It’s been almost three years since I, along with many others, was introduced to Governor Sarah Palin. In that time we have been saturated with coverage of her and just about everybody on the left and the right, has had the opportunity to get to know who she is and what they think of her.

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At least that’s what I thought.

Admittedly, it took me some time to actually post this review of the recently released film “The Undefeated” about Sarah Palin’s meteoric rise to fame. It took time because, for numerous reasons, Sarah Palin is an emotional topic for a lot of people.

She seems to be one of those national figures that you either love with adoring affection, or hate with an uncontrollable rage. Rarely have I met someone who simply doesn’t have an opinion of her. Many pretend to, but most you can see through. At least I can. I can see through it because my opinion of her was much more specific than I ever liked to admit.

Certainly I believed that the media had been incredibly unkind to her. I believed that her stepping down as Governor was more the loss of an intense battle than simply the “giving up to go get rich” that others had labeled it. But in truth, I didn’t too much care for her, in spite of my public facade of being mostly opinion free.’

I didn’t think she’d really done much in Alaska, or if she had, that it was enough to act like she was the second coming of Reagan. I thought that her contributions when being interviewed were bubble-gum and lacking of any real substance. I would never finish hearing a story about her and think, “Wow, I never thought of that before.” I just didn’t see that she had that much to offer.

There was so much media coverage of Palin, and so many people that were incredibly unfair to her, that I had been desensitized. I didn’t realize it, but I had actually developed a sort of immunity to believing anything positive about Sarah Palin. Rush Limbaugh, a personal hero of mine, sang her praises every time her name came up. In spite of that, I still felt no reason to look further into her story.

Rush had actually gotten to the point of making it a personal game to get opinions about Palin from others because he finds the dislike remarkable. I recall that one time, he was marveling that even the conservatives that don’t want her to run for president, still talk about how great they think she is, and it seemed to confuse him. I tried to call in to tell him, “Rush, they’re saying that because they’re afraid of you! They can’t admit they don’t like Palin to you because they know you do like her and you’re the voice of the movement!”

I was absolutely right that this was the case for many people, but the only reason I knew it, was because I was one of them. Hell, if I’d actually gotten through and had the opportunity to say this to him, and he’d asked me my opinion, I’m sure I would’ve acted like she was the cat’s pajamas, just to save face.

Ultimately, I thought she was the type of political force that was going to be around, needed to be treaded on carefully, but would never have anything substantial to offer to the cause of conservatism other than rallying troops which I still believed was a valuable service.

I thought she hadn’t gotten a fair shake in the media, but I felt confident that I could see through the bias and that I understood who she was, what she had done and what my opinion would probably be about her going forward.

I was entirely incorrect.

I consider the director of “The Undefeated”, Stephen Bannon, to be a friend of mine. He’s advised me in my own fledgling productions. I’ve interviewed him a handful of times on my podcast and we always talk for over an hour effortlessly. When I heard he was making this film, I immediately wanted to interview him, but I assumed that everything I knew about Palin would simply be confirmed by watching this.

We popped the film into our DVD player, and sat back to watch. One thing I had no doubts about was that Stephen Bannon would make a visually impressive, compelling film that would stir emotion. I was pleased to see that he used his trademark method of letting the people directly tied to the events tell the story (I often find narration cumbersome) adding their own particular emotions and perspectives to the narrative. These were all things that I expected and Bannon did not disappoint.

The film moves at a breakneck pace while still laying out a level of detail that brings you so close to the events, you feel like you personally experienced them.

Even had the substance not convinced me that I had Mrs. Palin pegged wrong, the film itself would most certainly have scored high for me as my all important test was passed: Did I look at my watch? No I did not.

In short, the execution of this film is excellent.

—–

But what had me and my wife blown away by the time it was over, was the avalanche of information and perspectives that had been hidden from us over the years. As I would like for you to listen to my interview with Steve, I will not get into the substance of what caused the change. I want you to hear it for yourself.

I pride myself on my ability to know when something is baloney, almost instinctively. On Sarah Palin, I was so incredibly hoodwinked that the one word that my wife and I agreed described how we felt after watching it, was shame. Yes of course invigoration, satisfaction and all the other things you experience when watching a good film, but about how we had handled our vetting of Mrs. Palin, shame was the word that best described it.

