Journal to a Muse

Warning! Politics Ahead!

Reflections on the RNC

My blood pressure really didn't benefit from GOP VP designee Sarah Palin's speech on Wednesday. I was relieved when I got the following from MoveOn.org.
First, they summarized my response:

It told us that she can distort the facts and deliver mean-spirited zingers with the best of them. It told us that if Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter ever need a stand-in, she'd be a great pick.
It told us that she can be condescending and dismissive of the real work Barack Obama did helping real people on the South Side of Chicago. It told us that she can uphold the long Republican tradition of lying about Democratic tax cuts—even though Obama's plan would give Americans a bigger break than McCain's.

The message also highlighted AND REBUTTED some of the slick, seemingly easy-to-swallow fabrications, untruths and flat out LIES that were batted around (not always for the first time, either)

Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task." She's even admitted she hasn't thought about the war much—just last year she was quoted saying, "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq." 1, 2 Do you want somebody else telling you what God's task is?

• Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence
  Party. Six months ago, Palin told members of the group—who advocate for a vote on secession from the union—to "keep up the good work" and "wished the party
  luck on what she called its 'inspiring convention.'" 3 What bothers me most about the Alaska Independence Party is a policy of Christian Dominionism -- which means they want Christians to "out rank" Jews, Buddhists, Doubters... and don't even define which Christians they have in mind.

• Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools. She hasn't made clear
  whether she thinks evolution is a fact.4


• Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming. Speaking about climate change, she said, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being manmade." 5


• Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP. 6


• Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the case of rape or incest. 7 I'd just like every child to be a wanted child. I have sorrow for anyone who has to live with a mother who sees their victimizer everytime she looks at them.


• Palin opposes comprehensive sex-ed in public schools. She's said she will
  only support abstinence-only approaches. 8 And she likes the impact this had on Bristol? and her "fiance" who describes himself as a "f***ing redneck"?



• As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time, "news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor." 9 Right. We need censorship, too. As a librarian trying to protect freedom of information, I'll let you guess what I thought about this!!



• She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere (before she opposed it). Palin claimed
  that she said "thanks, but no thanks" to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. But in
  2006, Palin supported the project repeatedly, saying that Alaska should take
  advantage of earmarks "while our congressional delegation is in a strong
  position to assist." 10

The plain fact of the matter is that Sarah Palin did a bang-up job delivering a Karl Rove-style political attack speech last night. That makes her a skilled politician but it doesn't make her views any more palatable for voters. Americans don't really want another far-right, anti-science ideologue in the White House. (At least THIS American doesn't want that).

And for any doubters who read this far, thank you! and here are the sources:

Sources 1. "Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'," Associated Press, September 3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24701&id=13709-1258489-WcgYWwx&t=6
2. "Palin wasn't 'really focused much' on the Iraq war," ThinkProgress, August 30, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24702&id=13709-1258489-WcgYWwx&t=7
3. "The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
4. "McCain and Palin differ on issues," Associated Press, September 3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24703&id=13709-1258489-WcgYWwx&t=8
5. Ibid
6. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
7. Ibid
8. Ibid.
9. "Mayor Palin: A Rough Record," Time, September 2, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24704&id=13709-1258489-WcgYWwx&t=9
10. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/

From MoveOn.org and verifiable if you take most any phrase and copy into Google!