Sarah Palin and the GOP-Tea Party Merger

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Appearing on FOX News' "On the Record," January 28, Sarah Palin was asked by host Greta Van Susteren whether she thinks the Tea Party movement will lead to a third party or a merger with the GOP:

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, in terms of the tea party movement, is it likely to create the issue that happened in '92 with Ross Perot and President Bush, or will it merge with the Republican Party? And how do you see that happening?

PALIN: They need to merge. Definitely, they need to merge. I think those who are wanting the divisions and the divisiveness and the controversy -- those are the ones who don't believe in the message. And they're the ones, I think, stirring it up. We need to ignore that and we need to forge ahead with a cohesive message. It's a common sense message. It, again, is, Government, limit yourself so that the private sector, our families, free individuals can grow and thrive and prosper and enjoy America's freedom!

That merger is in progress right now, although it resembles not so much a merger as it does a hostile takeover.

Around the nation, Tea Partiers are getting involved in the Republican Party, starting at its most basic level -- in the precincts:

They are doing it here by the hundreds by filing as candidates in the May 4 primary election for the office of precinct executive, the lowest rung of the political party structure.

"It's the place where you can have the most impact,'' said Mike Wilson, the founder of the Cincinnati Tea Party. "It's one thing to talk to the party leaders about change. It's another thing to actually be the party leadership and make the change from within."

It is a strategy that has worked elsewhere - Tea Party activists essentially took over the Nevada Republican Party earlier this month; and, in Florida, they were successful in forcing out a state party chairman who was seen as too centrist.

This strategy by the Tea Partiers would make GOP county organizations more conservative, and they would be more likely to field candidates who are more fiscally conservative, at least, than what we have seen from the GOP in the post-Reagan era.

The battle between moderates and conservatives for the soul of the Republican Party will not be fought by the pundits or at the top of the party pyramid. It's being waged in the trenches at the local levels, where what Vichy GOPers David Frum and Colin Powell have to say is of little or no significance.

The Tea Partiers are good learners. Large demonstrations on the Captol Mall make for great political theater, but the Democrats and their captive media only seek to turn such expressions of the national temperament to their advantage, by characterizing those who petition their government for a redress of grievances -- as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution -- as "angry mobs," "raaaacists," and "hateful extremists."

So now the grassroots is mainstreaming itself right into the rank and file of the Grand Old Party, seeking to make it not only Grand again, but responsive to the will of We The People. The Tea Partiers have gone back to school:

"Our people are just learning how the parties work," said Gena Bell, who heads the Eastern Hills Tea Party in the Madeira-Kenwood area. "Until we started organizing this, I had never heard of a precinct executive. Not a clue."

Bell, like other Tea Party leaders, say they are encouraging members to run in both party primaries, but said most will end up choosing the Republican primary.

The National Tea Party Convention, an upcoming event which has been much maligned by not only the Left and its media attack dogs, has also taken more than its fair share of abuse from some bloggers on the right.

The event, which will take place in Nashville February 4th through the 6th, is intended not for the average Tea Party goer, but rather for those activists who are serious about organizing Tea Parties and learning how to make the organizations they help build more effective. The convention will include panel discussion topics such as "Precinct Organizing Best Practices" as well as breakout sessions on "How to Organize a TEA Party Group" and " "How to Unite State Tea Party Groups."

Sarah Palin realizes all this. And while a couple of other scheduled speakers who are member of the Democrat-controlled Congress have been intimidated into withdrawing from the Tennessee event, the Republican Party's 2008 vice presidential candidate has no intention of not being there to deliver her keynote address Saturday, Feb. 6 at 8:00 PM:

"Oh, you betcha I'm going to be there. I'm going to speak there because there are people traveling from many miles away to hear what that tea party movement is all about and what that message is that should be received by our politicians in Washington. I'm honored to get to be there."

"I won't personally gain from being there. The speaker's fee will go right back into the cause. I'll be able to donate it to people and to events, those things that I believe in that will help perpetuate the message, the message being, Government, you have constitutional limits. You better start abiding by them."

Gov. Palin understands that the best way to drag the GOP back to its Reagan roots is through the Tea Parties. It's the shortest path between where the Republican Party has strayed to and where it needs to be. This, of course scares the you-know-what out of the GOP establishment, but then, so does Sarah Palin.

You go, Guv!

- JP

Josh Painter is editor of Texas for Sarah Palin and is a regular contributor to the Political Lore Blog.

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Obama's Stunning Admission

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In an article for Real Clear Politics, Tom Bevan points out something that seems to have gone unnoticed by most. He calls it "Obama's Stunning Admission."

Bevan quotes the president during his appearance at the House Republican retreat:

The last thing I will say, though -- let me say this about health care and the health care debate, because I think it also bears on a whole lot of other issues. If you look at the package that we've presented -- and there's some stray cats and dogs that got in there that we were eliminating, we were in the process of eliminating. For example, we said from the start that it was going to be important for us to be consistent in saying to people if you can have your -- if you want to keep the health insurance you got, you can keep it, that you're not going to have anybody getting in between you and your doctor in your decision making. And I think that some of the provisions that got snuck in might have violated that pledge. [emphasis added]

Well, isn't that interesting? Beval distills this for us to mean:

If we take this statement at face value, President Obama is admitting the the health care bills passed by either the House or Senate (or both) contained provisions which were "snuck in" - presumably by Democratic members and perhaps on behalf of certain lobbyists - that would have in fact prevented people from keeping their current insurance and/or choosing the doctor they want.

Read the entire article here.

All this time later, after calling Republicans out--after calling Governor Palin out--is President Obama quietly admitting that those who were calling him out were right all along?

In her Facebook note, "Troubling Questions Remain About Obama's Health Care Plan," Governor Palin wrote:

The president is busy assuring us that we can keep our private insurance plans, but common sense (and basic economics) tells us otherwise.

In Governor Palin's "Response to the White House," she stated:

I'm pleased that the White House is finally responding to Republican health care ideas instead of pretending they don't exist.[1] But in doing so President Obama should follow his own sound advice and avoid making "wild misrepresentations".[2] Medicare vouchers would give everyone on Medicare the chance to decide for themselves which health plan to use, rather than leave that decision to government bureaucrats. Such proposals are the kind of health care reform that Republicans stand for: market-oriented, patient-centered, and result-driven.

You'll recall that Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued in September:

Health insurance reform opponents continue to spread myths about components of America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. Their efforts to scare seniors have spared no myth, no method and no misrepresentation. It has gotten so bad, the Chicago Tribune’s The Swamp blog wrote, “In political circles, there is a term for the tactic” Republicans are using to frighten seniors about the effects of health insurance reform: "Medi-scare.'' According to The Swamp, Republicans are “capitalizing on fears that Medicare will be undermined… and that the government will force ‘end-of-life' decisions… It's one rhetorical stop short of warning of the "death panels'' that Republican Sarah Palin has spoken of....''

[...]

Myth: Health care reform is a government takeover.

Fact: Under this bill, there is no government takeover of health care. Every American will still be able to choose your own doctor and health insurance plan— and make care decisions with that doctor. The House bill builds on the current system of private health insurance. Indeed, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, private insurance coverage will expand by 16 million under the House reform bill. CBO projects that only a total of about 11 million – or 3 percent of Americans – would choose to enroll in a newly-formed public health insurance plan.

So it wasn't a myth after all, Speaker?

