Freedom’s Wings 2009 Year In Review

First black president inaugurated.  Remember these empty words from the speech: “On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.”  He promised to “begin again the work of remaking America.”  My how he has begun that by remaking us into his community organized Marxist utopia.  And the lies continued with, “And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”

The President goes on to spend more in his first year than all other presidents combined.

Auto bailouts.  General Motors (GM) becomes Government Motors as the government becomes the majority shareholder.  President Obama, in an unprecedented move, fires the CEO of GM.

Insurance giant AIG almost goes under, but the government comes to the rescue again and provides a large bailout.  AIG subsequently passes out large bonuses to executives and parties big time on our dime.  “Outraged citizens” are bused around by ACORN to the different executives homes in staged demonstrations.

Obama spent the year circling the globe, apologizing for America everywhere he went.  Who can forget the Cairo Speech, UN speech, bows to Saudi King, Japanese Emperor and Chinese Premier and handshake with Hugo Chavez?

The President moves the Census from the Department of Commerce to the White House and attempts to have ACORN run it.

Obama does away with enhanced interrogation techniques and orders that only the Army Field Manual will be employed leading to…

No more “War on Terror”.  It is now dubbed the Overseas Contingency Operation and terrorists become enemy combatants and then just criminals.  Terrorists acts become “man-made disasters .”  In that vein, the decision is made by Attorney General Holder to try the 9/11 terrorists in New York City.  Obama begins to realize his dream of closing GITMO by releasing Jihadists to Bermuda and having the government buy a prison in Illinois where the detainees will be moved.

Attorney General Eric Holder also drops charges on Black Panthers who intimidated people at polling places and in a speech refers to America as a “nation of cowards.”

Maoists and Marxists are revealed to be rampant in the Obama administration.  Green Jobs Czar Van Jones steps down as well as Anita Dunn who declared Mao to be one of her heroes along with Mother Theresa.

Obama declares that he has saved the economy from the brink and the recession is over.  Economy has slight bump up, but stock market continues to yo-yo and financial bubbles loom in the future along with the collapse of the dollar.  Several countries suggest unhinging from dollar and seeking a new global currency.

The Porkulus Bill (Stimulus recovery) is passed and Obama promises to save or create 4, no wait 3.5, um make that 3 million jobs.  It has been an utter failure with rampant fraud and the few jobs created costing somewhere in the area of $200,000 each.  Record unemployment has reached levels as much as 10.2% federally with most states suffering much worse numbers.

Air Force One flying over New York City and the Statue of Liberty for a photo op, sending New Yorkers running for their lives thinking 9/11 is happening again.

Obama appointed Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court.  A woman whom has made blatant racist comments and believes that policy is created from the bench.

The Beer Summit!  Who can forget the President jumping to conclusions and declaring that the Cambridge Police Force acted stupidly when arresting a friend of his, Professor Gates.  The President promptly invited his friend and Sgt. James Crowley for a photo op teachable moment at the White House and the three men drank beer around a table while accomplishing nothing.

Two omnibus spending bills full of pork and earmarks passed by Congress and signed by the President.  One has 9,00- earmarks and the other contains 5,000.  A separate Defense Bill contains several billion more in earmarks.  What happened to no earmarks?

Approval ratings for the President go into freefall.  An upper seventy percentage rating upon Inauguration eventually deflated to a 46% approval rating.

This year’s budget deficit: $1.6 trillion

Concerned citizens dubbed “right wing extremists” in a DHS Report entitled, “Right Wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence In Radicalization and Recruitment.”

Obama drops plans for a missile defense shield in Poland.

The Obama family brings home their family dog, Bo.  An expensive, hard to find breed and not a shelter dog.

Obama announced plans for Afghanistan surge of troops.  He chooses to send 30,000 although General McChrystal requested much more and soldiers I have talked to suggest at lease 100,000 are needed and probably more.

Obama meets the Queen of England and gives her an iPod already loaded with his speeches.  He gives the Prime Minister a set of DVDs that do not work in European machines.

The Heathcare Debate!  This has gone on for the better part of the entire year with a final culmination in the House passing a bill and then the Senate passing a bill. The bills now need to merge in committee.  The House plan has a public option while the Senate version does not.  The debate over government healthcare has outraged citizens and created deep dividing lines between socialism and the free market.

