Sarah Palin: ObamaCare Full Of Stray Cats and Dogs...or something...So Says The President

Is it me, or has Obama finally started talking in the authentic dialect that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was missing? I guess he has to do something to cover for all of the shuck and jive that has been going on in the most corrupt Congress in our nation’s 233 year history!

Anyhow, Sarah Palin seems to be as perplexed as the rest of us that our epic failure of a President still doesn’t get it. Better to just let her tell it, as frankly, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry anymore when discussing this administration!

Obamacare = Stray Dog, So Says President

What am I missing, folks? We’re called obstructionists and made to feel uninformed in the Obamacare debate as we point out this is not a patient-driven, market-oriented approach to health care cost challenges. We’ve been saying for months that this is government takeover of our personal choices of insurers and doctors. We’re called liars when claiming that this is all about government mandates and control of up to a sixth of our economy.

And yet, shockingly, the president admitted yesterday exactly what we’ve been saying: that his Democrats and lobbyists have crafted bills that in fact will prevent us from keeping our current insurance and/or choosing our own doctor. He said:


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


Thanks to Tom Bevan at RCP for spotting this. The president’s statement is shocking, enlightening, and in an odd and unfortunate way also encouraging. Folks, this admission tells us we’re not off-base and we need to stay vigilant so we’re not missing anything else in this scheme. This trillion-dollar government takeover of our health care system is full of "stray dogs and cats" (the president’s words, not mine), and that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

Commonsense conservatives have better ideas on how to start tackling rising health care costs. Reps. Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, Eric Cantor, John Boehner, and others have offered solutions. I commend their efforts to counter the White House’s attempt to ram Obamacare through as these Congressmen seek bipartisan, sensible solutions. I implore them to speak louder because we’re listening, and we’re counting on them!

- Sarah Palin

The Republicans have had solid solutions from the get go, but as we all know, the democrat/communists aren’t so much interested in health care reform as they are about seizing control of one sixth of the U.S. economy, and more menacingly, taking away more of your freedom and liberty.

It’s time the communists get a grip and realize we simply do not want what they are selling. Time for them to throw ObamaCare, in all of it’s various configurations, onto the trash heap of total failure, and start over.

Republicans have, and have had, a real plan for the successful reform of health care issues. Time honored, market based solutions. It’s time to take a look at making them law, because Obama’s dogs just don’t hunt!

Sarah Palin on Sean Hannity's Radio Show 01/28/10

On the day after Obama’s SOTU, Governor Palin talked with Sean Hannity on his radio show about Obama’s address, Iran, and other issues.

The transcript of Governor Palin’s analysis of Obama’s SOTU on Hannity the night before can be found here:

Palin: Obama State of the Union 'Lecturing' vs. 'Inspiring' America (Hannity Transcript) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584162,00.html

Sarah Palin On The Record With Greta Van Susteren 01-28-10

Sarah Palin On The Record (01-28-10)


Sarah Palin On The Super Bowl Ad Uproar (01-28-10)

More Misleading Emails from Paul Streitz

Paul Streitz is at it again, accusing Governor Palin of being a RINO, sending out false and misleading emails to build his case. Streitz co-founded the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee, but has not held any leadership position in that organization in over a year, as pointed out in a prior entry by Adrienne Ross, the Committee's Media Director and New York State Organizer. Streitz back-stabbed Governor Palin, because he took umbrage with her endorsement, support, and campaigning for AZ Senator John McCain.

In his latest email broadcast under the auspices of "CT Citizens for Immigration Control," Streitz wrote:

"Sarah PAC as of 6/30/09 has raised $732,767 and disbursed $276,200 in expenses and given $10,000 in campaign contributions. One was $5,000 for Lisa Murkowski for US Senate (AK). The other was $5,000 for the 2010 primary for John McCain. The date of this disbursement was 6/23/09."

The above statement is true. The sentence that follows is a bald-faced lie, to wit:

"How many books would Sarah have sold if this were public knowledge in the fall of 2009?"

Since Streitz co-founded a Draft Committee, he should know full well that FEC disclosures come out every six months. SarahPAC's (spelled "Sarah PAC" in the FEC database) disbursements to John McCain and Lisa Murkowski were made before June 30, and those disclosures were released the month following. They were public knowledge for over two months before Going Rogue became available for pre-order on September 24, 2009 and books were published on November 17, 2009. The FEC disclosures of these disbursements were then four months old, and there were news stories pertaining to them during this time.

Streitz repeats the same rhetoric from his prior email. His pet issue is immigration, and he was forwarded videos which clearly indicated that Governor Palin's views on immigration were to secure our borders and not give illegal aliens benefits reserved for citizens. This was not good enough for him, and Streitz insists upon telling her what to do, and trying to mold her in his own image. For instance:

Senator John McCain is a dangerous man to the Republic. He stands for nothing but his own advancement and he has betrayed the Republican Party at every opportunity. "Hello, Sarah!"

Notice the snarky end. Governor Palin is not obeying the almighty Paul Streitz from CT, so now he's going to "set her straight." He continues....

At the time of the election, perhaps Sarah Palin could have been forgiven for her ideas on immigration (and lack of knowledge) because she was governor of Alaska, not Arizona.

Forgiven? By who? For what? She's against illegal immigration and wants the borders secured. Hello Streitz! The clause regarding her alleged lack of knowledge is laughable coming from a man who co-founded a committee drafting her to be President of the United States. So, what was the point of that exercise? He continues....

