Minnesota Voters to Michele Bachmann: "Just Go Away!"

By Gary P Jackson

Here's a interesting poll that hasn't been reported on. It seems voters in Minnesota aren't too keen on third tier presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty. Stunningly 45% don't want their former two term governor, Tim Pawlenty, running for any office, and 47% just want Michele Bachmann to go away!

Ouch!

On the bright side, at least the majority of Republicans support a presidential run by Pawlenty [57%] only 26% can say the same of Bachmann.

From Public Policy Polling:

Voters in Minnesota are not terribly into home state politicians Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann running for President next year. Only 28% think Pawlenty should seek the White House to 17% who think he should run for the Senate and 45% who think he shouldn't run for anything. There's even less interest in a Bachmann Presidential run- 14% think she should seek that office to 23% who think she should run for the Senate, 10% who think she should run for reelection to her House seat, and 47% who just want her to go away.

Pawlenty at least has some level of interest in his running for President from the party base- 57% of Republicans think he should run. GOP voters though would much rather Bachmann ran for the Senate (43% think she should do that) than President (which only 26% think she should aim for.)

Pawlenty's Hometown Newspaper Puts Presidential Announcement In Obituary Section

Is Tim Pawlenty's hometown paper trying to send a not so subtle message to their former Governor?

If they read Tim Pawlenty: “The Era Of SMALL Government Is Over”, maybe so.

From City Pages:

Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign is Dead On Arrival, according to his hometown newspaper.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press hilariously ran the announcement of T-Paw's presidential campaign on the Obituary page this morning.

Any other day, it would have made the front page. But that's what he gets for making his big publicity push the day after a deadly tornado rips through his home state.

Here's the scan of the newspaper page:

Tim Pawlenty: "The Era Of SMALL Government Is Over"

The era of small government is over . . . government has to be more proactive, more aggressive.
~ Tim Pawlenty, 2006

On Monday liberal "Republican" Tim Pawlenty will officially announce his candidacy for the presidency of the United States. Pawlenty and his supporters will tell you that he's a good Conservative leader and ramble on and on how this milquetoast is "the only one who can beat Obama." Don't fall for it.

Oh, I think Obama is incredibly beatable, and maybe a liberal like Pawlenty can pull it off, but so what? If someone like Pawlenty wins, what exactly have the American people won?

The above 2006 Pawlenty quote comes from the Wall Street Journal and an article by James Lewis entitled, Pawlenty's Record: [emphasis mine]

"The era of small government is over . . . government has to be more proactive, more aggressive."
-- Tim Pawlenty, 2006.

Minnesota's 47-year-old governor is now one of a handful of names being bandied about as a possible running mate for John McCain. But if the Arizona senator wants to unite conservative Republicans behind him, there are better choices.

First elected in 2002, Mr. Pawlenty got off to a good start by holding the line on taxes in the face of a $4.5 billion state deficit. That shortfall equaled 15% of the state's $28 billion biennial budget, and the pressure on the governor to break his no-new-taxes pledge was unrelenting. Nonetheless, he showed resolve in dealing with Minnesota's recalcitrant liberal elite.

But in 2005, signs of his "progressive" instincts emerged. In a quest for new revenue, Mr. Pawlenty supported a 75 cents per-pack cigarette tax. He called it a "health impact" fee. No one was fooled. User fees are generally charged to ensure that those who use a government service pay for the cost of providing that service. In this case, however, it was obvious that smokers were just being tapped to fund health-care entitlement programs.

Following the tax hike, the governor pushed through a state-wide smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars. Aggressive, Nanny-state government seems to be big with Republican governors these days -- although policies such as smoking bans do little to stem the costly tide of state-run health care.

In 2006, liberal Democrats (there is no other kind here) proposed a universal health-care behemoth to cover all residents. Mr. Pawlenty responded with a more limited proposal to expand the state's child health-care program, Minnesota Care, to cover all children. More recently, the governor's Health Care Transformation Task Force recommended imposing a mandate -- à la Massachusetts -- on residents to buy health insurance.