You'll also recall Pelosi rushing through the House a late-night health care vote, to which the governor wrote:

Despite Americans’ decisive message last Tuesday that they reject the troubling path this country has been taking, Speaker Pelosi has broken her own promises of transparency to ram a health “care” bill through the House of Representatives just before midnight. Why did she push the 2,000 page bill this weekend? Was she perhaps afraid to give her peers and the constituents for whom she works the chance to actually read this monstrous bill carefully, if at all? Was she concerned that Americans might really digest the details of a bill that the Wall Street Journal has called “the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced”?

This out-of-control bureaucratic mess will be disastrous for our economy, our small businesses, and our personal liberty. It will slam businesses at a time when we are at double-digit unemployment rates – the highest we’ve seen in a quarter of a century. This massive new bureaucracy will cost us and our children money we don’t have. It will rob Americans of more of our freedom and further hamper the free market.

Make no mistake: we’re on course to have government commandeer one-sixth of our economy. The people who gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now want to run our health care. Think about that.

So after all the warnings Governor Palin gave, and all the denying, name-calling, and arrogance of the Obama administration, President Obama makes the stunning admission that they had, in fact, "snuck in" some of the same things they so passionately refuted?

I agree with Governor Palin: "Think about that."

I feel my inner Joe Wilson coming on.

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Prez, Did You Really Want Better Solutions, Or Were You Just Making Conversation?

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

We wouldn't want to let the president down. He's looking for bipartisanship, he says. He wants to hear ideas from others, right? Mr. President, here you go.

Via Governor Palin's Facebook page:

On Wednesday night, the president asked us to “let him know” if we had any better ideas, and today John Boehner handed him a compilation of the policy alternatives that have been advanced over the past year. These are ideas that deserve to be considered to turn down the volume on the rhetoric and use common sense. Please take a look at Solutions.GOP.gov. You can read the compilation of policy alternatives, called “Better Solutions,” here.

- Sarah Palin

Did you really want better solutions, President Obama, or were you just making conversation?

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O'Keefe is Front and Center; What About Kernell?

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Conservative filmmaker James O'Keefe, you will recall, is the young man who recently exposed corruption in ACORN. Though his methods were not mainstream, they brought to light the type of "community organizing" ACORN has been engaged in and what American dollars have been supporting.

Fox reported at the time:

Officials with the controversial community organizing group ACORN were secretly videotaped offering to assist two individuals posing as a pimp and a prostitute, encouraging them to lie to the Internal Revenue Service and providing guidance on how to claim underage girls from South America as dependents.

Read the full article here.

Mr. O'Keefe is back in the news, this time for something he has allegedly been caught doing.

According to Fox:

The independent filmmaker who brought ACORN to its knees last year with undercover exposes was arrested this week along with three others, including the son of a federal prosecutor, and accused of trying to interfere with the phones at Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu's office.

[...]

O'Keefe's arrest "is further evidence of his disregard for the law in pursuit of his extremist agenda," ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said in a statement. The organization's Twitter feed commented on the news: "Couldn't have happened to a more deserving soul."

Read more here.

I certainly condemn any such actions and, if he is guilty, he will have to take responsibility and face consequences, regardless of whether he thought there was something to be uncovered. Though some espouse the notion that the end justifies the means, I assert that one who engages in corruption to expose corruption loses all credibility. One who speaks out boldly against unethical behavior ought to walk the walk.

This brings me to the irony of ACORN's Twitter feed. How could they possibly have anything to say about someone deserving punishment? How dare Bertha accuse anyone of being an "extremist"? Maybe it's just me, but registering dead people and Mickey Mouse to vote just might be the epitome of extreme, and if she doesn't know that, well, there goes that credibility I mentioned.

In the spirit of "never allow a crisis to go to waste," it should come as no surprise that Democrats want to use the charges against O'Keefe to gain a political advantage.

The Fox article went on to state:

Louisiana Democrats are seizing on the incident as political ammunition to attack Republican Sen. David Vitter, who is up for re-election later this year.

James O'Keefe's drama is front and center, it's being used to promote the Democrats' partisan agenda, and they're ready to hang him from the rafters.

Contrast him with a man named David Kernell. You may not even know who he is, although you should. Kernell is the son of Tennessee Democratic legislator Mike Kernell, the same son who hacked into the email and stole personal information from a sitting governor and vice presidential nominee.

The LA Times reported that the Department of Justice said:

The single count indictment, returned on Oct. 7, 2008, and unsealed today, alleges that on approximately Sept. 16, 2008, Kernell, a resident of Knoxville, obtained unauthorized access to Gov. Palin’s personal e-mail account by allegedly resetting the account password. According to the indictment, after answering a series of security questions that allowed him to reset the password and gain access to the e-mail account, Kernell allegedly read the contents of the account and made screenshots of the e-mail directory, e-mail content and other personal information. According to the indictment, Kernell posted screenshots of the e-mails and other personal information to a public Web site. Kernell also allegedly posted the new e-mail account password that he had created, thus providing access to the account by others.

Kernell was released without being required to pay bail, and almost a year and a half after committing this felony, he still hasn't been brought to justice. Notice that O'Keefe has been accused of attempting to commit a felony, while evidence supports that Kernell actually carried out that crime. Kernell, however, has been handled with kid gloves, while O'Keefe has been manhandled and dragged into the spotlight. Something is rotten here, and it stinks. So what is behind the major difference between these two? The obvious difference is that the crime against Governor Palin was a greater violation--not just a thought in a man's mind, but one that he saw through. How is it then that he's slipped so far under the radar?

There's nothing new under the sun. As Governor Palin is wont to say: it's "politics as usual." Once again the double-standard that exists between the treatment of those on the left and those on the right is glaring. No one is condoning illegal activity from either side of the aisle; all we're asking for is one set of rules. It's like Trent Lott being raked over the coals for making racially insensitive comments, while Democrats looked the other way when Harry Reid referred to a "Negro dialect" and the benefits of a "light-skinned" president, words that--had he been a Republican--would have led to his swift exit from stage right. Instead, he was given a pass, his record of being "on the right side of history" commended, and granted incredible grace and mercy by Al Sharpton, of all people. I'm all about grace and mercy, as long as they're not selective. The left's selective outrage is not any more attractive.

The difference between O'Keefe and Kernell is political affiliation, period--and that double-standard is getting old. If, in fact, James O'Keefe is guilty of attempting to commit a felony, he has to take what comes. But please, finally, apply the same sense of justice to David Kernell, who's been charged with not just making an attempt, but actually carrying out a felony against Governor Palin. Consistency please, and justice--for all.

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Must-See Photos of Sarah and Me!!! A Post by Conservative Girl with a Voice

As many of my readers know, I had the honor of meeting Todd and Sarah Palin in Reno, Nevada, as it was one of Sarah's many Going Rogue Book Tour stops. (Click here, here, and here to read my three-part whirlwind account of meeting Sarah). The photos have been released for viewing, so I am posting the photos of Sarah, Todd and myself below. I am planning on purchasing each of the photos and making a photo montage as a way to remember the event. For all of those who were lucky enough to attend a book signing and meet Sarah, click here to visit awesome Photographer Shealah Craighead's site to see your photos. Shealah did a great job taking thousands of photographs of Sarah and her happy supporters throughout the entire tour.





















(Click here to visit Conservative Girl with a Voice and become a follower. Click here to follow me on Twitter.)

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Governor Palin's Analysis on Obama's SOTU

Governor Palin's Pre-State of the Union Address

Governor Palin reacts to SOTU on Hannity

Governor Palin's Post-State of the Union Address analysis (Greta)

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I Was Wrong About SOTU. It Was Worse Than I Thought.