Shame for not bothering to look up her record. Shame for not reading her story. Shame for turning the channel when she came on the tv. Shame for not listening to people that we had a great deal of respect for like Andrew Breitbart, Tammy Bruce, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

As Breitbart points out in the film, the greatest shame is that while this woman was savaged to degrees you may not even realize yet, some of us sat back and let it happen. For me to buy into the media template and not defend someone who’s only offense was being a conservative, is the absolute antithesis of what I stand for, and something that I shall never allow to happen again.

I urge you to see this film when it hits theaters today. And I urge you to put aside your preconceptions about who this woman is. You don’t have to think she should be the next president to believe that the way she has been presented, even by conservatives, has been completely wrong.

Please listen to my interview with Mr. Bannon – download the audio here.

Then go see the film.

Cross-Posted at Redstate.com

Right Online 2011 in Minneapolis-St. Paul was the site of the first screening of filmmaker Stephen Bannon’s much anticipated new documentary on the life and career of Sarah Palin, The Undefeated. Bannon had warned the assembled attendees that we would be seeing what he styled as “the R-rated cut.” The pre-screening buzz indicated that this phrasing was in reference to the opening montage of the film where, presumably, a bit of rough language was in store. As promised, the initial three-minute sequence lived up to its billing.

It is difficult to dispute the premise that Sarah Palin is quite possibly the most viciously hated female, not only in the conservative movement, but in the United States. An assorted motley string of D-list Hollywood types/media complex sorts, from Rosie O’Donnell to Sharon Osbourne to Bill Maher, are captured on video, subjecting Palin to the most vile epithets imaginable…replete with the crudest of sexual references. We’re introduced to the “Kill Sarah Palin” Facebook group. (It seems to no longer exist. But this is still out there.) A new T-shirt makes its debut, emblazoned with the legend “Sarah Palin is a C@%T.”

On and on the bilious saga roils. One is forced to ponder the demonstrable truth that this represents a mere few moments in an endless sea of wretched acrimony. All directed at one attractive, slender, 5’5” wife and mother of four five…who also happens to be a former Mayor of Wasilla, Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential candidate.

We observe how Palin’s formative years in a middle-class, values-oriented family in an almost frontier-like Alaska town contributed to the convictions she embraces today. We see the indelible impression the devastation of the Exxon Valdez oil spill imprinted on a young Sarah’s perspective and how the aftermath subconsciously propelled her to public service.

We then gain entrance to the behind-the-scenes machinations of the corruption to which Alaskan politics had succumbed for decades. Sarah Palin’s determination to upend the status quo and introduce transparency to the mix brought her into the mayoral race in her hometown of Wasilla. The same commitment to open government led Palin to take on the Frank Murkowski machine in Alaska and emerge an upset winner. And then, of course, GOP Presidential nominee John McCain came calling in 2008…

Along the way, the single greatest liability of The Undefeated also constitutes its boldest stroke of effectiveness. I had heard Stephen Bannon address a social media gathering at the Heritage Foundation the previous week. He told the assembled activists at that time that the untold story of Sarah Palin is that she was a leader of substance and savvy. He also candidly advised that the section of the documentary that covers this phase of Palin’s career is slow in spots and runs a bit long.

Bannon was correct on both counts. The typical documentary is in the neighborhood of 90 minutes in length. The Undefeated runs for two hours. At times, perhaps partially due to the lateness of the hour, exertion was required to maintain focus.

But in the end, Bannon delivers the goods in a fashion that lingers. Learning about how Palin convinced the Alaska legislature to approve the Aegea AGIA gas pipeline and grant the license to TransCanada/Alaska may not constitute scintillating viewing. The meticulous planning that resulted in newly paved roads and renewed infrastructure across Alaska isn’t spellbinding cinematic fare. But the determination and grit that led Palin to success in these efforts garnered an 80% (I reiterate: EIGHTY percent) approval rating as governor across her native state.

My seatmate at the screening was a good friend who could hardly be described, for a variety of reasons, as a down-the-line traditional conservative. He is certainly the furthest thing from an ardent Palin supporter. But within the last ten minutes of the film, he leaned over and whispered, “Palin’s governorship wasn’t ideological in the least; it was practical!”

I realized in that moment what the powerful takeaway is from The Undefeated. Sarah Palin has had her identity as a problem-solving state leader completely stripped from her by a media machine that loathes her. This process has been aided and abetted at every juncture by a liberal political/Hollywood cabal who has caricatured her every feature. It is despicable. And it is revolting. But it is real.

