Iowans might feel a bit overwhelmed by the choices for next Tuesday’s Republican caucuses for the GOP presidential nomination, but one independent group has begun running radio ads insisting that there is still room for one more choice. Calling itself “Sarah Palin’s Iowa Earthquake,” the group will target specific markets in Iowa asking voters to line up behind the Republican Party’s most prominent non-candidate, and other ads will apparently follow:
Can Iowans caucus for Palin at this late date? Sure. Unlike primary states, there is no “ballot” in the legal sense at caucuses. Attendees can write in names on the list of candidates they receive at the caucuses, and those votes will count. Of course, without Palin on the ballot and not officially in the race, not too many caucus-goers may choose to vote for her. If enough are dissatisfied with the current choices, though, she might be a handy code for None of the Above — and might get some significant level of support if the ads prompt enough Iowa voters to consider this as an option.To learn which candidates Ed thinks these ads have the potential to hurt the most (hint: not Mitt Romney) and to view all five commercials, follow the link.
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The presidential election starts in Iowa, but few Americans know how the famed Iowa caucuses work, or how the Hawkeye State got -- and jealously guards -- the privilege of voting first in the nation. So for more than a year, Fox News Reporting has been in Iowa following the candidates, and also the everyday Iowans who play an outsized role in picking the president every four years.- JP
Hawkeye GraniteRelated: Puritan Backroom Restaurant, Manchester, NH - 9/4/11
Just wrapping up an awesome four day trip to the Hawkeye and Granite States. Visiting with residents there it's easy to see why they play such an important role in vetting America's leaders. Todd and I were able to interact directly with informed Americans and hear their concerns first hand outside the media spin.
Yesterday morning I joined the "Jump Right in and Run" half marathon in Storm Lake, Iowa and last night in Manchester, New Hampshire we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Puritan Back Room. The local folks we met with were wonderfully nice and true American patriots. Their concerns were common - the massive burden of government on small businesses, the abysmal economy and employment rate and their strong desire to restore America.
These good folks are tired of politics as usual; Tired of being spoon-fed by packaged politicos and tired of the twisted sound bites and 30-second ads. They want solutions and they deserve strong, honest leadership.
Thank you to the citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire for your hospitality, your thoughtful questions and picking up where the media left off in vetting and challenging us all on our vision for America's future.
Have a safe and happy Labor Day. We will see you again soon.
-- Sarah Palin
Palin finished an impressive second place in her age group. She finished the 13.1 mile run in one hour, 46 minutes and 10 seconds, online records show.One of those people surprised by the stealth entry of "Sarah Heath" in the running event was Iowans 4 Palin's Teledude, who posted that his wife, who was also entered in the event, called him early Sunday morning to inform him that the governor was in their hometown:
Grace Ivey, the marathon's co-director, said Palin's voice at the finish line gave her away. Ivey reported that Palin said, "Boy that was fun," as she finished her run.
It was only then that Ivey realized who the runner was. Ivey was there Saturday night as a man picked up Palin's running packet. Palin registered under her maiden name, Heath. Later, Ivey realized the man picking up the packet was Palin's husband, Todd.
Needless to say I jumped out of bed and got down by the lake in time to wait along with Todd for Sarah to finish the half marathon (she had a very good time) ...Todd said, 'Yeah, she's fast."More from the LA Times' Robin Abcarian here.
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After speaking with them for a while I let them go sort of mingle with others, I didn't want be a pest after all, but before they left they came back over to me and my wife, thanked us again and said they were so happy to meet us, then stood for a quick picture.
Only as they were leaving did a few people start to notice who they were. Most had no clue.
This was not a campaign event, this was some personal time for Governor Palin to get in a good run in a beautiful setting and they didn't want anyone to even know they had slipped in. Very low profile. Amazing they can pull this off.
But to the people who did recognize her, she was as gracious and friendly as one could be. You can just tell she loves people, is very sincerely interested in learning about you and what's going on in the area.