The healthcare debate and outrageous spending lead to rallies across the nation dubbed as Tea Parties.  And a movement was sparked!  Concerned citizens have gathered throughout the year at rallies, counter-rallies, townhalls and tea parties to protest government intrusion, taxes, and loss of freedom.  The goal has been to get America back to her founding principles.  Large gatherings happened simultaneously nationwide on Tax Day, Independence Day and a large 9/12 March On Washington that was attended by over one million people.  The tea parties caused liberals to lose their heads, like Janeane Garofalo who called tea partiers “red neck racists” and MSNBC commentators to call tea partiers “teabaggers”, and the President to pretend to be unaware of the protests and then finally refer to the rallies as places where people were waving around tea bags.

The President promises to dismantle our nuclear stockpile while North Korea test fires missiles and Iran ramps up efforts to make nuclear bombs.  Iran has ignored all international requests to cease and desist and the President and other leaders have been left impotent.

Miracle on the Hudson!  One of the few feel good stories of the year.  Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was able to bring down a full airliner after a flock of birds took out both engines without anyone dying and only a few injuries, using the Hudson River as a landing strip.  People will recall images of the passengers waiting on the wings of the sinking plane as ferries raced out to rescue everyone.

The Swine Flu!  The name quickly was changed to H1N1 Virus and everyone fears that a pandemic is on the horizon.  America overreacts as only a few thousand die.  Far below the number that die from the regular seasonal flu.  Not enough vaccine is made available and rationing begins legitimizing fears that government run healthcare will lead to rationing.

The Iranian Protests!  A fraudulent vote puts Iamadinnerjacket back in power and outraged Iranians take to the streets in the summer.  The protests continue to this day as Iranians make their move toward full revolution to overthrow their corrupt government.  Obama gives no support and promises that we will “bear witness”.  Gee thanks, Barry!

Somali pirates!  Pirates have long been a problem, but until this year and remained largely ignored by America.  That was until the Maersk Alabama, an American ship, was hijacked.  Captain Richard Phillips offered up himself as a hostage as his crew locked themselves below deck.  For days we watched the pirates hold the captain hostage in a dingy.  Finally, the Navy SEALS took action and killed three of the four pirates and freed Capt. Phillips.  New reports from the crew disparage the Captain’s courage and claim he was captured because he was stupid, but it still was a great day for our military.

The Ft. Hood Massacre!  On November 5th, Jihadist Nidal Malik Hasan, a US Army Major, mowed down 13 people (14 if you count the unborn baby) and wounded 30 others at Ft. Hood in Texas.  A female police officer takes him down leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.  The President takes a long time to address the nation and spends the first two minutes of his comments giving a shout out and thanking everyone at the gathering he is at for a great time and is quite jovial.  Americans are left baffled by the man boy pretending to be a leader.  Obama tells everyone not to jump to conclusions – unlike what he did with the Cambridge Police.

Bernie Madoff commits the largest Ponzi scheme in history leaving millions penniless.  He is sentenced to 150 years in prison.

Roman Polanski finally arrested for a 1970s sex charge for drugging and raping a thirteen year old girl.  He is put under house arrest.

ClimateGate!!  The global warming hoax is up.  The Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia in Eastern Europe is hacked and emails are released to the public that revealed an effort to cover up cooling temperatures, efforts to shut down scientists who were debunking manmade global warming and revealing an effort to coach certain members of the media in how to report on climate change.  They deliberately changed, manipulated and deleted data.  This came out before the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen and world leaders, including Obama, completely ignore it.

Ted Kennedy dies.  Boo hoo…

Susan Boyle blows us all away with the voice of an angel and the face of a troll.  She has become a sensation and sold more records internationally then anyone else.  The video of her break out goes viral with several million hits.

Governor Mark Sanford went “hiking on the Appalachian Trail” and came back from Argentina with tales of his lurid affair with a woman.  All prospects for this conservative to have a run at the presidency vanish and his wife leaves him.  Calls for his impeachment fail, but that won’t take away his title as “Scum”.

Governor Sarah Palin quits her job as governor of Alaska.  She claims to be stepping down because of numerous lawsuits that are wasting time and money for the state.  Supporters like myself think she has made a stupid move that has killed her chances at the presidency, but her ability to raise funds has soared.  Not to mention sales of her memoir which has broken records this year.

Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize for doing…nothing.
Tiger Woods and his Mistresspalooza.  One of the most celebrated and inspiring athletes of all time proves to be a schmuck.  The list of women he has cheated with during his brief marriage grows and grows and came to light after his wife tried to attack him with a golf club.  For now, Woods has quit golf and his wife has moved out.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two entities behind the housing bubble crash are bailed out a few times and then given an unlimited line of credit…forever.

