PARTY CONVENTIONS

CSG TAKES A LOOK AT THE POLITICAL PARTY CONVENTIONS ...

ELECTION 2012: THE DEMOCRATS

The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., in September may have put the spotlight on President Barack Obama, but Democrats who hold or have held the governor’s office had the opportunity to share something about their states and their beliefs.

©AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, 2011 CSG President

“Let me tell you how we get ’er done in Montana. We’ve had record budget surpluses every year I’ve been governor, averaging over $400 million in surplus even during the Great Recession. We’ve invested more new money for education than ever before, frozen tuition at our colleges for the longest period ever, and get this: We increased the percentage of adults with college degrees faster than any other state. We cut more taxes, for more people, than any governor in Montana history and our bond rating was upgraded. Montana is moving in the right direction. So is America.

“When President Obama took office, the economy was in free fall, losing more than 800,000 jobs a month. Since then he’s helped create 4.5 million private sector jobs, 29 straight months of job growth.”

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn

“In Illinois, we know President Barack Obama. We know his record. And we know that President Obama has made sure that work is always part of welfare. As an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama spearheaded welfare reform in the Land of Lincoln. And the fact is, under President Obama, states can get flexibility only if they move 20 percent more people to work.

“From day one, President Obama has told you where he stands, what he believes and what he is doing to make our middle class strong again. America is moving forward under President Obama’s leadership—and that’s a fact.”

Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland

“It’s been a long slog back, and we’ve still got a long way to go. But all over Ohio—all over America—men and women are going back to work with the pride of building something stamped ‘Made in America.’ Before Barack Obama took office, it looked like that pride could have vanished forever, but today, from the staggering depths of the Great Recession, the nation has had 29 straight months of job growth. Workers across my state and across the country are getting back the dignity of a good job and a good salary.”

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick

“When I came to office, we set out on a different course: investing in ourselves and our future. And today Massachusetts leads the nation in economic competitiveness, student achievement, health care coverage, life sciences and biotech, energy efficiency and veterans’ services. Today, with the help of the Obama administration, we are rebuilding our roads and bridges and expanding broadband access. Today we’re out of the deficit hole Mr. Romney left, and we’ve achieved the highest bond rating in our history. Today—with labor at the table—we’ve made the reforms in our pension and benefits systems, our schools, our transportation system and more that Mr. Romney only talked about. And today in Massachusetts, you can also marry whomever you love. We have much more still to do. But we are on a better track because we placed our faith not in trickle-down fantasies and divisive rhetoric, but in our values and common sense.”

©AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm

“With the auto rescue, (Obama) saved more than 1 million middle class jobs all across America. In Colorado, the auto rescue saved more than 9,800 jobs. In Virginia, more than 19,000 jobs. In North Carolina, more than 25,000. Wisconsin, more than 28,000 jobs. Pennsylvania, more than 34,000. Florida, more than 35,000. Ohio, more than 150,000. And in the great state of Michigan? President Obama helped save 211,000 good American jobs. All across America, autos are back! Manufacturing is rebounding.”

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper

“In Colorado, we know that Western history is not just about rugged individuals; it’s also about communities coming together to raise barns, build schools and, yes, to help one another. Colorado and the United States are places that will be defined more by their future than by their past. The president knows that to move our country forward, it takes ‘we’ and not just ‘me.’ … President Obama inherited many crises, among the worst any president has faced, and in every case he’s responded with optimism, compassion and courage. He provided hope when there was none. And he transformed that hope into a plan rooted in reality.”

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley

©AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

“In times of adversity—for the country we love—Maryland always chooses to move forward. Progress is a choice. Job creation is a choice. Whether we move forward or back: This too is a choice. This is what this election is all about!

“Democratic governors, with the support of our president, are leading their states forward—putting job creation first, balancing budgets, protecting priorities, making the tough decisions, right now, to create jobs and expand opportunity. Together with President Obama, we are moving America forward, not back.”

Former Republican Florida Gov. Charlie Crist

“You know, I used to play quarterback just down the road from here at Wake Forest. My dad always told me, ‘Charlie, it takes a cool head to win a hot game.’ Our country is in the middle of a hot game. We face serious challenges, both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, our politics are defined by discord and discontent. Never has it been harder for a president to keep a cool head. … When I look at President Obama, I see a leader with a cool head, a caring heart and an open mind, a president who has demonstrated through his demeanor and through his deeds that he is uniquely qualified to heal our divisions, rebuild our nation and lead us to a brighter future together.”

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue

©AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

“We must re-elect the president because he’s standing up for middle-class families and growing an economy that’s built to last. And he’s doing it right here in North Carolina. It starts with education. The president has made schools a top priority. He knows that all parents want their children to have even better opportunities than they had. The president’s education initiatives are helping North Carolina’s schools soar. These investments are spurring education reform and innovation, and strengthening our nationally recognized early childhood education programs. This president gets it on education. He knows that a good education is the difference-maker for every child and is the pathway to success in the global economy.”

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy

“We Democrats have nothing against people who’ve earned their wealth. We salute their hard work and good fortune. But slashing what we invest in schools, in roads, in research and development, in clean energy and in the things that protect our most vulnerable just to cut taxes for those at the top—is ridiculous and wrong.

“… President Obama and we Democratic governors believe something very different. We believe that a budget is more than just a bunch of numbers: It’s a document that reflects our values. We believe we can—and should—make government leaner, cheaper, and more effective—cutting waste and trimming fat where we can.”

