SARAH PALIN - LABOR DAY 2011 (Transcript)

[REPRESENTS] - [SARAH-IMMIGRATION] - [BEST FRIEND] - [HOFFA RERSPONSE] - [PALIN HIDING?] - [FAREWELL AS GOV]

TRANSCRIPT: Sarah Palin's Tea Party Labor Day speech in Manchester, New Hampshire. September 5, 2011.

Hello New Hampshire , it’s so good to be here! I am absolutely honored to get to be with you... here I was introduced as someone who inspires... no, you inspire me. You keep me going, and I thank you, I thank God for you. Thank you Tea Party Americans...! Awesome…

Well, it’s really good to be spending Labor Day weekend with you, Labor Day, with you... and here you could be anywhere else, you could be out there grilling up some steak with friends and neighbors and just kicking back — and instead, what you’re doing, because you are concerned about your country, you are taking a stand for what is right. You are taking a stand for needed reform in our country. You’re ready, you’re willing to fight for what is right about America . I thank you for that.

Again, that is what inspires me, it inspires the rest of the country, as we see what is going on in this Tea Party Movement.

Now, on my trip here from Iowa , I was thinking about your state’s motto: "Live free or die."

And I said… what an honor it is to be in a state where — I tell ya, ya have the boldest motto in the entire nation. It really says it all. I thank God for America ’s freedom. I thank God for Tea Party Americans who are ready and willing to fight for our freedom. And if YOU love your freedom, then you thank a Vet. So that’s what we’re gonna do right now. Raise your hand if you have served past or present in the United States military because we salute you, God Bless You!

Thank you. We honor you. Thank you, Vets. Thank you. Well, for some of you, this may be your first Tea Party. Others, we’re going on a couple of years now, in a grassroots movement that really has awakened America .

And we needed that awakening because we’re up against now Barack Obama’s very strange fundamental transformation of the country that we so love. And it is a strange transformation that he would attempt.

We don’t need a “transformation”. As you well know, we need a fundamental Restoration of all that is good and free and strong in America .

You’re doing it Tea Party Americans. You’re allowing, creating the change, the real change that is needed. Tea Party independent, common sense, Constitutionalists who love this country in good times and in tough times, who are always proud of America, and never apologize for the red, white, and blue. It’s Tea Party Americans who are making the change that is needed.

So whether you’re here for the first time — in Alaska, we call a first timer ”cheechako’s” — or maybe you’re a sourdough by now, like Sal Russo — and we thank him for putting all of this together, he being a sourdough in this movement — whether you’re first time or not I believe that all who are sincere in the effort to REFORM our government and RESTORE our country you’re welcome here. And it is time now to GROW the Tea Party Movement.

Let’s talk straight about how we can do that, and let’s talk about some of the problems in trying to grow this movement that’s so needed.

It’s media-incited internal squabbles unfortunately, and we can nip some of that in the bud, right here and right now — because we’ve got a lot of work to do, Constitutionalists. Our challenges today are too great. We simply don’t have time to be bogged down in internal conflicts and friendly-fire conflicts. The time to secure our future and preserve the blessings of liberty and RESTORE our economy is now.

The Tea Party Movement is bigger than any one person, and it’s not about any ONE candidate — and thank goodness we don’t have any ONE single leader. The Movement is about bringing together debate and discussion of solutions from We the People — not the politicos, not those inside the beltway types that are part of that PERMANENT POLITICAL CLASS that have fought the Tea Party Movement. As was said in the introduction, this is about everyday, hard-working, individual Americans and empowering the individual.

This is what the Founders intended for this country. It is you who run our factories and own our small businesses, you teach our children, you fight our wars — you who build our communities with a Servant's heart, tha’s We the People, that is our country, that is America!

Solutions come from YOU and America ’s hope is in YOU.

It’s not that nebulous “ hopey/changey” stuff we heard about in 2008 like one of the posters says over here (points). No, that’s what has led us into the mess that we are in, with tripling of the deficit and more crony capitalism than ever and more taxpayer bailouts and more of the Left’s big government agenda via that mother-of-all-unfunded-mandates called OBAMACARE.

For the first time in history a credit-rating downgrade that happened because our president has no plan to tackle the politicians’ self-induced debt and deficit problems. No — Obama’s “Hope!” has changed us from a country of hope to one of anxiety. And we are at a tipping point.

So, I want to talk truthfully about where we are, with failed policies and incompetent leadership, but more importantly, what WE can do about it. And some of us saw this day coming. I explained in Iowa that, it was three years ago that I spoke at the GOP convention and I asked America, that night of the speech I asked America, when the cloud of rhetoric has passed and the roar of the crowd fades away, what exactly is Barack Obama’s plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?

The answer is: he wants to make government bigger, to take more of your money and give it to more special interests, and to give you more orders from Washington , and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.