Before I explain how Sarah Palin made me feel like an idiot last night, let's address the one part of yesterday's post where I still think I'm right. I wrote:

Politically, it will be impossible to serve his master, the liberal left, and those who elected him, the American people, at the same time. He must pull the trigger on one of them.

Last night, President Obama not only pulled the trigger on the American people by doubling down on Cap & Trade and Obamacare, he also fired off a round at the Supreme Court, causing Justice Alito to say "not true." Joe Wilson was not needed last night since it was now the judicial branch's turn to call the president a liar. He also fired at Senate Republicans. Whining about the super majority needed to get his agenda through, Obama called the GOP the party of no and complained that blocking his agenda was "not leadership." It was highly ironic that the president and Democratic leaders of Congress, who have been slapping away every Republican proposal, would have the gaul to say "if you have any better ideas, let me hear them."

You can't tell your ideas to a deaf man.

So, in the choice between serving his master, the liberal left or the people, Obama chose his master and left the people disenchanted and disconnected again. It's my way or the highway. It left me wondering if Rahm Emanuel had written the speech.

But, as I finish wiping the egg off my face for the rest of my post, I can't help but to still be stunned that the president would even have the balls to press health care and cap and trade (even as members of Congress laughed at him about the global warming comment). This guy really doesn't get it. He didn't hear the people in Virginia. He didn't hear the people in New Jersey. He didn't hear the people in Massachusetts. The only people he heard were those inside the beltway in his inner circle. These are the same people that continue to tell the president to stay the course even if it means slamming into the iceberg ahead.

I was ready with chips and dip and a cold one. Amateur pundit, political science junkie and conservative Republican, I was totally the man yesterday. I told everyone that Obama was going to BS us and try to make us think he was moving to the center even though he really wasn't going to do it.

Then Sarah Palin came on Fox News and basically said that he wasn't going to change course and that he was going to continue to push his agenda. She was right. I sat there staring at the screen, my ego bruised by my hero. She called it.

Today, we sit here and nothing has changed. The speech has done nothing for those on the right who continue to criticize Obama's agenda as out of touch and disconnected from the American people.

The highlight of last night was Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's rebuttal. On that, Sarah Palin and I agree.

I think there was quite a bit of lecturing, not leading in that, as opposed to Governor McDonnell's follow-up comments, quite inspiring his connection with the people. He absolutely gets it, he understands government's appropriate role.

I was expecting hope and change last night, even if it was just lip service. Instead, I got a "lecture."

-cross posted from my Townhall Blog The Shining City on a Hill.

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Bristol Palin Embraces Abstinence; Oprah Suggests Retraction?

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

When I was a kid, I had the utmost respect for Oprah Winfrey. I admired her generosity, her sense of humor, the faith she seemed to hold dear. I was inspired by her story and how she overcame incredible odds as a child. I was so excited when I got accepted to Tennessee State University, for I soon learned that Oprah went there. I eventually chose another school, but for a while I loved the idea of attending Oprah's alma mater, especially since at that time I had some of the same dreams in my life as those that had become realities in hers. Yes, as a kid, I really admired Oprah.

But I'm not a kid anymore.

Oprah still gives as generously as she always has, and her personal story is still just as inspirational. However, now that I've matured, I guess it takes more to impress me.

I had my issues with her refusal to allow Governor Palin to sit on her couch during the 2008 campaign, but I won't rehash that. We all know how it turned out: Oprah now is quite glad to get the governor to appear on her show, and when she does, Oprah's ratings fly through the roof. So, as they say, moving on. Besides that, Oprah's worldview simply doesn't line up with mine in some very key areas, so I don't spend my time listening to her talk anymore--haven't done so for many years now--unless the governor is on.

However, my dwindling appreciation for the former Queen of Talk took a nosedive last Friday when she interviewed Governor Palin and her daughter, Bristol. Bristol has made the admirable, and correct, decision to remain abstinent until marriage. Rather than encourage Bristol to do just that, Oprah seemed to want to talk her out of her commitment. To me, Oprah's unique position as a role model to so many is incongruous with her belittling of Bristol's decision--and yes, I did sense some belittling going on.

At the start, I didn't realize the interview was headed that way. Oprah offered some good advice at first, which is advice that I have shared with single Christian women committed to waiting until marriage, probably saying something close to what Oprah advises.

Oprah tells the girls in her school in South Africa:

Make the decision before the moment arrives because when the guy is licking on your ear, it's hard to make the decision! So make the decision before the moment arrives.

I was thinking, Great advice, Oprah. I have always believed that we make decisions about how we want to act in particular situations before those situations arise. We'd be surprised how many things we could avoid altogether if that strategy were faithfully employed.

So I was with Oprah right up until a few seconds later when she said she "bristled" when she read in In Touch that Bristol stated, "I'm not going to have sex until I'm married. I can guarantee it."

Apparently Bristol's guarantee of abstinence is what alarmed Oprah, and she asked, "You don't think you're setting yourself up?"

At this point I'm thinking, "setting yourself up" for what? My confusion rested, in part, in having just heard Oprah say that she tells the African girls to do exactly what Bristol had just stated she did: make up her mind ahead of time.

Oprah's rationale was media pressure, that every guy she dates will be harassed with questions about whether Bristol had or had not remained true to that commitment. My thought here was, Hey, let the media blow it up. Better the dudes find out where I stand now than later. Better any interested guy should know where I stand before they even step to me. That way they can keep on stepping if they can't handle my plan. Truth be told, you can weed out a lot of guys from the jump that way and spare yourself the agony of dropping the "no" bomb on them later. They can't say they didn't know, can they?

Oprah, whose young adult life was not without its share of drama, trials, and tribulations, should have sincerely said to her guest, "Good for you, Bristol." Instead, she asked Bristol if she was setting herself up?! With a steely glint in her eyes, Bristol, who to me looked a bit annoyed, said, "No, I don't."

Oprah didn't say it, so I will: good for Bristol for standing by her commitment, for not backing down, for not allowing the pressure to cause her to cave in to Oprah, who appeared put off by Bristol's bold declaration of abstinence.

Had I been Bristol, however, I would have answered that question in the affirmative. When asked if I was setting myself up, I would have said, "Yes, Oprah. I am setting myself up...to achieve my goal. I'm setting myself up by doing exactly what you tell the girls in Africa: 'make the decision before the moment arrives.'"

Hey, if it's good enough for Africa, it's good enough for America.

So which one is it? Is Oprah encouraging the girls in her school to strategically choose abstinence, or when they say they have, does she pause five seconds for them to retract or ease their choice? It sounds like double talk to me. Either Bristol is supposed to stick to her guns, or she's supposed to back out. Again, which one is it, Oprah--a little of both?

When Bristol chose the former, Oprah--chuckling--said, "All right, good luck to you on that!" Belittling, demeaning, and frankly, disempowering.

I get sick and tired of people who purport to be all about the power of women and their ability to accomplish anything, except when it comes to both abstinence and giving birth to a child in less than ideal circumstances. I do not respect trying to talk a teenager, who is already raising a child, out of taking a stand on the issue. If women can do anything, they can do anything--including practicing abstinence.

