Allen West

“Liberals worry that what's best for the individual might not be better for the public at large. But that philosophy assumes something vicious about each and every one of us. It assumes we only care about ourselves.”

“When I retired out of the military, I registered myself as a Republican because my views and perspectives were more in line with that party.”

“Of course, for me, having served 22 years in the military and to have the opportunity to continue to serve my country is a great honor and is a privilege. So that's what makes it special each and every day.”

“If people want to keep their kid on their insurance at 26, fine. We've got to make sure no American gets turned back for pre-existing conditions, that's fine.”

“Nowadays, many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At cemeteries across the country, the graves of the fallen are sadly ignored, and worse, neglected.”

“From 1971 onwards, the Memorial Day holiday was officially observed on the last Monday in May and became the unofficial start of the summer, with barbecues, blockbuster movie openings and mattress sales.”

“Our purpose is to be up here to resolve these issues. Our purpose is to be up here and represent the people.”

“In the real world, I see conservatives volunteering at adoption agencies, at churches, at bake sales and the local American Legion Post while the only charity a progressive sends is a smug sermon on fair share and what fairness is.”

“When did 'Ask not what your country can do for you' become 'Ask only what your country will give you'?”

“I am willing to work with anyone that wants to do what is best for this country.”

“I've been married for 22 years. That's the only person I want.”

“When you look what is happening in this country with the debt, the deficit, the CBO coming out and saying once again we're going to have a trillion dollar plus deficit in 2012, the fourth straight year, and unemployment may be going back up to 8.9 or maybe nine percent by the end of the year, these are serious situations that are going.”

“But when I look at the fact that today is 1,000 days that we have not had a budget for the United States of America, you know, the House, one of the things we did, we passed a budget last year. But that is still sitting over there at the Senate. And so we have got to get this country back on track.”

“Conservatives understand that the power that binds our republic together is fierce independence held high on the shoulders of compassion.”

“There's nothing on this green earth that a liberal progressive fears more than a black American who wants a better life and a smaller government.”

“I don't think there's anything divisive about me.”

“You had 42 blacks that ran on the Republican ticket this Cycle, 14 made of them made it to the general election and two of us made it to the House of Representatives. So I think that there is a new movement that needs to have a voice in the Congressional Black Caucus.”

“I think that there is a changing wind. There are black conservatives out there, and their voices need to be heard.”

“While there are towns and cities still planning Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some think the day is for honoring anyone who has died, not just those fallen in service to our country.”

“I'm a conservative because I believe we're here on this earth to do a little more than crawl through life, comfortable in the cradle of government excess and oblivious to the duties required to keep this republic standing.”