#ThankYouMargaretThatcher

Thank you Iron Lady...

We have truly experienced the passing of a political giant.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher will be remembered as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.  And, Prime Minister Cameron's tribute to the Iron Lady is perfectly put:

"Margaret Thatcher didn't lead our country, she saved our country."

Lady Thatcher's leadership was responsible for turning the UK out of the dire straits imposed on it by decades of socialist policies.  She took the UK from being the "sick man of Europe" to one of the strongest economies and most respected nations on the planet.

Her political partnership on the world stage with American President Ronald Reagan led the opposition to Communism and the statist agenda.  They were the two folks most responsible for spreading and defending liberty around the globe in the past century.  The countless millions that they helped to free from Communist oppression throughout eastern Europe are a living example of just how far-reaching their bold defense of liberty was.

As we remember Lady Thatcher, we should remember that as former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin opined in the National Review, that she didn't merely break the glass ceiling by becoming the first (and thus far only) female elected British Prime Minister, as impressive as that was.  She also broke the "class ceiling" by defeating the elitist upper class establishment boys despite being the unworthy middle class daughter of a grocer.  She represented a clear and present danger to the permanent political class and indeed the incestuous government pairing of socialism and cronyism.

It resulted in Lady Thatcher feeling like "THAT WOMAN."  She wrote in her excellent political memoir The Downing Street Years the following:

"My experience is that a number of the men I have dealt with in politics demonstrate precisely those characteristics which they attribute to women--vanity and an inability to make tough decisions.  There are also certain kinds of men who simply cannot abide working for a woman.  They are quite prepared to make every allowance for 'the weaker sex': but it a woman asks no special privileges and expects to be judged solely by what she is and does, this is found gravely and unforgivably disorienting.  Of course, in the eyes of the 'wet' Tory establishment I was not only a woman, but 'that woman', someone not just of a different sex, but of a different class, a person with an alarming conviction that the values and virtues of middle England should be brought to bear on the problems which the establishment consensus had created.  I offended on many counts."

The lady was not for turning.  By the sheer force of her ideas and unprecedented political will power and courage, she changed a nation and indeed the world.  She didn't rise to power because of a powerful family or via political cronyism.  She didn't rise to power on gender politics or a cult of celebrity.  She rose to power on the force of her ideas and unparalleled political courage.  Her word and deed were one and the same.

We thank Lady Thatcher for all of her wonderful contributions to the free market and liberty around the world and for being such a supportive ally of President Ronald Reagan.

God bless Margaret Thatcher.  Rest in peace Iron Lady!

FYI:  I previously blogged about the similarities between Lady Thatcher and Sarah Palin and Thatcher's "That Woman" quip here.

An excellent ad from She-PAC:

Governor Palin At Life & Hope Gala: Defining & Defending Life

Governor Sarah Palin was the keynote speaker at the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network Fundraising Gala last night in Philadelphia.  Her message was simple and profound:  That we should be careful as a society on how we define the value life and that we should always rise up to defend it.

Governor Palin reminded the audience that, "our history has been full of injustice but people have always risen up to fight that injustice," as she emboldened the packed room of about 400 people to defend the right to life.  She cautioned against a society that would seek to impose judgment on the value of human life based on intellect, accomplishment, physical strength, or ability to contribute to society--the "quality of life" argument that is so often used in the sanctity of life debate.  

"How can you measure the quality of life?" she asked the audience.  She then drew a stark contrast between the two viewpoints on this issue.

Calling America the "greatest nation on Earth" because our founding charters declared that we are all CREATED equal by God and that our rights come from God, Palin frequently referenced the historic significance of Philadelphia, where the paradigm-shifting revolutionaries met to found a nation on the idea that all life and liberty come from God.

"We are God's creation and for that reason alone, our worth is immeasurable," Palin declared.

She spoke of Terri Schiavo's story and her family's unwavering defense of her life.  "Terri's family refused to give up fighting for her life because she was worth it."  

Continuing her argument for defending life, Governor Palin said "we are not to play God and snuff out the life that He's created."

She then took the audience on a trip of her own experience finding out that she was pregnant with a special needs baby while Governor of Alaska.  She spoke about the fear and uncertainty of those early days.  She lauded her pro-life doctor for referring to the unborn Trig as a "baby" instead of a "fetus." 

She joked about hiding the pregnancy for 7 months from her staff, saying that they just thought she was getting "chunky" as she wore a lot of layers of up there in Alaska to cover it up.