Months ago, when Bristol once used the term "unrealistic" in reference to teenagers remaining abstinent, people jumped all over her. Friday, Oprah said about abstinence, "Obviously she's already had sex. So I'm just wondering if that is a realistic goal." When Bristol indicated that it is realistic for her, Oprah "bristled." This is Exhibit A of "you can't win for losing." This is why one must simply live by the courage of her own convictions as Bristol has purposed in her heart to do--and bump everybody else who doesn't believe you can. When Oprah shared the statistic that 1 out of 3 teenagers is sexually active, Bristol was unmoved. Her face seemed to say, "Well, I'll be one of the two." It may not be easy, but nothing valuable is--and she's worth it.

Abstinence is a touchy, uncomfortable subject for those who feel safer teaching birth control over abstinence. "It doesn't work," the statisticians say. News flash: abstinence, when employed, always works! It's when it's abandoned that it's rendered powerless. Besides, it seems Bristol realizes something that we could all stand to discover: though birth control protects from pregnancy sometimes, there is no birth control potent enough to protect your heart, soul, and mind from the effects of giving yourself to someone who has not given himself to you--through the commitment of marriage.

I say to Bristol in all sincerity, rather than the snarky way Oprah said it, "More power to you."

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Ed Ross Reminds Us About Loyalty

[Image, left, Ed Ross and his H23, courtesy of Ed Ross]

by Lisa Graas, editor --

In a Facebook posting today, I shared the link to Cory Di Geronimo's post: Only Fools Doubt Sarah Palin and Her Loyalty to John McCain.

Ed Ross, a very accomplished soul who has, among other things, served two tours of duty in Vietnam and who, I'm proud to say, is a member of the Palin Twibe which I manage, responded with a comment for me that I would like to share with Tx4P readers. Mr. Ross writes:

When someone does for you what John McCain did for Sarah Palin, you don't turn on that person later. Sarah doesn't share all McCain's policy views but she is someone you know won't turn their back on you. I know John McCain and he is the same.

Mr. Ross then shared an article he wrote back in May of 2008 regarding his experience with Senator McCain that I hope you will take the time to read. Loyalty is a quality in one's character that matters and Mr. Ross expresses well how deeply true that is.

May God bless America and all her heroes.

Originally posted at Texas for Sarah Palin

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Raising McCain

by Lisa Graas, editor --

Josh Painter is a Palin Twibe contributor. This article was originally posted at Texas for Sarah Palin.

Raising McCain, by Josh Painter

After strongly supporting Sarah Palin for well over a year, American Thinker has now turned against her, it seems. The fourth consecutive post either critical of Sarah Palin or negative in tone toward her appeared today. It follows the meme of the latest spin against her, criticizing the former governor for her support of John McCain. There is a lot of resentment against McCain out there among conservatives. We understand that. We don't have much use for him ourselves. But we know why Sarah supports him, and it makes us respect her all the more.

Meanwhile, Gov. Palin's enemies are going wild on sites like Free Republic in a number of threads they have started, trying to bloody her up using her loyalty to McCain as a club to swing at her. They are also using her choice of which events she chooses to participate in or to skip against her. The Left and some supporters of her potential GOP opponents in a hypothetical presidential primary are always quick to seize upon any issues which divide conservatives, and they play them for all they can in the lamestream media (LSM) and on the nutroots blogs.

But, as we have stated repeatedly, anyone who doesn't understand Sarah Palin's sense of loyalty to the man, doesn't get her at all. Asked by Glenn Beck in a recent interview about why she supports John McCain, the governor replied:

"I'm supporting him. I keep my word."

Her answer was succinct, but it speaks volumes about the strength of her character. Her word is her solemn bond. she doesn't turn her back on those she has promised to stand with. Now, in a politician, this is indeed such a rare quality that many of her critics just can't manage to wrap their little minds around. Sarah Palin is the polar opposite of Barack Obama, who has managed to break nearly every promise he made on his way to the White House.

The know-it-alls who are slamming Sarah for supporting McCain are pronouncing this as her Waterloo, the death of her political career. Heh. We wish we had a dollar for every time some self-styled expert said she was political toast. If we did, we wouldn't need a tip jar on this blog (which, dear reader, you are free to hit whenever you feel like we have earned a modest donation).

Actually, if she makes a couple of cameo appearance for McCain in Phoenix in March, sends the old guy some SarahPAC money and then manages to avoid getting hit by any stray punches thrown between McCain and his primary challenger J.D. Hayworth, we don't think that she will be hurt that much. Surely supporting McCain will be less damaging than deserting his ship like a rat, and act for which she would be eviscerated by her critics. We can see the headlines now -- "Palin Quits McCain" -- atop articles which would mercilessly pound her for betraying the man who pulled her out of the Alaskan wilderness and gave her a national platform to stand on. You get the picture.

Sarah Palin's greatest political gift may be her uncanny ability to make decisions which at first appear to be very bad career moves, but over time she somehow manages to turn to her advantage. She has a history of defiance of the CW, and even her opponents have admitted that her political instincts nearly always wind up serving her well over the long term.

Frankly, it defies explanation. It's not something one can be taught or just learn from the school of hard knocks. It appears to be something of a sixth sense which not many politicians seem to possess. The only way we can try to explain it is that though she is really quite politically ambitious, she can go on with a smile on her face even if she never holds public office again. Her priorities are God, family, love of country, love of Alaska, and her various causes (our troops, special needs families, etc.) -- in that order. Everything else just has to go down further on the list below those five. She summed it up best when she paraphrased scripture, saying, "If i die, I die."

We used to think that she was eying a 2012 White House run, and she may well be. But we wouldn't be at all surprised if she is patiently waiting for 2020, when she will be only 56 years old. Why not let Romney, Pawlenty or whoever the GOP establishment candidate turns out to be, fight it out with Huckabee or some unforeseen candidate on the right in '12? She can avoid the bloodletting. Meanwhile, she can prove that she's a good team player and will build up some serious cred with the party establishment and with the key players in this game -- independent voters -- as well. We wouldn't be all that shocked even if she challenges Mark Begich in 2014 for the Senate (a term which would conveniently expire in 2020) or gets appointed Energy Secretary if a Republican wins.

Whatever she chooses to do, it will likely surprise everyone, and she will be severely criticized for it by the chaterati. Eventually, she will come out of it smelling like a rose. How many times has she been pronounced politically dead and rebounded to prove the experts wrong? The Arctic Fox must be part Arctic Cat. She always lands on her feet.

-- Josh Painter

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Economics 101: Moral Hazard

The following presentation from Independent Women's Forum discusses the principle of "Moral Hazard", the subsidization of bad behavior, in the context of the banking crisis. It was shared by Sarah Palin on her Facebook page.

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I'm Speaking at Rochester 2012 Draft Sarah Committee Meet-up

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

2012 Draft Sarah Committee Meet-up in Rochester, NY

As many of you already know, the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee is having a Meet-up tomorrow, January 23rd, in Rochester, NY for those who live in Rochester, Buffalo, and the surrounding areas. The gathering is an informal time for attendees to introduce themselves, mingle, and have a bite to eat. I will also be speaking, during which time I will discuss Governor Palin, the purpose of the Committee, and where we believe we’re headed.

People who are already involved with the Committee—from organizers to email subscribers—are planning to attend, and some are attending simply to learn more and ask questions.

You are invited, and so are your friends!

Information:
Bathtub Billy’s (private room)
630 Ridge Road West
Rochester, NY 14615-2898
4:00 p.m.
(585) 865-6510

If you have further questions, please email me at NY-Organizer@2012 draftsarahcommittee.com or JD, our Rochester local organizer, at NY-ROC@2012draftsarahcommittee.com.

