We are a Center-Right Nation

Image by kimberlyfaye via Flickr

By Gayle Plato

Gallup Poll gives a clear snapshot of the country, we are a center-right nation, and accordingly, we see a trending toward more conservative values. Not since the mid 1990s, has the power in Washington presented such a paradox. We have a liberal Congress and White House, but we the people are not leaning left (Gallup Poll: http://tinyurl.com/loaftf).

The Contract With America, of the Republican revolution in Congress,1994, gets mentioned regularly in political circles. Yet the reality of it, what it was, and how it created a framework of service-oriented representation has not been paralleled. It made the careers of the creators and household names of some legislators. The Contract With America was a modern day Gettysburg Address in the truest sense of each document. Both were concise addresses to the people, timely, and deep with meaning

On April 15, 2009, I spoke for three small minutes, freezing from an odd Arizona cold front, confronted with protesters yelling in front of me. My Tea Party moment was not stellar: a bit nervous, and lost in the shuffle of being the inadvertent opening act to Arizona Representative John Shadegg, I stood there next to him, seeing former representative, JD Hayworth a few yards away on the radio; I felt odd. What a difference 15 years makes.

In late 1994, I was making a presentation at a workshop for educators about 'Resiliency.' It's basically the opposite of at-risk programming, with a focus on implementing protective factors, creating an environment of respect and mentorship with people, and a deep desire to achieve personal best. At-risk is about victimization of the soul, and funneling money at crisis intervention of victims. Victims are real and need help, but in order to stop building victims we need to foster social success. We need intrinsic, inalienable understanding of self-worth: resiliency.

At the presentation, I was asked to offer a document or professional article that exhibited resilient language and fostering of personal accountability. Most went to educational jargon; I went to current events. To a group of liberal educators, in a nice hotel ballroom in sight of the Space Needle, with roasty aroma of brewing espresso wafting in, I handed out a copy of the Contract With America.

You'd have thought I asked the folks to drink my Grandma's lukewarm Sanka decaf. I was literally a lead balloon bottoming out in front of my peers. I heard a colleague, I felt a friend, leaning in to another saying, "She's from Arizona so well, y'know..."

All I could do is move forward. I was younger than today and a bit better on my game. Yet, by the time I finished, the teachers could not deny that resiliency is apparent when expertly written. The Contract With America is the quintessential document of resiliency and I knew it. Fostering respect, limitations, concise defined parameters, and focus on the positive qualities of the citizen being courted, 'The Contract' is a brilliant piece of work.

On April 15th, I stood there next to two men who had come in to Washington D.C., under the Contract I valued, now here in Arizona at this 'Tea Party' with me, very distant from that eye I once had of the Needle. What happened to the Contract?

It seems to me, that we now have leaders who worry about themselves, their power, ongoing growth of government, and an oppressive angst about families, average Joes, just one pay check from being at-risk; all angry about disenfranchisement. We are smart enough to know when we had something and now see what we are losing. But the day was closing and sun setting on the Tea Party. I got up there and said, "It seems to me that these fifteen years later, our leaders are taking a contract out on America and I am not okay with that."

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is a true example of modern understanding of the audience, the issues, and the beat of the day. Lincoln’s words were brief and the speech cogent. As was the Contract With America, direct, offering heavy concepts in tight clips of modernity: it was it’s own paradigm shift. It stood alone.

Lincoln’s great speech didn’t wow anyone at the time read, and only now do we see the greatness of the brevity and grace in the simplicity. Jump to today and we see a need to rock the voters, wow the citizens, and rally the individual spirit. If the Tea Party movement is any indication, we are seeing a new wave of desire. The People want their country back and no more shell game political grifters of freedom.

Here is an excerpt of the Contract:

"As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to change its policies, but even more important, to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.
That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.
This year's election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public's money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.
Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act 'with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.' To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves."


From the The Contract With America, 1994, Republican Congressional Promise to the Voters.


Gayle Plato, 44, is a certified social studies teacher, and counselor with over 25 years experience working with children and families. Her experience includes work in higher education, local school districts, private practice, and a secondary level teacher of U.S. Government, Economics, and History. Gayle's writing has been featured at Arizona state blogs, parcbench.com, and at townhall.com. Gayle lives in Scottsdale, AZ, with her son; she can be reached at Twitter:@rightwoman, or platobesley@gmail.com

We Are Not Mad Conservatives, We are Disullusioned People

by Carmen Grant

Contrary to popular belief, the Tea Party Movement is not a conservative agenda movement. It is a movement against increased taxation and wasteful spending. There are many democrats that voted for Obama and support Pelosi who are equally as disgusted with the increase in spending and increase in taxation on the wealthy that is unfair. Perhaps if the government would elaborate on HOW spending more can make more money, then perhaps the feuds would end. I wish I could spend more to get out of debt. Sounds fun.

