Dallas County Republican Party

March 7, 2010

Presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty says 'America is in trouble' at Dallas County GOP dinner

By GROMER JEFFERS Jr. / The Dallas Morning News

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Saturday urged conservatives gathered in North Dallas to stand up against government's "creeping tyranny" in order to protect personal liberties and the nation's security.

"America is in trouble," Pawlenty told about 600 people at the Dallas County Republican Party's Reagan Day Dinner. "It needs you. It's worth fighting for."

Pawlenty, widely considered a contender for the 2012 GOP nomination for president, said the country has too much debt and is projecting a weak image throughout the world.

He added that Americans needed to accept that "God's in charge."

"This is a cornerstone of our country," he said. "It's in the founding documents."

Pawlenty said federal leaders must realize that you can't spend more money than you have. He worried that the country is getting in too deep with China, a nation that has bought much of America's debt.

"The United States of America is not a beggar nation," Pawlenty said, adding that owing China too much money could be problematic when the U.S. needs help in potential trouble spots like Iran.

"Bullies respect strength, not weakness," he said, complaining that President Barack Obama has confused being popular around the world with being respected.

Pawlenty also urged Republicans to focus their efforts on improving the nation's education system. He lamented that many of the country's citizens, particularly blacks and Hispanics, were being left behind because they lack a good education.

"In a country of about 300 million people, we can't have a third of our team on the bench," Pawlenty said. "This is an issue that should be front and center for our party and our movement."

Dallas County Republicans were swept out of power in 2006 and have been struggling to regain their footing.

Pawlenty said 2010 could be a big year for the local and national GOP.

"We got our tails kicked handily," he said of the last two election cycles. "Here we are a year later. I think it's fair to say the conservative movement is back."

The dinner, held at the Westin Park Central Hotel, was attended by numerous Texas GOP leaders.

Most of the speakers discussed their contention that Democrats and the Obama administration are attacking personal rights with the proposed health care plan. There was also concern that the right to bear arms could be affected by the Supreme Court case challenging Chicago's ban on guns.

"We are first and foremost constitutional conservatives," Pawlenty said.