I have been accused of being no more than a speechmaker. In fact, I have been an entrepreneur and a risk taker, willing to pioneer and break new ground. That is what I did over 30 years ago when I took over a failing radio station and sought to give Boston full-time gospel radio for the first time. What I did not anticipate was a decade long fight with the federal government over whether Boston needed such a radio station. The FCC killed what could have been a thriving business serving that community because government bureaucrats in effect argued for a decade that Boston did not need a gospel radio station. Like government has done to many others, they drove me to the end of my financial resources with regulatory and investigative demands. There hasn't been a gospel radio station in Boston since. No Americans should have to suffer that fate at the hands of government bureaucrats. Our government was created by and for "we the people" - to secure our rights, not destroy our lives and crush our dreams.
My opponents may be attacking that period of my life, and it was a financial sacrifice, but I would proudly fight that battle again, just as I plan to fight for all of us as Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
I have also been attacked for so called “recent” events concerning a dispute by my church's landlord at the time, but even then, I was fighting for the Constitution. When the City of Chesapeake tried to use zoning ordinances to single out churches with burdensome restrictions, I didn’t comply. I fought them and won. They changed the ordinance. The landlord sided with the city, and we fought him too.
“Defy not Comply” is not a mere slogan to win political points. It is a way of life for me. I don’t just talk. I fight. I refuse to bow to the arbitrary and unconstitutional actions of government. I serve the people, and we are government's master.
Finally, my opponents have actually suggested that late payment on minor car taxes a couple of years ago is a major issue. Those were paid as soon as they came to my attention, but taxing authorities try to be dramatic with phrases like "warrant in debt." The bill was paid years ago. It’s that simple.
These attacks are what some career politicians call “hard ball.” I call it “small ball.” In any event, I refuse to play ball in that demeaning game.
We will continue to offer a positive vision to inspire and unite Virginians of every background and economic status. We will continue to fight for the rights of small business owners and entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams without being driven out of business by the heavy hand of government dictating and controlling the free market.
These attacks on me are happening because we are winning hearts and minds. The reason why personal attacks on me will not work now or in the general election is that we are not building a mere “campaign” around me, but a “movement” around the principles and values that Virginia helped established at the birth of this nation. Who better to make the case in the general election against government intrusion than one who has suffered from it, fought it and won? While others are busy violating Reagan's 11th Commandment ("Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican."), we are focused on turning up the light of liberty in Virginia so brightly that Americans can see it from sea to shining sea. Let's go to the convention and make history by winning early, and then go on to win with Ken Cuccinelli in November.
No comments:
Post a Comment