Despite the above, in the face of all the rhetorical grenades that have been lobbed in her direction, Sarah Palin is resolute. She is indomitable in her adversarial stance towards the Left and specifically towards the initiatives of President Barack Obama. Palin isn’t afraid to call multiple charter members of the progressive Left out for what they are: socialists who seek to undermine what America has been. And for that, she is feared, reviled and scorned. Yet she marches on, head held high.

The mixture of emotion in the room was palpable, from muffled sobs to spirited chuckles to multiple instances of spontaneous applause. For while the pace wasn’t always brisk, the effect of Sarah Palin’s story lingers. Commentary throughout from Palin family members, friends such as Andrew Breitbart, Tammy Bruce and Sonnie Johnson, as well as fellow Alaskans underscored the central theme. Sarah Palin is a woman of steely courage who will not be cowed by the seething rage of a media machine bent on her destruction.

You may see this movie and decide that Sarah Palin will and should launch an Oval Office bid. That wasn’t my final conclusion. I did, however, wake up the morning after, possessed of a steely determination that conservatives must learn never to allow the media to redefine anyone for us again. The casualty of one good woman to this sordid scrum of mendacity is one too many. Sarah Palin deserves better. This film is a step in the process of broad-based restoration to which her image is entitled.

Sarah Palin IS The Undefeated.

 By the time you finish watching this superbly scripted and produced two-hour documentary about the former Alaskan Governor, if you don’t come to that conclusion, you were either asleep during the film or you still  believe that “Community Organizer” trumps true executive experience and success as qualification to serve as America’s Commander-In-Chief.

Dim the house lights…

It is 2008 and Republican Presidential candidate John McCain introduces Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate to a crowd of thousands of enthusiastic supporters.  The beautiful, poised, confident Governor takes the stage at the Republican National Convention to thunderous applause and delivers an electrifying speech with a level of charisma, wit, and passion not seen since Ronald Reagan, that catapulted this relatively unknown Alaskan Governor onto the National political stage making her almost instantly and simultaneously one of the most revered and one of the most reviled politicians in recent memory.

In stark contrast, the film then cuts over to a dramatic 3-minute montage of pure, unadulterated hatred from the left for this VP candidate which history will record as one of the most vicious campaigns to annihilate a public figure.  It was vulgar.  It was brutal.  It was violent.  It was main stream.  It was textbook Alinsky.  And yet, she is still standing…undefeated.

"Civility" from the left...

The attacks from the liberal pundits, journalists, talk show hosts, celebrities and patrons of social networking sites and the blogosphere were completely abhorrent and offensive.  So much so that the film’s writer/director, Stephen Bannon, told us at the private screening of the rough cut of the film, he would have to do a lot of creative editing to mask some of the more vulgar and violent footage to get the film to a PG-13 rating for National distribution, yet still convey the same astonishing level of the left’s pathological hatred for Palin.  If you have even an ounce of human decency or compassion, viewing this brief sampling of the almost maniacal attacks on Sarah Palin should make your blood boil.  What has she ever done to deserve this?  Does her mere existence threaten people so much they feel she must be destroyed completely before they are satisfied?

Their latest display of depravity or desperation as it were, with the release of over 24,000 of her private emails from her tenure as Alaska’s Governor, has even drawn criticism from those who would never vote for Palin).  The timing couldn’t be better, though, as we are finding (much to the dismay of the corrupt MSM) that she was every bit the dedicated, hard-working Governor depicted in Bannon’s documentary.

But then we see the words from Matthew 7: 17-20 appear on the screen almost as if to calm our souls and bring all of this into perspective.  We are reminded with this passage that this truly is a spiritual battle between good and evil…right from wrong.   Not just for Governor Palin, but for all of us…for our Nation.

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” ~ Matthew 7:20

By the end of this film, you will know who Sarah Palin really is.

With opening credits rolling we hear a single, solitary female voice singing an a capella rendition of The Minstrel Boy (a favorite among Irishmen who fought in the Civil War), with never-before-seen home video footage of a happy, care-free American girl blossoming into a beautiful, accomplished young lady growing up in a small town tucked away in the beautiful, vast, wild, expanses of “The Last Frontier”.  As the singer concludes her song with the words “thy song was made for the pure and free and shall never sound in slavery”, the story that chronicles the political career of Alaska’s own pioneer and patriot, Sarah Palin, begins.