I spoke of this, but back then those were only words of warning and the media sure wasn’t asking those questions. The media sure didn’t do its part in vetting candidate Obama. But now you have seen the proof yourself in President Obama. See, Candidate Obama didn’t have a record in office but President Obama certainly does, and that’s why we’re here today.

Here’s some proof of a failed, a failed policy...a failed economic policy...and proof of not having a plan in leading our country, coming from our president. Earlier this summer, on one of the first legs of our One Nation bus tour, we stopped at a struggling business here in the Granite State , the Yankee Fisherman’s Co-Op in Seabrook. And there I heard firsthand yet another story of how these burdening federal regulations and high taxes are literally killing our small businesses and our jobs. The hardworking watermen and their families at that co-op weren’t concerned with political labels and inside baseball political games that are played — they’re concerned with massive government burdens that are choking their way of life, their freedom to make a living on the water. As some of these families, like our own commercial fishing family, some of these families have been proudly doing this for generations and they just want to fish and responsibly harvest a natural resource to provide for their families but that’s all under attack now. It’s tragic.

Like these fishermen, we patriots should not focus on petty political squabbles and media-gain sound bytes. The Tea Party has to focus on the broader, more important goals of this movement -

• Replace Obama
• And Return power back to “We the People” and grow this movement without compromising principles.

Friends, the needed Reform away from the good-old-boy-politics-as-usual, it falls greatly on the Tea Party’s shoulders.

Look how successful you have been! As much as the media would love to ignore the fact, it was Tea Party Americans who won the November 2010 elections! It was YOU who sent that new governing class to Washington , DC !

Granted, the Permanent Political Class tried to co-opt them, and there are ongoing challenges there, but it was the Tea Party Movement that shifted the entire fiscal debate in Washington , DC …and now we’re seeing more and more folks realize the strength of this grassroots’ movement.... and they're wanting to be involved.

I say “right on, better late than never”, for some of these candidates’ especially. You’re converting them over, and you know why? Because you have truth and logic on your side. And when you have that on your side, you win. And you have the time tested truths on your side; truth’s that we believe in.

• We believe that the government that governs least governs best.
• We believe that it’s the Constitution that’s the perfect blueprint towards making us a more perfect union.
• We believe that America ’s finest are men and women in uniform — you are a force for good in this country and for that we don’t apologize.
• We believe that we can’t get out of debt by incurring more debt - and we are telling Washington , “my kid is not your ATM”.
• We believe we are taxed enough already, and friends, we believe that freedom is a God-given right, freedom is worth fighting for.

Bottom line: I believe that God has shed His grace on thee, America , and we’re not gonna squander what it is that we’ve been blessed with...!

We need to grow this movement; we CAN grow this movement to restore power to “We the People”, because we have truth and logic on our side. And now we have this record of success. So, let’s grow. Let’s convert more of ‘em over.

You’ve already withstood the wrath, and the disdain, and the lies from the media and the PERMANENT POLITICAL CLASS looking down on us - mocking us; making things up about us; telling us to “go to Hell”... You’ve already withstood that.

We’re still standing, right? You’re here today, standing strong, committed to restoring all that’s good about America . It’s with a steel spine that you are still standing, you’re here today, standing tall because you know what is at stake — and it’s our children’s future that is at stake.

So we refuse to retreat, we’re not gonna just sit back on the couch and throw stones from afar, maybe like Washington would just love for us to do, just kinda waiting for America to be transformed into something unrecognizable, just sorta going with the flow.

No, it’s like those Yankee fishermen. They watch where a fish is headed in the current. They know that only dead fish go with the flow… THAT’s not us…!

So I say lets invite those candidates in who are bold enough to take on the tough challenges caused by an out of touch, out of control centralized government, and those who are humble enough to admit they need you and they’ve seen the light; they who are willing to confront the challenges that are resulting from Washington’s failed policies and incompetent leadership — namely “crony capitalism”, because that is THE root that grows our economic problems.

That’s what grows this unsustainable, immoral debt.

It is what caused this housing market that’s gone in the tank with 30% or more of our mortgages underwater and unemployment numbers so high that some parts of our country, they haven’t seen these numbers since the depths of the Great Depression.

Yes, our nation is at a tipping point, so let’s invite candidates who will REFUDIATE the crony capitalism and the corporate welfare, and the waste, and the corrupt politics, and the government bailouts for their buddies. We need to hear from them, directly. We need to hear from those who can do more than just talk, because, we tried that, didn’t we voters? Been there/done that, with a candidate who can just talk but doesn’t have any kind of record of accomplishment and success — successfully reforming those things that are wrong.

What we need is, we need people with a proven record of reform and who are willing to take on the tough challenges, to run into danger, if you will, and not run away from it.

We need a pro-growth agenda…(crowd begins chanting “run, Sarah, run”) we need a pro growth agenda… I appreciate your encouragements, I do…

Friends, we need a pro-growth agenda, one that is all about cutting tax rates and realizing that is how we incentivize job creation. America needs an agenda that attracts industry here instead of continuing to chase industry off our shores. An agenda that doesn’t pretend that a centralized government can successfully manipulate and plan our economy for us.

