On Sarah Palin
“Those who do not learn from history, are bound to repeat it” - George Santayana
And what if one is unencumbered by the lessons of history, nay, unencumbered by history altogether? Well, then one has a running shot at the vice-presidency. Of her many areas of ignorance, Palin’s most egregious head-in-the-sand moment was when Gibson of ABC news asked her about whether she agreed with the Bush Doctrine. Her response: “In what respect?” and later, more a question, than a statement, “His world view?” Embarrassingly, Gibson had to explain to Palin the doctrine of preemptive strike and the policy of going to war with any nation suspected of harboring terrorists. Here she was displaying unabashed ignorance of the defining policy of this decade; meanwhile, predictably, the conservative media giving her props for grace under pressure, calling Gibson’s unduly harsh. Perhaps they were hoping we would crown her pageant queen yet again based on something other than her grasp of politics?
Let me get to the point. Actuaries are bandying words over whether McCain’s chances of kicking the bucket this term are 15% or 30%. But this “heartbeat” away argument is only part of the picture. In a post-Cheney White-House, the vice-presidency has become more than a titular position….much more. The president doesn’t have to keel over, in order for the VP to exert significant influence over the politics of our nation.
So, who shall we pick for this position? How about a regular next door, caribou-huntin’, gun-totin’, pro-lifin’ average Jane. Yes, lets! Because intelligence and education and common sense are nothing but elitist concepts created by those heathen others.
And now for some choice quotes from Palin to prove my point:
“Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God…there is a plan, and it is God’s plan”. Sound to you like a jihadist, yet?
In her acceptance speech she spoke of Obama: “This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word ‘victory’ “.
A response for you, dear Palin: Perhaps that is because most persons of average intelligence recognize that chest-thumping shows of bravado and cries of victory are no substitute for the hard work of diplomacy and good sense. Of course, you can be forgiven for not knowing the way of diplomacy in Iraq, after all unlike Russia, Iraq is not visible from Alaska, so how could you know??
In that same speech (which was very low on substance and high on bile) she spoke condescendingly of Obama: “What exactly does he seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet!”
Again, Gov. Palin, you’re missing the point. Turning back the waters and healing the planet is pretty much it. Sorry to disappoint, but there are no unnecessary wars to wage, no gays to convert, no books to ban, after the healing is done. I know, I know…it just doesn’t have the right ring of...what’s the word…patriotism you may be seeking, and it is disarmingly simple, and no, it doesn’t get a crowd quite as unintelligibly neurotic, but really there is nothing more we want from our leaders – just that they act sensibly and make us all happier. It’s a hard concept, is it?
Finally, about those charges of sexism, for the record, let’s be real clear: Your womanhood is a double-edged sword. While gender has kept many women from high office, your pretty face is sadly an idiotic draw for viewers and voters – and don’t think for a moment that your party did not know this or aren’t going to exploit it – but you no doubt find that quite tolerable. And yet, the burden of a black man’s skin runs in one and one direction alone in this country. Ever heard of a black man getting a free drink, because he was such a fine specimen of blackness? No, neither have I. And so, while you distract everyone with your gender card, the real man bearing his burden with grace is Obama. Now that is a pig you can’t put lipstick on.
And what if one is unencumbered by the lessons of history, nay, unencumbered by history altogether? Well, then one has a running shot at the vice-presidency. Of her many areas of ignorance, Palin’s most egregious head-in-the-sand moment was when Gibson of ABC news asked her about whether she agreed with the Bush Doctrine. Her response: “In what respect?” and later, more a question, than a statement, “His world view?” Embarrassingly, Gibson had to explain to Palin the doctrine of preemptive strike and the policy of going to war with any nation suspected of harboring terrorists. Here she was displaying unabashed ignorance of the defining policy of this decade; meanwhile, predictably, the conservative media giving her props for grace under pressure, calling Gibson’s unduly harsh. Perhaps they were hoping we would crown her pageant queen yet again based on something other than her grasp of politics?
Let me get to the point. Actuaries are bandying words over whether McCain’s chances of kicking the bucket this term are 15% or 30%. But this “heartbeat” away argument is only part of the picture. In a post-Cheney White-House, the vice-presidency has become more than a titular position….much more. The president doesn’t have to keel over, in order for the VP to exert significant influence over the politics of our nation.
So, who shall we pick for this position? How about a regular next door, caribou-huntin’, gun-totin’, pro-lifin’ average Jane. Yes, lets! Because intelligence and education and common sense are nothing but elitist concepts created by those heathen others.
And now for some choice quotes from Palin to prove my point:
“Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God…there is a plan, and it is God’s plan”. Sound to you like a jihadist, yet?
In her acceptance speech she spoke of Obama: “This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word ‘victory’ “.
A response for you, dear Palin: Perhaps that is because most persons of average intelligence recognize that chest-thumping shows of bravado and cries of victory are no substitute for the hard work of diplomacy and good sense. Of course, you can be forgiven for not knowing the way of diplomacy in Iraq, after all unlike Russia, Iraq is not visible from Alaska, so how could you know??
In that same speech (which was very low on substance and high on bile) she spoke condescendingly of Obama: “What exactly does he seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet!”
Again, Gov. Palin, you’re missing the point. Turning back the waters and healing the planet is pretty much it. Sorry to disappoint, but there are no unnecessary wars to wage, no gays to convert, no books to ban, after the healing is done. I know, I know…it just doesn’t have the right ring of...what’s the word…patriotism you may be seeking, and it is disarmingly simple, and no, it doesn’t get a crowd quite as unintelligibly neurotic, but really there is nothing more we want from our leaders – just that they act sensibly and make us all happier. It’s a hard concept, is it?
Finally, about those charges of sexism, for the record, let’s be real clear: Your womanhood is a double-edged sword. While gender has kept many women from high office, your pretty face is sadly an idiotic draw for viewers and voters – and don’t think for a moment that your party did not know this or aren’t going to exploit it – but you no doubt find that quite tolerable. And yet, the burden of a black man’s skin runs in one and one direction alone in this country. Ever heard of a black man getting a free drink, because he was such a fine specimen of blackness? No, neither have I. And so, while you distract everyone with your gender card, the real man bearing his burden with grace is Obama. Now that is a pig you can’t put lipstick on.
posted by -rish at 7:48 PM
1 Comments:
Wow, go Rish!
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