I'm With Sarah!

Millions of liberals rejoiced and thousands of Republicans heaved a sigh of relief Friday as Sarah Palin announced her decision to resign as Alaska's governor. In her usual forthright manner, Gov. Palin made clear that she was not content to squander her time on 'politics as usual'. Hear, hear.

Sarah Palin has withdrawn from the arena she describes as "superficial wasteful political blood sport." She, like millions of Americans, is tired of 'politics as usual.'

On Saturday, Palin issued a message on social networking site Facebook saying, "I am now looking ahead to how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint."

Palin has made the same choice many conservatives are starting to make, opting to "effect positive change outside of government." Politics as usual no longer represents the 62 million Americans who didn't vote for Obama. Disenfranchised citizens now have no say on the takeover of our country by radical forces and, like Sarah, they are starting to seek solutions outside the political realm. And many are coming to the realization that election to public office may no longer be the best way to serve our country.

Any effective leader on the right, any conservative with the guts to stand on the principles long since abandoned by the GOP, can expect election to public office to be a waste of time and effort. A lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Where political ambitions trump sound policy. Where the ability to lie convincingly is mandatory and misleading the public is essential to re-election.

Our political system has become a no holds barred PR battle, with muckraking as its main theme and form over substance as its governing philosophy. Essential time must necessarily be spent fighting fires instead of getting things done. Time that could be better spent "keeping an eye on the ball."

The "ball" is representing and protecting the system of government our founding fathers bequeathed to us. Many conservatives believe this is no longer possible in the political realm, where our elected officials are more concerned with amassing power and retaining their offices than with protecting and defending the rights of all Americans.

Like Sarah, I believe politics works best from the ground up. At a recent gathering of my state representatives, I implored them to stand up and yell 'STOP' to the unconstitutional and unprecedented devolution of power to the federal government. As one, their answer was the same as it's been for decades, "Re-elect me and I will." My answer: NO.

I, for one, withdraw my support from the business as usual GOP. From now on, I will search for solutions, like Sarah, outside of the political realm. As Palin quoted, "I am not retreating, I am advancing in another direction." I leave the entrenched politicians to play their increasingly destructive games by themselves. They will no longer be enabled or supported by me.

America's strength has always come from 'we the people', not 'we the politicians.' It is time for all Americans to remember that and quit relying on government and/or politicians for solutions. Just as Sarah Palin has.