I thought with all the talk about the bail out bill everyone could use a little refresher on how a a bill gets passed, thank you Schoolhouse Rock.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Too close for comfort
My man and I watched this SNL skit from last night. He hadn't seen any of the real interview. Watch it here
[Editorial note: I tried to embed it but its wide screen is too big! Hulu, get a blog friendly embeddable player please]
After we watched that one, I had him watch the real thing:
He said..."wow". I think that just about sums it up. Shock and awe...ike a watching a train wreck.
And in case you didn't quite catch it...here's a read:
Couric: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more, and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it's got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade -- we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.
[Editorial note: I tried to embed it but its wide screen is too big! Hulu, get a blog friendly embeddable player please]
After we watched that one, I had him watch the real thing:
He said..."wow". I think that just about sums it up. Shock and awe...ike a watching a train wreck.
And in case you didn't quite catch it...here's a read:
Couric: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more, and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it's got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade -- we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Imitation is the best form of flattery
Everyone get their Dear Sarah's on! Send them here and up they go.
Dear Governor Palin: Why So Afraid Of The Fourth Estate? via Jezebel
Dear Governor Palin: Why So Afraid Of The Fourth Estate? via Jezebel
McCain camp tries to to keep reporters out of Palin meetings
Dear Sarah -
Will you please get your boys to stop censoring you? You should be screaming SEXISM at the top of your lungs to your own party - not to the press!!
McCain camp tries to to keep reporters out of Palin meetings
Posted: 01:45 PM ET, September 23rd
(CNN) — McCain-Palin campaign officials shifted course Tuesday after being informed by television news organizations that they would not broadcast footage of Sarah Palin’s meeting with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai Tuesday in New York — the Republican VP nominee’s first with a foreign leader — if a reporter was not allowed in to observe the pair. more...
Thanks,
Girl Friday
UPDATE: You know it's pretty bad when Fox News is getting in on the act.
Will you please get your boys to stop censoring you? You should be screaming SEXISM at the top of your lungs to your own party - not to the press!!
McCain camp tries to to keep reporters out of Palin meetings
Posted: 01:45 PM ET, September 23rd
(CNN) — McCain-Palin campaign officials shifted course Tuesday after being informed by television news organizations that they would not broadcast footage of Sarah Palin’s meeting with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai Tuesday in New York — the Republican VP nominee’s first with a foreign leader — if a reporter was not allowed in to observe the pair. more...
Thanks,
Girl Friday
UPDATE: You know it's pretty bad when Fox News is getting in on the act.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Sarah Palin's "Personal" Email Hacked by Anonymous
javascript:void(0)
These don't look so personal...shocking! Thanks Anonymous (yes, the same group that targets the Scientologists)
More at gawker.com and wikileaks.org
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Is it fiscally conservative to install a tanning bed in your mansion?
There's all sorts'a things wrong with that question.
Palin Tanning Bed Installed In Governor's Mansion
Palin Tanning Bed Installed In Governor's Mansion
Monday, September 15, 2008
"It kind of cracks me up. It is so far out of the realm of possibility and reality."
The bold words of our very favorite Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin! (golf claps). Courtesy of The New Republic
On the vice presidency:
"But as for that v.p. talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it, exactly, that the v.p. does every day?"
--July 31, 2008, CNBC's "Kudlow & Company"
On Iraq:
"I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice, and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place."
--March 21, 2007, Alaska Business Monthly
"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [American soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."
--June 8, 2008, Wasilla Assembly of God Church
On creationism:
"Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject--creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides."
--October 25, 2006, gubernatorial debate
On global warming:
"A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one, though, who would attribute it to being man-made."
--August 29, 2008, Newsmax
On energy:
"I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that."
--June 8, 2008, Wasilla Assembly of God Church
On receiving $1.8 million in federal earmarks for the city of Wasilla:
"FYI This does not include our nearly one million Dollars from the Feds for our Airport Paving Project. We did well!!!"
--June 14, 1999, Wasilla City Council Informational Memorandum 99-62
On that "Bridge to Nowhere":
Question: "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?"
Palin: "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."
--October 22, 2006, Anchorage Daily News
On library books she doesn't like:
"What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?"
--October 1996 conversation with librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Anchorage Daily News
On the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party:
"Your party plays an important role in our state's politics ... keep up the good work, and God bless you."
--2008* video address to Independence Party's convention
On Ivana Trump:
"We want to see Ivana because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture."