Instead the White House is leaving their own followers in the dark and the only thing left for them to think is "maybe we should have voted for Ron Paul?" That would have been historical too.

Now before I get backlash for being anti-historical, anti-Obama, anti-government and anti-family (yes CNN, I'm talking to you), let me relay a message from a loyal reader. He is a long time San Francisco resident, Pelosi supporter and Obama voter. He admitted he doesn't like what the Democrats are doing. For the first time in 30 years he decided to take a strong political stand by taking up a sign and joining the over 550,000 people that rallied on tax-day. After a long day of exercising his American rite, he came home and saw Pelosi's opinion of his efforts. She belittled the protesters, said they were being controlled by high power corporations, and were "astroturf" activists. A hard slap in the face for anyone who favored her and her fellow Democrats.

Here is what my reader professed in a letter to Pelosi:

"I found her words not only insulting and dismissive but also disheartening and discouraging. If this is not true grassroots I guess I don't know what is. For her to not understand this it means one of two things. Either she has not taken the time to take a closer look at what we are doing or she does know better and ridicules our process as it better fits her agenda. I find both of these to be disturbing."

I don't think anyone got the memo that we're not allowed to protest the Democratic agenda. Apparently we have to agree and adore the intentions of the Democrats and not criticize the results of their policies. Love the intention people, the intention.

Calling all extremists! Let's keep it up!

By Lisa Farrar Wellman

Nearly a month later people are still yapping about the tea parties. Big name liberals can’t stop calling us (by us, I mean radical extremists like myself who attended a tea party with my husband and 2-year-old) ignorant, racist, redneck, and backward. The tea parties have been ridiculed and belittled all over TV and the Internet. The mainstream media claims our little shindigs were ridiculous, promoted by the GOP, and a failure. Yet we definitely riled ‘em up, didn’t we?

Sure I’m irritated by the left-leaning (or toppling over) media’s version of how things went down on April 15, but I’m also flattered and inspired by it. We got their attention whether they want to admit it or not. We’ve upset them. I think maybe they thought we’d just roll over and let them tromp all over our Constitution without even a peep of protest. They assumed we couldn’t organize or unite behind a cause. The media has told the country for years that the conservative movement is dead. How can the dead rise up by the thousands and holler “taxed enough already"? But we did. And we were joined by Democrats with voter’s remorse and Libertarians and Independents alike. This tea party movement is not about right or left. It’s about Americans saying, “I don’t think so” to a group of politicians who aren’t told “no” often enough…or ever.

The hypocrisy of the left is so obvious; I don’t want to waste your time digging around in it. You and I both know that they spent the last eight years raging about President Bush. If we were Code Pink, they’d have been out in full force, lobbing softball questions and bringing us sandwiches and lemonade to quench our thirst and hunger.

Let’s do it again. Let’s shock their elitist socks off again! Show up for a tea party on July 4. March on Washington. Write your representatives. Send them a tea bag or 40. Join The 9-12 project.

And above all, in 2010, don’t you dare send these morons back to Washington, D.C. Let’s elect us some radical tea-partying patriots instead and change the course of this nation and get it back on track. That will really give the media something to talk about!

For a view of what Tea Party goers are really like, check out Andrew Klavan’s column on Glenn Beck’s website.

New Agenda for the Left: Make the Moderate GOP Look Increasingly Extreme

By Ellen Janoski

It’s been a long time coming. For those who haven’t heard, controversial Republican Arlen Specter finally took the R from behind his name and replaced it with a big fat D.

After old-timey Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter advocated for socialization via the Democrat’s Stimulus Bill and became one of the three “Republicans” responsible for passing the bill through the senate, most conservatives were fuming.

This wasn’t the first time Specter has flippantly forgot what party he represents, but it was the last straw for PA conservatives. And finally, his re-election efforts were looking grim.