In the intervening months, she has done little but promote herself as a celebrity...

So, the Streitz path to being a 2012 Presidential candidate is to fade into obscurity and become a nonentity. So, the point of co-founding a committee drafting her for POTUS was....?

Fortunately, Streitz no longer holds a leadership position there and has been long gone. The 2012 Draft Sarah Committee is now operated by consummate professionals. Randy Highsmith is at the helm, and there are many organizers and volunteers who truly want Governor Palin to succeed in all that she does. They want her to be the POTUS candidate in 2012. They donate to SarahPAC and trust that their money is being used wisely to support candidates the Governor chooses to assist.

Sarah Palin's PAC Raises $2.1 Million in 2009

In spite of the fact that Governor Palin spent the last half of 2009 writing her book and promoting it and did little active fundraising, SarahPAC raised $2.1 million last year, of which $1.4 million was raised during the last 6 months of the year.

According to Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post (h/tp C4P):

"We are thrilled," said Palin senior adviser Meg Stapleton about the fundraising total. "Common sense Americans know the direction we need to take this country and that Sarah Palin will be instrumental in taking us there this year."

For the year, Palin raised roughly $2.1 million through Sarah PAC and ended the year with $900,000 in the bank. She donated $64,600 to candidates and party committees....

Sarah PAC sent no direct mail -- a potential treasure trove of small-dollar donations for the former governor who is beloved by the grassroots of the party -- and raised the majority of her money via the Internet and small events. For the 11 months that Sarah PAC has existed, she has received contributions from more than 14,000 donors....

"We are excited as we feel that we've just begun to tap the Governor's support," said Sarah PAC treasurer Tim Crawford.

Read the rest of Cillizza's article here:

Sarah Palin: Obamacare = Stray Dog, So Says President

This afternoon, Governor Palin tweeted:

Complete Transcript of Governor Palin's Facebook Note, which preceded her tweet:

Obamacare = Stray Dog, So Says President

Today at 3:27pm

What am I missing, folks? We’re called obstructionists and made to feel uninformed in the Obamacare debate as we point out this is not a patient-driven, market-oriented approach to health care cost challenges. We’ve been saying for months that this is government takeover of our personal choices of insurers and doctors. We’re called liars when claiming that this is all about government mandates and control of up to a sixth of our economy.

And yet, shockingly, the president admitted yesterday exactly what we’ve been saying: that his Democrats and lobbyists have crafted bills that in fact will prevent us from keeping our current insurance and/or choosing our own doctor. He said:

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

Thanks to Tom Bevan at RCP for spotting this. The president’s statement is shocking, enlightening, and in an odd and unfortunate way also encouraging. Folks, this admission tells us we’re not off-base and we need to stay vigilant so we’re not missing anything else in this scheme. This trillion-dollar government takeover of our health care system is full of
“stray dogs and cats” (the president’s words, not mine), and that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

Commonsense conservatives have better ideas on how to start tackling rising health care costs. Reps. Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, Eric Cantor, John Boehner, and others have offered solutions. I commend their efforts to counter the White House’s attempt to ram Obamacare through as these Congressmen seek bipartisan, sensible solutions. I implore them to speak louder because we’re listening, and we’re counting on them!

- Sarah Palin

Obama's Stunning Admission

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

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

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

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

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

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

Read the entire article here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[...]

Myth: Health care reform is a government takeover.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I feel my inner Joe Wilson coming on.

Sarah Palin’s Natural Gas Pipeline: A Dream Moving Forward As TransCanada Announces Open Season

Sarah Palin, like all politicians, made many campaign promises when she ran for Governor in Alaska. Unlike many politicians, Sarah made good on all of hers. And while that is remarkable unto itself, no campaign promise made was more important to the Alaskan people than building a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to the lower 48.

So important, and so desired by the people, is the construction of this pipeline that promising to get it built was a staple on the Alaskan campaign trail for over 30 years!

As Sarah noted in her book, Going Rouge, An American Life on page 111:

Our campaign would focus on cleaning house in government and facilitating the private-sector development of energy resources, specifically ramping up production of America’s energy supplies and building the 3,000 mile, $40 billion natural gas pipeline that other administrations had been promising to build for decades. It could ultimately go from the North Slope to hungry Midwest markets out of a Chicago hub. No more time wasted recycling the same old arguments and excuses as to why it couldn’t be done. I was determined that Alaska was going to start contributing more to the nation.

If you notice, there is a very important element to Sarah’s plan for development: "facilitating the private-sector development of energy resources." This is Sarah recognizing that in most cases government is not the solution to any given situation, it’s the problem. Politics had stood in the way of getting this pipeline built for over 30 years, so Sarah, using common sense, sought to have as minimal government involvement as possible, and maximum private-sector participation. A refreshing change of pace, and a model for all governments to follow.

On her very first day on the job as Governor, Sarah set the wheels in motion to get this project rolling. From page 125 of Going Rogue:

Ethics reform was already underway, with some lawmakers already under arrest, so to kick off the Palin-Parnell agenda, we started with the natural gas pipeline on our first day in office.

For Alaskans, the term "gasline" is as familiar as "irrigation" is to Californians or "Wall Street" is to New Yorkers. Except that Californians and New Yorkers already reap the benefits of these economic lifelines, while Alaskans have been waiting for more than fifty years to realize the benefits of the state’s vast reserves of natural gas. At least 35 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves lie untapped on the North Slope, and geologists say there are hundreds of trillions more both on- and offshore. Our oil and gas supplies would be enough to provide 10 years of total energy independence for the entire country.

