Where Does Progress Come From?

Who provides the jobs and the goods we all rely upon? Some say the government--others say it's up to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Here's what John Stossel has to say in this interesting article...

Show Your Support!

We are just two days from Election Day and there is still plenty of time for you to get involved. Join us Monday morning from 8:00-9:30 to wave signs on the corner of Division and Ruby (by the Wendy's). Don't worry about bringing a sign--we'll have signs there for you.

Thank you to everyone who joined us there Friday night. Here are some pictures from that night:

Halloween Treat

I thought you might find this cartoon funny...

Daily Evergreen Commentary

I thank Paul Dec of the Daily Evergreen for his recent column about my accomplishments in Congress.

He said, in part, "She’s also one of the few representatives I’ve seen actively attempt to support her constituency in a genuine, heartfelt manner. In some cases, it’s not about what the candidate believes but what he or she seeks to accomplish for the people who helped the leader get elected." Read more here.

Ad on the Economy

In case you missed it, I wanted to let you look at my new television ad on the economy. Let me know what you think...

Head to Walla Walla and Dayton!

I wanted to let you know you Dino is coming to southeastern Washington this weekend. Here's where you can tell him hello and show your support. I will be there too, and I look forward to seeing you.

Friday, October 10th
6:00 p.m.
Walla Walla GOP Headquarters
1622 Plaza Way
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Map

Saturday, October 11th
9:00 a.m.
Country Cupboard Restaurant
330 East Main Street
Dayton, WA 99328
Map

Be sure to take pictures and post them here!

Spokesman-Review Endorsement

I wanted to let you know the Spokesman-Review endorsed my bid for a third term representing Eastern Washington in Congress.

Click here to read their full editorial, and let me know what you think.

Wall Street Rescue Signed

Just hours after the House approved it, the President signed the Wall Street rescue package. When the House considered it Monday, the cost was $700 billion. Today's version was $850 billion.

I did not support Monday's version. Today's version was essentially the same (it raised the FDIC limit to $250,000) and I also did not support it. I heard from many Eastern Washington families concerned about the cost of the legislation. I heard from many businesses concerned about credit becoming more difficult to obtain. And I heard from many banks, many of whom didn't make the same bad decisions the Wall Street banks did--the decisions that led to their downfall.

In the end, I remain unconvinced the Wall Street rescue proposal is the right approach for the market and the best value for taxpayers. I believe that when faced with such great economic challenges, we owe it to the taxpayers to actually solve the problem for the long term.

I am not convinced this bill addresses the root causes of the problem, one of those being the subprime and predatory lending situation. I believe the government needs to act, but that doesn’t mean spending your money on short term fixes.

Your thoughts?

Today's Vote on the Economic Rescue Plan

A tough day all around. It was tough watching Wall Street drop and retirement funds and stock portfolios decrease in value. It was tough on Capitol Hill. The mood here is very somber.

Even though I voted against today's bill, I remain optimistic that Congress will act and help fix the problems that are ailing Wall Street. Congress needs to do something, but today's bill wasn't it. It was too quick, too big, and did too little to permanently fix what is currently wrong with Wall Street.

Congress reconvenes Thursday. I am confident in a matter of days, perhaps weeks, we'll be able to consider a bill that corrects some of the issues related to risky sub-prime mortgages, helps protect our community banks, helps protect the taxpayer, and helps ensure a long term fix for Wall Street.

Your thoughts?

Wall Street Woes

Overnight our country witnessed the largest bank failure in U.S. history with the fall of Washington Mutual. Deposits are still secure, but WaMu's fallout only adds insecurity to the fate of our economy.

I've heard from many of you about the Secretart of the Treasury's request to rescue Wall Street. I appreciate your thoughts and want to keep hearing from you. Please send me an e-mail, or post on my blog.

I haven't seen a final bill to vote on, and until I do, I'm reserving judgement on any proposal. But I do have some concerns that I would like to see addressed. We must hold the bad actors on Wall Street accountable, there must be some assurance this plan is going to work and we need benchmarks to ensure the plan is working as intended. But above all, I believe the taxpayers--you and me--need to be protected. There must be specific safeguards in the legislation that ensure that any future earnings will be returned to you, the taxpayer.