On prescription drugs, Mr. Pawlenty set up the state's RX Connect Program to import price-controlled Canadian drugs. The South St. Paul populist also advocated a temporary ban on ads paid for by pharmaceutical companies. Not exactly the stuff of which markets are made.

Not everything has been bleak for the right during Mr. Pawlenty's tenure. Last session he vetoed several major spending bills pushed by the Democratic Farmer Labor Party; they were so profligate that his vetoes elicited barely a whimper from Minnesota's reliably liberal media. Nevertheless, Mr. Pawlenty has presided over back-to-back biennial budget increases of 12.4% and 9.8% respectively. Last year the governor's proposed budget survived essentially intact but still spent the state's $2 billion surplus, with half the general fund increase going to education. Minnesota, with five million people, now has a biennial budget of nearly $35 billion.

Mr. Pawlenty's proactive government stance extends to support for mass transit and sport stadium subsidies, as well as for hiking the state's minimum wage, which is now $6.15 an hour for large employers (the federal minimum wage is $5.85). But it is education and the environment where Mr. Pawlenty hopes to establish his progressive bona fides.

He calls for accountability in education, but does little to buck the most powerful lobby in state politics, Education Minnesota. Indeed, Mr. Pawlenty has courted the unions, telling the Minnesota Business Partnership that "I can't have the Republican governor talk about changing the school system without having the support and help of the teachers' union and my friends on the other side of the aisle. It just won't work."

On the environment, Mr. Pawlenty imposed some of the most aggressive renewable energy mandates in the country. Other states will be requiring, in coming years, that energy producers get 20% of their electricity from "renewable" sources such as wind, solar or animal manure. In Mr. Pawlenty's Minnesota, the state's largest utility will be required to generate 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.

Mr. Pawlenty is using his influence through the National Governor's Association to export his ideas across state lines. The NGA meets in Washington, D.C. next week. Look for Mr. Pawlenty to be on hand and stumping for renewable mandates.

In April, Mr. Pawlenty delivered the remarks that probably best reveal his views on the environment. "It looks like we should have listened to President Carter," he told the Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group. "He called us to action, and we should have listened. . . . Climate change is real. Human behavior is partly and may be a lot responsible. Those who don't think so are simply not right. We should not spend time on voices that say it's not real."

At times it seems that Mr. Pawlenty's first political instinct is to placate liberal critics, as he did following the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis last August. When Rep. James Oberstar, a Democrat, tried to exploit the tragedy that killed 13 people and injured 100 others -- by blaming it on a lack of federal gas tax revenue -- Mr. Pawlenty responded by calling for a state gas tax increase. Thankfully, the governor started backpedaling on that idea almost immediately after proposing it. He now promises to veto any tax increase to come out of the legislature this year (handing down one such veto yesterday).

Yes, I know that Pawlenty was "apologized" for his idiotic romance with the global warming loons, but these days that's nothing more than Kabuki Theater. A ritualized apologize that is for show only. Politicians do it all the time when normal people call B.S. on their wrongheaded ideas.

Want more?

When it was rumored Pawlenty was on John McCain's short list for VP, Michael D. Tanner at the CATO institute wrote: [emphasis mine]

The Washington rumor mill has Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as the leading candidate to be John McCain’s running mate. If so, that would be a clear slap in the face to small-government conservatives.

Tanner goes on to list some of Pawlenty's liberal Big Government ways:

Supported government subsidized health care for all children as the first step toward universal health insurance, and opposed President Bush’s veto of a Democratic bill that would have expanded the State Children’s Health Insurance program (SCHIP) to families earning as much as $83,000 per year.

Supports Massachusetts-style health care reform, including a “health care exchange” and an individual mandate.

Has called for banning all prescription drug advertising, and seeks government imposed price controls for drugs offered through Medicare.

Proposed a $4000 per child preschool program for low-income children.

Pushed a statewide smoking ban smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars;
Increased the state’s minimum wage.

