Known by its Athabascan name “Denali”, meaning “Great One”, majestic Mount McKinley is located in Alaska’s Denali National Park.  With a peak at 20,320 feet high, Denali is the tallest mountain in the United States.  History tells us that the first settlers are believed to be nomadic hunters and fishermen who developed villages and fish camps on the rugged terrain, and by the early 1900s, settlers came to Denali for the prospect of finding gold and striking it rich.  President Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act on July 7, 1958 which made Alaska the 49th state of the United States of America, and Old Glory was proud to boast seven rows of seven stars. Despite the destructive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck south central Alaska on Good Friday in 1964, hard working Americans with pioneering spirits from the Lower 48 continued to pack up their belongings and move north to Alaska in search of adventure and a better life.  Chuck Heath, Sr. and his family from Sandpoint, Idaho were no exception. Can you imagine what the Heath family thought as they soared above the Rocky Mountains and the Yukon in a Grumman Goose marveling at the lofty summits and snowy peaks of the Land of the Midnight Sun?  Never becoming dismayed at the enormity of their challenge or the uncertainty of their future, the young family pressed onward to Skagway via Juneau when others would have turned around and headed back home. Just as the Heath family encountered physical mountains upon their move to Alaska, our nation today is confronted with figurative mountains:  energy dependence, illegal immigration, socialized healthcare, record-high unemployment, disregard for the unborn, the debt crisis, and the war situation.  These troubling issues can seem daunting and permanent.  Never learn to live with a mountain of difficulty.  Instead, like the Heath family, move forward in faith without fear or intimidation.  As Chuck, Sr. moved his family into a small house in the tiny town of Skagway, he had no way of knowing that his infant daughter, Sarah Louise, would grow up to be a city councilwoman, a mayor, a governor, a vice presidential nominee, a best-selling author, and a serious contender for the American Presidency. Fast-forward to Fairbanks on July 26, 2009, as the infant daughter is now Governor Sarah Palin bidding farewell to the Alaska governorship by wholeheartedly thanking its citizens for allowing her to serve and challenging the media to respect freedom of speech and honor the American soldier by, “Quit making things up.”  Governor Palin may have walked off that Fairbanks stage into an unknown political future, but she had mountain-moving faith in that, “The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord.” (Psalm 37:23)  Governor Palin stepped out of one realm and into another as she has effectively endorsed common-sense conservative candidates like Alaska’s Joe Miller, Washington’s Clint Didier, and California’s Carly Fiorina, who are ready to take the U.S. Sentate by storm, and gubernatorial candidates like Iowa’s Terry Branstad, South Carolina’s Nikki Haley, and New Mexico’s Susan Martinez who are principled leaders and know what is right for their state. Encountering mountains--- difficulties, problems, hardships, the unknown – in life is inevitable.  Like the Heath and Palin families, we all come across them.  Some of our “mountains” are big like the Rockies, and some are as intimidating as Denali. The secret to moving mountains is to never become separated from our statement of faith.  We must keep our words connected to our faith as we stand alongside Governor Palin to take our country back in the 2010 mid-term elections.  America’s best days are ahead, and there ain't no mountain high enough that can't be conquerored as we move toward conservative victory in 2010!

  The gloves were off and the game was on in Madison, Wisconsin on Tax Day, Saturday, April 16, 2011 where Governor Sarah Palin declared, "And the 2012 election begins here... Mr. President, game on!" during a rousing speech aimed at the debacle of Obamacare and other left-wing policies crippling the American economy. Governor Palin's supporters were out in droves-- and in the sleet and snow-- to see the woman they believe (and I do too) will be the next President of the United States. In true Sarah-style, she wowed the crowd with her message of American exceptionalism and "we can do it" spirit. The following is Governor Palin's speech in its entirety as written on her Facebook page, with photos added by me for emphasis. ____________________________________________________________________ Hello, Madison, Wisconsin! You look good. I feel like I’m at home. This is beautiful. Madison, I am proud to get to be with you today. Madison, these are the frontlines in the battle for the future of our country. This is where the line has been drawn in the sand. And I am proud to stand with you today in solidarity. I am here today as a patriot, as a taxpayer, as a former union member, and as the wife of a union member. What I have to say today I say it to our good patriotic brothers and sisters who are in unions. I say this, too, proudly standing here as the daughter of a family full of school teachers. My parents, my grandparents, aunt, cousins, brother, sister – so many of these good folks are living on teachers’ pensions, having worked or are still working in education.   