What Is Sarah Palin? (A Paulestinian's View)

The American Conservative ^ | November 27, 2009 | Jack Hunter

[2ndDivisionVet]

Why do so many people love Sarah Palin? Why do so many hate her? I cannot recall a politician in recent memory that has been both so loved and so reviled for no discernible reason.

When Palin was announced as John McCain’s running mate on the 2008 Republican presidential ticket many conservatives were intrigued, including me. It was reported that the Alaskan governor had been a member of Pat Buchanan’s “Buchanan Brigades” during the commentator’s presidential bids in 1996 and 2000 and that Palin had ties to the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party. An “America First” states rights’ radical on a major political ticket? Palin did not sound like the average Republican.

And yet today, even removed from the constraints of the McCain campaign, Palin sounds fairly conventional. Asks Antiwar.com’s Justin Raimondo: “Where and when has Palin ever articulated a coherent alternative to the orthodox Republican doctrines of supply-side economics and endless war?” Raimondo is right. What, exactly, differentiates Palin from the average Republican bear?

Or should that be “moose?” It seems that Palin– the attractive, outdoors-loving “hockey mom”-is popular solely because of her personality, not any specific policy positions. Notes columnist Steve Chapman “Who needs policy? In her world - and the world of legions of conservatives who revere her - the persona is the policy. Palin is beloved because she’s (supposedly) just like ordinary people, which (supposedly) gives her a profound understanding of their needs.” When dissecting political cults of personality, it would seem that Palin has become the Republicans’ Obama–handsome, charming and a human comfort blanket for partisans.

It is also true that Palin is hated because of her personality. The venom spewed at Palin by the mainstream and liberal media sounds like a bunch of catty women slandering another on a drunken Saturday night. Once again, policy-wise, why should Palin be any more despised than, say, Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner? Where do they differ ideologically? Catty women have never needed a specific reason to trash talk the prettiest girl in the room. Similarly, Palin’s mere existence is all that is needed to earn the continued scorn of the Left.

This is not to say that Palin’s presence has been completely insignificant. A hero to the Tea Party set, Palin has quickly come to represent anti-government, grassroots outrage. But using sporadic, nominally-conservative rhetoric with no ideological platform or voting record to back it up is not exactly a firm foundation for any would-be “conservative champion.”

Raimondo notes the major difference between the personality-driven Palin and more serious, policy-driven leaders like Texas Congressman Ron Paul: “What is especially irksome, however, is that there is indeed a populist champion of the Tea Party grassroots, someone with the knowledge, the organization, the proven fundraising ability, and the principles to lead the GOP out of its ideological and political morass: Ron Paul… ‘Palinism’ is a hairstyle. Paulism is a bona fide movement. The first has no future — no, she won’t be a major contender, come the presidential sweepstakes, as George Will predicted on the Stephanopoulos program. The second IS the future, if the GOP is to have a future.”

When conservatives have been dubbed “Paulite” or “Buchananite” it has always been meant to describe someone with libertarian or traditional conservative leanings. Being a “Goldwaterite” had similar, specific conservative policy implications in the 1960’s, as did “Reaganite” in the 80’s. But what is a “Palinite?” I’m not sure anyone knows. I’m not even sure she knows.

And it’s a problem. As Raimondo notes, when it comes to addressing the grievances of Tea Party conservatives, that Paul’s platform is far more ideologically sound does not change the fact that the Congressman is not exactly Mr. Personality. Even Paul admits this. And yet his brand of libertarian conservatism has found a sizeable audience based purely on the power of his ideas.

Palin has found a sizeable audience based purely on the power of her personality. In fact, Palin’s most rabid fans don’t seem too concerned about her policy positions, if at all. Perhaps the best definition of a “Palinite” is one who emotionally invests himself in Republican identity politics. For Paul’s fans, the man is a philosopher. For Palin fans-she’s Oprah. Whereas Paul represents a political platform in need of more personality, Palin is a personality desperately in need of a political platform. The title of her new book is “Going Rogue,” but where, exactly, has Palin gone off the Republican plantation ideologically? Simply wrapping up the same old Bush Republicanism in a prettier package is not “going rogue”–it’s going wrong.

Only time will tell if Palin will turn out to be just another Bush Republican. But when judging political figures, it is only logical that we first look at their politics. What are Sarah Palin’s? What is Sarah Palin? We may never know.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Talk about committing political suicide: Ron Paul? Really?!! LOL

[PaleoBob]

The very first comment beneath the guy’s bizarre essay said it all. He tried to deal with Sarah Palin by devising a one-dimensional mockup of Palin and then assaulting it for being one-dimensional. Ridiculous.

And Ron Paul!!! Yikes indeed.

[marron]

Ron Paul was over for me when he blamed the US for 911.

[Hugin]

Asks Antiwar.com’s Justin Raimondo: “Where and when has Palin ever articulated a coherent alternative to the orthodox Republican doctrines of supply-side economics and endless war?”

In other words, Palin is neither a RINO elitist, nor a crackpot third party Paul-pod, but a mainstream Reagan conservative. That's why ordinary middle-American conservatives love her, and leftists and Repubiticians are afraid of her.

[ABQHispConservative]

This was written by a lib, right? It sure feels like it.

