Sarah Palin has a few words to say about climate change.

There is no shortage of threats to our economy. America's unemployment rate recently hit its highest mark in more than 25 years and is expected to continue climbing. Worries are widespread that even when the economy finally rebounds, the recovery won't bring jobs. Our nation's debt is unsustainable, and the federal government's reach into the private sector is unprecedented.

Unfortunately, many in the national media would rather focus on the personality-driven political gossip of the day than on the gravity of these challenges. So, at risk of disappointing the chattering class, let me make clear what is foremost on my mind and where my focus will be:

I am deeply concerned about President Obama's cap-and-trade energy plan, and I believe it is an enormous threat to our economy. It would undermine our recovery over the short term and would inflict permanent damage.

American prosperity has always been driven by the steady supply of abundant, affordable energy. Particularly in Alaska, we understand the inherent link between energy and prosperity, energy and opportunity, and energy and security. Consequently, many of us in this huge, energy-rich state recognize that the president's cap-and-trade energy tax would adversely affect every aspect of the U.S. economy.

Sarah goes on to say:

Job losses are so certain under this new cap-and-tax plan that it includes a provision accommodating newly unemployed workers from the resulting dried-up energy sector, to the tune of $4.2 billion over eight years. So much for creating jobs.

In addition to immediately increasing unemployment in the energy sector, even more American jobs will be threatened by the rising cost of doing business under the cap-and-tax plan. For example, the cost of farming will certainly increase, driving down farm incomes while driving up grocery prices. The costs of manufacturing, warehousing and transportation will also increase.

The ironic beauty in this plan? Soon, even the most ardent liberal will understand supply-side economics.

During the 2008 election Republican candidates touted their conservative credentials. Often, it seemed that one only had to use the phrase "conservative" to pass muster for the base of the Republican Party. By its definition, conservatism is traditionalism, it is the status quo, it is the antithesis of change. The mistake that many Republicans make is that they have relegated themselves to being so-called Conservatives. Is America's political memory so short that Republican values would be considered "conservative?"

Sarah Palin stands for energy independence, limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty. Are these "conservative" values? Let us not forget that in their day and time our founding fathers were radicals fighting those who wanted to maintain the political status-quo; subjugation to the king. Their sense of individual rights and liberty is historically progressive when you compare alternative political systems, monarchies, empires, totalitarian states. Republicans have forgotten their progressive roots and Democrats have cornered the market on their so-called progressive solutions for America.

The Democratic Party now nearly completely in control of the Federal government, is in fact regressive, conservative, and pushing the nation back to its colonial roots; subjugation to the king, who now sits in Washington D.C. It is the Liberals who are out of the mainstream of America, it is they who want to turn over individual liberty to Federal overseers. What have we become as citizens when we allow a virtual monarch to sit in the city named after one of our great liberators? Will we be free citizens or colonists toiling for tribute to send to Washington?

It is not conservative to advocate for personal liberty or to empower the individual to achieve their own American dream.

It is not conservative to advocate for strong national defense. It is not conservative to keep government limited in order to protect the rights and freedoms of the individual.

It is not conservative to allow free enterprise, innovation, and creativity to drive the national economy.

These are not conservative principles, these are uniquely American principles.

I urge Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who believe in these principles to stop calling themselves "conservatives" as if that label separates them from the mainstream of American society. If you agree with Sarah Palin, and advocate these principles then you're not a conservative, you're an American. This is not a conservative movement, this is an American movement, and one of the most progressive movements in human history.

I also like Palin in in a swimsuit. And why not? I love women in American motif bikinis. Beauty contest entrants in swim suits don't seem very conservative to me.

Me? I'm not very conservative either. I'm more of the libertarian persuasion. As far as I can tell Sarah governed as a libertarian. In fact the themes she propounds are very libertarian. And libertarian ideals are a very American governing philosophy. Socialism is a European import. My grandparents left Europe to get away from that sort of thing. And I'm not interested in it either.

H/T Watts Up With That

Cross Posted at Power and Control