Elections matter. They matter for our prosperity, they matter for our freedom, and they matter for our future. On November 6, our nation will make a critical choice. Through their visions and voices, American presidents set the course for our great republic.
In 2008, our nation chose a candidate for president who offered hope and change and bold promises that his policies would lead us out of the economic doldrums and build a stronger economy. Now, almost four years later, we are still waiting for those promises to be fulfilled. The American dream is fading fast for too many.
President Barack Obama's prescriptions of more taxes, more debt, more burdensome regulations, and a federal takeover of health care have not helped to fix our economy. They have made it much, much worse. In fact, Barack Obama's policies have resulted in record unemployment, lower take-home pay for families, record deficits and debt, and the weakest economic recovery since the Great Depression. America and her citizens deserve better, and we cannot allow this downward spiral to continue.
In my conversations with South Carolinians from across the political spectrum, it is clear we must change directions to get our country back on track and restore the American dream. Whether it is the cashier in the Newberry grocery store, my neighbor who stopped me while cutting the grass, or my good friend who came up to me at church just last week, South Carolinians know that Barack Obama has not delivered on his promises. They all told me, "We must defeat Barack Obama in November."
The last few years under President Barack Obama have been trying and troubling for our entire nation. His tired, big government policies have failed us. We cannot afford more broken promises. We need a new direction. We need a new president.
Mitt Romney is the president our nation needs. He is a family man and a businessman. He spent his career saving failing businesses and creating jobs in the private sector. Then, he saved the 2002 Olympics and brought pride to America. As governor, he balanced his state's budget, cut taxes, and fostered job creation. Mitt Romney is uniquely qualified to be president at this critical hour in our nation's history. On November 6, Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan will present the American people with a clear choice between Barack Obama's failed policies and the ideals of free enterprise, individual opportunity, and limited government.
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will encourage job creation and help American families get back on their feet. Their policies will increase domestic energy production and eliminate job-killing regulations, so that energy will be both affordable and more reliable. They will work to ensure that every family has access to great schools, quality teachers, and affordable, effective higher-education options.
Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan will repeal and replace Obamacare with real reforms that control costs and improve care, instead of increasing premiums and adding to our national debt. They will immediately cut spending and stop waste, making government smaller, simpler, and smarter - and less costly for taxpayers.
Americans are a determined, hard-working and proud people, but we are now a nation struggling under the weight of unemployment, poverty, and debt caused by President Barack Obama's policies. While we are disappointed in the president, we have never lost faith in each other, and we know that with capable and courageous leadership, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will restore America's greatness.
Just like my parents wanted the best for me, I also want the best for my four children. I serve as Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party because I want them to know the same American dream that I knew and my parents knew. Today, our country is at a crossroads and the existence of that American dream is threatened like never before. We can do better. We can change. It starts with making Mitt Romney our next President of the United States of America.