--April 3, 1996, Anchorage Daily News
On running Wasilla:
"It's not rocket science. It's six million dollars and fifty-three employees."
--October 1996, Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
On being governor:
"I will unambiguously, steadfastly, and doggedly guard the interests of this great state, as a mother naturally guards her own. Like a Southeast Eagle and her eaglets, or, more appropriately here in the Carlson, like a Nanook defending her cub."
--December 4, 2006, inaugural address
On the prospect of becoming a candidate for vice president:
"It kind of cracks me up. It is so far out of the realm of possibility and reality."
--August 14, 2008, Financial Post
On the vice presidency:
"But as for that v.p. talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it, exactly, that the v.p. does every day?"
--July 31, 2008, CNBC's "Kudlow & Company"
On Iraq:
"I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice, and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place."
--March 21, 2007, Alaska Business Monthly
"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [American soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."
--June 8, 2008, Wasilla Assembly of God Church
On creationism:
"Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject--creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides."
--October 25, 2006, gubernatorial debate
On global warming:
"A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one, though, who would attribute it to being man-made."
--August 29, 2008, Newsmax
On energy:
"I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that."
--June 8, 2008, Wasilla Assembly of God Church
On receiving $1.8 million in federal earmarks for the city of Wasilla:
"FYI This does not include our nearly one million Dollars from the Feds for our Airport Paving Project. We did well!!!"
--June 14, 1999, Wasilla City Council Informational Memorandum 99-62
On that "Bridge to Nowhere":
Question: "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?"
Palin: "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."
--October 22, 2006, Anchorage Daily News
On library books she doesn't like:
"What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?"
--October 1996 conversation with librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Anchorage Daily News
On the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party:
"Your party plays an important role in our state's politics ... keep up the good work, and God bless you."
--2008* video address to Independence Party's convention
On Ivana Trump:
"We want to see Ivana because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture."
--April 3, 1996, Anchorage Daily News
On running Wasilla:
"It's not rocket science. It's six million dollars and fifty-three employees."
--October 1996, Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
On being governor:
"I will unambiguously, steadfastly, and doggedly guard the interests of this great state, as a mother naturally guards her own. Like a Southeast Eagle and her eaglets, or, more appropriately here in the Carlson, like a Nanook defending her cub."
--December 4, 2006, inaugural address
On the prospect of becoming a candidate for vice president:
"It kind of cracks me up. It is so far out of the realm of possibility and reality."
--August 14, 2008, Financial Post
Did the New York Times grow a pair?!
Dear Sarah,
Don't cry unfair now, but the New York Times has a most excellent article that helps shine a light on the way you do business.
Remember all that that you said...what was it...something about small towns growing good people who are honest and sincere?
Hmmm. Maybe it should have said more about surrounding yourself with your high school friends, firing people who disagree with you and burying official business by sending it through your "personal" email account.
I guess I must be "bad people who are anti-Alaska."
Congratulations to the New York Times for growing a pair. Or maybe they went ahead and borrowed Hillary's like SNL suggested.
Get ready Sarah, I have a small hope that this is just the beginning.
-gf
For all you haters, this is a must read:
Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes
Don't cry unfair now, but the New York Times has a most excellent article that helps shine a light on the way you do business.
Remember all that that you said...what was it...something about small towns growing good people who are honest and sincere?
Hmmm. Maybe it should have said more about surrounding yourself with your high school friends, firing people who disagree with you and burying official business by sending it through your "personal" email account.
I guess I must be "bad people who are anti-Alaska."
Congratulations to the New York Times for growing a pair. Or maybe they went ahead and borrowed Hillary's like SNL suggested.
Get ready Sarah, I have a small hope that this is just the beginning.
-gf
For all you haters, this is a must read:
Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes
Sunday, September 14, 2008
"You have to know what you're gettin' into"
***This post is sponsored by the letter "g", which is painfully missin' from many of Palin's endin's***
Dear Sarah -
Given all the hoopla from your camp about the press givin' you a hard time, I find this clip very, very interestin':
Sarah, a little friendly advice: you gotta stop lettin' them boys do your talkin' for you, cause what you say here, is totally in conflict with the GOP cryin' over how you're bein' treated by those liberal, elitist, biased folks in the media. You know, you gotta plow through that.