Imposed some of the most aggressive and expensive renewable energy mandates in the country.

Was an ardent supporter of the farm bill.

Received only a “C” ranking on Cato’s 2006 Governor’s Report Card, finishing below such Democrats as Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and tied with Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

Read more here.

It would appear that Pawlenty's first instinct is always to look at a Big Government liberal way to do things. Every single time.

Oh, but Pawlenty's supporters will protest and proclaim :"He's changed!" Thing is, a leopard can't change it's spots, neither can a Big Government liberal. In April St Louis Today had this little nugget on ethanol:

During Pawlenty's speech, he criticized Wall Street and corporate welfare, what he termed "special deals for some.''

But when asked after the speech about ethanol subsidies—which have come under fired from some fiscal conservatives, but are considered crucial in Iowa, where Pawlenty's campaign could live or die—he hedged.

"We can't just pull the rug out from under the industry,'' he said. "There are going to have to be some changes, but we have to be fair-minded about it.''

Typical, politics over principle.

Never mind ethanol is a junk fuel, is only viable if YOUR tax dollars keep it alive, And who cares if the use of FOOD for FUEL is immoral!

The price of everything made from corn has skyrocketed because of this insane plan. People in third world countries face starvation because of it. Worse yet, it's a very inefficient fuel. It takes more volume of ethanol to do the work of gasoline. In other words, if it takes one unit of gasoline to do a set amount of work, it will take approximately 1.5 units to do the same amount of work with a gasoline-ethanol blend.

Don't take my word for that though. Go down to your local new car dealer. Walk over to where they have their "flex fuel" vehicles parked. Look at the federally mandated window sticker. You'll notice these vehicles get fewer miles per gallon when ethanol is in the tank vs straight gasoline.

Katrina Trinko at National Review has even more about this: [emphasis mine]

What kind of Republican supports high tariffs on imports, dubious green tax credits, and consumption mandates to prop up unprofitable environmental darlings? The ethanol-loving midwestern kind, especially the ones running for president.

Currently, imported ethanol is slapped with a 54-cent-per-gallon tariff, while oil companies receive a 45-cent tax credit per gallon of ethanol blended into their gasoline. Both the tariff and the tax credit have just been extended for another year, thanks to a bipartisan push from Cornbelt politicians. In case these provisions aren’t enough to help the industry hobble its way to satisfying profits, lawmakers also decided to mandate that U.S. consumption of renewable fuels (which will certainly be almost entirely corn-based and cellulosic ethanol) reach 36 billion gallons by 2022. And that’s just the assistance provided on the federal level.

There are four potential midwestern 2012 Republican presidential nominees: Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, South Dakota senator John Thune, and Indiana congressman Mike Pence. When it comes to doling out favors to the ethanol industry, none of them can credibly claim his attitude was “just say no.”


Does it matter? Absolutely: As this year’s tariff and tax-credit extensions showed, even a Tea Party–driven small-government surge can’t stop politicians from kowtowing to the ethanol lobby. Further, a Republican president who is willing to carve out exemptions for ethanol interests will lack credibility when he battles spending or tax breaks benefiting other special interests. And finally, while some claim that ethanol will allow our nation to achieve energy independence, the fact that the highest approved corn-gas blend is only 15 percent ethanol (and is approved only for certain automobile models from 2007 or later) suggests that an America running on corn is unlikely in the extreme.

Let’s examine some midwestern GOP politicians’ records on ethanol.

[ .... ]

In 2008, Alaska governor Sarah Palin got the vice presidential nod, much to the disappointment of one group: the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA). The group had been hoping that John McCain would pick Pawlenty, according to the trade magazine Ethanol Producer. Pawlenty, the MCGA said, had “more moderate views towards ethanol” than most Republicans. It was a telling endorsement, particularly when compared with the tongue-lashing the MCGA gave the GOP platform that year, which it considered anti-ethanol to the point of being “devastating” to the industry.