She also joked about her open prayer conversation with God upon finding out that she was pregnant, "Lord, I know my name is Sarah, but my husband isn't Abraham!"

She then talked about the blessing that Trig has been to their family and that her experience has continued to illustrate the truth that "God never gives you more than you can handle."  

On that note, she shared about asking her youngest daughter Piper to pray for her before her debate with Joe Biden.  She asked Piper to ask God to speak through her.  "But Mom, that would be cheating!" she declared.

Palin's entire argument for defending life and doing the hard things to ensure the most vulnerable are cared for and protected rested on seeking that inner strength from God.  With God, all things are possible and Governor Palin made that fact clear.

She then shared that as the busy first woman and youngest Alaska Governor ever elected, and a mother of 5 with a newborn special needs child, she took the call from John McCain to run for Vice President and asked with a shrug, "Why not?"

Governor Palin then began to talk about Obamacare and the infamous death panels.  She shared the difficulty of being maligned about her "death panels" remarks and resolved that we cannot allow the culture of death to marginalize us as "right-wing crazies."

She spoke of President Obama's healthcare advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, and his work arguing for health care rationing based on ability to contribute to society.  These classifications would be made by government panels--death panels.

Yes Virginia, death panels are real.

She spoke of other Obama administration officials admitting that costs would be reduced by rationing and new taxes.  You ration by determining who is worthy of care.

She argued that families--not faceless distant government bureaucrats--should choose what is best for the most vulnerable members of our family--the unborn, the elderly, the special needs community.  

She spoke of winning the battle to defend life with new polls showing over 50% of Americans now consider themselves pro-life.  And she renewed her call to get the message out there and stop just preaching to the choir.

Speaking of her little Trig, she said "There are the world's standards of perfection and then there are God's standards.  His standards are the ones that matter." 

Overall she spoke with warmth and sincerity and as a hockey mom from Wasilla willing to take a stand to defend those who can't defend themselves.  She charged the audience to continue this most important fight--the defense of life, quoting from the book of Esther,  saying perhaps "you have been called to this kingdom for such a time as this."

She was a woman in her element and clearly comfortable in the role that God has given her to defend life.  She oozed the grace and humility of a servant-leader and as she left the room and waved good-bye to us, a man right behind me called out to her.

"Governor!"

Governor Palin looked over at us as he said "See you at your inauguration in January 2017!"

A smile came across her face and she waved and gracefully exited the room.  Afterwards, she met with the Catholic school girls who were volunteering at the gala outside in the hallway.  She showed them photos on her phone of her kids and presented them all with gifts.  She took time to pose for photos with the young girls and encouraged them in their service before moving on to meet with some other supporters.  

Folks are encouraged to support the Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network by donating via their website.  

Sarah Palin at CPAC: Leaders Vs. Campaigners

Palin Liberty Pose: Motivating grassroots conservatives...

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin blew the roof off of the CPAC conference.  Moments before her appearance the room began to fill up with media and participants.  People began standing in anticipation.  Folks in the room were tweeting #waitingforpalin as the previous panel continued on.

Nobody gracing the CPAC stage had the impact on the audience that Palin did.  And make no mistake, should this woman desire to return to elected office, she will be very successful.

But today, let's turn to the substance of Governor Palin's speech.

Governor Palin was introduced and much to the audience's surprise, Senator Ted Cruz made a surprise appearance.  A living and breathing example of her political prowess, Senator Cruz promptly told the audience that Sarah Palin "drives the mainstream media bat crap crazy."

Then he pointed out that Sarah Palin picks winners.

Marco Rubio.  Rand Paul.  Jeff Flake.  Deb Fischer.  Tim Scott.  Nikki Haley.  And of course, Ted Cruz.

"I would not be in the Senate today if it weren't for Sarah Palin," he declared.

And it is true.  While Karl Rove spent millions on failed candidates last year, Sarah Palin spent a lot less and had a very successful cycle yet again.  In fact, Senator Cruz pointed out that the only 3 new GOP Senators elected in 2012 were all Sarah Palin endorsees--Cruz, Flake and Fischer.

After Cruz finished his introduction, the former Alaska Governor used the speech to frame the next great political battle as only she can.  The 2014 elections will be the ultimate showdown between the tea party and the permanent political class running the gravy train of cronyism within the GOP.

Most folks were caught up with her witty zingers about the Big Gulp, the President needing a background check, and the not-so-veiled swipe at Karl Rove.