-gf
Dear Sarah -
Given all the hoopla from your camp about the press givin' you a hard time, I find this clip very, very interestin':
Sarah, a little friendly advice: you gotta stop lettin' them boys do your talkin' for you, cause what you say here, is totally in conflict with the GOP cryin' over how you're bein' treated by those liberal, elitist, biased folks in the media. You know, you gotta plow through that.
-gf
Saturday, September 13, 2008
"In what respect Charlie?"
Dear Sarah -
I have only been able to watch snippets of your first major interview so far, but shit, if you're going to preach to us about America and Terrorists and the Troops and America here in America, your interns could have done a little better research for you.
Or maybe you should have just come out and said that you have no clue what the Bush Doctrine refers to. Then at least we'd know that you know your limitations. I only had a vague notion of what it is myself until about Charlie spelled it out for you and everyone watching, but then again, I'm not running for the position of second in command behind an old guy that could drop dead at any minute.
You should send Charlie a nice, warm thank you note for not calling you out right there.
Go America!
-gf
I have only been able to watch snippets of your first major interview so far, but shit, if you're going to preach to us about America and Terrorists and the Troops and America here in America, your interns could have done a little better research for you.
Or maybe you should have just come out and said that you have no clue what the Bush Doctrine refers to. Then at least we'd know that you know your limitations. I only had a vague notion of what it is myself until about Charlie spelled it out for you and everyone watching, but then again, I'm not running for the position of second in command behind an old guy that could drop dead at any minute.
You should send Charlie a nice, warm thank you note for not calling you out right there.
Go America!
-gf
Friday, September 12, 2008
"It's like a bad Disney movie..."
Dear Sarah:
OoooooOOOOOoooooo! Matt Damon would like to get to know you better Sarah! *Swoon*
But with all seriousness, I post this not because its "Matt Damon, Celebrity" (I could really give a rat's ass about what celebrities think about politics in general) but because he expresses the concerns that many of us have about you, very very well.
-gf
UPDATE: Walt Disney Presents: The Sarah Palin Story Courtesy of Jezebel
OoooooOOOOOoooooo! Matt Damon would like to get to know you better Sarah! *Swoon*
But with all seriousness, I post this not because its "Matt Damon, Celebrity" (I could really give a rat's ass about what celebrities think about politics in general) but because he expresses the concerns that many of us have about you, very very well.
-gf
UPDATE: Walt Disney Presents: The Sarah Palin Story Courtesy of Jezebel
ECTFOIGT
I have not yet watched The Interview, but in response to all the muttering and grumbling on the left, I've stolen a mantra from a friend of mine, and it goes a little something like:
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What's the Difference Between News & Distraction?
Dear Sarah, with a CC to the news media:
Since you are not woman enough to speak to the press at this juncture, I'll say what any strong independently-minded woman would say in regards to this chaos over cosmetics and swine: MOVE ON.
The expression in question is just that. Simply because it uses lipstick does not mean it was directed the sole female on the campaign trail.
And don't give me that crap about the similarity to the charming hockey-mom joke.
For the sake of women everywhere, tell McCain to stop defending your honor, and GET BACK TO THE ISSUES.
You are not a pig and Obama is not a sexist.
Neither is the news media competent for blowing this non-issue up. You no longer get to call them biased Sarah.
With you hiding behind the good old boys club of the GOP, there should be no further discussion about whether you are or are not a feminist.
Stop being a lap dog and speak for yourself.
-gf
Since you are not woman enough to speak to the press at this juncture, I'll say what any strong independently-minded woman would say in regards to this chaos over cosmetics and swine: MOVE ON.
The expression in question is just that. Simply because it uses lipstick does not mean it was directed the sole female on the campaign trail.
And don't give me that crap about the similarity to the charming hockey-mom joke.
For the sake of women everywhere, tell McCain to stop defending your honor, and GET BACK TO THE ISSUES.
You are not a pig and Obama is not a sexist.
Neither is the news media competent for blowing this non-issue up. You no longer get to call them biased Sarah.
With you hiding behind the good old boys club of the GOP, there should be no further discussion about whether you are or are not a feminist.
Stop being a lap dog and speak for yourself.
-gf
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Letter from a Hater:
Bgirl Calls for Help From the Big O
Send me a letter and it could end up here. Today's post courtesy of bgirl - thanks for writing, but more - for acting!
