President Reagan was a leader at a time when the American people most needed leadership. He outlined a vision that captured the imagination of the free world a vision that toppled the Communist empire and freed countless millions.

At the end of the day my hope is that when the new Medicare- Prescription Drug Law gets up and fully running a lot more seniors will pay a whole lot less than they do today for their much-needed medications.

Ironically Latin American countries in their instability give writers and intellectuals the hope that they are needed.

After spending time with the rescued turkeys at Farm Sanctuary's shelter and seeing how similar they are to my furry companion animals at home I knew I needed to do everything in my power to protect these friendly and curious birds from the daily pain and suffering they endure on factory farms.

At home growing up we weren't really poor. We had everything we needed we just didn't have what we wanted.

The only other time I've been away from home was when I went to college. And that was just an hour away so I could always go home if I needed to.

I stand before you as the governor of Texas but also stand before you the son of two tenant farmers. Ray Perry who came home after 35 bombing missions over Europe to work his little corner of land out there and Amelia who made sure that my sister Milla and I had everything that we needed included hand sewing my clothes until I went off to college.

It began to dawn on me that perhaps my country needed me more at home than overseas.

I wanted to make sure that the man who found the genie would not take terrible advantage of her so he needed to be a person of integrity and honor - which is why I made the male lead an astronaut. The rest as they say is history.

It is imperative for the health and safety of millions of workers that we ensure that breathing systems needed for protection are widely available convenient and economical.