yes, i am republican.

I am not republican because my parents were republican.

I am not pro-romney because i am Mormon.

Just like you, I THINK and LISTEN and QUESTION and DECIDE for myself.

Last night, I was reminded WHY i will vote republican in the next election.

i believe that it is better to teach a man to fish than to hand him fish.

i believe in free markets.

i believe in small government.
i believe in freedom of religion.

i believe that education is the best way to eliminate poverty.

i believe that the answer to most of our social problems are found in the homes of the people.

Morality and hard work are essential for a thriving economy.

i think debt is destructive.

i believe that America is a great country because we are FREE.

i don't want our country, or our healthcare, to look like Canada, Denmark, Europe, or Russia.
i prefer a democratic republic to a socialist system of "central planners".

sometimes, as a stay at home mother, i feel ignorant about what is going on in the 'real' world.

i hate watching the political news channels because i don't feel like they are NEWS, i feel like they are high school popularity contests.

i hate watching people fight back and forth with stupid one liners.

As i've re-read the speeches from the convention last night, i realized that I do know the issues.

And, I am involved EVERY DAY.

1.  I'm involved with my children's education and active in my local schools.

2.  I work hard to balance my family's budget and avoid debt.  To live within my means.

3.  I spend every moment of my life raising 7 children with faith and love.  

They will be my contribution to society.

4.  I serve my neighbors and my neighbor's children.

I love this country.  I believe the strength of a nation comes from it's families.

Every day, I work to strengthen my borders and secure this nation.

The Republican National Convention was last night.

Did you watch it? 

I saw much of it (on the internet) and I was impressed. 

I LOVED Condaleeza Rice.  LOVE HER. 

(Here is a link to the transcript of her speech.)

These are my favorite parts...

"It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate.  The AIDS orphans in Uganda, the refugee fleeing Zimbabwe, the young woman who has been trafficked into the sextrade in Southeast Asia.  It has been hard, yet this assistance together with the compassionate work of private charities,people of conscience and people of faith, has shown the soul of our country.  And I know too -- I know too there is a wariness.I know that it feels as if we have carried these burdens long enough.  But we can only know that there is no choice, becauseone of two things will happen if we don't lead. Either no one will lead and there will be chaos, or someone will fill the vacuum who does not share our values.My fellow Americans, we do not have a choice.  We cannot be reluctant to lead and you cannot lead from behind."

"We have been successful too because Americans have known that one's status of birth is not a permanent condition.  Americans have believed that you might not be able to control
your circumstances but you can control your response to your circumstances.  

And your greatest ally in controlling your response to your circumstances has been a quality education.  But today, today, when I can look at your zip code and I can tell whether you're going to get a good education, can I honestly say it does not matter where you came from, it matters where you are going?  The crisis in K-12 education is a threat to the very fabric of who we are."

Right on!!  
I completely agree with Condaleeza's perspective!  

Marco Rubio spoke from his heart.  He is a good man. 

Here is the transcript of his speech and my favorite part...

My Dad used to tell us: "En este pais, ustedes van a poder lograr todas las cosas que nosotros no pudimos" "In this country, you will be able to accomplish all the things we never could."

A few years ago during a speech, I noticed a bartender behind a portable bar at the back of the ballroom. I remembered my father who had worked for many years as a banquet bartender.

He was grateful for the work he had, but that's not the life he wanted for us.

He stood behind a bar in the back of the room all those years, so one day I could stand behind a podium in the front of a room.

That journey, from behind that bar to behind this podium, goes to the essence of the American miracle — that we're exceptional not because we have more rich people here.
We're special because dreams that are impossible anywhere else, come true here.
That's not just my story. That's your story. That's our story.

Mia Love, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah was inspiring!

She is a black, republican, Mormon.

i loved her.

"My parents immigrated to this country with ten dollars in their pocket and a hope that the America they heard about really did exist.  When tough times came, they didn't look to Washington.  They looked within.  The America I know is grounded in the determination found in patriots and pioneers, in small businesses with big ideas.  It's found in the farmers who work in the beauty of our landscapes and our heroic military.  It's found in the Olympic athletes and every child who looks at the seemingly impossible and says, "I can do that."  That's the America I know."

"President Obama's version of America is a divided one, often pitting us against each other based on income level, gender, and social status. His policies have failed us. We're not better off than we were four years ago -- and no rhetoric, bumper sticker, or Hollywood campaign ad can change that."

"The American dream isn't just my story. It isn't just your story. It's our story. It's a story of human struggle, standing up and striving for more. Our story has been told for over 200 years, with small steps and giant leaps. From a woman on a bus, to a man with a dream. From the bravery of the Greatest Generation, to the innovators and entrepreneurs of today. This is our story! This is our America! This is the America we know because: We Built It!"

Clint Eastwood?  He was just a funny, kind of sad, old man.

i like old people.

I liked Ann Romney, I felt like she was real and spoke from her heart.

She is different from me, my nature is more Sarah Palin.

I liked these lines from her speech- transcript here.

I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a “storybook marriage.” Well, in the storybooks I read, there were never long, long, rainy winter afternoons in a house with five boys screaming at once. And those storybooks never seemed to have chapters called MS or breast cancer.

A storybook marriage? No, not at all. What Mitt Romney and I have is a real marriage.

I know this good and decent man for what he is — warm and loving and patient.

He has tried to live his life with a set of values centered on family, faith, and love of one’s fellow man. From the time we were first married, I’ve seen him spend countless hours helping others. I’ve seen him drop everything to help a friend in trouble, and been there when late-night calls of panic came from a member of our church whose child had been taken to the hospital.

You may not agree with Mitt’s positions on issues or his politics. Massachusetts is only 13% Republican, so it’s not like that’s a shock.

But let me say this to every American who is thinking about who should be our next president:

No one will work harder. No one will care more. No one will move heaven and earth like Mitt Romney to make this country a better place to live!

I felt like Mitt did a good job portraying who he really is.

I believe that he is a good, ethical, hardworking man.

I AGREE with his vision of America.

I believe that the REAL answer to all of our nation's problems begins in the HOMES of the people!!

My favorite lines from Mitt’s speech (here is the whole transcript)—

“All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family – and God's love -- this world would be a far more gentle and better place.”

“President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. MY promise...is to help you and your family.”

You can say what you want about the Romneys.

You might disagree with their politics or their personality.

But, you must know that they are good people.

They are.

And, Romney-Ryan 2012 has my vote!!