Autobiography - The Galindo Group

Ram Galindo THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN Page 88
Thus, after the Berlin wall came down in 1989 and the Soviet Empire disintegrated
shortly thereafter, the opportunity for a new world order based on free enterprise and
open trade, that even includes all of Asia, was opened. Greatly satisfied by these
events, I took a respite from fighting oppressors; there were none in my neighborhood.
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PAYING FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.
By 1993, as will be seen later, I had paid all my debts from the economically disastrous
last five years of the 1980s and was ready to start creating values again. My nose was
on the grindstone and my resolve to rebuild my future was firm. President Bush had
secured the western world’s oil supplies with the defeat of Iraq and then lost his bid for
re-election.
I didn’t know much about his successor, who had a likable TV image, and I was just an
occasional observer of the political landscape. But when I saw the way his wife, Hillary
Clinton, attempted to run medical care policy I realized that complacency was
dangerous, even in this new and safe world. Her actions galvanized me back to my
former position of attention. I followed with interest the Republican take-over of the
House of Representatives in 1994, but did not become heavily involved in any political
campaign.
In mid 1994 my old friend and senator from Texas, Phil Gramm, indicated his decision
to run for president and asked for my support. As two of the hundreds of volunteers that
rose to his call, my close friend and like-minded supporter of good candidates, Phil
Adams, and I went to work on a national scale soliciting money and endorsements to
strengthen his announcement. By this time Phil was acquiring statewide fame as an
adroit political fund raiser. Under his leadership, Brazos County, Gramm’s hometown,
became part of the embryonic fund raising effort. By late 1994 the campaign had
accumulated enough money and picked up the political momentum needed to run a
very credible race.
The official announcement of Gramm’s presidential bid was made at a rally in
Bryan/College Station, (Brazos County) Texas, on February 24, 1995. It followed a very
large and successful banquet in Dallas the night before during which I was invited to sit
at the head table to reflect the importance of the work Gramm’s hometown was doing
for the campaign. At $4,350,822 we set the record for funds raised in one night for any
political event at that time.
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