The endorsement was well deserved. Throughout his time as governor, Pawlenty has been a friend to ethanol. In 2004, Pawlenty created the JOBZ program, an innovative way to subsidize ethanol. While Minnesota was no longer approving producer payments (13 cents per gallon of ethanol) for new ethanol plants, the JOBZ program offered “a new incentive, one that many investors find nearly as alluring,” gushed Ethanol Producer. JOBZ, the magazine continued, “provides relief from corporate franchise tax, income tax for operators or investors, sales tax on business purchases and capital gains tax, and property taxes. It also provides an employment tax credit for high paying jobs.”

A year later, Pawlenty signed legislation mandating that all gas sold in Minnesota contain 20 percent ethanol by 2013, up from 10 percent. (Since the EPA has not yet approved the 20 percent blend, the mandate will most likely not go into effect in 2013.) In 2005, Pawlenty also urged other states, at a meeting of the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition (which had 31 member states at the time), to mandate that all gasoline contain 10 percent ethanol by 2010.

The “E85 Everywhere” program, which promoted the 85 percent–ethanol fuel, was launched in 2006. Pawlenty wanted there to be plenty of stations where consumers could purchase E85. He requested $12 million in subsidies for gas-station owners to encourage them to offer it. State legislators balked at the sum; instead, the state began offering $1.75 million in subsidies starting in 2007. But even with the subsidies, Minnesota did not achieve Pawlenty’s goal of 1,800 E85 stations by 2010. As of 2009, the state had 351 gas stations that sold E85.

You can read about more ethanol cost and failure here.

Though not mentioned in the article, it should be noted that Newt Gingrich is said to have received as much as $300,000 for his efforts on behalf of the ethanol lobby.

If you thinks that's all there is, well, think again. Remember when Sarah Palin slammed Michelle Obama's "childhood obesity" program for bringing even more government intervention in people's personal lives at the expense of personal Liberty and Freedom? Well, it seems that rather than side with Sarah Palin and personal responsibility, much like Big Government Statist Mike Huckabee, Pawlenty praised Michelle Obama's overreaching Nanny State insanity.

How about instead of government trying to run every minute detail of everyone's lives, we allow parents to do THEIR job. Oh, and bringing back physical fitness programs to all schools wouldn't be a bad idea either!

As I look at Tim Pawlenty I see yet another Big Government liberal pretending to be a Conservative. Pawlenty and more like him are exactly the reason why the United States is in the incredible mess it's in now.

2012 is the most important election in our nation's history. It will decide whether the Republic survives, or becomes little more than a failed agricultural experiment.

The problem isn't just beating Obama. With all of the anti-American things he's doing, plus his seemingly purposeful destruction of our economy, I think you could almost grab someone randomly off the streets and give Obama a run for his money come 2012.

Thing is, we not only have to beat Obama [and his sycophantic media] but the GOP establishment liberals as well. Guys like Pawlenty are part of the problem, not the solution.

For what it's worth, here's Pawlenty's less than inspiring new campaign video:

Tim Pawlenty, Global Warming Alarmist, Statist

Timmy and Big Sis sittin' in a tree .....

As Stacy Drake pointed out to readers a few days ago, potential presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty is yet another Big Government, liberal, establishment "Republican" trying to pass himself off as a principled Conservative.

As Stacy pointed out, not only did Pawlenty fall for the global warming hoax, he fully supported the nonsensical and highly corrupt concept of a cap and tax system. Stacy's report was an eye-opener, as it spelled out just exactly what sort of Big Government Statist this little known former governor of Minnesota truly is.

Stacy found that besides his ridiculous stance on carbon trading, and "renewable energy" as the savior of all mankind, he was also anything BUT a fiscal Conservative. According to the CATO institute, he was less fiscally responsible than Big Government types like Ed Rendel, former democrat governor of Pennsylvania.

She also discovered Pawlenty was a huge fan of RomneyCare, and especially the government forced individual mandate, a direct assault on Liberty and Freedom, if there ever was one.

