Contributed by
Tim James Campaign
Today, Greenville businessman Tim James held a kickoff event at 10 a.m. on the steps State Capitol to announce his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in 2022. He outlined his platform to make Alabama a national leader in preserving America’s godly heritage while also focusing on key issues to transform our state into an economic powerhouse.
Key issues of his campaign that he mentioned specifically were defending our values, casino gambling, medical marijuana, better schools and education, tax cuts and protecting the state from vaccine and federal Mandates.
James framed his speech within the context of a grandfather’s heart who is concerned about the directional shift in Alabama.
TEXT OF THE SPEECH IS AS FOLLOWS:
What a blessing grandchildren are, and it is because of them and because of your children and grandchildren that I stand here today to officially declare my candidacy for governor of Alabama.
We’ve reached a tipping point, and we will turn back to our Judeo-Christian heritage or be ruled by some form of godless Marxism that controls every aspect of our lives under the yoke of fear and intimidation. The battle won’t be easy, but we will prevail.
Alabama has always been mocked for our values, but God has called this state to lead, and in the days ahead, America will turn to Alabama for counsel and wisdom because of the authority God place on our shoulders years ago.
Alabama honored the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when others turned away, and if we continue to do that, we will be blessed beyond measure.
Alabama was the first state to call for a sovereign Israel back in 1943, five years before Israel became a nation.
Alabama, and often, Alabama alone, has stood like a rock in a river, resisting the decline of our country.
We have been worn into submission by a federal government growing ever more powerful; and by a federal Supreme Court that has detached law from truth.
They removed voluntary prayer from schools.
They approved abortion on demand and the deaths of 75 million babies at the hands of abortionists. The remains of these little ones have been sold like chattel.
These unelected, left-wing judges decreed a new definition of marriage — including those of the same sex — leading to the forced acceptance of transgenderism, all of which conflict with the nature and character of God.
Marxism is at our doorstep, and those that embrace it have a desire to remove every aspect of God from society, so reliance and faith is on government and not on the One that created government.
We watch the news every night with concern about the future of this country.
The liberal news media attacks our second amendment rights, calls us racists for wanting to secure the border, and sneers at our faith in God.
But governors across this country are beginning to step forward to lead and erect firewalls to protect our states and preserve the American Dream.
They have no choice, in part, because Joe Biden would dare use his office to try to force Americans, under the threat of poverty, to get a shot.
So, the fight is here.
Personally, I believe our governor is a good person. She has been a friend of our family for 40 years. But I think the administration is overwhelmed.
And I am running for governor because I believe the leadership in this state have capitulated to the political structures that control Montgomery.
They just don’t have the stomach for the fight.
I say this because we have watched them cave to the special interests and political parasites who care nothing about you, or this cultural battle being waged.
They caved to the casino barons who are trying to turn our state into a gambling mecca with nine full scale casinos.
The casino bosses could not care less if they convert our towns into models of decay. They just want their money, and they have drawn their swords for one final push while they still have time. They know that Tim James will never let them turn Alabama into the Las Vegas of the South.
But the money made off casino gambling is peanuts compared to marijuana. This same governor and Republican leadership caved to those pushing for a bill known as the “Compassion Act” which legalized medical marijuana.
Compassionate it is not.
They tried to camouflage the poison by telling us it was to help people in pain. Look, I’m all about helping people in pain. But this isn’t about pain. It’s about the money, and it is being pushed by wealthy and influential people in this state who justify their greed with self-righteous hypocrisy; they consider themselves pillars of the community.
They are nothing but drug pushers making their fortunes on the backs of people’s misery while their product is working its way to the streets under the guise of medicine.
The stats are clear. Medical marijuana increases opioid abuse 38%, and other studies show that medical marijuana users are 6 times more likely to abuse opioids than non-marijuana users. So basically, medical marijuana is not helping our kids. It is the gateway drug, and it is killing them.
But now, under Republican leadership, anyone with a medical marijuana card can have over 60 doses of marijuana at one time.
Who needs that much in their pocket unless they want to peddle it on the street?
Alabama has created a state-run drug cartel, and we are watching an orchestrated path to recreational pot.
Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Majority Leader in the House. States with medical marijuana laws have seen an increase in opioid deaths of 22%.
Why did you allow this? Why were you silent? Have you no shame?
If I am elected governor, we will repeal the medical marijuana charade and stop these dope pushers before we become the state of Colorado.