How did we get here? The New York Times actually has a good article about it--published in 1999! Take a look, and let me know what you think.

Head to Rockford!

Head south of Spokane to Rockford this weekend for the Southeast Spokane County Community Fair. It runs through Sunday. Here is the website.

I'll be there on Saturday for the Grande Parade at 10:30. I look forward to seeing you there, and if you take pictures, send them to me!

Down Syndrome Making Headlines

You probably know my 16-month-old son, Cole, has Down syndrome. Governor Sarah Palin's infant son, Trig, also has Down syndrome. In light of Senator John McCain naming Governor Palin as his running mate, many people, especially reporters, have asked me how I balance being a Congresswoman with being a mother of a child with special needs.

Click on the logos for links to the latest stories...

How McCain Represents the Western U.S.

**Updated: Here is the link to the entire interview.

Today, I will have the opportunity to chat with reporters from across Washington State about how Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin best represent issues and values important to the Western U.S.

This comes during good news for the McCain campaign. Some polls show him within two points of Senator Barack Obama in Washington.

Being from the West, John McCain and Sarah Palin understand how important it is to meet America’s energy needs with American resources. John McCain understands the importance of our hydroelectric dams and he is committed to protecting them. He knows how vital they are to this country’s energy, irrigation and transportation needs. As Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin knows we should begin exploring for more sources of energy in ANWR and in the Outer Continental Shelf. We have the resources and the technology to do it cleanly and efficiently.

I'll let you know how today's conference call goes.

In Case You Missed It: Return of the Mommy Wars

I wanted to pass along this article from the Weekly Standard that illustrates how a once off-limits, balancing children and work, is now fair game for those seeking public office.

Let me know what you think!

Lipstick on a Pig

The media is abuzz today over Sen. Barack Obama's assertion that it's like "putting lipstick on a pig" when Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin claim they are the true agents of change. This, of course, comes after Gov. Palin said last week the only difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull is lipstick.

Your thoughts?

Endorsement Announcement

I want to let you know of an endorsement I received this week. The Gun Owners Action League of Washington announced its support of my reelection. I am grateful for the support of GOAL of Washington and its 20,000 members as we work to protect an individual’s right to bear arms.

RNC Day 4: Balancing Being a Working Mother

The question many on the left and many in the media are asking is whether Sarah Palin can balance being a mother of a child with Down syndrome and being Vice President of the United States. I spent much of the day telling reporters across the country that Sarah Palin can do both jobs well.

Here is a clip from MSNBC...



...and another clip from CBS' The Early Show.

RNC Day 3: Learning More About McCain

The day started with a breakfast for the Washington State delegation. Special guests included Meg Whitman, former CEO of EBay who specifically addressed why McCain's economic policies are critical to America's competitiveness including taxation, innovation, trade, and energy; Sen. McCain's daughter, Sydney, introduced herself and thanked us for supporting her dad; Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Hiroshi Miyamura, a registered Democrat and Korean Veteran who supports Sen. McCain; and Lieutenant Commander Michael P. Cornin who was held at Hanoi Hilton for 6 years (6 months longer than McCain.)

Lieutenant Commander Cornin noted hardship at Hanoi Hilton increased based on medical condition, rank and notoriety. Lieutenant Commander McCain suffered as a result of injuries that never received medical attention, his higher rank, and the notoriety of his grandfather being a high ranking Admiral. Yet when he had the opportunity to leave, he stayed with his comrades.
The insights at breakfast from those who know him best only further confirmed his character and courage as our Presidential nominee.

Following breakfast, the delegation enjoyed a relaxing riverboat cruise on the Mississippi river.

RNC Day 2: Pictures

Here are a couple of pictures from the RNC.

The first is Andrea Mitchell of NBC News. She is one of the thousands of members of the media who are covering the RNC.

This is a picture of my husband Brian and me. I'm proudly showing my support for McCain!

RNC Day 2: Platform Adopted

Following adoption of Rules, Credentials, Permanent Organization recommendations, the convention approved the platform as proposed by the Platform committee. You can read the platoform by clicking here.

We watched video links from 4 of the 5 governors, all republican, of the Gulf Coast states -- Governor Perry, Texas; Governor Crist, Florida; Governor Riley, Alabama; and Governor Barbour, Mississippi, that would enable people to make contributions to those in need as a result of hurricane Gustav.