Specter seems to be concerned only with self-preservation, so the switch makes sense. However, conservatives have significant reasons to be up in arms. As Specter was exiting stage left of the Republican Party he managed to paint the Republican Party as the one forcing him to make such a “conscience led” decision.

His derogatory statements against the GOP have given liberals a perfect opportunity to continue to paint us as extremists.

Specter stated that his primary reason for leaving the GOP was that the “Republican Party has moved far to the right” since the days of Reagan. The evidence he cites is the fact that 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania switched parties this past fall.

Those new democrats don’t prove that Republicans have become “too conservative.” It simply means Pennsylvania, for multiple reasons, has become much more liberal, as shown by last November’s election. Not to mention, party politics in America has become so black and white and so completely cyclical, that a very unpopular Republican president will basically do all the needed campaign work for the next Democratic president, single handedly. We have seen this occurring in many past elections over the years.

This statement by Specter gives liberals the perfect opportunity to say, “See, I told you those right wing Republicans are off the deep end.” Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell couldn’t wait to get behind the cameras to say, “Arlen Specter finally decided that he couldn’t represent those crazy right wing radicals. He had no choice but to switch parties. He had to do what was in the best interest of America.”

What exactly has the Republican Party done in recent years to fall into this category of right wing extremism? Was it the Bush administration? Bush’s economic policies were pretty close friends with some of Obama’s. Bush’s big spending policies made conservatives everywhere wonder where he was taking the Republican reputation. Maybe it’s the fact our Republican Presidential nominee voted as much with the Democrats as he did his own party, and that his daughter is apparently now the leading spokesperson for all homosexual Republican activists.

The Republican platform and mission has not changed since the 1980s. Our mission still reads the same. If only the Republican Party stood by our mission more like we did during the Reagan administration instead of being bullied by leftists who demand that conservatives accept their ideologies and morals…or lack thereof.

It’s the principles and mission Arlen Specter has a problem with, not the alleged “right wing radicals” in Pennsylvania. In fact, after listening to Arlen justify his vote for the stimulus bill, I can probably guess which areas of our mission he has the most problems with:

I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.

I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.

I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations, and that the best government is that which governs least.

Oh and let’s not forget the values section of the Republican platform. Maybe Specter didn’t read this section before registering as a Republican all those years ago:

Values of the Republican Party Platform

Upholding the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Ensuring Equal Treatment for All

Protecting Our National Symbols

Freedom of Speech and of the Press

Maintaining The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life

Preserving Traditional Marriage

Safeguarding Religious Liberties

Preserving Americans’ Property Rights

They Wouldn’t Write Anything about Al-Qaeda Like This…

by Ellen

I wouldn't worry patriots, these outrageous accusations from Obama and his pals from Homeland Security aren't anything new. Liberals have been craftily waging a war of language and labeling for years.

Remember back to 1995, when Timothy McVeigh went nuts and bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City. It was shortly after this tragedy that Bill Clinton snatched the opportunity to blame conservatives and conservative radio for McVeigh's heinous act of terrorism.

President Clinton referred to conservative radio hosts as "loud and angry voices" who were "spreading hate and leaving the impression by their very words that violence is acceptable." In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Clinton urged radio talk show hosts and their conservative callers to stop "fostering hate and division and encouraging violence." I think Rush Limbaugh was probably offended for being blamed for the deaths of nearly 170 lives by the president of the United States.

So do you think Slick Willy honestly thought that conservatives were to blame for the bombing? Or was he taking this opportunity to play the blame game in an attempt to restrict the rights of the Americans that were still in favor of a free America…not an enslaved America that Bill Clinton and Friends envisioned?

It was soon after the bombing that President Clinton urged for the quick passage of new anti-terrorism legislation. His original plan would allow the President to declare a group "terrorist" without the likelihood of judicial review. (Doesn't sound like a balance of power to me.)

In more recent news, take a look at the comments of Obama's BFF, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. The governor cites the shooting of three police officers in Pittsburgh, PA as a motivator for legislators to take fast action to promote stricter gun laws.

In fact, I don't know if anyone noticed the reference in the Homeland Security memo yesterday to the tragic events in Pittsburgh, but liberals are using the actions of a deranged wacko with an AK-47 to label all conservative gun owners as potential terrorist threats. How clever. I guess the daily shootings and stabbings on the inner streets of Philadelphia by African American gang bangers don't make the A-list of terrorist threats to America. Or at least DHS is too afraid to stereotype and target anyone but conservatives.

