Barack Obama in America by Heart, by Sarah Palin

On Civil Rights: Constitution stained by nation's original sin of slavery

Our Founders began the painful process, in the adoption of the Constitution, of ending the evil practice of slavery. Barack Obama himself acknowledged as much in his widely hailed speech on race during the 2008 campaign. Here's an excerpt:

"The documen they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations. Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution--a Constitution that had at its very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time."

Source: America by Heart, by Sarah Palin, p. 30-31 Nov 23, 2010

On Corporations: OpEd: Bailouts of GM & Wall Street are crony capitalism

Since the financial crisis, government is now picking winners and losers. Through the purchase of large chunks of Chrysler and General Motors, the bailing out of Wall Street banks, and putting union cronies ahead of other creditors in bankruptcies, government is taking over more and more of the role that the free market has traditionally played in America. The problem is that when government is calling the shots, it's politics that matters, not good ideas, hard work, or perseverance.

It's called crony capitalism, and it's something I fought against as governor.

Our reforms helped reduce politicians' ability to play favorites and helped clean up corruption. "Big Oil", including executives and lobbyists of BP, Exxon, Conoco-Phillips, and others, didn't pal around with me, but, then, that was a mutual decision.

Source: America by Heart, by Sarah Palin, p. 84-85 Nov 23, 2010

On Government Reform: Constitution says what states CAN'T do to you

Remember the 2001 interview about the Constitution by then-Illinois senator Barack Obama that surfaced during the 2008 campaign? Speaking about the Supreme Court in the 1950s and 1960s during the civil rights movement, Obama expressed regret that the High Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues of political and economic justice in society:

"To that extent, as radical as I think the people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted it the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf."

Source: America by Heart, by Sarah Palin, p. 13-14 Nov 23, 2010

On Principles & Values: American exceptionalism is same as any other exceptionalism

Many people don't believe we have special message for the world or a special mission to preserve our greatness for the betterment of not just ourselves but all of humanity. Astonishingly, President Obama even said that he believes in American exceptionalism in the same way "the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." Which is to say, he doesn't believe in American exceptionalism at all. He seems to think it is just a kind of irrational prejudice in favor of our way of life. To me, that is appalling.

When President Obama insists that all countries are exceptional, he's saying that none is, last of all the country he leads. That's a shame, because American exceptionalism is something that people in both parties used to believe in.

Source: America by Heart, by Sarah Palin, p. 69 Nov 23, 2010

On Principles & Values: 2008 Super Tuesday: We are the change we seek

There is narcissism in our leaders in Washington today. There's a quasi-religious feeling to the message coming from them. They are trying to convince is that not only are they our saviors, but that WE are our saviors--not hard work, not accomplishment, just "believing in ourselves" and what we can accomplish together through government. As candidate Obama proclaimed on Super Tuesday 2008, "We are the ones we've been waiting for, we are the change that we seek."

I believe in a humbler, less self-involved America. I believe in that simple, commonsense wisdom that has come down to us through the ages: Everything that is worthwhile comes through effort. There is no free lunch. Anybody who tries to tell you otherwise is selling something--usually something paid for by tax dollars.

Source: America by Heart, by Sarah Palin, p.179 Nov 23, 2010

The above quotations are from America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag by Sarah Palin. Click here for other excerpts from America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag by Sarah Palin. Click here for other excerpts by Barack Obama. Click here for a profile of Barack Obama.
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Page last updated: Dec 12, 2018