Palin Twibe

Alaskan Grit Exercised Amidst “Global Warming”!

2012-01-31T13:45:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

A friend emailed me this notice from her local Alaskan school today. As the school notice makes clear: anything above -55 degrees below zero is warm enough for our Alaskan young’uns! Global warming? What global warming?

I just had to share this with all those who are enjoying the balmy 65 degree (above zero) weather in the Beltway today and the 70+ degree weather our Florida voters are enjoying!

And here’s a photo of my nephew doing his chores in -20 degrees. Last Frontier indeed.

- Sarah Palin

“Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.” - Henry Ford

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150526903558435.

How Obama Repaid Notre Dame

2012-01-31T12:44:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

Back in May 2009, during the controversy over Notre Dame’s decision to have President Obama as their commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient, I gave a short statement to the Boston Herald: “My favorite grandpa, Clem James Sheeran, was Catholic. Irish to the core, his favorite place (other than church) was Notre Dame. I can’t imagine what he would think as the university recognizes someone who contradicts the core values of the Catholic faith by promoting an anti-life agenda.”

In his latest Washington Post column, Michael Gerson writes about the Obama administration’s war on Catholic institutions with President Obama's decision to strip conscience protections from Catholic universities, hospitals and charities.

As Gershon points out, the timing of Obama's most recent slap won't go unnoticed by the faithful: "In politics, the timing is often the message. On Jan. 20 — three days before the annual March for Life — the Obama administration announced its final decision that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities will be compelled to pay for health insurance that covers sterilization, contraceptives and abortifacients. Preparing for the march, Catholic students gathered for Mass at Verizon Center. The faithful held vigil at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Knights of Columbus and bishops arrived to trudge in the cold along the Mall. All came to Washington in time for their mocking.”

And in this we see how the faithful at Notre Dame got snookered and how Obama has shamefully repaid their faith in him:
Both radicalism and maliciousness are at work in Obama’s decision — an edict delivered with a sneer...

The implications of Obama’s choice will take years to sort through. The immediate impact can be measured on three men:

Consider Catholicism’s most prominent academic leader, the Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame. Jenkins took a serious risk in sponsoring Obama’s 2009 honorary degree and commencement address — which promised a “sensible” approach to the conscience clause. Jenkins now complains, “This is not the kind of ‘sensible’ approach the president had in mind when he spoke here.” Obama has made Jenkins — and other progressive Catholic allies — look easily duped.
- Sarah Palin

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150526762153435.

Gov. Palin on Hannity: More Vetting, No Endorse, Any Better than Obama

2012-01-30T17:55:00.001-09:00

"Keep the process going. Only three states have had the chance to chime in....Who is best to beat Obama? Who as been sharpened and shaped? The more candidate information that is revealed the fairer it is for voters. Competition reveals and shapes character," Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a two-segment TV interview with Sean Hannity from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska.

"We need somebody passionate about not embracing the status quo. That's the beauty of competition," Gov. Palin said adding that Hannity's son would not do well in tennis if he knew he was going to win every time and never be challenged. But, Gov. Palin said the campaigning has gotten vicious. "I'm not whining about it, but I will call out when lies are being told, whether by a PAC or by the candidate. We feel disconnected and disenfranchised. [The candidates should] debate relevant ideas and solutions, not petty stuff.

Gov. Palin felt compelled to write her Facebook Note about the GOP establishment using the tactics of the left when she saw the "re-written history about Newt Gingrich and the Reagan Revolution." Gingrich had balanced budgets and was at least partially responsible for welfare reform. "I'm going to continue saying good things about all the GOP candidates, because any one is better than Obama. The establishment has never balanced a budget since Gingrich and Clinton did." Gov. Palin said that the establishment appeared content to instead engage in insider trading that is illegal for everyone else.

In the second segment, Gov. Palin was asked to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. She chose only to discuss the positive, as the candidates were doing a fine enough job bringing out the weaknesses. Hannity agreed.

About Gingrich, Gov. Palin said "his experience in Washington is a strength, because he was one of the few to work on a balanced budget and is passionate about shaking things up."

Gov. Palin said if Romney is surrounded by hard-core conservatives he will be directed more toward the center-right values that the majority of our nation holds. But, Gov. Palin said Romney has a solid family lineage of success, and is a good family man. "I respect that."

"I'm a great admirer of Rick Santorum. He is a great warrior on the field." He is a social conservative and great on Judeo-Christian values, she said. Gov. Palin added that she would like to see Santorum expand his discussion to fiscal matters and foreign policy.

Gov. Palin said she has "great respect for Ron Paul's fiscal sanity, and his austerity ideas are right on. Keep on being bold."

Gov. Palin did not endorse any candidate tonight.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Gov. Palin on Freedom Watch: Be Practical Not Naively Idealistic

2012-01-30T16:25:00.000-09:00

"What I'm trying to do is find out who has that ideal, and also who can win the GOP nomination - not that it would be a wasted vote for Ron Paul, but Gingrich and Romney are the two front runners. I'm trying to be practical, not naively idealistic," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a TV interview with Judge Napolitano of Freedom Watch from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska. "It is the multi-billion dollar question, 'who best to go against Obama? That's why I want the vetting to continue," she said.

Gov. Palin reinforced her "rage against the machine" message, saying, "rage against the status quo - the status quot that got us into that pickle. I want voters to rise up and allow the vetting process to continue." Gov. Palin said if the GOP establishment gets the expedited conclusion it seeks, the electorate will be cut off - disenfranchised.

On Gingrich, Gov. Palin said he "has a record of raging against the machine in so many respects. He's balanced budgets. He was part of the Reagan Revolution, and he was responsible for welfare reform."

During the interview, Gov. Palin said the race was largely between Gingrich and Romney now, because Santorum and Paul are trailing very distant third and fourth respectively.

video retrieved from SarahNET.

Following Gov Palin's Lead and Math

2012-01-29T18:10:00.001-09:00

US for Palin has maintained a policy of not endorsing any POTUS candidates until former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin does. Our policy has not changed, and we remain neutral toward all the candidates, except as Gov. Palin directs. It is all rooted in this promise. Tonight, it is time to execute one more aspect of that promise....

Gov. Palin has issued the call to Florida voters to "rage against the machine" and vote for Newt Gingrich so that the vetting process can continue. This is not a matter of "Romney vs. Newt" and not a matter of any candidate's relative merits or lack thereof. There has been too much bickering amongst Palinistas over that and too many friendships destroyed. Our support and fan activities for Gov. Palin did not end on October 5 with her announcement that she is not seeking the 2012 GOP nomination. Yes, we are both fans and supporters and proud to be both!

The GOP establishment and many pundits would like to have us believe that Mitt Romney's nomination is "inevitable," that it's all over after Florida and we should just be good little boys and girls and accept it. The problem is not Mitt Romney so much as those who want to make his nomination a fait accompli as fast as possible. All these candidates need to be vetted and asked the tough questions. Whoever becomes the nominee, should do so because there was a thorough vetting and as a result, that candidate was truly found to be the best of the four to go against Obama in the general election. That cannot happen if those who want to "expedite the proceedings" have their way and secure a Romney win in Florida.

Gov. Palin's call to Floridians to vote for Newt Gingrich mirrors her call to residents of South Carolina. Though has undeniably spoken in highly favorable terms about Gingrich - favorable enough that many have construed her words as a de facto endorsement - the fact is Gov. Palin has not endorsed any candidate. SarahPAC has not provided any financial support to the POTUS candidates and Gov. Palin has not gone on the stump for any of them - actions that would rise above mere endorsement.

Why Gingrich?

"The math is the math," and that is what Gov. Palin's decision boils down to with the objective of seeing to it that proper candidate vetting occurs and this is not decided after four states. She has so much as said so. Romney and Gingrich are in a statistical dead heat in Florida. Santorum is trailing distant third behind them. Ron Paul is an even more distant fourth. Ergo, calling upon Floridians to vote for Santorum or Paul would make absolutely no sense as neither of them have the chance to pull off a win with little more than 36 hours remaining till Tuesday. Her call to Foridians is not about who is the most pure, or who has the best character. It's about vetting candidates and ensuring as many voters as possible have their say.

In Her Professional Opinion

Gov. Palin has nearly 20 years in this business. She's had more than her share of flowers and stones hurled at her. She's been through heated contested primaries. Her statements on the candidates are her professional opinion derived from her experience, and the knowledge she attains in in the course of analyzing this race.

Denial - It's Not a River in Egypt

About the only thing I disagree with Gov. Palin on is her statement that we are seeking the perfect candidate. It's not so much that we are seeking the perfect candidate. We found her three years ago. Our perfect candidate chose not to run, but she never led us down a primrose path to believe that she was running. We advanced the idea and summoned her to run. While nearly all Palinistas prefer Gov. Palin to any of the four declared candidates, she is not running. Part of support means accepting, not denying reality, understanding that our narratives belong to us, and should not be projected on Gov. Palin. As she said on the Tom Sullivan Show, "logistically speaking, I'm up here in Alaska, raising a family, and running businesses. I don't have the organization that could propel me to a position of being a viable candidate." How far is Gov. Palin from New York and Washington D.C.? From either city, take a flight to Warsaw, Poland, then take a train or rent a car and drive another 200 miles. That's right, you have to cross the entire Atlantic Ocean and more than half of Europe to equal the distance from New York and Washington to Wasilla, Alaska.

Gov. Palin does not live in a romantic world of talking trees, singing animals and pixie dust to steal from the FedEx commercial. She lives in a world of reality. Though Gov. Palin has her core values and convictions, she is a realist who sees the big picture. She has endorsed candidates who were "less than ideal" before, such as John McCain and Carly Fiorina, because other factors aside from conservative purism came into play. just like then, we need to watch Gov. Palin and listen to her words and execute them.

Test of Loyalty and Leap of Faith

I know Palinistas who absolutely hate, detest and loathe Gingrich for various reasons. The fact is, all four candidates have things in their records and aspects of their character that are Achilles Heels. They also have their strengths. We are not going to find a perfect candidate among the four - as Gov. Palin has said. They all need to be thoroughly vetted.

Gov. Palin has given a directive. If we are her supporters, if we have accepted her as our leader, we must execute her orders. Support is not always fun or easy. Sometimes, we have to do things we would rather not do. Whatever we think about Gingrich now - we need to support Gingrich in Florida - not on his merits, but as Gov. Palin said - to ensure that all four candidates are properly vetted and that as many of our 50 states as possible have their say in the primaries.

Now, therefore, everyone who lives in Florida, please vote for Gingrich on Tuesday, even if you are among those who hate him. Please put your hate aside. Don't do it for Gingrich. Do it for Gov. Palin - Sarah.

AGU: Let's Get Ready!

2012-01-29T15:26:00.001-09:00

We have 10 months to get ready. Let's get ready to send an army of relentless reformers to the U.S. Congress in November.

American Grizzlies United (AGU) has two resources to help you send public servant reinforcements to Washington, DC. These reinforcements cannot be mushy Republicans-In-Name-Only who quickly disregard conservative principles when true relentless reform gets tough.

We must make sure that our new President has a congress of common sense, constitutional, conservative public servants.

To make things easier for you to seek out good candidates; AGU has created:

The Grizzly Doctrine; A Crib Sheet .

This manuscript provides a framework for discussion about the honest and ethical policies that all Americans should expect from our leaders. The Grizzly Doctrine covers the issues that Americans are concerned with, and helps educate ordinary citizen volunteers on the best ways to approach potential voters to discuss candidates positions.

Another AGU resource: Citizen Activism Guide; showcases volunteerism, vetting, and organizing your precinct.

We hope these resources help you in your local communities as we all get ready to retain the House, seize the Senate, and repeal and replace Barack Obama.

Our work continues...

Thomas S Schmitz

American Grizzlies United; Chairman

American Grizzlies United Website: http://americangrizzlies.com/

Follow AGU on Twitter: @AGUGrizzlies

Follow O4P on Twitter: @O4Palin

Follow S4P on Twitter: @_Students4Palin

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Follow AGU on Facebook: American Grizzlies United (AGU)

Subscribe to the AGU You-Tube Channel: AmericanGrizzliesU

essexandorange1773.com: CPAC SWAG Special $19.95

2012-01-29T14:16:00.001-09:00

Our friends at EssexAndOrange1773.com (E&O) have a great CPAC Sarah Palin themed SWAG Special!

For $19.95 (FREE SHIPPING) you get any E&O T-Shirt and 10 buttons.

If you are not familar with E&O and their heroic beginnings, take a minute to read about them HERE: POSTER WARS.

About the same time as the poster wars incident there was an O4P-CA local meet up in San Francisco. Because of the positive outcome of the poster wars these citizens realized that their unique fusion of activism and art could really be put to good use.

From E&O:

This quiet act of resistance set off a flurry of press as the “Palin Poster Wars” became a national story.

It also began a unique partnership of activism and art.

“Essex and Orange 1773” exemplifies how a simple place and event can effect major change, for it was at this intersection in Boston that the Liberty Tree stood. In 1773, it was a gathering place for those Americans who stood against the tyranny of taxation, and struck a blow for independence at the Boston Tea Party.

Check out EssexAndOrange1773 to take advantage of this great deal (while supplies last!)

Beautiful Bella Santorum

2012-01-29T10:15:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

Thank you, Rick and Karen Santorum, for living the Christ-like example of sacrifice and right priorities. Nothing is more precious or important than the life of an innocent child. Our prayers are with Bella, a perfect child in an imperfect world.
God bless the beautiful Santorum family.
- Sarah and Todd Palin and family

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150520955163435.

Gov Palin on Pirro: Keep Vetting, No Endorse, but Strong Newt Support

2012-01-28T18:19:00.000-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said she wanted to keep the vetting going, and would not endorse a candidate, but spoke highly favorably of Newt Gingrich in her single-segment TV interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

"I've been the proponent of keeping vetting going and of aggressive, but fair debating," Gov. Palin said. "I've seen pundits, even on this network saying that this race would be over after Florida." she said that only three states thus far have voted and the other 47 states "should have a chance to chime in."

"I want to hear from Santorum about repealing ObamaCare that Romney was the architect of. I want to hear from Ron Paul," she said detailing his positions on the fed, QE II, and other domestic economic matters. "I want to hear from Newt and his passion about the Reagan revolution. I want to hear from Romney, how he is not ashamed of his personal financial wealth which he earned through hard work. I don't want the process to end yet."

Gov. Palin said President Reagan was not afraid to take on other Republicans but he knew not to use the politics of personal destruction. Santorum noted that "Romney drew first blood," she said. Gingrich had to hit back. The GOP establishment does not want him to shake things up. "Look at the players in the establishment. They are trying to crucify him. Both party machines are trying to crucify him. Keep vetting: Vote Newt. Annoy a Liberal, Vote Newt," Gov. Palin said, also stating that he "is engaged in sudden and relentless reform."

Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin about Gingrich's moon colony proposal. She acknowledged that it "would be an expensive proposition, but JFK had not just the romantic idea of [putting a man on the moon] but being first." Gov. Palin said our space program was important for the national psyche and for its contributions to science. "There is nothing wrong with grandiose ideas," Gov. Palin said, adding that we waste tremendous amounts of money on silly things such as cowboy poetry.

Judge Pirro recited a viewer's Tweet asking which candidate Gov. Palin thought would be best able to defeat Obama.

"Which candidate is most passionate about sudden and relentless reform?" Gov. Palin said Newt Gingrich "would clobber Barack Obama in a debate."

To which, Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin if she just endorsed Gingrich.

Gov. Palin said she wants to continue the vetting.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov Palin Interviewed on Tom Sullivan Show

2012-01-28T18:11:00.000-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight discussed the 2012 Primaries on the Tom Sullivan Show from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

AGU 2012 Agenda; O4P & Beyond

2012-01-28T09:33:00.000-09:00

AGU's history and accomplishments:

In 2010 American Grizzlies United (AGU) introduced two projects: Organize4Palin (O4P) and Students4Palin (S4P). The original goal of the O4P project was to help Governor Sarah Palin's endorsed candidates get elected to office.

With only two months to learn the ropes, O4P worked tirelessly in the 2010 election cycle. O4P, knocked on doors, made phone calls, waved signs, walked precincts, and circumvented the establishment party machine and brought about real change.

O4P had a 67% success rate in the 2010 mid-terms.

O4P helped Governor Palin elect: 1 Secretary of State, 2 Attorneys General, 6 Senators, 7 Governors, and 37 House Reps.

After the 2010 midterm elections O4P volunteered our nation wide network to help with the promotion of Victory Film Group's The Undefeated. By using our personal connections, modern technology, and the good old fashioned telephone, O4P volunteers worked tirelessly to help fill strategically selected theaters on opening weekend.

On a per screen basis O4P's citizen activism helped The Undefeated hold it's own against Harry Potter, The Transformers, and Winnie the Pooh.

Even the Los Angeles Times was so impressed by the ability to use practically no marketing money, they conceded:

"This is a new model that is going to benefit the entire entertainment industry and audiences who want to see unique products"

After The Undefeated opened, O4P began laying the ground work for a Sarah Palin 2012 Presidential run.

That nation wide ground work and structure remains intact today.

At this time, Governor Palin is not seeking the GOP nomination.

AGU's plans for 2012:

In the 2012 election cycle O4P will again help candidates who are endorsed by Sarah Palin.

Additionally, AGU will help candidates that are endorsed by YOU.

AGU will help vetted, down ticket candidates (all the way down to the local level) who are:

- Good candidates who put country first.

- Good candidates who understand that energy independence is the key element of our economic security and betterment that all Americans want and deserve.

- Good candidates who believe in American Exceptionalism.

- And lastly, good candidates who understand that American foreign policy should, above all, be founded in our national interest, and not the interests of others.

Check out the new AGU website HERE: American Grizzlies United

AGU has already received many requests from Tea Party candidates running for office in 2012.

In the coming weeks our volunteers will be receiving resources to help educate and empower ordinary citizens.

One of these resources is: The Grizzly Doctrine; A Crib Sheet. This manuscript will provide a framework for discussion about the honest and ethical policies that all Americans should expect from our leaders. Besides covering the issues that Americans are concerned with, the manuscipt helps educate ordinary citizen volunteers on the best ways to approach potential voters to discuss candidates positions.

Another AGU resource: Citizen Activism Guide; showcases volunteerism, vetting, and organizing your precinct.

AGU feels strongly that there is only one way to put America back on the right track. And that is through an engaged citizenry. An engaged citizenry is key to effectively govern and pass the agenda of sudden and relentless reform that our republic is in need of.

Through an engaged citizenry AGU believes we have a unique opportunity to build a better future for all.

With O4P helping candidates that are endorsed by Governor Palin and AGU concentrating on down ticket local races; our agenda for 2012 is to educate and empower ordinary citizens to come together and make sure that on November 6, 2012 America elects candidates on every level of government who will stop the out of control, out of touch, liberal agenda of Barack Obama.

Students4Palin (S4P):

Students4Palin (S4P), the official student wing of American Grizzlies United (AGU), inspires and facilitates political action in young people across the country. S4P is a convenient, one-stop shop of important news and information about citizen activism for busy young adults. S4P prepares young people to serve as vehicles and public servants for other like-minded young people as they connect and engage with one another.

Other upcoming activities:

AGU will have a presence at CPAC and we've got tons of cool free things to give out (courtesy of O4P-CA's essexandorange1773.com) Check out the Sarah SWAG package available at E & O: SARAH SWAG 4 CPAC

AGU will be helping out at Grizzly Fest's Winter Summit

New AGU Organization Structure:

Due to AGU's expansion, the position and duties of National Director have been transferred to a 5 member Board of Directors.

Actions and decisions on the National level are now approved by a simple majority vote.

AGU Board of Directors:

Martha Cano; Board Member, TX State Coordinator

Mary Beth House; Board Member, TN State Coordinator

R.F. Lawrence; Board Member

Susan Widdowson; Board Member, GA State Coordinator

Thomas S Schmitz; Chairman of the Board, CA State Coordinator

AGU looks forward to coming together and making sure that on November 6, 2012 we retain the House, seize the Senate and ensure that our new President of the United States has a congress of common sense, constitutional, conservative public servants.

By keeping our determination and our commitment intact. We can advance, strengthen, and carry on this organized entity that works together toward the restoration of our founder’s values and principles – on every level of government.

This is 2012. This is an election year. Our work continues. Let’s restore America.

Thomas S Schmitz

American Grizzlies United; Chairman

American Grizzlies United Website: http://americangrizzlies.com/

Follow AGU on Twitter: @AGUGrizzlies

Follow O4P on Twitter: @O4Palin

Follow S4P on Twitter: @_Students4Palin

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Follow AGU on Facebook: American Grizzlies United (AGU)

Subscribe to the AGU You-Tube Channel: AmericanGrizzliesU

Cannibals in GOP Establishment Employ Tactics of the Left

2012-01-27T14:03:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

We have witnessed something very disturbing this week. The Republican establishment which fought Ronald Reagan in the 1970s and which continues to fight the grassroots Tea Party movement today has adopted the tactics of the left in using the media and the politics of personal destruction to attack an opponent.

We will look back on this week and realize that something changed. I have given numerous interviews wherein I espoused the benefits of thorough vetting during aggressive contested primary elections, but this week’s tactics aren’t what I meant. Those who claim allegiance to Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment should stop and think about where we are today. Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater, the fathers of the modern conservative movement, would be ashamed of us in this primary. Let me make clear that I have no problem with the routine rough and tumble of a heated campaign. As I said at the first Tea Party convention two years ago, I am in favor of contested primaries and healthy, pointed debate. They help focus candidates and the electorate. I have fought in tough and heated contested primaries myself. But what we have seen in Florida this week is beyond the pale. It was unprecedented in GOP primaries. I’ve seen it before – heck, I lived it before – but not in a GOP primary race.

I am sadly too familiar with these tactics because they were used against the GOP ticket in 2008. The left seeks to single someone out and destroy his or her record and reputation and family using the media as a channel to dump handpicked and half-baked campaign opposition research on the public. The difference in 2008 was that I was largely unknown to the American public, so they had no way of differentiating between the lies and the truth. All of it came at them at once as “facts” about me. But Newt Gingrich is known to us – both the good and the bad.