Mayor of Wasilla

With commentary from conservative heavy-hitters Mark Levin, Andrew Breitbart, and Tammy Bruce, conservative activists, former staffers, and others, Stephen Bannon does a brilliant job telling the story of Palin’s rise from obscurity in the lower 48 to stardom on the National political stage.  The seed was planted shortly after the Exxon Valdez disaster that Good Friday, 24 March 1989.  It was when she saw the devastation caused to the community, to the people, to the Alaskan economy that she decided “If I had a chance to serve the people, I would do so”.

As the film takes us through the fascinating journey that is Sarah Palin’s highly successful political career in Alaska, it is clear to see she has always been a tough-as-nails executive who understood her role as a servant for the people during her time as Mayor of Wasilla, as Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Chairwoman, and as Alaska’s most popular Governor.  We see her take on the Republican establishment, big oil, corruption, ethics reform, and tax reform and stare down the ugliness and smears she faced from her political foes and the mainstream Alaskan media with uncommon valor and a fierce, tenacious spirit.  She, like a Marine, always ran toward the danger instead of away from it and took on the huge issues nobody else dared to.  With every new challenge the naysayers claimed there was no way she could do the job, that she was not strong enough, that she lacked the “gravitas”, and didn’t have a good understanding of the issues.  She proved them all wrong…and remained undefeated.

She didn’t just talk the talk…she walked the walk.  When it came to fighting corruption within her own Administration, she said “In politics you’re either eating well or sleeping well”.  She always chose the latter.

With one legislative success after another and overwhelming bipartisan support, Governor Sarah Palin’s popularity was at a record high 88% according to Gallup’s empirical data — the highest approval rating on record for a sitting US Governor.  With that kind of approval rating, Sarah stated “My administration must be doing something right”.  She enjoyed those high approval ratings right up to the day her Blackberry rang and Senator McCain asked “Would you like to help me change history”?

And so began their campaign for the White House.

At the 2008 Republican National Convention

So, too, began another campaign — the one launched by the statists to destroy her.  Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals teaches its disciples that you must take a person’s strengths and “isolate them”.  And that is exactly what they did.  It was an organized strategy and the media gladly participated.  Bannon’s film, The Undefeated, reveals exactly what they “isolated” and as John Nolte, Editor-In-Chief of BigHollywood, so aptly put it, is “doing the job the corrupt MSM won’t”.

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While the 2008 Presidential election did not turn out as planned, Sarah Palin won the hearts of millions of Americans, and as Mark Levin noted, the excitement and enthusiasm generated by Palin was the beginning of the awakening of conservatives across the country — the beginning of what is now the TEA Party movement — and very reminiscent of what happened during the Reagan Revolution.  Americans were seeing for the first time since Reagan, a true conservative leader who had a heart for America and for the people.  “Ronald Reagan would have loved the TEA Party” said Levin.  Like Palin, Reagan was called an outsider that couldn’t win.  People said he was “too conservative”, “a right-winger”, “an extremist”.  And he was just what America needed.

Upon her return to Alaska to resume her duties as Governor, Palin was plagued with one trumped up ethics charge after another which cost her staff dearly.  Each charge was dismissed but rarely, if ever, reported by the media.  As the Palins were a middle-class family and had to pay their own legal fees (which had amassed to over $500,000), the intent of her opponents was to force her family into bankruptcy.  Governor Palin knew that with all the negative press and increasing opposition contributing to her declining popularity, she would not be able to pass one single piece of legislation for the people of Alaska.  She knew her constituents were paying the price and suffering simply because their Governor’s name was “Sarah Palin”.  Her decision to step down, as in all her decisions, was in the best interest of the people.  She said “Life is about choices.  You can choose things that tear you down or build you up”.  She always made the right choice for the people in spite of the harsh criticism she knew she would receive.  “Thank God Sarah refuses to accept the premise of her destruction” stated one of her supporters in the film.  Her spirit cannot not be defeated.

In the final scene, as Sarah is speaking at the 2011 Tax Day Rally in Wisconsin, her hair and glasses soaked from the falling snow but the crowd every bit as fired up as they were the day she took the stage at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin states with the same passion and conviction present in every single speech she delivers “We’re here, we’re clear…get used to it.  God has shed His Grace on thee.  Mr. President…Game on!”

We are left to ponder the words of Thomas Paine:  “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”

This is a must-see film that “Palinistas” will absolutely love and will allow Palin skeptics to see what the media has so successfully isolated — hidden in plain sight.  I dare you to go see it.