Below Governor Sarah Palin Lt. Governor Sean Parnell and officials from TransCanada are seen at the signing ceremony where TransCanada was awarded the license to build the natural gas pipeline:





As one can see, the stakes are high, and the rewards, for the entire nation, substantial. After talking about the fact that heavy government interference, labor and environmental restrictions had driven producers out of the country and over to foreign supplies of oil and gas, Sarah Adds:

It was unfortunate that our government’s well-meaning polices had driven producers to other parts of the world where there were no restraint’s on their activities. That was no way to protect the environment or heat the economy.

With my background, I understood the concerns of all of the parties: as a free-market capitalist I understood the bottom line for the oil producers; as the spouse of an oil worker I understood the Slopers and their families’ reliance on oil jobs; as a mayor I understood the communities’ dependence on oil’s economic contributions; as a lover of the land I understood as well the environmentalists’ and Alaska Natives’ concerns.

Sarah goes into further details of her thought process in the book, including how CEO look to maximize profit for their shareholders, and how as CEO of Alaska, it was her job to maximize the benefits to the Alaskan people. I’ve found, over the last few years that many people don’t understand the unique relationship the people of Alaska, as well as the state government, all have with the oil companies.

In Alaska, the Constitution dictates that the oil, natural gas, and other energy resources belong to the people, the citizens of the state. So, just like anyone who buys shares in a publicly traded company, the Alaskan people are shareholders in the Alaskan energy business. As Governor, Sarah took many steps to maximize the values of those shares to the Alaskan people, just as any good CEO would do.





Much has been written about the processes of how the natural gas pipeline project came to be, but the bottom line is this: By creating a market driven process, with great emphasis on the private-sector, Sarah was able to move this pipeline project from 50 years worth of talk, to reality, in just a few short years. I suggest those who are looking for more detailed information on the process read Sarah’s book, and check out the archives at US4Palin, where editor and publisher Ron Devito has carefully documented the entire process.

In this video from Canadian TV Sarah discusses the processes as well as leadership:







OK, now that we have some of the background out of the way, let’s get to the latest updates on the process that will see the completion of the gasline by 2020.

From Yahoo Finance Canada:

CALGARY/ANCHORAGE (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp and partner Exxon Mobil Corp boosted their cost estimates for a planned line to carry Alaska gas to southern markets by up to 58 percent on Friday, as the two ready plans to sign up shippers for the massive project.

The companies said the cost of the 1,700 mile pipeline carrying at least 4.5 billion cubic feet of gas daily from Alaska's North Slope to Alberta will range between $32 billion and $41 billion, up from a previous $26 billion forecast.

The line, mulled for more than a generation, would be among the largest and most expensive civil engineering projects ever undertaken in North America, requiring years of planning and construction and massive financing.

"No matter how you measure it, the Alaska Pipeline Project would be an exceptional world leading project and one of the largest private investments in the history of North America," Paul Pike, Exxon Mobil's senior project manager for the line, said on a conference call.

For Alaska, which depends on oil for nearly all its state operating revenues, a natural gas pipeline is seen as economically crucial. North Slope oil production has dwindled to a third of the 2 million-barrel-a-day peak reached in 1988, and continues to decline.

Some political leaders hailed Friday's announcement as a big step toward reaching the gas pipeline goal.

"Bringing Alaska's gas to market presents a tremendous economic opportunity for the state," Alaska Governor Sean Parnell said in a statement. "Alaskans have waited 30 years to advance this project, and today's news marks a significant milestone in achieving this opportunity."

A smaller line, running from the gas fields of the North Slope to a separately built liquefied natural gas facility near Valdez, Alaska, would cost between $20 billion and $26 billion and could be built instead of the larger project if shippers chose the option.

The backers said their cost estimate rose over initial projections because of an extension of the line to the Point Thomson field on Alaska's North Slope, an expanded gas-processing plant and more detailed engineering than first available.

OPEN SEASON PLANNED

The new estimate for the lines, which could be in service by 2020, came as the partners filed plans with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to hold an open season to attract potential shippers.

"This open season will test potential customers' interest in utilizing the Alaska Pipeline Project to transport their natural gas to market," said Tony Palmer, TransCanada's vice-president of Alaska development.

Calgary-based TransCanada is the state of Alaska's preferred pipeline sponsor and holder of a state license under the Alaska Gasoline Inducement Act (AGIA).

It added U.S. energy major Exxon Mobil, one of the three major North Slope natural gas producers, as a partner to its proposal last year. The other two producers, BP Plc and ConocoPhillips are backing a rival pipeline plan of their own and Exxon itself has yet to commit its gas to the line.

However the two partners expect that they've squeezed the cost for shippers down, making their proposal attractive. They plan to a 20 percent capital risk in the project, reducing the costs needed to be covered by customers by between $6 billion and $8 billion.

As well, they've cut their planned return on equity to 12 percent instead of the 14 percent return TransCanada had forecast in its AGIA filing.

Including those cuts and other smaller factors, the partners expect shippers who commit during the open season will pay $500 million less per year on tolls than forecast in the AGIA application.

"Assuming that FERC approves our plan as filed, and ... the customers commit their gas in that initial open season, they will see lower tariffs," Palmer said. "They will see lower tolls to their account on the order of $500 million per year."

Still, the rival Denali project, backed by BP and Conoco, is going ahead as planned, with its own open season scheduled to launch in April.

