BLOG POST # 12: I AM A TEA PARTY CONSERVATIVE and not a Republican!

I am getting the funny impression these days that I am turning into a monstrous character.  A transformation is definitely taking place, but I am still the same person I was 10 months ago.  My skin feels like it is thickening, I feel the hair on my chest growing(okay its not true!!) and bumps are starting to pop up everwhere.  No, I'm not the hulk!  I'm turning into a POLITICA!  It is starting to show, and I would like some of my softness back, so I apologize ahead of time to anyone who was caught in my cross-hairs this week!  A lot is at stake and I'm just trying to do the best I can to move the conversation forward.

It seems like the news we get is either bad or worse each day. Just when things seemed to be going our way a couple of weeks ago (Obama was having a really bad couple of weeks himself)  something like the SCOTUS ruling happened and we were reminded that Progressivism is everywhere, not just in politics. It IS a pernicious presence in our lives. Our fight as Conservatives is never really over. Lesson learned. Then there's the craziness of all the different opinions out there reaching fever pitch sometimes.  Being conservative not only means having a sacred opinion, but taking issue with the finer points of an argument. As fun as it is to spar, it can get old.  Definitely it is difficult to disengage from a good back-and-forth, but I'm growing a bit weary of sweating over the small stuff. It's a constant challenge to avoid a confrontation. Nerves are on edge, I know, but  I just want to come together at some point!  This is such an exciting time for "our" movement.  We are beginning to merge, collaborate and develop a shared vision. 

Palin house in particular still feels like it's on fire.  We are in a disarray even after all these months.  IT is hot and uncomfortable but there is still a way out!  These are just observations, as I have said before, I am not a journalist. The problem I see is voter apathy and withdrawal since first choice Palin is not running. I get that Romney doesn't excite the base, but here are three reasons why each one us can still be super enthusiastic about 2012:

1.   WE affirm: I AM A TEA PARTY CONSERVATIVE AND I AM NOT A REPUBLICAN!!
      If Romney wins in 2012, the GOP cannot claim victory just by itself.  We know they 
      have done NOTHING to make us a part of the process. Just look at what they did
      with Walker in Wisconsin.  If that is any indication of how things will roll, we would
      be smart to clearly define ourselves now before they do later! We all know without
      the TEA PARTY he would not have won but they took all the credit. Check out my
      reply to an article by Gary Jackson on June 11th, 2012.  I stand by my comment.
      https://www.facebook.com/groups/gopayl/permalink/246828422097546/
      
 
2. WE can agree that OBAMA CANNOT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE!! This is crucial!

    The GOP IS a Liberal Republican Progressive machine, no doubt. But Romney is
    NOT a communist, murderous thug. Like Mark Levin, I'd rather deal with what he
    calls a "Moderate Republican" than Obama. Maybe we can all find common ground
    in this as so many of us like and admire Mark! 
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzyMJiO46qY


3.   ROMNEY IS THE GOP NOMINEE, not the TEA PARTY nominee, we can proudly
      say. Unlike 2008, we are not disenfranchised. We belong this year to a movement
      greater than ourselves and enter that voting booth proudly as the RINOS that we
      are, Republicans in name only, because we are really TEA PARTY
      CONSERVATIVES - a powerful voting block. No, I will not feel alone this year. I
      will feel just like millions who don't like our Party but want to defeat OBAMA!   We
      ARE an enthused and energized base. We have grown in influence, and are
      growing power. I'm not putting a smiley face on something that has seemed so
      bleak up to now, but it IS worth noting that we MUST own our share of the victory
      this year by standing our ground. They will blame us if we're not careful. The GOP
      no longer speaks for any of us. We reached out to them and they had their chance
      to reply. We must make a distinction clear so that if and when ROmney misses the
      mark as President, we can say it was because of his Liberal Republican Progressive
      agenda and not ours. This will leave the door open to 2016 for a well-deserved and
      much needed Conservative victory. I will enter the voting booth probably holding my
      nose for Romney uttering to myself you can have the Presidency in 2012, but I'm
      not here for you. I'm here for my country as the patriot that I am, in spite of You! 
      NO, I will not Rah-Rah for Romney, but I will cheerfully be there to press NOBAMA
      and I will overwhelm my voting card or computer screen with nothing but fresh,
      vigorous Conservative Party choices.  What is there not to fee great about?  I'm
      psyched like I have have never been!The Palin movement (not the fixation on her
      being President 2012) is a VOICE! It is a cohesive, headless force with a great 
      collective message. In spite of minor divisive fractures in our daily exchanges, we
      all feel and want the same thing in the end. As TEA PARTY Conservatives I know 
      we will turn out the vote because we care about this country!  They are not making
      this easy for us, but we will have to ignore the provocations, innuendos and jabs on
      the part of the elite and the crazies on their side to muster as much good will as
      possible.
  
  
There is no love lost between me and the GOP. There is no live lost between Romney and Sarah. There is no love lost between those who even leaned one way or another in this primary before Romney was nominated, but deep inside, not too far, we will find it within ourselves to remember each and every person who has been at this fight for months even years.  I will do this for my friends who are patriots, not just supporters of a candidate. I am a proud TEA PARTY patriot!

I admire and respect my friends' efforts every day. I could not do this alone.  We feed off each others courage, and learn from nuggets of wisdom and great research.  Not only that, I have enjoyed getting involved in local politics!   It helps to chase away the worries.   I JUST LOVE THIS MOVEMENT!

This is how we are going to prevail in 2012. 

I am, faithfully PALIN,

Isabel