The crazies at the crazy blog "Immoral Minority" are posting post after post saying that... Palin faked her run in the Iowa marathon.Crazies? That would explain what appears to be a collectivist epidemic of long-term Palin Derangement Syndrome among left wing Alaskan bloggers, especially given reports by local media, photographic evidence and eyewitness reports that Sarah Palin did indeed complete the event. However, after watching the anti-Palin blogging cabal operate for years now, another explanation comes to mind. These people make their living by attacking Gov. Palin, and to earn their pay they have to bear a considerable amount of false witness against her. We're not sure exactly what front group is paying them to make such fools out of themselves, but it's a dark political oppo project.
“I mean, you know you see the things she is doing. She did the bus tour. She changed out her foreign-policy team several months ago to reflect more of a tea-party vision, an anti-neocon position. The things she is saying... seem to suggest that she is going to throw her hat in the ring.”- JP
Sarah Palin arrived to a packed house in the farm-themed “Machine Shed Restaurant” in Urbandale, IA Friday night. The ever-amassing crowd began arriving at about 6:30 p.m. to congregate and socialize with fellow “Palinistas” from across the country. Supporters stood around talking and catching up, many long time online-friends were meeting for the first time in person. The atmosphere was more like a family reunion than a political gathering. There were children playing, doting parents, young professionals, and the elderly maneuvering through the crowd with the assistance of canes. I encountered people like myself and my family, who had driven in from Dallas, TX, those who had flown in from Virginia, some who hailed from Florida, Georgia natives, Iowa hometown fans, and even a woman from the president’s neck of the woods, Hawaii.- JP
The meet and greet went on for an hour and a half when the front entry way suddenly began to buzz. When the camera crews darted for the doors, all eyes turned to see that those “Guess who’s coming to dinner” rumors were true…Sarah was in the building. She had a twinkle in her eye as she greeted those whose lucky positioning had placed them in the right place at the right time. She shook hands and held mini-conversations with her loyal supporters. She asked people where they were from and asked about their families…and she waited for the answers.
I spent some time with the Governor, but it was my 4 year old daughter who got Sarah’s attention that day.
When I introduced her to my daughter, Sarah had genuine adoration on her face. She asked my daughter her name. She was shy, so I answered, “Etta.” She said, “Ooh, that’s a pretty name, Etta! How old are you?” Etta spoke up then and told her that she was 4. I told Sarah that Etta had been asking if she could play with “Hyper.” And with that Sarah laughed, looked at Etta and said, “We call her ‘Hyper Piper’ too!” We chatted for a moment or two more, before she was beckoned away.
Palin continued to make her way through the crowd to the dining room which was already full. She worked the room and visited with those who had come out to join together to support her in her endeavors. Unlike the typical “politician,” Palin held real conversations with those present.
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This is the vicious circle currently tanking our economy and Palin’s own words sum it up best:The issue of “crony capitalism” should serve as a measure of how much influence Sarah Palin has on the national dialog. Let's see if the media will do its job for a change, and ask the announced candidates in the GOP debates and on the Sunday morning talk shows where they stand on this issue. It seems much more relevant to the national debate than the frivolous “Coke or Pepsi?” questions we have seen thus far which have reduced the election cycle down to a political silly season.“Corporate welfare is just socialism for the very wealthy.”Indeed.
And while Governor Palin rightfully trained most of her rhetorical fire on President Obama (the most corporatist president of my lifetime), she also took on Republican members of that “permanent political class” who selfishly dole out our hard-earned money to those who keep them in power.
This is nothing more than a racket and it’s a disgusting one at that that explains why deficits and wasteful spending occurs regardless of which party is in charge — it is, as the Governor made clear, the disease that’s killing our free market economy. But she has a cure that will both cut these insidious ties and create jobs: end loopholes, end corporate welfare, end bailouts (amen) AND end the corporate income tax. In other words: Corporate America — we’ll get out of your way but you are now on your own.
When you see Obama cozying up to General Electric and in turn see GE embracing Obama and his stupid “green solutions,” what you’re witnessing is a scheme designed to snuff competition. GE isn’t stupid, they know “green energy” is nonsense, but they also know they’re “too big to fail” and that they can afford to pay for burdensome taxes (if they pay taxes at all) and environmental regulations. But do you want to know who can’t? Up and coming companies, upstarts who might someday put GE out of business. If you know the government’s going to bail you out and snuff your competition, where’s the downside in “going green”?