Debt ceiling raised to: $12.4 trillion

Jihadist attempts to blow up himself and a Detroit bound jet on Christmas Day.  He gets through security with a device hidden in his underwear.  He gets through also despite the fact he is on a watch list, has no baggage, pays cash and gets a one way ticket.  Not to mention he is Muslim and his father has reported his extremist ways to the US embassy.  American security has egg on its face and, thanks only to a bad detonator and a brave Dutchman, no blood on its hands.  The President waits three days to address the country about the attack and is weak.  Janet Napalitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, claims everything went well and then backtracks.  We are still waiting for her resignation.

And finally the people who died this year: Natasha Richardson, David Carradine, DJ AM, Walter Conkrite, Farrah Fawcett, Paul Harvey, Billy Mays, Les Paul, Karl Malden, Patrick Swayze, Ricardo Montalban, Ron Silver, Dom DeLuise, Director John Hughes, William Safire, Soupy Sales, Jack Kemp, Roy Disney, Bea Arthur, Dominick Dunne, Ed McMahon, Brittany Murphy and Michael Jackson.

Good riddance 2009!!!

Sarah Palin Not As Rogue As She Claims

Sarah Palin’s biography, Going Rogue, is slated for release in November.  The book is already outselling all other books in pre-sales and breaking records.  But one has to question just how rogue Sarah Palin is with the announcement that she will appear on the Oprah Winfrey show on November 16th.  My libertarian balloon just deflated!  Going on Oprah is what all book hawkers do.  Obviously, appearing exclusively on Oprah means huge book sales, but Sarah obviously does not need the appearance.  The pre-sales are proof of that.  So why go into the hornets nest?  Does she want to get stung?  My God, Oprah was out on the campaign trail for Obama!

I seem to remember a time when Oprah balked at her staffs appeals to have Palin on the show during the campaign.  And then I also recall that Palin snubbed Oprah about doing an interview.  I love capitalism and think Palin should be able to make boatloads of money on her book, but is she not selling out by going on Oprah.  Some might claim that Palin is using Oprah to boost herself, but it appears more to me to be about money and publicity.

I was a huge supporter of Palin, but when she quit as Governor of Alaska I started to re-access my support of her.  This appearance on Oprah has me wondering once again.  One thing is for certain, Palin is a great money maker for the GOP and a great spokesperson for conservatives, but she will never be able to run for President.

Sarah Palin Stepping Down?

Governor Sarah Palin announced this afternoon that she is stepping down from her position as Alaskan Governor later this month.  I truly am shocked for a number of reasons and cannot comprehend what could be behind this move and what it bodes for the future.  She did claim that she was not going to seek re-election and felt it would be best to hand everything over to the Lt. Governor.  She could be possibly seeking election to the Senate, but this would be early to resign.  And she would be unseating a fellow Republican.  She does plan to go on a book tour and has a seven million dollar book deal so perhaps she wants to build up some capital for a presidential run.  But is there something behind the scenes that we do not know about?  Governor Mark Sanford has me jaded after the last week of scandalous revelations.

I am also concerned about the timing of the announcement.  Palin announced her resignation on a Friday afternoon right before a holiday weekend – an Obama adminstration move when they want to hide something from the news cycle.  There are many allegations surrounding money and I find myself wondering if some of the allegations may be true.  I voted for Palin in 2008 and want to see her on a ballot in 2012, but I find myself stunned and wondering what is going on behind the scenes.  I pray that there is no scandal here because the Republican Party cannot take another blow like this.  Conservatives were looking to the Republican Governors as our hopes for leadership in 2012.  With Mark Sanford’s fall and then this bizarre move from Palin, I find myself stepping back.

I have claimed for a while that we do not need a leader in the Republican Party and this is one of the reasons why because I do not want to put my eggs in any basket right now.  We are the leader right now.  And that is just fine with me.

