Politicalamity

After listening to her speech, I had a few thoughts on why I really don’t much care for Governor Palin as a Vice Presidential choice. One of the McCain camps biggest selling points is that America will love her because she is a firecracker that is just like everyone else. Meaning, the average man/woman will relate to her and feel a connection that will equal a vote. But frankly, I don’t want my leaders to be just like me. I don’t want to see their faults. Making them human begins to make me uneasy that they will do something utterly studpid while on my watch. I don’t want a leader who thinks that average is the goal. There isn’t anything wrong with being of the elite, if that estimation doesn’t include a negative view of those beneath that person.

It is funny to read the transcript from her speech and pick out the rhetoric, which is something Governor Palin is most critical of regarding her opponents, and realize just how much of it is taken directly from the mouths of the far right conservative platforms. At some points I wondered if she hired Bill O’Reilly to write her speech… Talking about things such as “making government bigger” or “taking your money” or “giving orders from Washington” or “reducing the strength of America in a dangerous world.” On each point it is rather difficult to see how McCain/Palin would do much different, perhaps the degree of each point is most key. Yes Democrats have had a history of “bigger” government, but is McCain truly a traditional Republican in the sense of less “big” government. Frankly I don’t think so. As for Obama taking your money, the “you” that Palin was talking to; at least I hope, was aimed at the average American. Under Obama’s plan there were significant tax cuts for workers, education credits for college degrees, health care options, and more efficient use of government support. Under McCain’s plans big industries benefit most, health care is once again capitalized, education is made into a voucher based business for competition, and retirement funds are to be made into a more complex investment portfolio-like model. So maybe the government won’t take your money, but the corporations sure will. And who would support them most, McCain.

The giving orders from Washington is a moot point as any President gives orders from Washington. I mean they could do it from Alaska, but what if a moose knocked over the satelite station? The really annoying statement was concerning our national security. How can Sarah Palin seem to know so much about international affairs when only a few months ago she barely knew enough about the position she was up for to not make a total fool out of herself. Insinuating that Obama’s plan for withdrawl is contrary to the impending victory in Iraq is not only foolish but insulting. There is no victory to be won in this war, the war that never should have been. I still can’t believe someone can hope to achieve victory in a war on terror, when terror is an abstract concept hinging on personal paranoia. Then again, Palin did support a church whose pastor honestly believed that God spoke to him directly and that anyone who didn’t support the President was destined to go to hell.

She concluded her speech with a section of John McCain’s past in which he was tortured. She used his perseverance to point out how his fighting spirit is the key to his success. Though this may show temerity and heart, I fail to see how this actually adds to any leadership abilities. Survival under extreme conditions doesn’t equal executive skill. That is almost as illogical as supposing that a Vice Presidential candidate can glean foreign affairs experience from mere proximity to a major world player. (No, not you Canada.)

Maybe I am wrong about Sarah Palin, but from all that I have seen and heard, her “fiesty” attitudes may end up making it hard for her to walk home to Alaska come November; what with both her feet squarely planted in her own mouth. I suppose that it may be true that “only in America” could a former beauty queen, with only a BS in Journalism, go from Mayor of a extremely small town to being in line to lead one of the world’s predominant free nations. It saddens me that short of public service in politics, I have a higher level of education, equal parenting capabilities, am married, have family who are veterans, and have been to more foreign countries than Governor Palin. Then again, I don’t look that good with a bun.