Asm. Garrick Speech on Ronald Reagan's Legacy at Centennial Commission Bill Signing

Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick delivered a speech today about Ronald Reagan's enduring legacy, at the signing of his bill to create California's Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission to celebrate his 100th Birthday in 2011. You can watch his speech, or below is a transcript of his remarks:




GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER:

Now I would like to bring out a great leader in the Assembly -- we're talking here about Assemblyman Garrick. Thank you very much. (Applause)

ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER MARTIN GARRICK:

Thank you, Governor. And Mrs. Reagan, it's almost surreal for me to be here standing so close to you on this special day to honor one of my heroes. It's truly an honor to share this stage with you. And thank you to the people from the Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library for all that you do. This is a magnificent place. And to all of my friends and fellow Reaganites, I want to say it's been too long and we need to do this more often.

I spoke at a graduation ceremony last month for the Army-Navy Academy in my district. As I prepared to address the group of cadets and their families I thought about the first time I heard Ronald Reagan speak in person. It was at the Marlborough High School graduation in Los Angeles in 1974, the last year he was governor.

In the speech "the great communicator" spoke of the price of freedom in America. He spoke of the golden hope of mankind and he spoke of American exceptionalism in the face of socialism and communism. He reminded the graduating students that his generation had gone from a horse and buggy all the way to the moon. He also noted that he, then at the age of 63, had already lived 10 years longer than his life expectancy and that this was a source of great aggravation in certain circles.

Governor Reagan's speech left quite a mark on me as a young man, then only 21 years old and on the rest of the audience that day. Little did we know at that time just how much the great leader would achieve both for our state, our nation and in his lifetime. Six years after that speech I was fortunate enough to join with some of the faces I see today here in the crowd to work on the president's 1980 election in his White House Transition Team and in his administration.

Today I am deeply honored to be able to play a role in honoring Ronald Reagan's legacy as a Californian and an American. As you know, President Reagan was California's first movie start governor. He starred in 53 films during his career. Now, how many have you starred in, Governor? (Laughter) I think it's 30, isn't it? You've got some catching up to do, I think.

But he did more than just conquer Hollywood. He was the first and only person to serve as governor of California and president of the United States. He handed over the Horseshoe to Jerry Brown and the Oval Office he took back from Jimmy Carter. Even though his political opponents set a low bar he far exceeded any and all expectations.

President Reagan inherited a country stuck in stagnation and unleashed the greatest peacetime economic expansion in America's history. He dared to dream not only of a peaceful end to the Cold War but also of the destruction of the evil empire and he accomplished both.

Within a year of leaving office the Berlin Wall fell and Soviet communism crumbled. President Reagan restored pride and power to our military and he once again made our nation a beacon of hope, freedom and optimism for all of the world.

February 6th, 2011 will mark the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth. Assembly Bill 1911, with the Governor's signature, creates California's Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission. It will celebrate and honor one of the most influential Californians and Americans in history. And in keeping with President Reagan's distrust of big government we made sure that his bill won't use any taxpayers' dollars and won't grow the bureaucracy.

Just as Ronald Reagan taught the next generation about the greatness of America, I look forward to helping to teach future generations about Ronald Reagan's character, his optimism, his ideals and his enduring legacy. This commission and the celebration of his 100th birthday will help us ensure President Reagan's proper role in history.

Thank you very much. (Applause) Now it's my pleasure to introduce Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth. (Applause)

Unger Brothers Star in Martin Garrick PSA on Kids in Hot Cars

Trent, Gavin, Seth Jr. and Coleman Unger all have starring roles in Assemblyman Garrick's Public Service Announcement reminding drivers not to leave kids in hot cars. Check it out - I'm not that unbiased, but think they may have a future in Hollywood!

Garrick Op-Ed: A new fiscal year, no budget and the Democrats want more taxes

Opinion: A new fiscal year, no budget and the Democrats want more taxes

By Martin Garrick | 07/01/10

Once again California starts a new fiscal year today without a state budget. But it didn’t have to be this way. Assembly Republicans have been reminding lawmakers for the past 100 days, since March 23, that the end of the fiscal year was fast approaching. We urged majority Democrats to begin working with us early, so we could have a bipartisan solution in place before the end of the fiscal year. They said no.

Unfortunately, there are signs that this year’s stalemate may be worse than most. Typically the Democrat-dominated conference committee patches together a plan that allows their leaders to symbolically unite. They then criticize Republicans for not supporting their partisan budget, and blame the two-thirds vote requirement for Sacramento’s dysfunction.

This year the Democrats are taking a different approach. The budget conference committee is at a stand still without any of the contentious issues yet resolved.

Instead, Assembly and Senate Democrat leaders are rigidly touting vastly different plans to tax, borrow and spend their way out of a $19.1 billion budget hole. Senate Democrats want to raise $5 billion in new taxes on kids, cars, alcohol and oil, and to shift responsibility and broader taxing authority to locals. Assembly Democrats remain committed to a complex and discredited borrowing scheme that would take out a 20 year mortgage from the bottle and can recycling fund to pay for this year’s overspending.

While it’s possible that all of this posturing is just for show to appease their core liberal constituencies, it’s also possible that there is something more dubious going on. There have been rumblings for over a month that Democrats are pursuing a strategy to shut down state government if Republicans won’t agree to tax increases. The latest budget developments give credence to this theory.

In a rather ominous sign, Assembly Democrats leaked to the media a memo from the Speaker in which he says that “it is critical that the Democrats hold firm and not engage in any negotiation until the governor shows signs of reciprocation.” The Speaker fumes that he wants the Governor and Republicans to withdraw plans to reduce state spending and cut programs California can’t afford. Yet, he appears unwilling to even work with his Democrat counterparts in the Senate to produce a viable plan, let alone come to the table and negotiate alternative spending reductions with Republicans.

With the new fiscal year upon us, it seems Democrat leaders are determined to drag out the process and inflict budget pain on Californians if Republicans will not feed their appetite for tax increases. Yet the people and the experts have already spoken on their competing schemes.

The tax and spend approach the Senate Democrats favor is the same one that voters rejected last May. The borrowing scheme the Assembly Democrats are staking their claim to was deemed unconstitutional by the Attorney General and rejected by the Treasurer.

Of the three budget plans on the table, only the Governor has provided a realistic roadmap to a responsible budget. Legislative Republicans remain united behind the Governor’s budget blueprint. Rather than writing a fourth or fifth plan, negotiations need to start immediately on the May Revise. It is the only plan introduced to date that sets priorities, reduces spending, and maintains last year’s education funding levels, without raising taxes.

It’s time for legislative Democrats to stop stalling and thwarting negotiations. It is irresponsible to take budget hostages in order to try to turn up the pressure for tax increases. Republicans have been eager to get to work on a responsible, no-tax budget for the last 100 days. How many more days will we have to wait until legislative Democrats are ready to come to the table and get serious? The real consequences for inaction mount every day from here forward.