|
|

|
Herman Cain was raised
in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated with a degree in mathematics
from Morehouse College in 1967. He went on to earn his Master’s
Degree in computer science from Purdue University, while
working full-time as a mathematician at the Department of
the Navy.After earning my Master’s degree and six years
working for the Department of the Navy, we returned home
to Atlanta, where he began to climb the corporate ladder
with the Coca-Cola Company.
He later moved to the Pillsbury Company and rose to the
position of Vice President.He was assigned to lead a low
performing region of 450 Burger King restaurants. Within
three years, they became the best-performing region in the
U.S. After success at the Pillsbury company Cain became
CEO and President of Godfather’s Pizza, a company teetering
on the edge of bankruptcy.
In 14 months, he turned the company around and returned
it to profitability,and ultimately led my management team
to a buyout of Godfather’s Pizza.Cain then became the CEO
of the National Restaurant Association and became a member
of the board of directors to the Federal Reserve Bank of
Kansas City in 1992 and served as its chairman from January
1995 to August 1996, when he resigned to become active in
national politics.
Today, Herman Cain is host of the radio talk show, “The
Herman Cain Show,” on Atlanta’s WSB 750 AM/ 95.5 FM.
|
|
|
| |
Mitt Romney was born in Detroit, Michigan
on March 12, 1947. He is the son of George W. Romney (the
former Governor of Michigan) and Lenore Romney. He was
raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and served as a Mormon
missionary in France. He received his undergraduate degree
from Brigham Young University, then earned a joint Juris
Doctor/Master of Business Administration degree from the
Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.After 10
years at Bain & Company Romney co-founded Bain Capital,
which quickly became a highly successful private equity
investment firm. Romney returned to Bain & Company
as CEO in 1990, which was facing financial collapse. In
one year, he had led Bain & Company through a highly
successful turnaround.
In 1999 Romney was hired as the new president and CEO of
the troubled Salt Lake City Games and brought the games
to a successful conclusion.After losing in a senate race
to Ted Kennedy in 1994 he ran for governor in the highly
democratic Massachusetts in 2002. As governor Romney proposed
and signed into law a private, market-based reform that
ensures every Massachusetts citizen will have health insurance,
without a government takeover and without raising taxes.
In 2008 Romney ran for the Republican nomination for the
presidency. He won 11 primaries and caucuses, received about
4.7 million total votes, and garnered about 280 delegates.
Romney spent $110 million during the campaign, including
$45 million of his own money.
|
|
|

|
Ron Paul was born August 20, 1935 in Pittsburgh,
Pennslyvania. He received a B.S. degree in biology at Gettysburg
College in 1957. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
After earning an M.D. degree from the Duke University School
of Medicine, he was a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon during
the 1960s.
In 1974, Paul ran for 22nd district seat and lost to incumbent
Robert R. Casey. President Gerald Ford appointed Casey to
head the Federal Maritime Commission, and Paul won a 1976
special election to fill the seat. Months later in the general
election, Paul lost to Democrat Robert Gammage, by fewer
than 300 votes. He then defeated Robert Gammage in a 1978
rematch, and was reelected in 1980 and 1982.
In 1996, Paul was re-elected to Congress in Texas's 22nd
District. Paul entered the race hopeful that his Constitutionalist
policies of tax cuts, closing federal agencies, and curbing
the U.N. would have broader support than in the past. The
Republican National Committee focused instead on encouraging
Democrats to switch parties, as Paul's primary opponent,
incumbent Greg Laughlin, had done in 1995. The party threw
its full weight behind Laughlin, including support from
House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Governor George W. Bush,
and the National Rifle Association. Paul responded by running
newspaper ads quoting Gingrich's harsh criticisms of Laughlin's
Democratic voting record 14 months earlier. Paul won the
primary and the seat in the general election.Ron Paul has
authored many bills than such as term limits, abolishing
the income tax and abolishing the Federal Reserve that have
died in committee, but he has also written successful legislation
to prevent eminent domain seizures. By amending other legislation,
he has barred funding for national identification numbers,
funding for federal teacher certification, International
Criminal Court jurisdiction over the U.S. military, American
participation in any U.N. global tax, and surveillance on
peaceful First Amendment activities by citizens.
- Ron Paul introduced a bill to repeal the 1973 War Powers
Resolution (WPR) and reinstate the process of formal declaration
of war by Congress.
- He introduced Sunlight Rule legislation, which requires
lawmakers to take enough time to read bills before voting
on them.