Message To McCain And His Campaign

Dear Senator McCain,

Where are you?  Your VP pick is being trashed by the bumbling idiots who couldn’t run a winning campaign if they had $700 million dollars and you have said nothing.  How dare you not defend the shining star of your campaign and the only reason I and most conservatives voted for you.  I had never attended a campaign rally before or donated money to a presidential candidate before.  Sarah changed that.  Get off your butt and fight…fight…

Dear McCain campaign staff,

Shut the heck up!  We are not a bunch of bumbling idiots like you are.  Just as I didn’t believe that President-elect Obama really believed that America is made up of 57 states, I don’t believe for a minute that Sarah thought Africa was a country and not a continent.  If she ever said that it would be a gaffe just like Obama’s.  I’m also wondering how you expect the public to believe that Sarah was out spending money constantly when she was constantly campaigning and couldn’t possibly have had the time and you admitted buying several sizes in each outfit to make sure they fit.  If she was buying them, SHE WOULD HAVE TRIED THEM ON!

Come out, come out wherever you are – you cowards.  We conservatives won’t let you blame this on conservativism.  That is alive and well, while becoming Democratlites is dead.  Out with the old and in with the new I say.  Never again will we let the Democrats and media choose our candidate.  Never again will we be forced to hold up and try to pull over the finish line a candidate who destroys the party.  The future of the Republican Party will be young conservative voices like Bobby Jindal and, yes, Sarah Palin.  She was the reason your campaign did as well as it did in the voting booth.  Now go away with your tails between your legs and find gainful employment at Starbucks or The Sierra Club because politics is done for you.

“Troopergate” Report Leaves Me Disappointed In Gov. Palin

The Alaskan Supreme Court ruled last night that an independent legislative investigative report that documents findings in the “Troopergate” issue that has dogged Governor Sarah Palin should be released. It was a great decision because we need transparency in government. The Los Angeles Times reports, “The report found that [Monegan's] refusal to fire the trooper was ‘likely a contributing factor’ in Monegan’s termination in July, but it also concluded that the governor’s decision was ‘a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority’ to hire and fire department heads.”  The report also found that Palin had abused her power and violated ethics.  It would seem that she initially made calls to Monegan, but when he informed her that that was improper, Todd Palin and Palin’s chief of staff started making the calls.  I then believe that when the budget indictated that someone should be let go, Palin decided Monegan would be the choice since he had not fired trooper Mike Wooten.

What can I say here?  I’m so disappointed!  No wonder she was not cooperating with the investigation.  I can understand why Sarah wanted this trooper fired and his history does call into question how he can still be on the job, but you don’t abuse power like this.  If she’ll do it here, where else will she do it?  And then to go to such lengths to cover it up.  While this does not compare to any of the marks I have against Obama it does give me pause.  This is not a moment of glory for the liberals or the Obama camp, this is a moment of profound sadness for all of America.  The reason I feel that way is because WHO THE HELL CAN WE TRUST?  We’ve got McCain voting for earmarks even though his campaign has run on his being a reformer and maverick who does not vote for earmarks.  Now Sarah who claimed to be different and to be a reformer proves to be just another politician when given power.  Barack Obama is a Marxist in disguise and Biden is just a liberal idiot.  These are our choices for leadership at a time when this country needs a true leader.  And all we have is a void.  This next four years is going to be a very painful time no matter where your politics fall.  Our economy is broken and the government is ruining it further.  Socialism is on the march.

Yesterday I received my absentee ballot in the mail.  There’s alot of names on the Florida ballot.  Both Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin made the cut.  Now I have a very difficult decision to make as does every other American.  If I vote for either of them it takes a vote from McCain giving Obama an advantage.  Despite what McCain told a crowd yesterday, “I have to tell you, Senator Obama is a decent person and a person you don’t have to be scared of as president of the United States,” I do fear an Obama presidency because I know it will rip away my freedom and the Constitution and usher in Marxism.  But how can I vote for McCain who I believe is also willing to embrace pieces of socialism and Palin who has lost a chunk of my trust?  Part of me also thinks it would be better to let Obama get saddled with all the crap coming down the pipe and look to 2012 with hope of a better choice.  Do others find themselves in this kind of struggle as well?  Will we still be America in 2012?  This G7 meeting this weekend has me upended as well.  Are we moving towards that One World Government?

I think what this is is a time of prayer.  We better all get on our knees because we need some help desperately!