***
Dear Girl Friday,
I love your blog cause I too hate Sarah Palin. When McCain chose her to be his running mate I was actually excited. The more I heard about her positions on issues and how conservative they were I was sure the people who were floating someplace in the middle would come back to Obama. THEN I started hearing about her personal controversies and scandals and thought for sure McCain did us a favor by choosing her. I think there are infact, many people who were disappointed that Hillary did not win and thinking of voting McCain who are not solidly in Obama's camp. But now my biggest nightmare has been realized. There are masses of women who RESPECT Ms. Palin.
A hockey mom with a 17 year old, pregnant daughter who is headed to the alter rather than college??!! Is she really what American women aspire to be like? Someone who uses her power to ban books in libraries, limit choice of girls like her daughter, and wield her power to have people fired because they cross her? All because she wears 'cute' glasses and has 'nice' hair?! Please! I try to give women credit and fight those who like to pigeon hole us as not smart or strong enough to lead a business let alone a country. But blindly falling for her one liners without really listening to what she is saying is more than i can take.
Obama has enlisted Hillary to campaign, to light the fire she once inspired in people. Unfortunately I think the people Hillary reaches (for the most part) know they need to support the party. There is one goldmine left untapped... OPRAH. So attached is my letter to Oprah.
Dear Oprah,
I am writing to you today to enlist your help. Using all my energy not to beg, but it is close. You have such a strong voice among American women. You have their attention, and have gained their trust. You take care with issues, you open people's eyes to things as small as reading more. Now it's time to open their eyes to the issues at hand.
To the things the Republican party has done a good job of sweeping past these women in a blur. She's pretty, she's fit, she's fun, she's vocal but she's going to strip many of our women of liberties they currently take for granted. It is time women put down the weekly tabloid magazine and start reading the real news. Reading the real facts.
Oprah, you got them to read Anna Karenina surely you can convince them to read a newspaper or tune into Meet the Press to really HEAR these people discuss the issues. Not listen to their neighbors reiterate something they heard around the water cooler. If they listen, really listen to the issues and still choose to support McCain/Palin then I will accept that. But what i am seeing is much different and completely disappointing. Blind faith in an election year is frightening.
Would a mother hire a babysitter for their children without looking into her background? So why elect a President of our country, of our children, without the same attention to detail?
Just a little more reading, that's all we need the women of America to do. I have a feeling the rest will fall into place.
Holding out hope.
bgirl
***
Dear Girl Friday,
I love your blog cause I too hate Sarah Palin. When McCain chose her to be his running mate I was actually excited. The more I heard about her positions on issues and how conservative they were I was sure the people who were floating someplace in the middle would come back to Obama. THEN I started hearing about her personal controversies and scandals and thought for sure McCain did us a favor by choosing her. I think there are infact, many people who were disappointed that Hillary did not win and thinking of voting McCain who are not solidly in Obama's camp. But now my biggest nightmare has been realized. There are masses of women who RESPECT Ms. Palin.
A hockey mom with a 17 year old, pregnant daughter who is headed to the alter rather than college??!! Is she really what American women aspire to be like? Someone who uses her power to ban books in libraries, limit choice of girls like her daughter, and wield her power to have people fired because they cross her? All because she wears 'cute' glasses and has 'nice' hair?! Please! I try to give women credit and fight those who like to pigeon hole us as not smart or strong enough to lead a business let alone a country. But blindly falling for her one liners without really listening to what she is saying is more than i can take.
Obama has enlisted Hillary to campaign, to light the fire she once inspired in people. Unfortunately I think the people Hillary reaches (for the most part) know they need to support the party. There is one goldmine left untapped... OPRAH. So attached is my letter to Oprah.
Dear Oprah,
I am writing to you today to enlist your help. Using all my energy not to beg, but it is close. You have such a strong voice among American women. You have their attention, and have gained their trust. You take care with issues, you open people's eyes to things as small as reading more. Now it's time to open their eyes to the issues at hand.
To the things the Republican party has done a good job of sweeping past these women in a blur. She's pretty, she's fit, she's fun, she's vocal but she's going to strip many of our women of liberties they currently take for granted. It is time women put down the weekly tabloid magazine and start reading the real news. Reading the real facts.
Oprah, you got them to read Anna Karenina surely you can convince them to read a newspaper or tune into Meet the Press to really HEAR these people discuss the issues. Not listen to their neighbors reiterate something they heard around the water cooler. If they listen, really listen to the issues and still choose to support McCain/Palin then I will accept that. But what i am seeing is much different and completely disappointing. Blind faith in an election year is frightening.