- He was one of six Republicans to vote against the Iraq
War Resolution.
- With Oregon representative Peter DeFazio sponsored a
resolution to repeal the war authorization.
- He has introduced several bills to apply tax credits
toward education, including credits for parental spending
on public, private, or homeschool students (Family Education
Freedom Act); for salaries for all K–12 teachers, librarians,
counselors, and other school personnel; and for donations
to scholarships or to benefit academics (Education Improvement
Tax Cut Act). In accord with his political positions,
he has also introduced the Sanctity of Life Act, the We
the People Act, and the American Freedom Agenda Act.
In the 1988 presidential election, Paul defeated
American Indian activist Russell Means to win the Libertarian
Party nomination for president. On the ballot in 46 states
and the District of Columbia, Paul placed third in the popular
vote with 432,179 votes behind Republican winner George
H. W. Bush and Democrat Michael Dukakis. In 2008 Ron Paul
ran for president for the Republican nomination and received
a very respectable 10% of the vote. Nationally he became
somewhat of an internet phenomenon raising millions of dollars
form individual contributors and effectively started the
"Ron Paul Revolution". Though his race for the presidency
failed in 2008 in failed to win the nomination, it didn't
fail to build a strong grassroots following and it opened
the door for the creation of the Tea Party.
|
|
|
|
Michele Bachmann became the first Republican
woman to be elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. House
of Representatives.
As a self-proclaimed “Constitutional Conservative”, Bachmann
is committed to fixing Washington’s broken ways by advocating
for America’s adherence to the Constitution. Bachmann has
become known on Capitol Hill as a member who champions tax
reform, works to cut wasteful government spending and supports
limiting the size of our government. She also is devoted
to the repeal of ObamaCare, a legislation she believes is
an example of government’s recent uninhibited growth. In
Bachmann’s view, the government needs to make the kind of
serious spending decisions that many families and small
businesses across America have been forced to make. As a
believer in the traditional values upon which this country
was founded, she consistently defends America’s religious
liberties and the importance of the family as the first
unit of government. She also has continuously worked to
defend the right to life for all Americans, including the
unborn.Bachmann is a member of the Permanent Select Committee
on Intelligence and the Financial Services Committee. She
has taken the opportunity of serving on the Intelligence
Committee to regularly advocate for peace through strength
to ensure America’s national security.
As she vowed in her Oath of Office, Bachmann continues
to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Bachmann is
devoted to doing her part to ensure America’s safety. As
a member of the Financial Services Committee, Bachmann has
been given keen insight into the current housing crisis
and credit crunch. This insight has led her to be a staunch
opponent of the taxpayer-funded bailout of Wall Street and
the Dodd-Frank legislation.As the federal government continues
to grow under the current administration, Bachmann was honored
to establish the Tea Party Caucus in July 2010. She is proud
to stand with the Tea Party to call for lower taxes, renewed
focus on the Constitution and smaller government.Prior to
serving in the U.S. Congress, Bachmann served in the Minnesota
State Senate from 2000-2006.
As a Minnesota State Senator, she championed the Taxpayers
Bill of Rights. Before holding elected office, Bachmann
worked on hundreds of civil and criminal cases as a federal
tax litigation attorney. Through her experience as a tax
attorney, Bachmann came to understand firsthand the need
to simplify the current tax code and reduce taxes on families
and small businesses. Yet, it was her role as a mother of
five and foster mother of 23 that led her to call for the
abolishment of Goals 2000 and the Profiles of Learning and
start a charter school for at-risk kids in Minnesota.Bachmann
is a graduate of Anoka High School and Winona State University.
After receiving her J.D. at the O.W. Coburn School of Law
at Oral Roberts University and an L.L.M. in Tax Law at the
College of William and Mary, she along with her husband,
Marcus moved their young family to Stillwater, Minnesota.
There they opened a small business health care practice
that employs nearly fifty people.
The Bachmanns, who have been married over thirty years,
have five children, Lucas, Harrison, Elisa, Caroline and
Sophia. The Bachmanns have also cared for 23 foster children,
inspiring Bachmann’s tireless efforts in Congress on behalf
of America’s foster and adopted children, a role that has
earned her bipartisan praise.She is proud to represent Minnesota’s
Sixth Congressional District, a district which contains
parts of six counties, stretching from Stillwater past Saint
Cloud, including several suburbs of the Twin Cities.
|
|
|

|
Newt Gingrich was born June 17, 1943 in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a military family,
moving a number of times and attended school at various
military installations. He graduated from Baker High School
in Columbus, Georgia, in 1961. After becoming interested
in history he received his Bachelor’s degree from Emory
University and Master’s and Doctorate in Modern European
History from Tulane University.Before his election to Congress
in 1978, Newt taught History and Environmental Studies at
West Georgia College for eight years.