The Beloved Sarah Is Back And Slam Dunks In Debate

Governor Sarah Palin came out on stage confident and with a broad smile on her face.  You could almost feel her excitement.  She asked Senator Biden if she could call him “Joe” which reminds us that she is just one of us.  She stayed on point, connected with regular Americans that are struggling and seemed to be on offense most of the evening.  The few times she needed to defend, she did so thoroughly.  She more than rose up to expectations and erased any doubts that a sniveling Charlie Gibson and an obstinate Katie Couric tried to create.  I bet the mainstream media is quaking in their biased boots now.  And I have to hand it to Gwen Ifill that she did a good job and was fair, at least to a point.  Joe Biden got far more rebuttals.  Of course, she had no other choice.  I wonder how many wadded up pieces of paper were under her desk of questions she really wanted to hammer Sarah with.  My favorite moment of the evening came when Sarah told both Biden and Ifill that she was not going to answer the questions exactly like they wanted.  She asserted herself and let them know they weren’t going to walk on her.  She said specifically, “I may not answer the question the way the moderator or you want, but I’m going to answer and talk straight to the American people.”

So let’s get to the meat.  Ifill asked about who was to blame for the subprime crisis and the economic crisis.  Sarah reminded everyone that two years ago John McCain had been blowing the warning trumpet.  Biden tried to say that Barack had done the same thing – wish Sarah would have asked if that was before or after he lined his pocket with Fannie/Freddie money.  Sarah reminds everyone that Barack has voted for tax increases 94 times, one of which raised taxes on those making only $ 42,000 a year.  Joe Biden spent most of the evening with a stupid grin on his face.  I read it as, “Oh shit, she’s right.  What should I say?”  Especially the numerous times she pointed out negative things that Biden had said previously about Obama or times that Biden did not vote with Obama.  It really makes one wonder just where Joe Biden stands, but he’d rather play politics as usual.  Sarah said, on the other hand, that she and McCain do not always agree.

The two talk about redistribution of wealth – Biden calls it “fairness”.  I wish Sarah would have called it Socialism.  People need to realize that that is what Obama/Biden stand for and will bring.  She reaffirms that the middle class does not consider paying taxes as “patriotic”.

*A whole roomful of independent voters on Fox News just raised their hands that they think Sarah won the debate!!!!  Then they are asked if she is ready to lead and I see one woman shake her head and those around her nodding “Yes”.  Even MSNBC analysts are saying she held her own – man that must have hurt.*

The debate moved on to climate change which Biden continued to call global warming and said that it is strictly manmade.  Get with the times, Joe.  There is no conclusive scientific evidence of that and how do you explain that scientists now claim that we are in global cooling.  Sarah reminds everybody that she lives in a place that is directly affected by climate change.  Sarah seems to adhere to a bit of the propaganda, but only claims that man is partly to blame.  I obviously think she could have been stronger here, but she may not have wanted to distance herself too much from McCain who is a global warming champion as well.  To my dismay.  Biden claims he is for clean coal, but I’ve heard with my own ears that he has said he is against it and Obama’s campaign had to retract statements Biden made.

We move to something close to home for me and it appears both camps are in agreement when it comes to same sex partners – no marriage, but yes to benefits and acceptance.  I can deal with that and respect it.  So wake up gay people supporting Obama unequivocally – he doesn’t want you marrying either.  (Hasn’t talked to the gay media either and didn’t show for the LOGO debates.)  Sarah Palin appears to be the only one who has done something positive for gays – she vetoed a measure that would have taken same sex benefits from government employees.

Now talk turns to the war.  Sarah says she and McCain will win the war while Biden says they will end the war.  Pretty sure that means quit, surrender and take our ball home.  Afghanistan becomes a topic of a little bit of fighting between the debaters each claiming what a certain commander meant when talking about whether a surge would work there just like it did in Iraq.  Biden says that McKiernan (sp?) said it wouldn’t work, Sarah refutes him handily.  Biden smirks and kind of skips over a rebuttal – “Damn she caught me,” he thinks.

Biden spends alot of time connecting McCain to Bush which is his job.  Sarah finally has had enough and tells him enough of looking back, let’s look forward which is what John and she will do.  This is a great way to differentiate themselves from Bush and makes any further connections obsolete.  Bravo Sarah!

Talking heads had no great expectations for Sarah and so they seem surprised that she did so well.  The regular people of America seem ignited again.  Sarah was on and she was herself like we were all hoping for.  She was strong and showed that she is a leader and will one day be this country’s leader if we are so lucky.  I love how she pounded home corruption on Wall Street and in Washington and that she and McCain were going to make things different.  She connected with her people – us regular guys.  Liberals expected her to lose, possibly tie if lucky, but win – no way.  That collective “thump” you hear are the liberals soiling themselves.  Obama’s not getting any sleep tonight!

