Posted on 12/01/2009 4:36:59 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
A generation ago liberals taught me to believe that Ronald Reagan was an extremist and a lightweight. Then I went to a Republican caucus in 1980 as a Bush supporter and met the Reagan supporters. I realized that they were the little people, mechanics, technicians, churchgoers, folks that used to be Democrats.
Now liberals are teaching us all to believe that Sarah Palin is a flake and a lightweight.
As the old saying goes: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
The critics are right about Sarah Palin's memoir, Going Rogue. There's a lot of score-settling, although usually the culprits are nameless.
Still, the critics will never like Palin. It is not just her hometown gushiness that, to them, it is like scratching on a blackboard. It is more like the cultural chasm between the Greek immigrants and the desiccated liberals in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Remember how embarrassed the heroine Toula Portokalos was about her chaotic Greek immigrant family? But the joke was really on the nice upscale parents of her WASPy romantic interest, Ian Miller. "Dry as toast" was the verdict of her father, Gus, on Miller's parents.
That's my verdict on the snooty liberals that sneer at Sarah Palin: Dry as toast!
Modern Liberals are fortunate children. They emerged in the late 19th century, children of the wealthy. They were ashamed of their crude fathers, up from nothing. They wanted to be refined, unlike father. They wanted to help the poor, but with other peoples' money. They wanted to give the poor an education, but with other peoples' money. They wanted to do creative work, and they wanted tenure.
Refined is something Sarah Palin has never been. Tenure is something she has never had. She worked through high school, waitressing, cleaning offices, inventorying groceries. Then she got scholarships and worked to pay for college. Then she joined boyfriend Todd in Bristol Bay, Alaska, salmon fishing, working slimy fish processing jobs at the canneries. Off season Todd would work as a baggage handler and she would work at customer service and part-time reporting.
Picked by Wasilla mayor John Stein, Palin ran for city council and won in 1992. After two terms she ran against Stein for mayor in 1996 and won. Then she ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2002 and lost. She upset incumbent Governor Murkowski in the primary and beat the Democrat in the general election to become Alaska's governor in 2006.
No wonder the liberals hate her. The whole point of public education, of business regulation, or rampant credentialism is to smother people like her before they have a chance to get anywhere.
No wonder the McCain campaign couldn't handle her. She's a force of nature. But what comes next?
We know from Palin's book tour that she has a base. You know who they are, because you've seen them in line at the book stores. They are the aspiring white working/middle class, the same people that turned out for Reagan a generation ago: "Ray the principal, Jose the Hairdresser, Peggy the Nurse, Bob the Cop, Joe the Plumber." Today's Democratic Party, once the party of the little people, has nothing to say to them.
The next question is: can Palin connect with moderates?
Fortunately, there is a simple answer to that question. We don't know. We might have an idea if she were a loyal Republican workhorse. But she isn't. She's a force of nature.
If Sarah Palin wants to lead the Republican Party in 2012 she'll have to make her own weather. The Republican establishment isn't going to help her. But that's OK, she once ran against the Republican establishment of Alaska and won.
If Sarah Palin runs for president in 2012 she'll be running against an incumbent, President Obama. But that's OK. She ran against an incumbent mayor and won. She ran against an incumbent governor and won.
But what about the issues? What does Sarah Palin know about economic policy or foreign policy? Good question. But let us put the question in context. What does President Obama know about economic and foreign policy after a year on the job that he doesn't need to unlearn, and fast?
If you read Sarah Palin's book and listen to her interviews you'll know that she is hammering away at one simple idea: commonsense conservatism. What does it mean? That will depend. But Palin's record tells us that when it's time to run for election, she knows how to win. When it comes time to master the details, she's done that with Alaskan energy policy. When it comes to selling the public on her program with speeches and town meetings, she's been there. When it comes to getting her agenda through the legislature, she's done it.
If only our incumbent president could say as much.
Ping! ;)
mark
Thank you for posting this interesting article about Governor Palin. I'll want to read other articles by the same perceptive articulate author.
Best piece I’ve seen on the Palin phenomenon.
Just list her accomplishments alongside Obama’s failures. That ought to be easy....
I think people need to start speaking out about their support of Palin. I surprised somebody by doing that. I saw Carl Bernstein last night on Craig Ferguson, criticizing Sarah Palin. He brought up the same old stuff about seeing Russia from her house. Can’t they come up with anything better? I think the libs wil get even more freaked out if they realize people are supporting her.
Well said SueRae...
The only question in my mind is whether she wants to run in 2012. I really can’t tell at this point.
If she does run for POTUS, I think she can win a lot of moderate votes by default. By 2012, a lot of people are going to be sick of President Barry and ready to vote for anyone who’s not named Obama. Sort like 1980 when a lot of people had enough of Carter.
I don’t know whether I support Palin for President. Experience matters (see Zero) and she has little. I would love for her to be VP for eight years and then step up to the top spot.
That said, what I really like about her is that she has lived and governed 3 or 4,000 miles from DC.
Also, I see no one on the national scene (of either party, Zero included) that is presidential material.
And what a blessing it is that he can't!
If she were to publish a book on how fruitcakes crumble I would buy it! Oh, she just did. Nevermind.
The only part I didn't like was his argument that Palin's so-called shortcomings on foreign policy are overcome by pointing out obama's failings there.
I think that her expertise on the energy issue leads credence to the supposition that she'd be OK with foreign policy, too.
Energy is a world-wide issue.
She drives liberals absolutely crazy.
That’s good enough for me.
She represents their total loss of power to control your life. That REALLY bothers them. Have you ever noticed how absolutely FREAKED OUT leftists get over the concept of state secession? Again, same reason - secession would totally negate their ability to control the people of the separated state.
Another reason she drives liberals crazy is on the cosmic battle level - she is one of God’s warriors, and both those who are for Him and those against Him recognize this on some level.
Eph 6:10-12
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
I realized that they were the little people, mechanics, technicians, churchgoers, folks that used to be Democrats.
I can’t describe without using reproachful vulgarities what this sentence tells me about how far we have fallen as a nation.
I am proud to be a little person, proud not to be a whore, although I respect working whores more than I do our “leaders”. Whores are rather honest, plying a trade, working to earn a living. Oh, and they are little people too, aren’t they?
Well...
DemocRats (elitists) still represent the “little people”, as long as those “little people” recognize the superiority and right to rule of said elitists.
If you’re an individualist, however, you will be crushed.
Instead, Ms. Palin's chief contribution from my point of view has been to become a visible symbol of conservative resurgence and most importantly, she drives liberals stark, raving, foaming-at-the-mouth mad. And that makes me smile.
Remember this? Gibson Obama interview:
How does it feel to break a glass ceiling? How does it feel to “win”? How does your family feel about your “winning” breaking a glass ceiling? Who will be your VP? Should you choose Hillary Clinton as VP? Will you accept public finance? What issues is your campaign about? Will you visit Iraq? Will you debate McCain at a town hall? What did you think of your competitor’s [Clinton] speech?
Gibson Palin interview:
Do you have enough qualifications for the job you’re seeking? Specifically have you visited foreign countries and met foreign leaders? Aren’t you conceited to be seeking this high level job? Questions about foreign policy -territorial integrity of Georgia -allowing Georgia and Ukraine to be members of NATO -NATO treaty -Iranian nuclear threat -what to do if Israel attacks Iran -Al Qaeda motivations -the Bush Doctrine -attacking terrorists harbored by Pakistan Is America fighting a holy war? [misquoted Palin] http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/09/12/side-by-side-gibson-questions-more/
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