Gingrich was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 6th district and served from 1979 to 1999.
He was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
from 1995 to 1999. During his reign he co-authored the "Contract
with America" and lead the Republican Revolution in the
House, ending 40 years of the Democratic Party being in
the majority.Under his leadership in Congress and with President
Bill Clinton, the budget was balanced for the first time
in a generation. In addition they reformed welfare, leading
to over sixty percent of welfare recipients either getting
a job or going to school.The House voted 395 to 28 to reprimand
Gingrich in 1997, including a $300,000 "cost assessment"
to recoup money spent on the investigation. This was the
first time in the House's history that the Speaker had been
disciplined for ethics violations Republicans lost five
seats in the House in the 1998 midterm elections—the worst
performance in 64 years for a party that didn't hold the
residency. Polls showed that Gingrich and the Republican
Party's attempt to remove President Clinton from office
was widely unpopular among Americans. As the House leader,
Gingrich suffered much of the blame for the loss. He announced
on November 6, 1998 that he would not only stand down as
Speaker, but would leave the House completely.
Newt Gingrich is an accomplished author of several fiction
and non fiction books including:The Government's Role in
Solving Societal Problems Windowof Opportunity Contract
with America (co-editor) Restoring the Dream Quotationsfrom
Speaker Newt. To Renew America Lessons Learned The Hard
Way Presidential Determination Regarding Certification of
the Thirty-Two Major Illicit Narcotics Producing and Transit
Countries Saving Lives and Saving Money Winning the Future
Rediscovering God in America: Reflections on the Role of
Faith in Our Nation's History and Future A Contract with
the Earth, with Terry L. Maple Real Change: From the World
That Fails to the World That Works Gettysburg: A Novel of
the Civil War Grant Comes East Never Call Retreat: Lee and
Grant: The Final Victory Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December
8th Days of Infamy Thomas Dunne Books To Try Men's Souls:
A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American
Freedom Valley Forge: George Washington and the Crucible
of Victory
|
|
|
|

|
Rick Perry is Texas' 47th governor, and
the first Texas A&M graduate to occupy the Governor's
Mansion, Rick Perry has led a life of public service, starting
in the United States Air Force and continuing over two decades
in elected office.Governor Perry's administration has focused
on creating a Texas of unlimited opportunity and prosperity
by improving education, securing the border and increasing
economic development through classic conservative values.During
his tenure, Governor Perry has maintained a strong focus
on fiscal discipline, becoming the only Texas governor since
World War II to sign budgets that reduced general revenue
spending. He has used his line item veto to scrub more than
$3 billion in budgeted spending, while encouraging investments
in the building blocks of a prosperous state: the economy,
education and security.The Texas economy is performing well
in the current global economic crisis, thanks to a focused
effort to keep taxes low, regulations predictable and legal
system fair.
Gov. Perry led the effort to reform the legal system,
signing into law a series of lawsuit reforms designed to
stem the flow of frivolous lawsuits through Texas courts.
As a result, employers can devote their resources to creating
jobs instead of defending against those frivolous lawsuits.
More importantly, the reforms reversed the trend on skyrocketing
malpractice insurance rates which has led to an influx of
doctors seeking to practice in Texas. As a result, obstetricians
and other specialists are returning to practice in previously
underserved, high-risk areas.On the education front, Governor
Perry has worked to improve the quality of Texas schools
from top to bottom by increasing accountability, raising
expectations and funding programs that work. In addition
to introducing the largest teacher incentive pay program
in the country, Governor Perry has overseen a 43 percent
increase in total spending on public education in Texas.
He also signed a school finance reform package that provided
a 33 percent school property tax reduction, a $2,000 pay
raise for teachers, record funding for classrooms and a
reformed business tax. Stepping into the gap left by the
federal government, Governor Perry has worked with the legislature
to fund coordinated border security efforts to the tune
of more than $230 million over the past several years. Governor
Perry has initiated a "boots on the ground" strategy, integrating
and coordinating local, county, state and federal law enforcement
efforts, resulting in significantly decreased crime in key
areas along the border.