Like your poster said over here…your poster that talks about the private sector can do anything, everything, better than government can. That’s just a given. That’s a fundamental part of those time-tested truths.

We need an agenda that allows robust, domestic energy production, a true all-of-the-above approach to energy independence…and a robust, aggressive, energy independent agenda… THAT’s a REAL jobs plan — and that’s the real stimulus that we’ve been waiting for…and that doesn’t cost government a cent.

Can you imagine that?

A stimulus plan that actually helps dig us OUT of debt, instead of digging us into debt. That’s some of that economic fantasy that President Obama is engaged in… things that just don’t make sense.

More stimulus when the first stimulus didn’t work? Digging more debt, trying to convince the people that that’s how we’re going to get out of debt?

No, we need an agenda of government reform, and that takes courage and that takes honesty in our leaders, not entrenched/inside-the-beltway politicians who just say what they think we want to hear.

You see, that’s who we have, still, running the show right now. We have a permanent political class led by an unvetted candidate who became our president, and he has ramped up crony capitalism with his bailouts and his takeovers…and this permanent political class, they’re busy looking out for their own interests, and special interests. And that’s the reason that nothing ever really gets done for you in Washington .

Do you ever ask yourself why nothing ever really is reformed?

• They talk about the problems, yet things keep getting worse.
• They talk about the debt problem, and yet they keep incurring more debt.
• They just gave themselves permission to incur more debt.
• They talk about the spending problem, and yet Obama keeps spending more.
• They talk about an out of control federal government, and yet Obama keeps growing more.

Well, I say, we say, enough is enough…! and the message from Tea Party Americans is the status quo is no longer acceptable. We can’t tolerate “business as usual”.

We can’t tolerate “business as usual” because fourteen trillion dollars later we can’t afford “business as usual”.

Friends, our commitment to restoring what’s right about America… free men and free markets… it’s why the powers that be just do not like the Tea Party movement.

You shine a spotlight on what the problems are, what the challenges are…and what the solutions are. And then you demand results from your employees. And you know those are the people that you elect to represent the will of the people. Those are YOUR employees. If you’re not satisfied with them… you fire them!

Our insistence on returning power to the people is driving ‘em crazy.

…and, you know, I warn you that the cynics, the elites, they’re gonna keep mocking you. They are going to keep making things up about the Tea Party Movement and independent, conscientious Americans just concerned about protecting our Constitution and not letting our country go bankrupt… they’re gonna keep mocking you.

But, you know what, throughout history the cynics, the naysayers, they’re always denounced those who stood for truth and fought for what is right.

When Abe Lincoln led, they mocked him and ridiculed him. It was the elites of his day saying that he was a clown, a hick, a fool who was unfit for office.

But who has history redeemed?

Not the naysayers…not the cynics…history is on the side of bold and courageous reform and this IS reform.

It IS empowerment of the people, empowerment of the individual against the vested interests of the PERMANENT POLITICAL CLASS that got us into the mess that we're in.

They can mock us. They can call us names. They can make things up. But, they CAN’T stop us!

Let them laugh, while we get about the business of saving our country. Our nation is facing this precipice. We have no time to just hunker down and kind of preach to the choir.

Now really is the time to grow, and I’m encouraged seeing different candidates and different campaigns represented here. I think that’s really important. Now is the time to grow this movement.

We need to understand that there are more and more independent Americans who are looking for a place to hear and to be heard, and it’s the Tea Party Movement that can work with these independents to build up the ideas that work, to get America back to work. And one way to do this more aggressively is to hear from candidates directly. Not through the filter of the media. We’ve learned that lesson.

That’s why the Tea Party rallies and Tea Party events are so important.

Friends, we are one nation, and this CAN be one movement, active in every last corner of this nation to restore America and to REPLACE Obama in 2012. (cheers and applause) Our unity is going to be so important here in these coming months. Remember, the people’s movement is not “ red America ” or “blue America ”, it’s “red, white, and blue America ”.

And we do have a lot of work to do, friends…

The challenges before us, they can seem daunting, but we must not lose our optimistic spirit. It’s with optimism that America has always come through throughout our history… and what a history it has been!

Remember, our Founders declared that we were born the heirs of freedom.

We are the sons and daughters of that “greatest generation” who stormed the beaches at Normandy and raised the flag at Iwo Jima . We made America the strongest, most free, most exceptional nation in the history of mankind. We owe it to those who have gone before us. It is our duty to honor those who have sacrificed all yesterday, so that we could be here today, free… and proud… and strong Americans.

We will continue to fight for what is right...!

We will continue to fight for what is right...!

Thank you so much for being part of the solution.

God Bless you Tea Party Americans.
God Bless you New Hampshire .
God Bless you United States of America .

Thank you.

SARAH PALIN 2012 - RESTORE AMERICA