This is what liberals do. They blame the warm weather or some wacko with a gun for something, and then use fear and panic to slowly remove our individual liberties.

As offensive as it is for conservatives to be labeled as a larger threat to America than Al-Qaeda, Kim Jong II, or the countries of China, Iran, or Venezuela... we can't expect anything less from the dangerous left and Obama's team led by Janet Napolitano, who would rather wage a war against veterans and constitution loving citizens than the real enemies.

A Profile in Conservatism: Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann

Smart Girl Politics, SGP, is thrilled that Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann agreed to be the first person interviewed for our A Profile in Conservatism series.

Congresswoman Bachmann was gracious enough to respond to questions submitted to her by members of SGP. It is truly apparent from her answers that she was the obvious choice to be the first person profiled.

Congresswoman Bachmann is currently serving her second term as the representative from the 6th District of Minnesota.


SGP: What is the most important thing you learned during your campaign this past year?

CMB: As much attention as the press pays to the resurgence of big government liberalism – portraying President Obama as the next FDR - it was refreshing to see the outpouring of support I received from conservatives all across the country who rushed to my side when things got tight in the last couple weeks of my campaign. This cuts into question 2 a little bit, but I saw firsthand that conservatism is not dead; it just needs to be reignited and given a direction.

SGP: There seems to be a struggle going on for the Republican Party. What are your thoughts on the current direction of the party? Should it continue to be more centrist or move back to conservative principles?

CMB: As I said in the first question, conservatism is not dead, no matter how much the main stream media, liberal elites, and others may want it to be – it just needs to be reignited. Republicans squandered our opportunity to lead our country for decades to come because we threw conservative policies and principles aside in place of big government programs and spending. Plain and simple, we governed like liberals. Spending skyrocketed, the size of government multiplied, the debt grew, and the conservative ideals Republicans came to power on were left by the wayside.

Interestingly, the Democrats co-opted our ideas for their message and grew their majority. The ranks of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats in Congress have swelled, and simultaneously, the numbers of centrist Republicans have diminished greatly.

SGP: What are your thoughts on the Republican National Committee Chair race and are you publicly supporting a candidate?

CMB: I am not publicly supporting any candidate and obviously don’t have a vote in this race, but I do hope that whoever is chosen understands the need for true conservative leadership and sees the value in developing our message through the latest technologies and communication. We can’t afford to let the youngest generation of voters continue their love affair with the Democrat Party. We must make it clear that we are the real party of change; we are and always have been the real party of reform and innovation. We have to get the message out to the online generation that conservative policies give us the ability to keep more of our money … and more of our freedom. We must remind Americans that they don’t answer to government, government answers to them.

SGP: Minnesota has always been well respected for its fair elections. In light of the Coleman/Franken race, are you confident that the people of Minnesota can trust in the election systems and that their votes will count?

CMB: I think this process has been an utter embarrassment. We made up the rules of the game as we went along. Democrats have claimed to be the party upholding the “one man, one vote” principle; but this race has made it clear that that principle only holds for them when it benefits them. I would like to say how proud I am of Norm Coleman, who has been a good Senator and a good friend. He has conducted himself with dignity throughout this process, while assertively fighting for what’s right.

SGP: How do you move forward with your agenda in the wake of the partisanship being played today? Do you believe that President-elect Obama will truly reach across the aisle and work with Republicans?

CMB: To be honest, the partisanship of the White House doesn’t scare me half as much as the partisanship of the Democrat leadership in the Congress. I expect that they will look to seize this opportunity to ram through enormous spending bills, Big Labor agenda items, and liberal social policies.

Just look at the first couple of weeks of the 111th Congress: The Senate pushes through its land grab; both houses push through massive changes to employment law that benefit no one but trial lawyers; the so-called $825 billion stimulus package is rushing into law. This is likely only a preview of the next two years.

SGP: With the losses in November, grassroots organizations, such as SGP, have sprung up all over the internet. You, yourself, are participating on Twitter. How do we quickly modernize the Party to meet the tech and communication challenges into 2010, 2012, and beyond?

CMB: Early in 2007, I brought on a staffer to map out and administer an effective new media strategy and its paid enormous dividends. It helps me to communicate with my constituents in ways that are convenient and useful to them. Most people don’t realize that when the Democrats took over Congress they instituted a 5-day Washington workweek. Unlike the Republicans, who worked 3 long days in Washington and then sent Members home to their districts for 4 days to talk to their constituents, the Democrats believe that all good ideas come from inside the Washington Beltway. By using new media outlets – like Twitter and Facebook – as well as new technologies, like telephone townhalls, I can keep in touch with my constituents even when I’m not able to be with them face-to-face.