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Paul Streitz Backstabs Governor Palin; Updated

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Governor Palin, a RINO? Are you kidding me?

I have very little tolerance for backstabbers. And I have even less tolerance for backstabbers who are motivated by a desire to control the decisions of people who have proven that they operate on principle, not pressure.

Tonight Paul Streitz, co-founder of the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee, sent out an email blasting Governor Palin for her support of Senator John McCain, among other things. Streitz no longer holds a leadership position with the committee, nor has he for almost a year now. Although he phrased his email as if he is speaking for the committee, he is not.

His email states in part:

She has now chose to align herself with several bad actors. What should this be called, the Rinoization of Sarah Palin.

At the time of the election, perhaps Sarah Palin could have been forgiven for her ideas on immigration (and lack of knowledge) because she was governor of Alaska, not Arizona. But in the intervening months, she has done little but promote herself as a celebrity, known because her brief time on the national stage..

She is certainly entitled to write a book and make money for her and her family, but other than what has she has done to support Republican and patriotic candidates.

Where was she in VA?
Where was she in NJ?
Where was she in Mass?

Guiliani showed up in Mass because he knew what was at stake. Perhaps, Sarah was too busy talking to her agent about her Fox deal. Where the hell was Sarah?

Napoleon once said that he wanted Generals that went to the sound of the cannon. That they instinctively were fighters. He also said he wanted generals that had bon chance, good luck. Well, Sarah has had good luck, but she has not gone to the sound of the cannon, where critical battles were fought in 2009.

First of all, I'm not sure where Paul Streitz has been hiding out, but Governor Palin has always said that she would support John McCain's quest for re-election. Did he not know that she is a woman of her word? Did he expect her to turn tail and run when the time came? Mel dealt with this in an earlier post for Conservatives4Palin.

And where does he come off questioning her willingness to roll up her sleeves and run into the fight? If she's not the general fighting for common sense conservatism, who is? There is no other person who has put herself on the line for love of country as she has. There is not one other public figure who has gone through the hell that Governor Palin has gone through--her every word analyzed, her every step sized up, her family picked apart. Who else has sacrificed personal comfort and family privacy to the degree that she has in order to make a difference in this nation? She has undergone scrutiny to a degree none of us has ever seen before. The attacks, the accusations, the utter hatred she has endured are unprecedented. And with each new occurrence, she only speaks out even louder. That's not called celebrity; that's called selfless public service. Governor Palin's commitment to the success of this country is without question. Where does Streitz come off accusing her of only looking after self, simply because she's not a puppet whose strings he can dangle? That's really what this is all about, isn't it?

Governor Palin has supported candidates who support the values that she espouses. She has rallied the American people to do the same in key races in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts. In addition, SarahPAC has given generously to aid in these efforts. As promised, she will soon hit the road and support other candidates she stands behind, including Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and yes, John McCain in this critical year.

If Paul Streitz's support of Governor Palin is contingent upon his agreeing with every decision she makes or her selling out her deeply-held values, that's unfortunate. While all support is appreciated, the governor has never been for sale. Ask the Alaska establishment, who learned that early in her political career.

Paul Streitz should note that true character is revealed, not necessarily when we agree with someone, but in areas where we may disagree. The way we deal with those situations says a lot about who we really were all along. When disagreements lead to backstabbing, undermining, and trying to rally others to buy into it, I have to wonder if the knife was waiting in the back pocket all along.

Once again, Paul Streitz was not speaking for the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee. In a soon-to-be-released Alert, Chairman Randy Highsmith states:

Paul Streitz, co-founder of the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee, who has not held a leadership position with the Committee for almost a year now, sent out an email tonight voicing his disapproval of Governor Palin’s recent decisions. If you have received his email, you were probably under the impression that he was speaking for us, for he phrased it in such a way as to give that impression. However, he was not—in any way, shape, or form—speaking for the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee. He was speaking for himself. We do not, as a Committee, support his perspective or condone his approach.

Governor Palin has always acted on principle, which is one of many reasons we have supported her so vehemently and will continue to do so.

Randy Highsmith
Chairman

Update: As most people who are paying attention know--people unlike Paul Streitz, that is--Governor Palin did endorse both McDonnell and Christie and gave them the maximum money allowed by law. The governor also offered to go campaign for them, but her physical assistance was not required, and the offer was politely declined. As for Massachusetts, it was wisdom on Governor Palin's part not to go stump for him, as he was working hard to stand independent of the national Republican establishment. Her arrival in a blue state like Massachusetts may have easily worked against him--something the Left was hoping for--so she let him stand on his own, and we all know how this panned out for him. Streitz would be wise to get his facts straight before running his mouth.

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March for Life

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In 1973, America took a major turn down the wrong street with the Roe v. Wade decision, which granted women the right to annihilate their young, rather than encouraging them to embrace life. Today people all over are still mourning that decision, including the lead plaintiff in the case, later identified as Norma McCorvey.

That decision marked an incredibly sad day for this country. Americans aren't, however, sitting in a corner nursing a defeatist attitude. No, many continue to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. One way they do so is through participation in the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. This year's march, which will take place tomorrow, continues that practice of fighting for those who are the most innocent and vulnerable among us--the unborn.

To those who are offended by this continued unrelenting effort, I have a message: we are not going away. More Americans than ever are now pro-life, more Americans are determined to support the sanctity of human life, and we will persevere by putting feet to our faith through peaceful demonstrations like the one taking place in our nation's capital tomorrow.

Among those compassionate, unbending Americans supporting the cause of life is Governor Sarah Palin. Although she recognizes that at times women find themselves in "less than ideal circumstances," she also understands that with the proper support and encouragement, women can find the strength required to rise above those circumstances having made the conscionable decision to choose life. Today she issued this passionate message called "Marching for a Beautiful Life" via her Facebook page.

Tomorrow the 37th annual March for Life will occur in Washington, D.C. January is a tough month to schedule a march in Washington, but every year hundreds of thousands of everyday Americans from across our nation brave the cold weather on the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision to bear a positive witness to the culture of life.

In the years following Roe, we were told that the issue was no longer open for debate and that we should get over it and move on. But we couldn’t get over the stirrings of our conscience or move on from an issue that cuts to the heart of who we are as a nation. Affirming the dignity and worth of every innocent human life and defending the defenseless are fundamental American values. With that in mind, this peaceful, hopeful grassroots crowd of individuals, families and students comes to our capital every year to remind us that every innocent life is beautiful, precious and full of potential. These warrior souls come to show their dedication to the weakest among us: those with special needs, women without anyone to turn to, and children without a voice. They run the helpful pregnancy resource centers, the counseling hotlines, the foster care facilities, the adoption services, and countless other outreach programs that offer compassionate assistance and friendship to women who are struggling. I know from experience the joy and blessings that come from embracing life, and I know how important their work is in helping women choose life despite less than ideal circumstances.

The pro-life movement is pro-women, and it empowers women with the message that we are strong enough and smart enough to be able to pursue education, vocations and avocations while giving life to a child. This movement is largely run by women. In fact, many of the earliest leaders of the women’s rights movement were pro-life – women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul, the author of the original Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, who said, “Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.” Today, more and more young women agree with these feminist foremothers, for they know in their hearts that the culture of life empowers women by offering them real choices. Unfortunately, rather than portray this positive message, the media often focuses on divisions among Americans on this issue. But this annual rally is not about anger and controversy; it’s about a huge grassroots effort to make our voices heard in support of women and their children.