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell

“When you are a governor, or the president, it’s different. Your shareholders are teachers, construction workers and hardware store owners. And your bottom line is not what goes into your pocket—but what goes into theirs. That’s the difference. When your constituents are your financial shareholders, perhaps it makes sense to take control of a company, suffocate it with debt and get rid of the workers’ pensions. That kind of thing worked for Mitt Romney when he sat in his corporate office. But it won’t work for the country if Mitt Romney’s sitting in the Oval Office.”

CSG TAKES A LOOK AT THE POLITICAL PARTY CONVENTIONS ...

ELECTION 2012: THE REPUBLICANS

Republican governors had the opportunity to put their states and their beliefs in the spotlight at the Republican National Convention to nominate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Tampa, Fla., in August.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

“Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to put us back on the path to growth and create good paying private sector jobs again in America.

“Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the torrent of debt that is compromising our future and burying our economy.

“Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the debacle of putting the world’s greatest health care system in the hands of federal bureaucrats and putting those bureaucrats between an American citizen and her doctor.”

Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño, 2012 CSG President

“When I took office, I inherited a $3.3 billion budget deficit, the largest of anywhere in the nation. We could not even meet our payroll. We were on the brink of bankruptcy but we did not shy away from our responsibility to lead. We cut government expenses by 20 percent, starting with my own salary. We reduced our deficit 90 percent while continuing to invest in our schools, hospitals and highways. At the same time, we slashed taxes 50 percent on individuals and 30 percent on businesses, the largest tax cuts in Puerto Rico history.

“Guess what? Our private sector, the real economy, began to create jobs again. Imagine if we had national policies that support rather than prevent growth, we’d then be able to truly unleash the engine of prosperity that our country and our people deserve. That’s what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will do for America.”

© AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

“Look at the results of Republican policies in the states.

“In states with Republican governors, the average unemployment rate is a full point lower than in states with Democratic governors.

“Republican governors lead seven of the 10 states with the lowest unemployment rates, and 12 of the 15 states ranked best for business.

“While the Obama administration borrows over $3 billion a day just to keep the lights on, Republican governors have closed $65 billion in budget shortfalls, without raising taxes.”

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez

“This election should not be about political parties. Too many Americans are out of work, solutions and have an honest debate.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin

© TANNEN MAURY/epa/Corbis

“President Ronald Reagan once said that ‘there are no great limits manner and turned that deficit into a surplus. And we did it without raising taxes.”

to growth, because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination and wonder.’

“He believed, like I believe—like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

“We can—and we will—overcome any economic challenge IF government lets go of the regulatory chokehold zapping the air out of the economy and deflating the spirits of our entrepreneurs.

“We need a president who will applaud and encourage those who work hard to pursue their dreams … to reach their potential … and, in doing so, make themselves and America better and stronger.

and our debt is out of control. This election needs to be about those issues (like welfare, the size of government and taxes) and it is the responsibility of both parties to offer up real

“In New Mexico, I inherited the largest structural deficit in state history, and our legislature is controlled by Democrats. We don't always agree, but we came together in a bipartisan believe—that the potential for America is limitless.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush

“Because he is a former governor, Mitt Romney understands that states must lead this national movement (on education). In Massachusetts, Gov. Romney narrowed the gap between students of different races, raised testing standards, and put into place a merit scholarship, the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, that gives students four tuitionfree years at any Massachusetts public institution of higher learning. He's a champion for bringing hope to education.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

“Like many places across the country, Wisconsin lost more than 100,000 jobs from 2008 to 2010. Unemployment during that time topped out at over 9 percent. But because of our reforms, Wisconsin has added thousands of new jobs and our unemployment rate is down from when I first took office.

“Equally as important, we improved the economic climate for job creators. Today, 94 percent of our employers believe Wisconsin is headed in the right direction. That compares to just 10 percent who thought the same thing two years ago. Elections have consequences!

“What makes America amazing is that there have always been men and women of courage who were willing to think more about the future of their children and grandchildren than they did about their own political careers. Let this be one of those moments.” © Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/Corbis

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley

“We build things in the Palmetto State. We build planes. We build cars. “We have three of the four largest tire producers in the world and are about to become the number one tire-producing state in the country. “And not too long ago, The Wall Street Journal said, ‘Anyone still thinking the U.S. has lost its manufacturing chops hasn't been to South Carolina.’ We have so much potential and so much to be proud of. “But like so many states, we have our challenges, whether they be unemployment or education or poverty. And like so many of my fellow governors, I work day in and day out to try and improve the lives of the people of my state.”

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval

“So I stepped down from a lifetime appointment to make a difference. I ran for governor, was elected and, like Republican governors all across this nation, I chose to make the tough decisions:

“On issues like economic development, education reform and redesigning how state government operates.

“On job creation, and reducing state spending, and eliminating red tape. It hasn't been easy. And we're not through it yet.

“But I have put my faith in the people of my great state—because they are the ones who will grow our economy.”

© AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Ohio Gov. John Kasich

© Lynne Sladky/AP/Corbis

“I took office in 2011. And when I came into office, we were 48th in the nation in job creation—48th. We had an $8 billion budget deficit, the largest in the history of the great state of Ohio, and we had 89 cents in our rainy day fund. Most toddlers have more than 89 cents in their little piggy banks, let alone what was in our Treasury. Our credit rating was headed down the drain. And we were—we had suffered a loss of 400,000 jobs.

“And ladies and gentlemen, tonight, the greatest moral issue in America today is job creation. We had lost 400,000 jobs. Our people were hurting and our families were hurting as a result of the recession. In Ohio, we were following a policy of tax, spend and duck. And that’s too much of what politicians do. They want to avoid the tough issues. But when we came into power, with my colleagues in the legislature, we took our problems head on. We balanced our budget; that $8 billion deficit was eliminated without a tax increase in the state of Ohio.”