Brownback keynote speech

Presidential hopeful Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, told delegates at the RPW convention that the United States needs to focus on "faith, family and freedom," and said American troops cannot "cut and run" from the war in Iraq.

"We've got to win the war on terrorism. We shouldn't be backing down and saying we're shying away from winning the war on terrorism," Brownback said, garnering loud applause in response. "Ladies and gentleman, there's not an alternative to winning this war on terrorism."

Brownback proposed dividing up Iraq into a three-state, one-country nation. He said exterior forces are all that is holding Iraq together right now.

Brownback also hit on renewable energy and urged support for further oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Brownback, who said his family owned a hybrid car, said the United States has to develop more ethanol for common uses so the nation can "rely on the Midwest and not the Middle East." Brownback received a mixed reaction for promoting ethanol and corn-based biofuels, with some delegates applauding while others apparently sat on their hands.

Brownback then hit on tax reform, saying there needs to be a new tax code, and more specifically, that the tax code has to be "dragged behind the barn and killed."

"Republicans lowered [tax] rates, now let's get a new system," Brownback said.

Brownback also said that the GOP has let people down on government spending, and government needs to become more limited. Brownback also said Social Security should be optional and should come from personalized accounts.

Brownback also hit on his values credentials, especially his view against abortion.

"I believe every life is special," Brownback said, and proceeded to say Republicans must stand as a party that's pro-life.

Brownback continued on values, saying the U.S. has to regain itself as a faith-filled, family-centric country.

"We call for a separation of church and state, and not a removal of faith from the public square," Brownback said, saying faith powered Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Brownback also criticized the nation's high-rate of single-mother births, and said the U.S. has to redefine marriage between a union of a man and a woman, which met with much applause.

Brownback said the nation's number one fear is cancer, and said he hopes within ten years a cure could be found.

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