A pension is a promise that must be kept. Now, your Governor Scott Walker understands this. He understands that states must be solvent in order to keep their promises. And that’s what he’s trying to do. He’s not trying to hurt union members. Hey, folks, he’s trying to save your jobs and your pensions! But unfortunately some of your union bosses don’t understand this, and they don’t care if union members have to be laid off. No, they want to protect their own power, and if that means forcing a governor to lay off union workers, then so be it; they’ve proven that is fine with them. But that’s not real solidarity! Real solidarity means coming together for the common good. This Tea Party movement is real solidarity! Well, I am in Madison today because this is where real courage and real integrity can be found. Courage is your governor and your legislators standing strong in the face of death threats and thug tactics. Courage is you all standing strong with them! You saw the forces aligned against fiscal reform. You saw the obstruction and the destruction. You saw these violent rent-a-mobs trash your capital and vandalize businesses.  Madison, you held your ground. Your governor did the right thing. And you won. Your beautiful state won. And you know what – people still have their jobs because of it! That’s courage. And that’s integrity. And that’s something that’s sorely missing in the Beltway today. Because let me tell you what isn’t courageous: It’s politicians promising the American voters that, as we drown in $14.5 trillion debt, that they’re going to cut $100 billion out of this year’s budget. But then they cave on that and they reduce it down to $61 billion after they get elected. Then they get in there and they strike a deal and decide, nah, they will reduce that down to $38 billion. And then after some politics-as-usual and accounting gimmicks, we find out it’s not $38 billion in cuts. You know that $38 billion – we don’t have it; we’re borrowing it. We borrow from foreign countries to give to foreign countries, and that’s insanity. We find out it’s not even $38 billion; it’s less than $1 billion in real cuts. Folks, that $352 million in real cuts – that’s no more than the federal government is going to spend in the time it takes us to hold this rally today! That is not courage; that’s capitulation! Now, there’s a lesson here for the Beltway politicos, something they need to understand; the lesson comes from here in Madison. So, our lesson is to the GOP establishment first. And yeah, I’ll take on the GOP establishment. What more can they say about us, you know?  So, to the GOP establishment: if you stand on the platform, if you stand by your pledges, we will stand with you. We will fight with you, GOP. We have your back. Together we will win because America will win!  We didn’t elect you just to re-arrange the deck chairs on a sinking Titanic. We didn’t elect you to just stand back and watch Obama re-distribute those deck chairs. What we need is for you to stand up, GOP, and fight. Maybe I should ask some of the Badger women’s hockey team—those champions—maybe I should ask them if we should be suggesting to GOP leaders they need to learn how to fight like a girl! And speaking of President Obama, I think we ought to pay tribute to him today at this Tax Day Tea Party because really he’s the inspiration for why we’re here today.  That’s right. The Tea Party Movement wouldn’t exist without Barack Obama.  You see, Candidate Obama didn’t have a record while he was in office; but President Obama certainly has a record, and that’s why we’re here. And hey, media, it’s not inciting violence and it’s not hateful rhetoric to call someone out on their record, so that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to do it to be clear. That’s right: we’re here, we’re clear, get used to it!  Candidate Obama promised to be fiscally responsible. He promised to cut the deficit; but President Obama tripled it!  Candidate Obama promised that fiscal responsibility; but President Obama flushed a trillion dollars down the drain on a useless “stimulus” package and then he bragged about the jobs he “created” in congressional districts that don’t even exist! That’s right; on this, White House, you lie. The only thing that trillion-dollar travesty stimulated was a debt-crisis and a Tea Party!  Now, the left’s irresponsible and radical policies awakened a sleeping America so that we understood finally what it was that we were about to lose. We were about to lose the blessings of liberty and prosperity. They caused the working men and women of this country to get up off their sofas, to come down from the deer stand, get out of the duck blind, and hit the streets, come to the town halls, and finally to the ballot box. And Tea Party Americans won an electoral victory of historic proportions last November. We the people, we rose up and we decisively rejected the left’s big government agenda. We don’t want it. We can’t afford it. And we are unwilling to pay for it.  But what was the president’s reaction to this mandate for fiscal sanity?  Less than 90 days after the election, in his State of the Union address, President Obama told us, nah, the era of big government is here to stay, and we’re going to pay for it whether we want to or not. Instead of reducing spending, they’re going to “Win The Future” by “investing” more of your hard-earned money in some cockamamie harebrained ideas like more solar shingles, more really fast trains – some things that venture capitalists will tell you are non-starters. We’re flat broke, but he thinks these solar shingles and really fast trains will magically save us. So now he’s shouting “all aboard” his bullet train to bankruptcy. "Win The Future"? W.T.F. is about right.  And when Wisconsin’s own Paul Ryan presented a plan for fiscal reform, what was Obama’s response? He demonized the voices of responsibility with class warfare and with fearmongering. And I say personally to our president: Hey, parent to parent, Barack Obama, for shame for you to suggest that the heart of the commonsense conservative movement would do anything to harm our esteemed elders, to harm our children with Down syndrome, to harm those most in need. No, see, in our book, you prioritize appropriately and those who need the help will get the help. The only way we do that is to be wise and prudent and to budget according to the right priorities.  