We know that Newt fought in the trenches during the Reagan Revolution. As Rush Limbaugh pointed out, Newt was among a handful of Republican Congressman who would regularly take to the House floor to defend Reagan at a time when conservatives didn’t have Fox News or talk radio or conservative blogs to give any balance to the liberal mainstream media. Newt actually came at Reagan’s administration “from the right” to remind Americans that freer markets and tougher national defense would win our future. But this week a few handpicked and selectively edited comments which Newt made during his 40-year career were used to claim that Newt was somehow anti-Reagan, and isn’t conservative enough to go against the accepted moderate in the primary race. (I know, it makes no sense, and the GOP establishment hopes you won’t stop and think about this nonsense. Mark Levin and others have shown the ridiculousness of this.) To add insult to injury, this “anti-Reagan” claim was made by a candidate who admitted to not even supporting or voting for Reagan. He actually was against the Reagan movement, donated to liberal candidates, and said he didn’t want to go back to the Reagan days. You can’t change history. We know that Newt Gingrich brought the Reagan Revolution into the 1990s. We know it because none other than Nancy Reagan herself announced this when she presented Newt with an award, telling us, “The dramatic movement of 1995 is an outgrowth of a much earlier crusade that goes back half a century. Barry Goldwater handed the torch to Ronnie, and in turn Ronnie turned that torch over to Newt and the Republican members of Congress to keep that dream alive.” As Rush and others pointed out, if Nancy Reagan had ever thought that Newt was in any way an opponent of her beloved husband, she would never have even appeared on a stage with him, let alone presented him with an award and said such kind things about him. Nor would Reagan’s son, Michael Reagan, have chosen to endorse Newt in this primary race. There are no two greater keepers of the Reagan legacy than Nancy and Michael Reagan. What we saw with this ridiculous opposition dump on Newt was nothing short of Stanlin-esque re-writing of history. It was Alinsky tactics at their worst.

But this whole thing isn’t really about Newt Gingrich vs. Mitt Romney. It is about the GOP establishment vs. the Tea Party grassroots and independent Americans who are sick of the politics of personal destruction used now by both parties’ operatives with a complicit media egging it on. In fact, the establishment has been just as dismissive of Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. Newt is an imperfect vessel for Tea Party support, but in South Carolina the Tea Party chose to get behind him instead of the old guard’s choice. In response, the GOP establishment voices denounced South Carolinian voters with the same vitriol we usually see from the left when they spew hatred at everyday Americans “bitterly clinging” to their faith and their Second Amendment rights. The Tea Party was once again told to sit down and shut up and listen to the “wisdom” of their betters. We were reminded of the litany of Tea Party endorsed candidates in 2010 that didn’t win. Well, here’s a little newsflash to the establishment: without the Tea Party there would have been no historic 2010 victory at all.

I spoke up before the South Carolina primary to urge voters there to keep this primary going because I have great concern about the GOP establishment trying to anoint a candidate without the blessing of the grassroots and all the needed energy and resources we as commonsense constitutional conservatives could bring to the general election in order to defeat President Obama. Now, I respect Governor Romney and his success. But there are serious concerns about his record and whether as a politician he consistently applied conservative principles and how this impacts the agenda moving forward. The questions need answers now. That is why this primary should not be rushed to an end. We need to vet this. Pundits in the Beltway are gleefully proclaiming that this primary race is over after Florida, despite 46 states still not having chimed in. Well, perhaps it’s possible that it will come to a speedy end in just four days; but with these questions left unanswered, it will not have come to a satisfactory conclusion. Without this necessary vetting process, the unanswered question of Governor Romney’s conservative bona fides and the unanswered and false attacks on Newt Gingrich will hang in the air to demoralize many in the electorate. The Tea Party grassroots will certainly feel disenfranchised and disenchanted with the perceived orchestrated outcome from self-proclaimed movers and shakers trying to sew this all up. And, trust me, during the general election, Governor Romney’s statements and record in the private sector will be relentlessly parsed over by the opposition in excruciating detail to frighten off swing voters. This is why we need a fair primary that is not prematurely cut short by the GOP establishment using Alinsky tactics to kneecap Governor Romney’s chief rival.

As I said in my speech in Iowa last September, the challenge of this election is not simply to replace President Obama. The real challenge is who and what we will replace him with. It’s not enough to just change up the uniform. If we don’t change the team and the game plan, we won’t save our country. We truly need sudden and relentless reform in Washington to defend our republic, though it’s becoming clearer that the old guard wants anything but that. That is why we should all be concerned by the tactics employed by the establishment this week. We will not save our country by becoming like the left. And I question whether the GOP establishment would ever employ the same harsh tactics they used on Newt against Obama. I didn’t see it in 2008. Many of these same characters sat on their thumbs in ‘08 and let Obama escape unvetted. Oddly, they’re now using every available microscope and endoscope – along with rewriting history – in attempts to character assassinate anyone challenging their chosen one in their own party’s primary. So, one must ask, who are they really running against?

- Sarah Palin

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150516734848435.

American Grizzlies United (AGU) 2012 Agenda; O4P & Beyond

2012-01-27T13:44:00.000-09:00

AGU’s history and accomplishments:

In 2010 American Grizzlies United (AGU) introduced two projects: Organize4Palin (O4P) and Students4Palin (S4P). The original goal of the O4P project was to help Governor Sarah Palin’s endorsed candidates get elected to office.

With only two months to learn the ropes, O4P worked tirelessly in the 2010 election cycle. O4P, knocked on doors, made phone calls, waved signs, walked precincts, and circumvented the establishment party machine and brought about real change.

O4P had a 67% success rate in the 2010 mid-terms.

O4P helped Governor Palin elect: 1 Secretary of State, 2 Attorneys General, 6 Senators, 7 Governors, and 37 House Reps.

After the 2010 midterm elections O4P volunteered our nation wide network to help with the promotion of Victory Film Group’s The Undefeated. By using our personal connections, modern technology, and the good old fashioned telephone, O4P volunteers worked tirelessly to help fill strategically selected theaters on opening weekend.

On a per screen basis O4P’s citizen activism helped The Undefeated hold it’s own against Harry Potter, The Transformers, and Winnie the Pooh.

Even the Los Angeles Times was so impressed by the ability to use practically no marketing money, they conceded:

“This is a new model that is going to benefit the entire entertainment industry and audiences who want to see unique products”

After The Undefeated opened, O4P began laying the ground work for a Sarah Palin 2012 Presidential run.

That nation wide ground work and structure remains intact today.

At this time, Governor Palin is not seeking the GOP nomination.

AGU’s plans for 2012:

In the 2012 election cycle O4P will again help candidates who are endorsed by Sarah Palin.

Additionally, AGU will help candidates that are endorsed by YOU.

AGU will help vetted, down ticket candidates (all the way down to the local level) who are:

- Good candidates who put country first.

- Good candidates who understand that energy independence is the key element of our economic security and betterment that all Americans want and deserve.

- Good candidates who believe in American Exceptionalism.

- And lastly, good candidates who understand that American foreign policy should, above all, be founded in our national interest, and not the interests of others.

Check out the new AGU website HERE: American Grizzlies United

AGU has already received many requests from Tea Party candidates running for office in 2012.

In the coming weeks our volunteers will be receiving resources to help educate and empower ordinary citizens.

One of these resources is: The Grizzly Doctrine; A Crib Sheet. This manuscript will provide a framework for discussion about the honest and ethical policies that all Americans should expect from our leaders. Besides covering the issues that Americans are concerned with, the manuscipt helps educate ordinary citizen volunteers on the best ways to approach potential voters to discuss candidates positions.

Another AGU resource: Citizen Activism Guide; showcases volunteerism, vetting, and organizing your precinct.

AGU feels strongly that there is only one way to put America back on the right track. And that is through an engaged citizenry. An engaged citizenry is key to effectively govern and pass the agenda of sudden and relentless reform that our republic is in need of.

Through an engaged citizenry AGU believes we have a unique opportunity to build a better future for all.

With O4P helping candidates that are endorsed by Governor Palin and AGU concentrating on down ticket local races; our agenda for 2012 is to educate and empower ordinary citizens to come together and make sure that on November 6, 2012 America elects candidates on every level of government who will stop the out of control, out of touch, liberal agenda of Barack Obama.

Students4Palin (S4P):

Students4Palin (S4P), the official student wing of American Grizzlies United (AGU), inspires and facilitates political action in young people across the country. S4P is a convenient, one-stop shop of important news and information about citizen activism for busy young adults. S4P prepares young people to serve as vehicles and public servants for other like-minded young people as they connect and engage with one another.

Other upcoming activities:

AGU will have a presence at CPAC and we’ve got tons of cool free things to give out (courtesy of O4P-CA’s essexandorange1773.com) Check out the Sarah SWAG package available at E & O: SARAH SWAG 4 CPAC

AGU will be helping out at Grizzly Fest’s Winter Summit

New AGU Organization Structure:

Due to AGU’s expansion, the position and duties of National Director have been transferred to a 5 member Board of Directors.

Actions and decisions on the National level are now approved by a simple majority vote.

AGU Board of Directors:

Martha Cano; Board Member, TX State Coordinator

Mary Beth House; Board Member, TN State Coordinator

R.F. Lawrence; Board Member

Susan Widdowson; Board Member, GA State Coordinator

Thomas S Schmitz; Chairman of the Board, CA State Coordinator

AGU looks forward to coming together and making sure that on November 6, 2012 we retain the House, seize the Senate and ensure that our new President of the United States has a congress of common sense, constitutional, conservative public servants.

By keeping our determination and our commitment intact. We can advance, strengthen, and carry on this organized entity that works together toward the restoration of our founder’s values and principles – on every level of government.

This is 2012. This is an election year. Our work continues. Let’s restore America.

Thomas S Schmitz

American Grizzlies United; Chairman

American Grizzlies United Website: http://americangrizzlies.com/

Follow AGU on Twitter: @AGUGrizzlies

Follow O4P on Twitter: @O4Palin

Follow S4P on Twitter: @_Students4Palin

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Follow AGU on Facebook: American Grizzlies United (AGU)

Subscribe to the AGU You-Tube Channel: AmericanGrizzliesU

Three Years Ago Today...

2012-01-27T13:05:00.000-09:00

SarahPAC Supporter,

It has been three years since Sarah Palin founded SarahPAC with a mission to stop the dangerous fundamental transformation that is taking place in America. Our founding fathers established America on the principles of freedom, hard work, honesty and independence, setting the course for American exceptionalism. These values have carried us through world wars, foreign attacks and economic hardships. Our founding core values create a strong America.

Today, crony capitalism and cradle-to-grave government interference in our lives are eroding these values, in the fundamental shift in our ideals. Three years ago we made it our goal to stop this transformation, and today our goal remains the same: to empower American patriots to protect their independence from the encroachment of government.

You have fought with us against the invasion of big government. Because of your courage, Washington has been reminded that their responsibility is to the American people not Washington insiders. As Americans, we have made our voice known, refusing to accept the politics-as-usual mentality.

But our work is not finished. There is still urgency. Because Obama continues to press his crushing agenda upon us, and the critical battle over the White House, Senate and House approaches this year. We must ensure that officials understand its strength lies in the American people. Hardworking American people build our cities, American people grow our food and American people lead the world in technology and innovation.

At SarahPAC, we are leading the fight to restore our foundations, never apologizing for America and always defending our core principles. Elections will determine whether this dangerous fundamental transformation is allowed to continue or whether our founding principles will be restored. You can make your stand by supporting SarahPAC and help Governor Palin support the candidates she believes share her vision for this country.

On the third Anniversary of SarahPAC, the work to restore American founding principles is as critical as ever, and SarahPAC needs your help. We are honored by the sacred trust you have placed with us through your donations. Please send your best gift possible to SarahPAC today.

Thank you for joining in our fight to preserve the America we know and love!

Tim Crawford
Treasurer, SarahPAC

Paid for by SarahPAC
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee
www.SarahPAC.com

P.O. Box 7711
Arlington, VA 22207

Gov Palin on Stossel: Obama's Policies are Shared Misery

2012-01-26T19:06:00.000-09:00

Obama promised "more government growth and centralized federal government planning to create a utopia for us....[The State of the Union] was frustrating to watch....Socialism is shared misery," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said on her premiere interview with John Stossel from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. On Obama's line about using an "all of the above approach" to energy - a line he ripped from Gov. Palin - she said, "maybe he's come around in his rhetoric, because it's an election year." Gov. Palin noted that many Gulf oil rigs closed during his drilling moratorium and would take months or years to return following the removal of the moratorium.

Obama never spoke about ANWR, drilling, Solyndra, or our massive debt and deficit, she said.

"People want to believe the best," about politicians, Gov. Palin said, but she said "voters should step back and do a little research," even though "we have lives, and are raising children," and do not devote our lives to politics.

Gov. Palin reiterated her position on Ron Paul. She does not support his isolationist foreign policy, but said "he is the only one who is passionate about doing something about our debt. His austerity measures are spot on."

Gov. Palin also said the GOP establishment and the liberal media do not like Newt Gingrich and are "crucifying him," trafficking in falsehoods. She regarded Peggy Noonan's "angry muffin" assessment as little more than pure hypocrisy, since one candidate was being targeted for something all are doing. Gov. Palin said she had dealt with it for her 20 years in politics.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Alaska Airlines’ Prayer Cards; It’s Hip to be offended?

2012-01-26T13:39:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

It seems astonishing that someone would be offended by a simple prayer card placed on an airline’s meal tray, but I guess that’s the politically correct world we live in now. A few days ago, Rev. Franklin Graham gave me a heads up that Alaska Airlines may discontinue its nice, decades-long Alaskan tradition of including a little prayer card on flight meal trays. Rev. Graham is a frequent flyer to Alaska on Alaska Airlines because of his missionary work. Of course, as an Alaskan I’m also a frequent flyer on this airlines, which always seems to provide superb service. When I heard from Rev. Graham, I immediately sent the following letter to the CEO and President of Alaska Airlines.
It feels so odd that some may be offended by a little card with an encouraging non-denominational verse from the Psalms, but how often do we hear complaints about tawdry ads or billboard images flashing at us everywhere we turn? People of faith and common decency just shrug and move on from the constant assault on their sensibilities; we don’t call for censorship – at least I don’t. So, why in this day and age must every reference to faith in God be censored from the public square? Why must a private company buckle under pressure from a handful of people who find a little card saying “the Lord is my shepherd” offensive? I’m sure there are many more people who appreciate the cards, or at least are ambivalent about them.
Is it any wonder that people of faith feel their beliefs are constantly marginalized or even under outright attack when we hear reports like this and stories about Catholic institutions being forced to sue the Obama administration over their right to conscience objections? This Alaska Airlines story is just about a simple meal card, but for these Catholic institutions it’s about an issue that cuts to the heart of their deepest religious beliefs.
Here is the letter I sent to Alaska Airlines, and I encourage other customers to let their voices be heard. Granted, it’s hip to wage war on American traditions lately – especially anything faith-based – but for many of us it’s just not in our DNA to merely shrug off the nonsensical attacks on positive, inspiring, and (in my opinion) needed encouragement today.
Dear Mr. Ayer and Mr. Tilden:

Thank you for your tremendous service to Alaskans and so many others over all these years! We love Alaska Airlines. As I tell everyone, it is my favorite.

In my book “Going Rogue” I gave a special shout-out to airline employees because of the extraordinary customer service and good attitudes I witness on flights that my family and I take around this great country. It’s inspiring and impressive to see the sweet spirit of hard working airline employees shine, in spite of sometimes difficult people and circumstances dealt with everyday.

Also inspiring and impressive, and very encouraging, is the special touch Alaska Airlines has blessed fliers with for many years. Your small prayer cards that remind us of the beauty of thankfulness have never ceased to amaze me. In this tumultuous world, finding this little tangible reminder of such an important virtue is always uplifting! Thank you for providing the cards.

It’s come to my attention that the cards may be discontinued due to a few who are offended. I really hope this is just a rumor. Please remain strong and courageous in the face of a cultural trend that wants to wage war on any positive thing that a few may construe as offensive. The Alaska Airlines tradition should be looked upon as an all-American, hopeful, encouraging gesture. Please don’t discontinue the cards.

Thank you again for your service!

Sarah Palin and family

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150514412393435.

SarahPAC Gears Up for Elections

2012-01-26T13:34:00.000-09:00

Ed. Note: This SarahPAC fund-raising letter was customized to each donor and geared for check mail-in. In re-typing, the original document has been slightly modified to obfuscate personal information and to bring donors to the online donation page. As Mr. Crawford wrote, Gov. Palin will be aggressively campaigning nationwide so we can retain the House, take the Senate, and the White House. Her work will rise above endorsements to include supporting candidates on the stump. These activities require our support.

January 20, 2012

With just 10 months left until Election Day, Barack Obama is showing the American people yet again why he can't be trusted, why he can't lead, and why he must be defeated this November.

Against the advice of even federal advisers, he doled out more than $500 MILLION of our tax dollars to his "green jobs" cronies at Solyndra - where it promptly disappeared after they filed for bankruptcy.
He thumbed his nose at Congress and appointed a nominee to head up his new "Consumer Protection Agency" without congressional approval. Senator Mitch McConnell called it an unprecedented power grab that "arrogantly circumvented the American people."
Obama's disastrous economic policies led to our nation's first credit "down-grade." And Obama still wants to raise the debt ceiling!
And while he just slashed our military budget, he's raising welfare spending by $900 MILLION.

Barack Obama's so-called "change" has forced Americans into unconstitutional "Obamacare"...higher taxes...and a weakened national security.

And if his out-of-control spending isn't stopped, he will endanger the economic security of future generations of Americans by leading us into European-style debt crisis.

That's not change... it's socialism. And it's crushing the American Spirit that made our nation great.

Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they wrote the U.S. Constitution. They designed a government that works for the people... not the other way around.

A government that thrives on hard work - not hand-outs.
A government that will live within its means - not mortgage our children's future to pay for today's bureaucratic waste.
And a government that will maintain a strong national defense - not bow down to nations who despise us and our way of life.

Barack Obama has forgotten the values that made our nation great. But Gov. Palin hasn't.

And if you're ready to help her elect fiscally-conservative, pro-family, pro-America patriots on Election Day, then please [click the SarahPAC graphic] to send your best gift today.

You and I both know the power a Sarah Palin endorsement will carry in these elections....especially when it comes to defeating Barack Obama.

That's why we need to be ready to strike at a moment's notice. And that means we need a war chest that can go head-to-head with Obama's.

You've given as much as [redacted] to SarahPAC before. You helped us take back the House in the crucial 2010 mid-term elections.

But now everything is on the line. Control of the House. The Senate. And the White House.

with so much at stake, Gov. Palin is counting on your best gift possible today. Thank you for standing with her again!

Sincerely,

Tim Crawford

SarahPAC Finance Director

P.S. It's not enough to complain about Obama's arrogance and his socialist agenda. Gov. Palin is ready to help defeat him - but she needs the support of freedom-loving citizens like you to help her shape the debate, campaign across the country, and throw the full weight of SarahPAC behind every candidate she endorses. Will you help us take back our nation this November? If so, please [click the graphic now to] rush your ...gift ...to Gov. Palin today. Thank you again!

Check donors, please make checks payable to "SarahPAC" and mail to:

SarahPAC

PO Box 220700

Arlington, VA 22207-9500

Paid for by SarahPAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

www.SarahPAC.com

Gov Palin on Bolling: No Run, No Endorse, Unite, GOP Field Strong

2012-01-23T18:46:00.000-09:00

"We've got candidates who can do the job. We can't be spewing negative rhetoric against them. We need to be united. I'm proud of the American voter," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in the closing moments of a TV interview with Fox Business' Eric Bolling from her home in Wasilla, Alaska as her fireplace roared behind her. Gov. Palin's statement was in response to Bolling's "are you running? Your supporters hear you and think you should run!" Gov. Palin said that with voter vetting, the GOP field will produce a candidate who will be successful in taking on Obama in the general election.

Gov. Palin said Florida voters should tune into what the media is doing and see if they are being fair. She also cautioned voters to watch and observe the elites in the GOP machine. "They're content with crony capitalism," she said. "If they seem to be unfairly attacking, run and vote in the opposite direction." Gov. Palin further cautioned Florida voters to observe which candidates have cut budgets and government growth. "We need Reaganesque in the White House," and someone who can work on both sides of the aisle, Gov. Palin said.

Gov. Palin also said the media will try to "tamp down the influence of the Tea Party movement. Gingrich, Paul, Santorum, even Romney have all promoted Reaganesque low tax, free-market policies. Do not ignore the roar of Tea Party patriots," Gov. Palin said.

"I want an even playing field. The media is goading Romney to release his tax returns," but Gov. Palin noted that no such goading has occurred with Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, neither of whom are releasing their returns. Gingrich had been goaded to release his tax returns and Freddie Mac contract. "some people want to pick an issue to hang on one candidate. If one candidate is being goaded to release tax returns, they all should be, Gov. Palin said.

Gov. Palin said that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie "made a rookie mistake" by saying that Newt Gingrich "is an embarrassment to the Republican Party" for various reasons. "He played right into the media's hands." In what has become the takeaway from this interview, Gov. Palin said, "sometimes when your candidates loses in one step, you kind of get your panties in a wad. It reflects a lack of self-discipline." Gov. Palin reiterated that it was a "rookie mistake" and that Gov. Christie had been in office only a year or two. She made reference to his use of a state helicopter to attend his child's ball game, a move that could be seen as embarrassing to the Republican Party. "He'll learn that the media goad you. He just produced an ad for the Democrats to use if Newt is the nominee," Gov. Palin said. She added that Gingrich fought HillaryCare, balanced budgets and worked with the Democrats on key legislation such as welfare reform.

