If the Shoe Fits...

I admit it. I am a sucker for a great pair of shoes. My three-year-old daughter, Tessa is following in my footsteps and in fact, she loves the Disney movie Cinderella  because of the shoes Cinderella wears to the ball. She absolutely loves the part where the Grand Duke is going around trying the glass slipper on any and everyone looking for Prince Charming's true love. Cinderella dances all night at the ball with Prince Charming but must Cinderella overhears her step-mother inform her step-sisters that no one knows the identity of the girl loved by the prince, and that he will marry whomever the slipper fits. Realizing her sweetheart's identity, and that he is searching for her, Cinderella goes to get her shoe. Seeing the dreamy look on Cinderella's face, Lady Tremaine deduces that she is the mystery woman and locks her in the attic. Just then, the Grand Duke arrives and offers the slipper to Drizella and Anastasia. While the two big-footed women attempt to don the dainty shoe, Jaq and Gus-Gus steal the key to Cinderella's door from Lady Tremaine's pocket. After dragging the heavy key up the stairs to the attic, Jaq and Gus-Gus succeed in freeing their friend despite interference from Lucifer. Before Cinderella can try on the slipper, however, the vindictive step-mother trips the lackey carrying the slipper and it shatters. The Grand Duke is devastated until Cinderella happily shows him the slipper's mate and dons it. My daughter squeals with delight everytime she sees the glass slipper fit perfectly onto Cinderella's foot. Of course you and I both know there is more to the story than a killer pair of heels.

Cinderella's story is far from unique. In fact, the term, "Cinderella Story" has been used over the years as a metaphor which describes the story of an unlikely person rising to greatness. There was not coincidentally the movie "Cinderella Man" about the boxer Jim Braddock during the Great Depression. And it was about his unlikely rise from injury and poverty, to where he defeated the world champion Max Baer. Maybe you saw the film "Seabiscuit." That was a similar story, only with a race horse. Those are stories that inspire us aren’t they? We get a thrill when we hear of the poor boy who becomes a great sports star, or of the deaf girl Helen Keller who makes a great name for herself, or when we read the legend of the poor young squire, who pulls the sword from the stone and becomes king of all England.

Its a story woven throughout the Bible. It is clear from the scriptures that God loves the Cinderella story, too. Most of the people God called for great things were not great people – not by the world’s standards, anyway. They were fishermen, like most of the disciples. They were young men like Jeremiah, and young girls like Mary. They were old men and women like Abraham and Sarah and Zechariah and Elizabeth. And they were shepherds like David. Instead of a glass slipper, the great prophet Samuel comes with a horn full of oil, and instructions from God to anoint the next king. The Lord tells him to choose a king from among the sons of Jesse, and so they’re all lined up, like the ugly sisters putting out their foot. They were all brought before the prophet one by one, like the wicked step-sisters. And like that story, the glass slipper fit none of them. It’s only when the last son is fetched, the most insignificant boy, the shepherd-lad, too small for the ceremony, that God tells Samuel, This is the man. 

 I have to admit something else, too. Since Governor Palin announced October 5 that she was not going to seek the GOP nomination, I have been taking a closer look at the declared candidates. I have been trying to slip the shoe of what I look for in a President onto the wrong-sized feet of every last one. The further I look into each one's records and positions on everything from American Exceptionalism to foreign policy, I cannot be convinced that anyone else can fill Gov. Palin's shoes. You can just look at Jon Huntsman and know there is no way these shoes are going to be a fit. Not even close. Mitt Romney's feet aren't a fit either. Just look at Romneycare or his stance on the debt ceiling to know that his political feet are too big goverment for these shoes. Senator Ron Paul's feet are just a bit too narrow. Despite fitting better than some of the others when it comes to domestic policy concerns like the economy, the glass slippers are way too tight in the toes of foreign policy, especially in concern to our greatest ally, Israel. Governor Rick Perry's feet won't fit either. His history of crony capitalism and the HPV mandate make certain for an uncomfortable fit. Michele Bachman looks like she might have the right-sized political feet to slip into the glass slippers, in fact at times it looks like she is wearing them. However, upon closer inspection you can see her shoes are only knock-offs. While immitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it doesn't hold water in shoe buying or for presidential contenders either. Former Godfather's CEO,Herman Cain is the last of the group to try on the shoes. While it seems like they may fit, they are a little too big. The presidency is is not an entry level position. He has no political experience and that has a way of becoming suddenly and painfully obvious.These shoes are high heels and need to be worn by someone who knows how.

