Presidential Politics in the USA

My goodness, all the media have been busy reporting on Gov. Sarah Palin over the weekend! Well, we did need to learn more about her, but you have to be careful about what you believe. The best thing to do is read a number of articles from a variety of sources and that will give you an idea of what's true and what isn't. Also be aware that the Democrats and their liberal/leftist/socialist/Marxist (LLSM) friends will be trying to portray Gov. Palin in the worst possible light. Disclaimer: Bear in mind that I am a conservative Republican (as if you couldn't tell!) and so my sources are mostly conservative, but I have read articles from the MSM, which is mostly liberal and firmly in Obama's camp. Anyway, you won't have any trouble finding articles dissing Gov. Palin on the internet.

First off, here is a chart comparing Gov. Palin and Barack Obama: "Tale of the Tape: Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama" at RedState. You may get a server error, but keep trying. It's apparently a very popular blog post. Some of you may say it isn't fair to compare a vice-presidential candidate with a presidential candidate, but when you consider that one of the Democrats' complaints about Gov. Palin is that she isn't qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, it's rather telling that she is more qualified than the Democratic candidate for the presidency itself.

Another link: "The Coming Trials of Sarah Palin" by J. Robert Smith at American Thinker. A quote from this piece:

Since the Clarence Thomas nomination fight in 1991, conservatives and fair-minded Americans have learned a bitter lesson: for liberals, it isn't about promoting the advancement of all African-Americans, but only those in step with their ideology and aims. The same can be said of women. Liberals believe they own the franchise, and it doesn't allow for baby-making, gun-friendly, God-fearing women, who, not incidentally, fight for lower taxes, smaller government and a strong national defense. They certainly can't be Republicans.

That is a very important point. The Dems and the LLSM (who are often the same people) do not support all minorities, whether they be black, female, hispanic, or anything else. Those that are conservative and/or Republican are most definitely not supported.

Also at American Thinker is "Why Palin is a Bee in Dems' Bonnets" by Kyle-Anne Shiver. A quote:

Palin may come in a perfectly lovely, innocent-looking package, a bit like a bumble bee resting in the shade on a clover blossom, but when she sees professional politicians getting fat and rich at the public trough, she is immediately transformed into one threatening, buzzing, stinging machine.

Pompous, polished, under-performing Democrat pols meet down-to-earth, mom-of-five, rifle-toting, corruption-shredding, tenacious Governor Sarah, the taxpayers' best friend.

It is interesting that Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, emphasize that America has gone wrong, with the implication that only they can fix America. However, the things that are wrong with America are the things caused by the LLSMs: excessive welfare and entitlements and teaching people to expect something for nothing and to be cared for from cradle to grave--they urge a Nanny State government, in other words; liberal indoctrination in schools rather than actual education; making groundless self-esteem rather than self-esteem based on actual accomplishments the be-all and end-all of everything, leading to the dumbing down of America and the lowering of expectations; the criticism and financial punishment of those who actually do accomplish the establishment of successful businesses and successful lives; refusal to allow America to produce her own energy sources, which she has in abundance; insisting that global warming is real and is man-made and thus advocating crippling economic policies. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Naturally, they and all their supporters fear Gov. Sarah Palin, a smart and active woman with her head on straight.

For those who complain about Gov. Palin's lack of foreign policy experience, here's something to think about:

Commander of the Alaskan National Guard, Cont'd [Jonah Goldberg]

From Jimbo:

Hey Jonah,

Before you dismiss that Commander of the Alaska National Guard stuff. This came from a reader who plays the game and it jibes with my knowledge.

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.

As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's.

She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska's proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don't even know about.

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets.

She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.
Me: Oh I don't dispute that she has more national security bona fides than the press is making it seem. I thought I posted on this the other day, but now I can't find the link (posting from the car was not always successful and so history has lost some real brilliance!). Alaskan governors deal a lot more with international and national security issues than, say the Governor of Arkansas. There are all sorts of treaty issues, missile defense stuff, bases, etc up there. The military is a very big presence. Also, while I think there are political drawbacks to the fact that Alaska's government lives pretty much entirely off oil revenues, understanding of international energy markets requires a grasp of international affairs as well. My only point is that Commander of the Alaska National Guard sounds defensive and lame. It sounded defensive and lame when Bill Clinton bragged about his role as the Commander of the Arkansas national guard too.

For an MSM take on Gov. Palin and other issues, you can read the transcript for yesterday's Meet the Press show from NBC. There are comments both for and against her by the various guests and the host, Tom Brokaw.

I do know that the choice of Gov. Sarah Palin by Senator John McCain has energized the Republican party and the election in general. What had been a somewhat dull and tiresome campaign suddenly came to life. The next two months promise to provide a lot of information for voters who will pay attention and think seriously about the issues.