If nothing else, the 2008 elections revealed to everyone how far ahead the Democrat Party is in embracing the latest forms of communication and technology. I hope the incoming RNC Chairman sees this and makes fixing this one of his top priorities, and that more members in the House and Senate embrace these highly effective media tools.

Fortunately, I’ve already seen in the first two weeks of the 111th Congress a greater emphasis from Republican House Leadership on new media, urging every Member to develop their own outlets like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. As hard as this may be to believe, some Members here on the Hill are still adjusting to email, never mind Facebook; so it will be a longer process for some. But as our leadership makes the transition, that will only help each Member do the same.

SGP: With all the debt we have created through the bailouts, it seems the only way out is to grow the economy. Is energy independence (developing our natural energy resources as well as building nuclear plants, etc) still the "magic bullet" to get America's economy on the right track?

CMB: It’s certainly a key part. Now that gas prices have subsided, nobody wants to talk about energy anymore. This concerns me because once the global economy begins to stabilize, we are going to be right back where we were in 2007 paying $4 a gallon or higher if we don’t enhance our production and utilize America’s own resources.

Not only would increased domestic production be an enormous job creator, but it would put our nation on a path towards greater energy independence which only helps our economy in the long run – not to mention our national security.

SGP: Only 7% of the candidates who ran under the Republican ticket this year were women. How do we encourage more young women to get involved in politics? What steps can we take to identify and support women candidates for office?

CMB: That’s a great question in which there’s no simple answer. I don’t think the problem is that Republican women aren’t involved in the political process – as activists around the country and Congressional staffs are certainly not underrepresented by women - but it’s making that leap to actually run for office where Republicans are lacking. I think as time goes on, more and more Republican women will run themselves as more Republican women make the national spotlight. And, what a great boon that will be not only for our Party, but for the country. Republican women bring a special perspective to the way we govern, and that’s a perspective we can use more of.


SGP would like to thank the Congresswoman for her time and participation. Please continue to check back for more interviews in the "A Profile in Conservatism" series.

Do you travel to the dark side and if so why?

Do people subconsciously befriend people who share their same beliefs without knowing before hand? Do we tend to gravitate to live in areas for the same reason? For example, I live in a blue state, but I happened to move to one of the reddest counties in the state. Was it intentional? Of course not, we moved to the county and to the neighborhood based on a completely different set of criteria.

I am obviously conservative. I started a conservative women's movement, SGP, so I hope I am conservative. I tend to read conservative websites, news sites, and blogs. That is not to say that I don't read information regarding the other side of the aisle. To read about the Democrats, I don't have to go any further than the New York Times, NBC, CNN and on occasion MSNBC for laughs. When I am really ambitious, I will read the Dailykos.

I do not, however, go to individual left leaning or liberal websites. What's the point? It's not about their beliefs, it's about mine. I definitely do not go there and try to debate them on their vision of the world. Do you go to the dark side? If you are conservative, do you go to liberal websites and leave comments berating their point of view? Do you go there and call them names, tell them how stupid they are, and they should go back where they came from?

What possesses someone to argue in that manner with someone they do not know? I don't think liberals are evil. I don't think they are bad people. They have a different view of the world and a different way in which to change the world. I do not agree with what they stand for, but I don't attack the person.

I chose not to go to the dark side. I am interested, however, in how many of you do? Do you make the journey to the dark side of the aisle and if so why?


Disclaimer: No, American Liberal, this is not about you. You are still more than welcome to debate your points of view.

Conservatives are flocking to Twitter, but will the GOP ignore their flight.

As I mentioned in my last post, conservative grassroots organizations are exploding all over the internet. Groups on Facebook have doubled since the election, but no social media site has been more intriguing to conservatives than Twitter.

If you belong to Twitter, you understand what can only be called an obsession. If you do not belong to Twitter, you probably have no idea what I am talking about. Twitter is a communication forum that allows people to write comments no longer than 140 characters about whatever they wish. You have the ability to view others comments when you "follow" them and they have the ability to view yours if they chose to "follow" you.

