BELLEVILLE: Sarah Palin talks economy, Obama with excited crowd at local tea party rally (with photo slideshow and ...

By Krista Gjestlandkgjestland@heritage.comTwitter: @kgjestland

Photo by Krista Gjestland.

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Former vice presidential candidate and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin greeted hundreds of tea party supporters Saturday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Belleville.

Palin was the guest speaker at Patriots in the Park, an event sponsored by the Willow Run Tea Party Caucus and Americans For Prosperity Michigan.

Palin spoke at length about energy and the economy, saying that lifting government restrictions on coal and oil production in the United States would help

"Our economic revival starts with our energy revival," she said. "It's about fostering a genuine free market."

Government interference, Palin said, is a problem and is hindering economic growth.

"2012 is the race between big government and big freedom," she said. "We must get government out of the way and we must let the private sector breathe and grow."

Palin also criticized President Barack Obama and health care reform.

"We're little tea pots, and we're getting steamed up because Obama is tipping us over, pouring us out and draining the entrepreneurial spirit from us, that which grew America into the most exceptional nation ever known," she said.

Obama, Palin said, is trying to "fundamentally change" the U.S. with healthcare r! eform. < a href="http://www.heritage.com/articles/2012/07/21/belleville_view/news/doc5002214d939a6272093904.txt?viewmode=2">Continued...

"Can you afford four more years of this?" she asked the crowd. "Why would anybody want to fundamentally transform what is so good and free and strong about America?"

Energizing the crowd, Palin also spoke about optimism in the coming year, as the presidential election grows closer.

"I don't want you to be bummed, I don't want you to lose courage and I don't want you to lose hope and faith that things can be turned around, though the challenges do seem daunting," she said.

Palin's speech did instill optimism into the crowd, which enthusiastically cheered her on.

Kathleen Wilson, from Novi, said she attended the event to gain some of that enthusiasm.

"I think everyone that is hoping for a conservative president is pretty resolved to make that happen but we just need a little lift now and again," she said.

Cleveland-area resident Harry Diemert said he too found Palin's speech to be empowering.

"(Palin) reinstills the spirit of Americans," he said. "She's the greatest American in the country today."

Palin's speech was the last of several that lasted from 1 to 5 p.m. Among the speakers were several local Tea Party members, Michigan Sen. Patrick Colbeck, Wisconsin Speaker of the House Jeff Fitzgerald and Troy Mayor Janice Daniels. Continued...

All of the speakers addressed different topics, but one theme was clear: those who supported their cause need to take action in order to see any change.

Krista Gjestland can be reached at kgjestland@heritage.com, 734-429-7380 or on Twitter @kgjestland.

Text HERNews and HERWeather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cellphone. Msg and data rates may apply. T! ext HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel

Former vice presidential candidate and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin greeted hundreds of tea party supporters Saturday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Belleville.

Palin was the guest speaker at Patriots in the Park, an event sponsored by the Willow Run Tea Party Caucus and Americans For Prosperity Michigan.

Palin spoke at length about energy and the economy, saying that lifting government restrictions on coal and oil production in the United States would help

"Our economic revival starts with our energy revival," she said. "It's about fostering a genuine free market."

Government interference, Palin said, is a problem and is hindering economic growth.

"2012 is the race between big government and big freedom," she said. "We must get government out of the way and we must let the private sector breathe and grow."

Palin also criticized President Barack Obama and health care reform.

"We're little tea pots, and we're getting steamed up because Obama is tipping us over, pouring us out and draining the entrepreneurial spirit from us, that which grew America into the most exceptional nation ever known," she said.

Obama, Palin said, is trying to "fundamentally change" the U.S. with healthcare reform.

"Can you afford four more years of this?" she asked the crowd. "Why would anybody want to fundamentally transform what is so good and free and strong about America?"

Energizing the crowd, Palin also spoke about optimism in the coming year, as the presidential election grows closer.

"I don't want you to be bummed, I don't want you to lose courage and I don't want you to lose hope and faith that things can be turned around, though the challenges do seem daunting," she said.

Palin's speech did instill optimism into the crowd, which enthusiastically chee! red her on.

Kathleen Wilson, from Novi, said she attended the event to gain some of that enthusiasm.

"I think everyone that is hoping for a conservative president is pretty resolved to make that happen but we just need a little lift now and again," she said.

Cleveland-area resident Harry Diemert said he too found Palin's speech to be empowering.

"(Palin) reinstills the spirit of Americans," he said. "She's the greatest American in the country today."

Palin's speech was the last of several that lasted from 1 to 5 p.m. Among the speakers were several local Tea Party members, Michigan Sen. Patrick Colbeck, Wisconsin Speaker of the House Jeff Fitzgerald and Troy Mayor Janice Daniels.

All of the speakers addressed different topics, but one theme was clear: those who supported their cause need to take action in order to see any change.

Krista Gjestland can be reached at kgjestland@heritage.com, 734-429-7380 or on Twitter @kgjestland.

Text HERNews and HERWeather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cellphone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel


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