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Monday, September 15, 2008

SHE'S NOT READY

To lead. Or even intelligently talk about the problems we face. That is the Op Ed piece of Bob Herbert in the NY Times this past weekend. The title links to the piece. 

Asked about her insight into Russia- Palin responded that she could see Russia from an island in Alaska. 

Palin  sneered about Washington politicians with "decades of experience who have met heads of state". While she was referring to Joe Biden, Mr. McCain could not have been too thrilled by the answer. 

The reality is Palin is Bush-lite. Even less of a thinker. Even less experienced. Even less reflective. Even less intelligent. 

Palin spoke at her son's unit's departure for Iraq- and wished them well in fighting the enemies that attacked us and killed Americans on 9/11. She's so  uninformed and pre-programed with a sound bite that even she doesn't realize how dumb she sounds. 


There were a multitude of articles in the NY Times over the weekend that make this point better than we ever could.


Palin  lives in a world where a person's qualifications and intelligence are much much less important than whether they believe in Jesus Christ.  She is the same side of the coin as the Taliban and the Mullahs in Iran. It's just that she worships a different savior. Same philosophy- different cast of characters. We find that frightening. Palin comes from an extremist wing of the Republican party that would repeal the First Amendment in a heartbeat. And not just the Establishment Clause. 

For those of you too young to remember, when Ronald Wilson Reagan first became Governor of California in 1967, his first major act was to raise taxes to fight a budget deficit. One of his more controversial acts was to sign into law the nations most liberal abortion law. Reagan acted for the good of his state despite his personal opposition to both acts.  Once the budget was balanced, Reagan returned the money to Californians the next year in a tax rebate- the first time that was ever done in California. And as to abortions,  while personally opposed to abortion, Reagan refused to stand by while women died in illegal clinics. Reagan  showed the strength of character which  Palin and Bush  do not have. Character means sometimes doing something you are personally opposed too.  Bush and Palin revel in their pronounced intention never to second guess themselves, despite what science, or facts, or experts may say. 

We'll take intelligence over ignorance any day. 

Making America Stupid is Thomas Friedman's analysis that the McCain campaign has turned every issue into a cultural wedge. Imagine, he writes, the leaders of China, Iran, and Russia sitting in a sky box during the Republican Convention watching Rudy Guiliani lead cheers of "drill baby drill" as they mocked Obama's plan to solve the energy crisis with new ideas and new technology. The leaders would have been high-fiving themselves over America's plan not to end our dependence on oil. 


Mark our words. Our country cannot afford a Palin anywhere near Washington. You think Bush messed up this country? She would complete the downfall.  It's not Palin personally, it's the reverence she holds for the mediocre and the way her followers and the religious right worship ignorance and disdain intelligence that will sink us. Because rest assured, Russia and China are not being led by stupid religious ideologues. 





17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said. I would just like to add that hunting does not qualify anyone to hold high offic ein this country. :-)

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin is a female Dick Cheney, albeit somewhat more personable. She is actually to the right of Dickie Doo on many political issues, which is scary in and of itself. Her actions as Governor also show that she values loyalty over competence (an area of which she is a carbon copy of George W. Bush) and instead of attacking her opponents' ideas, attacks her opponents. And boy can she carry a grudge. Lastly, her performance as Mayor of Wasilla and Governor of Alaska may politely be described as undistinguished.

McCain is turning into George W. Bush, II. Bush ran in 2000 as "a compassionate conservative" and "a uniter, not a divider." I need say nothing else that I have not heard those terms from him in years. McCain is running as a maverick, yet if, god forbid, he is elected, we all know what he will do..........

Eight years of Bush-Cheney has fucked up our country beyond belief. Electing McCain-Palin will be four more years down a hole.

Anonymous said...

FACDL-MIAMI begins our Lunchtime Seminar Series on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at NOON at the Dade County P.D.'s office in the Brummer Building. Our first topic is "Scientific Evidence, DNA, and the 'Innocence Revolution:' Florida's Experience" and will be taught by Milton Hirsch. Milt has about 70 pages of written materials to hand out with the lecture.