The current GOP field of contenders it seems has forgotten the idea that support of Gov. Palin is unwaivering. Now, Now that Gov. Palin no longer seems to pose a threat because she doesn't appear to be running, every candidate will be scrambling to get Palinistas to pull the lever for them come primary season. They will be working hard to convince you they can slip into Sarah Palin's shoes. I am reminded of a conversation in one of my favorite movies, Steel Magnolias. Clairee asks Truvy what size shoes she wears. Truvy, played by Dolly Parton, responds, "In a good shoe, I wear a size six, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size eight." Evidence of the GOP field trying to force the shoes to fit is visible by their co-opting of Gov. Palin's playbook. Several of the candidates have now become quick advocates for drilling in Alaska's Artic National Wildlife Refuge(ANWR), but Gov. Palin was a "Drill, Baby, Drill" proponent long before this homegrown energy concept was cool. But the shoehorning can be even more blatant than just copying a broad idea. For instance, Michele Bachmann told NBC's Today show "it's very clear that crony capitalism could likely have been the cause" of Governor Perry's executive order mandating the shots, saying his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck. Bachmann's "crony capitalism" line was the same one Sarah Palin used in her speech at a Tea Party rally in Iowa in early September in which she criticized the "permanent political class" and "the collusion of big government and big business." By the way in the original Brothers Grimm version of the Cinderella story, it does indeed get a little more grim when it comes to Cinderella's sisters trying on the shoes. In the original story of Cinderella, one of the sisters cuts off a toe and the other slices off her heel,so that they could try to fit into the glass slipper! I fully expect the current GOP field to continue cutting off this and that from their talking points to make a better fit as they woo Palin supporters.

In the Disney version, its not as cut and dried as Cinderella slipping on that shoe and heading off into the sunset with her Prince Charming to live happily ever after. While the 'happily ever after' does eventually arrive, there is an obstacle shackling Cinderella and the Prince's happiness. Knowing that the slipper will fit and that Cinderella will marry the Prince, her stepmother trips the footman over while he is carrying the slipper, causing it to drop and shatter into hundreds of pieces All hope seems lost in that moment. Lady Tremaine saw her daughters, Cinderella's step-sisters as the ones who were expected to go to the ball, the ones who were marriageable. Cinderella was nothing more than a servant to her, not worthy of her notice, let alone a Prince's. Yet in the end she was the one who wowed the ball-goers, she caught the attention of the Prince, her foot which fitted the glass slipper.

The GOP establishment, the cocktail party Republicans, and cafeteria conservatives are all propping up Mitt Romney right now. In fact, just prior to both Governor Christie of New Jersey's announcement that he would not run for President and Gov. Palin's announcement that she would not run, one of the RNC talking heads made the statement that they already had their candidate. They don't want Gov. Palin to run. They think of her as someone useful like a servant, but of no real consequence. They certainly weren't going to push for her to be their choice. Like Cinderella though, Gov. Palin wowed "We the People". She has caught the attention of concerned constitutional conservatives across this nation. The shoes do indeed fit her. The permanent political class in America knows this, much like Lady Tremaine knew the glass slipper fit Cinderella perfectly, so they shattered the idea that Gov. Palin could be electable.

That saying is true - The perfect pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella. The perfect shoes have changed my life and like the Grand Duke in the Disney story, I am unwilling to try to make them fit someone else. Only Governor Palin fits into those shoes. While the GOP has tried to force her out and it seems all hope is lost because the title or shoe if you will of candidacy seems to have been shattered, remember the other shoe still exists.In Cinderella, The Duke laments over the broken slipper, but Cinderella then reveals she has kept the other glass slipper, much to her stepmother’s chagrin. Delighted at this indisputable proof of the maiden’s identity, the Duke slides the slipper onto her foot, which fits perfectly. She slips it on and all is well. The Prince has found his perfect mate. In the Presidential race, I firmly believe that the other shoe has yet to drop. Gov. Palin still holds the other shoe. And it fits her to a "Tea".

Beyond the Powder Alarm: Mobilizing to Restore America

Many Americans like us have probably forgotten more about the Revolutionary War than students in today's schools learn about it. We know of the Tea Party in Boston Harbor in 1773. We know of Paul Revere's ride, the cold bitter winter at Valley Forge, and the battle at Yorktown. Perhaps what is often lost in history's great moments are the pivotal events that led to the birth of our nation. Long before the Declaration of Independence was drafted but after our famous high tea in Boston Harbor, events like the Powder Alarm of 1774 shaped a revolution.

In the months following the Tea Party, the British Government imposed a series of acts on the colonies including the Massachusetts Governments Act. This legislation was described as, "an act for the better regulating the governments of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England". This act had a devastating effect on the existing governments in the Massachusetts colony. It removed the selection of the governor from the general courts or assemblies of the colony and vested that authority in the Crown. It further provided that all counselors, judges, commissioners, the attorney general, provosts, marshals, and justices of the peace, would be appointed by the Governor and approved by his Majesty. The final indignation came when the act required that all agenda items from town meetings had to have approval of the royal Governor, and that only the annual town meetings, in March and May, may be held, without permission of the Governor. Business as usual was no longer an option. The impact of this second act, the Massachusetts Government Act, was felt more severely in the rural communities outside of Boston. The people of Boston were preoccupied with the occupation by the British troops, and though their governments had been suspended, their concerns were other than those of the farmers. Suddenly, these small communities were unable to conduct the business of keeping their government functioning.