Though I can’t be in Washington tomorrow, my heart is with the marchers. Those of us who can’t be there can still join them online at the Virtual March for Life. Please follow the link and join the tens of thousands of your fellow Americans who are already marching online. Together we can bear witness to the beauty and blessings of the culture of life.

- Sarah Palin

The Governor also tweeted twice on the subject today:

Hearty souls peacefully march4beautiful culture of life tomrrw n DC;37th annivrsry pro-life movemnt led by empowered women;see FaceBook4info

Affirming dignity&worth of every innocent human life&defending the defenseless are fundamental American values,so march peacefully&hopefully

Let us continue in our efforts to make a difference. They have not been in vain.

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Why John McCain Deserves Our Respect

I have not always seen eye to eye with John McCain on every issue. I believe his involvement with McCain-Feingold campaign reform eventually contributed to his loss in the 2008 presidential election since it hamstrung many who would have gladly helped out a candidate limited to public financing for his campaign at a time when the "free" mainstream media was completely smearing him, his running mate and his record without any blowback. I believe that he was not as on board with the GW Bush budget plan early in Bush's administration as he should have been. I also think that his original stance on illegal immigration was a major turn off to voters that still haunts him to this day. But in focusing on the negatives instead of focusing on the positives, we are missing an opportunity to understand why John McCain deserves our respect.

...read more at Liberty's Lamp

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Give Sarah Palin a Break

- by Josh Painter

We're already tired of the grumbling on some conservative websites over Sarah Palin's announcement Wednesday that she will campaign for her former GOP running mate. Anyone who thinks Sarah Palin should not campaign for John McCain now, but were excited to see her chosen by him and to campaign with him in 2008 is a hypocrite.

By their logic, if she's wrong to campaign for him now, then she was wrong to campaign for him then and shouldn't have accepted his offer to be the first woman to be nominated by the Republican Party for vice president. So give Sarah Palin a break. Had she turned McCain down, she might likely still be a mostly obscure governor of a remote state. Her approval ratings in Alaska would probably still be quite high. But the cause of conservatism here in the lower 48 would be all the poorer for the lack of her presence on the national stage. Barack Obama and his Democrat allies, however, would be all the richer for it. The pro-life community would also be missing one of its most visible and persuasive assets. The Tea Party movement would still be on the rise, but it would be minus the most powerful voice currently speaking in the nation for the values it shares with Sarah Palin.

The Arctic Fox values loyalty above most everything else except God, family, our troops and the love of her country. Anyone who doesn't get this doesn't know a thing about Sarah Heath Palin. Are we pleased that she's campaigning for McCain? No, but that's her decision to make, and we're not going to criticize her for it. We have yet to see the politician who could please us 100 percent of the time with his or her actions.

So far, McCain has no viable announced challenger in the GOP primary in his state for reelection. Though former U.S. Congressman J.D. Hayworth's name has been tossed around as a potential opponent, Hayworth has a well-deserved reputation as a loose cannon with an even looser mouth. Despite the 60% Republican registered voter advantage in his district, Hayworth lost his bid for reelection to the House in 2006. His loss has been largely attributed to ties between himself and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted on three criminal felony counts of fraud. The same connections to Abramoff which hurt Hayworth in 2006 would still be around in 2010 should he decide to run against McCain, and that's why few analysts consider him to be a viable alternative to the senior Senator from Arizona. Don get us wrong; we like J.D. But anyone who doesn't think that the Democrats would have a field day in the Grand Canyon State with Hayworth as the GOP candidate for Senate is in deep denial.

Does Sarah Palin's loyalty to McCain make her any less of a conservative? No, unless -- like the leftists -- you thought that she was some kind of far right winger. She is not that and never was. Just as Fred Thompson -- another political figure we have supported and for whom we continue to have respect -- is a "moderate conservative," Sarah Palin is the same populist-leaning conservative she always has been. Both Thompson and Palin are disciples of Ronald Reagan, the only conservative who has managed to get himself elected to the White House in the modern era. Yet today, some "conservatives" would not consider the great man to be positioned far enough to the right on the political x-axis to meet their standards. But much of Sarah Palin's success as a governor was grounded in her Reagan-like pragmatism, and that's just one of the qualities which bode well for her political future.

The difference between Sarah Palin and most conservatives in the Republican Party is that she's the one with the guts to stand up to the radical leftists that are in control of the Democrat Party and all three branches of the federal government. So, from our perch here in Aggieland, we say Gig 'em, Sarah.

- JP

Josh Painter is the editor of Texas for Sarah Palin.

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Sarah Palin: Ride the Tide with Commonsense Candidates!

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Via Facebook:

I want to again thank the good people of Massachusetts for propelling a commonsense, independent agenda forward! May the working man and woman feel empowered now more than ever to get involved in their government, and let's put this great country on the right track.

The past year continues to offer the promise of commonsense government in so many areas. There are steps we can all take to get there, one of which is to support candidates who promise to fight for the people and against politics as usual. I'm excited to get out and help elect candidates who will bring those principles to our nation's towns, state houses, and directly to Washington D.C. We are already making plans to support the candidates our nation needs to make a difference and speak for everyday Americans.

I look forward to helping Governors like Rick Perry in Texas, Representatives like Michele Bachmann in Minnesota, and heroes and statesmen like Senator John McCain. We will support these candidates and others so that they can continue to fight for our American values.

The special election yesterday in Massachusetts was truly amazing. It is a clear indication of things to come and a demonstration of the momentum we all share in the fight for the values and policies that will get our country back to work. The commonsense conservative principles of liberty and fiscal responsibility are on the rise, and that's why I'm going out and campaigning as hard as I can to make a difference. I can't wait to join all of you in supporting these great candidates and many more over the coming months.

In the meantime, visit the websites of Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and John McCain. And join us as we embark on America's journey to November!

- Sarah Palin

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CaffeinatedThoughts.com’s 2009 Caffeinated Conservative: Sarah Palin

By Shane Vander Hart, editor of Caffeinated Thoughts

I apologize that the formal announcement of our 2009 Caffeinated Conservative Award was put on the back burner after our 2009 recipient was informally announced.  Life circumstances, work and timely blog subjects prevented me from posting this sooner.  We had several nominated by Caffeinated Thoughts contributors for this most coveted prize: Glenn Beck, Congressman Ron Paul (*cough, cough*, thanks Emily), Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Edwin Feulner (of The Heritage Foundation), but one came in on top after Caffeinated Thoughts readers, had the chance to vote on the nominees.  Former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, was selected by you with 45% of the vote.

Why is she is a worthy recipient?  Let’s consider the following:

• She has been an effective voice against the take of health care.  Most notably with her first salvo on Facebook coining the term “death panels.”  Then continuing on here and here.  She challenged the lack of tort reform and the bureaucratization of health care.  Regarding health care she’s so *irrelevant* that the White House responded to her as a private citizen writing a Facebook note.  To which she responded.  She defined the debate.
• She has been a constant champion of energy independence by better utilizing our natural resources.
• She is an outspoken critic of the Cap and Tax bill.
• She has been a champion for the troops participating in several charity auctions to benefit wounded soldiers and their families.
• She knocked her first first public appearance after her resignation out of the part by bolstering her foreign policy cred by giving a fabulous speech in Hong Kong which demonstrated a better understanding of China than what President Obama has.
• She put principles before party and personal ambition.
• Her advocacy for the sanctity of life.
• Her pushback against the climate change crowd.
• Her rejection of stimulus funds, criticism of it, and the preparation she accomplished as Governor that positioned her state well for the recession we are in.
• All while still battling (and beating) baseless, politicized ethics charges that were abuse of what was a needed law.
• Oh, and yes she wrote a little book called Going Rogue: An American Life which has been a #1 Best Seller since before it was even released.  Which I give a thumbs up.  She saw her popularity and likeability rise with the numerous interviews she did as a part of her cross-country book tour.
• And she’s still a favorite target of the left which has to resort to cheap shots since they don’t have anything of substance.

