"You may know the story of a father who wants to help his adult son choose a path in life.  He sets a Bible, a $100 bill and a shot of whiskey on the table for his son’s visit that day.  The father muses: “If he takes the Bible, he’ll be a priest.  If he takes the money, he’ll go into business.  If he drinks the whiskey, well . . .”

The father busies himself in the garage before his son’s arrival.  After seeing his car in the front of the house, the father returns inside and gasps at the table.  Bible, money and booze are all gone.  The father exclaims, “My son is going into politics!”

Last year, the Lehigh Valley’s Lee Iacocca released his book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?  Let me answer by saying that one of America’s greatest public needs is a more devoted and lifelong practice of citizenship.   As opposed to the humorous story of the father, I see public service and public office as a solemn duty of a ripened practice of citizenship.

Leadership in our nation, our Commonwealth, our communities, needs to well-up from citizens who follow at least one public issue from their high school years, who register and vote in every election, who serve on local Boards and Commissions, who learn that public service is not at its highest either a career or a profession.  It’s a willingness of contribution to the common good.

Today, with Family, Friends and Supporters gathered, I formally announce my Candidacy to serve the 60,000 people in the 136^th Pennsylvania State House District as your next Representative.  Each seat in our General Assembly, in every hallowed hall of government, belongs to the people.  In hearing the voice of the people, Pennsylvania state government needs to reverse course from a lengthy period of higher taxation, out of control spending, enormous debt, lavish perks for state officials, a chilly business environment, a weakened education system, and in some cases, representatives who vote against marriage, traditional families and the unborn.

I offer the good people of our 136^th District the same spirit of public service given by President John F. Kennedy, when he spoke in his Inaugural Address: “We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.  For I have sworn before you and Almighty God . . .”

As Americans, we don’t stand narrowly for a certain political party, but rather for tested, traditional principles that we ask our political parties to embrace.  These principles find expression in our Declaration and Constitution.  As Republicans, we find an hospitable home for these traditional American values: life, faith, marriage, family, free enterprise—especially small business; we see the role of limited government—a restraint on spending, taxes and regulation; we see the need for following our national and state Constitutions, as they define and limit government against expansion, for individual liberty and freedom of conscience are the fertile ground for expansion.  Most of all, we see that we are One Nation Under God.

Yes, our campaign will need the support and votes of all those Reagan Democrats—people who know, as I do, that government has a rightful role in prompting social fairness and individual opportunity, yet who are also conservative when it comes to lower taxes, traditional values and the freedom of religion. 

Conservative principles were well expressed by Winston Churchill in 1946: “We oppose the establishment of a Socialist State, controlling the means of production, distribution and exchange . . . Our Conservative aim is to build a property-owning democracy, both independent and interdependent . . . It is in the interest of the wage-earner to have many other alternatives open to him or her than service under one all-powerful employer called the State.”

On Day 1 in office I expect to introduce a Bill that provides comprehensive State tax credit support for small, micro, home-based, and part-time businesses.  I call it the Regenerative Economic Development Bill of 2009.  I also expect to introduce Bills that provide comprehensive State tax credits for parents and families who choose non-public schools for their children’s education.  School choice must be a strong element of re-direction in Pennsylvania public policy. 

Even before my sworn oath in Harrisburg to uphold Pennsylvania’s Constitution, I call on all 253 Members of The General Assembly to sign my Moratorium on State Debt.  From 2003 through the 2008/09 budget proposal, our current Governor, with my Opponent in his hip pocket, either has or attempts to rack up unprecedented state debt—more than any Governor, possibly all our Governors combined.  The total documented figure for the 6 years of borrowing, including fees and interest, is a staggering $14.6 billion.  That’s $1200 for every resident, or about $5,000 for a family of four.  This is on top of a 1^st-term General Fund Budget that zoomed skyward by 28%!!!

Are you ready to fork over this money for out-of-control debt spending??  Consider: if you were given $1 per second, it would take about 12 days to accumulate $1 million.  It would take almost 32 years for accumulating $1 billion.  Hopefully you see the extravagance of billions of dollars of wasteful spending and debt!

Voters in the 136^th: This Ron’s for You.  Thank you for attending.  May God Bless You, Your Families, Pennsylvania, and may God Bless our Troops serving overseas.  May America Bless God, and may God Bless America.

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