Broken into a series of chapters that focus solely on Palin’s political career, the film itself opens with a jarring (in a good way) montage of bitterly hostile celebrities who obviously don’t have enough humanity of their own to see the same in a mother of five. Among others, Bill Maher, Rosie O’Donnell, Matt Damon, Joy Behar, David Letterman, and comedian Louis CK lash out at this woman and her family (including Trig, her Down Syndrome son) in jaw-droppingly cruel and sexual ways that would surely garner an R-rating (there will be an unrated and PG-13 version released). Even though part of my job is to track this celebrity venom and nothing I saw was new, the sheer volume of hate still takes your breath away. Bannon’s answer to this is one of the film’s more effective moments: a credit sequence over home movies where we watch Sarah Palin — someone’s little girl — grow up. Since none of those celebrities were born with a shame-gene, you almost have to feel ashamed for them. 

From here the narrative smartly avoids the personal biographical beats of Palin’s life and jumps directly into her life as a political figure. Bannon secured the audio rights to “Going Rogue” which allows Palin herself to tell much of her own story and right off the bat we’re treated to one of those inconvenient facts the MSM ignores. What inspired this blue collar, hockey mom married to an oil worker to get into politics was the devastating 1989 Exxon Valdez environmental catastrophe. The oil companies clearly held too much power in Alaska and a seed was planted that would eventually grow into the woman currently giving the GOP establishment and corrupt media fits as she tours America in a bus. 

There’s nothing partisan about “The Undefeated.” The Republican establishment and Big Oil take a well-deserved beating from open to close. If anything, they come off worse than the Left who are really only guilty of being their awful selves. It’s just a fact that throughout most of her career (and the film’s second act) — as Palin moved from Wasilla Mayor to Chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to Governor — she fearlessly and effectively battled her own party and Big Oil almost every step of the way. I don’t want to get too wonky in a film review, but as you watch this particular section you’re going to learn as much about the MSM as you do the Governor. Try to imagine how many elite, blow-dried souls Lucifer was able to secure the rights to in order for them to gain the sway needed to convince the public that an undistinguished half-term Senator most famous for voting present was more qualified to be President than one of the most successful and popular governor’s in the country. 

——

An important theme that develops is Palin’s unwavering principles. That doesn’t mean she’s not willing to work with the other side. In fact, just the opposite is true. But during an interview in one of the many pieces of heretofore unseen news footage we’re treated to, Palin says it best (paraphrasing): “A politician has a choice between eating well and sleeping well.” In her public life, Palin has resigned from two offices; once as Chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation in order to call attention to corruption and most famously as Alaska’s governor. The former put her at odds with the GOP establishment and cost her middle-class family a six-figure salary. 

The latter cost her a ton of political capital. 

In both cases, it’s quite obvious the Governor understood that the consequences of her stepping down would be personally devastating, but in both cases she chose to sleep rather than eat well. Sure, Palin could have hung on as Governor and avoided taking fire as a “quitter” even from some on our side, but at what price to the State of Alaska? A never-ending stream  of frivolous ethics complaints not only threatened to bankrupt Palin’s family but had also frozen the government’s ability to get anything done.  A mercenary politician more concerned with his her own personal ambitions would’ve held on to that office at any cost (to everyone else). Instead, Palin made the kind of sacrifice you just don’t see those in power make. Should Palin choose to run for president in 2012 there’s no way around the fact that her decision to step down as Governor will be a major headwind — which means that those of us looking for leaders willing to make unpopular choices for the greater good should appreciate her decision all the more.  

Leftists in the MSM (but I repeat myself) have already complained about “The Undefeated” being commissioned by Palin (a lie) and that it skips over issues like the nonsense-scandal that was TrooperGate. But the very fact that everyone reading this already knows about TrooperGate answers that criticism. “The Undefeated” is about filling in the gaping holes the corrupt MSM intentionally dug. The documentary is new information for anyone still stupid enough to watch the Nightly News and read Politico. Furthermore, unlike the MSM, Bannon makes no secret of his biases. He’s not weaponizing objectivity or trying to con anyone. But if the early response is any indication, critics intend to do to the film what they to do to Palin: ignore substance at all costs. 

Among others, thanks to Andrew Breitbart, Kate Obenshain, Tammy Bruce, and Mark Levin, “The Undefeated” closes strong — especially when Breitbart attacks GOP establishment “eunuchs” who to this very day lack the “chivalry” and courage to fight those who seek to destroy this woman in unprecedented ways. But even larger-than-life personalities can’t outshine the Governor herself. In a series of well-selected clips from recent speeches, there’s Sarah where she always is: alone on a stage in the middle of the fight talking about her love for America, her belief in liberty, and fearlessly giving hell to whoever has it coming … regardless of party. 