In response to these actions, the local communities formed a governing body known as the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Part of the congress' mission was to raise money, supplies and men for the local militias. Readying the militias and keeping all units informed involved clandestine meetings, intricate and dangerous message delivery systems and bravery. Many of the patriots in the Massachusetts Bay Colony whose names are so familiar to us today ran the risk of being hanged for treason if their plans were discovered. The successful organization of the militia was proven on when they issued a powder alarm.


The local militias had stores of gunpowder throughout the colony. This, in itself, was not illegal, nor was the forming of militia. It was its intended purpose that rankled with the General. One such store of gunpowder was kept in Charlestown. On September 1, 1774, General Thomas Gage ordered 260 regulars to go to the storehouse and remove 250 barrels of gunpowder. This caused some rebels to believe that they British were preparing to attack and they sounded the alarm. Discontent began that evening when colonists streamed into Cambridge and began to wonder what had transpired. As the hours pressed on, rumors and speculation took on a life of their own. Stories of soldiers firing on civilians and warships bombarding Boston spread quickly. Beacon fires, which had not been used since the French and Indian War, were lit by local residents to summon the surrounding country to action. The following morning a crowd of approximately 4,000 gathered in Cambridge. Throughout the countryside, tens of thousands of men armed themselves and marched for Boston.

As the members of this spontaneous colonial army approached Boston, they passed inhabitants of other towns who spurred them on towards their goal. According to Ezra Stiles, one witness who "passed thro' the whole at the very time of the convulsion," noted that "all along were armed Men rushing forward some on foot some on horseback." Many communities surrounding Boston "scarcely left half a dozen Men in a Town, unless old and decrepit, and in one town the Landlord. . .was the only Man left." Marching toward Boston and an impending civil war, the men of the New England countryside were encouraged not only by their brethren in arms, but by the entire community. "At every house [there were] Women and Children making Cartridges, running Bullets, making Wallets, baking Biscuits. . .animating their Husbands and Sons to fight for their Liberties." Even after the men left their own homesteads, "Women kept on making Cartridges and after equipping their Husbands, bro't them out to the Soldiers which in Crowds passed along and gave them out in handfuls." 1

Out of the Powder Alarm of 1774 arose a widespread movement with a single shared objective: to fight for the common liberties of the body of people. The significance of this militant uprising was obvious. The Yankees flexed their collective muscle and successfully achieved all they desired that day. Their success begged the question: Would they now return to their homes and allow the normal political players to do what they would with the situation? Or, would the actions of that day live on, and the agency they displayed continue in similar forms in the future? What was the enduring legacy of that impressive mobilization?

As supporters of Gov. Palin and ultimately as a body of people desiring 'sudden and relentless reform' to restore America, the same questions might be asked of us. We have successfully engaged, or perhaps enraged those wanting to expand the reach of our federal government under the auspices of a Palin run for President, but now that Gov. Palin has decided not to run, do we just return home to our quiet lives content to let the GOP establishment do what they will with the situation? Or will the actions we have taken thus far live on?

The spark of ordinary individuals, an engaged citizenry throughout the colonial countryside all those years ago created a movement. That movement sparked the War for Independence and birthed a new nation; a republic. Even though the Powder Alarm consisted of a singular event confined to two days, its effect on the future course of events in New England and America proved significant. The actions and lessons learned during that time energized the country people and hardened their resolve to resist English rule. The moves taken by General Gage and the British Parliament were intended to isolate Boston and reduce the provinces' ability to resist English rule. These efforts backfired. The acts mobilized New Englanders to resist the authority of Britain at all costs.

What will history say of our movement? Will it be that we put everything into one moment - getting Gov. Palin elected President, that we forgot the larger picture? No, I would like to think not and I don't think Gov. Palin would want us to pack up and go home. That is not who we are. We have kept our powder dry long enough. Now is the time to use it. The reality is as Palin has said all along - it is not about her. It is about "We the People". We need to press our demands, make our voices heard, and effect political change. All of us, not just the elite political class, but we farmers, artisans, merchants, and housewives need to continue our efforts. We can't hide behind someone else's skirts and wait for them to do the hard work of returning America to her glory. Today's Powder Alarm has come and gone. We are the driving force and we need to get involved in all levels of government, not just concern ourselves with the top of the ticket. We need to write letters to the editor, attend Central Committee Meetings, and even run for office ourselves. We need to stay focused, energized, and ready to restore America.

1 Primary accounts of the troop movement can be found in the Boston Gazette, Sept 5, 1 774; Dexter, ed., Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles p 480