Read Stacy's entire report here.

The video above not only includes information Stacy presented, but testimony from Pawlenty himself. As you see, he's bought into the global warming hoax hook, line and sinker. Either that, or like Obama, Al Gore, Maurice Strong, and George Soros, he was looking to profit from the carbon credit scam too.

From the video's description.

Two weeks ago State Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL -- Inver Grove Heights) invited former Governor Tim Pawlenty to testify against HF 72 (Beard), a bill which calls for a repeal of a greenhouse gas emission reduction law spearheaded by Gov. Pawlenty in 2007. The former Governor did not respond.

In the absence of Governor's testimony, Atkins played a short video for the House Commerce committee at today's hearing which included several public comments by Governor Pawlenty's in support of renewable energy policies which HF 72 would repeal.

"Governor Pawlenty has shown the courage to stand for renewable energy and its job growing potential in Minnesota," said Atkins. "It seems appropriate for us to get his input before we dismantle legislation he signed that made Minnesota a nation leader in the emerging renewable energy economy."

**Speech at 2:00 given to Midwest Ag Energy Network Summit, not Great Plains Institute**

Now these are democrats wanting Pawlenty to come back to them and help them further their cause. You see, clearer heads are prevailing, and they want no part of a destructive "climate change" bill. They want to undo the damage Pawlenty's misguided policies have caused.

Anyone who actually follows the energy debate knows that the so-called "green economy" has been a disaster for the nations that have went that route. Spain, which was touted by the environmental extremists as the "model of the future," almost destroyed the nation's entire economy with it's "green" initiatives.

It's widely reported that for every "green" job created, at least 2.2 real jobs were lost. And those "green" jobs cost the nation a reported $774,000 for each and every one created. It also caused industries to move from Spain because of incredibly expensive energy costs, a byproduct of "green" living.

Read more here.

Now Pawlenty was out there doing this in 2006, well after it was common knowledge Spain's little experiment was a disaster, and yet ....

If that's not enough, in Pawlenty's own state, "green" energy is a disaster. This report comes from the local National Public Radio affiliate, hardly a right-wing source:

We made a big deal a couple weeks ago about an in-depth analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis throwing cold water on the idea that "green jobs" will drive the new economy.

Among its points the Fed waived off a Minnesota 2020 report claiming that if done right, the wind industry "can create thousands of jobs, [and] revive the economic base of many Minnesota communities hit hard by the recession."

It doesn't work that way, Fed writer Ron Wirtz wrote: "As a job creator, wind power doesn't pack much punch...."

The report goes on to say "wind-turbine maker Suzlon Group is laying off its remaining 110 workers."

Read more here.

Pawlenty goes on to say that we must get away from "unsustainable" fossil fuels and move toward renewables. Never mind we use less renewables today than we did a half century ago, because they aren't economically viable.

Last June I wrote: Obama Asks: "If We Can Put A Man On The Moon, Why Can’t We Give Up Oil?" Here’s Why It’s Impossible. Besides laying out the facts on renewables, during our research we found an interesting fact from 2008.

In 2008 Kiplinger's reported:

... untapped reserves are estimated at about 2.3 trillion barrels, nearly three times more than the reserves held by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties (OPEC) and sufficient to meet 300 years of demand-at today's levels-for auto, aircraft, heating and industrial fuel, without importing a single barrel of oil.

Since 2008, estimates of our recoverable oil and natural gas reserves have increased significantly. Whitney Pitcher recently reported:

Alaska has billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas. The Natural Petroleum Reserve in Alaska alone is estimated to have 53 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The Arctic is estimated to have 90 billion barrels of oil and 1. 67 quadrillion (1,670 trillion) cubic feet of natural gas. For some perspective, that is 1,670,000,000,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas. Those kinds of numbers make even Obama’s deficit numbers seem small!

That's just from Alaska and the Arctic region only, as Whitney explains, there is much more in the lower 48.

Read her report here.

