[StBernard] Louisiana Senator Boasso: Text of Speech For Governor Race

[Westley Annis]

Today, I announce my candidacy for Governor of the great state of Louisiana.


 My family's roots in Louisiana go way back - 200 years - and as Louisiana
grew my family participated in that growth from generation to generation.  

 We are proud of this state and its heritage, and proud to be part of its
community.

 I personally had the opportunity to witness death and destruction during
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Like many, my family rose and fell with the
booms and busts of Louisiana. We have always been proud to call ourselves
citizens of this state, but in the last several years - and it pre-dates
hurricanes - our political leadership lost its way.  It seems that
government has become more and more distant from the people.  There is an
isolation that exists in the state capital that turns its back on the
interests of the people. We can and we must do better.
 
We must have better education; we must demand it. We must have better
infrastructure and roads and we must demand it. We must have better
opportunities for jobs - good-paying jobs - and we must demand them, as
well. Our healthcare system and the way we care for our senior citizens must
be improved. We must fix our crime problems throughout Louisiana -
particularly in New Orleans - and we must restore the devastated areas that
stand as a reminder of our government's failure - and we must demand that,
too.
 
My story is an American story. I am a businessman who built a business with
$175, a garden hose, a bucket, and a box of Tide detergent. I created jobs -
real jobs for hundreds of people in Louisiana and throughout the country. I
am proud of what I've accomplished and I know I could take those 27 years of
business skills and make a difference for Louisiana.  That's why I ran for
the State Senate three years ago. I ran to make a difference, to change the
way things get done at the state capital.
 
What I found was that power rests in the hands of the Governor and a few
powerful special interests. Frankly, it's a disgrace. The people's voices
and needs aren't being heard or even listened to. What I found in Baton
Rouge is that if you want to bring real change you have to work around the
very people you were supposed to work with. For a businessman like myself it
is frustrating. For the taxpayers of our state it is agonizing. For the
children of our state it leaves them almost hopeless.
 
This is not the Louisiana I grew up in. This isn't the Louisiana that
believes it can do and can accomplish anything. This is a Louisiana that
seems to be just getting by - by getting by.  They have fallen into the
thicket of the same old same old. We need a new sense of purpose. We need a
new revolution to "Take Back Louisiana."
 
I will lead. I am not looking for a career in politics and I have the
political courage to make the hard decisions and not worry about the next
election. That's why I have announced my candidacy for Governor. I want to
lead a crusade to take back Louisiana and to give back Louisiana to the
people and take it away from the bureaucrats and the special interests who
seem to have all the power and none of the answers.
 
But my election will not be enough if we don't pledge to bring about
sweeping fundamental reform and change. That's why my pledge as Governor is
that I will fight for a new constitutional convention. It has been over 30
years since we have brought about the structural change that is essential to
our state by redoing the state constitution. And not only do we need a new
constitutional convention, we need to ensure citizens - average people -
hard-working, tax-paying individuals serve as delegates to that convention -
not just elected officials.  If we don't bring average citizens to the table
as delegates that will mean that the same people that brought us to this
point will continue to exercise control over us. We can do much better and
we will. But first, the people must rise up and demand change.
 
If you think the Republicans are going to fix the problems by themselves
then you are wrong. If you think the Democrats are going to fix it by
themselves, then you are wrong, again. We all know what the problems are.  
Let's demand we check party labels at the front door and do what's right for
the people.
 
Governor Walter Boasso will make a difference and will lead a crusade of the
people. We the people will "Take Back Louisiana." With your help, with your
support, with your prayers we will be successful.
 
Thank you and let us now begin the work of "Taking Back Louisiana."