"I am confident that we will have an attractive commercial offer for our potential customers," said Bud Fackrell, Denali's president. "Today's announcement by TransCanada and Exxon doesn't change anything for us. We're on track."

TransCanada has offered BP and Conoco an equity stake in its project, saying the support of all three producers, as well as the state, is needed before its project proceeds. However negotiations with the rival producers have yet to take place .

TransCanada and Exxon filed plans for the open season with FERC, which has 90 days to approve the proposal. A separate open season will be staged for the Canadian portion of the line.

Along with Governor Parnell’s positive reaction to the news, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski added:

This marks the first time Alaska has seen a major producer come together with a pipeline company to solicit binding commitments for the transport and delivery of North Slope natural gas to markets in the Lower 48.

The bottom line is this. While there is still some work to be done, Sarah Palin, as well as her capable administration, and the folks at TransCanada and Exxon-Mobil prove the point that private-sector, free market solutions to major issues just make sense.

The fact that this is a viable project, and a solid approach, is underscored by the existence of a competing project in the mix. In the end, everyone will benefit from this competition.

Once again Sarah Palin proves to be a visionary leader who uses common sense solutions to complex issues. Energy independence is both an economic and a national security issue. With the economy in a slump, and wages stagnant, a good reliable supply of cheap, clean, and green natural gas is essential. Using our own resources, rather than enriching nations, and leaders who may not like us very much, is vital.

This is something Sarah Palin has been talking about for years, and unlike most, has used her leadership qualities and negotiation skills to actually make something happen. This is what true leadership is all about.

TransCanada FERC Filing Proves AGIA Works

Synopsis

The Anchorage Daily News reported that "TransCanada Corp. [on January 29, 2010] filed a detailed plan [with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] for holding an open season this summer to seek commitments from potential shippers to supply gas for the proposed North Slope pipeline (Bluemink, 2010, ¶1).

The pipeline was made possible by Governor Palin's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA). The main proposal envisioned under AGIA will result in a 1,715-mile natural gas pipeline to run from Alaska’s North Slope to a connecting point in Alberta, Canada. The pipeline -- a joint venture of TransCanada and Exxon-Mobil will bring Alaskan natural gas to the Lower 48 states. The pipeline is expected to be complete in 2019. It will be North America’s largest infrastructure project and is estimated to cost between $32 billion and $41 billion (Bluemink, 2010, ¶2-3).

TransCanada also filed an alternative $20 - $26 billion proposal in which a pipeline would be built "to a liquefied natural-gas terminal in Valdez, where it could be exported by tankers (Bluemink, 2010, ¶2-3)."

Further, BP and Conoco Phillips are filing a 90-day open season for a competing North Slope pipeline project, called Denali (Bluemink, 2010, ¶6).

Analysis

AGIA -- Governor Palin's brainchild -- is turning a 30-year-old pipe dream in to pipelines and encouraging good old-fashioned free market competition in the process. Governor Palin does not just write and speak about energy independence. She devoted a major portion of her term as Governor to conceiving and bringing AGIA to fruition. Under Governor Parnell's leadership, Governor Palin's mission and vision as it pertains to this project will be carried through.

Complete prior coverage of AGIA can be found at the US for Palin 2009 Master List of Governor Palin's Accomplishments.

References

Bluemink, E. (2010, January 29). "TransCanada files open-season plan for proposed gas line." Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved January 29, 2010 from: http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/1116269.html

Sarah Palin: Stay Focused People! Moving The Terror Trial Doesn’t Fix The Problem

The most important job a President has is that of Commander-in-Chief. Protecting the nation against all enemies, both foreign and domestic should be job one for any President.

Unfortunately, like everything else Barack Obama has been put in charge of, he has proven to be an absolute failure as a Commander-in-Chief. Three high profile terrorist attacks on American soil, plus the massacre of CIA agents abroad bear this out.

As bad as that is though, Obama’s decision to bring the 9/11 terrorists to New York for a civilian trial vs a military tribunal, a time honored way of dealing with enemy combatants that dates back to ancient times, proves Obama just isn’t capable of handling this job. It proves he has a pre-9/11 mentality in a very dangerous post-9/11 world.




Sarah Palin has some insight in this just released note:

Stay Focused: Relocating Terrorists' Trial Doesn't Solve the Main Problem

Today at 5:57pm

People are celebrating the fact that the Obama Administration is considering relocating the terrorists’ trial from New York to another American city. Yet there’s still no talk of moving the trial out of our U.S. civilian courts to where it should take place – a military tribunal.

Now the administration is backtracking in order to fix its initially blundered decision to try these dangerous terrorists in New York City despite the great danger and cost to New Yorkers. This scenario is all too common in Washington. The tactic is to propose something so outrageous that the public will rise up and demand common sense, and then the White House "concedes" and changes its initial decision to give the impression of newfound reasonability and moderation. But the problem still isn’t solved! The trial location debate becomes a diversion so that we’ll take our eyes off the ball. The point missed is that our President still wants to give these terrorists U.S. constitutional protections in our civilian courts, allowing them to lawyer-up on our dime.

This tactic is in the same vein as another Washington game: creating the appearance of a "crisis" in order to push for a radical solution. ("The health care crisis must be fixed by government now or we’re all gonna die! The earth’s temperature is fluctuating; government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die! Private businesses made poor decisions and bureaucrats claim they’re too big to fail, so government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die!")

