The Undefeated Playing Today In St. Louis

This afternoon, the much anticipated showing of The Undefeated will occur in St. Louis, MO at 1 PM, at the Smart Girl Politics Summit.  If you're in St. Louis, stop on by! Producer Stephen K. Bannon will be on hand, as well as VA U.S. Senate candidate Jamie Radtke, who appears in The Undefeated. The oh-so-controversial Andrew Breitbart, who also appears in the film, will be on hand to take questions before the movie. 


Read my review of the uncut version of The Undefeated here.

My Interview With Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers

A few weeks ago, I had a lunch meeting with several very politically active women. One is about to run for office, another works for someone running for office, and the other co-founded Smart Girl Politics, a prominent conservative women's organization. During the course of our conversation, we discovered we all had one primary thing in common--our motivation to become more politically active came from Governor Sarah Palin. 


Through my work at Smart Girl Politics, I am blessed to have the opportunity to connect from time to time with men and women all over the country, and more often than not, I hear the same thing--"Sarah Palin was my inspiration". So, as I began to write an article for Smart Girl Politics' online magazine about a recent interview I had with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, I couldn't help but think about the connection so many of us have with Sarah...

Game Changers: Cathy McMorris Rodgers on Women and the GOP

2008 was a life changing year for many conservative women. While the vast majority of us certainly cared about what was taking place down at City Hall or up on Capitol Hill, we were busy living our lives, raising our families and trusting others to take care of the political side of things.  We did our civic duty and voted, but that was the extent of our involvement in politics 

Then, August 29, 2008 happened. Senator John McCain announced that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be joining him on the campaign trail as his Vice Presidential running mate. What followed was nothing short of amazing...and outrageous. While conservative women all over the country were energized that one of our own had joined what was otherwise a rather unappealing ticket, the mainstream media launched a relentless attack aimed at the swift and absolute destruction of Governor Palin. Her family, her friends, and anyone supporting her were fair game. This was the event that awakened what I like to call the sleeping giant--the Republican conservative woman. One of our own was under attack, and we simply refused to sit idly by and watch it happen without doing something about it. Read the rest of the article...

House Republican Women: America Needs Jobs

Political Antics: Smart Girl Risks Her Position and Jail Time To Take On The Good Ole Boys

There's little that makes an honest person angrier than to see the innocent used as pawns in a political game by those who will stop at nothing to advance an agenda. What's unfolding in the northeast corner of Texas is nothing short of outrageous, and if my research is any indication, Bowie County isn't the only place it's happening. 

Smart Girl Politics member Natalie Nichols, Bowie County's newly elected county clerk, hadn't been in office long before she figured out she'd likely have a relentless uphill battle to fight with the deeply entrenched good ole boys. They were none too happy when she began questioning some of the practices of the previous clerk, and made changes to be certain her office was in compliance with Texas law. She was told, in no uncertain terms, that she could be removed from office "at any time, for any thing, unchallenged."

Oh really? It seems the good ole boys of Bowie county haven't encountered a Smart Girl before, and Natalie isn't going down without a fight. "I didn't seek office to gain a career. I ran for office to make a difference," Nichols told World Net Daily's Pamela Geller last week. She's very clear about one thing: she ran as a Christian conservative in a predominantly Democrat community, and she'll conduct herself in office as a Christian conservative--even if it means her removal. 

Nichols now finds herself in her first public battle with the good ole boys of Bowie County, and needs our support. It seems the boys don't particularly care (for fear of an ACLU lawsuit) to record the fact that they open each session with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. 

It all started on June 13, 2011, when Nichols was in Dallas for annual training. In her absence, the court made the decision that because the judge doesn't specifically use the phrase "call the meeting to order", the fact that a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance were conducted during the meeting can be stricken from the record. They voted 3 to 1 to remove the prayer and pledge from the minutes, and went on with business as usual. 

