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DES MOINES. Dick Armey, the former U.S. House Majority Leader and current Chairman of the national grassroots powerhouse FreedomWorks visited Des Moines on Tuesday to deliver a speech at an event held by Iowans for Discounted Taxes. Armey met with activists who shared his small government vision.

Armey came to Iowa to discuss the pocketbook issues that affect all Americans. He discussed Personal Retirement Accounts, fundamental tax reform, and ending runaway federal spending. He was a guest of Iowans for Discounted Taxes to celebrate the "discount" recently won for Iowa's seniors as part of a broader effort towards state tax reform.

Armey said, "I am here because citizens of this country deserve an honest debate about the direction of our government and our country. Unfortunately, political leaders and presidential candidates are not talking about the big issues facing America, issues like retirement security, fundamental tax reform, and spending restraint. I am willing to have an honest, straightforward discussion with Iowans about these pocketbook issues, especially with responsibility Iowans to assume in the presidential selection process. We can set the national agenda right here. We’re going to create a constituency of expectation so that when anyone comes into Iowa they’re going to need to talk about big issues to get voter support."

Armey continued, "Someone needs to run on the big vision, pocketbook issues that affect all Americans and will shape our economic future over the coming decades. One lesson from the Contract with America is that talking about big issues is good politics. There is a constituency for it, people who are willing to vote for big issues when presented with the opportunity. Too many Republicans have forgotten this lesson. Ronald Reagan showed us in 1980. We proved it again in 1994. It is time to once again rediscover and advance the Reagan legacy."

FreedomWorks is a grassroots organization with over 9,000 members in Iowa, among the over 800,000 members nationwide, dedicated to lower taxes, less government, and more freedom.