Politicians and lobbyists announce that there is a "crisis," and never letting a good crisis go to waste, they propose a radical solution to fix it. The public listens intently, and in a sincere desire to help, an alternative to the politicians’ radical solution gets put forward. The politicians then "concede" and mellow out their radical solution. The public’s attention has been diverted to tinkering on the periphery, all the while ignoring the real problem at the heart of the "crisis" that started the whole debate.

The fact is our government has a choice as to where to try the terrorists. We don’t have to try them in our civilian courts. The peripheral debate regarding in which city to try these evil, dangerous haters-of-America is a diversion. Let’s get back to the heart of the matter: what choice will our government make – terrorist trials in civilian courts or military tribunals?

- Sarah Palin

That, folks, is called hitting the nail on the head!

Washington is very good at playing the old game of diversion. Of bait and switch. Obama is a master of it. It’s one of the few things he and his Chicago crew have been able to pull off correctly since taking office. It’s the old slight of hand.



Giving KSM and the rest of these savages full constitutional rights and a civilian trial is ludicrous, especially since Obama himself has already pronounced that they will be found guilty, and no matter the verdict, they will be held forever.

A civilian trial serves only one purpose, and that is to embarrass the United States and give these murderous terrorists a world wide stage to bash our nation. Of course, the way Obama and his people look at this, is it’s just another way to bash President George W Bush and his administration too.

This madness has to stop. We have provisions for military tribunals already set up, and they pass United States Supreme Court muster. Put these cats through the military system and be done with them!

Note to Obama...Stay Focused!

Sarah Palin's latest FaceBook post "Stay Focused: Relocating Terrorists' Trial Doesn't Solve the Main Problem" says so much about the status of our country. Please read her post and remember where you where on Sept. 11, 2001.

People are celebrating the fact that the Obama Administration is considering relocating the terrorists’ trial from New York to another American city. Yet there’s still no talk of moving the trial out of our U.S. civilian courts to where it should take place – a military tribunal.

Now the administration is backtracking in order to fix its initially blundered decision to try these dangerous terrorists in New York City despite the great danger and cost to New Yorkers. This scenario is all too common in Washington. The tactic is to propose something so outrageous that the public will rise up and demand common sense, and then the White House “concedes” and changes its initial decision to give the impression of newfound reasonability and moderation. But the problem still isn’t solved! The trial location debate becomes a diversion so that we’ll take our eyes off the ball. The point missed is that our President still wants to give these terrorists U.S. constitutional protections in our civilian courts, allowing them to lawyer-up on our dime.

This tactic is in the same vein as another Washington game: creating the appearance of a “crisis” in order to push for a radical solution. (“The health care crisis must be fixed by government now or we’re all gonna die! The earth’s temperature is fluctuating; government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die! Private businesses made poor decisions and bureaucrats claim they’re too big to fail, so government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die!”) Politicians and lobbyists announce that there is a “crisis,” and never letting a good crisis go to waste, they propose a radical solution to fix it. The public listens intently, and in a sincere desire to help, an alternative to the politicians’ radical solution gets put forward. The politicians then “concede” and mellow out their radical solution. The public’s attention has been diverted to tinkering on the periphery, all the while ignoring the real problem at the heart of the “crisis” that started the whole debate.

The fact is our government has a choice as to where to try the terrorists. We don’t have to try them in our civilian courts. The peripheral debate regarding in which city to try these evil, dangerous haters-of-America is a diversion. Let’s get back to the heart of the matter: what choice will our government make – terrorist trials in civilian courts or military tribunals?

- Sarah Palin

My advice to Pres. Obama...LISTEN! She knows what she is talking about.

Sarah Palin: Relocating Terrorists' Trial Doesn't Solve Problem of Civilian Courts vs. Military Tribunals

This afternoon (Alaska time), Governor Palin tweeted:




Her tweet was preceded by this Facebook Note:

Stay Focused: Relocating Terrorists' Trial Doesn't Solve the Main Problem

Today at 6:57pm EST

People are celebrating the fact that the Obama Administration is considering relocating the terrorists’ trial from New York to another American city. Yet there’s still no talk of moving the trial out of our U.S. civilian courts to where it should take place – a military tribunal.

Now the administration is backtracking in order to fix its initially blundered decision to try these dangerous terrorists in New York City despite the great danger and cost to New Yorkers. This scenario is all too common in Washington. The tactic is to propose something so outrageous that the public will rise up and demand common sense, and then the White House “concedes” and changes its initial decision to give the impression of newfound reasonability and moderation. But the problem still isn’t solved! The trial location debate becomes a diversion so that we’ll take our eyes off the ball. The point missed is that our President still wants to give these terrorists U.S. constitutional protections in our civilian courts, allowing them to lawyer-up on our dime.

This tactic is in the same vein as another Washington game: creating the appearance of a “crisis” in order to push for a radical solution. (“The health care crisis must be fixed by government now or we’re all gonna die! The earth’s temperature is fluctuating; government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die! Private businesses made poor decisions and bureaucrats claim they’re too big to fail, so government must fix this crisis now or we’re all gonna die!”) Politicians and lobbyists announce that there is a “crisis,” and never letting a good crisis go to waste, they propose a radical solution to fix it. The public listens intently, and in a sincere desire to help, an alternative to the politicians’ radical solution gets put forward. The politicians then “concede” and mellow out their radical solution. The public’s attention has been diverted to tinkering on the periphery, all the while ignoring the real problem at the heart of the “crisis” that started the whole debate.

The fact is our government has a choice as to where to try the terrorists. We don’t have to try them in our civilian courts. The peripheral debate regarding in which city to try these evil, dangerous haters-of-America is a diversion. Let’s get back to the heart of the matter: what choice will our government make – terrorist trials in civilian courts or military tribunals?

- Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin: Letting You Know About Some "Better Solutions"

Complete transcript of Governor Palin's Facebook Note:

Letting You Know About Some "Better Solutions"

Today at 4:15pm EST

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

- Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin Leads Latest Iowa 2012 Republican Presidential Polling

The latest poll, courtesy of Republican Rankings shows Sarah Palin leading the field of possible candidates for the 2012 Republican presidential primary:



Sarah Palin............31.41

Mike Huckabee.....30.03

Mitt Romney.........26.34

Tim Pawlenty..........8.94

Newt Gingrich.........2.05

John Thune..............1.33











This comes on the heels of the just released Newsmax-Zogby poll that has Sarah leading all comers nationally for the Republican nomination.

In the accompanying Newsmax article, Dick Morris is quoted as saying the winner of the 2012 Republican nomination will be the next President of the United States. This is assuming, of course, that Barack Obama is the democrat/communist party nominee, which, with his performance so far, is not a sure bet by any means.

This polling shows a continuing trend. Sarah Palin is solidly cementing her position as front runner 2012. Her continued hard work and strong vision for America is what has more and more Americans looking toward her for leadership in these troubled times.

Of course, her writings, such as this don’t hurt a bit!

Massive Collection of 'Going Rogue' Book Tour Photos Nearing Completion

The Sarah Palin "Going Rogue" Book Tour Collection of photo galleries on the Sheilah Craighead Photography website is almost complete. There are now photo galleries for 31 of the 35 stops of Governor Palin’s Going Rogue tour. All that are left to go are the book signings in Sandpoint, Idaho, Elmendorf and Eielson Air Force bases, and Sarah’s hometown, Wasilla, Alaska.

The website offers this background information about Ms. Craighead:

Photojournalist Shealah Craighead is an expert at documenting history. Her
discretion, professionalism and enthusiasm, as well as, her background
photographing for the Boston Globe, Associated Press, and Getty Images led her
to positions as the photo editor for the Office of the Vice President and
Official White House Photographer and former First Lady Laura Bush's personal
photographer. Shealah then went on to serve as Governor Sarah Palin's official
photographer throughout the recent 2008 Presidential campaign. Currently,
Shealah is based in Washington DC and offers her services as a seasoned campaign
photographer to candidates seeking election to public office; most recently as
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign photographer for Gov. of Texas 2010.

The Going Rogue tour galleries are listed in chronological order and currently range in size from 619 photos to 2257 photos, with most containing over 1000 photos. They can be accessed directly on the Collections page or from a chronological list on the website’s homepage. There is also a list of links in alphabetical order by location on the Sarah Palin Photo Galleries page on the Sarah Palin Information Blog.

Individual photographs can be viewed by mousing over them individually on the gallery page or by doubleclicking to select an individual photo. To purchase photos, you must set up a free Photo Shelter account. Photos can then be added to a Lighthouse for viewing later or to a shopping Cart for purchase.

Prints, photo magnets, and photo cards are available for purchase. Images may be downloaded for personal use, but they are copyrighted and written permission must be obtained from Sheilah Craighead Photography for other use:

To publish an image, contact the photographer directly. This image is for
personal use only, not to be manipulated in any form or medium. The image is not
for archives/reuse/resale/for third party use or for personal gain agenda; not
usable for advertisement/products, or promotional purposes suggesting
approval/endorsement without express written consent by Shealah Craighead
Photography.

There is a Contact link at the bottom of the webpage.

Thousands of people who attended the book signings can now download (for personal use) or purchase their own photos from the various book signings. As the massive Sarah Palin Going Rogue Book Tour Collection nears completion, the wait will soon be over for all the Sarah Palin supporters who have anxiously awaited the publication of their photos from the Going Rogue book tour.

Sarah Palin Drops The Hammer: "President Obama You Have A Credibility Gap"

We kind of figured Sarah would have something more to say about President Obama’s State of the Union speech. As you will read, she doesn’t disappoint.

Sarah was pulling no punches last night when she appeared on the Sean Hannity Show:







She was spot on. It was like Obama was lecturing America. This was the most disjointed, rambling, and frankly..hateful State of the Union speech we have ever witnessed. It was all about Obama attacking those he thought weren’t on board with his lunacy.

But why waste time. Let Sarah give us her take. This is simply delicious:

The Credibility Gap

Today at 4:17pm

While I don’t wish to speak too harshly about President Obama’s state of the union address, we live in challenging times that call for candor. I call them as I see them, and I hope my frank assessment will be taken as an honest effort to move this conversation forward.

Last night, the president spoke of the "credibility gap" between the public’s expectations of their leaders and what those leaders actually deliver. "Credibility gap" is a good way to describe the chasm between rhetoric and reality in the president’s address. The contradictions seemed endless.

He called for Democrats and Republicans to "work through our differences," but last year he dismissed any notion of bipartisanship when he smugly told Republicans, "I won."




He talked like a Washington "outsider," but he runs Washington! He’s had everything any president could ask for – an overwhelming majority in Congress and a fawning press corps that feels tingles every time he speaks. There was nothing preventing him from pursuing "common sense" solutions all along. He didn’t pursue them because they weren’t his priorities, and he spent his speech blaming Republicans for the problems caused by his own policies.