And this is important.  Sarah Palin understands what most folks on the right do not.  She knows how to manipulate the salivating media into simultaneously making her a pop culture phenomenon while also allowing her message to permeate the popular culture.  And as her influence grows, so too will the appeal and reach of her message.

Beyond the witty highlights, there was a more substantive case to be made. It is important that we do not miss this. This could be found in her effective contrast between leadership and campaigning.  A former Governor who willingly sacrificed her own elected political career because it was in the best interest of her state, called out a man and an administration that never let any crisis--real or manufactured--go to waste as they exploit their way to a fundamental transformation of America.

It is the clear distinction between leading and campaigning.  Sarah Palin led with a servant's heart and a focus on results. Barack Obama campaigns endlessly.  Ever the elitist, he is never interested in serving, but prefers to be served as a king.

Because Governor Palin walks the walk, her words have weight.  As she remarked that, "Never before have our challenges been so big, and our leaders so small," those in the room simultaneously felt the weight of those words and urgency to do something about it.  And just to reach through the media filter into the popular culture, she declared that we didn't have leadership coming out of the White House--we had reality television.  Empty liberal skulls around the country exploded into fits of seething rage when she uttered that line.  "But, but, but Dancing With the Stars!  Sarah Palin's Alaska!  Stars Earn Stripes!  How dare you question President Obama!?!?"

Since leaving the governorship of Alaska, Sarah Palin has had unmatched success at finding independent-minded conservatives to triumph over both the RINOcracy establishment in GOP primaries but also the Democratic opponent in the fall.  The folks that she's helped to elect since 2009 represent genuine leadership.  At CPAC, Governor Palin launched into substantive assault on the difference between public servants and the power-hungry permanent political class:

"Well, the election came and went  but the campaign never stopped, at a time when our country is desperate for leadership, we get instead a permanent campaign, but here’s the thing, leaders take risks for the good of our country. Campaigners make promises they can’t keep. Leaders reach across political differences. Campaigners double-down on those differences. Leaders seek to bring Americans together to confront our challenges and campaigners seek to divide and to conquer and to create crisis after crisis after crisis, to exploit...

But just think about it at a time when Washington is so powerful that seven of the ten highest income counties in the country ring the city, allow yourself to imagine leadership that deems to understand us little people, us clinging to our God, our Guns our Constitution and our grassroots – imagine leadership that actually takes seriously the idea of government of the people, by the people, for the people, and then imagine leadership that knows how to prioritize to ensure national security and to stop government waste. That’s leadership that would have as it’s guiding light, it’s great North Star, our U.S. Constitution...

Friends, it’s no accident that it’s opening words are We the People, and while you are dreaming, imagine leadership that respects the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The majority of Americans want this...

When we see life snuffed out through violent, evil acts, imagine leadership that doesn’t seek to exploit the tragedy. Imagine leadership that seeks real solutions to the violence, not cheap political games. That would be leadership worthy of its name. That would be leadership worthy of those words “We the People.” Creating government of, by, for the people. It also means ending the poisonous practice of  treating Americans of different social, ethnic, religious groups as different electorates to be pandered to with different promises. If we truly believe the words of our other founding document, The Declaration of Independence, that yes all men are created equal, then there are no Hispanic issues or African American issues or women’s issues. There are only American issues."

Two weeks after the CPAC conference, SarahPAC released a video to build on the foundation that she laid there.  The video is another excellent piece put together for SarahPAC.  In it, Sarah Palin uses Ted Cruz to highlight her electoral success.  She also brilliantly uses the mainstream media talking heads in their own words to make the point of how successful she has been:

The battle lines for 2014 have been clearly drawn.  This will be the grassroots versus the permanent political class, principle versus compromise, tea party versus RINO, and Palin versus Rove.

If common sense Constitutional conservatives want to have a prayer at stopping the post-Constitutional Imperial Presidency of Barack Obama, they need to join Governor Palin in her fight against the old dogs in the GOP.  If 2014 follows the pattern of 2010 and 2012, these electoral victories for common sense Constitutional conservatism will be correctly labeled the "Palin Revolution" in honor of a plain spoken hockey mom from Wasilla who stood for liberty and refused to submit to tyranny.

If you were living under a rock and missed Governor Palin's speech to CPAC, take a few moments and enjoy:

CPAC: Bachmann Talks Benghazi

Michele Bachmann has been relatively quiet lately.  There were reports recently that she might be considering a run for US Senate against Al Franken, but she hasn't been her usual visible self.

At CPAC, however, Bachmann stepped back into the ring.

