John McCain and Sarah Palin Posted on 09/08/2008 11:18:37 PM PDT by GVnana
Sarah Palin is not such a small-town girl after all By James Bennett
It is clear that few in America, let alone Britain, have any idea what to make of Sarah Palin. The Republicans' vice-presidential candidate confounds the commentators because they don't understand the forces that shaped her in the remote state of Alaska.
John McCain and Sarah Palin
Thus, most coverage dwells on exotica - the moose shooting, her Eskimo husband - combined with befuddlement at how a woman can go from being mayor of a town of 9,000, to governor, to prospective VP within the space of a few years.
But, having worked with Alaskans, I know something of the challenge she has faced, and why - contrary to what Democrats think - it could make her a powerful figure in the White House.
The first myth to slay is that she is a political neophyte who has come from nowhere. In fact, she and her husband have, for decades, run a company in the highly politicised commercial fishing industry, where holding on to a licence requires considerable nous and networking skills.
Her rise from parent-teacher association to city council gave her a natural political base in her home town of Wasilla. Going on to become mayor was a natural progression. Wasilla's population of 9,000 would be a small town in Britain, and even in most American states.
But Wasilla is the fifth-largest city in Alaska, which meant that Palin was an important player in state politics.
Her husband's status in the Yup'ik Eskimo tribe, of which he is a full, or "enrolled" member, connected her to another influential faction: the large and wealthy (because of their right to oil revenues) native tribes.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The Brits are idiots. Our government was set up for ordinary citizens to serve some time and then go back to their normal lives. It was set up that way because Britian’s wasn’t. God Bless America
It’s amazing how positive the coverage of Palin has been in the United Kingdom.
They are fascinated with her and her “frontier” story. The Brits have a strong tradition of great women leaders so it’s a double fascination.
“...the large and wealthy (because of their right to oil revenues) native tribes.”
And yet, the media propaganda machine will start chanting the mantra, “...it’s all about the oil. No blood for oil! No blood for oil!”
This article is fresh and unique, thanks.
I will be e-mailing this one out.
British politics would never produce a "Buffy the Obama Slayer", and they're really fascinated by it. Not as an endorsement, of course, but as a genuine curiosity.
A very good read, thank you for posting.
"Buffy the Obama Slayer"
Got to remember that one.Thanks!
Sara Palin made here way up the political latter the old fashioned way. She worked for it.
To many others just were in right place at the right time.
“No blood for oil!”
And Sarah WILL reply - “You’re right. I’ve got a son in the military. I don’t want him fighting in the middle east somewhere to protect the flow of oil when we have so much right here at home.”
Oh yeah, we see a lot of that happening these days don't we?
That may have been true when Sarah was mayor, but Wasilla is now the fourth largest city in Alaska.
saving
“Our government was set up for ordinary citizens to serve some time and then go back to their normal lives. It was set up that way because Britian’s wasn’t.”
That may be, but it certainly isn’t true now. Now is the time of the professional politician. Its you yanks who are idiots. You have congressmen who serve two years, and spend most of it campaigning to get reelected, rather than actually representing anyone.
You are wrong, our government is still set up that way. Just because most people take advantage of the system, does not make it a different government. Why are you concerned anyway? Shouldn’t you be spending your energy trying to get your countnry back? Do you guys have any rights left over there at all? No freedom of speech and crappy health care would make me a angry too, but I would not be wasting my time on a foreign website arguing with people.
What is the point of a theoretical government? So it was set up to work one way, but actually works another. How therefore, can it be any better? It doesnt matter what it was set up for...many things are set up to do one thing, but actually work like another. The Roman Empire for example. Of course most people take advantage of the system. What else would you expect to happen?
I’m concerned because I see kindly Western systems (US, UK, Swedish, French..who cares), often Church inpsired, set up to support the common good, being abused by crooks and swindlers and idlers. Doesn’t that make you mad?
And incidentally, I doubt very much, for all your boasting, that Americans have much more practical freedom than we do.
You are cordially invited to attend a public gun show in Texas sometime and then truthfully repeat that comment. Have you ever been here? And I do know something about England, having been a student in London eons ago.
Yes I have, several times, and more recently than eons ago.
I can, hand on my heart, repeat that.
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