Governor Chet Culver gave a great speech to Democrats at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner tonight!
Lt. Governor Patty Judge introduced him with a fun speech -- that reminded us that the very first bill that Governor Culver signed raised the minimum wage and how the Culver administration has fought hard to help all Iowans.
Governor Culver then brought the room to it's feet and fired up every Democrat and when he declared:
This is a race we intend not only to finish – but one we will win!
We are going to be adding the video of his speech to the website in the next few days -- but if you couldn't be there we wanted to make sure you had a chance to read it tonight!
Here are Governor Culver's remarks as prepared:Thank you, and welcome, Iowa Democrats.
Thank you Patty, for the kind introduction, and for everything you bring to our team every day. I feel extremely fortunate to have such a trusted and capable advisor and Lt. Governor. The Culver and Judge families have become very close over the years and I truly value their friendship.
And, I want to thank my wife, Mari, whose love and support has helped me every step of the way. You have been an incredible mother to our children, Clare and John. And, you’re doing some outstanding work to help women and children across Iowa.
I would also like to thank our congressional delegation and their staffs for their hard work, especially on disaster recovery. Senator Harkin and Congressmen Boswell, Braley and Loebsack -- you have been great partners!!
To our legislative leaders and all elected officials up and down the ballot, I simply say thank you for your public service.
Finally, I want to acknowledge Chairman Mike Kiernan, vice chair Sue Dvorsky, central committee members, volunteers and staff at the Iowa Democratic Party. Great job on this record-setting night!
Tonight, we have the privilege to hear from our new Vice President -- and a great friend of Iowa -- Joe Biden.
Just think: in one short year, we went from the failed policies of George Bush and Dick Cheney to the rebirth of hope and opportunity for America – led by Barack Obama and Joe Biden!
The change we hoped for is fast becoming a reality! And, as we speak, the U.S. Senate gathers to vote on health care reform. We’ve made more progress on this issue in the past 11 months, than we have in the past century.
Now, the finish line is in sight. And with great leaders like Tom Harkin leading the charge, I am confident we will get real health care reform signed into law in the weeks ahead.
When Patty and I were elected three years ago, we promised to do everything we could to move Iowa forward.
And, despite many obstacles, including some from our opponents across the aisle, we’ve delivered on our promises! We’ve increased: the minimum wage, teacher pay and access to early childhood education to 12,000 students across Iowa.
We’ve expanded health care to 36,000 kids. We’ve lifted the ban on stem cell research.
We’ve kept our promise to the men and women who wear the uniform. We’ve helped veterans go to college, keep their homes and hold on to their jobs after they’ve been called up for active duty. And we’ve invested 100 million dollars to renovate the Iowa Veterans Home.
We’ve created the Iowa Power Fund to make Iowa a national leader in renewable energy. We’ve created more than 2,000 green-collar jobs of the future. In 2009 we are generating 15 percent of all of our power from renewable sources. And, as a result, in just a few short years we will become one of the few states to be a net energy exporter.
But as you know, a great deal of our focus has been on flood recovery. Just last week, I was proud to announce that more than 3.5 billion dollars in disaster funds have been secured for Iowa, to date.
This didn’t happen by accident. We have worked tirelessly with the Obama administration, our congressional delegation, and as many as 20 federal agencies, to successfully bring home these funds.
This will allow us to completely rebuild our public infrastructure, including the campus at the University of Iowa. It will allow us to assist homeowners and businesses so they can get back on their feet. It will allow us to rebuild entire towns and cities. And, it will allow us to help more than 3,000 Iowans whose homes were destroyed by the floods to have a home again.
We’ve focused on job-creation. Our hard work has brought nearly 2,000 good-paying jobs at companies like IBM and Google to Iowa. We have made a major investment of nearly a billion dollars through IJOBS, to modernize our entire state infrastructure. This will create jobs and stimulate real economic growth at a time when we desperately need it most.
And, we’ve built one of the best business climates and fastest growing economies in the country.