The governor and our Republican leadership have also caved to the education establishment. If you don’t believe me, check their donation reports.
But while the education establishment fattened up the political committees, our schools have collapsed. In one of the last studies, Alabama ranked dead last among the 50 states in math. Dead last.
This is embarrassing. Even while achieving this all new low, over the last five years, state funds for public education have increased by over 400 million dollars. Money is not the problem. Weak leadership is the problem.
We must deconstruct the education system – to its foundation – and rebuild it from the ground up.
We must take our schools back from the education unions and give them back to our parents, good teachers, and principals.
Under my watch:
1. Disruptive children will be removed from the classroom.
2. We will let our teachers teach — not force them into being paperwork jockeys.
3. Principals will receive complete authority to manage their schools and improve grade scores.
4. We will pay our teachers and principals more and give them bonuses for better performance.
5. But the key to improving schools is our parents. Parents will get choices. The money will follow the child, and vouchers will give parents the freedom to send their children to the schools that are best for their children.
For too long, those who can afford to homeschool or pay for private school have paid tuition for their own kids and paid school taxes for everyone else’s children. And for too long, those who can’t afford private school are stuck.
That’s going to change, and with more choices for parents and more specialized schools for all children, Alabama will become a national education leader.
I have no illusion that the education structure will fight me tooth and nail. But I’m ready for the fight because Alabama’s kids are worth it.
Now think about it. This governor and the Republican leadership caved to casino barons, pot pushers, and the teachers’ union. But then they caved to big business and raised taxes on the working families of Alabama.
You can think about this every time you buy a gallon of gas.
It is a shame that with Republicans in charge, we have not had a real conversation about tax reform in over a decade. I’ll start by eliminating the tax on essential groceries.
We should be using our hard-earned money to feed our families – not government.
Finally, when I am governor, I will never cave to the federal government on a vaccine mandate.
When Biden issued his vaccine order, Alabama’s leaders jumped on him like a chicken on a June bug. They railed against overreach.
What they don’t want you to know is that they did the same thing before he did it.
They hoped you would forget; I didn’t forget.
The State of Alabama, through UAB, issued an order to thousands of Alabama workers to get the vaccine or be fired. Governor is the chairman of the board of trustees of our public universities including UAB. That’s where the buck stops.
There was no opposition from the governor and the top republicans when UAB issued their mandate; the only sound heard was silence until the Attorney General stepped in and issued a stop order.
In other words, it was ok for UAB to fire Alabama workers, but not ok for Biden to do it.
Then, in a special session, the governor signed legislation that protected workers from the mandate if they met three exemptions.
But the legislation still allowed thousands of Alabama citizens to be fired if they simply chose NOT to take the vaccine for their own personal reasons.
Will the Republican leadership cave on vaccine passports? Let me tell you, the only vaccine passport you need is the United State constitution.
On my watch, Washington will never be our puppet master, and their vaccine mandates and vaccine passports can go straight to hell.
Now, I want to be clear. There are some good Republican legislators in Montgomery.
Some have been fighting the good fight, standing up for what is right; unfortunately, most have not. But they have been run over by so-called Republicans and special interests who caved on casinos, marijuana, failing schools, taxes, and vaccine mandates. It’s time for a changing of the guard.
I ask you to join this crusade. Not just for Alabama but for the nation. Other states will see our courage and will follow. We all see darkness in the nation, aggression toward anything related to God.
The root of the problem is spiritual for our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and evil in heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12)
Blessing on any nation begins with repentance.
2 Chronicles states it plainly … “if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Our land needs healing.
Some ask as to whether I’m running for Governor or preaching.
In some ways, they’re the same. Governmental authority cannot be dissected from the source that created the authority in the first place. That source is God.
We stand at the gate of our State Capitol and seek God’s forgiveness for the sins of America, and we decree in the Name of Jesus that Alabama will lead America in the years ahead, back to its proper position of authority amongst the nations, of which authority was granted by God at our inception.
The prayer bowls of heaven have tipped. The smiles of Heaven are manifesting as pockets of light across this continent, and our children and our children’s children will be blessed and guided by a Heavenly plumb line that has been set in Alabama first, and shall go forth to the nation, as shall every word spoken by the mouth of God, and which will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent. (Is 55:11)
I ask you to step into this special moment, pick up your sword and engage in this righteous crusade to take back America, one state at a time. It begins at the gate of this capitol, and today is the appointed time.
Thank you, and may God Bless the great state of Alabama.