Topic: Sarah Palin
Palin, Being Sensible? Gov. Sarah Palin announced Thursday that she was picking and choosing which federal stimulus funds to accept. Democrats are in a tizzy.by Right Rev. Rowland
(conservative libertarian)
Monday, March 23, 2009
As the Federal bailout lumbers forward, the debate over the wisdom of this course of action and its effect on the national economy rages. Some governors, though in the minority, have stated their opposition to accepting all funds the federal government is offering to the states.
In a society that increasingly accepts anything for free regardless of the long-term consequences, taking a principled stand for the future is unpopular. In a nation that has lost sight of the principle of delayed gratification, it just doesn't make sense to pass on something offered so freely.
But just as the families of our Armed Forces understand, freedom isn't free. "But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing. It behooves you, therefore, to be watchful in your States as well as in the Federal Government." -- Andrew Jackson, Farewell Address, March 4, 1837
The government has no money of its own to spend, it only has the funds that it confiscates from the productivity of American citizens. Some is used for defense, some given to foreign governments, and some... well, the list is long and inglorious. It then takes some of that money and passes it back to the states in the form of grants, programs, and policies it uses to shape American society.
When the Federal government redistributes the wealth of Americans among the states, it attaches requirements and stipulations to those funds. States accepting federal funds must adhere to federal guidelines. This applies to education funding, welfare, roads and infrastructure funds and the like.
Governors who are opposed to federal interference in state business understand that selling away freedoms for funding is a sell-out of American ideals. So when Sarah Palin announced last Thursday that Alaska was going to pick and choose which funds it would accept, she was acting in the best interest of her state. The actions of Gov. Palin put her in stark contrast to most other governors, aside from a small group who have taken the same principled stand, including Gov. Sanford of South Carolina and Gov. Jindal of Louisiana.
The federal government has grown at an alarming rate in the last fifty years, and the maddening truth is that it uses our money to do it. It then uses our money as leverage against us to control us. This control is subtle, but ever-present. Schools are dependent on federal funding, so they will accept whatever guidelines the NEA requires in order to get the money. All for the children, of course.
Sarah Palin's act of standing firm for the independence of her state is an example of how all governors should protect their states. We used to call our states 'sovereign' states, a reference to the Constitutional provision that unless SPECIFICALLY spelled out in the Constitution as a federal power, then it was an issue for the states to decide for themselves.
The federal government, with the willing participation of elected 'representatives', has been buying sovereignty from the states for decades. It is a control by purse-strings. Knowing that few public officials will stand up to public opinion in order to educate the public about the reality of the predicament, the federal machine grinds on, swallowing whole sections of the nation for it's own control. That's why so many of our original Founding Fathers understood that freedom requires vigilance, and sometimes, a fight.
Kudos to Gov. Sarah Palin for taking such a stand, and may the people of Alaska stand behind her. Those who enjoy sucking at the federal teat will squeal when the supply is diminished, but if more elected 'leaders' would take such a stand, we might be able to turn around the deterioration of our nation.
God help us all.
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The views expressed in this
article are those of Right Rev. Rowland only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Right Rev. Rowland is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Great article Tim, thanks! Glad to see it passed muster, you have my "Thumbs Up" and I hope all your other readers will also click on that big thumb right above my comment! :)
Your fine article is illustrative of what the late, great Dan Meador called "Cooperative Federalism," the tendency of governments at all levels to band together under the umbrella of various agreements, consequently becoming a larger and ever more monolithic entity trampling on liberty.
For your readers who care to pursue the matter, try googling "Dan Meador" and "cooperative federalism."
As an Alaskan all I can say is please elect this woman to the presidency in 4 years so we will no longer have to deal with her political views and the rest of you can find out what it is like to have her as your "leader".
I'm merely giving honor where honor is due - in Palin's case, it is certainly due on this one point.
For the record, I voted for Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party - and that because Dr. Ron Paul endorsed him. My view of Palin in the presidential election is that she was the "bait on the hook" designed by the Republican Party to sucker in the evangelical vote, thus providing a better "horse race" for the entertainment of the masses.
I gave you a thumbs up. It isn't often you see a sensible article writen about Gov. Palin. From what I've seen of her, she is an excellent example of a real leader, the kind we need more of in Washington, and in our statehouses as well. So many are so willing to sell their freedom for so little.
Sarah Palin has saved in good times for a rainy day.Well its pouring now and when others in her states legislature were screaming for her to spend,she cut and saved.Many AK residents fail to reconize (as one persons comments here reflect)this huge government funding program(of direct interfearence,as well as growth in its size)will in the future raise their taxes.They fail to reconize they pay the lowest tax rates in America,and because of Sarahs fiscal judgements their taxes are not going up like many other states are now looking at doing.They fail to reconize before she wrestled billions out of the oil companys opened the doors to prevent back room deals,turned budget shortfalls into billions saved,they forget because of a liberal press what shes done,turned many things around.Theres a group of Palin haters doing hard time for corruption and in the unemployment line ups sreaming about nothing,as we look and say whats their problem?They have it great compared to the rest of us.I see in their news 50 protestors outside their legislature(wow some huge protest that was, common 50 people and they actually put it in the news)saying shes turning down education funding.Excuse me people what about this fact education funding in AK thanks to Sarah is prepaid 2 years in advance.Shes turning down expansion into her states education system.Just look at Detroits system,theres 50 million missing,yet O is tossing 500 million at the folks who cant say where 50 million just disapeared to.Thats what kind of non sense her responsible governments trying to prevent.So when i see these people protesting I laugh at them, they have no clue how lucky they are to have cash saved and the lowest tax rates in America(not the threat of iou s being sent instead of tax returns)Sarah Palin to me represents whats missing these days in American leadership common sense.
At some point in time there will be no more money..States need to be more self sufficient instead of looking for handouts from a nearly bankrupt federal government...
I enjoyed the article. I agree that Sarah Palin needs to be applauded for sticking to her beliefs. I support her & I hope that she runs for President in 2012. She has my vote.
It is like being a cafeteria Christian...Palin IS accepting 75% of the stimulus money for projects that will further the projects she has failed to get passed thru our state legislature. Remember, it is a republican MAJORITY in Alaska, and they are just saying NO to her.
The monies she is turning down are counter to her religiusly based ideologies and public education and social services.
I understand the sentiment of sending her to DC to get her out of Alaska, but then we will all suffer the nightmare!
Sure many of our reps go to Washington to get the goodies and bring home the bacon to secure their re-election, but let's not forget whence the bacon comes. I still don't get it...they take it from you, then make you beg to get it back...why not just leave us alone and put more power back where the Constitution says it belongs...with the separate states? Lincoln started all this mess, poking huge holes into our freedom ship, and the statists haven't quit yet...time to get back to basics, obeying God, and thus reaping blessings. What is so hard about that?
Gov. Palin is making very wise decisions for her state. Her detractors refuse to understand that eventually these federal dollars will run out and then each state will have to raise taxes in order to continue to fund programs that were initiated with this money.
"Kudos to Gov. Sarah Palin for taking such a stand, and may the people of Alaska stand behind her. Those who enjoy sucking at the federal teat will squeal when the supply is diminished, but if more elected 'leaders' would take such a stand, we might be able to turn around the deterioration of our nation."
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