He dared us to "let him know" if we have a better health care plan, but he refused to allow Republicans in on the negotiations or consider any ideas for real free market and patient-centered reforms. We’ve been "letting him know" our ideas for months from the town halls to the tea parties, but he isn’t interested in listening. Instead he keeps making the nonsensical claim that his massive trillion-dollar health care bill won’t increase the deficit.

Americans are suffering from job losses and lower wages, yet the president practically demanded applause when he mentioned tax cuts, as if allowing people to keep more of their own hard-earned money is an act of noblesse oblige. He claims that he cut taxes, but I must have missed that. I see his policies as paving the way for massive tax increases and inflation, which is the "hidden tax" that most hurts the poor and the elderly living on fixed incomes.

He condemned lobbyists, but his White House is filled with former lobbyists, and this has been a banner year for K Street with his stimulus bill, aka the Lobbyist’s Full Employment Act. He talked about a "deficit of trust" and the need to "do our work in the open," but he chased away the C-SPAN cameras and cut deals with insurance industry lobbyists behind closed doors.

He spoke of doing what’s best for the next generation and not leaving our children with a "mountain of debt," but under his watch this year, government spending is up by 22%, and his budget will triple our national debt.




He spoke of a spending freeze, but doesn’t he realize that each new program he’s proposing comes with a new price tag? A spending freeze is a nice idea, but it doesn’t address the root cause of the problem. We need a comprehensive examination of the role of government spending. The president’s deficit commission is little more than a bipartisan tax hike committee, lending political cover to raise taxes without seriously addressing the problem of spending.

He condemned bailouts, but he voted for them and then expanded and extended them. He praised the House’s financial reform bill, but where was Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae in that bill? He still hasn’t told us when we’ll be getting out of the auto and the mortgage industries. He praised small businesses, but he’s spent the past year as a friend to big corporations and their lobbyists, who always find a way to make government regulations work in their favor at the expense of their mom & pop competitors.

He praised the effectiveness of his stimulus bill, but then he called for another one – this time cleverly renamed a "jobs bill." The first stimulus was sold to us as a jobs bill that would keep unemployment under 8%. We now have double digit unemployment with no end in sight. Why should we trust this new "jobs bill"?

He talked about "making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development," but apparently it’s still too tough for his Interior Secretary to move ahead with Virginia’s offshore oil and gas leases. If they’re dragging their feet on leases, how long will it take them to build "safe, clean nuclear power plants"? Meanwhile, he continued to emphasize "green jobs," which require massive government subsidies for inefficient technologies that can’t survive on their own in the real world of the free market.

He spoke of supporting young girls in Afghanistan who want to go to school and young women in Iran who courageously protest in the streets, but where were his words of encouragement to the young girls of Afghanistan in his West Point speech? And where was his support for the young women of Iran when they were being gunned down in the streets of Tehran?

Despite speaking for over an hour, the president only spent 10% of his speech on foreign policy, and he left us with many unanswered questions. Does he still think trying the 9/11 terrorists in New York is a good idea? Does he still think closing Gitmo is a good idea? Does he still believe in Mirandizing terrorists after the Christmas bomber fiasco? Does he believe we’re in a war against terrorists, or does he think this is just a global crime spree? Does he understand that the first priority of our government is to keep our country safe?

In his address last night, the president once again revealed that there’s a fundamental disconnect between what the American people expect from their government, and what he wants to deliver. He’s still proposing failed top-down big government solutions to our problems. Instead of smaller, smarter government, he’s taken a government that was already too big and supersized it.

Real private sector jobs are created when taxes are low, investment is high, and people are free to go about their business without the heavy hand of government. The president thinks innovation comes from government subsidies. Common sense conservatives know innovation comes from unleashing the creative energy of American entrepreneurs.

Everything seems to be "unexpected" to this administration: unexpected job losses; unexpected housing numbers; unexpected political losses in Massachusetts, Virginia, and New Jersey. True leaders lead best when confronted with the unexpected. But instead of leading us, the president lectured us. He lectured Wall Street; he lectured Main Street; he lectured Congress; he even lectured our Supreme Court Justices.

He criticized politicians who "wage a perpetual campaign," but he gave a campaign speech instead of a state of the union address. The campaign is over, and President Obama now has something that candidate Obama never had: an actual track record in office. We now can see the failed policies behind the flowery words. If Americans feel as cynical as the president suggests, perhaps it’s because the audacity of his recycled rhetoric no longer inspires hope.

Real leadership requires results. Real hope lies in the ingenuity, generosity, and boundless courage of the American people whose voices are still not being heard in Washington.

- Sarah Palin

Say it with me children! BOOM!




That’s a hard act to follow right there. Nothing more one can add except spot on Sarah, spot on.

No wonder the latest poll places Sarah Palin at the top of the 2012 presidential sweepstakes.



Video courtesy of Palin TV.

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

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

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

Fox reported at the time:

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

Read the full article here.

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

According to Fox:

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

[...]

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

Read more here.

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

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

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

The Fox article went on to state:

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

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

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

The LA Times reported that the Department of Justice said:

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

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

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

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

Zogby: Sarah Palin Front Runner For 2012 GOP Nomination

In a brand new Newsmax Media-Zogby poll, Sarah Palin tops a huge list of possible contenders for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

From Newsmax:

By: David A. Patten

Sarah Palin's recent book success and her new high-profile role on Fox News are having a stunning impact on her political standing with a Newsmax-Zogby poll showing the former Alaska governor now leading the GOP field as the party's preferred candidate for president.

The exclusive Newsmax Media-Zogby poll released Thursday asked likely GOP voters: "If the Republican primary for president of the United States were held today... for whom would you vote?"