Now, our president isn’t leading, he’s punting on this debt crisis. The only future Barack Obama is trying to win is his own re-election! He’s willing to mortgage your children’s future to ensure his own. And that is not the audacity of hope. That’s cynicism!  Piling more debt onto our children and grandchildren is not courage. No, that’s cowardice!  But did you notice when he gave that polarizing speech last week there was a little gem in the speech. Maybe you missed it. But he spoke about the social contract and the “social compact.” Well, Mr. President, the most basic tenet in that social compact is adhering to the consent of the governed. That would be “We the People.” President Obama, you do not have our consent. You didn’t have it in November. And you certainly don’t have it now. You willfully ignored the will of the American people.  You ignored it when you rammed through Obamacare.  You ignored it when you drove up the debt to $14.5 trillion.  You ignored it when you misrepresented your deficit spending.  You ignored it when you proposed massive tax increases on the middle class and our job creators.  You ignored is when you went to bat for government-funded abortions and yet you threw our brave men and women in uniform under the bus, Mr. Commander in Chief.  You ignored it when you got us into a third war for fuzzy and inconsistent reasons, a third war that we cannot afford.  You ignore it when you apologize for America while you bow and kowtow to our enemies, and you snub our allies like Israel.  And you ignore when you manipulate the U.S. oil supply. You cut off oil development here and then you hypocritically praise foreign countries for their drilling.  And when hardworking families are hit with $4 and $5 a gallon gas and your skyrocketing energy and food prices as you set out to fundamentally transform America, you ignore our concerns and you tell us we just better get used to it.  Well, Mr. President, we’re not going to get used to it. Not now. Not ever. You ignored us in 2010. But you cannot ignore us in 2012.  Mr. President, you and your cohorts threw all the hatred and all the violence you could at these good folks in Madison, Wisconsin. But you lost here.  And Madison, you defended the 2010 electoral mandate. You are heroes, you are patriots, and when the history of this Tea Party Movement is written, what you accomplished here will not be forgotten.  Your historic stand brought down the curtain on the last election. And the 2012 election begins here.  We will take the courage and the integrity that you showed all of America. We will take it and we will win back our country!  God has shed His grace on thee, America. We will not squander what we have.  We will fight for America! And it starts here in Madison, Wisconsin!   It starts here! It starts now! What better place than the state that hosts the Super Bowl champs, to call out the liberal left and let them know: Mr. President, game on!  God bless you, Wisconsin, and God bless America!

  "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power..." (I Corinthians 2:4) Not one to just talk-the-talk but instead to walk-the-walk, Governor Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, demonstrated their belief in God's abundant life by giving birth to a precious baby boy with special needs. Trig Paxson Van Palin made his world debut on April 18, 2008 at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, Alaska. Gov. Palin and her son Trig soaking up some sun in Arizona on November 5, 2008 "The moment he was born... my heart overflowed with joy... I felt a love I had a never felt before and a compassion I didn't even know was there... Trig is a miracle", Gov. Palin often says of her fifth child. Speaking to more than 9,000 at the Women of Joy Conference in Oklahoma City on April 15, 2011, Governor Palin made it known in no uncertain terms that when it comes to Trig, "There are our standards of perfection, and then there is God's standard of perfection." Women of Joy worshipping the Lord in Oklahoma City where Gov. Palin made the keynote speech Governor Palin continued demonstrating God's goodness to those present with her encourarging faith-building words of wisdom. The following are excerpts from her message of exhortation: "Your passions and interests were given to you for the service of others and our Creator.” “In Matthew [Chapter] 5, Jesus taught something… ‘Bless those who are hurt and mourn’, and He said they would be comforted… they’d be blessed… when people insult… and make things up about you, or say false things because of His Name.” “Jesus’ blessings are directly tied to getting out of self and risking our hearts in service to others for His sake. That is what our purpose is, and He didn’t promise it would be easy.” Gov. Palin demonstrating God's power and grace to Oklahoma's Women of Joy “Our road… I know the Palin’s road, hasn’t been easy… if you were to ask people like my parents or your parents if their most important growing years were their easiest years, they would tell you ‘no’, because with trial and struggle comes significance and the power to live with purpose.” “My prayer for all of you through this conference, starting tonight, is that this year you’ll really hone in on seeking opportunities to focus on taking the steps forward into what God’s prepared for you…  to grow more tender to Jesus [and] to really listen to his voice… forgo any role of victim to pursue the role of visionary.” “You’ve got to learn to deal with unnecessary criticism because the critics will always be there.” Dance, Sarah, Dance! “The bottom line, gals, is to be a ‘woman of joy’, you might as well dance.”   