Would a mother hire a babysitter for their children without looking into her background? So why elect a President of our country, of our children, without the same attention to detail?
Just a little more reading, that's all we need the women of America to do. I have a feeling the rest will fall into place.
Holding out hope.
bgirl
Monday, September 8, 2008
Heart says RNC’s ‘Barracuda’ use is fishy
Ann and Nancy Wilson have sent a ‘cease-and-desist’ letter to Republicans
LOS ANGELES - The rock group Heart, angry that its 70’s hit “Barracuda” is being used as the unofficial theme song for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, is biting back at the Alaska governor.
Heart singers Ann and Nancy Wilson said a “cease-and-desist” letter has been sent to the Republicans asking them not to use the song.more...
LOS ANGELES - The rock group Heart, angry that its 70’s hit “Barracuda” is being used as the unofficial theme song for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, is biting back at the Alaska governor.
Heart singers Ann and Nancy Wilson said a “cease-and-desist” letter has been sent to the Republicans asking them not to use the song.more...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Donny Deutsch is a Sexist Douchebag
Dear Sarah -
Someone has a crush on you.
Donny, I hope some of the women at Deutsch quit on your disgusting ass.
Someone has a crush on you.
Donny, I hope some of the women at Deutsch quit on your disgusting ass.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
A servant's heart
Dear Sarah,
In your speech on Wednesday, you said:
But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart. I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States.
And yet you went out of your way to undermine Obama's roots as a community organizer. Is it with good will and a servant's heart that you mocked him, and community service as a whole?
Your fellow Republican Rudy Giuliani sneered, "I don't even know what that is." Perhaps you, too, need a refresher on what community service is.
Community service is an activity performed for the benefit of one's community or society at large. It could be something as simple as painting a school or, as in Obama's case in Chicago, helping a community face issues like unemployment after a steel-mill closure and pressing the city to address the clean up of an asbestos-filled residence. It is something done for the greater good, something one undertakes because they wish to give back to their community, their country, or the world at large.
Community service can be difficult, and sometimes, thankless work. Organizing citizens around a cause or a goal is not easy. It takes a person who can not only "organize" (as if organization is such a dirty, dirty word), but inspire and bring people together. According to Loretta Augustine-Herron, a member of the church-based Developing Communities Project board that hired him, Obama insisted..."You've got to do it right. Be open with the issues. Include the community instead of going behind the community's back--and he would include people we didn't like sometimes. You've got to bring people together. If you exclude people, you're only weakening yourself. If you meet behind doors and make decisions for them, they'll never take ownership of the issue." (Source: The Nation)
Sarah, you said "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." As noted in my previous post one of your fellow Wasillans had this to say about your "actual responsibilities":
"During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign."
I'll take the community organizer over the manipulative small-town mayor any day, the guy who knows how to get citizens to get up and do something about changes they want to see made, the guy who inspires action versus apathy. It's time for the rest of us to stand up to you and yours.
I look forward to November when *this* community comes together and organizes your ass all the way back to Alaska.
In your speech on Wednesday, you said:
But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart. I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States.
And yet you went out of your way to undermine Obama's roots as a community organizer. Is it with good will and a servant's heart that you mocked him, and community service as a whole?
Your fellow Republican Rudy Giuliani sneered, "I don't even know what that is." Perhaps you, too, need a refresher on what community service is.
Community service is an activity performed for the benefit of one's community or society at large. It could be something as simple as painting a school or, as in Obama's case in Chicago, helping a community face issues like unemployment after a steel-mill closure and pressing the city to address the clean up of an asbestos-filled residence. It is something done for the greater good, something one undertakes because they wish to give back to their community, their country, or the world at large.
Community service can be difficult, and sometimes, thankless work. Organizing citizens around a cause or a goal is not easy. It takes a person who can not only "organize" (as if organization is such a dirty, dirty word), but inspire and bring people together. According to Loretta Augustine-Herron, a member of the church-based Developing Communities Project board that hired him, Obama insisted..."You've got to do it right. Be open with the issues. Include the community instead of going behind the community's back--and he would include people we didn't like sometimes. You've got to bring people together. If you exclude people, you're only weakening yourself. If you meet behind doors and make decisions for them, they'll never take ownership of the issue." (Source: The Nation)
Sarah, you said "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." As noted in my previous post one of your fellow Wasillans had this to say about your "actual responsibilities":
"During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign."