Rick Perry's political career started in 1985 as a representative
for a rural West Texas district in the state House of Representatives.
He was first elected to statewide office in 1990, and served
as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture for two terms. Governor
Perry hails from Paint Creek, a small farming community
north of Abilene. His father, Ray Perry, served as a Haskell
County Commissioner, school board member and a World War
II tail gunner. Between 1972 and 1977, Governor Perry served
in the United States Air Force, flying C-130 tactical airlift
aircraft in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. He is
a 1972 graduate of Texas A&M University where he was
a member of the Corps of Cadets, a junior and senior yell
leader and an animal science major. The younger of Ray and
Amelia Perry's two children, Governor Perry is an Eagle
Scout and lifetime member of American Legion Post #75.
|
|
|

|
Gary Johnson was the Republican Governor
of New Mexico from 1994-2003
.A successful businessman before running for office in
1994, Gov. Johnson started a door-to-door handyman business
to help pay his way through college. Twenty years later,
he had grown the firm into one of the largest construction
companies in New Mexico with over 1,000 employees. Not surprisingly,
Governor Johnson brings a distinctly business-like mentality
to governing, believing that decisions should be made based
on cost-benefit analysis rather than strict ideology.Johnson
is best known for his veto record, which includes over 750
vetoes during his time in office, more than all other governors
combined and his use of the veto pen has since earned him
the nickname “Governor Veto.” He cut taxes 14 times while
never raising them when he left office, New Mexico was one
of only four states in the country with a balanced budget.Term-limited,
Johnson retired from public office in 2003.An avid skier,
adventurer, and bicyclist, he has currently reached four
of the highest peaks on all seven continents, including
Mt. Everest.
In 2009, after becoming increasingly concerned with the
country’s out-of-control national debt and precarious financial
situation, the Governor formed the OUR America Initiative,
a 501c(4) non-profit that promotes fiscal responsibility,
civil liberties, and rational public policy. He traveled
to more than 30 states and spoke to over 150 conservative
and libertarian groups during his time as Honorary Chairman.He
has two grown children- a daughter Seah and a son Erik and
currently resides in a house he built himself in Taos, New
Mexico.
|
|
|
|

|
Jon Hunstman was tapped by President Barack
Obama to serve as United States Ambassador to China in May
2009 and his nomination was unanimously confirmed by the
United States Senate. Huntsman was sworn in as Ambassador
immediately following his resignation as the Governor of
Utah on Tuesday, August 11, 2009.
Huntsman was elected twice as Governor of Utah, including
in 2008 with a record percent of the vote, including the
majority in all 29 counties. As Governor, Huntsman governed
with his eye toward maintaining Utah’s unparalleled quality
of life, continually increasing the state’s economic competitiveness
and maximizing funding to Utah’s public education system.
Huntsman’s breadth of experience in Asia has been developed
over a lifetime of interest and involvement. He has previously
lived in Asia three times and speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.
Huntsman’s public service career began as a White House
staff assistant to President Ronald Reagan and has since
included appointments as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Asia, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Deputy U.S. Trade
Representative. As a U.S. Trade Ambassador, Huntsman negotiated
dozens of free trade agreements, trade and investment framework
agreements and brokered other bi-lateral and multi-lateral
trade agreements for the United States with China, Taiwan,
Singapore, Australia, India, Vietnam, West Africa, South
Africa and other Asian and African nations. He played a
critical role in launching global trade negotiations in
Doha, Qatar in November of 2001, guiding the simultaneous
accession of China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization.
He is a founding director of the Pacific Council on International
Policy and has served on various boards such as the Brookings
Institute Asia Policy Board, the Center for Strategic and
International Studies Pacific Forum, the Asia Society in
New York and the National Bureau of Asian Research.
During his tenure as Governor, Utah was repeatedly recognized
by many prestigious organizations for its dynamism, business
climate and quality of life. Perhaps most importantly, Utah
was named by the Pew Center as the Best Managed State in
America. Even in times of economic hardship, Huntsman worked
collaboratively with stakeholders to minimize impacts to
critical human services while maintaining job-stimulating
construction projects and keeping the State's Rainy Day
Fund intact as a tool for any future fiscal distress. Recognized
nationally for his leadership, Huntsman served as chairman
of the Western Governors Association and on the Executive
Committee of the National Governors Association.
As a dedicated public servant, Huntsman is committed to
serving in this critical post as Ambassador to one of the
most important international relationships for the United
States. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania
and has six honorary doctorate degrees.
|
|