     All involved in the Heroic Media Pro-Life event at First Baptist Houston on Tuesday, October 5th reveled in the moment.  Why?  Former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin was on hand speaking about faith, family, and the miracle of life.  Texas State Senator Dan Patrick had the honor of serving as Master of Ceremonies for the evening which included sitting on a discussion panel with the self-proclaimed 'hockey mom' after her heart-touching testimony touching on all things great about America.  "She was enjoying the event, speaking from the heart and touching all of us", the Senator said of Palin's almost 40 minute speech in front of a sold out crowd.  He also mentioned that, "She spoke from the heart--- no teleprompters".   April Jones of Lake Jackson, Texas was looking forward with great anticipation to seeing the former Alaska Governor in person and recounts the evening: "The first time that I saw Sarah Palin give her speech at the Republican Convention, I knew that she got it, and understands me along with the rest of us conservatives in America.  When I saw that she was coming to Houston for the Heroic Media fundraiser for Pro Life, I wanted to go."  April Jones (right) and friend have a photo op with "Sarah Palin"  (Photo courtesy of April Jones) "Listening to Sarah speak with great compassion from her heart on the sanctity of life was evident to not only me but the rest of the audience.  When I was listening at this event, Sarah was not campaigning or trying to convince us of any political agendas, but just simply sharing from her heart and her experiences.  She was very informative of certain statistics and information about abortion in America that the oposing side does not want the Americans to know. " "She is about people, not about politics.  After the event was over, I walked away wanting to continue to stand up for what is right and not to give in or give up hope.  I walked away a better person."   Governor Sarah Palin speaking from the heart- no teleprompter required   Governor Sarah Palin speaking the truth with boldness at the Heroic Media fundraiser in Houston, TX   Governor Sarah Palin and Texas State Senator Dan Patrick share a few thoughts before the discussion panel gets underway   Texas State Senator Dan Patrick sits on a discussion panel with Governor Sarah Palin   Sarah shares a laugh with a new friend at the October 5th Heroic Media Fundraiser in Houston The People for Palin thanks great American April Jones for sharing her personal story of hearing Governor Palin speak in person at the Heroic Media event at First Baptist Houston. April and many patriots like her are proud to stand alongside Governor Sarah Palin as she speaks the truth with boldness about faith, family, freedom, and the precious miracle of God-given life.   Photos courtesy of Texas State Senator Dan Patrick, unless otherwise noted.

      It takes more than horsepower to win the world's longest toughest snowmachine race over an unforgiving Alaska landscape, just ask four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin. Drivers also need skill, knowledge, and the determination to stay in the race.  Iron Dog contendors also race with perseverance. Perseverance means “the ability to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint.” Perseverance keeps going and moving forward no matter what opponents say or do.  I once heard someone describe perseverance as "stick-to-it-ness".        Todd Palin is a world class snowmachine racer Four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin   Team #22 Davis/Palin ready to hit the Iron Dog Trail, the longest toughest snowmachine race in the world Like her world class snowmachine racing husband Todd, 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin personifies perseverance. No matter how the mainstream media elite, the liberal political pundits, the late night talk show hosts, or even the nosy neighbor peering through a wooden fence may slander her, Governor Palin consistently perseveres. She forges ahead endorsing commonsense conservative candidates, speaking the truth with boldness at fundraisers and rallies, and shares personally from her heart at pro-life events without giving a fleeting thought to inevitable media backlashes and hit-pieces. In contrast to the Iron Dog Champion's perseverance and Governor Palin's "stick-to-it-ness", how then shall we describe the liberal agenda of this generation? It is like children calling to their playmates: "We wanted to play wedding, but you didn't want to be happy; so we wanted to play funeral, and you didn't want to be sad. So, in other words, what DO you want!?  What would make you happy!?"  The answer is, sadly, NOTHING! You might as well not even try, and thus Governor Palin does not TRY to accommodate the liberal agenda.  No doubt she provokes furious responses from those who oppose, but at the end of the day, I am certain that their spitting, their foaming at the mouth, their wide-eyed carryings-on leave them confused as to why they are going so insane over the self-proclaimed hockey mom from Wasilla. Here's how I'd like to apply it to commonsense conservative freedom-loving Christian Americans. Jesus said in John 15:18-27 that the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord. If they were so offended with the Master, do you really think Governor Palin, a woman of devout Christian faith, can get by without getting anybody riled up? Well, she CAN'T.  In fact, she does everything exactly right, and she does it well, and humbly, and patiently, and with a good motive... and the liberal elite get so upset that they blame her for every ill on the planet. According to them, she must have had a hand in planning the September Attacks in 2001 and the Wall Street plunge last fall. She is the one causing the ice caps to shrink! She caused the deadlock in Congress, she engineered the Bird flu virus in her basement, and in their minds, there never WILL be peace and security as long as Governor Palin is on the loose. (Yes, it really is as Mahalia Jackson sings in Sweet Little Jesus Boy:  That's just the way things are down here below).  Silly, isn't it?     Gov. Palin with FL AG candidate Pam Bondi Endorsing Miller for AK US Senate Campaigning with Nikki Haley for SC Governor So what do we do? We vote for Palin-endorsed commonsense conservative candidates on November 2nd. We smile with both good humor and a heart of trustfulness, and pray, "Dear Lord, You know—much better than we do—how things are 'round here. Continue to give Governor Palin the bold strength to expose the socialist agenda seeking to take over our country. Protect her from the scornful enemies who plot to stone her dead! Keep her alive and her voice loud, Lord, and send her as many faithful supporters as can be gathered together across the nation. And one more thing dear Jesus: HEAL THEM ALL!"  