[basil]

I’m reading her book right now. Although I’m not yet to the middle of the book, it looks to me like she has had lots of experience at governing—not in the spotlight, perhaps, but behind the scenes. Even in Alaska, some of her conservative principals have gotten her into trouble.

[Kickass Conservative]

So now we know what Ron Paul and Reverend Wright have in common.

[txhurl]

Justin Raimondo used to troll here. His MO was calling everybody the ‘amen chorus’.

[EternalVigilance]

In other words, Palin is neither a RINO elitist, nor a crackpot third party Paul-pod, but a mainstream Reagan conservative.

When it comes to the central moral question of our day, whether or not the God-given right to life is unalienable for all persons, including the child in the womb, Ron Paul and Sarah Palin's positions are identical. They are pro-choice for states. [see Palin/Gibson interview below.] This was Gerald R. Ford's position, not Ronald Reagan's position. President Reagan was personhood pro-life, and believed that the right to life of all was protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. That view was asserted in the Republican Party platform beginning in 1984 and is still there to this day, though you wouldn't know it by the positions or actions of the GOP's politicians or nominees. John McCain holds the exact same position as Ford, Paul and Palin, by the way.

---

Charlie Gibson interview with Sarah Palin

[Charlie] GIBSON: Roe v. Wade, do you think it should be reversed?

[Sarah] PALIN: I think it should and I think that states should be able to decide that issue.

Video

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No one can rightfully claim to be "a mainstream Reagan conservative" if they think states can alienate what the founders called God-given and therefore unalienable.

[SmokingJoe]

“Asks Antiwar.com’s Justin Raimondo: “Where and when has Palin ever articulated a coherent alternative to the orthodox Republican doctrines of supply-side economics and endless war?” Raimondo is right”

Raimondo, whoever the heck he is, is a jackass.
Republicans don't advocate “endless war”.
Who is his right mind does that?

[Hugin]

The founders left it up to the states to make laws on when and how taking life was punishable. They did so just fine until SCOTUS usurped that power in Roe v. Wade. To want it repealed and a return that power back to the states is the conservative position. In that Palin agrees with folks like Rush and Antonin Scalia (who are not Reagan conservatives by your definition either). To have the Federal Government dictate it to the states is radical, not conservative.

As for whether abortion is the central moral issue of our times, there are many reasons for people to disagree. You are entitled to your opinion.

[SmokingJoe]

This is a pretty idiotic article. It makes very little sense.
Who the heck is Jack Hunter? He must be a halfwit.

[Polybius]

Palin is neither a RINO elitist, nor a crackpot third party Paul-pod, but a mainstream Reagan conservative.

...with hardly any governing experience and a warehouse full of tabloid baggage. What little governing experience she had ended with a resignation before finishing her first term as Governor of a state with half the population of San Diego, CA.

So Palin is a "mainstream Reagan conservative". So are thousands of FReepers on this forum except that thousands of us do not have a family situation, straight out of a Jerry Springer Show, plastered all over the tabloids.

Outside the Sarah Palin Fan Club, Palin is neither adored nor "hated". She is merely mocked just as Tom Cruise is mocked for jumping on Oprah's couch and Jon and Kate are mocked for their public divorce dramas. All of them are mocked because mocking messed up family situations sells papers and magazines.

Yes, Palin draws "big" crowds at book signing. We are a large country and a small percentage of a large population seems "large". Even the lowly Detroit Lions managed to draw 67,000 fans to the stadium when they played in Seattle.

Palin is currently an entertainment personality raking in Big Bucks from adoring fans that make up a small percentage of the total American electorate. She is not a viable candidate in a general Presidential election.

The American electorate already elected one person without experience to be POTUS and America is beginning to get a major case of Buyer's Remorse. America will not make that mistake twice.

The winning nominee for 2012 has not yet thrown the hat in the ring and, right now, is out there somewhere governing and not hawking books or giving paid speeches at $100,00 a pop.

[EternalVigilance]

Other than the right to live, what other unalienable rights would you like “the states to be able to decide”?

The right to keep and bear arms?

Free speech?

Freedom of the press?

The right to peaceably assemble?

The right to petition government for redress of grievances?

The right to a jury trial?

Parental rights?

What?

[EternalVigilance]

The founders left it up to the states to make laws on when and how taking life was punishable.

The states are required by the Constitution to protect the life of all innocent persons, and to provide for the equal protection of the laws.

[EternalVigilance]

As for whether abortion is the central moral issue of our times, there are many reasons for people to disagree.

Tell it to the fifty million dead children.

[SoCalPol]

Little Jackie Hunter who wrote this hit piece
is a Ron Paul - Chuck Baldwin Libertaian and an
often source to the Paulites on FR

Jack Hunter is anti war, for legalizing marajuana, 9/11 truther and the usual fringe beliefs.

Jack Hunter also wrote a hit piece on Mark Levin and his great book “Liberty and Tyranny”

[airborne]

A hero to the Tea Party set, Palin has quickly come to represent anti-government, grassroots outrage.

BS! We represent smaller, more accountable government!

Just like the patriots who organized the first "Tea Party"!

[SoCalPol]

see post #17

[catfish1957]

I agree... I am as conservative as they come, but there is something about this woman that is troubling to me. One being having to see the Couric interview replayed 10,000 times in 2012. Second is as you allude, a scandal at every turn.

Problem is who else is there at this point?