She has further defined what it means to be a “common sense conservative,” and has positioned herself to be a voice of the people.  She has proven that she doesn’t need a title to do so.  I don’t know what her future entails, but 2010 is off to a great start with her new role with Fox News, giving some terrific interviews, and plans for further speeches and stumping for candidates.

Well she isn’t retreating after all, just reloading.

Shane Vander Hart is editor of Caffeinated Thoughts which shares stimulating musings on the news, politics, culture, life and theology.  Shane loves connecting with fellow rogues, so feel free to follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

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Palin Gets an A+

High Grade For Her Commentary On Fox During Massachusetts Senate Election Coverage

While brainstorming with a friend to try to determine where the liberals would get Sarah Palin on her commentary last night with Greta Van Susteren, we could only come up with one thing, and that thing is not Sarah Palin's fault. One has to question whether doing the interview by phone was due to last minute scheduling issues or wonder if Fox News hasn't been hedging their bet on her since Glenn Beck went all gaga about her being the most guarded person he ever met and that he wouldn't vote for her for president until she could eviscerate Bill O'Reilly. But after listening to Palin's commentary last night, Fox would be stupid to not go all in on the conservative phenomenom. Memo to Fox: pay for a satellite feed next time and don't fear the gaffe, okay? Sarah Palin got an A+ last night. And I'm not basing that on my Palin bias.

Okay, I know you folks are sick of hearing it, but the ole Poli Sci degree came out last night and here's what I found. Technical merits include the ability to use catch words and phrases like "wicked political pivot" and "tidal wave that's sweeping the country." Ability to communicate her meaning easily scored her more points. She also added insight and substance.

Check out this nifty exchange with Greta Van Susteren:

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, if I thought that the tea party movement was sort of a threat to the Republican Party, tonight now it may look like the people who support the tea party may be moving back or might have an opportunity to move back to the Republican Party. What's your thought of the tea party movement versus the Republican Party tonight?

PALIN: I don't look at it as two opposing forces. I think the tea party movement is so much a part of the Republican and independents who believe in smaller, smarter government and strong national security. I think the tea party movement has been another voice out there, and it would do our country well for all these different voices who believe in the common sense solutions to start working even closer together.

The tea party movement represents that message that political power is inherent in the people -- the people, and that government (INAUDIBLE) directed with the people. It's sort of people's will. That's what the tea party movement (INAUDIBLE) and that's what independents so often believe in, certainly what the planks in the Republican platform are supposed to be representing.

Palin also used a really savvy maneuver in answering this question:

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think is going to happen now with health care? Not what do you want, but what do you think is going to happen?

PALIN: Oh, that's a good way to put it because what I want is for them to scrap it and start working with conservatives on common sense, market-driven, patient-oriented solutions. But instead, we need to watch for the Democrats to try to ram through this health care takeover, despite this very loud, this clear statement tonight from the people.

I think right now, Rahm Emanuel, Obama supporters there at the White House, they're thinking of every trick in the book to get around this -- Pelosi and Reid. So the people have to be ever vigilant and hold these politicians accountable.

Not only did Palin avoid being sidetracked; she purposely answered the question in such a way as to almost say "well, Greta, I am going to tell you what I want, I'm going to add substance and THEN I will tell you what I think is going to happen."

Then there is the thinking on your feet merit. Check out this exchange:

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you endorse Scott Brown? And if not, why not?

PALIN: I would have, had he requested it. But I so respected that he didn't call in a whole lot of outsiders asking them to come do the bidding for him. He did this himself. And that again was kind of that underdog status of his that is so respected. Usually, a candidate like Scott is reliant upon and strengthened by their own grass roots effort. It was good for him to do it the way that he did, to run this campaign.

So I wasn't asked to be a part of it. I think I twittered a couple of times my support for him at the last minute there, but all along, I was rooting for him.

Palin handled every question on point and on message like a pro while giving really substantive answers at the same time. Jennifer Rubin wrote:

Liberal Palin haters should watch and listen to her now and then. Her delivery has become more polished and she is now able to make her argument succinctly. No wonder the Left is freaked out that she has a platform to refine her skills and build her audience.

Palin also came across as likeable, particularly when she expressed empathy for Coakley as a candidate.

On a lighter note, Palin also did well in one of the more intellectual and analytical approaches I used toward evaluating her performance. It's one of the more technically complicated grading systems known as the "yell at the TV and fist pump" test that I apply to anyone I listen to on TV. When I hear a pundit say something so right and so well, I raise my beer to the screen and fist pump while yelling out "absolutely, you friggin nailed it right on the head, dead on the money!" so loud my neighbors can hear me. Palin got two of those during her commentary.

Oh, and when I'm finished with my beer, I crinkle the can, turn on MSNBC and whip it at Keith Olbermann.

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Sarah Palin: "Mr. Brown Goes to Washington... In a Pick-up Truck, No Less!

Sarah Palin congratulated Scott Brown on his victory in Massachusetts last night via Facebook:

Congratulations to the new Senator-elect from Massachusetts! Scott Brown’s victory proves that the desire for real solutions transcends notions of “blue state” and “red state”. Americans agree that we need to hold our politicians accountable and bring common sense to D.C.

Recent elections have taught us that when a party in power loses its way, the American people will hold them accountable at the ballot box. Today under the Democrats, government spending is up nearly 23 percent and unemployment is higher than it’s been in a quarter of a century. For the past year they’ve built a record of broken promises, fat cat bailouts, closed-door meetings with lobbyists, sweetheart deals for corporate cronies, and midnight votes on weekends for major legislation that wasn’t even read. The good citizens of Massachusetts reminded Democrats not to take them for granted.

Americans cheered for Scott Brown’s underdog campaign because they viewed his candidacy as a vote against the Democrats’ health care bill. You know that there’s something wrong with this legislation when opposition to it inspired a Republican victory in a state that currently has no Republicans in Congress and last sent a Republican to the Senate nearly 40 years ago.

Clearly this victory is a bellwether for the big election night ten months from now. In the spirit of bipartisanship, let me offer some advice to the Democrats on how to stem this populist tide. Scrap your current health care bill and start from scratch. We all want true reform, but government mandated insurance is not it. Scott Brown campaigned against this top-down bureaucratic mess. We need common sense solutions like reforming malpractice laws, allowing people to purchase insurance across state lines, giving individual purchasers the same tax benefits as those who get coverage through their employers, and letting small businesses pool together to provide insurance for their employees. Focus your efforts on jobs, not on job-killing legislation. Such a change in approach would show Americans that you’re listening.

My best wishes to Senator-Elect Brown. When you go to Washington, may you never forget the ordinary citizens you met while driving that truck through the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

- Sarah Palin

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Pitbull Abuse Will Get You Bitten

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. A word to the media: portraying Sarah Palin as unintelligent or incapable is worn out, guys. She's made over a million dollars with her book, she is a highly sought after speaker, she has run a state, a business, an oil and gas commission and a city while raising children and she's now a Fox News contributor. Okay intellectual elites who snootily look down your noses at Sarah Palin, how many of you can say you've done that?