  Governor Palin speaks in India Guests packed the India Today Conclave 2011 on Saturday, March 19th in New Delhi to get a glimpse of Governor Sarah Palin, the gutsy 2008 Republican Vice Presidential Nominee and self-proclaimed "Mama Grizzly" as she gave the keynote address at the evening's gala. Gov. Palin's husband Todd was by her side for this important occasion, and she talked lovingly of his undying devotion and support of her and her political career. She wistfully mentioned regret in that their schedule did not allow the opportunity for them to reaffirm their love, teamwork, and committment at the Taj Mahal, a monument "to eternal love", as Gov. Palin described it. Keeping the love theme alive during her speech, Gov. Palin spoke of her love of Alaska and the great outdoors, her love of family and community, and her love of America and the exceptional spirit shared between America and India. Always gracious and compassionate, Gov. Palin offered comforting words of encouragement to the Japanese people in the wake of the recent national disasters that shook that nation to its core. "Thoughts and prayers are with you, Japan.  Life is fragile - precious - we're in this together; may Japan know our caring heart at this time."  Transcribed below is Gov. Palin's keynote address as reported in India Today  (photos from various news sources): Thank you!  Such an honor! I appreciate getting to see some of your magnificent city - this is my first time here and I sincerely hope it won't be my last!  During my brief time here I've enjoyed India's famous "Gift for Hospitality." And next time, I want to visit the Taj Mahal with my husband, Todd. Considering how patiently he's endured during my political career and been so supportive, it would be nice to reinforce our teamwork/commitment before that monument to eternal love. Todd is here with us tonight.        Always by Her Side-- Todd Palin supports his wife Monument to Eternal Love--- Taj Mahal When I had the honour of meeting your Prime Minister a few years ago, I expressed my admiration for your country's rich history & culture & most recent achievements! I now am humbled with this opportunity to express that to you, here, in this beautiful ancient land. This has so captured the imaginations of artists & poets & explorers throughout human history. Todd & I are honoured to be here to see the site of some of the world's oldest civilizations...the birthplace of major religions, the crossroads of the ancient "Spice Route & Silk Road". Republican VP Candidate Palin shakes hands with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in 2008. All those precious resources of their day: spices, pepper, silk, indigo - My country was essentially "discovered" in the age of exploration, because Western Europeans were looking for a route to your country to exchange & enjoy those resources!  (Yes, the connection between our two countries was there from the beginning!) During the flight here, between our countries, it did not escape me that Japan lies about halfway between my Alaskan home & India. I trust you will join me in expressing solidarity with the Japanese people as they recover from such tragic events. Their determination & resiliency won't fail them. The world community stands united to offer help to them in the "Land of the Rising Sun". Thoughts and prayers are with you, Japan.  Life is fragile - precious - we're in this together; may Japan know our caring heart at this time. I've been asked to speak today about my vision for America, & share with you a little about my background. I grew up in a very small town, perhaps like some of you (though half-a-world-away). My town's tucked between two grand mountain ranges, in a valley quite far from the avenues of political power. There, in my home state of Alaska, we're so proud of nature's beauty & our towering mountains, but certainly here relatively near the spectacular Himalayas can I appreciate an even greater sense of nature's enormity! One of the mountains near my home (I see it everyday from my kitchen window!) is called "Pioneer Peak" - named in honour of the brave pioneers who settled our Valley just a few generations ago. By the sweat of their brow & rugged work ethic - they turned raw land into a valuable agriculture community. Majestic Pioneer Peak as seen from Palmer, Alaska I have loved my upbringing there…big family, Todd's from a big family. I was a school teacher's kid, loved sports & anything outdoor. I tell my parents the greatest gift they ever gave me was this upbringing in AK, the young, 49th state of the United States. AK is known as the "Last Frontier" & it's a place that IS rugged & you can still feel an optimistic, pioneering spirit - like the spirit that had inspired Americans to carve a nation out of the wilderness! It was "pioneer families" - strong & hopeful - who made a good life (though not an easy one) for themselves in the Northern Wilds! That "pioneering spirit" shaped me. It instilled in me a sense of independence & self-reliance. And: a belief in the 'Power of Ordinary People' working together to help one another. In a small community in such a vast state (AK's about half the size of India), you learn to help your neighbour; & to help yourself. And you learn to value (& have faith in) personal freedom - especially the freedom to chart your own course!  