Palin’s bull’s-eye in the Big Easy

The former governor of Alaska and former chair of both the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, spent quite a bit of time on energy policy. Lefties, what was that about experience again? She asserted that, “There is an inherent link between energy and security, and energy and prosperity, and energy and freedom. We need affordable, domestic, reliable, environmentally-sound energy, and there’s just such a big difference, though, between how the Republicans and the Democrats want to accomplish that goal.” She spoke out against the Left’s “multi-front war on conventional resources,” fees imposed on domestic production, locking up federal lands rich in reserves, and the cap-and-tax proposal that would annihilate productivity and jobs. She criticized the distinction between Obama’s rhetoric and the reality of what he has supported and stressed the importance of drilling here and now, of encouraging Americans to use energy more efficiently via tax incentives, of advocating innovation, and of creating a “competitive climate for investment … .” Simply put, “…there’s nothing stopping us from achieving energy independence that a good, old-fashioned election can’t fix.”

Here are a handful of other Palin quotes worthy of mention:

• On President Obama’s speech at the Andrews Air Force Base: “The only thing missing from that ceremony was the sound track from Top Gun and Joe Biden in a flight suit.”
• On energy: “Likewise, the Left may tell you that they’re for renewable resources like wind and solar and hydro, and that’s just great, but God forbid you to try to put a windmill in Nantucket Sound or you try to put a solar panel in Mojave Desert somewhere, cause somebody may see it or a gecko may bump into one, you know. Oh, my!”
• On big government: “Government overreach did not begin with the Obama administration, but it will end with the Obama administration.”

Palin closed with a strong statement of support for the Republican Party’s return to its First Principles as we head into the 2010 and 2012 elections: “This is the party that put an end to slavery … And this is the party that led us to victory in the Cold War … This is the party that stands for competition and equality and responsibility and respect for life and liberty. And this is the party that will usher in a new era of prosperity, new opportunities for all …”

If you had any doubts before, make no mistake: Sarah Palin has definitely arrived. And whatever her future plans may be, rest assured her voice will be resolute, her approach refreshing, and her contributions pivotal.

Jedediah Bila is a conservative columnist and commentator living in New York City.  For more information on Jedediah, please visit http://jedediahbila.com/.