PerfectlyTurbulent

PART 1 of 2

As I’ve alluded to in previous posts I usually enjoy American politics, not because of the process, but because of the mess.  It’s like watching an episode of the Simpsons; everyone knows Bart or Homer will do something zany (invade Iraq), there will be awkward panic (The first bank goes Chapter 11), possibly the Apocalypse (the recent market dive) but in the end we have faith that Springfield will return to normal (Bush will be gone) in the next episode.

However, with the introduction of  hick-ish religious zealot and uninformed hockey mom Sarah Palin as the VP candidate, the rules have changed.  The prospect of having a future Vice-President with so many  fundamental cognitive loop holes and personality defects sends a terrifying shudder through most thinking Americans.  It leads us to believe that if selecting Palin is the McCain administration’s first major decision its likely just the start in a line-up of future disasters.

This two part post will outline the major factual information that in my opinion, makes it unacceptable as a logical being to vote McCain/Palin into office.  The McCain/Palin campaign has come to the point where the issues have unfortunately been given a backseat to Hateful Politics and evil attacks inciting fear and anger in place of discussion and a foundation of civil unity.  When it comes to finding an absolute answer as to who should run the most influential country on earth, the solution is far from simple. However, the answer to who should not run the country has been handed to the American public on giant silver platter.

We the world now lay in wait for November 4th as the United States will partake in the largest assembled IQ test of its time.

When it comes to policy disputes, I get it – Republicans and Democrats will never get along.  To speak in general terms, one party believes in a laissez-faire government (unless needed), guns for all, abortions for none, and the synergy of god and country.  The other party is in favour of universal healthcare, sizeable government regulation in matters of the economy, and the view that “make love not war” is still a good idea (crazy hippies).  One aspect or another of these issues is typically what creates the divide in both Canada and the U.S., and that’s fine.  I accept that these are personal opinions that govern the lives of most Americans and they should be allowed to vote according; yet the McCain campaign over the past couple months has successfully eroded any useful policy laden conversation into a childish game of, “We are good, they are bad.”

Admittedly, like the anti-Palin Republican writer Kathleen Parker, when Palin was announced as the VP candidate I thought it was a great move. Not for any reason of substance, but because the strategic marketing implications were brilliant.  Pick a sexy female Governor from a nobody state, turn the media spotlight away from Obama and steal the “take my ball and go home” Hillary voters to win the election. I felt like I was watching a Harlem Globetrotter bounce the ball off a defender’s head and then shoot a 3-pointer with his eyes closed.  Touché GOP, touché.

But then we got to know Mrs. Palin, and where oh where do I start with The Lipstick Pitbull herself…

Below are merely snippets of the many reasons why putting a woman like Sarah Palin into the White House would by a failing grade for the country.  Not to mention sending a loud and clear message to the citizens and leaders around the world that the United States’ political process is nothing but an empty beauty pageant and a global joke.

RAPE VICTIMS

We can begin with Palin’s more than likely involvement in the issue of rape victims in Wasilla having to pay for their rape kits? Sure, there is a back and forth rhetoric on this issue, but its public record that regardless of where Palin says she stands on the matter, the law was in place while she was Mayor while almost every other city in Alaska seemed to have a conscience.

CREATIONISM

It’s also a well known fact that Palin believes creationism should be taught in science classes alongside evolution? Respected Prof Avinash D. Persaud wrote a powerful editorial on how this issue alone is a strong indicator of an individual’s capacity for intelligent judgment.  For crying out loud, even Pope John Paul II became a cheerleader for evolution, but I guess that news skipped Alaska on its way onto Russia.

RELIGION and STATE

A recent article in the Huffington Post sums up the review the Associated Press did of Palin’s record as Mayor and Governor and reveals her use of office to promote religious causes.  The article also reports that while acting as governor, Palin and her family have spent “more than $13,000 in taxpayer funds for religious events and meetings with Christian pastors, including Franklin Graham, the son of evangelical preacher Billy Graham.”

Religion and faith can be a positive thing if they are kept to the confines of your home.  The Oval Office requires an objective, logical leader for the intellectual demands of the role.  If it’s “god’s plan” and the coming of judgment day that dictates Palin’s actions and perspective on issues such as climate change (it DOES matter what caused it Mrs. Palin), U.S. diplomatic relations, and all other policy initiatives.

THE ECONOMY and other, umm, issues

I really am amazed that there are so many Republicans out there that are not bothered, put off, or straight up terrified that Sarah Palin could possibly one day be President in light of McCain’s age.

Am I the only one that thinks Palin looks like a scared teenager on a first date in every interview not held on FOX News? I do wish Palin supporters would stop their ludicrous claims of “gotcha journalism”.  I will even acquiesce to Charlie Gibson’s Bush doctrine question being a “gotcha”, but only because there are just so many other instances to draw from.  But even in the case of the Gibson interview, when Palin responds to the question with, “In what respect Charlie?”, just take a look at Gibson’s reaction, he’s as surprised as everyone else with her response.

Take a look at THIS clip for example where Palin is laughably uninformed and unprepared.  Couric lobs up a simple, honest, and direct question which any State Governor would be expected to have a qualified response for.  Palin is obviously reading the whole time and still comes across as almost unintelligible. She’s like a highschooler taking an open book exam and still failing, but instead of holding her back a year she’s nominated to the Vice-Presidency.

Now I don’t know about you but I seem to have the crazy belief that the men and women at the federal levels of government should be of above average intelligence, or at the ultimate minimum be able to sit highlight to highlight with Katie Couric and properly fake the fact that you know what you’re talking about.  How will Palin react when meeting with Heads of State from around the world?  Where will she hide her cliff notes on Middle Eastern history, or the world economics?  It seems Mrs. Palin is incapable of adequately discussing anything of actual importance without a host of general clichés and at least one “maverick” reference.  When asked a direct question by anyone other than Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin seems to lack the ability to form a  cohesive intelligent sentence independently.

My opinion of Sarah Palin is not grounded in half-truths and faulty data, but based on openly available facts that should be concerning every thinking American citizen.  Republicans should be insulted that not only was this hillbilly nobdy Governor selected to represent them on a Presidential ticket, but that there is a possibility of her one day holding its office.

In Part 2 I will address Palin’s role in the VP debate, her executive experience, and her current role of encouraging the unethical villainous portrayal of Barack Obama based solely on misleading or incomplete information.

To read on to PART 2

CLICK HERE

This entry was posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 1:05 am and is filed under News, Religion and the battle for Common Sense.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.