(As a movie guy who speaks that language best, if you want to know of what I speak, rent “Tucker: The Man and His Dream.”)
What I’m saying is that Big Business can be every bit as corrupt and harmful to our economy as Big Government and Sarah Palin not only understands this, but while she was Alaska’s governor, she fought and beat Big Oil and the political cronies who gave them the upper hand over what was best for her State and its people. This isn’t a folk tale and it’s not political legend. It’s a fact and it’s what sets her apart from way too many on our side.
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So, let’s talk about real solutions. I want to tell you what my plan is. My plan is a bona-fide pro-working man’s plan, and it deals in reality. It deals in the way that the world really works because we must talk about what really works in order to get America back to work.Read the full transcript of Gov. Palin's speech at SarahPAC.com.
My plan is about empowerment: empowerment of our states, empowerment of our entrepreneurs, most importantly empowerment of you – our hardworking individuals – because I have faith, I have trust, I have respect for you.
The way forward is no more politics as usual. We must stop expanding an out-of-control and out-of-touch federal government. This is first: All power not specifically delegated to the federal government by our Constitution is reserved for the states and for we the people. So, let’s enforce the 10th Amendment and devolve powers back locally where the Founders intended them to be.
Second, what happened to all those promises about staying committed to repealing the mother of all big government unfunded mandates? We must repeal Obamacare! And rein in burdensome regulations that are a boot on our neck. Get government out of the way. Let the private sector breathe and grow. This will allow the confidence that businesses need in order to expand and hire more people.
Third, no more run away debt. We must prioritize and cut. Cancel unused stimulus funds, and have that come to Jesus moment where we own up to the debt challenge that is entitlement reform. See, the reality is we will have entitlement reform; it’s just a matter of how we’re going to get there. We either do it ourselves or the world’s capital markets are going to shove it down our throats, and we’ll have no choice but to reform our entitlement programs. The status quo is no longer an option. Entitlement reform is our duty now, and it must be done in a way that honors our commitment to our esteemed elders today, while keeping faith with future generations. I don’t think anything has irked me more than this nonsense coming from the White House about maybe not sending our seniors their checks. It’s their money! They have paid into Social Security all of their working lives; and for the President to say, “ah, we may not be able to cut their checks,” ah, well, where did all their money go, politicians? It’s like the Commander-in-Chief being willing to throw our military under the bus by threatening that their paychecks may not arrive. But the politicians will still get their checks and their secure retirements, and he’ll still get his posh vacations. Aren’t you just sick to death of those skewed priorities? It’s all backwards. Our seniors and our brave men and women in uniform being used as pawns – I say it’s shameful, and enough is enough. No more.
Fourth, it is time for America to become the energy superpower. The real stimulus that we’ve been waiting for is robust and responsible domestic energy production. We have the resources. Affordable and secure energy is the key to any thriving economy, and it must be our foundation. So, I would do the opposite of Obama’s manipulation of U.S. supplies of energy. Drill here, drill now. Let the refineries and the pipelines be built. Stop kowtowing to foreign countries and dictators asking them to ramp up production and industry for us, promising them that we’ll be their greatest customer. No, not when we have the resources here. We need to move on tapping our own God-given natural resources. I promise you that this will bring real job growth, not the politicians’ phony “green jobs” fairy dust sprinkled with wishes and glitter… No, a hardcore all-of-the-above energy policy that builds this indestructible link between made-in-America energy and our prosperity and our security. You know, there are enough large conventional natural resource development projects waiting for government approval that could potentially create more than a million high-paying jobs all across the country. And this is true stimulus. It wouldn’t cost government a dime to allow the private sector to do these. In fact, these projects will generate billions of dollars in revenue. Can you imagine that: a stimulus project that actually helps dig us out of debt instead of digging us further into it! And these are good-paying jobs, and I know that from experience. For years my own family was supported (as Todd worked up on the North Slope) by a good energy sector job. America’s economic revival starts with America’s energy revival.