**Watch the video of the June 13, 2011 Commissioner's Court meeting during which this occurred.**

**Take a look at the minutes, where Judge Lacy took the liberty to scratch through the portion they voted to remove.**

There's one minor detail they neglected to take into consideration: no law exists in the state of Texas that supports this decision. In fact, Nichols is the only one authorized by law to make any changes to the minutes. 

Sterling Lacy, the Bowie County Judge at the center of this controversy, makes clear that he sees to it the prayer and pledge are conducted before the meetings are called to order, so that they can be excluded from the official record. When Nichols returned from training and discovered what had happened, she refused to comply, explaining that she is the only person authorized by law to alter the minutes, and for her to intentionally exclude something that actually took place would mean falsifying the record. That's something that's never going to happen under her watch. 

**Hear part of the story as it's explained by Natalie on the Rusty Humphries Show.** 

**Watch Natalie confront the court about the decision they made to alter the minutes.** 

Fast forward one month to July 11, 2011--Judge Sterling Lacy, and his good ole boys weren't too happy with their County Clerk. In a bizarre turn of events, Lacy addressed the court concerning the removal of the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer from court records. He began to make claims that not only had the prayer and pledge been removed from the minutes, but that "the opening ceremony of devotional" was also missing. 

Yes, you're understanding that correctly--he made the implication that Nichols deleted not only the prayer and pledge from court records, but he also implied that she had removed an opening devotional. Not only was he misleading the public by making the implication she deleted something the court had instructed her to delete, he was implying she removed something that was still present in the minutes. After hearing Judge Lacy's implications, Nichols spoke up. "The prayer and the pledge are most definitely there!"..."Ma'am, please do not interrupt the court," replied Lacy, at which time Nichols spoke again..."But you're lying!"

Realizing immediately that she had acted unprofessionally, Nichols issued a public apology--not for her stance, but for the interruption. She received no reply from Judge Sterling Lacy that day. 

It seems the judge was contemplating his next move, which wasn't clear to Nichols until she received a phone call from a local reporter three days later. During the call, the reporter informed Nichols that Judge Lacy had filed a criminal complaint against her--one that, if charged, could mean a $2,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail--and requested that the Sheriff initiate an investigation. While her Chief Deputy has been questioned, her records subpoenaed, and a claim has been made by the Sheriff that the investigation is 90% complete, Nichols has yet to hear from his office. The Sheriff, within two days of being asked to initiate an investigation, told local reporters he had made the decision to give his findings to the D.A. and would request that it be sent to a grand jury. This, and he's stillnever had a single conversation with Natalie Nichols. 

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think Sheriff James Prince may be one of those good ole boys. 

Judge Sterling Lacy made the statement last week that Nichols doesn't understand the "unintended consequences" of her actions in this case. I wonder if Judge Lacy has considered the unintended consequences of his own actions? Have we really come to the place in this country when even a Republican judge is too much of a wimp to take a stand for something so simple, yet so meaningful, as an opening prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance? What about the unintended consequences of the actions Bowie County citizens took when they voted for Sterling Lacy? Did they intend to put someone so weak into a position of such power? Are we going to continue to stand by and allow this kind of behavior to go unchecked, or are we going to hold men like Judge Sterling Lacy accountable for the unintended consequences of a few very unwise, far reaching decisions? Are we going to allow one of our Smart Girlsto be bullied into falsifying official court records, just because her colleagues are too weak to stand up to organizations like the ACLU who would destroy the very fabric of this nation? 

I certainly hope not. It is our hope that Natalie's story will serve as a reminder to all of us here at Smart Girl Politics. Taking a stand for what is right is always best, no matter what the unintended consequences may be. 

This post was originally published at Smart Girl Politics Action. 

Bloggers R Us 07/17 by Roderic Deane

Just finished an interview with Roderic Deane on his show--check it out! Bloggers-R-Us 07/17 by Roderic Deane | Blog Talk Radio. My portion starts around the 23:30 mark, but I encourage you to listen to the entire hour!