Leadership is about judgment. It's about intellectual curiosity. It's about being able to access facts and make sound, reasonable decisions that benefit your constituents, not harm them.

Let's review:

As governor, Tim Pawlenty fell hook line and sinker for a long discredited hoax, and then championed ideas, laws, and regulations in further service of this known hoax. Laws and regulations that would hurt his state's economy, as well as the citizens he served. If that's not enough, he also lusted after his own state run, forcibly mandated "universal health care" plan, along the lines of RomneyCare [an absolute disaster on every level] and ObamaCare.

Does this sound like someone who has judgment or intellectual chops to be the leader of the free world? Sure doesn't to me.

It does however sound exactly like another phony "Republican" who endorsed Al Gore's hoax head on, even doing a "public service announcement" in furtherance of a proven lie.

Newt and Nancy sittin' on a couch ....



Haven't we had enough "progressives" in government to last us from now, until the end of time?

America, and the world, deserves a hell of a lot better than this.

Sarah Palin, Bringing The Macho, And True Leadership, To The Republican Party

 

The future of our country, the direction that we go as people, whether we move ahead to meet the challenges of the future or slide back into the irresponsible policies of the past, will be determined by those who get involved.

~Ronald Reagan

When I look at Sarah Palin, when I think about Sarah Palin, when I write about Sarah Palin, one thing stands out: This woman has cojones. Grande cojones!

One of the most frustrating things about the modern day Republican Party is, for the most part, they are gutless wonders. Even the ones who you find appealing, the ones that look like they may have some fight in them, will let you down at some point.

We are at war in this country. We have been at war for the soul of this nation for over 100 years. A minority group of Marxist-progressives have slowly, but methodically infected this nation with an ideology of hate, division, and failure. Over the decades they have eroded many of America’s greatest strengths.

With the tragic election of Barack Obama, the war has escalated to thermonuclear status. Not only is every tradition, every custom under assault, so is the Rule of Law, and the very Constitution that protects us from a tyrannical government. So far the Obama regime is winning this war, aided by their media partners who serve as little more than a Ministry of Propaganda.

We are on the verge of losing America, as we know and love it, forever. If not curtailed, the Obama regime will soon have America destroyed, and what will be left will more resemble a third world Banana Republic, than the world’s only Super Power.

Sarah Palin understands this.

Only one person has really shown the ability to stand up to the regime and take it to them on a steady basis, and that’s Sarah Palin. The radical left hates her for it. The Obama regime has tried ever dirty trick in the book, everything it learned from Alinsky, as well as decades immersed Chicago corruption and thuggery, and yet, not only is Sarah still standing, she has gotten stronger.

Justin Miller has written a fine take on this for The Atlantic magazine. While I don’t agree with everything Justin writes, he does get one thing right, for sure: Sarah Palin brings the Macho.

The Macho Primary:

Republican primary voters like macho candidates and no one is more macho than Sarah Palin.

In a way the fashionista and mother of five evokes more toughness than any man regularly mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in the GOP. Palin is visceral, in your face, relishes combat, and won't be shamed. (Her hobbies include ice fishing, snowmobiling, running, and hunting.) These are traits usually and stereotypically associated with men - and they're especially endearing to Republicans, who like to see President Obama hit with the most force possible.

The basis of her popularity says nothing about whether she will or won't run for president or even if she could win. It does show that she's passing the Republican test of who is the toughest person on Democrats and Obama. It's a "macho primary" of sorts.

Palin goes after Obama at every opportunity and hits him hard. She doesn't use a politician's favorite tactic of saying at least one nice thing about the opponent's character before shredding a man's past, questioning his judgment, beliefs, and priorities. Palin shows as much mercy as Jack Bauer.

Not only is Palin tough on Democrats, she seems to genuinely enjoy beating them up. Crowds get behind Palin's attacks of Obama because she makes being mean fun by using humiliation, sarcasm, cutesy catchphrases, and smiles.

