Posted by
Bert Chapman on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 7:16:13 PM
Like many Conservatives, I am personally and politically impressed with Sarah Palin. She helped energize the conservative base and, until the Sept./Oct. financial market turmoil, gave the GOP a fighting chance. Contrary to liberal critics, she is qualified to be Vice-President or President. If she aspires to the presidency in 2012, I encourage her to take the following steps.
She should become acquainted with the writings of conservative thinkers in think-tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, Manhattan Institute, and other like-minded organizations. She should also be given the opportunity to meet with conservative thinkers in these organizations and academe to get briefed on various public policy issues in order to enhance her intellectual basis for promoting conservative values. Examples of these individuals would include Bernard Lewis and Daniel Pipes on Middle East issues, Michael Novak on church-state issues, Chester Finn on education, Jack Kemp on urban development, Richard Pipes on Russia, Mitt Romney, Steve Forbes, and George Gilder on economics, Newt Gingrich on the technology revolution, Robert Bork on judicial issues, and Abigail Thernstrom on civil rights matters. She should also hold regular meetings with prominent conservative Senators or Representatives such as James Inhofe, Steve Buyer, John Kyl, Sam Brownback, Mike Pence, Jeb Hensarling to get their perspectives on Capitol Hill. These congressional figures should regularly brief her on their responses to inevitable Obama policy blunders and how they are working to reinvigorate
Taking the opportunity to engage in foreign travel for Alaskan economic development purposes would strengthen her foreign policy knowledge base. Trips to Pacific Rim countries would be particularly advantageous for Alaska and show her appreciation of this region's increasing global economic preeminence.
Giving regular interviews with conservative journals such as National Review, Weekly Standard, Human Events, American Spectator, and Commentary and their online editions would also be helpful as would speaking before groups such as the Young America's Foundation, Conservative Political Action Committee, National Rifle Association, pro-life and traditional values organizations would also enhance her visibility and credibility with the conservative base in the upcoming bleak Obamite years.
Campaigning for nationally significant Conservatives in 2010 in strategically important states with large electoral votes would also be beneficial. She should also continue burnishing her credentials as a conservative reform Governor of Alaska by producing significant public policy accomplishments so she can win an impressive reelection victory in 2010.
Despite this month's election loss, Sarah Palin has ignited hopes among Conservatives that she could become an important even transforming figure in American politics. She can build on her positive start by taking the steps listed above to become an inspiring figure for conservatives and a substantive and credible national political figure as the inevitable follies and blunders of the Obama-Biden Administration become apparent in the months and years to come.