We watch a supposedly established news analyst like Chris Matthews, in his zest to portray Palin as dumb, come up with an intellectually blank comment like "how is she going to be a pundit? She doesn't know anything." Chris, that only shows us how dumb you really are. How about Mika Brezienski? In her zeal to join the morning zoo on MSNBC in trashing Sarah Palin, she too demonstrates her own stupidity while naming Abraham Lincoln as her favorite Founding Father.

Leave it to the liberals to come across as even dumber than the Palin they portray. How many more will reduce themselves to blithering idiots in their misguided mission to destroy Sarah Palin? These are the folks who take their own self-hatred and pour it out on Sarah Palin so they can feel good for a few moments.

Glenn Beck's description of Palin as having her guard up makes me think about what happens to an abused animal. It may become timid and scared at first, but eventually it will show teeth and bite.

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In Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

by Lisa Graas, editor --

In honor of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., I am posting an excerpt from "I've Been to the Mountaintop", his last speech. His words proved prophetic as he was assassinated the next day.



For more information about this great patriot and human rights activist, please do visit MLK Online where you will find speeches, writings, photos and more.

I will be taking some time today to discuss the life and accomplishments of this great man with my children. I hope you will do the same.

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Sarah Palin and the Smoke-Blowing Pundits

by Lisa Graas, editor --

Anne Marie Helmenstine, PhD, writes about chemistry at About.com and offers some words of advice in her article on creating fake smoke:

I will warn you that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! If used incorrectly, the equipment and chemicals used to generate simulated smoke can be dangerous (toxic, burn hazard, asphyxiation hazard, fire hazard, etc.)

Be advised, the same toxic effect occurs for those "blowing smoke" while blogging, particularly when the person you're blowing smoke around is Sarah Palin who has an army, no wait..........armies of supporters. I would list them but who can list them all?

These troops, of whom I am one, are all still scratching their heads over the criticisms regarding Sarah Palin's keynoting the National Tea Party Convention. Some of those criticizing Governor Palin are questioning the fact that the event is for-profit (while acknowledging that having a for-profit event is not really a big deal since conservatives do support a free market system) and that the money being generated might not be handled properly (while admitting that no proof has been offered that it is).

On a side note, Erick Erickson, who heads up Red State, is one of those critical of Palin. Red State is for-profit while maintaining the "grassroots" claim. A head-scratcher? I think so.

Unfortunately, when Palin supporters understandably fail to raise eyebrows over these things and take issue with the fact that Palin is, in most cases, being singled out for criticism, we are summarily dismissed as "Kool-Aid" drinkers.

We don't "get it" but, truth be told, we've long ago become accustomed to the smoke and would probably be very confused if there weren't at least a little of it blowing around Governor Palin at any given moment. Conservative "smoke" has a particularly nauseating aroma to us, though.

Not everyone has taken to smoke-blowing or Kool-Aid drinking. HillBuzz, while critical of the event itself, has enough good sense to know that criticism of Palin specifically is off-base:

But, we just don’t trust the people running this. We also are scared these people are really being propped up by Soros, in some way, as a plot to distract voters in 2012 and take votes away from the Republican and create a spoiler that will hand the second term to Dr. Utopia. That’s just so incredibly dangerous.

Sarah Palin, as usual, is incredibly smart and forward-thinking about all of this. It is a brilliant move on her part to speak at this Tea Party Convention. Why? Because Tea Party enthusiasts will see her as one of them, so if she indeed, as we believe, seeks and wins the Republican 2012 nomination, it sure will be hard for mischief makers to run a third party candidate against her, because she’s already been embraced by those most inclined to jump onto a third party. It is, yet again, another brilliant tactical move on her part. She proves to us again she will indeed be our next president, as she’s thinking three steps ahead of everyone else, on a daily basis. THANK GOD IN HEAVEN FOR THAT.

American Liberty Alliance, in announcing that they are pulling sponsorship due to questions surrounding the financing, noted that it will not be discouraging participation and specifically remarked on Palin's leadership:

There is no doubt that those who paid for the event will get a great event in return. Sarah Palin and some of the other speakers are fantastic examples of good leadership and solid conservatism. For those who could afford to attend the event, there will certainly be value in return for the money spent.

I cannot help but think that most of the criticism of Palin would never have happened if not for her decision to bow out of CPAC, an event which we pro-Palin bloggers refer to more familiarly as "MittPAC" since he has won the straw poll there three years in a row.

Read Palin's explanation for not going to CPAC and ask yourself, isn't it a bit odd for someone to rail against "potential" misuse of money at the Tea Party Convention and, in virtually the same breath, criticize Sarah Palin for making a serious issue of Keene's misuse of money? That is a sure sign that there is smoke-blowing going on.

In all honesty, I don't know anyone at the National Tea Party Convention or at CPAC. I am just a mommy blogger. I can't afford to go to either event and a disability prevents me from attending crowded events anyway. Much is being made of the price tag for the Tea Party Convention as if it is "unfair" because it makes the event impossible for some to attend. Does someone think I should file a complaint with either of these event organizers for not accomodating me? Are these organizations not being "fair" to me for not providing me with accomodations that would make it possible for me to attend? *urp* Give me a break, people.

Perhaps I am missing something, but to an outsider looking in, it seems a good deal like a lot of smoke is blowing around where there is actually no fire at all. If that is the case, then those blowing the smoke should remember the risks to your reputations. It could prove toxic.

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Governor Palin and I Discuss Dr. Martin Luther King

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

I spent all day Friday talking with each of my 7th grade English Language Arts classes about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was during that lesson, by the way, that I discovered the secret to education. Everyone asks what's the key to making children attentive, expressive, and even tame. I found it...but I'm not willing to share it yet. Maybe soon! Trust me; it's worth paying me for!

Back on topic...

It was a joy to engage in classroom conversation about the legacy of Dr. King, his life, his dream, and his sacrifice. Students opened up about what he means to them, what he sought to accomplish, and whether his dream has become a reality. Adults can learn a lot simply by listening to the young.

I tell you now exactly what I told my students Friday: "Monday, when you're enjoying your day off, remember a man paid for that day off with his very life."

Dr. King seemed to know that he would not live to see everything unfold that he had fought for. He fought anyway. He seemed to know that his cry for freedom would cost him everything. He cried out anyway. May we ever continue the work that he poured himself into.

A few minutes ago, Governor Palin also discussed Dr. King via Facebook:

Tomorrow, America honors the memory of one of our greatest – Martin Luther King, Jr. He used his gifts and talents in selfless, mighty ways to mobilize efforts against racial discrimination and is deserving of our honor.

Please take a moment to tell your children about this great man. He fought for liberty and equality because he knew they were God-given and he knew that no government should be empowered to thwart our freedom. King summarized his mission when stating that no one should be judged based on skin color, but by the content of one's character.

Seeming to have a foreboding notion of how quickly life passes, he did not waste time on pettiness. He believed that “the quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”

May our children follow in the footsteps of giants like King, who sincerely respected equality.

- Sarah Palin

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – MLK

She also tweeted:

On MLK Day,remembr his selfless,faithful efforts 2 destroy racial walls."Faith is taking 1st step even when u don't see the staircase"-MLKjr

I remember when Martin Luther King Day became a federal holiday. I also remember this song that celebrated it. Listen...

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