On Obama's forthcoming State of the Union address, Gov. Palin predicted "it will be more reflecting of the failed policies of Obama. He is going to try to explain that getting deeper into debt will get us out of debt. The American public was awakened. His speech is so Orwellian. He is the opposite of what we need. That is why people are rising up and boldly going against him and calling him a socialist if need be. He needs policies to drag everyone down to level the playing field in his vision," she said. Gov. Palin said that our President's policies should uplift everyone, and that's done by re-industrializing, eliminating the corporate tax, reducing the size of the federal government, and allowing free markets to thrive.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin on Hannity: Endorsement Not Worth Hill of Beans; More Vetting

2012-01-23T17:47:00.002-09:00

"My endorsement still isn't worth a hill of beans," but Florida voters should ask who is the best Reagan conservative, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a two-segment TV interview from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska. President Reagan "decreased federal spending and lowered tax rates," she said. Gov. Palin said voters should listen to those who worked for President Reagan, such as Art Laffer.

Gov. Palin also exhorted voters to "pay close attention to a candidate's prior experience," noting that "Barack Obama was shaped by Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, and Saul Alinksy."

"I want the vetting to continue. I am not going to endorse tonight. I wan the candidates to produce and to show that they have the core convictions, and record of accomplishments and are not flip-flopping around like a halibut," Gov. Palin said.

Gov. Palin stood firm in her criticism of NJ Governor Chris Christie because "he played into the leftist media's hands. We are sick of the media's games and of them telling us who our candidate should be." She quipped that perhaps "Gov. Christie taking a state-own helicopter to his kids' ball game might be embarrassing to the Republican party."

On Romney's negative campaigning, Gov. Palin said, "of course it has a chance of back-firing. But in a rough-and-tumble contested primary every candidate should expect this." Gov. Palin, however, cautioned all the candidates to not lose focus on Obama and his failed policies.

Gov. Palin praised Romney's forthcoming release of his tax returns and Gingrich's forthcoming release of his contract with Freddie Mac. She noted that as a VP candidate, her husband Todd had to prepare many years of tax returns and financial documents for release. "Though it's not required by law, it's a tradition and an expectation of transparency," she said.

Gov. Palin noted that South Carolina is the latest primary and there were a lot of independent Tea Party patriots voting. She cautioned Romney, as she has several times before "to reach out to those who feel they are taxed enough already and not expect the GOP machine and the media to carry all his water." Gov. Palin said a successful candidate in this election will need to give credence to the Tea Party.

Gov. Palin said she would endorse a candidate "at some point" - knowing that it contradicts her statement about it not being worth a hill of beans, because "you keep bugging me for it," she said jokingly. Hannity responded, "You were a journalist once, you had to do this at least once in your life."

"I know," Gov. Palin said. "You're doing great."

Hannity requested that Gov. Palin let him know who her endorsed candidate would be when the time comes, but she made no statement about it one way or the other.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov Palin on Fox: Still Early; 47 States Left to Go

2012-01-22T08:31:00.001-09:00

"It's still early in the process, and there are 47 states left to go; or if you're Barack Obama, we still have 54 states left to go," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said last night about the South Carolina primary's results on Fox News with Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. The interview lasted only 37 seconds, because Gov. Palin was preempted by Ron Paul's speech. She returned later in the hour to complete the interview.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin on Fox: More Vetting, Ideas Better for Electorate; No Endorse

2012-01-21T18:36:00.000-09:00

More vetting and ideas is better for the electorate, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said on Fox News in a TV interview with Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Gov. Palin would not endorse any candidate tonight but noted that her husband Todd did endorse Newt Gingrich. "Todd is all about Carhartts and steel toe shoes," she said and he believes Gingrich is the best candidate for the working class. Todd based his endorsement on Gingrich having balanced budgets and fighting HillaryCare, and overcoming his own adversities.

Baier asked Gov. Palin if she would ask Florida voters to vote for a specific candidate like she had with South Carolina and if all the candidates should stay in the race or if there should be more consolidation. Gov. Palin said that Rick Perry was a patriot who "took one for the conservative team," and that Rick Santorum tonight gave "an awesome speech" which was about work and work ethic. Gov. Palin does not believe further consolidation is needed at this time. She urged Florida voters to listen to the candidates directly and specifically on their plans to get government off our backs and allow "the private sector to grow and thrive."

At the beginning of the interview, Baier apologized to Gov. Palin for cutting her off, as Ron Paul came on to give his speech. She supported his decision, saying, "it was more important to go to a warrior in the field than an arm-chair quarterback."

Gov. Palin was to be on the air with Judge Jeanine Pirro, however, that show was pre-empted by the post-election candidate speeches in South Carolina.

According to Fox News, Gingrich won South Carolina by 41%, with Mitt Romney a distant second in trail at 27%, Rick Santorum at 17% and Ron Paul at 13%.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

American Grizzlies United 2012

2012-01-21T14:41:00.001-09:00

American Grizzlies United Board of Directors:

Martha Cano; AGU Board Member, O4P-TX State Coordinator

Mary Beth House; AGU Board Member, AGU Tech Director, O4P-TN State Coordinator

Susan Widdowson; AGU Board Member, O4P-GA State Coordinator

R.F. Lawrence; AGU Board Member

Thomas S Schmitz; AGU Chairman of the Board, O4P-CA State Coordinator

Follow AGU on Twitter: @AGUGrizzlies

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Follow AGU on Facebook: American Grizzlies United (AGU)

Subscribe to the AGU You-Tube Channel: AmericanGrizzliesU

BigFoot vs Mitt Romney

2012-01-20T16:50:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In the midst of the seriousness of this 2012 election cycle, this humorous video by PassCodeCreative will make you smile, as it simultaneously makes a point:

To see SarahPAC videos that PassCodeCreative has made, visit their YouTube channel here.

Benyamin Korn Highlights the Palin "Grizzly" Factor

2012-01-20T15:39:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Benyamin Korn, publisher of Jews For Sarah, penned an article for The New York Sun today in which he highlights the power Governor Palin continues to wield although she is not on any GOP ballot. He writes:

Who is the leader of the “Not-Romney” movement within today’s GOP?

Is it Newt Gingrich, whose surge in the South Carolina opinion polls puts him within striking distance of front-runner Mitt in tomorrow’s vote?

Is it Ron Paul, whose dedicated core of “hard-money” but isolationist supporters gives him 15 to 20% in every Republican contest?

Or is it Rick Santorum, recently endorsed by a raft of Christian evangelical leaders?

For my dollar, the leader is Sarah Palin, whose endorsements continue to carry more weight among conservatives than any other national figure and who is well-positioned to play a king-making role in the 2012 elections similar to her “Mama Grizzly” performance guiding the Republican surge in 2010.

How did this happen? She’s not running. She’s in Alaska. Since declaring herself a non-candidate at the beginning of October, Mrs. Palin has kept a pretty low profile.

[...]

Recent weeks have seen a resurgence of the Grizzly factor.

Mr. Korn's piece dissects Governor Palin's influence, even from distant Wasilla, Alaska. He explains how one word spoken by the Governor has translated into undeniable results.

He ends his article with this:

So what is next for the politician The New York Sun calls “the alert Alaskan”? For now, to keep the GOP pot boiling.

She is able to do so because millions think she is brilliant, incorruptible, and knows how to lead. Many of them hope she will still get into this race, but she has insisted that in this political season she will make her contribution from the side-lines with the goal of a Republican president in 2013.

Read the full article here.

(h/t Kenton Lodwick)

AK's Bob and Mark: ACES Works, Defeat AK HB-110

2012-01-20T02:40:00.000-09:00

The Palin family's 16-year friends and now sole supporters on the Alaskan airwaves - Bob and Mark - yesterday devoted over a half hour of their show to Gov. Parnell's naked attempts to undermine and undo Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share (ACES), which is one of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's signature accomplishments.
ACES is a graduated tax system, whereby taxes on oil and gas revenues increase as the value of the resource increases - in the case of oil above $52 per barrel. A portion of this money goes into state savings and another portion is distributed to all Alaskans via the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). Another point often missed when discussing ACES is that it contains a built-in incentive to explore and drill new fields by levying little or no tax when these operations are being conducted. Tax credits are given to develop new infrastructure and reinvest in existing infrastructure.

ACES was developed with strong bi-partisan support to supplant the Petroleum Profits Tax. Governor Palin signed ACES into law on December 19, 2007. It is one of her signature accomplishments.

Gov. Parnell made a prior attempt to scuttle ACES during last year's legislative session. Despite his attempts to extort passage of the repeal, the attempt died in the Alaskan State Senate. Governor Parnell - who literally thinks Alaskans and the state surplus are benefiting too much from ACES - is gearing up for another attempt in this year's legislative session according to Bob and Mark. HB 110 has been introduced and Gov. Parnell - who Bob and Mark refer to as "Gov. Jellyfish" - used his State of the State address as a bully pulpit to push the bill's passage in this year's legislative session.

On April 7, 2011 Gov. Parnell bizarrely asked, “Really, how much [money] is enough?” referring to the money going into Alaska’s state surplus from taxes on oil and gas revenues derived from ACES.

Yes, unlike most other states in the union, thanks to Gov. Parnell's predecessor - Sarah Palin - Alaska has a surplus. In Bizarre: AK Gov. Parnell asks "How much $ is Enough" for Surplus, I wrote:

He operates on the fanciful notion that by doing away with ACES, the top three oil companies will drill and explore in Alaska. Those shilling for the oil companies rail about what a “horrible” place Alaska is to do business, yet Alaska has some of the lowest taxes and much better working conditions than most of the nations these companies find preferable. Since ACES became law in 2007, Alaska has seen an increase in the amount of energy industry jobs....
Gov. Parnell - who US for Palin supported under the mistaken notion that he would continue the Palin mandate - wants to forgo an estimated $8 billion in guaranteed income over five years on the fantasy that big oil companies will ramp up exploration. Meanwhile, the small independent operators who want to drill then ship through the pipeline are charged prohibitive tariffs by the pipeline owners - the big three oil companies.

Bob and Mark noted that by Alaska's State Constitution, its citizens - not the oil companies - own the oil, gas, and mineral deposits. ACES ensures that the state, and its citizens benefit from the resources they own. The oil companies are levied a tax that is fair and despite what Gov. Parnell and other shills say, Alaska is a very profitable place for them to do business.
Even Hollis French, a Democrat Alaska State Senator - who post-August 2008 was no friend of Gov. Palin - said the state needs to "tie tax relief to more investment."

Gov. Parnell and those advocating HB-110 want to give the oil companies something for nothing. ACES gives Alaskans something based on something they own.

"ACES works, it's been working, and will continue to work," Bob and Mark said.

GO ACES!

American Grizzlies United (AGU) 2012

2012-01-19T14:17:00.000-09:00

[ad]

American Grizzlies United Board of Directors:

Martha Cano; AGU Board Member, O4P-TX State Coordinator

Mary Beth House; AGU Board Member, AGU Tech Director, O4P-TN State Coordinator

Susan Widdowson; AGU Board Member, O4P-GA State Coordinator

R.F. Lawrence; AGU Board Member

Thomas S Schmitz; AGU Chairman of the Board, O4P-CA State Coordinator

Follow AGU on Twitter: @AGUGrizzlies

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Follow AGU on Facebook: American Grizzlies United (AGU)

Subscribe to the AGU You-Tube Channel: AmericanGrizzliesU

Gov Palin on Hannity Radio: Poltics of Destruction by Dumb-Arses

2012-01-19T13:26:00.001-09:00

"For being so brilliant, they are so dumb," Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today said about the liberal media and "holier than thou Republicans" who are hot on the trail of both Newt Gringrich's divorce from 11 years ago and Mitt Romney's holdings in the Cayman Islands. Gov. Palin gave her statements on Hannity's radio show referring to those who are pushing both stories as "dumb-arses." Gov. Palin said both candidates were being "McGinnissed," a reference to the stalker who moved in next door to Gov. Palin so he could conduct a months-long dirt-digging campaign to write a libelous smear book about her.

While enemies of Romney and Gingrich both engage in politics of politics of personal destruction, the Obama administration has killed the Keystone XL pipeline, making us more dependent on foreign oil, much of it from enemy nations.

"More and more Americans are fed up with this and that is why they go to Fox News," Gov. Palin said.

On Romney's holdings, Gov. Palin said he paid his legally required corporate and capital gains taxes on them, thus he did nothing illegal.

Gov. Palin said; however, that the more vetting that takes place, it's better for the candidate and the voters. "We don't want to make the same mistake we made" when Obama was elected without being vetted.

Regarding the nontroversy surrounding Newt Gingrich's statement about 13-year-olds being able to be janitors, Gov. Palin said she did precisely that work in her high school and early college days to raise tuition money.

"The people of South Carolina know what is going on. Their eyes are open....the vote will be reflective of the wisdom of the people of South Carolina. We're not going to let the media pick our candidate," she said.

Audio Transcript retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin on Hannity: Vote Newt in SC "to keep this thing going"

2012-01-17T18:08:00.001-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin joined Sean Hannity tonight from her home in Wasilla, Alaska to discuss last night’s South Carolina Republican debate. Hannity asked the Governor if she was ready to endorse a candidate. Palin said “if I had to voting in South Carolina, in order to keep this thing going, I would vote for Newt”.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Synopsis by Ray of SarahNET

SarahNET Radio Interviews Y4P's Nicki Scroggin

2012-01-16T14:55:00.001-09:00

Youth for Palin's (Y4P) mentor and leader Nicki Scroggin yesterday discussed the group's goals and objectives in an interview with Kevin Scholla, who hosts "The Palin Update" on SarahNET Radio. Scroggin explained that Y4P chose not to get involved with the draft/reconsider/write-in movement, because former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin "said no" to running and "gave the order" to vet candidates. Scroggin said she was listening to Gov. Palin's words and following her examples and orders. Y4P has compiled resumes, biographies, and other information the candidates so that voters could make a more informed decision.

Scholla also briefly discussed Todd Palin's endorsement of Gingrich and Larry the Cable Guy's visit to the Heaths and Palins earlier in the week.

Gov. Palin on Pirro: No Endorsement, No SC Predicted Winner

2012-01-14T18:55:00.000-09:00

"I want to help the cause, not hurt the cause. At this point, I'm vetting candidates like everyone else...I'm going to vet, live life and keep the fires burning at home," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a two-segment TV interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro from her home in Wasilla, Alaska as her fireplace roared behind her.

Tonight's interview mainly pertained to former Arkansas Governor Michael Huckabee's South Carolina question and answer forum for the field of declared candidates. Gov. Palin said she found no surprises from the forum. She cautioned the GOP to not "take a page out of Obama's playbook. GOP, let's not do that! No question should be censored or banned. All issues should be on the table. I'm a free-market capitalist. I understand the private sector and creative destruction, how jobs come and go."

Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin what she thought Newt Gingrich directly making a negative statement against Mitt Romney in violation of the forum's rules. "I didn't tune in to it at the beginning to see what the rules were. We are busy. People have lives to run. these candidates must be concise, have solutions and not just throw out soundbites," Gov. Palin said.

People want to know "who is it that is best to undo what Obama has done to this country? Our debt is equal to our entire GDP."

Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin if this election would be about class warfare. "Well, President Obama would like this election to be about class warfare. I don't think most Americans are envious of those who have succeeded," she said.

Regarding an Evangelical group supporting Santorum, Gov. Palin said, "I think it is a strong message of support for Santorum. Value voters are important, but jobs is the number one issue. People are losing jobs and homes. Jobs, and the economy are an even more driving force. Seventy percent of jobs in South Carolina are from small businesses. They need certainty....Nothing has gotten better under Barack Obama," Gov. Palin said.

She would not predict a winner in South Carolina's primary, which is a week from today. "I don't know, Judge. Value voters will come out strong," Gov. Palin said followed by a reiteration of "I don't know."

Judge Pirro noted that Santorum was selling his sweater vest. Gov. Palin said she would buy it if the proceeds were to go to a worthy charity.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Is Romney the GOP Version of The Anointed One?

2012-01-14T18:27:00.001-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In 2008, when Barack Obama became the Democrat Party's heir apparent, nobody could touch him or anyone associated with him. We were warned to leave his wife alone, leave his children alone, leave the Jeremiah Wright connection alone, and had he had a record at the time, we would've been told to leave that alone as well. He was to be protected so he could be elected--and come hell or high water, he just had to be elected.

Fast forward four years later, and cross over to the other side of the aisle. The Republican Establishment has made it clear who they want as the Party's nominee this go around. Mitt Romney must be feeling pretty good right about now. He has made history by winning both Iowa and New Hampshire, has unbelievably weaseled himself out of being held accountable for Romneycare, and while he has gained some endorsements that--let's be honest--amount to nothing much at all, he has also received some key endorsements, including one from Tea Party favorite, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. (Still shaking my head over that one.)

Recently, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have questioned Romney's actions at Bain Capital, and one would think they questioned his citizenship or something. Outrage ensued. Anger ran rampant. Shouts of the Scripture, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" could be heard up and down these United States of America. Romney's rivals, it seems, have done what "thou shalt not do"--and I'm not even talking about an assault on free market capitalism, as they have been accused of waging, because does anyone really believe that either Rick Perry or Newt Gingrich is an anti-capitalist? I'm talking about their greater "sin" of suggesting that the presumptive GOP nominee, the GOP version of The Anointed One, undergo some serious vetting now so that, as Governor Palin keeps warning, there will be no "October Surprise."

The responses to this suggestion have been apoplectic.

As usual, Governor Palin, however, puts things in the proper perspective:

I don't agree with attacks on free market capitalism at all, but I don't believe that that's really what is at the heart of Governor Perry's criticism of Romney and his time at Bain. This isn't about a politician making huge profits in the private sector. I think what Governor Perry is getting at is that Governor Romney has claimed to have created 100,000 jobs at Bain and people are wanting to know is there proof of that claim and was it U.S. jobs created for U.S. citizens?

[...]

I believe that that is what Governor Perry is getting at, you know, own up to the claims that are being made. And that's fair. That's not negative campaigning. That's fair to get a candidate to be held accountable to what's being claimed, especially when it comes to job creation because so many of us are so concerned about what's going on on Main Street as well as Wall Street.

The Governor goes on to explain that no one should be surprised that demands for transparency are being made, that this all needs to come out. Instead of being in a state of shock and outrage, Romney should simply provide records and information to put the issue to rest because, she states, whether he deals with it now or deals with it in the general election, should he secure the nomination, he will have to deal with it.

Governor Palin understands fully the value of flexing those vetting muscles. Romney's record at Bain, including the manner in which he went about his hiring and--especially now--his firing (his use of the term having already become a Debbie Wasserman Schultz tool), will undergo intense scrutiny. So what's the problem? Instead of tackling the issue by getting it all out on the table, the Right is caught up in how "crude," "disturbing," "indefensible," and "desperate" this line of questioning is, according to The Wall Street Journal, National Review, Rush Limbaugh, and Senator McCain respectively.

As Governor Palin pointed out, why shouldn't conservatives look into what the buyouts at Bain were all about and if Romney's actions there resulted in government bailouts that profitted him? None of us can speak for Perry or Gingrich and what they meant exactly with the precise language they used, and candidates must be honest and forthright in their assertions, yet something tells me that there's more here than the Establishment has recognized--or wants to investigate. Instead of majoring in, "Oh my goodness, I cannot believe they suggested that Romney did something untoward," perhaps they should cry out for more transparency on Romney's part.

Hillary Clinton came under attack because she posed a threat to the man the Left, in cahoots with the media, was determined to place atop the throne. Those propping him up got what they wanted, and many who voted for the unvetted Barack Obama soon learned that they should have looked a little more closely beforehand. No one should get a passing grade before taking the test. No one should get a pass, either. Being tested is what Governor Palin refers to when she talks about the "rough and tumble" part of the process. Each candidate needs to undergo this, no one should be exempted, and everyone's record is fair game. When it's all said and done, may the best candidate in the race emerge victorious--or at least the candidate who withstood a rigorous, aggressive, and full-throated process. Anything short of this will give Republicans a candidate ill-equipped for the next round, where things will really get ugly.

The GOP Establishment clearly wants their shot at what Democrats--and America--got in 2008: a smooth-talking, Harvard educated, insulated "Messiah." The Establishment is determined to transition Primary Candidate Romney into General Election Candidate Romney, and if they think vetting him now at every angle is "crude," "disturbing," "indefensible," and "desperate," just wait till President Obama and his campaign get ahold of him as they work to make sure he doesn't become President Romney. After all, President Obama still thinks he's The Anointed One, and he's not interested in playing nice when his crown is on the line.

"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" does not refer to Mitt Romney, GOP, no more than it should have referred to President Obama in the last presidential election. So for the sake of this country, do your due diligence and encourage the "rough and tumble" vetting process.

Larry the Cable Guy Visits Palins, Heaths: Complete Footage

2012-01-13T12:55:00.001-09:00

Larry the Cable Guy visited the Palins and Heaths last year during moose hunting season, which became one of the bases of this season's premiere of Only in America. Our prior coverage included a 3:20 segment of Larry's visit with the Palins. This 12:47 video is the complete as-aired footage of Larry's visit with both the Palins and the Heaths.

H/T Doug Brady, Conservatives4Palin for story lead.

Larry the Cable Guy Visits the Palins

2012-01-12T06:48:00.000-09:00

In this 3:20 video clip captured last night, Larry the Cable Guy visited the Palin house during moose hunting season last year and received a warm welcome from Todd and Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Todd offered Larry a ride in his seaplane, but Larry declined. The Palins had been out moose hunting and that was one of the subjects of this Larry the Cable Guy episode. "With the price of meat in the stores, why not spend $100 to go out and get a moose? It's such a good family event as well" Todd said. "And it's in Alaska, and it's in the United States, the greatest country in the world, and it's only in America. You can't do it anywhere else," Larry concluded.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin to Deliver Closing Keynote at Las Vegas SALT Conference

2012-01-11T18:53:00.000-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will deliver the closing keynote speech at the Skybridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference being held at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 11, 2012, PR Newswire and Conservatives4Palin reported today. Gov. Palin will speak from 1115 / 11:15 AM PDT till 12 noon.