So, it was there I learned there's no limit to what you can achieve with strong work ethic. That optimism & respect for (& empowerment of) individual liberty shaped both my political beliefs & my vision for my country. I started in politics on the local level two decades ago; inspired by a desire to serve the ordinary folks in my hometown! As a city councilman, then a city mayor, I led the fastest growing area in our state. I experienced firsthand the power & success of the free market, & the proper role of government in fostering economic growth. I cut property taxes, I invited business in & focused on building infrastructure (roads, water & sewer systems); not a lot of glamour in that - but I have a solid belief in what government's proper role is & it shouldn't be glamorous. It's not government business to spend the working man's tax dollars recklessly - & certainly not government's business to centrally "plan" an economy & control an entrepreneurial spirit! That doesn't work. Government should lay infrastructure, level the playing field, then get out of the way. Allow the private sector to grow/thrive/create jobs & generate wealth! Then as governor of my state, my goal was to clean up corruption & develop our rich natural resources: Our abundant oil, gas, minerals & our robust fisheries! An important project that was a 'center-point' was jump starting a natural gas pipeline project that had been stalled for decades. We brought all stakeholders together for mutual benefit - our state, the energy industry, our neighboring country, consumers & together with ordinary citizens (who are the resource owners) & major energy producers who 'bid on the right to develop our resources', AK was finally able to move forward on a project that can help lead America towards energy independence. Through my work in AK (as an oil & gas regulator, then as governor), I've seen firsthand how energy development, job creation & national security are inextricably linked.  Access to affordable, reliable energy is the key to economic growth, which is the key to job growth. Securing that stable domestic supply of fuel will lead to a more peaceful & prosperous America - an America that's not subject to the whims of foreign dictators who could cut off energy supplies & seek to control. Governor Palin and team at the Alaska Pipeline Of course, energy issues are critical to the whole world's stability & economic opportunities! By 2030, the world's energy consumption will increase by 50% & almost half of that will come from here in India & from China. We all face similar challenges in this arena & this makes America's quest for energy security all the more crucial as we seek to stabilize our economy, secure our homeland & cooperate with our allies who would also seek peace on earth. Energy is key! My vision for a free & prosperous America has much to do with energy. Now, we hear a lot about "green energy" today.  And I am a true believer in environmental conservation & responsible stewardship of our lands. (It's why I live in AK! A pristine environment to be passed on to future generations - I don't want to mess it up! I am a conservationist. I married into an Alaska native family, where Todd's connection to the land through his Yupik Eskimo heritage, an indigenous people, reinforces my respect for God's creation. And we've made our living off the land - as commercial fishermen & Todd working in North Slope oil fields - so we don't want to mess it up!) So, I'm in favour of "all-of-the-above" approach to energy security. But "all-of-the-above" means including "conventional" resources! That means, the kind we actually use to reliably fuel our economy. That means crude oil, for example. And our natural gas, our coal, nuclear power. Unfortunately, some have stymied resource development - like responsible domestic oil drilling. As a result, hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs won't be created in the U.S. until we change course; it means Americans get hit with huge gas prices at the pump unless we change course; it means we're continuing to transfer hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars to foreign regimes to purchase energy from them - regimes that don't have our best interests at heart. And I'm not just talking about gasoline here. Remember that 'petroleum products' are all around you! Look at your everyday surroundings - the foodstuffs; the agriculture products grown with fertilizer; the plastics all around you; medical supplies; the transportation of all these products. It's not just gas that increases as the price of crude increases: Everything is affected. Basic commodities. So as government locks up land & we lose good jobs in the 'Conventional Resource' arena, you may hear that "green jobs" will be the saviour! But look around the world & try telling that to the thousands of English & Scottish workers who've lost jobs as a result of government investments in "green energy" projects. A recent UK study shows that for every "green job" created, nearly four jobs were lost elsewhere in the economy due to lack of affordable energy! Same story in Spain - investment in "green jobs" brought massive debt, skyrocketing energy costs & 20% unemployment. This push for 'green' at the expense of 'conventional, reliable' sources is not a credible energy policy or economic policy. It's "Social Engineering" by Central Government Planners. And it leads to nothing but more debt & more job loss. And taxpayers will be stuck subsidizing the failure and paying more for energy. Gov. Palin: "I'm in favor of an "all of the above" approach to energy security." The good news is there's a choice/another option! Instead of funding non-viable special interest projects, Americans can capitalize on our own viable resources that are just waiting to be tapped - they're right on our doorstep!  Billions of barrels of oil warehoused underground in AK!  And so much natural gas - Clean, green, affordable! Easy to transport, abundant across the U.S. - Whether used conventionally, or to power natural gas cars, or run power plants that charge electric cars, natural gas is an ideal "bridge fuel" to the future. (A future when renewable gas can someday become more available, reliable & affordable.) I warn Americans so often: it's a 'false, utopian fairytale' told that would want you to believe we don't need to drill for oil today. No, government manipulating energy supplies? Manipulating any aspect of an economy - it leads to more people becoming more dependent upon government to meet needs - it is social engineering, it's immoral, & it's a problem we-the-people must be brave enough to take on. Our need for energy independence is only one of the strategic challenges we face today. The other is an unsustainable government debt which hampers economic growth. On this: there are no "easy" solutions, but there are "simple" ones, if we just apply courage & political will to confront the problem squarely. Obviously, we need to stop digging the hole we're in; cut spending; cut government back down to size; get rid of overly-burdensome regulations. And most of all, we need job growth! And that won't come from 'top-down government planning'!  