Will “The Undefeated” change minds? I think it will, especially among open-minded Independents who have yet to be introduced to “this” Sarah Palin. Thankfully, due to New Media and a filmmaker willing to put a million of his own dollars where his mouth is, we can now get the truth out there using our own Bus Tour — our own message-delivery device that works around the GOP eunuchs and corrupted MSM. 

With any luck, the season of watching the insufferable choke on a hockey mom’s exhaust has only begun.

“The Undefeated” is a comprehensive and at times moving must-see for anyone interested in the truth about Sarah Palin.

Jim Geraghty started a brouhaha yesterday by criticizing how the makers of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” received $1.2 million in tax credits by filming in the state — and that Palin signed the 2008 law which made it possible. Because she’s now apparently omnipotent, able to see into the future and plan for it by signing into law a complex program with numerous in-house checks and balances. Geraghty questioned Palin’s conservative credentials.

… but it looks problematic for a crusader for small government to end up collecting a seven-figure paycheck from an endeavor that received a seven-figure subsidy, all set up by a program she signed into law.

What’s problematic is to define the tax credit in this issue as a “subsidy.”

Tax credits are offered as an incentive to do business in a particular area, city, or state as a way to attract business and commerce into said area. These tax credits are usually offered as a percentage of total money spent and the credits can be sold at a discount to businesses looking to alleviate their tax load. The exchange creates a cashflow that helps offset the costs of doing that particular business in that area; in this case filming in Alaska is very expensive. A net gain of dollars flows into those local communities and the credits establish a way for a particular locality to compete with other cities or states for business; over the long term it can they help establish a broader tax base by increasing the number of professionals drawn to the area.

The optimal situation is to have a tax code is low enough where regulations aren’t so restrictive so as to warrant the need for tax credits. That is the real debate. However, it is within every state and city’s right to make themselves more competitive by offering tax incentives to attract business and create a business community. Aren’t we, as conservatives, supporters of the 10th Amendment? You pay for things by increasing your tax base, not by increasing regulations or taxes.

It’s also important to note that this was a bipartisan piece of legislation she simply signed into law to spur commerce and diversify Alaska’s economy — not something Palin created to help herself as has been subtly suggested on other parts of the web.

Still, should governments be in the business of subsidizing television programs? The precise arguments against PBS and NPR – that in today’s much more diversified media environment, almost all of the programming on government-funded radio and television networks could thrive in the private sector without government subsidy – would apply to the Alaska-based shows, no?

I respect Geraghty, but this is a bad argument. It’s incomparable to NPR (and absurd to compare it to other federal programs when this isn’t a federal issue) – this program deals with state tax credits first of all and secondly, it occurred in a state that enjoys a budget surplus, as Geraghty earlier acknowledged. Tax payers paid for nothing. It was also the cheapest PSA that Alaska has ever produced, considering that the cost of producing a comparable PSA campaign, excluding ad buys, would run in excess of $500k, and with ad buys you’re looking at over a million dollars. (Relatedly, my in-laws went to vacation and fish in Alaska recently based on the show alone. They found Alaska as beautiful as advertised.)

The bottom line is that the issue of film tax credits is grossly misunderstood. It’s a process open to anyone who can come up with a solid business plan to get them. Arguments against it include complaints about making states compete against each other; well, aren’t we conservatives? Don’t we like competition? Don’t we all realize that such widespread competition lowers the taxes across the board? Is that not a good thing, if we are to discuss this within the context of financial conservatism?

If limited government is to mean something, it means there must be some areas of economic activity that government does not seek to steer, influence, promote, regulate, or restrict.

Allowing companies more control over their dollars (by way of reselling credits, et al.) is less government intervention. Demanding more of their dollars is absolutely steering, influencing, regulating, and restricting the free market, and it certainly does promote the value of filming in one state over another.

As I said, the argument here should be about lower taxes across the board, as opposed to the actions some states must take in order to remain competitive. It’s also illogical to try and discredit Alaska’s program by comparing it with that of other states because variables differ in each state.

I love debate and disagreement when it occurs on the right because a competition of ideas ultimately makes the right stronger and frankly, more invincible. However, if you’re going to take a stand on an issue and place a target on a fellow conservative who takes more than enough heat from the left, it’s wise to make sure that you fully understand the issue and articulate it correctly.