It's not necessarily important to understand twitter itself, but how conservatives are using it to network, exchange ideas, strategize and even speak one on one with GOP members. In fact, one of the RNC chair candidates, Saul Anuzis, is a favorite on twitter because he openly communicates about his daily political life with average conservatives.

Twitter has become so popular with Conservatives that a new site has formed that tracks the top conservatives on twitter. Top Conservatives to Follow on Twitter was the brain child of Michael Leahy, an author and Republican strategist. Last week, Michael started the group which now consists of over 300 members with more vying for a position every day. It features some well known conservatives, such as Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina, Hugh Hewitt, and most recently Governor Mike Huckabee.

Twitter is only the beginning of the conservative movement on the net. It is allowing those the grass roots to communicate in a fast environment, organize quickly, and spread the message to an ever growing audience. It is only the beginning of the strategy to move conservatives and hopefully the GOP into the 21st century.

This couldn't come at a better time as reports state that President-elect Obama will be holding on to a campaign surplus of over $30 million. Aides closest to him say he may use the excess cash to build a massive grass roots program to support his agenda. The GOP will need it's own grass roots campaign to fight back.

It's already forming, but will they catch on in time to take the lead of it?

GOP Grassroots Explodes With Presidential Loss

I would have preferred that John McCain had won, but I have to admit that the loss may actually be a good thing for the Republican party. While some news reports state that there is a division in the party, it appears that the opposite is actually occurring.

After the election, I started the Smart Girl Politics Network which now has almost one hundred members and over fifty conservative women bloggers. My network, however, is not the only conservative movement on the Internet. There are new groups popping up on Wordpress, Blogspot, Facebook each day.

A few of the best new networks are Read My Lipstick Network which actually started earlier this year during the election season. Rebuild the Party has developed a ten point action plan to modernize and strengthen the party. The New Republicans is a grassroots college organization that is trying to unite the youth of the party. There are new groups on Facebook such as America's Next Generation of Conservatives and The Next Right which are also looking to unite conservatives and change the direction of the party.

This election has already changed the Republican party for the better. It's no surprise that Republicans owned talk radio, but it was the Democrats that owned the Internet this year. With the grassroots movements growing and each individual group gaining momentum, there is a good chance that come 2012, the GOP will be fighting for that title.

Some wonder whether these individual splinter groups can have the intended effect. They can and they will. It is important that these groups bring conservatives out of the wood work. If the intent is to bring together people who in the past have not been active in the party, it's working. GOP supporters have little to do right now besides regroup, organize, and prepare for another battle in two years.

If these groups continue to grow and then are guided in one direction or another by the leaders of the party and more specifically the RNC's new chair, it will be a movement like we have never seen before in our party. At this point it may not matter which group you join, as long as you join a group.

2010 will look like a different race and these groups will be the ones leading the fight.

Palin Didn't Govern Like A Right-Wing Nut?

Yes, Sarah Palin is a Conservative Republican, but she governed somewhere in the middle as Governor of Alaska. Here are the reasons that neither the right nor the left should be worried. Here is a look at her policies while she has been Governor of Alaska.

Dependency of Foreign Oil:

Governor Palin passed a bill last month approving a gas pipeline from the Northern Slope of Alaska to the lower 48 states. This bill was in the works for years, but was never able to get passed by past administrations. Instead of automatically dealing with the three companies that dominate Alaska's oil, she opened up the pipeline discussions to outside companies. In conjunction with the Canadian government, Transcanada was awarded the pipeline contract and it passed the Alaskan Congress.

Upon becoming Governor, Palin found corruption in the deals that had previously been made with big oil companies, and renegotiated contracts with the companies. In these new contracts, she set a new level of taxes on the oil company's profits that were more fair to the Alaskan people. The result....every eligible Alaskan will receive an energy relief check for $1200 this month.

Same-Sex Marriage:

Governor Palin believes that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, she vetoed legislation that would have prohibited same-sex partners from receiving state benefits. She could have as Governor approved this bill and not given these rights to gays and lesbians. She chose the opposite and did the right thing. This is far from a right-wing position.

Taxes and Pork Spending:

In the 2008 budget alone, Governor Palin cut $268 million out of the budget. In 2007, she cut $231 million worth of pork-barrel spending from the legislature. She has protected Alaska's wealth and returned money to the people of Alaska. Can I have my check now, please?