According to PR Newswire, Skybridge Capital, an alternative investment firm is hosting the conference which is in its fourth year. Registration opens today. Early registration closes February 12 and final registration closes April 27. Registration fees range from free to $7,495.00 depending the specific discipline the registrant works in by trade.

According to PR Newswire, "SALT 2012 will convene approximately 1,800 thought leaders, public policy officials, business professionals and investors to connect, present views, hear from global leaders and network with industry peers. The conference...facilitates balanced discussions and debates on macro-economic trends, geo-political events and alternative investment opportunities within the context of a dynamic global economy."

H/T Jan Nicholson Page, SPN for story lead.

Gov. Palin Analyzes NH, Discusses SC Prospects on Hannity

2012-01-11T17:49:00.000-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight analyzed the primary election results from New Hampshire and the prospects for South Carolina's primary in a single-segment interview on Sean Hannity's TV show from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Gov. Palin on Baier/Kelly: No Drop-Outs till SC, FL

2012-01-11T02:46:00.001-09:00

Prior to her interview with Eric Bolling, Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin predicted none of the GOP candidates would drop out of the race until after South Carolina or Florida in a single-segment interview with Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly from her home in Wasilla, Alaska, Jeff Poor of the Daily Caller reported. "All of them have money" - at least enough to get them through the next primary or two. Michele Bachmann in contrast had run out of money.

Gov. Palin said Ron Paul's performance was a surprise and that it could shift the debate toward pro-capitalist free markets, which is what the GOP represents.

Sarah Palin | Newt Gingrich | Romney Attacks | The Daily Caller
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

H/T Ian Lazaran, Conservatives4Palin for story lead.

Gov. Palin on Bolling: GOP Must Contrast; 1st Dude Went Rogue

2012-01-10T18:46:00.001-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin thrice said tonight that the Republican Party must contrast its free-market, capitalist principles with the Obama machine's socialist, authoritarian welfare state policies during a single-segment TV interview with Eric Bolling from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. When asked if her husband, Todd consulted with her prior to endorsing Newt Gingrich last night, Gov. Palin responded, "No. The First Dude went Rogue. Todd is about hardhats, steel toes, and getting people back to work," she said noting his involvement in vocational technology (vo-tech).

In her three statements pertaining to the GOP contrast of visions, Gov. Palin referred to Thomas Sowell and Adam Smith, both of whom wrote extensively about that subject. Her forebear, President Ronald Reagan once said "let there be bold contrasts, no pale pastels."

In analyzing tonight's New Hampshire primary election results, Gov. Palin said she expected that both "Gingrich and Santorum will have a better showing," because South Carolina is center-right while New Hampshire is center-left. Both Gingrich and Santorum are vying for fourth place as of this writing with only 10% of the vote. Romney is leading at 38%, with Paul second in trail at 25% and Huntsman at 15%. Perry is barely clinging to 1%. Gov. Palin said she does not "think it's game over yet" for the non-Romney candidates. She said the first time "there needs to be more aggressive debate" about the contrasting vision between free markets and free people and an authoritarian welfare state.

Gov. Palin said it was good to talk about Romney's operation of Bain Capital now rather than have an October surprise, which is what the Democrats would have wanted. She also understood the other candidates taking shots at Romney since a superpac associated with him spent over $17 million on negative ads, particularly against Newt Gingrich.

Gov. Palin held steady on her reticence to endorse a candidate, despite Bolling's attempts to get her to do so. "I'm waiting just like 60% to 70% of Americans...to see who is the best candidate to go against Obama and his $1 billion machine and 90% of the media." Bolling suggested that with Mitt Romney's solid financials, he might be in the best position to do so. Gov. Palin responded, "Romney may be the guy, but you never know. Things are volatile." Gov. Palin reiterated her over-arching theme about contrasting between free markets, free people and an authoritarian welfare state, adding that the GOP has to unite around this contrasting message after the nomination.

In discussing Romney's quip that he "enjoys firing people," Gov. Palin said "capitalist policies are mutually beneficial, but you can't deny there was tone deafness in his statement," a phrase she twice said tonight. Gov. Palin then gave her third and final word on the importance of contrasting visions citing Sowell and Adams.

Bolling played a soundbite of David Axelrod saying he thought Romney would not have had the courage to pull the trigger on Osama bin Laden. "That was weak of David Axelrod to falsely accuse Mitt Romney of not being able to pull the trigger on Bin Laden," she said. "Any of these GOP candidates would have done it." When asked if a "President Palin would have done it," she answered, "Absolutely! Without blinking an eye!" Gov. Palin said even Ron Paul would have though he is looking at being able to afford to have a strong military.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Todd Palin on Greta: Gingrich Best to Win Against Obama

2012-01-09T19:00:00.001-09:00

"Newt Gingrich is the best conservative who can win against Obama. Newt is a proven reformer and is not afraid to fight for the working man," Todd Palin said tonight in a telephone interview with Greta Van Susteren from his home in Wasilla, Alaska. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has not yet endorsed a candidate and did not participate in the interview.

In the final hours prior to his endorsement, Todd Palin spoke first to members of Newt Gingrich's campaign staff, then to Newt Gingrich himself. "I appreciated how he got his polling numbers up the old fashioned way with brain-power and perseverance," Palin said.

Van Susteren told him that she had heard Gov. Palin say that Mitt Romney was the weakest candidate the Republicans could nominate to take on Obama. "I'm not sure Sarah said 'Mitt is the weakest candidate,'" he responded. When asked if Gov. Palin was going to endorse a candidate, Todd Palin said, "I am not going to speak for her. You will need to ask her, but at least one Palin has endorsed Newt."

Van Susteren closed the interview by asking Todd Palin if he "misses the race or is content to sit on the sidelines."

"It's been an amazing process to watch. I'm glad she decided to sit this one out," Todd Palin said.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Gov. Palin and Family to Appear on Larry the Cable Guy Show

2012-01-09T02:32:00.001-09:00

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her family will appear in the season premiere of Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy, which will air on the History Channel this Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 2100 / 9 PM EST. During the episode, tilted "Alaska Road Trip," Larry will "attempt to bust moose poachers," "uncover Alaskan greatness," then make an unannounced visit to "Wasilla's most famous citizen and her family," according to the History Channel's website.

H/T Conservatives4Palin commenter Hefmeir for story lead.

Gov Palin on Pirro: No Regrets, Anyone But Obama

2012-01-07T17:44:00.000-09:00

"I don't have any regrets [about not running]. I think the field is strong. Any would be better [than Obama]," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a TV interview on Justice with Jeanine from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska.

In discussing her opinions about candidates at the bottom of the polls, Gov. Palin said, "I like Michele Bachmann. I felt for her and her money situation. The reality was, it was not her time this go-around." She added that her opinion was not about any of the candidates but from being a practical person. If the polls and the money are not there, it's better to "step aside and have your supporters coalesce around another candidate," she said.

Regarding Rick Perry and his poor numbers, Gov. Palin noted that New Hampshire is more to the left than South Carolina where she believes he will do better.

When asked about Gingrich calling Romney a liar, Gov. Palin said, "Republicans are not known for being sheeple and for going along to get along. I don't have a problem with aggressive campaigning, as long as it's fair." Gingrich had borne the brunt of a $17-million negative ad campaign and Gov. Palin supported his right to fight back. She added that each of the candidates would be using their own tactics and that the primary season would be "rough and tumble, which is as it should be."

Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin if she thought that Michele Bachmann being the Tea Party candidate and having to step aside was a result of the Tea Party losing power or influence. Gov. Palin said, "Bachmann did not suffer because she is in the Tea Party. Her campaign staff did not do her justice...the Tea Party is still powerful and influential."

Gov. Palin twice said the mainstream media is going to take a hands-off approach to Mitt Romney - bolster him, then present him as the rich candidate out of touch with the working class during the general. On the second iteration, Gov. Palin said, "I can see what's coming."

She said that any of the candidates would be a better alternative to Obama's "failed socialist policies," his isolationism, his unconstitutional use of the recess appointment when Congress was not in recess, and the housing crisis.

Judge Pirro asked Gov. Palin what her husband Todd got her for Christmas. She likes to ice fish, so Todd bought her an ice auger.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

In Touch Weekly: Bristol Palin Leaves Show Biz, Returns to AK

2012-01-05T16:11:00.000-09:00

Photo retrieved from and courtesy of In Touch Weekly.

Bristol Palin has left the bright lights, glitz and glamor of Hollywood and returned home to Wasilla and her old job as a receptionist at an Anchorage Dermatologist's office, she said in an exclusive interview given to In Touch Weekly. She is temporarily living in an apartment underneath her mom's TV studio. "It's great having Bristol here," Gov. Palin told In Touch. "She makes good decisions, and she's always thinking long-term about her and Tripp’s future."

Bristol's turning point came last September when a patron at a Los Angeles bar launched an unprovoked hate-filled attack against Bristol and her family. With three-year-old Tripp getting ready for pre-school, Bristol wanted to get him settled into a normal routine where he could enjoy the great outdoors.

The London Daily Mail earlier today reported on this story, embellishing it with their own fabricated details and misspelling "Wasilla" with two "s's".

H/T Ian Lazaran, Conservative4Palin for lead to original In Touch story.

Gov. Palin: "In Favor of Girls with Guns"

2012-01-05T15:14:00.000-09:00

On New Year's Eve another Sarah shot and killed a man who was breaking into her house. Sarah McKinley, 18, a single mom was protecting herself and her baby and asked the 911 Dispatcher about the legality of shooting the intruder. Police ruled the shooting justified.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today offered her support of young Sarah in an email to National Review Online, saying, "I love that young woman. I’m all in favor of girls with guns who know their purpose. She fulfilled a purpose of the Second Amendment. I’d advise my own daughters to do the same. This mom protected an innocent life. Kudos to the 911 dispatcher, too."

Providentially, Girls with Guns is also the name of a manufacturer whose bucket cap was featured on Sarah Palin's Alaska Episode 4, making her look like a SWAT sniper. Girls with Guns is an US for Palin site partner.

The former Alaska Governor is the Second Amendment's Guardian Angel. She won the National Rifle Association's 2010 Sybil Ludington Award, which is the highest award for women who support the Second Amendment (Disclosure: I was one of three nominators nationwide). She was won numerous other Second Amendment-related awards. Gov. Palin also at least twice partook in an ancient tradition common to all cultures of the world and reserved for great leaders: she was bestowed with weapons. In 2009, she was bestowed with a highly customized .50 Beowulf AR-15, which she was not able to take possession of while in office. In 2010, she was bestowed with a .44 Magnum Henry Rifle.

Here is a video with Gov. Palin firing a Mossberg 500 at a simulated charging bear. Her cheek and shoulder were slammed with recoil force equaling about 38% of her body weight. Her shots hit dead on. Gov. Palin was also disadvantaged by the factory stock which was of a design that permitted the gun to travel over the pistol grip during recoil, leading to an oscillation of the barrel. Newer designs are fixed and don't use springs for recoil reduction. The old design also did not reduce recoil as advertised but instead re-directed it to the cheek. Having experienced it myself, I can say - it hurts.

And...in honor of Gov. Palin's emailed statement to NRO, tonight is Cross Hair Night at US for Palin. It's long overdue to light this joint up in cross hairs.

Gov. Palin:
Sarah,
Thank you for getting this lock and load party started and giving us something to celebrate!

Now, let's do this thang! Mil Dots are my favorite. Zero it in for 300 yd. and holding mil dots will get you out to around 670 - 700 yd. before you've got to fiddle with elevation (Savage 10FP firing .308 Remington 180 grain pointed soft points). You can simulate this on the cheap with a .22 LR by shooting it at 300 yd. You get a 10-foot drop at 300 for the .22 and a 10-foot drop at 700 for the .308.

H/T Ian Lazaran, Conservatives4Palin for Story Lead

Gov. Palin on Hannity: Can't Win Being on Defense All the Time

2012-01-04T18:18:00.000-09:00

"You can't win a ballgame being on defense all the time," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a two-segment interview on Sean Hannity's TV show from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Gov. Palin's quote was in reference to Newt Gingrich's counter-attacks against Mitt Romney who he today accused of lying in political ads. Her words were also applicable to whichever candidate becomes the GOP nominee and goes on to fight the Obama machine.

Gov. Palin said the Iowa Caucus "was such an exciting night. It felt like it was as it should be." She praised Santorum's performance saying, "Iowa was a good place for Santorum to rise to the top. Iowa is a microcosm of America. It was a very strong showing for Santorum and what he would do for the working class. It leaves Americans optimistic about the field."

She agreed with Hannity that the GOP nominee needs to be prepared for the attacks that are surely coming now that he has become a top tier candidate. "You know it's coming. My concern is going on to face the Obama machine and his thuggery. McCain and I were the only ones to have face it. McCain (by his endorsement of Romney) thinks that Romney is best prepared."

Hannity questioned Gov. Palin as to why Romney does not poll well among the GOP base - conservatives. "His past positions haven't always been conservative," she said citing his defense of a health insurance mandate under RomneyCare, his prior pro-choice position - now pro-life. Gov. Palin acknowledged that Romney believes in lowering taxes. "People are suspect of some of his positions versus what they are today," Gov. Palin said. She described McCain's "Tale of Two Mitts" as an effective ad back in the day and said that "McCain's endorsement is a reminder that we must defeat Obama....Rough and tumble contested primaries are a good process for vetting candidates."

Hannity asked Gov. Palin if she were ready to endorse a candidate tonight. She is not.

She said Gingrich "has every right to defend his record."

Hannity asked Gov. Palin to expound on her statement that the GOP should not marginalize Ron Paul or his supporters. The basis of her statement is that if marginalized, Ron Paul could run third party, effectively re-electing Obama. She noted that Ron Paul's supporters are advocating the type of fiscal discipline that is needed in Washington, D.C. today.

Gov. Palin closed by saying that the GOP nominee will "need to be more aggressive [about discussing Obama's] associations. The GOP nominee has to do all they can and speak the truth about Barack Hussein Obama."

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov Palin on Baier: Not Surprised at IA Caucus

2012-01-03T18:29:00.000-09:00

"I'm not surprised at Santorum's success [in Iowa]. He is a social conservative and consistent with his policies...the other front runners Romney is seen as electable...Ron Paul...understands we're broke," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said tonight from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Gov. Palin said she has "openly supported each one of the GOP candidates. Any of them would be better than Obama. I've said good things about Gingrich and Perry too. We can't afford four more years of Obama."

Gov. Palin said Iowa is good for vetting candidates. "Unless Bachmann wants to go into debt, I don't see a way to progress her candidacy." Gov. Palin said "I'm not saying anything to disparage her. I like her, I'm proud of her."

Video Retrieved from SarahNET

Gov Palin on Cavuto: No Endorsements, No Run

2012-01-02T13:05:00.000-09:00

In this Eric Bolling interview with Governor Palin, she weighs in on the Iowa Caucuses and offers kudos along with mild criticism of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates. She did not endorse a candidate and as expected the Governor played her political cards very close to her vest. She seems to have slammed the door on a 2012 run of her own...or did she?

Synopsis and Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin Must Summit and Triumph in 2012

2011-12-31T17:28:00.000-09:00

When Thomas Schmitz, the O4P California Coordinator and US for Palin writer learned I was going to Paris to celebrate my 15th Wedding Anniversary, he asked that I take an O4P Palm card with me and photograph myself holding it to build a dossier of Sarah images in foreign countries. It would only take a few minutes. I enthusiastically agreed. Over these past three years, I've learned that many things with Gov. Palin are not coincidental. They are Providential.

As I printed out my Eiffel Tower ticket prior to the trip, the location for the shoot jumped out at me. On the ticket in all capital letters, was the word "SOMMET." It doesn't take a genius to figure out that it is French for "Summit". Some colleagues have complained that I have a tendency to put former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on a pedestal. Now, I was going to symbolically put her at the Summit of the tallest man-made pedestal in Europe. Putting Sarah on a pedestal? I proudly say: Guilty as charged!

After our ascent and with a flute of Eiffel Tower champagne in each of us, I begged my wife's pardon and secured it. I had to pick the place to do the shoot. I took a few shots to the west, but they came out poorly. Then, I went to the Northwest. Let's call it 340 on the compass, as I like to say when I'm in New York. Then, I noticed something my wife and I had just descended from the summit of just about an hour prior: the Arc de Triomphe...Providential. Summit. Triumph. Palin.

...Just prior to my trip to Newark Airport, I informed my writers about the failure of at least two GOP candidates to gather enough signatures to qualify to appear on the ballots of the Virginia primary. From Paris, I would learn that all the candidates save for Mitt Romney and Ron Paul failed to qualify. I'll leave it to the readers to decide whether this circumstance is a result of GOP establishment chicanery to benefit Romney, gross incompetence on the part of the campaigns that failed to make the Virginia ballot, or something else. Whatever the root cause, the outcome is an absolute and unmitigated disgrace. I noted with some interest how the mainstream and conservative media seemed to fluff over this rather significant story, indicating a desire to quickly bury it. Of course, if Gov. Palin were a candidate and this circumstance befell her, we would have been treated to a deluge of articles all the way through and past Election Day on how she was "un-electable." She would have been the lightning rod and all the other candidates would have gotten a free pass.

Now, nearly three months later, we can see the genius behind Gov. Palin's decision. You see, all these candidates have been and continue to be vetted before the electorate, something which would not have happened if she were currently on the ticket. The clock is doing its work with every second that ticks by. Passage of time is proving that Gov. Palin's decision does not change the simple fact that she is the best person and most qualified for the job of POTUS. She has the accomplishments; the leadership skills; the executive, command, and financial administration experience; she took on corruption in both parties in every position she held. Yes as a man, I say it's time for a woman to take the helm - and not just any woman, but a woman who is both ordinary and extraordinary.

This is why I find it absolutely ridiculous that anyone speaks of giving Gov. Palin a second-fiddle position such as Vice President or a cabinet position. Gov. Palin is a Transformational Leader - the type who is brought in to fix broken organizations. Her place is not second. It's first. She is to be the dominant one in any relationship. That's why she is called a leader. Period.

Compared to Gov. Palin, the field of declared candidates is Lés Miserables. When your accomplishments are of the size, scale, scope, and frequency of Gov. Palin's, yes you probably are a superhero minus the silly cape. Hero worship? Guilty as charged and proud of it.

Gov. Palin's only proper place is at Au Sommet and her only proper outcome is Triomphe. Failure is not an option. One of the many things I admire about Gov. Palin: she does something right or she does not do it all. Reaching Au Sommet could mean she ultimately runs for POTUS in this cycle of back-loaded primaries. It could mean continuing what she is doing as a private citizen rooting out crony capitalism and endorsing down-tickets ala 2010. It could mean both. It could mean something else. How Gov. Palin reaches Au Sommet does not matter to me - as long as she reaches it - and Triumphs.

As we bid au revoir to 2011, here is the 2011 Master List of Governor Palin's Accomplishments.

The 2012 Master List of Governor Palin's Accomplishments is now open.

Gov. Palin:
Sarah,

Grimper au sommet!
Climb to the Summit!

Palin in Washington Post: Take on Elites, Become Energy Independent

2011-12-31T09:00:00.002-09:00

The Washington Post today asked several key 2012 hopefuls who had declined to run what the would be campaigning on. Following is the complete transcript of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's response:

Given the concerns I have for some of the Republican field’s focus thus far, I must implore the candidates to do something that sounds self-promoting, but whatever. Candidates, please turn to Chapter Three of “Going Rogue” and read what it takes for our country to step toward energy independence. Note the lesson I share in the same chapter about taking on the “elite,” the crony capitalists and the permanent political establishment to get a job done.
Do you really realize what is at stake? What is at stake is our republic. The gravity of today’s situation is real. We count on you to lead our nation on the right path. Please let us know you realize this. Understand how the left’s terrifyingly naive assault on American industry exposes us to the mercy of foreign regimes whose prime objective is, at worst, our permanent demise and, at best, is stripping away our freedom. God has blessed America with ingenuity, natural resources and the strength of our workforce. Let’s use them. Tell voters that you understand this. Talk about this on the campaign trail. And quit gripin’ and moaning about “inside baseball” partisan machinations and maneuvering. We have other things to worry about. Stay strong. Focus on defending our republic and how we’ll re-industrialize our most exceptional nation in order to defeat the incumbent and win for America.

As published at: Washington Post Opinions December 31, 2011

H/T Ian Lazaran, Conservatives4Palin for Story Lead

Eric Bolling, Fox Business Discusses IA Palin Ads

2011-12-29T13:59:00.001-09:00

Fox News’ Eric Bolling interviews Brian Lerch and Kate Obenshain. They discuss the pros and cons of the new radio ad in Iowa asking voters to write-in Gov. Palin.

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Happy Third Birthday, Tripp Palin

2011-12-26T20:00:00.000-09:00

Happy Third Birthday, Tripp.

A lot has happened in Tripp's three years. He's seen his mother, Bristol cast with Kyle Massey for a TV show, Dance with the Stars and starred along with his mother and grandmother in Sarah Palin's Alaska.

The staff at US for Palin wish Tripp a life filled with happiness, love, and prosperity.

SarahPAC Email Christmas Card

2011-12-23T05:45:00.000-09:00

Following is the email Christmas Card being sent to SarahPAC donors and email registrants. It is similar to the physical card some supporters have received.

Thank you, Sarah and Todd. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Successful New Year.

Paid for by SarahPAC

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee

www.SarahPAC.com

P.O. Box 7711

Arlington, VA 22207

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T09:34:00.001-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

My family and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I offer this to all because Christmas is a holiday for all, whether you are a Christian believer or not. The message of Christmas is full of hope, peace, joy, and the fellowship of all mankind; so I find it amazing that every year we hear more accounts of a ramped up “war on Christmas.”