My Favorite Conservative Reads

(Bailey is a new friend of mine over at Smart Girl Politics. When she posted this great blog post yesterday, I asked if she'd be willing to let me re-post it here for my readers. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!)

by Bailey Osborne

When a liberal writes a book, they are featured on The Daily Show. Conservatives don't get that kind of press. So, how does the aspiring young conservative or independent find the *right* books? Here, I'll help!

It's important to get this information into the hands of all Americans, but most especially to younger conservatives and independents. Our generation, and a great deal of the one before, have had liberal, "progressive" and politically correct ideals shoved down our throats from the moment we arrived in Kindergarten. From "multicultural" (and often entirely unrelated) additions in text books to lessons on the causes of the Civil War, school kids are relentlessly bombarded with the left's song and dance.

At colleges and universities, the bias not only becomes more pronounced and overt, it also becomes more radical and militant.While leftist professors ramble on about the need to socially engineer all traces of inequality from our society, sycophantic liberal students learn regurgitate their professor's ideology - but not to think for themselves. Being a college freshmen is a very dangerous time in a young person's life - when their outlook on the world becomes fully shaped. For many freshmen, this may be the first time their belief system is influenced more by their mentors and peers, rather than their parents.

In 2004, I was one such college freshmen - finally free of my parents tyrannical rule, I was ready to take in any viewpoint offered by my professors - those venerated gatekeepers of knowledge (as well as the lords and masters of my GPA). I was lucky, however, to be at Texas Tech, a large state school right smack dab in the heart of "Bush County". A great majority of the students I encountered were proudly conservative, and as the '04 elections approached it was not uncommon to hear about a car with a Kerry/Edwards sticker being shoepolished, or worse. To be fair, however, I spent most of my time on Greek Circe - I'm sure the political environment was a bit different at, say, the theater or philosophy departments.

The political climate drew me in, and I had to learn more. I understood, innately I suppose, that the conservative ideals and beliefs I'd inherited from my parents were right and just - but I wanted to understand the logic behind them. I wanted proof that the views I was coming to believe in so passionately were superior to those on the left. That is when I discovered the one and only - the amazing - Ann Coulter.

Coulter's book, How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must) set my world on fire. All of a sudden, I was absorbed by issues like state's rights, welfare, market restrictions and - most of all - gun control. Once I had devoured the rest of Coutler's works, I looked, and looked, for works by other right-minded authors. Amazingly, none of my professors could offer any recommendations.

You see, conservative authors aren't nearly as trendy or politically correct as commentators who slant to the left. Rush Limbaugh may rule talk radio, but Jon Stewart has Comedy Central on lock-down. Neither academia nor the media are at all interested (or even tolerant) of the conservative point of view. If we, the youth of the conservative movement, wish to preserve the ideals of fair play, equality of opportunities rather an outcomes, and the individual liberties we hold dear, we have to educate ourselves on the issues. No one is going to hold our hands.

To that end, I have compiled a list of a few "starter" works on conservative thought, which will clearly outline the basic arguments of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy- as well as why those on the left are, for lack of a better word, "B.S.C.".  Personally, I would start with Dinesh D'Souza - first with Letters To A Young Conservative (The Art of Mentoring), then Illiberal Education: The Politics of Race and Sex on Campus. D'Souza is the master of spelling things out in the most logical, (and often hilarious) terms. After D'Souza, you're ready to move onto Coulter. She's brilliant, but she tends to throw 983,593 facts into a 3-line paragraph. Without at least a cursory knowledge of conservative thought you might drown, as well as completely miss a lot of her humor.

So what about you? Are there any awesome right-wing authors who have opened your mind to your own political beliefs? Leave comments and let me know what book or author helps to get YOU into knock-down, drag out political debates!

The Undefeated--Opening TODAY In Select Theaters

• • GRAPEVINE, TX
  • HOUSTON, TX
  • HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO
  • INDIANAPOLIS, IN
  • INDEPENDENCE, MO
  • KENNESAW, GA
  • OKLAHOMA, OK
  • ORANGE, CA
  • ORLANDO, FL
  • PHOENIX, AZ
  • Don't see your city? Follow this link and vote! 