Conservative Kathleen Parker Turns On Sarah Palin

Less than a month ago, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker of National Review was excited about the prospect of Sarah Palin as Vice President.  How quickly feelings can change.  She is now calling for Sarah Palin to step down from the ticket because Ms. Parker thinks that Sarah is out of her league.  She bases this on three interviews that she believes Sarah Palin did pooly in giving.  Ms. Parker seems to forget that the media dislikes Sarah and is pulling out all the stops to destroy her. 

The first one was the Charlie Gibson interview.  I already broke down this interview in an earlier blog entry and the one place in the interview that could be claimed as a weakness is revealed to be nothing more than an attempt by Charlie Gibson to entrap Sarah Palin and make her look inept.  My liberal mother called me after the interview to say how angry she was with the way Gibson conducted the interview.  So even a liberal can see through the fog that is called “mainstreet media”. 

As for the interview with Sean Hannity, I thought she did great and ended very strongly when revealing that Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher were people that she looked up to and modeled herself after. Parker had this to say about the interview:  “Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there. Here’s but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: ‘Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we’re talking about today. And that’s something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this.’”  I’m sorry, but I don’t see a problem here.  Is Parker criticizing that Sarah used “surpass” twice?  It’s completely appropriate in this sentence.

Now I didn’t watch the Katie – I have no ratings or credibility – Couric interview, but I did hear about the one sentence that the press is making hay of and that is when Sarah talks about Canada and Russia being her neighbors and so she had foreign policy experience from that.  It is an obvious weak argument.  I think Sarah should just look as these “journalists” and say, “Obviously you know full well that I am new to this foreign policy thing, but I’m building my resume everyday and I’m a quick study.”  Parker continued with her critique by writing, “When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama’s numbers, Palin blustered wordily: ‘I’m not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who’s more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who’s actually done it?’”  Again, what is the problem with this answer?  I want a politician who doesn’t watch the polls.  When have the polls ever been right?  Just ask Gore and Kerry.

Parker ends with, “Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.”  You forget, Ms. Parker, that great leaders never quit and Sarah Palin is no quitter.  A bunch of sniveling reporters are not going to change my opinion one bit.  She’s not perfect, but I’m not looking for perfection.  I’m looking for someone who has principles and will lead by those principles.  She embraces what makes conservativism great.  Sarah, don’t you dare go anywhere.  McCain cannot win without you because you give millions like me a reason to hope in a better America again.

Sarah Palin In The Villages In Florida

The Villages Welcomes Governor Sarah Palin

They were expecting 10,000 people to show up for a rally event in The Villages in Florida, but 60,000 showed up.  And I was one of them!  We got there earlier and we were glad we did because the lines were already really long to get through security at 11am.  I had heard Sarah would be on stage between 3 and 3:30 and someone else said they had heard between 4 and 4:30.  Whoever planned this event did a really poor job with time.  Summer afternoons in Florida mean one of two things: Torrential downpours or blazing heat.  We got blazing heat.  People were dropping like flies despite the fact that volunteers were passing out free water.  Now Sarah Plain can claim that people faint for her too, it’s not just the Messiah Obama’s thing.  Sarah finally arrived at 4:30 and I was close enough to shake her hand, but chose to snap pictures instead.

Future Vice President Sarah Palin

 

Sarah thanked us all for the opportunity of visiting Walt Disney World on Saturday.  I had a feeling she was spending that open day at my favorite place on the planet.  Her children Willow, Piper and Trig were all with her.  There were quite a few Democrats in the crowd with signs that they were for McCain.  One of those crossover Democrats is my own partner.  Another sign that I really loved said, “Our Lipstick Is Better Than Your Dipstick!”  The AP reported:  “But she was welcomed like a star, with tens of thousands cramming into a plaza and nearby streets in this enormous retirement community about an hour north of Orlando. Some waited more than five hours in 92-degree heat to see her speak for 23 minutes.”  I have the sunburn to prove it!  And here are those promised pictures of myself:

I'm the blonde next to my partner

Sarah Palin gave the typical stump speech which raised cheers and then jeers when she talked about Barack Obama’s plans for the country.  She promised smaller government.  The early part of the speech was devoted to our recent economic woes.  “We need serious reform on Wall Street. We need better regulation. It’s like Senator McCain said just yesterday — we don’t need a dozen federal agencies doing the job badly, we need the best agencies doing the job right,” she said.  She continued, “This week when the economic crisis threatened the livelihood of millions of Americans, John McCain took a clear stand and he offered his own recovery plan. Our opponent refused to even take a stand on the position.”