How sad and ironic that a handful of grinches are at war with the annual celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace, whose coming was prophesied centuries earlier and was then gloriously heralded by the angels with a blessing for “peace on earth” and “good will toward men.” Even if one doesn’t believe the story, can’t one at least recognize the beauty of the message? Or at the very least, let everyone else enjoy the season without throwing a temper tantrum at the sight of a Nativity scene? People who feel affronted by a baby in a humble Manger display or a few Christmas carols have truly lost all sense of proportion and seem to be most in need of some holiday cheer.
At a time when our country is divided on so many things, Christmas unites us. It’s a beautiful part of our culture, and for many of us it’s a beautiful part of our Faith. In fact, for believers it’s “the main thing.” In today’s tumultuous times we can remember the bible’s record of Three Wise Men from the East who received an angelic message of Jesus’ birth. They may have been unsure of the message, so they sought truth. They trekked to Bethlehem to find out more. There, they found Jesus and they honored Him. The story of the wise men reminds us that today wise men still seek Him. So in this season especially, let’s seek truth.

Let’s celebrate with family and friends. Let’s shout a cheery “Merry Christmas” to everyone we meet. Let’s remember our brave men and women in uniform defending us far from home. And let’s all pray for a peaceful New Year.

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas.

-Sarah Palin

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14)

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150444029133435.

Mr. Smith Goes to the Same Old Washington to Throw Them All Out

2011-12-20T19:14:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In America By Heart, Governor Palin retells the story of the classic movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I ran across that account again recently when doing research for my review of Peter Schweizer's Throw Them All Out. Her second book is filled with substantive, complicated issues, including our Founders, the Constitution, American exceptionalism, common sense conservatism, feminism, family, and faith, among other important topics. Nonethless, in the midst of all these issues of incredible import to our culture as Americans, it is most notable that she would begin this book with a synopsis of a Hollywood movie.

The Governor writes on page 2:

In case you've forgotten, Mr. Smith is about an American Everyman, Jefferson Smith, who goes to Washington to fill the Senate seat of a corrupt senator who died in office. The political machine chooses Smith because he is an ordinary man, a nonpolitician, and they think they can control him. But he holds fast to his ideals--the ideals of the American founding--and eventually defeats the machine. The movie was made in 1939, but its message is timeless: there may be corruption in politics, but it can be overcome by decent men and women who honor America's founding principles, the way the American people do.

[...]

Jefferson Smith loves the words of the Declaration of Independence, not because he's mindlessly pro-American, but because, as he says, "behind them, they...have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little lookin' out for the other fella, too." He understands that those words are a gift, not just to Americans, but to all humanity. But that gift is being corrupted by special interests and forgotten by Washington.

[...]

Americans love Mr. Smith Goes to Washington because it's about an ordinary man who stands up to power and says, We're taking our country back.

Having never seen the movie, her words, combined with Schweizer's book, which uncovers the corruption so prevalent in Washington today, sparked a desire to see it for the first time, and so I did. It could have easily been a book set in 2011. The graft we see today in Congress--the so-called honest graft that Governor Palin has been highlighting and railing against recently--was as real and tangible at that time as it is today. Corruption is nothing new, and it's not confined to one particular side of the aisle.

On page 261 of America By Heart, the Governor writes:

There's plenty of blame to go around for how we got here. Americans know in their hearts that both political parties are at fault. Both parties contributed to the overspending and government growth that is robbing our children of their future. Worst of all, both parties are part of the Washington culture of entitlement. This is the corrupt mind-set that has members of Congress writing tax laws for the rest of us, but failing to pay their own taxes, and crooked legislators being caught with their fingers in the till, refusing to live by the same laws and standards as the people who pay their salaries.

For those who know the movie, Mr. Smith, played by James Stewart, managed to win a battle on the floor of the Senate; however, the battle for ethics in government continues to this day. If it were just a movie showing good triumphing over evil, that would be inspirational, but knowing the movie is just as relevant over 70 years later makes it a resounding call to action, and makes it all the more clear why Governor Palin is committed to helping usher in the "sudden and relentless reform" for all of America that she helped bring to Alaska.

To summarize, Jefferson Smith writes a bill for a government loan to build a national boys' camp. The loan will be paid back through donations, and is highly popular. The problem is his plan steps on the graft scheme of corrupt politicians, which he soon discovers. He quickly becomes the enemy of what they assumed would be an easy opportunity to line their own pockets, and they will stop at nothing to remove this threat and destroy his credibility. He responds:

Mr. President, I stand guilty as framed because section 40 is graft! And I was ready to say so. I was ready to tell you that a certain man in my state, a Mr. James Taylor, wanted to put through this dam for his own profit, a man who controls a political machine, and controls everything else worth controlling in my state. Yes, and a man even powerful enough to control Congressmen--and I saw three of them in his room the day I went up to see him.

Though not the same scenario, the scheme in Jefferson Smith's day to capitalize personally off land brings to mind what Peter Schweizer discusses in his chapter, "This Land is My Land." He writes on pages 54-55:

Members of Congress have used federal earmarks to enhance the value of their own real estate holdings in several ways: by extending a light rail mass transit line near their property, by expanding an airport, or by cleaning up a nearby shoreline. Federal funds have been used to build roads, beautify land, and upgrade neighborhoods near commercial and residential real estate owned by legislators, substantially increasing values and the net worth of elected officials, courtesy of taxpayer money. Not only is this legal--by the bizarre standards of the Permanent Political Class--it's also deemed "ethical."

He names Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Bennie Thompson, Senator Charles Schumer, and (then) Senator Hillary Clinton, among many others, who have used earmarks to profit personally, and on pages 68-69, he writes:

Leveraging your power for a land deal is one of the best paths to honest graft.

[...]

But there can be little doubt that the political class is the only group of people in America who can get away with using taxpayer money to increase the value of their real estate, while declaring they are doing it in the public's interest.

Again, different set of circumstances, but definitely the same spirit.

Even in 1939, the media played a large role in setting the narrative against the anti-establishment. Jefferson Smith's good name was smeared through the help of the lamestream media, though, of course, that term wasn't used. The media refused to report the truth or simply made things up. To boot, efforts to spread the truth by his young supporters resulted in vicious attacks upon the children. It sounds all too familiar, doesn't it?

Mr. Smith went to Washington to make a difference, but the people weren't ready for the "sudden and relentless reform" he embraced. They deemed him unsophisticated, unqualified, and unimpressive. No doubt, he would have embraced the words Governor Palin so passionately spoke during her RNC speech:

I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.

The same need exists in 2011. Crony capitalism, insider stock tips, land deals, and corruption of every kind must continue to be highlighted, and it needs to be stopped in its tracks.

America needs more people like Jefferson Smith, in whatever capacity they chose to effectively lead, who are willing to lay themselves down, to spend themselves, to be the voice crying in the wilderness--not for personal aggrandizement, but for a pure respect for what's right. America needs more people like Mr. Smith who love the history of our country, who stare in awe at the Capitol Dome every time they see it, and who feel like ants when standing before the Lincoln Monument. In other words, America needs more people who choose to operate from a servant's heart. In addition, America needs more people like Mr. Smith who, when faced with a threat to American decency and truth, aren't afraid to call it like they see it, take on the establishment, and fight to the end to make sure corruption and greed don't succeed in destroying the future we desire for our progeny.

Now that I have read Throw Them All Out and watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, I'm not at all surprised that Governor Palin has asked us all to read the book and has named the film one of her favorites. Together, they shine a light on the ongoing battle for the moral, fiscal, and constitutional soul of America. It will, no doubt, be a tough challenge, but it's one that's worth it. The Governor is much like Mr. Smith in many ways, and like him, she loves this country, our history, and our potential--and she has given more than most to preserve its greatness for those yet to be born.

As Jefferson Smith states:

I want to make that come to life for every boy in this land. Yes, and all lighted up like that, too! You see, you see, boys forget what their country means by just reading "the land of the free" in history books. And they get to be men - they forget even more. Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say, "I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't. I can. And my children will." Boys [and girls] want to grow up remembering that.

(Cross-posted at MotivationTruth)

Gov. Palin on Bolling: Not Too Late to Jump Into 2012

2011-12-19T19:13:00.000-09:00

"You know, it's not too late for folks to jump in. Who knows what will happen in the future?” former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said near the close of her two-segment interview with Eric Bolling of Follow the Money from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Bolling had questioned Gov. Palin if she would be entering the race even after Iowa and New Hampshire. Gov. Palin will not currently endorse a declared candidate.

Ed. Note: Since announcing she would not seek the 2012 GOP nomination on October 5, Gov. Palin's public and written statements on a 2012 run have been a clear and resounding "no regrets," "I can shake things up better from the outside," and "thank you again for your support and respect for this very difficult decision." While tonight's statement does underscore what Gov. Palin could do, we need to keep our powder dry and not jump to conclusions or spread rumors that she will do it. "Could" does not mean "will."

Most of the interview focused not on 2012 or the the candidates, but on the Keystone XL Pipeline, North Korea and the leftist war on Christmas and Christianity.

About the pipeline, Gov. Palin said, "there is nothing wrong with it, except that Obama would be forced to bend his political will to create these jobs. Look at who is in his administration....Joe Biden voted against the Trans-Alaska Pipeline." The XL Pipeline is "engineered and ready to go," but Obama is beholden to the environmentalist lobby. "Politics is trumping common sense....It's 100% political," she said. Energy independence is a national security, jobs and economics issue, Gov. Palin said.

Shifting to the payroll tax cut, Gov. Palin said it should be extended as long as possible. "Most people are fed up with governments taking more money from our paychecks."

Regarding CBS editing out Obama's statement that he is one of the best presidents Gov. Palin said, "I think there's a reason CBS did him a favor and edited that out....He failed our country and failed our economy. His economic activities have done nothing but fail." She added that "we need to take care of ourselves and make sure our own investments are wise. Never look to the government."

On the death of North Korea's Kim Jung Il and the succession to his son Kim Jong Un, Gov. Palin said, "If you're a praying man, pray for unity on that Peninsula. It's the opportunity for progress and peace across the region." She said North Korea's missile launch after the death of Kim Jung Il "should be all the more reason to be wise in our foreign policy and take care of ourselves." Gov. Palin cautioned against being dependent on foreign nations and reiterated her position that we need to be energy independent using conventional and renewable sources.

"We need a tougher president," Gov. Palin said harkening back to Ronald Reagan's, "we win, you lose." She said, "Obama does not have that in him. We got what we voted for. He said he would sit down with our enemies without precondition."

As with the Shannon Bream interview, Gov. Palin expressed her support of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's on-field prayers. "I am pro-Tebow. I am proud of him. He is not ashamed of his savior. Jesus will rock your world if you give it all to him. You should try it sometime." Gov. Palin said Tebow is a good role model and thanked him for being bold in his faith. She told an anecdote about a father with his four sons in tow who look up to Tebow. She suggested that those who don't like Tebow's public expressions of faith may be bothered by their own consciences.

About the apparent war on Christmas, Gov. Palin said, "atheists don't need to show up to the party and Christmas is about Christ's birth." She made reference to the Seinfeld episode in which Dave Putty told Elaine Bennis that he was not the one going to Hell. Gov. Palin and Eric Bolling concluded the interview by "Tebowing" - a new verb that has entered our lexicon which means to assume the prayer position Tebow uses on the field.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Happy Hanukkah

2011-12-19T10:52:00.000-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

As Jewish families gather this week to celebrate the Festival of Lights, Todd and I would like to wish them a very Happy Hanukkah. This beautiful holiday commemorates the story of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, following years of struggle by the Maccabees, when one-day’s worth of consecrated oil miraculously lasted for eight. This story never ceases to inspire because it reminds us of the power of faith, hope, and perseverance.
The modern State of Israel is the living embodiment of the Hanukkah miracle – a country that was not expected to survive the onslaught of its enemies, and which has not only survived but thrived as a beacon of freedom, tolerance, and innovation. In a region consumed by chaos and oppression, Israel continues to be a light of inspiration. As Jews around the world sing “Maoz Tzur,” we remember that our nation, too, was conceived in faith in our “mighty stronghold.” Let us cherish the values and warm bonds of friendship that unite us in this season.
- Sarah Palin

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150438678128435.

The GOP With and Without Palin

2011-12-19T06:44:00.001-09:00

-from Patrick's World USA

Having started a new job and trying to keep up with a side business that can be a headache sometimes, I've not had much time to blog or do my BlogTalk radio show. But, I also have to admit that without Sarah Palin in the race, there's not much that I can add to what the great folks out there in the blogosphere are saying. My motivation for blogging was to add mine as another supportive voice for the Palin cause. Without Palin in the race, there's not much for me to do really.

This leads me to something that I was thinking about for the last couple of weeks. Apparently, I wasn't the only one thinking about it as Conservatives4Palin points out. They picked up on an interview of Tea Party Express leader Amy Kremer by MJ Lee where Kremer says:

The grassroots conservative movement has yet to throw its support behind a Republican presidential candidate because “we don’t have the female Ronald Reagan running — and that’s Sarah Palin,” said Amy Kremer, chairwoman of the Tea Party Express.

“We haven’t engaged in presidential politics yet because the movement hasn’t coalesced around anybody, so we’re just sitting back and waiting,” Kremer added.

For the past few weeks, I have been struggling with my own dissatisfaction over the direction of the Republican Party and the Tea Party. This is not to say that they're not working to unseat Obama or that they have stopped pushing for limited Constitutional government. The troubling part to me is that neither the GOP or the Tea Party have one leader that they can coalesce around.

The Tea Party has always prided itself on being a leaderless movement. Until now, the Tea Party has been united despite not having a leader. But now that the Republican Party doesn't have a clear leader, the Tea Party like the rest of the conservative movement has been a movement divided by candidate preferences even though it remains staunchly anti-Obama and anti- big government.

There's nothing wrong with people choosing their own candidates. But, we all know people who were in lock step with each other about Sarah Palin who are now backing a different candidate than we are. The person who may have shared my thoughts, quoted my articles or retweeted a link as a sign of agreement may today be the person who is arguing Rick Perry or Rick Santorum when I may be thinking about backing a different candidate.

It's so odd and so surreal to think that if I strongly backed another candidate or even leaned toward another candidate that people who I once locked arms with might argue with me. This doesn't mean we're still not friends or that we won't end up uniting again to go up against Obama next year. But, again, it's just so odd to not have that tying thread which Sarah Palin was to us all.

Because of Governor Palin, I have made some very awesome friends on here. I hope to continue those friendships into the future, Palin or no Palin, because I am convinced that there is still greatness left in America as evidenced by the mere existence of these people.

While we will all tend to disagree from time to time, we all recognize that America would be a better place if Sarah Palin led us back to that shining city on a hill and put an end to not only the national nightmare that is Barack Obama, but put an end to business as usual in Washington. Sarah Palin was a two for one special: someone who could destroy the Democrats and liberalism while cleaning up and reforming the Republican Party at the same time. Sudden and relentless reform? You betcha!

That's why everyone on the left and in the GOP establishment were just crapping their drawers at the mere thought of her running. They knew that at the snap of a finger, millions of us would have poured out of the woodwork. It would have looked like a scene from Braveheart. There would have been pundits asking where all the Palinistas came from?

We've been here the whole time. We built an army over the past three years. We would have gone to war for Governor Palin. There would have been no sacrifice too great to demotivate or deflate us. The world was about to see something they haven't seen since the Reagan revolution.

Which leads me to this. What was the Republican Party before Sarah Palin became a national figure? What is the Republican Party now that she's not running?

Before Palin, the Republican Party was a mess. It had lost its way having become drunk on the Potomoc water. It never fought or spoke out loudly enough in advance of the housing and financial crisis. The principles of conservatism weren't being adhered to or spoken of much in the halls of Congress.

While Sarah Palin remained a potential candidate following her run for vice president in 2008, we were a strong party. We took back a swath of seats not only in Congress, but in state houses and state legislatures across the country. America was hopeful again because we knew Obama couldn't push anymore of his economy busting stimulus and health care craziness through Congress anymore.

Now that Sarah Palin isn't running, the Republican Party is becoming a mess again. You can put eight Republicans in a room and all eight of them will pick a different candidate for president. Republicans know what they want. Conservatives know what they want. If what they want was up on that stage last night, they'd be behind her. Instead, they're all trying to find pieces of what they want in each candidate and are ultimately going to end up going with the least common denominator.

The Republican nominee selection process is not so much about choosing the best person, it's about choosing the least worst person. The 2012 election will be a referendum on Obama, not a coronation of Romney, Gingrich, Perry or anyone else.

While Palin remains a voice for our philosophy, without power she cannot stop the party from returning to business as usual once Obama is defeated. We will all breathe a sigh of relief when Obama is ousted in the election. But it will only be then that the real fight will begin. If we sit back and allow the Republican Party to return to business as usual, we're screwed.

When you see Tea Party patriots like Nikki Haley and Christine O'Donnell endorsing Mitt Romney, it makes you scratch your head. The Tea Party is a leaderless party, but all movements eventually seek out a leader whether consciously or unconsciously. Palin would have become that leader. Without her, they wander in the wilderness. The discipline isn't there. There's nothing wrong with Republicans supporting Mitt Romney (he is a Republican after all). But when Tea Party members do it, it makes you wonder if the lights went out and now everyone is just bumping into each other.

I don't want to sound like I'm not supportive of Governor Palin's right to make her own career and family decisions. There is always a day down the road for her to come back into political life if she so chooses. And, if she so chooses, we will be there for her. Yet, one can see what's been happening since she decided not to run. It's not her fault. It is what it is. But, without her running, we're just falling apart.

We can do the self improvement stuff without her. We can do the grassroots stuff without her. But, we can't run this country without her. There are rare times in history when great leaders come into existence and this is one of them. We pray that someday Sarah Palin recognizes her greatness and takes the helm of a ship that is in dire need of a top notch captain.

Gov. Palin on Fox News: No Enthusiasm Yet to Endorse

2011-12-18T10:20:00.000-09:00

"My endorsement will be with sincerity and enthusiasm. I'm not there yet, and a personal endorsement does not amount to a hill of beans compared to the wisdom of the American voter," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today said in a telephone interview with Shannon Bream of Fox News.

Gov. Palin said "it is exciting to see what will happen in Iowa," predicting that Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum both of whom she described as "known conservatives" "will do better than RINO pundits predict." Gov. Palin said that Ron Paul with his dedicated, hard-working support base will also do well but predicted that Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will likely remain the front runners after the Iowa caucuses.

Gov. Palin expressed frustration that "some in this field have had the opportunity to engage in sudden and relentless reform at the state and Congressional levels" but did not seize it and then speak about their plans and intentions moving forward. "Without naming names," Gov. Palin said this frustration could apply to the entire field of candidates.

Gov. Palin said the Tea Party remains a strong grassroots movement committed to following the Constitution and that the Tea Party will continue to grow.

When asked about Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's prayers on the field, Gov. Palin responded, "I am so pro-Tebow. He knows that Jesus of Nazareth will rock your world and I admire his boldness."

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

No Plea Deal for Stalkers of Palins

2011-12-15T13:37:00.000-09:00

A federal judge yesterday rejected a plea deal for father and son stalking team Craig (48) and Shawn (20) Christy, because he determined they were a public menace, according to widespread media reports.

The Christys were arrested on August 19, 2011 for violating the terms of a restraining order which barred them from contacting anyone in Alaska except their own legal counsel. The judge rejected the plea deal, because the Christys also harassed Gov. Palin's attorney, John Tiemessen.

"While one person may be the object of their ire at one point, it clearly shifts to others," Burgess said, saying the men had harassed and threatened children, law-enforcement agents and judges. "They seem undeterred," Yereth Rosen of Reuters reported.

Burgess rejected the plea deal, because he did not believe probation would be sufficient to stop the Christys' stalking.

The father and son duo had been harassing and threatening the Palins and Kristan Cole, and made threats against Obama and Senator John McCain, according to widespread media reports. The Christys stalking included vulgar calls to Gov. Palin’s home; sending the Palins receipts from a gun purchase and telling them of his intent to purchase a one-way ticket to Alaska. Shawn Christy in fact made a brief round trip to and from Anchorage at a cost of $700 around the time of Gov. Palin’s birthday. Shawn Christy also threatened to rape the former Alaska Governor.

According to the Reuters report, Shawn Christy suffers from cognitive dysfunction possibly resulting from his brain being damaged by Lyme Disease. The Christys will stand trial on January 3, 2012 unless a new plea agreement is reached.

Outing and Throwing Out the Permanent Political Class

2011-12-14T17:33:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

People are often drawn to others who share the same values, interests, and passion--often referred to metaphorically as a fire in the belly. I am not surprised, therefore, that Governor Palin employs Peter Schweizer as her foreign-policy adviser. His commitment to exposing corruption in government mirrors her own. She, of course, determined years ago that something must be done about it. She took action, even to her own detriment, stating often, "In politics, you're either eating well or sleeping well." She continues to choose a good night's sleep--and apparently so does Peter Schweizer. His new book, Throw Them All Out, outs corruption in Congress that ought to outrage every honest American.

Having just finished the book myself, I encourage everyone to do what Governor Palin asked of us: read the book. On every page, I was doing exactly what Governor Palin is doing in this video from 15:17 - 15:24 as Eric Bolling discusses the issue with her. The unethical behavior these politicians so arrogantly engage in leaves one shaking her head--again and again. I do not consider myself naive, certainly not a utopianist. Nor do I believe that to be the case for most of my fellow Americans, as evidenced by Congress's dismal (dis)approval rating. However, I was indeed both shocked and appalled as I read. I do expect more from our elected officials. The insider trading and crony capitalism running rampant highlights the key word in the title: they all need to go. There's a stench emanating from Washington, and it's not confined to any particular side of the aisle. The Permanent Political Class is not partisan, just pathetic.

Throw Them All Out will educate and irritate, fascinate and frustrate, enlighten and yes, frighten. The idea that those who hoist themselves as representatives of the American people are more committed to enriching themselves than to exemplifying ethical behavior is disheartening at best. Schweizer takes no prisoners, withholds no names, and throws these people under the bus--where they belong.

He is careful to state that the insider trading they participate in is not illegal--for members of Congress, that is. Anyone else who would dare trade on information obtained in private would go to jail, and rightly so. These people, with access to taxpayers' money, get away with it, however. They benefit personally from it. They very often come to Congress as average, everyday Americans. They leave rich, and they have us and the laws they exempt themselves from to thank for it. Now that a bright light is being shone on it, we must do more than just hope that something will be done. To borrow--and slightly alter--a phrase, we need more than hope; we need change. On page 137 of Throw Them All Out, Schweizer quotes Federalist No. 57:

If this spirit is ever corrupted to the point that it will tolerate a law which does not apply to both the legislature and the people, then the people will be prepared to tolerate anything but liberty.

