Remarks at the Michigan GOP Convention 2009- Feb. 25, 2009

Good morning. I know the snow is coming, but I still think we're all gonna be pretty positive about being able to get home tonight.

So, are we happy to be republican this morning? Well I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement over the years in my term as Secretary of State. You've been there every step of the way, supporting, putting up yard signs, and making those phone calls, and I just want to say a personal thank you to all of you. For your hard work, your patience, your understanding, for doing a great job that you have done. I also want to congratulate our new chairman Ron Weiser. I know we haven't quite gotten there yet, but I'm sure that will be successful election for Ron, so I look forward to working with Ron as he rebuilds our party, because I know we need strong leadership more than ever right now.

So I'm looking forward to partnering with Ron, and all of you to bring that forward. So Ron, we're looking forward to it. I want to congratulate all the candidates who did run for state party chair. I appreciate their interest. As a former county party chair, I know what it takes to do and what it takes to work to be a chairman, so I want to thank them for getting involved. And of course, we have to thank Sal. Sal has done a great job for us, especially in the way of technology, and I really appreciate all that he's done. His enthusiasm, his looking outside the box. So let's give Sal a round of applause for a great job. Thank you Sal. Now, it's great to be here again with all of you. Were all so different, we come from different places, some of us are business owners, and some of us are job providers, but we’re all seeking a way to make a better way for our families. Other of us are public servants, who have been active in politics for a long time, trying to make real change. And of course, all of us have families, and we support our party, and want our children and grandchildren to grow up safely here, and stay here, and start their own families.

But whatever the reason we’re here today, we want to unite today, because we care about the future Michigan, and we want to bring Michigan back. I do believe, like you, that our values as a party for one, are positive. That our families, our businesses, and our social institutions. Like you, I care a great deal about what happens in Michigan, and I am deeply invested in the future of our residents, our businesses, our schools, and our natural resources. Like you, I am very concerned that if we don't make sweeping changes soon, Michigan lose its chance to be state that we want it to be. I don't need to remind you of the challenges that we have. It goes without saying that we need some serious change, and I'm not talking about the kind that our opponents talk about, such as the change of a slogan that you see on a t-shirt, I'm talking about the kind of change that demands tough decision-making.

As a fiscal conservative, I know what kind of change that is, and I made those changes as Secretary of State. I knew back in 2003 when I first took office that the forecast was going to be rough out there. So I took the initiative then to plan ahead and trim our expenses. We knew back then that times were not going to get better anytime soon, and I realized that too much cost was being tied up in bricks-and-mortar. Modernizing services, increasing our online presence for example, helped save precious dollars. It also meant consolidating office space, reducing the number of branches….

MODERATOR: Could I have your attention? Shh. Everybody is talking so much, I can’t even hear the secretary. So do me a favor, this is one really hardworking Secretary of State. Can you all agree with me about that? Let’s give her a little bit, she’s got a great message, please.

LAND: Thank you, Hank. Of course it meant consolidating office space, reducing the number branches, which wasn’t easy. These are tough decisions that we had to make. But in the long run, we knew it would pay off, and ultimately give us better service for our customers. Since then, we’ve have only positive feedback, faster service, updated office locations, and increased online actions. If Michigan is going to survive, we need to be comprehensive in every department in our state. We don't need to depend on bailouts from the federal government, after all, we expect individuals practice personal responsibility. We should expect the same from our state government. It’s our responsibility as a state to keep our spending in check. We need to look ahead and make smart long-term decisions, and as your secretary of state, I’ve made that my highest priority. I’ve greatly appreciated the opportunity to serve you in that capacity. I've always enjoyed working with you to ensure that we're getting the best customer service possible.

Now, I'm ready for the next step. I hope you'll join my team, I’ve seen a lot of things over the years since my last a convention, which was a long time ago, and looking into the crowd today I see many of you, and I am reminded of some things that never change. One thing that hasn't changed, in the last 30 years that I've been involved in public service, is that this is the best day with the best people in the Union.

Now, we have many challenges ahead, but I know we can make Michigan a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The one thing that hasn't changed in Michigan is the passion we share for Michigan. We share a passion for Michigan’s diversity, a passion for hard work, and a passion for learning. Most of all, we have a passion for each other in this great state. I know that you are not giving up in Michigan, I am not giving up on Michigan. I know that together we can bring Michigan back. Thank you very much.

Speech from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvDQ54jnFj0