Mr. "9-9-9" Wants America To Shine

Herman Cain says he’s running for President to restore America’s status in the world, which, in his mind, has taken a hit during President Obama’s time in office.

Speaking Friday to a large audience of social conservatives at the annual Values Voter Summit in downtown DC, Cain asked voters to help “push that shining city on a hill back to the top of the hill where it belongs.”

Cain began his speech by acknowledging his recent resurgence in the polls.

“When you run for President, and you move into the top tier, you get this bulls-eye on your back, and people take pot-shots left and right.”

People, Cain added, “are afraid that this “long-shot” may not be a long-shot any longer.”

Cain opined on his humble upbringing in Georgia, but told the audience that he bears no ill-will towards America for the fact that he had to defy socio-economic deficiencies to earn a pair of college degrees and become a successful entrepreneur and businessman.

“I have achieved all of my American dreams, and then some!” he boasted.

Cain later pivoted to policy, which allowed him to promote his now well-known “9-9-9” plan to overhaul the federal tax system. Replacing the current code with a nine percent sales tax, a nine percent corporate tax and a nine percent personal income tax would create jobs and provide economic certainty to businesses, he argued.

Cain then called for “altering” and repealing President Obama’s healthcare reform law, as well as the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. He accused Obama of shoving burdensome regulations “down the throats” of U.S. businesses, and argued that instead of beefing up oversight of Wall Street, the federal government should turn its attention to federal mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Addressing the ongoing anti-Wall Street demonstrations in New York and elsewhere around the country, Cain called the protestors “anti-capitalism” and “anti-free market.”

“Wall Street didn’t write these failed economic policies, the White House did!” Cain exclaimed.

On foreign policy, Cain embraced GOP icon Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” philosophy, adding that he’d take it a step further. As President, he said, he’d invest in more war ships and would tell Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahamadinejad to “make my day.”

On abortion, an issue so important to those in attendance, Cain said that he believes life starts at conception, “no exceptions, period.”

He also argued that marriage should be defined as being between one man and one woman. Cain added that contrary to the current administration, which decided earlier this year to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act from legal challenges, he’d instruct his Attorney General to enforce DOMA.