Governor Palin has been studying this corruption for years, is drawing attention to it, and says it must end. In a Wall Street Journal article that was published on November 18, she states in no uncertain terms:

No more sweetheart land deals with campaign contributors. No gifts of IPO shares. No trading of stocks related to committee assignments. No earmarks where the congressman receives a direct benefit. No accepting campaign contributions while Congress is in session. No lobbyists as family members, and no transitioning into a lobbying career after leaving office. No more revolving door, ever.

What part of "no" do we not understand? I think it's safe to say she's prepared to fight.

Furthermore, in USA Today this week, she writes:

Our permanent political class relies on an apathetic and uninformed public to get away with this stuff. But if there is one issue that unites Americans across the political spectrum, it's absolute disgust with the corruption of our elected leaders. Congress and the White House need to earn the American people's trust again. We the people are not going to give up until we get the sudden and relentless reform we deserve or, as the book says, "we throw them all out" in 2012.

Governor Palin, of course, knows a thing or two about throwing people out. In Alaska, as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, she faced the decision of whether to eat well or sleep well when the blatant corruption of Randy Ruedrich, an AOGCC commissioner, led her to make a career-changing choice. On page 96 of Going Rogue, she details the situation:

When [Governor] Murkowski tapped me for the commission, he quickly named me chairman. That meant I also became the ethics supervisor of the staff, a job that turned out to be more than just a compliance title. When a staffer hinted that Ruedrich seemed to spend a lot of time running the Republican Party from his new AOGCC office, plus dealing with GOP operatives as a National Republican Committeeman, I mentioned it to the party boss-slash-commissioner.

Then another problem cropped up: Reudrich involved himself in adjudicating two cases that were closely intertwined with his old Doyon illegal dumping case. Commissioner Seamount and I urged Ruedrich to recuse himself, but he refused. An administrative assistant took me aside to say she suspected Ruedrich of sharing confidential commission information with a coal bed methane company we were supposed to be regulating. She was right: he was passing agency information to the company's lobbyist.

When Governor Palin's attempts to handle things quietly didn't yield results, she did what she had to do to eradicate the corruption. The Going Rogue account continues on page 99:

Nothing happened.

So I had to make something happen. I prayed long and hard. I loved the job. And I had to consider that by making any drastic moves I would be crossing swords with the most powerful men in my own party. My political career would be over. My whole future was before me. But I also knew I couldn't sit there and be a party to all of this.

I knew what I had to do, so I resigned--stepping away from the ethical lapses and hierarchical blinders to effect change where I could--on the outside.

[...]

Out of a job but sleeping well again, I knew that any shot I might have had to become a GOP insider was gone, which was fine, but I wanted Alaskans to be able to believe in the party ideals again. I knew the GOP planks made the strongest foundation upon which to build a strong state and country.

With this type of record, I have every confidence that what Peter Schweizer's research has uncovered has placed an even hotter fire in the Governor's belly. Reading the book should spark one in each of ours as well. From Nancy Pelosi to John Kerry to Dick Durbin to Judd Gregg to John Boehner, Ben Bernanke, Warren Buffett, and on and on, the "honest graft" is dishonorable. The corruption involves various industries, including--but not limited to--energy companies, credit card companies, railroad companies, and banking companies.

And perhaps the most deplorable of all is the involvement of President Obama and his administration. The big favors enjoyed by those who donated big bucks to his campaign speaks volumes and again leaves the reader shaking her head. Meanwhile, he continues with his class warfare campaign and demonization of job creators. Could this be part of the reason Governor Palin called him a "phony"?

Schweizer, on page 150, writes:

In our system of government, the legislative branch polices itself and the President is allowed to skirt conflict of interest laws because, well, he's the president. It is time for that to change.

I'm looking for the sudden and relentless reform Governor Palin so often talks about. Many of us have been so focused on the 2012 presidential election, but it's going to take more than that. Replacing President Obama with just another crony capitalist won't do. What difference does it make whether there's a 'D' or an 'R' behind a name, if the game remains the same? After reading this book, I appreciate more what Governor Palin said about changing the entire team, not just the uniform.

Speaking of teams, there seems to be more outrage at unethical behavior in sports than in government. Why isn't every media outlet incessantly focused on what's going on, encouraging the passage of these bills Governor Palin wrote about in her USA Today article, and demanding responses from members of Congress? Why do we spend more time discussing betting on games by professional baseball or basketball athletes? Shouldn't members of Congress be held to an even higher standard? Shouldn't the money that really belongs to we the people and the integrity of elected office matter? Indeed it should, and it must.

Again, I encourage each person to read Schweizer's book. Read it, share it, and embrace the anger derived from it. But don't just get angry. Sudden and relentless reform is needed. I did a lot of shaking of the head and rolling of the eyes as I read, but that simply isn't enough. The question I'm asking myself now is: "What can you help do about it?" I agree with Peter Schweizer's words on page 165-66:

If we accept crony capitalism with a shrug and an eye roll, we might as well accept a world of bribery and out-and-out vote buying. Crony capitalism has a corrosive effect on our politics, our economy, and our character. And we don't have to accept it.

Cross-posted at MotivationTruth

Isn't it Funny That No One is Lying About Sarah Palin Anymore?

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-09:00

We should all take notice at how the smears and the vitriol directed at Sarah Palin coming out of the mainstream media have stopped. Since she's not running, they have nothing to fear; and, as such, they no longer need to push their lies onto the American people in the hopes of throwing her off track.

That sudden halt to the hits coming from Politico, Huffington Post, Mother Jones and even the GOP establishment is nothing more than a collective sigh of relief coming from crony capitalists, socialists and political insiders who once trembled with fear and spent many a night in a cold sweat when the possibility of her running existed.

While Governor Palin continues to write and speak out on the issues, the dirt merchants have turned their sites on folks like Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. They size up the current field and tell us who they fear on a daily basis.

This is proof positive that the media lies and that no right thinking voter in America should trust anything they hear online or on TV. As the Obama campaign plans to use nearly a billion dollars to smear whoever the GOP nominee is, we must constantly remind the American people that no matter what they say about the GOP candidates, it's a smoke screen designed to help Obama get reelected.

The man behind the AstroTurfing campaign designed to shoot down Palin's vice presidential run is now hard at work looking at monkeys' asses on poles.

Let's never forget how America got into this mess in the first place. Remember the lessons of 2008. Be relentless in educating the American people that this goes beyond just being a battle of ideas. This is the future of our nation at stake. This election is huge. No matter what, we must oust Obama.

How to Vet Candidates Using the Clock

2011-12-12T02:34:00.001-09:00

"[The debates] offer that window into what that candidate stands for. That's very important. It helps the media. It helps us as voters be able to vet a candidate so that we're not stuck with someone like we're stuck with now in the White House - someone who hasn't been vetted - Barack Obama....But, these debates with the 10-second soundbites that we're supposed to be able to describe what our foreign policy is or perhaps what the Palin Doctrine would be in a 10-second soundbite - that doesn't do a whole lot of people a whole lot of good."

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
September 29, 2011, Freedom Watch

"The cream of the crop has not risen yet in this very fluid primary process..."

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
November 15, 2011, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren

"I think today, my personal endorsement probably doesn’t amount to a hill of beans - today at this point in the race. Maybe, as the weeks progress, it would become a little more significant..."

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin,
December 1, 2011, Hannity

“I am not ready to make an endorsement. This is a long process. Iowa is not the end. It is the beginning."

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin,
December 7, 2011, Hannity

The Clock
One of the best vetting tools in any contested primary is simple passage of time. With this method, you use your eyes, ears, and the clock to observe how a candidate performs in debates, fund-raisers, rallies, and unscripted interviews. When Gov. Palin says it is too early for her endorsement and the "cream has not risen to the top," she is using the clock. You can use the clock to determine if you even want to bother vetting a candidate's voting and financial records, or you can vet records and use the clock simultaneously.
Many aspects of a candidate's suitability for the office being sought are simply not going to be found by vetting records. A person's character, temperament, leadership methodology, impressions of colleagues who have worked with a candidate, and statements that indicate readiness or lack thereof reveal themselves only over an extended period of time.

Voters expect candidates for any office to give a straight answer to a question without hemming, hawing, "stopping to think," double-talking, telling different versions of the same story, rationalizing, back-pedaling, or lying. While gaffes can be distracting trivialities, they can be fatal to a campaign. History is replete with examples of fatal gaffes from failed campaigns of both parties. In this primary cycle, two candidates destroyed their own respective commanding leads, because their gaffes telegraphed both an inability to give a straight answer and rank lack of knowledge of various issues. One of the two candidates has already left the race. His numbers were already in the single digits when he was accused of having an affair, which allegedly ended within the past year. The other candidate is polling in the single digits.

Though character matters, most voters are more concerned with a candidate's ability to discharge the duties of office. In a scientific Fox News Poll which sampled 911 likely voters on Gingrich, Romney and Obama, 64% of the sample responded that they do not consider prior adultery a disqualifying factor. See question 41 on the 14th and final page of the poll. In my observation, when "personal pursuits" affect the job, reveal blatant hypocrisy, result in egregiously bad decisions or outrageous behaviors, voters tend to be far less forgiving. In my opinion, voters tend to be far less forgiving if the behavior is more recent.

If an elected representative or candidate's non-official pursuits involve or reveal illegal activity, it's generally game over.

A Time and a Place...

Voters who live in an early state such as Iowa with its caucuses less than a month away should now be very far along in their vetting process and close to choosing a candidate. With later states, half or more of the candidates will already have been winnowed out and long forgotten. Voters in these states are better served using the clock, then switching to web-based vetting tools around a month before the primary to focus on candidates who are relevant.

Using the clock too late precludes proper vetting of voting and financial records. But, vetting a candidate's records too early can lead to prematurely supporting someone, resulting in time, money, and emotional energy squandered. Why? The candidate may look suitable on paper, but you're not giving the clock a chance to do its work and reveal those things that won't be found in the voting and financial records.

First Time Running for Office?
If your chosen candidate is running for office for the first time, there is no voting record to vet against stated issues and financial data may be sparse. With first-time candidates, their conduct in the private sector and how they perform during the campaign will be about as much as the average citizen has to work with. This is an instance where the clock is the only viable option. Where possible, you want to refer to official public records, not just media reports (witness how many got it wrong with Gov. Palin), but there simply is little the average voter can vet with first-time candidates.

Many public records are either not free to access or require a steep learning curve to learn how to access them. Is it reasonable to expect John or Mary Q. Public to search criminal records, civil court filings - that is conduct a complete background check - on a first-time candidate for any office? Probably not. Is it reasonable to expect professionals to perform such a check, as with a SarahPAC endorsement? Yes.

In the case of the NY-13 Congressional election last year, the GOP ticket during the primary consisted of Michael Grimm and Michael Allegretti. Both men had never held office before, so there was really very little to go on. Grimm had the better message and numerous key endorsements, Gov. Palin's among them. He easily won the primary and I had been campaigning for him since Gov. Palin's endorsement some six weeks before the primary. In NY-13, our 2010 GOP primary vetting was done using the clock. Allegretti made several critical mistakes and gaffes, leading him to a crushing defeat. Grimm went on to win the general, defeating the well-financed and Obama-backed incumbent Michael McMachon (yes, there were three Michaels in this race).

Intellectual Honesty
The point of vetting is to use the mind to make a reasoned decision. When we vet, we must be intellectually honest. For instance, if we have been saying that Obama is a lousy President because he lacks prior executive experience, it is intellectually dishonest to extol candidates on our side who also lack executive experience. Similarly, it is intellectually dishonest to berate one candidate's flip-flopping behavior while ignoring, excusing, apologizing for, or soft-pedaling another candidate's flip-flops simply because we don't like the first candidate.
With Vetting, the Mind Should Lead
Likability is emotion-based; it's a "heart thing." It's also the kind of "heart thing" that easily leads to intellectual dishonesty. It further leads to convoluted and indefensible positions when brought into the vetting process. When we vet using the clock, we need to keep checking ourselves. Are we thinking everything through? If you're talking in terms of "like/dislike," "love/hate," even "support/non-support" - that's your heart talking. When we vet, the heart needs to take the back seat and the mind needs to take the leading role. If you can say, "I've examined 'candidate X's performance on the stump and found he/she does/does not really understand (insert issue here)" that's your mind talking. Most of us say we "feel" a certain way about something, when we should more properly say we "think." Feeling is not synonymous with thinking. Anything to do with vetting should be guided by thought process, not emotion.
In Closing...
Vetting candidates is our responsibility as voters. Because Gov. Palin has referenced vetting numerous times, as Palinistas, we have an elevated responsibility to vet candidates for all offices and to do so in a way that to the best of our knowledge aligns with her methodology. This series gave you the general principles and some tools to vet voting records, financial data and observe candidate performance on the stump to make a reasoned and informed decision.
This year, we have the entire House up for election and 33 Senate seats. That's 488 people aside from the President and Vice President. We also have state and city elections. See the big picture and not just POTUS. Proper vetting is one of the underpinnings of sudden and relentless reform. If we truly want better government, the onus is on us to make it happen. We make sudden and relentless happen by our vetting process and at the ballot scanner.

How to Vet Candidates: Financial Records

2011-12-09T02:41:00.001-09:00

It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen this kind of crony capitalism before. It’s is the same good old boy politics-as-usual that I fought and we defeated in my home state. I took on a corrupt and compromised political class and their backroom dealings with Big Oil. And I can tell you from experience that sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power-brokers. So, please you must vet a candidate’s record. You must know their ability to successfully reform and actually fix problems that they’re going to claim that they inherited.

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
September 3, 2011, Indianola, IA

If you've vetted a candidate's voting record, the next step is to vet financial records. "Forensic accounting" is a discipline unto itself, and while the average voter cannot be expected to be the next Peter Schweizer, we can examine some basic records and apply common-sense. We are looking for:

Expenses reasonable and customary vs. outlandish and extravagant.
Irregularities that could suggest embezzling funds.
Irregularities that could suggest cloaking sources of income.
Understating income or expenses.
Income from trade, industry or interest groups who benefit from legislation sponsored or voted on. This is a tell-tale sign of reg neg and possible crony capitalism.

To keep this simple, three websites are key to vetting financial records to the level of a very well-informed voter if not a semi-professional level.

Federal Election Commission Disclosures

The Federal Election Commission website houses income, disbursement and other financial data pertaining to candidates, campaigns, 527 organizations and Political Action Committees. Palinistas who donate to SarahPAC (listed as "Sarah PAC" - two words - Committee Number C00458588), should be familiar with its filings. Just as investors should understand that in which they invest, donors should understand that to which they donate. For instance, Palinistas should know that SarahPAC stumps for candidates who support its principles and that monies from the PAC cannot legally be used for purposes outside SarahPAC's purview, such as a campaign for any office by Gov. Palin. A campaign would have to be done with separate monies.

Like all government sites, the FEC site has a bit of a learning curve, before you are able to find the desired information. If you are comfortable navigating the FEC site, reading and understanding SarahPAC's filings, you are ready move on to other candidates and committees to apply what you've learned from reviewing SarahPAC's filings.

FEC Website

Open Secrets

Open Secrets is operated by the Center for Responsive Politics and is an excellent way to vet financial information pertinent to federal candidates and committees. Being privately owned and operated, it is somewhat easier to navigate than the FEC site. I used it almost three years ago for a campaign financing study and it is a goldmine of valuable information. Considering that I had only been supporting Gov. Palin all of six months at the time and was a complete newbie to elective politics, the site is easy to use.

Open Secrets

Follow The Money

Follow the Money is used for vetting financial records of state candidates. Like Open Secrets,
Follow the Money is a non-partisan organization. The website has several tools that help you see who is lobbying to include well-heeled individuals. Tools of particular interest include:

Independent Spending - track independent spending on elections.
Industry Influence - see how different industries influence candidates and legislative action.
Legislative Committee Analysis Tool (L-CAT) - "illustrates the intersection of campaign money with the laws that affect everyday life." If you're seeking evidence of crony capitalism, L-CAT will most likely find it.
Lobbyist Link - see what lobbyist's employers gave to candidates.
Point of Influence - shows if a campaign gets most of its funding in-state or from out-of-state sources.
Top 10,000 Donors - top 10,000 donors to federal and state campaigns.

Follow the Money

The Final Installment

We'll discuss using the clock as a vetting tool in our final installment of this candidate vetting series.

Gov. Palin on Bolling: Candidates Should Attract Diverse Voters

2011-12-07T19:18:00.001-09:00

Candidates "can't just be preaching to the choir...Candidates should not be afraid to debate in front of the nation regardless of who the host is," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said tonight in a wide-ranging two-segment TV interview with Eric Bolling of Follow the Money from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Gov. Palin was referring to Donald Trump's proposed debate which Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman both declined. She said both candidates should reconsider their attendance and if she were a candidate would be attend so as to get her message out to a diverse audience which includes independents and those who are "not into the inside baseball."

Bolling said that he does not consider either Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney true conservatives and queried Gov. Palin as to how someone like him should proceed with the field of candidates. "You and so many Americans are in the same boat," she said. Our choice is between "being socialist" or "being a nation of free men and free markets."

"You are looking for the perfect candidate," she continued. "We're going to have to support the GOP nominee."

Like Hannity before him, Bolling asked Gov. Palin if she was going to endorse a candidate before or after Iowa. She reiterated that her endorsement will not come before Iowa and that Iowa is the beginning, not the end. She said that Gringrich has risen in the polls because he has reached out to Tea Party and Constitutional conservatives, who in turn have forgiven some of his past political sins. Romney has yet to reach out conservative voters.

But, Gov. Palin warned that Gingrich cannot pretend to be a DC outsider when he was an insider. She said that he had in fact done good things as an insider, such as balancing the budget during the Clinton administration, and he needs to remind voters what he has done to reform corruption.

Gov. Palin said whoever rises to the top must campaign on sudden and relentless reform. "If you've been part of the problem, you are not going to get my support or the support of Constitutional Conservatives."

"Any of the candidates would be infinitely better than Obama." Further, Gov. Palin noted that all the candidates have cut budgets, taxes or fought for smaller, more limited government. "I have studied their records." She said a good bellwether on where conservatives might go would be to see who Ron Paul endorses if he leaves the race. Though Gov. Palin disagrees with Paul's foreign policies, she agrees with his domestic spending policies.

Gov. Palin also again said that she did not believe this had become a two-candidate race. "History shows that the winner or second place in Iowa doesn't necessarily get the nomination."

In the second segment, Gov. Palin said that it was typical that Nancy Pelosi and others in Congress would lie about their insider trading - a practice that is illegal for every US citizen outside of the Congress. She said that this activity is appalling and accounts for why people of modest means leave the Congress unusually wealthy. Bolling spoke about how Senators and Representatives were calling and trading stocks after meeting with Treasury Secretaries - accessing both tax payers' money and inside information.

The loans given by the Obama administration to campaign bundlers and friends are also a form of crony capitalism. Gov. Palin referenced Peter Schweizer's Throw Them All Out and said it's time to do precisely that.

About Obama's forthcoming 17-day trip to Hawaii, Gov. Palin said he is "deaf, dumb, and blind" to what is going on in the nation. She predicted "he threw the number 17 days out there just to tick people off, then will come back in 15 days to address some issue in the White House and look like the hero."

Video retrieved from SarahNET

Gov. Palin on Hannity: "Obama is Phony," No Endorsements

2011-12-07T17:34:00.001-09:00

"I'm very encouraged by these poll numbers and we will have a candidate rise to the top to beat Obama. We want passion...solutions proposed...to undo what Obama has done to this country," Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said tonight in her single-segment TV interview with Sean Hannity as her fireplace roared in her Wasilla, Alaska home. Gov. Palin was referring to a poll in which a generic GOP candidate would beat Obama 49% - 41% if the election were held today.

Hannity recited a list of Obama's negative statements about the Republican Party and Gov. Palin responded, "you gave examples of more of Obama's hogwash. He doesn't mean it and he doesn't walk the walk. He is a phony. Obama is a phony."

Gov. Palin acknowledged that her ticket "missed the boat during the last go-around," but said unlike in 2008, Obama does have a record.

Hannity asked Gov. Palin if she ready to make an endorsement.

"I am not ready to make an endorsement. This is a long process. Iowa is not the end. It is the beginning. We can't be complacent with this poll....Obama will have $1 billion 90% of the lamestream media in his back pocket," Gov. Palin said.

He followed up by asking Gov. Palin specifically if she would support either Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney.

"At the end of the day, I will support the GOP nominee," Gov. Palin said, adding that any of the independents and unsung candidates would be better than Obama.

Even the lamestream media might be souring to Obama. A coworker informed me about a hard-hitting column written on October 30 by Matt Patterson, a columnist for the Washington Post, the New York Post and the San Francisco Examiner, in which he refers to Obama as an "Affirmative Action President" and discusses Obama's lifelong lack of accomplishment in all of his pursuits.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

H/T Michael Monahan for lead to Affirmative Action President article.

“Smoking Gun” in Fast & Furious?

2011-12-07T12:00:00.001-09:00

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

For anyone following the Obama administration's scandalous cluster-of-an-operation Fast & Furious, which resulted in the deaths of innocent people, please see the article excerpted below. (And in my humble opinion, I do believe the anti-2nd Amendment characters working in the Obama administration purposefully used their Fast & Furious gun walking operation to propose more gun control regulations.)

Scour this article and let me know if you too think this might be a “smoking gun” in the Fast & Furious case.

ATF officials didn't intend to publicly disclose their own role in letting Mexican cartels obtain the weapons, but emails show they discussed using the sales, including sales encouraged by ATF, to justify a new gun regulation called "Demand Letter 3". That would require some U.S. gun shops to report the sale of multiple rifles or "long guns." Demand Letter 3 was so named because it would be the third ATF program demanding gun dealers report tracing information.

