The opponents of my budget propose taking $200 million out of our classrooms and instead spending it on a larger school employee pay raise. Our focus should be on making sure our children come first.

If we are going to save this country, if we are going to reestablish that belief in God, it’s up to us. If we don’t do it, who will?

The men and women who serve in our military have won for us every hour we live in freedom, sometimes at the expense of the very hours of the lifetimes they had hoped to live.

Nothing is worse, or more of a breach of the social contract between citizen and state, than for government officials, bureaucrats and agencies to waste the money entrusted to them by the people they serve.

God looked down on this country because this country was founded on the rock and that rock was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And when the storms came and the rains came, the rock, it did not move. But over the last 15 or 20 years, something began to erode.

We’ve got to take care of the poor.

No skill shapes a child’s future success in school or in life more than the ability to read.

Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.

There is no longer time for statements like “if only” or “we can’t.” We must and we will succeed. The only question now is how and when. I believe the time is now.

However, before we make the mistake of patting ourselves on the back, let’s remember: government does not create jobs. It only helps create the conditions that make jobs more or less likely. The real credit for our economic renewal belongs to the people of Alabama .

I hope we never get to the point that we put ourselves in Jesus’ place. But when I read the New Testament basically, we get three mandates: to love God, to love each other, and to take care of the least among us. And I think this is at least a step in the right direction.

Ladies and gentlemen: There can be no greater investment in Alabama’s future than an investment in education.

In a time of tight budgets, difficult choices have to be made. We must make sure our very limited resources are spent on priorities. I believe we should have no higher priority than investing in our children’s classrooms and in their future.

According to our Christian ethics, we’re supposed to love God, love each other and help take care of the poor. It is immoral to charge somebody making $5,000 an income tax.

Half a world away nations that once lived under oppression and tyranny are now budding democracies due in large part to America ‘s leadership and the sacrifices of our military.

Perseverance is a virtue that cannot be understated.

One person can make a difference. In fact, it’s not only possible for one person to make a difference, it’s essential that one person makes a difference. And believe it or not, that person is you.

When money follows results – we will get more results for our money.

No two wars are ever the same. Some are just, some are unjust, but the basic commonality shared between them all is that young men and women heeded a call to service, overcame their fear, and fought for their side.

The amount of money we spend on education is important, but not nearly as important as how the money is spent.

The fight for reform comes down to a simple goal: giving our citizens the confidence that government serves the people first and the people only.

I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism.

The opponents of my budget propose taking $200 million out of our classrooms and instead spending it on a larger school employee pay raise. Our focus should be on making sure our children come first.

I ask you: turn a deaf ear to the special interests. Let politics stand down for a while. don’t waste anytime thinking about future elections until we’ve done our jobs here.

For too long, we have focused on our differences – in our politics and backgrounds, in our race and beliefs – rather than cherishing the unity and pride that binds us together.

You elected government officials to make decisions and it’s about time they started making good ones.

Drugs are the enemies of ambition and hope – and when we fight against drugs we are fighting for the future.

The success of our economy shouldn’t determine the success of our schools.

Government does not create jobs. It only helps create the conditions that make jobs more or less likely.

Tolerating evil leads only to more evil. And when good people stand by and do nothing while wickedness reigns, their communities will be consumed.