She started her speech attacking the false media narrative that conservatives are evil and hateful.  As blogger Josh Painter tweeted, "Shorter Bachmann: #caring."

She talked about our movement as one that defends the unborn because we care about life.  She lauded the conservative movement for fighting for individual liberty and economic opportunity.  It was a smart messaging approach for a movement in need of reclaiming its own narrative.

And then she offered to give us a contrast to caring...

Benghazi.

Michele Bachmann launched into an effective analysis of the timeline of events for the horrific terrorist attack on our embassy in Benghazi.  As she did, she lauded the heroism of the terror victims who rushed to the embassy to help out even while American forces were told to "stand down."

When she named the victims by name the crowd at CPAC gave the fallen heroes a standing ovation.

After she was able to continue, Bachmann pointed out that during this entire ordeal President Obama was missing.  Nobody can say with certainty where he was.  Presumably in the White House, but apparently disinterested in the slaughter of his own citizens.

The next known whereabouts of Barack Obama was when he boarded a plane the following morning to jet to Vegas to see his pals Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Quite the contrast to caring about people.

It was an effective attack on a president who is at best disinterested with the threat of Jihad.

CPAC: Rep. Steve King "When Reagan Disappointed Me"

Iowa Congressman Steve King, rumored to be considering a run for the US Senate, addressed CPAC this morning to make a few key points.  He did something that not many folks do at a conservative convention--he spoke of a time when he was disappointed with President Ronald Reagan.

King pointed out Reagan's signing into the law the amnesty deal of the mid 1980s as that moment of disappointment.  He then told the crowd that Reagan did a better job enforcing immigration policy than any administration since then.

His point was important.  Conservatives need to stop giving in under the false impression that the left will come through on their part of the deal.

He also spoke about the need to continue pushing for the issue of life as well as economic issues.  He warned the crowd that economic issues are not the only things we need to be running on and talking about.

#StandWithRand: Filibustering Against Unconstitutional Drone Strikes

Senators Rand Paul & Ted Cruz lead the fight for liberty...

Senator Rand Paul has been one of the few GOP senators with the courage to actually stand and fight.  (Noted exception: voting to confirm noted anti-semite Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary.)  Senator Paul and Senator Ted Cruz, both of whom are in the senate today largely due to the support of the "irrelevant" Sarah Palin, have been relentless in standing up to this leftist administration. Today, all Americans who believe in individual liberty or the United States Constitution should stand with Senator Paul and his filibuster against John Brennan.

Brennan has been the mastermind behind the Obama administration's famous drone strike mentality and infamous "kill list."  As such, one would expect leftists to despise his nomination to head the CIA.  Instead, the lapdog media continues to cover for the imperial president as they have during his entire tiresome tenure.

At issue is the fact that Attorney General Eric Holder admitted that while that Obama administration would be "unlikely" to use such drone strikes against American citizens here in the US, they do have the right to do so.  He eventually admitted to Senator Ted Cruz that killing US citizens via drone attacks on US soil is unconstitutional.  That doesn't necessarily mean that he won't kill citizens via drone strikes from above.  He refused to outright answer the question repeatedly--parsing his words and dancing around it as if he was talking about some mundane policy detail.  He was unable to answer with clarity that the US government should not be Constitutionally permitted to use a drone to kill a citizen on US soil.  

Instead of addressing the Constitutionality, the lawless Attorney General opted to call such an act "not appropriate" nearly a thousand times before admitting that striking us dead via drone strikes.  What could go wrong?  

And so, the most lawless administration in our nation's history has just obliterated the due process protection of the Constitution with one strike from a drone.  I'm sure they won't do that however, as they have such respect for the Constitution and rule of law.  (See also: Obamacare, immigration policy, proposing annual federal budgets, the policy of czar appointments, etc.)

As Breitbart news reports, "Under Brennan's protocols, the US President has the authority to order the assassination of those, including US citizens, suspected of terrorist activities. The President is prosecutor, judge, jury and, ultimately, executioner of those suspected of plotting against the United States. The President may have made every correct decision about drone strikes, to date, but Sen. Paul is right to ask; What are the checks on this power?"

By focusing on the unconstitutional and third world dictatorship approach to drone strikes, Senator Rand Paul is opening the eyes to the public about the dangers of this administration to our life and liberty as protected for centuries in our constitution.  It is a smart issue to highlight during a filibuster because it is one in which good people from the right and the left can come together in agreement.