Stacy Drake at Conservatives for Palin:

Jim Geraghty has penned an article criticizing Governor Palin for a law she signed in 2008 that offers tax breaks to film companies who do business in Alaska. Geraghty states that the production company for “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” took part in the program and that it might be “problematic” for the governor “on the campaign trail.”

He writes:

It isn’t too hard to imagine this becoming problematic for Sarah Palin on the campaign trail, as noted by the Tax Foundation:

In case you missed it, small government crusader and Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin’s TLC reality show “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” received a $1.2 million subsidy from the state of Alaska. The show spent $3.6 million on production in the state, meaning that Alaskan taxpayers covered a third of the cost of the show. The show will apparently not have a second season.

Everything Palin has done has been perfectly legal, but it looks problematic for a crusader for small government to end up collecting a seven-figure paycheck from an endeavor that received a seven-figure subsidy, all set up by a program she signed into law. Of course, Palin set up the subsidy in 2008, and the TLC series wasn’t filmed until the summer of 2010, after Palin resigned as governor.

Which begs the question…. What’s the problem?

If Governor Palin signed a law in 2008, and somebody she had a business agreement with took advantage of that law in 2010 (while she was no longer in office), where is the issue? Governor Palin was not in charge of the show’s production. Any decision by her was made well before she even considered doing her own show. The decision to take the tax break from the state, was not made by her, but by the production company.

Read the full piece here.

Governor Palin responds in the Daily Caller here.

When Sarah Palin said she would be doing a reality show, most commenting on it thought it was a horrible idea.  What could she be thinking?  Maybe this meant she didn’t want to run for President, because what could be less presidential than a reality show?  Or maybe it did mean she wanted to run because why else would she want to open her family up to such exposure. 

I won’t speculate too much on the effect of the show on Sarah Palin’s future political pursuits other than to say I think any effect of the show will be positive.  In Sarah Palin’s Alaska, Palin is shown as a tough woman who can hunt for her food, rear five kids, and create new words.  She appears calm, good natured, steady, and solid.  And she shows she has a sense of humor, a great family and an intense love for the beautiful state where she has lived her life.   

Above all, in Sarah Palin’s Alaska we see that Sarah Palin is a real person.  Her kids make fun of her sometimes (“Mom, take your prom hair back home”) and don’t always do exactly as told.  Sarah talks like many of us do saying things like “flippin’” and “freaking out.”  Instead of that decreasing her presidential factor, though, it just makes her more relatable.  We also saw her as a mother, interacting with Trig and her other kids in some incredibly touching scenes.

In addition to seeing what an incredible woman Sarah Palin is, we were introduced to some amazing characters.  Her daughter Piper was a constant companion of Sarah’s in the show.  She is beyond adorable, says all the things a smart-as-a-whip witty little girl would say, and makes lots of funny faces.  We see a lot of her husband Todd who is a hunky, smart companion to Sarah Palin.

Sarah’s dad, 72-year-old Chuck Heath, was my favorite though.  This man is ready for his close up.  Seriously, someone needs to give him a show of his own.  In Sunday night’s episode we were introduced to the musk ox, which Chuck Heath explained are prehistoric animals that survived when many others didn’t.  He was featured in many of the episodes and was constantly providing interesting tidbits of information.  He is a retired teacher who is something of an expert on Alaskan wildlife and his passion for the subject is evident.

The real star of the show though was the state of Alaska and the people who live and work there.  In one episode, Sarah refers to herself as the Cliff Clavin of Alaska because she recites so many facts about the state.  In addition to the information we are given by Palin, Heath and many others, we see the beauty of the state, both in the scenery and in the people we meet.

What the show really did for me personally, and that I can only imagine it did for others like me, is to encourage me to spend more time with my kids doing the kinds of things the Palins did over the summer in the show.  Not that I am going to be camping in the wilderness or climbing mountains, but I will try to unplug my kids from their electronics more often and take some interesting day trips to places other than the mall.

And I will be purchasing the show on DVD.  I could watch the episodes over and over again for the beautiful scenery and educational value alone.  Due to the political climate in the entertainment industry, the show might not win any awards, but it is my choice by far for best reality show.

In the beginning of the episode the family (sans Todd who stays back to play Mr. Mom to Trig) goes whitewater rafting in a glacial stream with a guide named Mudflap.  We are told this is the largest glacier in the United States that you can drive to.  Sarah’s dad, Chuck Heath (somebody give this man a show please), talks about having lost hunting partners to the cold waters of glacial streams.