The poll gave voters a selection of top tier potential candidates as well as some dark horses, the list included Scott Brown, Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, David Petraeus, Tim Pawlenty, and Mitt Romney.

Despite the size and diversity of the field, Palin grabbed a solid 22.2 percent to take the lead with former Massachusetts Gov. Romney close behind with 19.4 percent.

Also making a strong showing was former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich with 12 percent, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 11 percent.

The Newsmax-Zogby poll suggests the rumble for top dog among GOP candidates is anything but static.

In early December, a CNN/Opinion Research poll found Mike Huckabee led the Republican field of presidential candidates with Palin trailing him for second place.

The latest data is clearly good news for Palin.

"It suggests to me that reports of her political death are exaggerated," political strategist and Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen tells Newsmax. "In American political life, politicians have not only second and third lives, they have nine lives. And Sarah Palin is on her third or fourth life."

The poll's results offer a stark contrast to earlier surveys on Palin.

In November, a Washington Post-ABC News poll reported that 52 percent of voters viewed Palin unfavorably, although her positive rating among Republicans in that poll was 76 percent.

Since then, Palin has continued making appearances associated with her blockbuster bestseller "Going Rogue: An American Life."

And earlier this month she inked a deal as an on-air contributor to Fox News, followed by several high-profile appearances on the network.

The poll indicates that, among Republicans at least, Palin has overcome the various and sundry attacks leveled against her in the media and remains a powerful political force.

She recently kicked off a series of campaign appearances on behalf of Republican candidates who hope to ride the current wave of anti-incumbent animus into Washington.

GOP political leaders are taking notice.

California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the chief deputy whip for the GOP, tells Newsmax he's not surprised by Palin's strength in the Newsmax-Zogby poll, "but I imagine there are a few networks, that it might surprise them."

McCarthy says Palin has become the voice of an electorate increasingly frustrated with federal governance.

"She has the common sense to go out, to listen, to talk, to tell exactly how she feels from the heart," McCarthy tells Newsmax. "They can try to go out there and say whatever they want about her but she's really the voice of the people. She raises a family, she understands those challenges. … I think that's what America is looking for."

"America is not looking for a party," McCarthy says. "They're looking for a leader and those who will help change Washington."

The Newsmax-Zogby poll asked voters to select from among a diverse field of candidates, including newly elected Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown (5.2 percent), Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (4.9 percent), and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (3.9 percent).

The poll also probed voters' interest in a dark horse in the race, Gen. David Petraeus, the commander who received high marks for his performance in executing the Bush administration's successful "surge" strategy in Iraq.

Petraeus placed fifth among the candidates with 5.6 percent of the vote, indicating he's clearly on the radar of GOP voters. The poll's margin of error was 2.2 percent.

Of course, polls taken months or years before an election often don't reflect what actually happens on Election Day. A Gallup poll taken in November 2007, for example, showed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton with a seemingly insurmountable 27-point lead over a young senator from Illinois named Barack Obama.

Schoen points out that 15.6 percent of those surveyed in the Newsmax-Zogby poll were undecided. Considering that frontrunner Palin received just over 22 percent, "it's anybody's race" according to Schoen.

"I think the greatest degree of certainty we have now," Schoen says, "is that uncertainty reigns." The tea party movement did not exist a year ago: It's now one of the most powerful forces in American politics. Scott Brown was a little known legislator. Barack Obama was a very, very popular president.

"So the world has changed, and it will undeniably change to a much greater extent."

Schoen points out that the grassroots-conservative movement has yet to coalesce behind a favorite candidate, adding, "The activist conservative right is probably the most visible, active, aggressive force in American political life today."

The poll isn't all good news for Palin, cautions Fox News contributor and bestselling author Dick Morris.

She is the clearly highest profile candidate listed, he says, yet she garnered less than three-quarters of the vote.

"Sarah Palin has a strong group of dedicated supporters who really, really like her – with good reason, I might add. I think they believe, and I think they're right, that she was an enormous asset to the McCain ticket," Morris tells Newsmax. "And I think that group is going to be there buying her books, tuning into her programs, coming to her book signings, coming to her rallies, voting for her in the polls. But the fact that it's less than a quarter of the Republican electorate, to me indicates some trouble ahead for her."

Morris tells Newsmax the 2012 Republican nominee is likely to beat President Obama.

A couple of key points. Zogby uses the best sample, "likely voters." This is generally the most accurate sample. One has to watch for this in polling. Often lesser pollsters will use "registered voters" which is a slightly less accurate sample, or simply poll "adults" which is can be wildly inaccurate. With that said, we feel this poll is a true reflection of the voters at this point.

Also, while I respect Dick Morris, and agree that Sarah will still have to earn the nomination, one must look at this poll in context. Newsmax offered up a large group of potential candidates for those questioned to choose. That diluted the percentages to each candidate.

Something else that is not mentioned here, but should be, is this: The front runners, Sarah , Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee remain about the same, in relationship to each other, as well as to the rest of the potential challengers. None of the other potential candidates are ever able to pull out of the single digits in any poll.

2012 is a long way away, and absolutely anything can happen, but as it stands today, Sarah Palin is the front runner. Sarah is the front runner for exactly the reasons Kevin McCarthy mentions above. Sarah connects with the voters because she is one of them. When she speaks folks know she has had the same experiences they have had.

Sarah is truly a woman of the people, and that is exactly the type of leader America is looking for.

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

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





















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