It'll come from the 'Free Market Ingenuity' of ordinary American entrepreneurs! To release creative energy, we need to do on a national level what President Ronald Reagan did in the 1980's. It's what I believed in as a 'Reforming Mayor & Governor' in my state, because I want the free economic choices of ordinary men & women to power the marketplace - rather than distant bureaucrats thinking they can plan & grow an economy by "government decree". (That just doesn't work!) I know you understand this, because in the early 1990's, due to clear, commonsense, pro free-market reforms, India's economy took off! You abolished import licenses; cut import duties; removed investment caps & broke the union's grip on industry. You unleashed the creativity & hard work of the Indian people; you turned away from a system where 'Central Government' sets targets for all sectors of the economy, to a system that lets the market set its own targets. That works. People no longer speak of India as a "struggling economy" as they would have 30 years ago. Today we speak of India as a "dynamic & vibrant economy". You empowered individuals & in doing so, you've reminded America of the free, entrepreneurial model that made our country great, prosperous & exceptional! See, if we unshackle the creative energy of our workers, & entrepreneurs, there is no reason in the world why we can't get back to rapid growth & prosperity! "My faith has never been in big government, my faith is in the American people." Friends: some people want to claim that the geopolitical stage is 'so changing' & some actually claim 'America is in decline'. "The United States," they'd say, "will soon be a shadow of its former self."  I completely reject this! It represents wrong-headed thinking by some friends & wishful thinking by our enemies! America's demise has been predicted before. It didn't happen then. It won't happen now. No, America is not in decline! What is in decline? It is the idea of a 'Tax-&-Spend, Centralized Bureaucracy' that has brought America to the point of debt & deficits in the first place. These "Big Government" ideas are once again being consigned to the ash heap of history - though they won't go quietly to the grave. From the beginning: my faith has never been in Big Govt.  My faith is in the American people, & we are turning things around! All great nations face the challenges that come with a changing economy, demographics, & new technologies. The nations that succeed in the face of these challenges are the ones that show innovation & ingenuity - & will empower a free power! These qualities are the hallmarks of the "American Experience" & the unique strengths of the American people. My vision for my country is a strong America that unleashes those strengths & confidently engages in leadership in the world & can welcome the healthy competition & partnership of rising economic powers in a democracy, like India. The relationship between our countries could shape the course of the next century! Tilting it in the direction of free people & free markets! The future lies with us!  We're half-a-world apart geographically, but connected with much in common! We both have deep & historical 'democratic traditions'. We are the world's most diverse, tolerant & dynamic societies. Our peoples enjoy very close ties (& in recent years our governments have been catching up!) There are few limits to what India & America can do together to allow a more peaceful & prosperous world. Tragically, we have both been the targets of terrorism. We have both witnessed the courage of our people in combating terror. Both our peoples want it defeated. And we both want to ensure that China's rise is peaceful - while hedging against risks that it could be otherwise.  We both want to expand trade & investment with allies in a liberal international order that will soon boast India as its fastest-growing major economy. Our diplomatic, military & political ties are deepening, because we have a genuine strategic partnership! But it is our people who are driving this relationship!  Indian entrepreneurs are investing in the U.S., even as U.S. businesses expand here.  Indian students are throughout American universities & more Americans seek to study here - including through an expanded Fulbright programme. Our tech companies are working together in impressive ways. And our ethical partnerships could transform both our development trajectories. Gov. Palin: "We are on the side of religious tolerance and women's rights." Our ties & bonds are deep! And they're not driven so much by "political leadership summits" & bureaucrats - they're driven by free people & free markets! That's why there are no natural limits to the future of U.S.- India relations. And that is why the world's largest democracies - NOT its largest autocracy - will lead the 21st century. We will lead because we are on the side of empowering individuals to make choices for themselves. Not government /not some New World Order organization making decisions & decrees for us.  We are on the side of religious tolerance & women's rights! (And in recent years, India has helped lead by example in the area of women's education by narrowing the gender gap in women's literacy. You've helped remind the world that a culture cannot advance when it holds back half its creative & intellectual power!) And its political power! I admire India's tradition of strong women leaders - at home & abroad! In fact, last year, I had the honour of supporting a strong American woman of Indian descent when I endorsed the candidacy of South Carolina's new governor - their first female - Nikki Haley! Governor Palin endorses Nikki Haley, the GOP South Carolina gubernatorial nominee in 2010 I met Nikki's parents & was impressed by their story, work ethic! And, by Nikki's upbringing that led her to become part of a 'grassroots movement in American politics' that's known as "The Tea Party"!  (I'm proud to be a part of this movement as well.)  The "Tea Party" is named after that famous event in American politics that was a precursor to our Independence! In 1773, when American patriots were upset about British taxes, they dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. (The British had forced a monopoly on the American people that prevented us from importing tea from anyone but the British East India Company. See, even back then we believed in free trade!) Today's "Tea Party" is a strong & vibrant movement in the U.S. & it's only going to grow & become more influential! India Conclave:  the theme of this conference is the "Changing Balance of Power". Well, the present day Tea Party is a perfect example of that!  It's all about the empowerment of ordinary, everyday, independent patriots who are rising up & making their voices heard to positively change the "Balance of Power"! To protect our U.S. Constitution & live out our Declaration of Independence!  It reminds our 'Central Govt' that our Constitution gives great power to our 50 individual states - and to individual citizens - & that these powers (these God-given 'RIGHTS') aren't to be trampled on. The "Changing Balance of Power" throughout the world today is driven by the empowerment of the individual - & mankind's desire for freedom! The American people understand this. And India understands this, too. Back home in AK, where the fresh snow blankets the ground today, where my kids texted me to report they see a Mama Moose & her two baby calves outside our door by the firewood pile: There at home, I have a beautiful pencil drawing on my kitchen wall. A framed drawing by Robin Coran. It's a picture of Mother Teresa, of Calcutta. She's holding a precious child (a baby). Gov. Palin: "I have a beautiful pencil drawing on my kitchen wall... Mother Teresa." It was said of Mother Teresa that "perhaps the greatest message she has given to the world is the value & dignity of human life!" From India, she was able to share this crucial message with the world! And it is a crucial message because the freedom & empowerment of the individual is rooted in an understanding of every man & woman's inherent dignity & worth! I looked at the picture as I typed out this speech on my home computer set up there in the kitchen. I was struck with this: Countries that deny that message of individual worth (& destiny) inevitably stifle their own advancement because the fire of human progress is spaked by the aspirations of ordinary men& women seeking a better life! These simple "working class" aspirations for a good job, a home, a good education for our children are what motivate economic progress & positive change! Not bureaucrats! Not 'Central Planners'! Not government decrees! Just hard-working women & men seeking the freedom to chart their own course & succeed by their own merits! When people realise even the briefest glimpse of this freedom & opportunity - even a hint that they can succeed through honest hard work - they run towards it!  They embrace the promise of "better days ahead!"  They will sacrifice today for a better tomorrow for their children & grandchildren. With individual responsibility, drive & determination, they will work together to carve a life for themselves out of the wilderness! They'll voluntarily contribute to help their neighbours even those half-a-world-away! That's the 'Optimistic/Pioneering Spirit of America's Frontier'! That's the spirit of India's progress too. America has long been famous for our rags-to-riches stories. Now India is, too. Take pride in this - it's inspiring! Together, as the worlds' largest democracies, we are a testament to the positive force of human aspirations! Today, all across the world, we see individuals, "ordinary" men & women, rising up/moving to advance (& a great tool they're using in this 'demand of human rights' is social media). We don't know where all of this will lead. But we should look at it as opportunity to advance the cause of human freedom - not naively, but optimistically. Gov. Palin: "The hunger for freedom and opportunity... the American dream" Friends: our two democracies understand this struggle for freedom. It's the struggle of those who defiantly dumped tea in Boston Harbor to protest a British tea tax. & it's the struggle of those who courageously marched to the seacoast near Don-dee to make their own salt in defiance of a British salt tax! This hunger for 'Freedom & Opportunity' is proof that what we call the "American Dream" is not just "American." It is the universal dream of people everywhere! I believe it's created within us! And that is where the march for freedom has found its most eager advocates: 'ordinary people' who have 'extraordinary determination' to seek justice & make a better life for their families. This is as true in AK, as in Andhra Pradesh.  Half-a-world-apart?  And yet we are connected by this.  My 'Vision for America' is one of a country that lives that dream! And, in turn, inspires & empowers women & men around the world to live it, too! We can lead by example. What America can show the world is what is possible - the potential of human possibilities when women & men are free…Yes, may we be free! Thank you and God bless you! Gov. Palin with Editor-in-Chief of India Today Group, Aroon Purie, following her keynote address Editor's Note: Gov. Palin spoke with wisdom and compassion with a heart of gratitude today in India. She is everything that is good and right about our America. How blessed we are that she was given such an important platform from which to speak into the lives of the Indian people on behalf of America.  This scripture is for you, Governor Palin: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6). God bless you, Governor Palin!!