George Allen

Most Americans recognize that whatever the government program is, no matter how essential it is, it's waste.

Before I was governor, tuition was skyrocketing, and we stopped that. We capped and then we froze college tuition.

It's time for an American comeback... where leaders in Washington listen to 'we the people.'

China owns more of our bonds than do Americans. That's not a good position to be in.

I did learn that some of the things that are great for locker rooms are inappropriate for political discourse. That's a wisdom I've garnered.

I don't like talking about myself. I don't like talking about these introspective things.

I like to motivate and inspire people.

My mother is French-Italian with a little Spanish blood in her. I've been raised, and she was, as far as I know, raised as a Christian.

I have no intention of running for office again.

I think you always have to be innovating and adapting and improving. You can't stay the same.

Trust free people and free enterprise as opposed to meddling, burdensome government.

The people of America need personal responsibility and freedom, not dependency on the government.

I rise today to offer a formal and heartfelt apology to all the victims of lynching in our history, and for the failure of the United States Senate to take action when action was most needed.

I have always advocated for funding and programs that increase our productivity and competitiveness.

It is vital that the United States maintains open lines of communication with our allies. We must assure them of our commitment to eradicating global terrorism wherever it may reside or wherever it's given haven.

We are so appreciative of the men and women in uniform who are protecting us, whether in Afghanistan or Iraq or on ships around the world. For our security, they are taking the offensive to the terrorists overseas.

In some ways, September 11, 2001, seems a long time ago. Yet we have done so much in only a few years, and we will continue to do so in the future, to prevent such attacks on America.

When I was elected Governor, we had an audacious agenda that naysayers said couldn't be enacted with a Democrat majority in the state legislature. However, we worked across party lines and enacted historic reforms. Working together, we cut taxes by more than $600 million.

We're going to hear a lot of spirited discussion about the President's plan in the next few days and weeks and that's fine as long as everyone comes ready to talk and not just snipe, complain and argue.

Election Day 2010 saw the culmination of years of aggravation and resentment toward a federal government that became disconnected and disdainful of the values and priorities of Americans.

I do think that the elections of 2010 and 2012 are going to determine the trajectory of the country. Either we're going to be aspiring and improving opportunities based on freedom and responsibility, or we're going to go down the path that dictates and mandates a dependency on government.

The idea of reasoning with terrorists without force or with appeasement is naive, and I think it's dangerous.

We should favor innovation and freedom over regulation.