics, McConnell said unemployment has been at record highs for over 36 months, three long years – 14% African Americans, 10.5% Hispanics…”this is not an economy to be proud of!” Continuing on about Obama, the Senate Minority Leader noted, “He said he’d cut the deficit by half the end of his first term! He hasn’t even come close…!” adding how the national debt was now over a trillion dollars.

The speaker told supporters this has brought more spending, more debt, fewer jobs…that’s the sad legacy of this President and his administration. One good thing he surmised, was ‘one good thing came out of all of that – a resurgence of common sense conservatism.’ Engaging fellow Republicans on hand statistically, he laid out 2.2 million people are in the federal work force and that the government is spending a trillion or more than it is taking in…Research shows lay-offs for federal workers is only 300 a year. This means a federal employee will die of natural causes before they are laid off… “President Obama has added 150 thousand jobs to the federal government while he’s been President.  Federal debts have gone up 43%. Tax isn’t too little, the government spends too much!”

“People should be rewarded for what they know not who they know” he stated. (Sadly, in politics, nepotism is a large part of hiring – where experience or knowledge has little to do with someone’s job placement – and it is common who they know or what member of their family is connected politically puts them on the payroll. This runs from the lowest tiers to the highest.) Continuing on into why Obamacare should be repealed, he felt this mandate could be replaced with commonsense reform.

The Kentucky Republican also dedicated a few minutes to the current administration’s attack on religious freedom and birth control mandates and said this would not be forgotten until the federal courts reversed it. Perceived by some as a conservative, for his support of Guantanamo Bay and offshore drilling, and some as a moderate, for his soft views on the second amendment, earmarks, and supporting the right to burn the American flag, the veteran legislator was clear to all at the convention today Obama should not be re-elected to a second term for the sake of our country.

Sizing up the sitting President before leaving the stage, McConnell opined that punishing enemies and silencing critics strike at what the heart of America is all about. Personally, the Senate Minority Leader told his party members he would not waiver from his own ten year battle with its constitutional challenge and for reform. He will continue to fight it through the federal courts and despite any members of his own caucus who disagree.

In parting, he told CPAC “I want to thank all of you for your devotion to the constitution and energy in supporting the candidates that share our views.” He reminded his audience of President Ronald Reagan’s words – ’freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.’

Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.