The left wing rumor mill has stated that Palin cut services to disabled children and cut money for pregnant teens. Both claims are absolutely false. Palin revised a previous budget plan that lowered the original amount of the increase to BOTH, but they were not cuts. In fact, she increased spending for children with "intensive needs" from $26,900 per student in 2008 to $73,840 per student in 2011. This is triple the previous budget.

As for the Covenant House which helps pregnant teens in Alaska, they received an increase in funds in 2008 as well. In 2007, the center received $1.3 million and that amount was increase to $3.9 million in 2008. Again, this was triple the previous amount.

While she was the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Governor Palin reduced the property taxes that citizens paid on their homes while still managing to increase services to the residence. She has proven that she is a true fiscal conservative.

She put a link on the state government website to the Government's checkbook so that the Alaskan people could see exactly where their money was going.

Creationism vs. Evolution in Schools:

Yes, she believes in creationism and that it should be taught in schools, but that is not how she has governed. Governor Palin has not pushed her belief into the Alaskan school curriculum. She has said that should students mention creationism in class that they should be allowed to debate their beliefs. Is that called freedom of speech?

The information below is from the Alaska government website:

Under her leadership, Alaska invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding, and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low-income older Alaskans. She created Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and
maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure, and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska. During her first legislative session, Governor Palin’s administration passed two major pieces of legislation – an overhaul of the state’s ethics laws and a competitive process to construct a gas pipeline.

I could go on and I am sure in the future I will, but I don't see any of the actions above as being radical or far right-wing. She has worked across the aisle with Democrats and Independents. As of last week, she continues to have an approval rating of 81% in her home state. Does this seem right-wing or moderate to you....please share your thoughts....just be respectful in doing so.

How McCain's VP Pick Could Redefine His Campaign?

Conservatives are slowly coming around to supporting John McCain for President. Yes, it has been a long road getting here and there have been roadblocks thrown up along the way. Yet the one thing that is missing is the enthusiasm for the candidate. Most votes from Conservatives are more a vote against Barack Obama rather than a vote for John McCain. Yes, I am saying that as a Conservative myself.

What will it take to excite this base? An olive branch to say the least. There have been baby steps along the way as we knew there would be, but what about one giant step? Here it is..................John McCain picks Governor Sarah Palin for Vice-President of the United States. Most people who don't normally follow politics too closely are probably saying who right about now. I said the same thing a few months ago.

First, some background. Sarah Palin, 44, was elected Governor of Alaska in November 2006. She has been a fighter of corruption in Alaska since her early political days. Alaska is probably second only to Louisiana for corruption in politics. She is a true reformer in every sense of the word. She is pro-life, pro-gun, pro-marriage, and a fiscal conservative. She has been to Iraq, unlike Barack Obama, and has a son who enlisted in the army on September 11, 2007. She has the highest approval rating in the country which is more than we can say about Congress.  She would definitely be the branch that Conservatives are looking for.

But hold that thought. Even conservatives know that it will take more than us to elect John McCain. Here's where Sarah Palin would be a better choice than someone like a Mike Huckabee. She is from Alaska. She has experience dealing with the oil and gas companies. She is currently in the process of pushing forward a new gas line lease that would move gas from the Northern Slope to the lower 48. (Apparently that's what they call the rest of us up there). She is for drilling in ANWR and could yank on John McCain's ear until he was persuaded to change his position. She could speak to McCain's energy policy with authority. It would be difficult to challenge her knowledge on the subject. She could be a voice to the number one topic America is dealing with now.

Finally, she could attract another block of voters. WOMEN. There are still millions of angry Hillary Clinton supporters out there who would love one more excuse to vote against Barack Obama and here it is. The democrats have frustrated many women with their tactics from the primary season and this is our chance to show them that the Republican party is an inclusive party. Yes, there are issues that we will disagree on, but no party is perfect.

She would bring the energy, enthusiasm, and most likely the money to a campaign that at this point could use a shot in the arm.  The buzz is already spinning out there about her and it only grows as she makes the media rounds in support of drilling in ANWR.

As a young female conservative, I would like to see the next generation of our party brought to the forefront. It might surprise most people to see exactly how diverse we are. The first step is for the party of the good 'ole boys to put forth their brightest and strongest candidate.....and well, if she happens to be a woman more power to us.

If you haven't heard of Governor Sarah Palin yet, visit palinforvp.blogspot.com for every detail you need to know about her and more. It's time to get smart......... about Sarah Palin.