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Rick Perry 2016: The Great American Comeback

"My fellow Americans, my name is Rick Perry, and I stand here humbly today to announce that I am running for President of United States.

My story is the American story. I grew up in a little Texas town called Paint Creek, a place unknown to the rest of the world but that would be the bedrock for the rest of my life to follow. My dad, a World War II veteran, married my mom and settled down as cotton farmers. They never made a whole lot, but they took good care of my sister and I and instilled everlasting values in us: hard work, determination, faith, and kindness. In my youth I became an Eagle Scout, and after graduating from Texas A&M I enlisted in the Air Force, where I truly learned to appreciate the freedoms this country gave people. After proudly serving for five years, I returned to Texas as a farmer once more. In the years that have passed since then, I was able to work my way up from the Texas Legislature to eventually become the longest serving governor of Texas, the 12th largest economy in the world.

The reason that I highlight my life story is to show how America has been the land of opportunity for so many. If a poor farmer boy from rural Texas could make it, so too can millions of others. This has been the country where entrepreneurs and immigrants have thrived like nowhere else, making everyone's lives better along the way. America was founded to be like this, but the freedoms and opportunities that we have come to take for granted are now slowly slipping away from us. An increasingly bloated federal government, failed leadership at the top, and a stagnant economy are among our biggest problems right here at home. Abroad, it seems like the world is becoming more unstable by the day, and the U.S. is no longer acting in the leadership role that it once did.

These are great problems in front of us, to be sure, but we Americans are resilient. We were faced with a Great Depression and two World Wars before and came out stronger than ever. Even when our nation faced a bloody Civil War after splitting in two, we were able to unite as one again. With the track record this country's had in just 200 years, there's nothing that we can't overcome!

What we need right now is a leader who has the experience, vision, and judgment to lead us to our Great American Comeback. In my 14 years as Governor of Texas, I have a record of accomplishment that beats everyone else running, from both parties. While I was Governor, one-third of all new American jobs were created right here in Texas. We made new jobs even as the rest of the nation bled jobs during our last recession. Taxes were slashed to historic lows as we restrained our spending. A balanced budget was passed every year that I was Governor. Texas has led the nation in exports and continues growing in fields like natural gas and new technology. After investing a great deal in education, Texas has the second highest graduation rate in the nation; for African-Americans and Hispanics, it's the highest. I have effectively dealt with everything from illegal immigration to hurricanes to Ebola, and I have the scars to prove it.

All the good that has been achieved in Texas can be done for the rest of the nation as well. As President, I will act swiftly to right wrongs and put us on a better path forward. On my first day in office, I will reverse President Obama's illegal executive amnesty and begin to really secure our borders. To give our economy a much needed boost, we need to drastically reform our tax system. I would introduce a single flat tax on income and work to lower the corporate tax, along with abolishing the capital gains and death taxes. This crushing debt that future generations will be hurt by must be addressed now, and that means downsizing our government and cutting all the waste. Nothing should be off the table. It's time for us to stop leading from behind with our foreign policy and instead believe in American exceptionalism again. Islamic terrorism is a real threat to this country--ISIS must be stamped quickly before they ever strike here. We also must not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon and further destabilize the Middle East by threatening war with our ally Israel.

Some of you may remember my last run for President and judge me just by what happened four years ago. I will be the first one to admit that I wasn't prepared for the rigors of the campaign at the time. If I had to the chance to do it over, many things would have been different. This time, though, I am fully ready to tackle this race head on. Campaigning in Iowa, New Hampshire, and the other primary states is something that I relish, and I'm in this for the long haul. I ask you, the voters, to join me in this campaign and work to bring about the Great American Comeback.

Thank you all, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!"

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