Republicans know she won't bow to what they think are elite sensitivities or political correctness. Say she was "going rogue" as a diss? She'll make it the title of her book. Dismiss the GOP as the "party of no?" Palin will rename it "the party of hell no!" Argue that her slogan, "Don't Retreat, Instead RELOAD" is a call to violence? She'll repeat it and then add "that is not a call for violence."

In 2008, John McCain was tough but not merciless on Obama. If he got energized by crowds, it was because he was ad libing and going back-and-forth with questioners--not because they were cheering his peroration. (Palin doesn't really take questions.) McCain occasionally took his party to task for outrageous rhetoric. Even this modicum of restraint left Republicans dejected -- until the pit bull with lipstick came aboard and started mauling Obama.

Who else is as macho as Palin? Tim Pawlenty? Too nice. Mitt Romney? No fun. Plenty of Republicans refuse to apologize, but none appropriate negative accusations quite like Palin does.

The last person to be loved by Republicans as much or more than Palin was George W. Bush. While he can't run for president again, another Texas governor full of swagger could run and do very well in the macho primary: Rick Perry.

Perry campaigned as a Tea Partier in everything but name during the Texas Republican primary this year. He used anti-Washington, right-wing rhetoric as hot as anything Palin has said--and went on to demolish Kay Bailey Hutchinson (he'll win the general election). Get a taste of the rhetoric and see how much Perry gets fired-up going after Washington here.

Republicans don't want a passionate reformer or soothing reconciler--they want a fighter.

It’s not just Republicans who want a fighter...Americans want a fighter!

Another thing...Sarah isn't afraid of taking wayward Republicans to task either. Just ask the Alaska Republican Party! 

While I agree in principle that Rick Perry is also a fighter, and a great Governor, who will indeed win re-election, even he is a bit timid at times compared to Sarah Palin. He sure would make a great Vice President in the Palin administration though!

If I had to make a real comparison to Sarah, with someone in the Party, it would have to be Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann. This woman also has cojones. In fact, it seems that only Conservative women are blessed with any real testicular fortitude nowadays. Like Sarah, Michelle is absolutely hated by the left, and she wears that as a badge of honor. Michelle has grilled top people in the Obama regime, asking them to point to the part of the Constitution that allows them to do what they do. (and left them a quivering mass of humanity) Michelle has called the Obama regime and Marxist-democrat Congress "gangster government." The girl’s got game.

Where are the rest?

Sarah seems to thrive on the attacks thrown her way. I know a lot of this has to do with her strong, unwavering faith in God, but it also has to do with a serious competitive streak. This is a woman who led her high school basketball team to a championship, playing that championship game on a broken ankle. She earned the nickname "Sarahcuda!"

Sarah has carried that competitive urge with her all through life. Sarah is a take no prisoners, in it to win it, kind of person. Look at her reaction when the McCain campaign decided to pull it’s efforts out of Michigan late in the game. She was ready to go, on her own dime if necessary, to keep campaigning there. She wasn’t about to concede a single acre of ground to the Obama campaign. You can bet your last dollar that come 2012 she will have a solid 50 state strategy. No one is better at retail politics than Sarah Palin.

But there is more to it than just guts and a competitive spirit. Sarah Palin stands for things, and there is very little grey area in her positions. Sarah doesn't do nuance.

When Sarah started speaking out about ObamaCare, she zeroed in on the fact that health care would be rationed under the government system, just as it is in every nation on earth that has government run health care. She coined the term "death panels" to vividly describe the boards of bureaucrats who, in place of you and your doctor, would decide who gets what care. The left, as well as the establishment Republicans, lost their minds. When they called her a liar, she wrote another op-ed and doubled down! In fact, Sarah made absolutely certain the term "death panels" became a household word, a part of the American lexicon.

Of course, she was proven right, as we recently wrote, Peter Orszag, the Obama regime’s budget director admitted that yes, there were "death panels" (though he didn’t call them that) and yes, there would be health care rationing. You can read more, and see video of the guy in his own words, here.

