Robbie Wills Announces for 2nd District Congress
(Text of Announcement, Pickles Gap Village,
12 p.m., Wednesday, January 27, 2010)
Thank you.
I’m Robbie Wills. And I’m running for Congress.
I want to thank our host today, Harold Helton. Harold, thank you for the entrepreneurial spirit and your hard work that keeps this special place alive.
To my wife, Dana, I love you. To my daughters, to my parents, and my entire family: Thank You. If not for you, not only would I not be where I am today, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I love you, and I’m so glad you’re here.
To everyone else, Welcome to Pickles Gap!
Someone asked me, “Robbie, why Pickles Gap?” Well, for starters, it’s as far away from Washington, D.C,. as you can get and still be in Arkansas.
The fact is, this business was founded by my grandfather, my Poppa Wilburn Adams. And for the better part of 20 years, this was our family business. You know, there used to be an old covered bridge over Pickles Gap Creek, a working water wheel, a blacksmith shop, and a petting zoo. I grew up here. And this was a great place to grow up.
Pickles Gap was known all over as the “Home of the Do-Nothing,” because we made a sold these little things called a Do-Nothings. As you can see, it’s a complicated piece of machinery with lots of moving parts, each part working very hard to stay out of the other’s way…and accomplishing absolutely nothing!
Well, unlike this contraption, we all had a job to do here at Pickles Gap. Like many of you, when I was a kid, I was expected to come home after school and work. And like most eight-year-old boys, I didn’t want to work after school. But Poppa was always after me to do better. He refused to let me be lazy.
I remember one time right here in this room, he took one of these Do-Nothings and said, “Robbie, if you don’t’ straighten up, you’re gonna be a Do-Nothing! Don’t be a Do-Nothing. Be a Do-Something! I can still hear him today, because this was his way of getting me back on track; his way of teaching me to work hard, and do my best. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. So I keep one of these handy to remind me: I am not a Do-Nothing, I am a Do-Something!
When you send me to Congress, let me tell you what this Do-Something is going to do:
The first thing I will do as your Congressman is take our Arkansas Values with me to Washington. Simply put, Washington has lost its way. The ideas of a balanced budget, working with others across party lines, and proposing common-sense solutions are the rule here in Arkansas. But they have become the exception in the District of Columbia.
While our nation’s economy continues to struggle with job losses, Washington has done nothing. While most people want Democrats and Republicans to work together to solve our problems, Washington has done nothing. While our national debt skyrockets and the budget deficit grows, Washington has done nothing.
Now, more than ever, we need a Congressman committed to building a stronger economy for our state and nation; a Congressman who will work for common-sense solutions to the problems we face; and a Congressman who will take a dose of Arkansas Values to Washington. In short, we need a Do-Something Congress, and that’s why I’m running.
Congress needs to focus on the single-most-important issue facing us today: Jobs!
Right now, over 100,000 Arkansans are looking for work – our highest unemployment rate in over 20 years. And we need to do something about it.
All of our people are either hurting or scared. I understand that. I get it. I know first-hand that kind of hurt. You see, I’ve been laid off before. And I promise you, it’s scary.
Like most of us, I like to think that we Arkansans can get by on our own. But the fact is, our Federal Government has got to play a constructive role. And the role it should play is to ensure an economic climate where our businesses can thrive, creating jobs, and growing communities. Just like my Poppa did when he build this business we’re in today.
Congress should help us when we need it, and leave us alone when we don’t. That’s called freedom! And knowing where to draw the line is called common sense! Common sense tells us that being a Do-Nothing is not an option.
You know, it’s funny where the road of life leads you. My road began in Conway and ran through a place called Pickles Gap. Along the way, there have been twists and turns, ups and downs. But now we’re on the road ahead. And folks, that road ahead has obstacles. It has challenges. The road ahead has problems that need our common sense and Arkansas Values. That road leads to our nation’s Capitol, and I ask you to join me.
Join me on that road…
Join me in this campaign. And working together we’ll “do something” to get our economy back on track…
We’ll do something to create jobs for our state and nation… and,
We’ll do something to bring common-sense solutions to our problems, all with Arkansas Values.
Washington has lost its way. And we’ve got to do something about it!
I need your support…
I need your prayers…
But most importantly…
I need your vote.
Join me and let’s do something together. And together, we’ll accomplish something for all our people.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless Arkansas.
