Right Wing Trap

The recent nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin is a brilliant right wing trap in which they hope to force down the throats of the American People the singularly most unqualified individual to run from Major Political Office in the United States since Adm. James Stockdale. The trap is that, in addition to being unqualified, she also brings with her a good deal of "baggage" which is easier (and some find) more fun to attack. And that's the trap. If the attack is on the baggage and not the substance, then the Right Wing can stand up in its holier than thou approach and suggest that the Democrats are being unfair and hide the fact that the substance is also not there. And that's what's happening.

The press is focusing on the children of the candidate and whether or not she has been a good mother and whether or not she is "abandoning" them by campaigning for the job. Is this a fair question, perhaps. Is this a question which she is receiving solely because she is a woman? No. Think back to the announcement that Ms. Edwards had a re-occurrence of what is likely terminal cancer. Did questions get asked as to whether or not Sen. Edwards should drop out to be a good husband and father to his dying wife? Yes, they did. In the case of Gov. Palin, these questions are perhaps a bit stronger simply because she is from the wing of the Republican party which is constantly focusing on this issue... ah but here we go again.... I'm falling into the trap and spending time focusing on the relatively irrelevant issue.

Substance: The Republican's have tried to make this a "race of experience" seemingly suggesting that any other qualification is wholly irrelevant. And yet they pick someone with virtually no experience with any big Government. (Alaska has a population of about 640,000. That's a bit smaller than the City of Charlotte and a bit bigger than the City of Baltimore). And yet, even as Governor of that Small State (and before that as Mayor of a Town with 9,000 residents -- or 1/3rd the size of Melrose Park, Illinois) she has shown a lack of skill in governing. Her style appears to be one of no compromise. For example, take the case of the Matanuska Maid Dairy scandal. The Mat Maid dairy was losing money and was not going to be able to survive. The State Creamery Board refused it a major Cash infusion of $600,000 and decided to let it go out of business. Gov. Palin fired the entire State Creamery Board and appointed a number of Dairy related folk from around her home town to the Board. The new board gave the money to Mat Maid. Several months later, Mat Maid had spent the $600,000 and reported a record loss of $300,000. And folded. Like the original board had thought it would. And the assets of the Dairy fell into the hands of a major supporter of hers. And her other management decisions have been made in a similar fashion. In sum, she hasn't shown the "experience" needed to make the right decisions.

Education: She has a BA in Journalism from the University of Idaho. No advance degree, no degree in economics or sociology or engineering or even political science. While certainly no disrespect is intended to either the University of Idaho or Journalists, this is not a "highly qualified" academic credential (although it arguably is better than graduating from a Service Academy in the bottom 5% of your class...) She doesn't possess the education to offset some of the lack of experience.

Judgment: She has shown in other decisions a lack of judgment. Two leap to mind. Her participation in the Alaskan Independence Party -- a party dedicated to the succession of Alaska from the Union and her views on Creationism. No one who believes the children's bed time story that the earth is only 700 years old should even be considered for any position in government. The failure to understand something as simple as the concept of evolution means that more complex issues, such as Stem Cell Research, Global Warming, and the like would be far beyond her grasp.

Its time to elect someone smart to office.