Sarah’s mom and dad and brother and sister are along for the trip this week.  Sarah talks about how this reminds her of so many summer adventures they shared as a family. She says they found thrills, adventures and good family time in the wilds of Alaska.

As always, the scenery is breathtaking.  And as in past episodes, we get a deeper look at the Sarah Palin the public knows. Talking about being one of those in the boat responsible for much of the rowing, Sarah says it is more work, but that she doesn’t want an ordinary ride — she wants it to be extraordinary. That could be said about the way she approaches so many other things in her life.

Additional adventures in this episode include four-wheeling to a remote camp to visit their old friend, Bones, a trapper, and panning for gold and searching for fossils.  Sarah’s dad Chuck shares more information about Alaska — she refers to him as the Cliff Clavin of Alaska.  (Seriously, someone needs to give this man his own show.  He is a retired teacher with a passion for Alaskan wildlife and he presents facts in an interesting way.  I’d watch him.)

There is also a dog mushing segment this week.  In addition to seeing the “mushing,” viewers get to see how an Iditarod champion trains his dogs.  And we get to see Sarah and Piper work in a local restaurant.  As I said earlier, it’s just another week with the Palins — again showing the value of spending time with family enjoying God’s incredible Creation. 

You can catch a peek at the video here and watch the whole show tonight on TLC.

Thankfully it wasn’t though.  Sure there are the obligatory comments from Kate about how crazy all this outdoorsy, gun shooting, camping stuff seems to her.  But this episode was really more about how much kids can learn from being exposed to the great outdoors.  And about how experiences like that can bring families closer together.

Sarah’s father, Chuck Heath, is featured again in this episode.  He is a retired science teacher and his house is like a nature museum — full of fun and interesting things for kids to look at and touch like beaver skulls and porcupine quills and stuffed animals (of the taxidermy, not teddy bear, variety).  Kate’s kids appear fascinated by the things he shows and teaches them over the course of their visit.  (Note to Mark Burnett:  Give this man his own show.  I could listen to him talk about wildlife for hours. He is a great teacher and is obviously passionate about the world around him.)

Before their Chelatina Lake camping trip, Sarah and Kate and Willow attend a  “Learn to Return” class to learn about how to avoid and distract bears and, if necessary as a last resort, to shoot one.  Sarah shows her pioneer woman calm and strength when she gets two kill shots on the simulated attacking bear. Once again this episode shows that Palin is the real deal.  She grew up hunting and fishing and camping and comes across as the kind of person you would want protecting your family in a dangerous situation.  Also, as in previous episodes, the viewer gets a great lesson in Alaska wildlife, both in the class and out in the wilderness on the camping trip.

There are, predictably, some great quotes from Kate during the camping trip (“Sorry I am miserable, but somebody’s gotta be.”)  And there are moose hotdogs and smores.  And Sarah Palin shooting a bear gun.  The Gosselin kids appear to enjoy every minute of their camping trip with the Palins, but you’ll have to watch the episode Sunday night on TLC to see how long Kate lasts in the great Alaskan wilderness.

In addition to watching Track catch fish (or not catch fish), Todd’s Eskimo grandmother, Lena, teaches Willow and the other girls in the family how to process the fish properly.  Willow describes the scene as being covered in blood (and fish guts) and says she doesn’t think any of her friends do this.  She is a good sport though and pretty good at it.

Later at the fish camp in Ekuk, after learning to process salmon for smoking, Piper says “I think I’m the best fish fileter in the whole third grade.”

The episode shows the Palin side of the family (5 generations) and what a big part of their lives fishing is.  Willow celebrates her sweet sixteen birthday with a family party at her great grandmother’s house.  The most powerful moments in the episode though focus on Trig and his teenage cousin Matthew who both have Down syndrome.

Sarah chokes up and tears up (and so did I) when talking about  her visit with Matthew because it gives her a look at Trig in ten years.  She says she hopes that Trig will be embraced by others and treated just like the other kids and talks about how Trig is the heart of her family and how much he teaches them all.  This is an emotional side of Sarah Palin that her fans have not seen — at least not to this extent.

This is the most “real” of the episodes so far.  The family is not fishing with brown bears or climbing mountains or visiting a commercial fishing operation.  They are hanging out with family, fishing on their own boat with their own nets the way they supported their family for many years.  They are visiting cousins and working alongside them in the fish camp.  This shows the background of hard work and family that shapes Todd and Sarah Palin’s world view. 

The episode airs tomorrow night, Sunday, at 9 p.m. ET on TLC.