Name me another person who could have stood up to the intense ridicule and hatred Sarah Palin faced on this one issue, never mind the insanity the mere mention of her name causes on the left and among the establishment GOP.

You think a Mitt Romney could withstand a daily assault from the Obama regime, their media partners, as well as the loser wing of the Republican Party? Don’t think so. Of course, as the establishment’s choice, I guess the country club GOP’ers would leave him alone.

Let’s look at the latest "controversy" out there: Illegal immigration. Arizona just passed a tough law that mirrors the FEDERAL law, and simply empowers local law enforcement to enforce the laws that are already on the books.

Obviously the left is going nuts, as they are counting on the support of all of those illegals. Why do you think they are pushing for amnesty? Instant Marxist-democrat voters baby! That and the Marxists get to play their favorite card, the race card. Identity politics ‘till the bitter end.

Some of the establishment GOP is going nuts as well, with Connie Mack, a Congressman out of Florida, comparing all of this to "Gestapo tactics."

What was Sarah’s stance? First she said: "What part about the word ‘illegal’ don’t YOU understand." She appeared on the Sean Hannity Show and talked about the issue. She also touched on something the rest of the GOP seems too timid to talk about, Obama’s continual playing of the race card, and his attempts to divide the nation along racial lines, rather than bring the nation together. You can see Stacy Drake’s report here.

Something else Sarah did, she went and supported Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, as well as the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, who have been targeted by vile communists wishing to stir up trouble.

 

 

 

This was a real "in your face" to those who find it troubling that we should actually FOLLOW THE LAW!

Phoenix, Arizona is the kidnap capital of the United States, and ranks number two in the world. This is all due to illegals who come here, the human trafficking it takes to get them here, and the drug trade. It amounts to no less than an invasion by foreign forces. An incredible amount of violence has been visited on the Arizona people, and the federal government has failed to respond. The federal government has failed to carry out it's number one constitutional duty, protecting the American people from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Instead, politicians have tried to use this issue for their own political gain. It borders on treason.

Since the federal government refuses to enforce it’s own laws, and protect it’s people against this invasion of violence, the state of Arizona was forced to take action. Arizona must protect it's people.

I’m sure Mitt Romney will weigh in as soon as all of the polling is done.

Speaking of polling, Arizona voters overwhelmingly support this action, with 70% approval, and over 60% of voters nationwide approve as well.

The Obama regime dithered for nine days while a possibly containable oil spill in the Gulf turned into a disaster of epic proportions. They couldn’t find they time as they were too busy demonizing everything that makes America great. This is Obama's Katrina. Actually it's worse, because there is simply no excuse for waiting so long to act. Stacy Drake weighs in on this mess here.

Of course, once Obama and his crew did get involved, it was purely political, with the regime using this as an excuse to halt America’s efforts toward energy independence. The GOP has been totally silent on this, but not Sarah Palin.

Sarah knows first hand what this tragedy will do to the effected area, having lived with the damage from the Exxon Valdez disaster. She writes extensively about this heartbreaking event in her book. One can tell it shaped her stance on tough standards for oil companies.

Instead of knee jerk panic, or political opportunism, Sarah calmly addressed the situation, showing the true leadership this nation requires. Both as an energy and environmental regulator, as well as Governor, Sarah has proven her expertise in the field. She has shown clear judgment where others have failed. You can see her statement here.

This is the story of Sarah Palin. She is a strong leader who, as Ronald Reagan would say, "paints in bold colors." There are no "pale pastels" in Sarah’s pallette. Sarah Palin stands unwavering and true, where others are too timid to tread.

Quite simply, leaders lead.

Though this doesn’t have anything to do with Sarah. A friend sent me this video that reminds us of the strong bold leadership the Republican Party used to stand for, especially under Ronald Reagan. Though not President, yet, I think Sarah Palin, like the great men portrayed in the video, is the right leader at the right time. Someone who truly understands American greatness, American exceptionalism, and will never apologize for wanting America to remain The Shining City on a Hill.

H/T Stacy Drake