I'll take the community organizer over the manipulative small-town mayor any day, the guy who knows how to get citizens to get up and do something about changes they want to see made, the guy who inspires action versus apathy. It's time for the rest of us to stand up to you and yours.
I look forward to November when *this* community comes together and organizes your ass all the way back to Alaska.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A letter from a Brave Alaska Lady
Dear Sarah -
This is an letter from a woman that has seen your work first hand, who felt she must speak out. I've removed her name and contact information as she requested, but clearly you've made an impression on her.
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in common: their gender and their good looks. :)
You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .
Thanks,
[NAME REMOVED]
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she ecommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit, exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. hey call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•"Hockey mom": true for a few years
•"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•"NRA supporter": absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name ([NAME REMOVED] +Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that's life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible or a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.
[NAME & EMAIL REMOVED]
August 31, 2008
This is an letter from a woman that has seen your work first hand, who felt she must speak out. I've removed her name and contact information as she requested, but clearly you've made an impression on her.
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in common: their gender and their good looks. :)
You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .
Thanks,
[NAME REMOVED]
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she ecommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit, exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. hey call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•"Hockey mom": true for a few years
•"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•"NRA supporter": absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name ([NAME REMOVED] +Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that's life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible or a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.
[NAME & EMAIL REMOVED]
August 31, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Why do I hate thee, Sarah Palin.
Dear Sarah,
Just a week ago, I was blissfully unaware of your existence, and today, today I can not stop thinking about you, reading about you, talking about you. Your very voice is ringing in my head.
Hate is a strong word. My mother taught me that. I reserve it for the things I truly cannot stand, much like that girl-crime-of-a-word that begins with a "c". Most things in life do not deserve such negative energy.
But you, Sarah Palin, are one of the exceptions.
You see, even though I live in a big city, I grew up in a small town. My dad worked three jobs while my sister and I were growing up and he is one of the hardest working, honest men I know. My mother worked at odds and ends while raising two busy girls. They scraped by and tried to give us as many opportunities as they could, instilling us with a salt-of-the-earth work ethic and encouraged by the belief that if we studied hard many opportunities would come our way. My family is a working family...a blue collar family...the sort of family that you've been dug up from obscurity to appeal to.
Last night you said, "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity."
You may have come from a small town Sarah, but you are neither honest nor sincere. Nor did your catty, snide attacks on your opponents bring any dignity to this race.
You are not good people. And your very presence in this race is condescending to those very people. For you and your party aim, yet again, to appeal to "everyman" for the purpose solely of capturing the election. We saw it with George W. Bush and his cowboy hats, and this time round McCain - married to an heiress, unable to recollect how many homes he owns - could hardly do the trick. You exist to convince the families like mine that there could be one of their own in the White House with their interests at heart, while in reality you stand for a party whose interests lie with big business and the wealthy.
The good people deserve way better than you Sarah, way fucking better.
Just a week ago, I was blissfully unaware of your existence, and today, today I can not stop thinking about you, reading about you, talking about you. Your very voice is ringing in my head.
Hate is a strong word. My mother taught me that. I reserve it for the things I truly cannot stand, much like that girl-crime-of-a-word that begins with a "c". Most things in life do not deserve such negative energy.
But you, Sarah Palin, are one of the exceptions.
You see, even though I live in a big city, I grew up in a small town. My dad worked three jobs while my sister and I were growing up and he is one of the hardest working, honest men I know. My mother worked at odds and ends while raising two busy girls. They scraped by and tried to give us as many opportunities as they could, instilling us with a salt-of-the-earth work ethic and encouraged by the belief that if we studied hard many opportunities would come our way. My family is a working family...a blue collar family...the sort of family that you've been dug up from obscurity to appeal to.
Last night you said, "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity."
You may have come from a small town Sarah, but you are neither honest nor sincere. Nor did your catty, snide attacks on your opponents bring any dignity to this race.
You are not good people. And your very presence in this race is condescending to those very people. For you and your party aim, yet again, to appeal to "everyman" for the purpose solely of capturing the election. We saw it with George W. Bush and his cowboy hats, and this time round McCain - married to an heiress, unable to recollect how many homes he owns - could hardly do the trick. You exist to convince the families like mine that there could be one of their own in the White House with their interests at heart, while in reality you stand for a party whose interests lie with big business and the wealthy.
The good people deserve way better than you Sarah, way fucking better.
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