VA Senate Candidate Appears In The Undefeated

2012 Virginia senate candidate, Jamie Radke, appears in The Undefeated--the Sarah Palin documentary that releases on Friday. She wrote a fantastic blog post today that I wanted to share: 

Sarah Palin--The Undefeated Pea Destroyer  

American voters are suffering from the political equivalent of battered wives syndrome. We’ve become so accustomed to Congress and the President abusing us with their immoral spending and then telling us “we know better than you, so shut up and eat your peas,” that we have taken $14 trillion in punches.

But for millions across this country, Sarah Palin represents a new direction.  That direction is personified in her documentary, Undefeated, which premieres Friday. Governor Palin has stood up to the Washington double-talk and inspired millions of Americans to say “no” to politics as usual. To badly paraphrase Johnny Paycheck, Sarah Palin isn’t afraid to say, “You can take these peas and shove it!” Read more here...

Questionnaire

In recent years, we've seen an enormous increase in the number of conservative women that are involving themselves in American politics--both in the arena, and on the sidelines. 

I'm working on a project for which I'd love your input, whether you're male or female. All I ask is that you consider yourself to be a conservative. (Republican, Independent, or Democrat) Please follow this link, copy/paste the questions into the body of the email, and send me your honest answers.

1. Do you vote? If so,  why? If not, why not?

2. Do you consider yourself to be a conservative?  If not, there is no need to continue with this questionnaire. 

3. What is your party affiliation?

4. What is your religious affiliation, if any?

5. Beyond casting your vote at the ballot box, what other ways are you involved with the candidate(s) of your choice?  Please list them all. 

6. If you are a conservative woman, how do you feel about women like Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Sarah Palin (former Governor of Alaska), and other women like these, holding the political offices they hold/held? Would you vote for a conservative woman for President? If so, why? If not, why not?

7. If you are a conservative gentleman, how do you feel about women in politics? Would you vote for a conservative woman for President? If so, why? If not, why not?

8. If you don't mind sharing, what is your age range?

Please feel free to be honest with your answers. Your contact information will not be used in any way, unless I contact you for written permission. If there is any point on which you care to elaborate, please feel free to do so.

Please utilize the social media icons below, and invite your friends to participate. Thank you so much for your time!

Media Making Things Up: “Tears” and “Rages” During “The Undefeated”? Really?

Sarah spoke out on her Facebook page today: 

Obviously we’ve seen our share of media lies, but the latest fabrications circulated take a big slice of the cake. The UK Daily Mail reports that I was “in tears” as Todd “rages over Hollywood stars ripping” me in the new film “The Undefeated.” Huh? Really? The beautiful town of Pella, Iowa, was flooded with an army of media covering the premiere of this film. You’d think someone would have caught those tears and rages on tape, right? Well, here’s avideo of the remarks I made at the Pella Opera House right after viewing the film. The emotion clearly displayed was gratitude to the filmmakers who invested their own time and money into highlighting my team’s record in Alaska. Todd and I were overwhelmed with gratitude, and we hope everyone sees this film.

In fact, you can click here to buy tickets to see the film, which opens in theaters on July 15th. You can also vote here to bring it to a theater near you.

MSM, you should check it out too. (You’ll learn the facts many of you have failed to report for the last three years as you’ve continued to do what makes you less and less relevant in our country’s discourse: you’ve chosen to just make things up.) There’s a story there, but you’ll never find it if you continue lying and carrying water for the powers that be.

Again, we thank the sweet town of Pella, and will forever remember the amazing evening we shared together in Iowa!

- Sarah Palin

Happy Independence Day

From the Heart: Governor Palin's remarks after the premiere of The Undefeated in Pella, Iowa

Iowans4Palin: From the Heart: "Well, I am recovering from my amazing trip to Pella, Iowa for the World Premier of The Undefeated. I experienced some technical difficult..."