We are trying something new this year - FREE seminars. The seminar will include lunch (sandwich, side dish and a drink), CLE credit and course materials. Here is the catch - you must reserve your spot for the seminar with a $15 check payable to FACDL-Miami by mailing in the check to Sheryl Lowenthal, 9130 S. Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1200, Miami, FL 33156. Please indicate DNA Seminar on your check. When you arrive at the Seminar, your check will be torn up. The seminar is FREE for the first 50 members that mail in their checks and show up; all other members will pay the $15 and we will keep those checks. Please mail in your checks today.

Anonymous said...

Commenter dissing Obama to try and deflect the conversation from McCain/Palin's unfitness to govern in 4...3...2...1...

Anonymous said...

Could McCain deep inside be regretting his choice for VP?

3:10, "Eight years of Bush-Cheney has fucked up our country beyond belief. Electing McCain-Palin will be four more years down a hole."

-AGREED!

Attorney Rejected By The Princess,
proud member since 2008.

Anonymous said...

Reference Obama and the Dolphins- there's an old chinese saying:

"it's not the size of the shumie in the fight
but the size of the fight in the shumie."

Anonymous said...

She's kinda hot.

Anonymous said...

I was in Au Bon Pain today and waited for the proof Rumpole is Lurvey.

No show. FTA. BW 5000


But I believe the following:

Lurvey is Rumpole
His associate is hot hot hot. I love those earrings!

Anonymous said...

On ABC today:

"If we're going to ask questions about, you know, who has been promulgating negative ads that are completely unrelated to the issues at hand, I think I win that contest pretty handily," Obama said.

Anonymous said...

the PD will be temporarily vacating the building during the FACDL presentation by Milton Hersch as it is feared his ego and the hot air emanating from him could combine to interact with the propane gas for the air conditioning and blow up the building. Is there anyone in Miami who has done so little and is so revered. He is the Paris HIlton of the miami bar.

Anonymous said...

There are some folks who are not football enthusiasts, but what the Hell, it is your blog. But, honestly, the Dr. Strangelove-type, ultra liberal drivel on a daily basis is too much. We all understand that anybody who votes Republican is a self-indulging, immoral, unethical turd.
It would be nice, though, to devote more lineage to what is happening in the courthouse. The fact is that your balanced political views will not be lost if you devote attention to the Courts. All of us still have recourse to CNN, NBC, and MSNBC, and the disgusting conservatives (at least the ones who can read) can tune into FOX.

Anonymous said...

Milt Hirsh is a very knowledgeable guy with an excellent reputation on the moral compass issue. Will he be facing Corona Lite in 2010? Stay tuned.....Fake Anonymous

Rumpole said...

Here's the thing 2:20 AM. I wait all year for football season. I never mention basketball, hockey, and rarely baseball. So for me it's fun. There is just not always something legal going on I can talk about. For instance, consider this- I am sitting in court with two other lawyers and something really strange happens. If I write about it- BINGO- my identity has been reduced to one of three people. There's a reason I have been able to remain anonymous this long. I am smarter than the average bear.

Finally, I am concerned about our country. Liberal bias? As Ronald Reagan said about the democratic party when he switched to become a republican applies in reverse to me- I didn't leave the republican party, they left me.

Look around- Are the right wing religious nuts- the current Bush, Palin- are they the equals of Reagan, Ford, Bush, Eisenhower and even Nixon in competence?

Nixon instituted wage and price controls. Could you see these incompetents doing that (I disagree with that decision. The point is they were conservative in a different sense.)

When the republican party started caring more about jesus than reason, science and rationality - O left. When the republican party started making fun of smart people and experts to pander to the lowest common part of american culture to get votes- I left.

And like a spurned lover, I am determined to show them their mistake.

But thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

Nixon also started talks with the Chinese. The current brand of republicans would call that “fraternizing with the enemy.”

Today's republicans have lost all perspective.

Anonymous said...

Say what you will about him, Milton Hirsch is brilliant.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone last night catch Greta van Sustren interview with Todd Palin? His absurd, gun-totting, not qualified to become Vice President wife was responsible for coining the term, ‘First Dude’. The thought of her becoming VP made me ill. My Princess did a couple swings on the pole to make me feel better.

2:20, there is life outside of the firm.

Anonymous said...

ok, you Liberals win, the rest of the state 66 counties and all the people that fund the unemployed in Dade County have voted for you all to secede from the union and be your own country, your wish is granted and you get Osama as your mullah and you all can run around fightingt to see who will fund your little socialist agendas ,because WE WONT !
signed the rest of us with out religion and guns who are waiting to kick your lazy butts !