Here are some more pictures from the event:

Sign says, "Today I'm Cinderella, Tomorrow President"

Alaska's First Dude Todd Palin

I Thought Barack Obama Was Going To Be Different

As this campaign grinds down to its final days, Barack Obama continues to lose footing in the polls and has had to resort to the old way of running a campaign.  He continuously accuses McCain of Republican attack tactics and yet he is doing the same from his side.  Such political ads as wondering why McCain can’t remember how many houses he has and accusing him of being out of touch because he can’t work a computer and needs help to send emails (couldn’t be those old war injuries or anything?) just make us all weary of the game.  And they serve as reminders that the only thing Obama plans to change is our way of life as Americans, not Washington.  Now Obama has devolved all the way to continuously accusing McCain and Palin of being liars.  Pretty harsh word and one that you better be able to back up.  His camp released this yesterday:

“Since naming Gov. Palin as their vice presidential nominee, the McCain campaign has distorted, distracted and outright lied to the American people about her record in a desperate attempt to hide the fact that a McCain/Palin administration would be nothing more than a continuation of the failed Bush policies of the last eight years.”

First of all, we have to believe that George Bush has been a complete failure.  He has screwed up and at times left me, as a conservative, cold, but we have not been attacked again and that has taken some doing.  Without security in this nation issues like education and the economy mean nothing.  Without freedom, I’d rather die and George Bush has maintained that fairly well.  I disdain the Patriot Act, but keep in mind the Democrats have been for it too.  Obama’s change for this country means a march towards Marxism.  As a matter of fact, what scares me most about Obama is that some of his ideas don’t just mirror Marxism, they almost create a new dynamic.  A new kind of Marxism.  A new kind of Facism.  A kind of government that a new generation can readily embrace because they don’t have the bad track record to look back on.  His new way could lead to that great white hope.  For those of us who know better, we realize what that “new” way will lead to and it is destruction.

For me, this campaign has really lead me to search to my core values.  I was so torn because McCain has pissed me off alot in the past.  But our country has boxed itself in with a two party system.  I had decided to vote independent because I wanted to vote for something instead of against.  As this campaign rolled on long enough to reveal the true nature of Obama, I found myself really considering McCain again because I know Obama is not just a mistake for America, but a destroyer of America.  I really truly fear an Obama presidency.  Not in the snarky Hollywood way (like Matt Damon with his comments about Gov. Palin) but because of the ideas he puts forward and the possibility of those ideas going forward unchecked.  You see, we have a Congress that is on his side and may grow so Democratic that Republicans couldn’t even philibuster.  And there will probably be a need for two more Supreme Court justices.  Under this Congress and Obama we would see all three branches of government lean left.  And left is death for America.  The Constitution would be even more forgotten and we would become something else. Thankfully, McCain picked Gov. Palin because it has made my decision easier.  I have hope again.  That is something Obama has promised, but will never deliver.

Sarah Palin Shines In ABC Interview

Despite the fact that the wolves were waiting to pounce, Sarah Palin was confident and strong in her first national interview with Charles Gibson from ABC television.  There were no stutters or stammers like we hear with Barack Obama.  There were no indications that she was going to spend $3.5 billion a year on national service programs like we heard from Barack Obama in his service forum last night at Columbia University.  Sarah started off on strong footing with this exchange:

GIBSON: Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say “I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?”

PALIN: I do, Charlie, and on January 20, when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, will be ready. I’m ready.

Sarah continued that she had no doubts whatsoever when asked.  That is a leader!  Here are her words:

PALIN: I — I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can’t blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we’re on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can’t blink.

Gibson continued with a line of questioning I’m sure he hoped would trip her up about national security and her lack of experience in those areas.  Sarah kept the focus where she is strong and that is on energy independence.  Even after Gibson tried to brush aside her answer and stated that national security is more than energy Sarah said, “It is, but I want you to not lose sight of the fact that energy is a foundation of national security. It’s that important. It’s that significant.”  Gibson also asked if she had met any world leaders and that is possibly one weakness she has because she has not.  But she is not running for president and has plenty of time to meet many of them in her preparation to one day be president.  And personally, I would rather have someone inexperienced in this area then one who is ready to drink tea with terrorists (and has been friends with home grown terrorists like Bill Ayers).