Today people interested in protecting our constitutional system of governance should stand with Senator Rand Paul's filibuster.  Our federal government is out of control.  We the people need to rise up and impose constitutional limitations on the ever-increasing power of the state.  Senator Paul is helping to lead that fight today along with other courageous leaders of integrity like Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.  It is a watershed moment in American politics and in the fight for constitutional government.

I #StandWithRand.

Free Speech Strangled: Obama, GOP Leadership Threaten Dissenters

Woodward: "Obama displays a kind of madness"

Tonight is not a good night for freedom of speech.

First, leftist media icon Bob Woodward, who famously brought down the Nixon White House via the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s, is reporting that the Obama White House has threatened him for reporting the truth about the sequestration "crisis" dominating the headlines.

At issue is an article written by Woodward in which he accurately depicts the Obama administration as the author of the sequestration concept.  Obama, who has deceptively been Alinsky-ing his opposition by affixing blame for the wildly unpopular "apocalyptic" sequestration cuts since at least the third presidential debate, was actually the author of this political game designed to trap Republicans into raising taxes.  Woodward reports:

What is the non-budget wonk to make of this? Who is responsible? What really happened?The finger-pointing began during thethird presidential debate last fall, on Oct. 22, when President Obama blamed Congress. “The sequester is not something that I’ve proposed,” Obama said. “It is something that Congress has proposed.”The White House chief of staff at the time, Jack Lew, who had been budget director during the negotiations that set up the sequester in 2011, backed up the president two days later.“There was an insistence on the part of Republicans in Congress for there to be some automatic trigger,” Lew said while campaigning in Florida. It “was very much rooted in the Republican congressional insistence that there be an automatic measure.”The president and Lew had this wrong. My extensive reporting for my book “The Price of Politics” shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of Lew and White House congressional relations chief Rob Nabors — probably the foremost experts on budget issues in the senior ranks of the federal government.Obama personally approved of the plan for Lew and Nabors to propose the sequester to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). They did so at 2:30 p.m. July 27, 2011, according to interviews with two senior White House aides who were directly involved.

Bob Woodward is a liberal.  He's also trying to actually do the job of a reporter.  Unlike the lapdogs in the media who ask difficult questions like "What's it like playing golf with Tiger Woods?" to America's imperial president, Mr. Woodward is trying to report the facts of the situation--despite the horrifying fact that they don't serve to advance the community organizer's agenda.

As a result, Mr. Woodward told CNN this evening that the Obama White House has threatened him over the report.  He claims that a "very senior White House official" has told him that he is "going to regret doing this" regarding his reporting of the facts in the sequestration political tug of war.  He also declared that President Obama is displaying a "kind of madness I haven't seen in  a long time," over the sequestration.

He admitted that he is "very uncomfortable" having a White House intimidate a reporter like this.

As should all Americans.

It's a phrase I'd never thought I'd say:  I stand with Bob Woodward.

Our nation requires a free press and free speech to ensure the protection of our liberties against a tyrannical government.  No administration--conservative or liberal, should resort to dictator-like silencing of opposition or fair questioning by a free press.

And yet, in an example of the universal corruption of power, we also get reports tonight that on the GOP side, Majority Leader Eric Cantor apparently met behind closed doors with conservative members of the House to demand fealty to the leadership and warn of an impending "GOP Civil War" if the members fail to fall in line.

It's funny, I can't remember the last time that the GOP told moderates or liberal members to shut up and sit down.  Those folks in the GOP establishment that have ascended to positions of leadership have done so by consistently placing party over principle in order to maintain the status quo of the DC permanent political class.  Feisty tea party independent conservatives who refuse to play the game are mocked, stripped of leadership positions and silenced.  This is just the latest example.

Mark Levin on his radio show has called for a "Levin Surge" of calls into Leader Cantor's office to demand that he step down and that the House stand with the conservative members to oppose the Senate version of the V.A.W.A. bill.  (FYI: Cantor's office number is 202-225-2815.)

As Levin so aptly put it, if it is a civil war that the GOP establishment RINOs want, it's a civil war they will get!

Contact your member of congress to tell them that you stand with the conservative members on putting principle over party.  It's time to run the RINOs out of their perches within the party and allow principled independent-minded reformers to take the reigns.

Freedom of speech died a little bit this evening.  George Washington warned, "If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."

Or, as the wise sage Hillary Clinton once screeched, "it's patriotic to question this administration and any administration!!"  Let your voice be heard.  Stand with a free press and the freedom of speech.  Stand on principle with the tea party members of the House.

Stand on our Constitution.