Fifth, we can and we will make America the most attractive country on earth to do business in. Here’s how we’re going to do this. Right now, we have the highest federal corporate income tax rate in the industrialized world. Did you know our rates are higher than China and communist Cuba? This doesn’t generate as much revenue as you would think, though, because many big corporations skirt federal taxes because they have the friends in D.C. who right the rules for the rest of us. This makes us less competitive and restrains our engine of prosperity. Heck, some businesses spend more time trying to figure out how to hide their profits than they do in generating more profits so that they can expand and hire more of us. So, to make America the most attractive and competitive place to do business, to set up shop here and hire people here, to attract capital from all over the globe that will lead to an explosion of growth, instead of chasing industry offshore, I propose to eliminate all federal corporate income tax. And hear me out on this. This is how we create millions of high-paying jobs. This is how we increase opportunity and prosperity for all.
But here’s the best part: To balance out any loss of federal revenue from this tax cut, we eliminate corporate welfare and all the loopholes and we eliminate bailouts. This is how we break the back of crony capitalism because it feeds off corporate welfare, which is just socialism for the very rich. We can change all of that. The message then to job-creating corporations is: We’ll unshackle you from the world’s highest federal corporate income tax rate, but you will stand or fall on your own, just like all the rest of us out on main street.
See, when we empower the job-creators, our economy will soar; Americans will get back to work.
This plan is a first step in a long march towards fundamental restoration of a strong and free market economy. And it represents the kind of real reform that we need.
“Following her epic speech in which she outlined her seven-point plan to revitalize our economy, Gov. Palin spent nearly 45 minutes shaking hands and hugging her supporters, signing books, posters, tee shirts, twice walking the rope line to ensure everyone had their special moment. We were not high-powered executives, major donors, corporate sponsors, or fat cats who paid thousands of dollars to pose for a picture. We were ordinary [Americans] wanting to bond with an ordinary woman on an extraordinary path.”- JP
Palin took on President Obama’s failed policies and proclivity toward crony capitalism, stood firm in her support for tea party principles and rekindled the 2008 RNC speech she gave exactly three years ago today.- JP
Consistent with her 2008 message, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee reminded Americans today of the danger of politicians who follow a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do motto. Palin, whose record features persistent and successful efforts to tackle a corrupt political class, articulated the necessity of challenging the status quo in order to battle corruption and effectuate genuine reform. She shared the frustration of many Americans with regard to business as usual in D.C. Most importantly, she offered real solutions, including a plan that serves as a stark contrast to our president’s perpetual empty rhetoric: repeal Obamacare, uphold the Tenth Amendment, rein in overregulation, prioritize significant and legitimate spending cuts, cancel unused stimulus money, “own up to the debt challenge that is entitlement reform,” tap into our God-given energy resources and make America “the most attractive and competitive place to do business” by eliminating all federal corporate income tax, corporate welfare and loopholes.
Some highlights from the speech:
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“I’ve seen this kind of crony capitalism before … I took on a corrupt and compromised political class and their backroom dealings with Big Oil. And I can tell you that sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched power brokers.”
“When we finally did get slapped then with that inevitable downgrade, the politicians and the pundits, they turned around and blamed us … they called us un-American … and suicide bombers and hobbits?”
“The only future that Barack Obama is trying to save is his own reelection, and he has shown that he is perfectly willing to mortgage our children’s futures to pay for it.”
“Like you, I’m not for sale … I believe in the free market and that is why I detest crony capitalism. And Barack Obama has shown us cronyism on steroids. It will lead to our downfall if we don’t stop it now.”
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“This is not about Sarah Palin. This is not about any candidate. This is about us as a people. But we need a leader. There is no one who has the political courage and the vision of this woman.”- JP
“Happy with the field of candidates. I always think that there’s room for more, though, because spirited debate and more competition will allow an even better discourse and a more rigorous discourse that the public deserves,” Palin said.- JP
Listen to Palin’s answer