And don’t just take my word for it. Iowa was recently rated as the fourth best place in the country to do business, and the second-best place in the country for overall economic health.
Oh -- and we did all of this without raising taxes, while balancing the budget three years in a row, protecting our cash reserves and earning a Triple-A bond rating for the first time in our state’s history.
So, we’re very proud of our record and I look forward to running on it in 2010.
However, tonight, we find ourselves at an important crossroads.
While real progress has been made in the last three years, we have had to deal with some unforeseen challenges.
As a result, too many Iowans are struggling tonight. Too many have lost a job, or a house, a business or health insurance.
Together we’ve faced the worst natural disaster in our state’s history.
We’ve endured a financial meltdown on Wall Street that has impacted every main street in this country.
We face the toughest economic downturn since the Great Depression. This has meant the loss of good jobs, as some companies move out of Iowa and ship their job overseas. Just ask the people of Webster City and Fort Dodge, who recently learned that fate.
So the reality is we are still fighting every day to reverse the misguided fiscal policies of the Bush Administration and the sometimes criminal practices on Wall Street.
As a result of all these factors, an economic storm has now hit Iowa and general fund revenues have dipped by nearly half a billion dollars.
As Governor, its my duty to ensure our state budget is balanced. That’s why I ordered a 10 percent across-the-board cut, to keep our fiscal house in order for this year and beyond.
I understand the consequences of these tough decisions. This is not a step any of us wanted to take. But as your Governor, it’s my duty to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. I am committed to meeting that duty while protecting our highest priorities and our shared Iowa values.
Taken together, our current challenges in Iowa rival those faced at any time in our state’s history.
One thing I can tell you, and one thing I’ve learned, is that Iowans are at our best when our backs are against the wall.
As Iowans, we believe no matter how difficult the challenge, we will succeed as a people. Iowa will weather this storm, rebuild, renew and come out stronger than ever before!
After all, it was Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug who taught us to always “Do your best -- don’t be afraid -- and never give up.”
Those are words every Iowan should take to heart.
You know, in the time I have been honored to serve as Governor, my love for the people of Iowa has only deepened.
I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder piling sand bags with families desperately trying to save their home or business.
I’ve listened to the anguish in the voices of those who have lost the battle to save the levee.
I’ve witnessed firsthand acts of great personal heroism performed by everyday citizens and members of our National Guard.
On too many sad occasions I have offered condolences to parents who have lost sons and daughters in combat.
I’ve seen firsthand the steel-like resolve of families who have lost everything but are determined to rebuild their lives.
And I’ve witnessed the unyielding faith that small business owners and entrepreneurs have as they struggle to stay in business.
This is the spirit of Iowa, and these people inspire me every day.
Look, I am a very lucky man. I am blessed to have a wife who loves me, an extremely supportive family, two wonderful kids, and the best job in Iowa.
To be Governor of this great state, to have the awesome responsibility and opportunity to help people in need, and to shape our future, is very humbling. I wake up each and every day with a sense of excitement and a burning desire to make Iowa a better place.
You KNOW I’m on your side and the side of every hardworking Iowan to build a better life here for themselves and their families.
And I want you to know I always stand up to fear and injustice. I will always make the tough decisions.
And I will never – EVER -- back down.
Together, we’ve been through a lot of battles, whether it’s in the legislature or on the campaign trail.
And Democrats, it’s time once again to stand up and fight for our values!!!
Stand up, if you want to fight for hardworking men and women, especially those who have been displaced.
Stand up, if you want to fight for we will preserve a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions;
Stand up, if you want to fight for we will fight for civil rights and equal rights under the law, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation!
Together, we will heal a state broken in many places by natural and economic disasters.
Together, we WILL rebuild Iowa, and come back better, stronger and more vibrant than ever before.
And, with your help and prayers, we WILL continue to move Iowa forward.
Finally, I want to make one thing CRYSTAL clear about 2010. I welcome a spirited debate about our record of getting things done. I welcome a healty debate about the future direction of our state.
And for all of those who say they want to be Governor: I say, this is a race we intend not only to finish – but one we wil win!