We couldn’t wait for it to begin.

We’re loving it while it lasts.

The end is near…

Solution seekers for America’s sorry state of affairs are elatedly standing in long lines. Why? For the chance to be inspired by in-depth author, former Governor Mitt Romney. Busily touring our nation, Romney is sharing the contents of his cogent new book No Apology: The Case for American Greatness.

Romney rousingly delivers.

With just three book signing dates left – two in Nevada and one in Colorado, fans will be disappointed when his book tour officially ends May 27th. Not reflected on the tour map, Romney will also deliver the Annual Reagan Lecture at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA and will sign books (May 25th). See Nate’s article here or click here for additional details.

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Enthusiastic No Apology tour attendees were asked to share their thoughts on what makes America great. What do you think makes America great?

Here is what a few fellow Americans had to say (accompanying quotes from No Apology):

Phoenix, AZ

(P. 34) It is time for America to pursue the difficult course ahead, to confront the looming problems, to strengthen the foundations of our prosperity, and to secure the sources of our liberty and safety. The sacrifice and hard work will not sap our national energy; they will restore it. I’m one of those who believe America is destined to remain as it has been since the birth of the Republic – the brightest hope of the world. And for that belief, I do not apologize.

Framingham, MA

(P. 126) Fortunately for all of us, innovation and entrepreneurism are deeply embedded in the American DNA. But more often than not, it also takes capital for an idea to be implemented. Where capital is scarce, hard to find, or not available to entrepreneurs and innovators, good ideas simply die in the mind.

[…]Most fundamental, government manages the currency and the financial system. If people don’t have confidence in the future value of the currency they may not be inclined to invest because they can’t be sure what value their money will have when they get it back – their return from their investment.

(P. 148,149) To strengthen America’s economy, we must minimize those things that retard economic growth and promote those things that accelerate it. A growth agenda favors low taxes, dynamic regulation, educational achievement, investment in research, robust competition, free trade, energy security, and purposeful immigration. And it seeks to eliminate government waste, excessive litigation, unsustainable entitlement liabilities, runaway health-care costs, and dependence on foreign oil. This, in a nutshell, ought to be the economic agenda for America.

LaJolla, CA

(P. 19, 20) There are four strategies for world leadership that are in competition today. Only one is founded on freedom. Only one. Think of what that means. Only if America and the West succeed – if our economic and military strength endure – can we be confident that our children and grandchildren will be free. A strong America is good for peace, and it is essential for the spread of freedom. Our superpower status and our leadership in the world, however, are not inevitable. Three other global strategies, each pursued by at least one state or major actor, are aggressively being pursued to surpass us and, in some cases, to suppress us. The proponents of each are convinced they will succeed. And world history offers us no encouragement: Every superpower in history has eventually weakened and fallen behind – many have ultimately collapsed. Given what is at risk, I have come to believe that our primary objective as a nation must be to keep America strong. I am convinced that every policy, every political initiative, every new law or regulation should be evaluated in large measure by whether it makes us stronger or weaker. Our freedom, security, and prosperity are at stake.

Framingham, MA

(P. 100) …We face enormous challenges at home, and I anticipate a growing outcry to reduce or cap our security spending. Some will support their argument by comparing defense budgets with those of other nations, but when they are properly calculated, the figures simply do not support cutting back. Others will insist that dialogue and diplomacy can free the world of grave threats, but history proves otherwise, and an honest threat assessment augurs for the opposite outcome: Iran and its jihadist colleagues present a real and serious danger; Russia is retooling and rearming its military and paying the bill with its massive energy resources; China’s military expansion is the largest peacetime ramp-up since prewar Germany’s; and the proliferation of nuclear weapons and disruptive technologies is expanding, not shrinking.

While our diplomacy and leadership can influence the world, we cannot control the world. What we can control is the size and sophistication of our military power and its deterrent effect, which in turn determines whether we remain free, safe, and prosperous.

Salt Lake City, UT

(P. 271) At the core of our system of government is an informed, involved, and responsible citizenry. The real peril to the nation if its citizenry fails to meet its duties was recognized by the Founders. John Adams was fearful of pure democracy, in which citizens could direct the affairs of the nation without the participation of office-holders who were elected to promote the public’s best interests. In his 1814 letter to John Taylor of Virginia, thirteen years after he left the presidency, Adams wrote:

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide….When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and the most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never.”

Phoenix, AZ

P. 273: Soon after I became governor, I realized that a politician who seeks popularity and high approval ratings can achieve them by slavishly agreeing with public opinion and by actually doing very little. In my case, politics was a departure from my career, not a continuation of it. My reading of history had given me a profound appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Founders. I felt then as I do now that it is an enormous challenge to live up to their example. That challenge is also a useful guide for conduct in office, particularly as a defense against the temptation to take the easy, popular path when short-term political advantage may be gained by doing so. I have tried always to be more interested in making a difference than in making a hit in the polls.

P. 273: It’s important that Americans retain their interest and involvement with the electoral process. For the Republic to function as it must, I believe voters must continually renew their understandings of the critical role they play, take the time to learn about pressing issues, and judge candidates based on their character, intelligence, relevant experience, and positions on issues.

As hungry-for-truth Americans readily connect with Romney’s focus for revitalizing the foundation of American strength, we reluctantly acknowledge Romney’s book tour will soon be a memory. However, we also know it will free him to continue championing conservative candidates for the critical mid-term elections this fall.

Governor Romney, bravo! Thank you for writing a bold book; a book worth buying – a book worth reading. Thank you for your backbone, brains, and bravery.

America, we need this man in the White House.