On July 14, 2010 after ATF headquarters in Washington D.C. received an update on Fast and Furious, ATF Field Ops Assistant Director Mark Chait emailed Bill Newell, ATF's Phoenix Special Agent in Charge of Fast and Furious:

"Bill - can you see if these guns were all purchased from the same (licensed gun dealer) and at one time. We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales. Thanks."

On Jan. 4, 2011, as ATF prepared a press conference to announce arrests in Fast and Furious, Newell saw it as "(A)nother time to address Multiple Sale on Long Guns issue." And a day after the press conference, Chait emailed Newell: "Bill--well done yesterday... (I)n light of our request for Demand letter 3, this case could be a strong supporting factor if we can determine how many multiple sales of long guns occurred during the course of this case."

This revelation angers gun rights advocates. Larry Keane, a spokesman for National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun industry trade group, calls the discussion of Fast and Furious to argue for Demand Letter 3 "disappointing and ironic." Keane says it's "deeply troubling" if sales made by gun dealers "voluntarily cooperating with ATF's flawed 'Operation Fast & Furious' were going to be used by some individuals within ATF to justify imposing a multiple sales reporting requirement for rifles."

The Gun Dealers' Quandary

Several gun dealers who cooperated with ATF told CBS News and Congressional investigators they only went through with suspicious sales because ATF asked them to.

Sometimes it was against the gun dealer's own best judgment.

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150414989148435.

SarahPAC: Get Signed Undefeated for Christmas

2011-12-07T11:36:00.001-09:00

SarahPAC Supporter,

We stand at the edge of an uncertain future. From the uncertainty of the millions of unemployed to the uncertainty of future tax burdens for small business owners, it is clear that we must now fight against the fundamental transformation taking place against all that has made America truly exceptional. We must bring certainty back into the lives of the American people.

To do this, SarahPAC will continue to be a driving force in the discussion for reforms that tackle the problem of crony capitalism and promote free markets, smaller government, domestic energy development, and removing the excessive tax and regulatory burdens that have left American industry more uncertain and less prosperous.

With the 2012 elections right around the corner, now is the time to join Governor Palin and SarahPAC’s continuing efforts to take our country back.

If you give a gift of $100 or more to SarahPAC, we will send you a copy of "The Undefeated" DVD signed by Governor Palin to show our appreciation for your ongoing support.

With the holiday season upon us, this collector's item is the perfect gift for a friend or family member and if your gift is received by December 18th, we guarantee delivery of the DVD by Christmas!

With your donation of $100 or more to SarahPAC, you will not only be receiving this exclusive signed copy of "The Undefeated," but you will also have a direct impact on the 2012 election cycle by ensuring that Governor Palin and SarahPAC have the resources needed to help elect conservative candidates and send them to Washington.

The future of our country belongs to those who are willing to fight for it, and with your vital support we can continue to help elect commonsense conservatives who will do what is necessary to ensure that America’s prosperity is renewed.

Once again, I ask you to take this stand with us.

Thank you for all you do for Governor Palin and SarahPAC,

Tim Crawford
Treasurer, SarahPAC

Paid for by SarahPAC
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee
www.SarahPAC.com

P.O. Box 7711
Arlington, VA 22207

How to Vet Voting Records

2011-12-05T02:56:00.001-09:00

"I have great respect for the wisdom of the people....the American voter doing their own homework, knowing who these candidates are, what they represent, what their experience provides them - they will be making up their own mind."

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
December 1, 2011, Hannity

An incumbent seeking re-election or a candidate having served in a prior office has a voting record. The purpose of examining voter records is to assess:

Congruency of stated position in campaign materials and actual voting record.
Integrity or lack thereof.
Consistency of position on issues vs. "flip-flopping."
If a change in position on an issue is heart-felt or motivated by political expediency.
Possible evidence of crony capitalism or other forms of corruption when assessed along with financial data. A key indicator is the legislation benefits a business or industry and there are major campaign or PAC contributions from interests associated with the business or industry. You likely need to cross-reference voting records and financial data to see this.

Note that legislators have a penchant for attaching amendments to bills that have nothing to do with the bill itself. A legislator might vote against a bill that seemingly aligns with your values because of these amendments. So, you may need to look up public statements about the decision to see if this factor was operative. Similarly, many bills are deceptively named. Just because the name sounds like something you agree with does not mean that it is. If something about a candidate's vote on a bill causes alarm bells to ring, investigate further.
Remember that no one in the House or Senate can truthfully claim to have cut a budget. Gov. Palin noted this in her December 1, 2011 TV interview with Sean Hannity and Eric Felten's The Ruling Class: Inside the Imperial Congress detailed how "services baseline" budgeting works back in 1993. Nothing has changed since then.

At the federal level, both the House and Senate provide complete official roll call voting records, so if your candidate has served in the House or Senate, you will find the voting record here. These records are organized by the legislation or resolution voted on. You cannot go to one of these sites and search a particular person's complete record, so using these sites fast becomes a real chore. Some Representatives and Senators do list their complete voting records, but it is not common practice.

We should push our elected representatives to post their complete voting records, not just at the federal level but at the state and municipal levels as well. We should also be able to see complete voting records, not just sponsored or introduced pieces of legislation.
US House of Representatives
US House of Representatives Roll Call Votes
US Senate
US Senate Roll Call Votes
Project VoteSmart
Project VoteSmart is a non-partisan organization consisting of an equal number of liberals and conservatives. A search on a person's name will pull up the voting record, and in some cases financial disclosures. VoteSmart has a Political Courage Test which virtually no major candidate of either party has taken. Thus, nearly every candidate will have "Lacks Courage" under his or her name. Is this an indictment of all candidates of both parties, or is it more an indictment of VoteSmart? We'll leave that question for our readers to decide.

For the 2012 POTUS election, VoteSmart offers a tool known as VoteEasy which asks you to answer 20 questions about various issues and rank their level of importance to you. Based on your answers, the algorithm will pick one or more candidates who supposedly most closely align with your position on the issues. How reliable is it? All I will say is run it and judge for yourself. I certainly would not stake my voting position on VoteEasy, but it can be valuable as a starting point.

The VoteSmart site does a very good job with highlighting voting records of those candidates who have House or Senate experience. It also goes to the state and municipal levels, though not as comprehensively.

Project VoteSmart

VoteEasy
Cross-Referencing VoteSmart, Senate and House Sites
The easiest way to vet a candidate with House or Senate experience running for re-election or for POTUS is to first use Project VoteSmart. This is because VoteSmart will pull up the voting record associated with a candidate. If a candidate voted a certain way on a piece of legislation that you determine warrants further investigation, you can go to the appropriate site and search on the legislation to read its text. By doing this, you can see if the candidate in fact "flip-flopped" or found an amendment to a bill or act objectionable.
State and Municipal Offices
State and municipal records are much harder to track down than House and Senate records. Each state and city site has its own quirks and there will be a learning curve in accessing them. As the offices get smaller in scale, the records get more scarce. Some states and cities may not have this information online, making vetting a real chore.

Still, the procedure is similar to the federal offices. In New York State, all legislation sponsored by a state Senator or a State Assembly member is available online. The same is true for the New York City Council. But, finding how these elected officials voted on legislation they did not sponsor is very difficult. Sponsored legislation should give you enough information to make a reasonable assessment.

Here are some examples using New York State and New York City:

New York State Senate: Diane Savino

New York State Assembly: Matthew Titone

New York City Council: use the advanced search. You can find sponsored legislation, by picking the council member's name off the drop-down menu and it's organized by first name first.

Executives: Governors and Mayors
Executives sign and veto legislation, thus they have a "voting record." Visit the state gubernatorial website and the city's mayoral site where the official served. Executives do more than sign and veto legislation, however. The governor is the president of a state and the mayor is the president of a city. Executives fill appointed positions, administer budgets, and manage crises. A governor has ultimate command over the state's National Guard units and the state police. A mayor has ultimate command over a city's police and fire departments. Executives sign ceremonial proclamations. Don't pooh pooh these. Just ask any sitting or prior executive how riled up a voting bloc gets if a pertinent proclamation is forgotten or omitted one year. These proclamations reflect somewhat on issues that may be important to the executive. Everything matters when vetting, even those items that on the surface appear petty.
When you vet someone who has executive experience, you need to look beyond "voting record" - legislation signed and vetoed - to consider all facets of the executive's job and how well he or she performed in these areas. Gov. Palin's accomplishments throughout her life, for instance have been thoroughly compiled and continue to be updated. The point in using Gov. Palin's accomplishments for this exercise is not to compare others to her, but to see the various aspects of what an executive does.

Using New York State as the example again, here is the list of Governor Andrew Cuomo's signed legislation, and Gov. Cuomo's initiatives, including budgets. Here is Project VoteSmart's Key Issues Summary on Gov. Cuomo. There are a fair number of bills vetoed, and you can see he used the line item veto on a budget vote. I learned something new writing this. I had no idea my home state has the line item veto.

New York City's Mayor, Michael Bloomberg does not list legislation signed or vetoed, but he does list his accomplishments, issues that matter to him, and his executive orders.

While state and city sites are excellent resources for sitting executives, finding the accomplishments of a prior governor or mayor will require some real digging, because much of that information is archived.

Google (or Bing, or whatever) is Your Friend
For instance, just on a Google search, I saw that my councilwoman, Deborah ("Debi") Rose received the endorsements of Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and NOW and is favorably predisposed to the Working Families Party. She is a hard leftist and her sponsored legislation (mainly resolutions) confirms that. All this came up without my even having to open the links, but I could see the links themselves were authoritative. Using a search engine is a good supplementary tool for vetting voting records.
The Next Installment
The next installment will show you how to vet financial data and why you should cross-reference it with voting records.

How to Vet Candidates: General Principles

2011-12-02T02:37:00.001-09:00

So, people - the voters - [have] a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. They need to do their homework. They need to study a candidate's record - see what they have done in the past to give you a glimpse into the window of where they intend to bring this country in the future.

-Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

Freedom Watch, September 29, 2011

It is incumbent upon us to properly vet candidates running for all elective offices so that we can make informed decisions based on facts. In less than 60 days, Gov. Palin taught us - her supporters - some hard but valuable lessons in politics and life. Gov. Palin has often said that our support of her was not so much about her per sé but about her common-sense Constitutional Conservative message. With her decision to not seek the 2012 GOP nomination, Gov. Palin taught us that no person alive is indispensable - not even the best the person for the job - and not even once-in-a-lifetime leaders. She taught us that we cannot always get what we want and we need to adapt to changing circumstances. As much as she asked us to trust her vis-á-vis her decision, Gov. Palin asked of us something even more difficult: to think for ourselves, to make informed decisions, and to trust in ourselves. If Gov. Palin is the Mamma Grizzly and we are her cubs, consider this as the Mamma Grizzly teaching her cubs how to hunt and survive.

Purpose

This series is not about strictly about the 2012 POTUS race. As a reminder, US for Palin will not endorse a 2012 POTUS candidate unless Gov. Palin does. Despite what unnamed "insiders" claim, no one except Gov. Palin knows if she will endorse anyone during the primary season, and there are equally strong arguments against her doing so as there are for it. While our oft-stated reason is deferring to Gov. Palin's leadership and following her example, we also believe it is your vote and your obligation to do your own vetting and make your own decision. We respect our friends and colleagues who have chosen to support one candidate or another publicly or privately. We also respect our friends and colleagues who are actively seeking Gov. Palin to mount a reconsidered run, though we don't ourselves feel comfortable with continuing to push the matter in light of her public and written statements on her 2012 POTUS decision. Finally, this site's mandate is to support Gov. Palin, her family, staff, organizations, products and activities. It does not matter to us how she unlocks her highest potential and self-actualizes as long as she does it. Gov. Palin is and has been our Shadow President irrespective of what office she seeks or doesn't seek. This is yet another reason why publicly endorsing candidates absent a Palin endorsement is outside the scope of US for Palin's mission.

The purpose of this series is to provide you as a voter with the tools to make a more informed decision on all elections moving forward and for all offices from city council all the way to POTUS.

Due Diligence

In the business world, investors go through a procedure known as "due diligence" to determine if a corporation or a project is worthy of investment and worth putting their money to risk. The principals in a venture or the officers of company seeking financing are also personally vetted to give investors some assurance that nothing untoward will happen with their money.

Vetting candidates is our conduct of due diligence, and even in this era of heightened political awareness, involvement and activism, few voters actually do it. Ignorance of how to vet, and voter apathy are the two most likely reasons. When voters believe that there is no fundamental difference between any set of candidates in a race, many will simply not bother voting, much less vetting. Voter apathy leads to the election of precisely the kind of people we don't want in office and it becomes a vicious cycle.

"People get the kind of government they deserve." If we don't vet candidates and a flawed candidate gets the job, we have no one else to blame but ourselves. If we sit on the sidelines out of disgust and the candidate we don't want gets elected, whose fault is it? Our actions in elections at all levels of government have consequences.

Voter Vetting vs. Professional Vetting

Voter vetting is nowhere near as exhaustive as the professional vetting that candidates seeking endorsements or campaign support undergo. The vetting of Gov. Palin by the McCain campaign cost over $50,000. Candidates seeking Gov. Palin's endorsement also undergo professional vetting, which costs thousands of dollars. Gov. Palin's careful and disciplined approach to endorsements was responsible at least in part for the 68% success rate in her 81 endorsements of 2010 with an astounding 90% for the Take Back the 20 subset.

The average voter will probably never vet any candidate to this level, but several free tools are available to help voters make a more informed decision and we'll discuss them in the next installment.

Beefs and Endorsements

Speaking of endorsements, be aware that personal beefs may influence a politician's endorsement decisions. For instance, a co-worker told me that my former Borough President Guy Molinari has a running feud with Newt Gingrich that is over two decades old. Molinari recently referred to Gingrich as being "evil" and likely will not be at Staten Island Gingrich event December 3 so as to avoid a confrontation that could reflect on the Romney campaign. Molinari endorsed Mitt Romney and will have a leadership role in Romney's New York primary campaign. My Congressman, Michael Grimm is a long-time friend of Molinari's and looks to him as his mentor. Grimm endorsed Romney, much to the consternation and dismay of his conservative base.

Voters outside Staten Island may be unaware of the animosity between Molinari and Gingrich, but it may be a factor in local voters' decisions, and it could ripple down to other well-known local politicians' endorsements of a 2012 POTUS candidate.

Poor Vetting Practices

Having campaigned for two Congressional candidates and the McCain-Palin campaign, I have come face-to-face with some of the most shallow and ridiculous reasons why people choose a candidate, with the top three being: physical attractiveness, the sound of the candidate's voice, and the candidate living in the same neighborhood/city as the voter. Some people pick candidates just on hunches. Some people are completely ignorant as to which candidate has which platform and vote based on what they don't know. Shock jock Howard Stern went into a Manhattan neighborhood and recited the McCain-Palin campaign platform to people on the street. To a one, the interviewees thought the platform was Obama's! Other people pick candidates based on sound-bites they hear on radio and TV, YouTube videos, or juicy one-liners in the paper or on the web. Some will take the time to read campaign materials, but go no further.

If we are to improve our government at all levels, we as voters need to do much better than this!

Campaign Materials Are the Starting Point - Not the End

Many voters go to a campaign website or brochure and if they like what they see, vote on that basis. Campaign materials are always self-serving for the candidate - any candidate - for any office. Reading campaign materials exclusively to form a decision is a poor voting practice.

As a voter, what you want to get from campaign materials is the candidate's stated position on various issues. Knowing the stated position, if the candidate has served in office prior, you will want to examine the candidate's voting record and we'll examine how to do that in the next installment.

Be Careful with Special Interest Groups

When vetting candidates, you want to rely on non-partisan, official, unbiased, and authoritative sources. Be careful with special interest groups or political organizations including Tea Party Groups. Remember, there is no political party on any ballot called "Tea Party." The Tea Party is a grassroots effort and many organizations use the name "Tea Party." Some Tea Party organizations have aligned themselves with one candidate and will smear all others in an effort to help their chosen candidate win. Other Tea Party organizations may prefer a different candidate. Special interest groups who have chosen to back a candidate will also do what they need to do to benefit their chosen candidate. It's human nature.

Do your own vetting and draw your own conclusion!

WikiPedia

WikiPedia is not authoritative, because anyone with a computer can change any entry. WikiPedia is generally not acceptable for academic papers; and it's not acceptable in US for Palin stories. That said, the reference lists on WikiPedia's entries may point to more authoritative sources. In other words, use WikiPedia as a springboard to reach authoritative sources, but don't use it as the source of your information.

The Next Installment...

In the next installment, we will discuss how to review voting records and research financial data on candidates for various offices.

H/T Michael Monahan for lead to information on feud between Molinari and Gingrich.

Gov. Palin on Hannity: "Endorsement Not Worth Hill of Beans," No Regrets

2011-12-01T18:21:00.001-09:00

"Today, my personal endorsement doesn't amount to a hill of beans. I have great respect for the wisdom of the American people," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said during a two-segment interview on Sean Hannity's TV show from her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Gov. Palin also said she has the fire in her belly, but no regrets about her 2012 POTUS decision and said, "we have a good slate of candidates. We have to back a Constitutional Conservative." No mention was made of the Conservatives4Palin Reconsider advertisement.

Hannity repeated his question about endorsing a candidate prior to the Iowa Caucus, which is now 32 days away. "I honestly don't think a pundit's endorsement and their personal opinion amount to a hill of beans," Gov. Palin said. When asked if she was leaning toward endorsing a particular candidate, she said, "I am leaning toward endorsing a candidate who is the antithesis of Obama." She added that no person who has served in Congress can legitimately make the claim that he or she cut budgets.

Hannity asked Gov. Palin if she thought the race was now down to Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. She said no and added that other candidates such as Rick Santorum also have messages that should be heard. Gov. Palin noted that Santorum has been consistent on the sanctity of life, Israel and other issues. She lauded Rick Perry's defense of the Second Amendment and Ron Paul's domestic policies, though she disagrees strongly with his foreign policy. "All are infinitely better than Barack Obama because they know we cannot survive the status quo.

Gov. Palin said it was good that Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were "going back and forth," but said it was important that they not "lose focus which is to make sure Obama is not re-elected." She said the candidates should provide sudden and relentless reform to clean up the crony capitalism that now infests Washington, D.C.

The first segment of the interview focused on the allegations of sexual harassment and affairs swirling around the Cain campaign. "If Herman did not screw around on his wife and give money to some broad on the side...if she made false allegations, it is despicable. If he did it, boys will be boys, but there is no room for a boy in the White House," Gov. Palin said.

"I have had people swear on Bibles that they had affairs with Todd or me that never happened....Whether he likes it or not, he is guilty until proven innocent. He should have her show the proof," she said. During his interview with Gov. Palin and with Herman Cain before her, Hannity said that hotels, airline tickets, and tickets to venues would be easy to prove and many of these places have video surveillance. Gov. Palin said that these allegations are a distraction that causes money to dry up and the candidate to make no further progress. Though Gov. Palin is resolute in her 2012 decision, Cain is reconsidering his campaign, and he promised to announce one of three possible dispositions of his campaign by next Monday: continue, suspend, or terminate it.

Gov. Palin and Hannity discussed the double standard whereby taking gratuitous swipes at conservative blacks and conservative women is considered fine, but calling Obama out on his past associations is "racist."

Like the prior interview, Gov. Palin was seated before her operating fireplace, giving the feeling of a Fireside Chat. Hannity quipped that her Christmas tree needed more decorations and Gov. Palin said she have her daughter Piper get on it.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

Media Dredge Up Discredited Blood Libel Against Gov. Palin

2011-11-29T02:40:00.001-09:00

ABC's Diane Sawyer on November 15 resurrected the blood libel leftists tried to foist on former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin after deranged gunman Jared Loughner shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle ("Gabby") Giffords and 19 others, killing six. Sawyers' false linkage of Gov. Palin to the shooting aired on 20/20. CNN's Piers Morgan last week jumped on the bandwagon. While Giffords' husband Mark Kelly explicitly said Gov. Palin was not responsible for the shooting, he claimed she was "irresponsible."

Here are some facts as they pertain to this shooting:

Loughner never saw SarahPAC ad which contained 20 cross hairs representing the 20 districts in which sitting Congressmen and women were "targeted" to be voted out. The campaign known as "Take Back the 20" was highly successful: 18 out of the 20 candidates Gov. Palin endorsed were elected.
Loughner did not like or watch the news.
Loughner did not listen to talk radio.
Loughner had a years-long personal obsession with Giffords.
Loughner was known by many in his circle to be mentally unstable.
Loughner was a leftist and probably would not have been positively predisposed to Gov. Palin.

Gov. Palin addressed the blood libel in a video and a Facebook Note:

Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

Here are some facts as pertain to the SarahPAC ad:

Both Democrats and Republicans have used cross hairs, bulls eyes, dots, and all manner of reticles on political ads for many years.
Liberal Democrat Bob Beckel discussed Democrat use of cross hairs on Sean Hannity's TV show
The use of cross hairs and bulls eyes was actually pioneered by a Democratic Party consultant.

See: All Cross Hairs are Equal, But Some are More Equal than Others

Facts on "target" and "targeting":

The word "targeting" has been used in political campaigns by both Democrats and Republicans since time immemorial.
"Target" and "targeting" are key words used in sales. Salesmen and women target prospects. Their commissions are based on hitting certain targets.
"Target" is often used synonymously with "goal."
Politics and sales share much in common, hence the use of similar terms in both disciplines.

Facts about Gov. Palin and her political advocacy:

Gov. Palin has never advocated, supported or promoted vigilante or mob justice.
Gov. Palin has always advocated following established legal and political processes.
Gov. Palin has on numerous occasions condemned the use of violence to achieve political objectives.
Gov. Palin has on numerous occasions said that our arms (weapons) are our ballots.
Gov. Palin is a responsible leader who knows and understands her words influence others to action. Gov. Palin has never and would never encourage or counsel anyone to break the law or engage in unethical acts.

