I WAS as strong a Palin supporter as anywhere on planet earth.
HOWEVER, the reason she gave for not running turned me off completely. She cited her priorities as:
1. God.
2. Family.
3. Country.
She got #1 right, but there are many times when country has to come before family. The easiest example harkens back to the founding of this country. The founding fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the founding of this nation. History shows most of them ended up losing their fortunes, many lost their lives, but none lost their sacred honor.
Clearly, these men put God first, and the nation second. They loved their families, but not second only to God. If the founding fathers had put family ahead of country we would still be part of the British empire.
For a more contemporary example, recurring throughout our history, just look at our military. If a soldier going into battle does not put his country ahead of his family, why should he risk his life? (Let someone without a family do it...)
Our country is in the most dire danger since at least the Civil War, and possibly since Valley Forge. We need a leader who is willing to put it all on the line. Many of us are willing to put it all on the line to follow that leader.
Personally, I thought Sarah Palin was that leader. She was the ONLY candidate I could enthusiastically support. I sent her hundreds of dollars in support, with as much as I could afford held back for when when she announced.
Now, however, I can no longer support her. When the call came, Sarah Palin hung up the phone.
Perhaps the most enduring quote from Sarah Palin will be a comment she made to Greta the night she announced she would not run. Sarah Palin: “Politicians will always let you down.”
She probably did not realize it, but her statement applied 100% to her.
I wish Sarah Palin all the best in her life. I am convinced she is an admirable and good person. But we need leaders willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. That is a level of commitment Sarah Palin is not willing to make.
Did any of the Founding Fathers have a special needs child?
Just asking.
You obviously are a follower...”But we need leaders willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. That is a level of commitment Sarah Palin is not willing to make.” Are you running for office? Are you pledging your fortune and your life?
You are like a kid throwing a fit because someone will not do for them what you have decided they must do RIGHT NOW!
You seem to think there was but one signer of the declaration who pledged his life and sacred honor. No, it took more than one.
If you think this country is ready for a conservative constitutionalist president this election cycle, you have not been keeping up with political reality.
Your claim that you were as strong a Palin supporter as anybody on planet earth, is total BS!!!
Save it for Sunday, who do you think you are kidding.
With supporters like you, Sarah needs no enemies
I hear ya, EH, and I think she handled her opt out on October 5 very poorly. You’re right, we need a president who once nominated or elected won’t say, “Took a poll of my kids and they don’t want me to serve anymore.”
But pols use the family excuse all the time—see Christie and Daniels just this cycle—without it being held against them when circumstances and their minds change. It might be harder for Palin because she’s a woman and therefore some people suspect and expect the family over office choice from her more readily.
Still, she is so clearly the best candidate that we have that were she to jump in and run, I think you and we could dig deep to afford her the same luxury that male pols have with that. No need to dig now, she hasn’t declared and well may not.
But if she does, I think you can.
I don’t know, EH. I have wrestled with that very problem. I have been raised my whole life to honor the God-Family-Everything Else priority scheme rather strictly, as a function of my commitment to Scripture. I have no doubt Sarah takes that same view, that this is God’s rule for her life. Not that those other things don’t impact family, but that I am obligated as a Christian to the well-being of my family, especially if the action in question was optional.
Is it really true, for example, that the only way to save the country is for Sarah to run? Some would say so, but I don’t think Sarah believes that. She repeatedly said the opposite, that she is not an egoist, thinking she’s the only one who could pull it out. She is by nature and training a team player, and given conditions on the field of play, she thinks her better role is passing the ball to a player with a better chance of scoring.
Furthermore, she has forfeited much “treasure” in quest of serving her country. To keep herself available for a possible campaign, she passed on an offer of a second season of her Alaska show, worth about ten million. That’s not the pattern of someone avoiding their public duty. That’s the pattern of a commited patriot. Being willing to serve doesn’t guarantee your number will come up, but it does tell people where your heart is.