IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
By Ed Hoffman
This Saturday, I will be at the Unite IE Conservative Conference at the Fox Theater in Riverside, proudly sponsoring the event with my company, Wholesale Capital Corporation. As it is every year, this conference will be a great time for local conservatives to meet, learn together and hear from some of the brightest minds on the right. Two of those minds happen to be possible presidential contenders for 2016.
The first is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who just this week was hailed by renowned conservative columnist Cal Thomas as someone we should pay more attention to. While Jindal may not be first on the list for many people looking to 2016, Thomas says, “If one’s political enemies are any indication of potential strength, Jindal of Louisiana may be a more formidable force than some people realize.” After all, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank couldn’t wait to attack Jindal and his record when Jindal visited Washington D.C. this week. There must be something about him that gets the mainstream media’s goat, and that’s why we should take a closer look at Governor Jindal. This Saturday, the Unite IE Conservative Conference will give us the opportunity to do that.
The second possible 2016 contender who will be in attendance this week is former Texas Governor Rick Perry. Now, I know what you’re thinking: He wants to get rid of three federal agencies, and he can only remember two of them. But while that moment of comic relief in 2011 may have been awkward, it was not necessarily an indicator of Perry’s viability as a presidential candidate. Governor Perry did some great things in Texas, not the least of which was shield it from much of the devastation that the rest of the country experienced during the financial collapse of the last decade. That’s why I’m pleased to see that he’s back in the game.
But is he, really? It appears so. As was reported by the Dallas Morning News this week, Perry’s visit to New Hampshire last week indicates he’s dead serious about vying for the nomination. I loved what he had to say about 2012: “We took a chance with a young, articulate United States senator who didn’t have any record, and I happen to think we’re paying a price for it.” His warning resonates with those who worry that choosing someone too new to the scene could be a big mistake for Republicans; if you feel the same way, you will definitely want to attend the conference this week to hear Governor Perry’s thoughts.
If you attend the Unite IE Conservative Conference, stop by the Wholesale Capital Corporation booth to say hello. My team and I would love to meet you!
Ed Hoffman is the host of the Main Event on AM590, which airs Saturday 9:30AM- 10:30AM and Sunday 4:00PM- 5:00PM. Follow him on Twitter @EdHoffman, and like him on Facebook by searching The Main Event AM590.