Facts about Gov. Palin, Conservatives and Violence:

Gov. Palin and members of her family have been targeted for violence numerous times in these past three years. Prior to announcing her decision to not seek the GOP nomination in 2012, threats, death wishes and hate speech against Gov. Palin were routine on Facebook and Twitter. Even post-announcement, haters still make threats.
The Undefeated begins with a montage of some of the most hateful and violent rhetoric that has been directed at Gov. Palin and her family. This hateful imagery and rhetoric was so disturbing that the theater version of the movie would have had an NC-17 rating if ran uncut.
Tea Party rallies and other conservative events are self-policed, sanitary and conducted in compliance with the law. I have yet to hear of an arrest made at a Tea Party rally.
Leftists are responsible for most violence and the threats of violence. This was going on with the "Occupy" protests in cities throughout the country. Violent confrontations with police, rapes, sexual assaults, and destruction of private and public property were staples of "Occupy" protests. Occupy protesters have gone on record as wanting to firebomb businesses, burn cities down, and one has expressed a wish that 9/11 would have occurred 911 more times.

Reconsider 'Reconsider'; Updated

2011-11-28T19:20:00.001-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In light of recent discussions and the Reconsider movement designed to convince Governor Palin to reconsider her decision not to run for President, seen most notably in an Iowa television ad and Fox News interview, I posted the following on Conservatives4Palin:

Conservatives4Palin is a community of people with one goal. That goal is expressed quite clearly in the name of our site. We are conservatives who stand for Governor Palin. We stand for her efforts to impact America. And we stand for the principles that she personifies. We were never a Draft Palin site, and our support of her never hinged on whether or not she chose to be Commander-in-Chief. In other words, our support comes with no strings attached. This, perhaps, is what separates us from the fans of many public figures. We, to be clear, are not fans. We are supporters who choose to be here. We do what we do out of respect for what Governor Palin represents. We do it with our hearts and our talents, and it is our pleasure.

Having said that, while we have the same goal, we don't always agree on what that looks like. Nothing has made that more clear to me than this Reconsider movement that has surged. Until recently, I have kept my feelings to myself, as I really didn't want to get caught up in the daily discussions on the topic. However, I will remain silent no more. Yes, I will be respectful, but silence isn't the answer. I have strong feelings on the subject, and it's time to put them out there. The chips will fall where they may, and I'm fine with that.

Like everyone who knows who Governor Palin is, who respects her common sense, who values her wealth of experience and plentiful accomplishments, I wanted her to run for President. It took some time for me to wrap my brain around her decision not to do so. But it was necessary that I reached that point. It was the healthy, respectful thing to do.

So hear my heart in this.

At her core, the Governor is a person of deep faith. She did not make her decision lightly, which we all should know, especially since many were quite vocal about how long it took her to make that decision. Because I know her character, I know that she sought God's direction in this. Nobody wants her to fulfill her purpose more than she does, nobody has been impacted by this process more than she has, and nobody labored in prayer concerning this more than she did. Through that intense seeking, she found her answer: not now. As I see it, repeatedly asking her to reconsider not doing something she obviously believes God has directed her not to do is disrespectful--albeit well-intentioned--and shows a lack of understanding of how she operates. She is simply not going to disobey God to please people. That's not who she is. Now, I believe things could change in a heartbeat, but not because of people trying to force her hand. If she chose to get in the race, it would be because that's the direction she feels God has led her. Man's efforts in this regard are futile. She already knows what we want, and she has thanked us for believing in her, but this decision was bigger than we are.

Some have said, "If she didn't like the Reconsider movement, why hasn't she addressed it? She hasn't done anything to stop it." I beg to differ. She said she wasn't running. She said more than once she has no regrets. She said her supporters should respect her decision. What more could she possibly say? Why should she have to say she's not reconsidering? She never said she was. I believe that up until now she has said nothing about the movement specifically because she recognizes that she would spend every waking moment saying the same thing she's already said, and it wouldn't change a thing for some people. Some would still think she's flashing symbols, plotting maneuvers, and about to drop the bomb--metaphorical, of course--any moment. I'm sure she appreciates every guesture, but I also think we should truly respect her decision, not just in word but in deed.

There are some who believe that Governor Palin didn't mean a thing she said on October 5th. They believe she has intended all along to run and is just playing a game with people, making some strategic political move. That, too, isn't who she is. Yes, she's savvy, and holds her cards close to her vest, but she's not stringing us along. We, of all people, should know that. I believe it's time we take her at her word. It's time we come to understand that she really is the person we have said she is. She is not the typical politician. She is a woman of integrity. We say it, but do we believe it?

Many people got involved to make the Iowa television ad a reality. It was a well-done ad, though something I did not support. I feel it would have been perfect before she made her wishes known. Now, however, I believe it simply fuels this insistence in people to get the Governor to do something she has told us she isn't going to do. That concerns me. Disagree with me if you will, but I find that kind of insistence unhealthy. I believe that our money could better be spent supporting the Governor in other ways. I'm sure SarahPAC could use the finances. I'm sure that money could be saved to donate to the candidate Governor Palin endorses, if she chooses to endorse. Now, I don't pretend to speak for her, but I find it hard to believe that she would feel comfortable with people pouring their hard-earned money, during such difficult times, into something she has stated she is not going to do. Of course, people are free to do what they want with their own money, but I can only imagine the Governor cringing at this. We can agree to disagree, but that's my humble opinion, based on her principles. So while the ad states that it was authorized by C4P, the truth is C4P is made up of various people with various perspectives, and judging from my communications with the C4P staff, as well as reading C4P comments, we are not all on the same page with this.

Conservatives4Palin has been fortunate enough to be considered among the cream of the crop in all things Palin. With that status comes a certain responsibility to act responsibly. As far as I'm concerned, any decision to engage in never-ending Make Palin Reconsider efforts is not acting responsibly, not on the Governor's behalf and not on behalf of the people who have found us worthy of their time and attention. Therefore, I deem such efforts to be a violation of the trust placed in us. This is why I have chosen to publicly post my perspective on this highly-charged issue.

And highly-charged it is. Too often those who have voiced disagreement with the Reconsider movement, those who have decided to simply take the Governor at her word, are branded as non-supporters or deserters. Be sure to check a person's track record before those kinds of accusations. I am certain that my record speaks for itself. I am indeed for Palin. It is because I am that I feel so passionate about this issue. I feel drawn to showing her the respect that she deserves, trusting that her 2012 decision was one of the most difficult ones she's ever had to make. I am committed to standing by her side in whichever direction she takes. She is certainly not done making an impact, taking a stand against corruption in government, and fighting for the future of America. Therefore, I am certainly not done supporting her. I have said since 2008 that as long as she remains on the right side of right, wherever the road leads, I will travel it with her.

While I knew that this would be an article that would cause some people annoyance, I hope all have heard my heart in this. I have great appreciation for the many people who have invested themselves into their support of Governor Palin. I trust that as we observe the roads God takes her--or doesn't take her--down, we will honor her decisions, we will respect one another even when we passionately disagree, and we will continue to be for her. For me, part of that process is taking her at her word, focusing on what I can do to promote what she's committed to now, and watching the mighty impact we will make. Now, that is the kind of earthquake that will do her proud.

------

I added the following update as a result of the plethora of comments over at C4P. It's been a lively debate.

Update: There have been many comments made, quite passionate ones, concerning this article. Some have been most respectful, others not so much. Nonetheless, that's what sometimes happens when people begin to discuss issues that matter most to them. I love passion, though passion tempered with respect is preferable, and I thank those who demonstrated that.

As I finalize my comments on this particular thread, let me clarify something that many people obviously missed. I never said Governor Palin would never be President. What I stressed was that any change for 2012 would be the result of Governor Palin's believing she's been led in that direction, not people trying to force her hand. It would come because she felt, through prayer, that she was to take that path. I never said I didn't want her to be President, and I certainly never said I was so very excitedly throwing my support behind someone else. I, like every common sense American who knows her record and principles, want her to be President. More than that, however, I want her to obey the leading she receives. If those two things collide, great. If not, so be it. I will take her at her word, respectfully. I trust God to do whatever He chooses to do. As for me, I will do what I've been doing for three years now--supporting her and consistently praying that His will be done for her and her family, as many other supporters have been doing. As I've said more times than I can count, big things are in store for the Governor. She will fulfill her destiny, and whatever that is, I'm all for it. But an ongoing Reconsider movement, as far as I'm concerned, isn't the answer. It won't change her mind. But God...well, again, He can do anything. If you didn't get that from the article, you missed my point. If you got it but still don't like it, well, it is what it is. We will have to agree to disagree.

Onward and upward.

The Tebow-Palin Connection

2011-11-27T20:04:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

An insightful, inspiring article about the similarities between NFL wonder, Tim Tebow, and tea party wonder woman, Governor Sarah Palin, can be found at American Thinker:

Tim Tebow is really annoying to certain people in a Sarah Palin sort of way. Whenever Tim or Sarah shows up, an uncomfortable feeling accompanies him or her, and it's called conviction. One definition for "convict" is "to impress with a sense of guilt." That is precisely what Tim Tebow and Sarah Palin are guilty of: impressing shame and remorse upon America that it would prefer to avoid.

The Palin family has been mocked and derided for many reasons, including baby boy Trig, born with Down Syndrome. This past spring, after former Gov. Palin posted a birthday tribute to her son, former Wonkette writer Jack Stuef called Trig a "magic intellectually disabled baby prop." Stuef questioned "Trig's parentage, implying he was conceived in incest, and used the R word." Stuef has since apologized and said he regretted using the word "retarded," but he stands by his criticism of Palin.

By approving of and promoting policies that destroy innocent human life, the left is hateful enough. However, when a conservative public figure "chooses" life, what emanates from hate-spewing liberals amounts to a new level of vitriol.

That rage is evidenced by liberal reactions to Sarah Palin, who celebrates the life of a child whom some liberals would deem a disposable burden on society. Palin said it so well in a 2011 Thanksgiving tribute to Trig when she shared:
Through Trig, I see firsthand that there is man's standard of perfection, and then there is God's. Man's standard is flawed, temporary, and shallow. God's standard lasts an eternity. At the end of the day, His is what matters.

And what about that pesky Tim Tebow? In 1987, Tim's mother Pam chose to grant her son the gift of life. Pregnant and suffering from a life-threatening infection, Pam Tebow, a missionary with her husband Robert to the Philippines, was told that her and Robert's child would be stillborn. Rather than take the advice of her doctor and abort, Pam Tebow chose to trust God.

Both mother and baby survived, and today, much like Sarah and Trig Palin, Pam and Tim Tebow both pose a problematic contradiction to one of the strongest arguments abortion advocates use when arguing to justify disposing of the unborn.

To this day, 24 years after proving the doctor wrong, starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos Tim Tebow remains downright annoying. Every time he makes an appearance on the football field, without opening his mouth, the abortion survivor takes all the fun out of the sport. Why? Because pro-choice America is forced to look into the face of a strapping miracle child whose mother put his life ahead of her own.

To make matters worse, not only did the Tebow family allow the child to be born, but they then did the unthinkable and raised him to be a devout Christian.

[...]

Not only does abortion survivor Tim Tebow live, but as a staunch follower of Jesus Christ, he is a source of double-conviction in a godless world where devotion to sports often supersedes commitment to God.

Based on the left's reaction, seems Trig Palin and Tim Tebow are huge thorns in the side of pro-choice America. So are their mothers, who, if they'd only exercised the right to choose, would have made life a lot more comfortable for those who would rather avoid dredging up past mistakes.

Read the full article here, which includes comments by two people voicing their utter disdain for Tim Tebow's unabashed faith. It seems they would rather he hide it in a corner. I can't help but wonder why it bothers them so much. Perhaps this article hits the nail right on the head.

(h/t Nicole Coulter)

Summoning Palin's Endorsement

2011-11-26T11:01:00.000-09:00

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

As the GOP presidential candidates face ebbs and flows in their campaigns, there is no wonder Governor Palin's endorsement has been sought-after. Real Clear Politics has speculated where the Governor may place her support, but that remains to be seen. What is already quite clear is the candidates know the power the Governor holds. As the 2010 mid-terms elections revealed, her stamp of approval is able to positively influence a campaign, sparking both boots-on-the-ground support and finances. No doubt this is why immediately after announcing her decision not to seek the 2012 GOP nomination, a Palin endorsement was vehemently summoned.

Whomever she chooses to endorse for 2012, if anyone at all, will have a huge base of support from which to draw. While it is not likely that each of Governor Palin's supporters will back the person she backs, many of them are, in fact, waiting for her to say the word. They will then lend their support to that individual, for they believe her choice will be the most common sense choice for defeating President Obama, someone most in line with her values--values they share.

Mark Whittington writes:

The most sought-after endorsement of this political cycle will be from a woman who holds no political office and is not currently seeking one. That is why each of the Republican candidates have done the equivalent of kissing Sarah Palin's ring.

So how, according to Whittington, will the Governor reach such an important decision?

The criteria Palin will use to determine who to endorse will be who will be best for the country, in her judgment, and only secondarily who will be best for her own political fortunes. Palin has some definite ideas about how the United States should be governed, particularly in the suppression of honest graft in the congress and crony capitalism. Whomever is best suited to advance her agenda will get her endorsement.

And just what would a Governor Palin endorsement accomplish?

Palin's endorsement would take a struggling campaign and take it to the top tier. It would take a surging campaign and send it over the top. It could be the difference between getting to accept the nomination at next year's convention or just being third from the right on the stage during the unity demonstration.

Read the full article here.

(h/t Josh Painter)

cross-posted at MotivationTruth

The Power of Sarah

2011-11-25T02:19:00.002-09:00

Well, it has been weeks since I heard Sarah say that she would not be running for President in 2012. I must confess that I was terribly sad on that day (and for a few that followed). However, now, as time has passed and the wounds have somewhat healed, I take great joy in realizing that even if she is not a presidential candidate, Sarah Palin can still cause positive change in this negative political world.

Her choice to use the phrase “Crony Capitalism” in September was probably not mere coincidence. Peter Schweizer’s (the man who was her foreign policy advisor) book “Throw Them All Out” tells of the unfair system by which members of congress have already made tens of millions of dollars by using tactics that could put an ordinary citizen behind bars. The book details Crony Capitalism to an extreme! To believe that Sarah was not aware of the book, its topic, and the potential impact is just silly. She knew this would be the next battle on her hands. Governor Palin went into that battle prepared and has emerged successful. The STOCK Act (Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge) had over 90 co-sponsors in the Senate as of last Friday. Hearings will be held soon. I predict that soon it will be illegal for our congressional representatives to profit from insider trading. (Too bad that common decency did not put a stop to such bad behavior much earlier.)

No other candidate can make the claim that their words and views are immediately having an effect on current policy. Instead, each is so focused on emerging from this primary as the sole victor. Even though most are trying hard not to blatantly fight each other and instead only criticize policy positions and previous decisions, the struggle is taking a toll. Had Sarah Palin jumped into the race, she would be defending attacks from her fellow GOP comrades while trying to wound them as well. It is the nature of the primary battle.

However, as Governor Palin is not participating in the primary race, she is able to place her entire focus on fixing the government NOW. Not after the primary when she would then be campaigning against Obama. Not in November 2012 after she won the election. Not in January 2013 after being sworn into office. NOW! An entire 14 months earlier! We have seen what this woman can accomplish when she makes it her mission. I am so eagerly anticipating seeing the differences she makes in this country’s government during the next year (and beyond). The future of my children may depend on it.

I would like to see Fox News give her a weekly hour to host a “Conversation with the Candidates” show. She could sit down, one-on-one and really ask the questions to which so many of us wish we had the answers. Republicans are just not happy with the field we see. Perhaps with Sarah’s help, we might see things that are not so obvious. I’m not sure if the powers-that-be at Fox have the courage for such a bold program. It sure is fun to imagine watching it each week!

I believe that Sarah will not go quietly into the night and fade from the eyes of the world. She knows that she has the power to create a better place for those who may feel powerless against the political machine. She knows that she has a moral clarity that is lacking in so many in our government. Whether the left-leaning media likes it or not, she knows that when she speaks, we listen. And from those words, we are given ideas that will help our country to return to the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mamie Eisenhower's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

2011-11-23T13:07:00.000-09:00

Mamie Eisenhower's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Ingredients:

1 env. plain gelatin

4 tbsp. cold water

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs, separated

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. allspice

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 baked 9" Pie Shell

Directions:

Soak gelatin in water for about 5 minutes. Combine brown sugar, egg yolks, milk, pumpkin, salt and spices in top of double boiler. Cook over boiling water, stirring until thickened. Remove from fire. Add gelatin, stir until thoroughly dissolved. Chill until mixture begins to set. Beat egg whites quite stiff; gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until stiff. Fold the meringue into pumpkin mixture. Pour into baked pie shell and chill until set.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our work continues...

Follow O4P-CA on Twitter: @CA4Palin

Follow Thomas on Twitter: @ThomasSSchmitz

Thanking God for All My Blessings

2011-11-22T11:00:00.002-09:00

It's been a rough year. Having suffered setbacks on the job front and the business front, it's been difficult navigating the waters of stormy life circumstances. This blogger has been very active online in supporting the conservative cause and particularly the cause of the Palin movement. During the past three years, I've been challenged by time constraints, particularly due to work and business obligations. Yet, I have always tried to do what I could to push forward for a better America. While things have not gone particularly my way, they have gone in a direction that now leads me toward a better future.

I've been challenged by jaded Palin supporters and Palin detractors who claim I wasted the last three years of my life. That can't be further from the truth. It's important to believe in success and to believe in the qualities that make for great leadership. Advocating for and speaking out for a greater, better America is not a hobby. It is a business decision. It is based on the belief that a rising tide lifts all boats and that a better America leads to having better Americans. Sarah Palin embodied this belief and I supported her whole-heartedly without regret.

During the process, the company I worked for over the last 4 1/2 years downsized in July. As such, I have been without a job since. I have a business, which is struggling due in part to market and regulatory forces, but also in part due to the fact that building a business from scratch with no money is a daunting challenge. We are in the process of seeking out investment funds for a lucrative opportunity in the debt purchasing - debt selling business. It is my firm belief, with God's help, that we will break that seal and get the financing we need to succeed.

In the meantime, I have a mortgage to pay and a child to support. Monday, I was offered a nice position with a decent base salary and an unlimited bonus and commission structure. If I perform as I have in the past, I will be financially stable by the summer and be in a position to save and invest money after that. For this, I am thankful to the Lord for all of my blessings. I look forward to celebrating a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends who all have overcome their own personal challenges and who are now set on a much more stable path ahead.

While I have obtained the type of job that will afford me the ability to rebuild my life again, millions of Americans continue to be out of work and continue to suffer as the result of an economy that has been destroyed by the policies of crony capitalism and a president who many argue is trying to collapse our system in order to reorganize America into a collectivist style big government state. It's important that we thank our Lord for our blessings at this time and turn our eyes to Him for help in these trying times.

Psalm 46 tells us:

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah) 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. 6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)

Renewing and restoring America, as Glenn Beck has told us, begins with renewing and restoring ourselves. In spirit with this philosophy, it is only fitting to encourage people to do whatever they can do to best secure what they have, build upon their future potential and keep moving forward with a positive demeanor and a patience that tells them that no matter how bleak things may seem, with personal effort and perseverance, things can and will work.

One can't help but to wonder if the decisions made by people like Sarah Palin, Chris Christie, John Thune and Paul Ryan regarding presidential runs are not born of the theory that you can't sell the house unless it's completely built. While it clearly can be argued that Sarah Palin was ready for the presidency, three years of boning up on the issues and building wealth may not have been enough for someone who could potentially occupy an office during the most trying times our republic has seen since the Civil War and World War II.

Maybe there's more that we all have to do personally before someone like Palin could be considered a lock for the presidency. It's time to take back the culture, the Congress and the cable television box.

Keeping powder dry and fortifying the fort sometimes is a better way than shooting the works and leaving oneself vulnerable to the fickle finger of fate. I am me. We are conservatives. We know our luck. Sometimes, building it bigger than we have to is more important than blowing it all too quickly on a cause in such a way that it fails rather than succeeds. I've done that in business, and I know how unpredictable the future can be when you bet on time and future success without having a fortress already set up that can withstand that kind of a dice roll.

Consolidating and building on one's own personal wealth (with wealth being defined as strong relationships with God, family and friends, financial stability; and a strong positive mental outlook with advocacy in our hearts and words for what is right) is key. Building America back from the ground level up requires us to first become strong individually, then as a family, then as a community and then as a town and state. We must never stray from that which makes us strongest, whether it be spiritually, financially or socially.

The key line of today's interview which landed me the job was when I said "making money is not about the mansions and the yachts; it's about the ability to take care of the car, the water heater and the family when something goes wrong." After thinking about my resume, I could have added that it's about being able to thank God today for the decisions made yesterday with His guidance.

While we all make mistakes (and I have my fair share of them), one thing is certain. We can overcome our past by building on a future based on what we do today. I have always been blessed because I have a clear understanding of the fundamental spiritual and mental values that we need to move forward in such a crazy world. I may not always stick to these values 100%, but for me it's not about the kill, it's about the thrill of the chase. Success is not about the shining city on a hill, it's about busting your ass to get there.

As we move forward into 2012, this blogger's work schedule will be demanding. I will have to make some changes in how I contribute to this and other blogs which have been so gracious and offering me their forums to post my articles. My radio show may have to shut down in January since my work hours will take me past the 11:00 hour on Wednesday. My blog posts may come more on weekends than during the week. But, by being focused on the main thing to better myself, it is my most sincere hope that I will be better positioned down the road to contribute more than just my written word to the cause of bettering America.

And, I'm not going anywhere. I will still blog and tweet. I will still cheer-lead the future of America.

When you sit down at the table with your family and friends this Thursday, please make sure that you thank God for your blessings and ask Him to bestow upon you the patience, inner peace and personal power to better yourself in the future. Success is not a destination. It's a journey.
God bless you all.

-Listen to Patrick's World USA tonight on Blogtalk Radio at 11pm ET 8pm PT.