First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain also addressed the convention and joined in rallying support for the response for hurricane Gustav. This concluded the day's official convention events which had been significantly curtailed.

I have been interviewed by Politico, More Magazine, National Journal, and PBS/To the Contrary. Most of the questions relate to Sen. McCain's choice of Governor Palin as his running mate. They ask me what I think about his choice, how I handle being a new mom in Congress, the challenges of balancing the responsibilities of the job with the demands of being a good wife and mother, and the joy of both the Palin's and us having a son with Down syndrome.

In my opinion, Governor Palin is a bold and exciting pick that demonstrates the Republican Party is focused on the future and changing how Washington DC does business. She brings a unique and important perspective that is grounded in her role as a wife, mother of five, governor and someone who isn't afraid to shake up the status quo. She leads a state that matters to every one of us and she's a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

RNC Day 2: Convention Underway

The Washington State delegation joined for lunch today to hear Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, emphasize the importance of the no new tax pledge and the positive impact it has had on government spending and our economy. It was good to have the whole delegation together in one room and see a united Washington State delegation.

After arriving at the Xcel center, the convention site, I had the chance to speak with a group of young women from Future Frontrunners who won any essay contest to attend the Republican convention. I spoke about how I got involved in politics, living the American dream, and being a women in Congress and co-chairing the Women's congressional caucus at this historic time. We had a short Q and A session then I was off to the convention floor for the opening ceremonies.

The Washington Delegation is seated on the floor, to the right of the stage (facing the stage) behind North Carolina and in front of South Carolina. It is always fun to see people from all over the country join together. We have such a diverse country and everyone is showing their unique style. The Texas delegation has their cowboy hats, Oklahoma with their OU red shirts, and the Florida delegation is wearing Tommy Bahama shirts. It is fun to interact with such a great group of folks from throughout the country who are so united and excited about our ticket.

I appreciated the emphasis we are placing on supporting those impacted by hurricane Gustav. For those interested please refer to http://www.causegreater.com/ to contribute. Thankfully it appears Gustav has hit landfall with minimal damage.

This afternoon we have moved through the parliamentary procedures to officially opening the convention. The unity and excitement are very evident. The McCain/Palin ticket is a great combination that has energized very American. I'm honored to be representing the State of Washington at this historic convention.

RNC Day 1: I'm Here!

I arrived in Minneapolis last night for the beginning of the Republican National Convention with the purpose of nominating our party's choice for President and Vice President.

The selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is the buzz everyone is talking about. Attendees are excited about the ticket and its tremendous potential for our country. Governor Palin causes everyone to take notice.

Last night at the welcoming reception, we saw a broad spectrum of people from Asian to African American to Hispanic to Middle Eastern gathering from every age group and state to finalize the nomination process. In total, about 45,000 delegates, alternates and guests have gathered for the convention. I'm honored to have been elected one of Washington State's delegates.

My first impressions of Minneapolis are very positive. I have flown through here many times but have never stopped. Our taxi cab driver told us of the protestors' game plan to disrupt convention events. They hope to prevent delegations from reaching the convention site by blocking bridges, disabling buses and barricading streets. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul seem well prepared for the convention and any contingencies.

The convention schedule for today (Monday) has been reduced to only the necessary official meetings to keep the appropriate attention on the preparation and response to hurricane Gustav.

McCain Picks Palin

I am very excited about Senator McCain's pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Not only is she a wife and mother, she has a record of cutting spending, fighting corruption and standing up to special interests. She brings to the Republican ticket a unique and important perspective that is grounded in her role as a wife, mother of five, governor and someone who isn’t afraid to shake up the status quo.

Let me know what you think!

Heading to the RNC

I am getting ready to head to the Republican National Convention next week. This is my first time attending a convention as a delegate, and I am excited to cast my vote for John McCain.

While I'm there, I'll be speaking to young women interested in politics, meeting with members of the Washington State delegation and of course nominating the Republican candidate for President of the United States!

I'll be posting updates from the convention here. Keep checking back to look for them.

Welcome to this Online Conversation

Thank you for finding my blog! I look forward to having a conversation with you about my reelection and what I'm doing for Eastern Washington.

Please send me your thoughts!