The strongest part of the interview was a point where Gibson had planned to really get Sarah and the reason I know this is because he didn’t play in its entirety a message that Sarah had given from her church when speaking about the War in Iraq.  Sarah even comments that she doesn’t think it was her entire comment and Gibson lies to her and says it was.  Here it is:

GIBSON: You said recently, in your old church, “Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God.” Are we fighting a holy war?

PALIN: You know, I don’t know if that was my exact quote.

GIBSON: Exact words.  (This is a blatant lie!)

PALIN: But the reference there is a repeat of Abraham Lincoln’s words when he said — first, he suggested never presume to know what God’s will is, and I would never presume to know God’s will or to speak God’s words.  But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that’s a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God’s side.  That’s what that comment was all about, Charlie. And I do believe, though, that this war against extreme Islamic terrorists is the right thing. It’s an unfortunate thing, because war is hell and I hate war, and, Charlie, today is the day that I send my first born, my son, my teenage son overseas with his Stryker brigade, 4,000 other wonderful American men and women, to fight for our country, for democracy, for our freedoms.  Charlie, those are freedoms that too many of us just take for granted. I hate war and I want to see war ended. We end war when we see victory, and we do see victory in sight in Iraq.

GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln’s words, but you went on and said, “There is a plan and it is God’s plan.”

PALIN: I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that those are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That, in my world view, is a grand — the grand plan.

Can I just say – “I love this woman!”  How refreshing to hear someone speak this away about God and our place in the world without fear of being politically correct and all that baloney.  Reminds me of someone else great – oh yes, Ronald Reagan.  Gibson asked her about the Georgia and Russia issue next.  And Sarah reveals that she may not have met with the Georgian president, but she spoke with him and gave her commitment to him.  Gibson tried to indicate that Sarah would be willing to go to war with Russia over Georgia and she indicated that if Georgia is allowed to join NATO that would be our duty.  I know the press only takes the liberal side on these issues, but Georgia is our alli in this, not Russia.  Russia is Communist again even though the rest of the world is in denial about this.  This exchange reveals the media bias:

PALIN: First off, we’re going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I was able to speak with him the other day and giving him my commitment, as John McCain’s running mate, that we will be committed to Georgia. And we’ve got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable and we have to keep…

GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals.That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.

The interview then turned to Iran who’s leader Obama would meet with for tea and no preconditions.  It was another great moment for Sarah that gives me the confidence she will help McCain to protect us:

GIBSON: But, Governor, we’ve threatened greater sanctions against Iran for a long time. It hasn’t done any good. It hasn’t stemmed their nuclear program.

PALIN: We need to pursue those and we need to implement those. We cannot back off. We cannot just concede that, oh, gee, maybe they’re going to have nuclear weapons, what can we do about it. No way, not Americans. We do not have to stand for that.

GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities?

PALIN: Well, first, we are friends with Israel and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security.

No matter how hard they try, Sarah just shines.  She is saying what we want to hear and she really means it.  She doesn’t play politics.  How refreshing!  There was some miscommunication in the next part of the interview.  Gibson was looking for a certain answer on the Bush Doctrine and I don’t believe Sarah knew exactly what he was talking about.  I have to admit, just like Sarah who I relate to, I wasn’t sure what he meant either.  He could have asked the question in such a way that she would clearly understand, but he didn’t.  In the end she gave great answers:

GIBSON: Do we have the right to be making cross-border attacks into Pakistan from Afghanistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government?

PALIN: Now, as for our right to invade, we’re going to work with these countries, building new relationships, working with existing allies, but forging new, also, in order to, Charlie, get to a point in this world where war is not going to be a first option. In fact, war has got to be, a military strike, a last option.

GIBSON: But, Governor, I’m asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government.

PALIN: In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies, we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.

GIBSON: And let me finish with this. I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes? That you think we have the right to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government, to go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area?

PALIN: I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell bent on destroying America and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table.

Sarah did wonderful with her first national speech at the GOP Convention and she has now done great with that first “big” interview.  No teleprompter needed.  While Sarah talked about leading this great country forward the way the Founding Fathers would, Obama was telling America how many new government Corps he was going to start like a Senior Corp. and a Clean Energy Corp. and expanding AmeriCorp and making us all feel mutually responsible to serve under the government rather than the way this country was set up.  Charitable organizations and churches are suppose to do that work, not the government.  This is all code to ease us into a Marxist state.  Sarah Palin is going to ease us back into freedom.