.
I’m liking this idea.
I saw the other day that George W. Bush is raising money for his proposed policy institute at Southern Methodist University. I did some research and found out that there are something like 3,000 policy institutes, most of them hosting convocations about nothing much and issuing papers no one reads. I suggest therefore that Bush use his money to do something truly different and constructive — establish the Institute for the Study of Sarah Palin.
[...]
The Institute for the Study of Sarah Palin might conclude that she represents the exact moment important Republicans gave up on democracy. She was clearly seen as an empty vessel who could be controlled by her intellectual betters. These include the editorial boards of the Weekly Standard and the Wall Street Journal, neither of which would hire Palin to make an editorial judgment but both of which would be thrilled to see her as president of the United States. It does not bother these people in the least that the woman is a demagogue — remember “death panels”? — and not, on the face of it, very responsible.
[...]
Finally, the Institute for the Study of Sarah Palin will mull what she represents. She has a phenomenal favorability rating among Republicans — 76 percent — who have a quite irrational belief that she would not make such a bad president. What they mean is that she will act out their resentments — take an ax to the people and institutions they hate. The Palin Movement is fueled by high-octane bile, and it is worth watching and studying for these reasons alone.
It may be asking too much of Bush to put his money into something useful instead of the standard presidential monument of self-aggrandizement. This, though, is his chance: Study Sarah Palin. If she’s a comer, then we’re all goners.
Some real truth in that last line.
___
To receive email notifications of new posts from MarioPiperniDotCom, click on Subscribe.
.
I think the favorable rating repubs give Palin, is only because they know it pisses off dems.
I would like for someone to take everything that Palin has said and done as a public figure and extrapolate that information to create a character portrait of what she would be like as POTUS. I would like for someone to compile a list of all the major issues facing the POTUS today and try to project what her actions would be. Maybe they could even take the list to her and ask her directly.
This memoir that she has produced does not include much in the way of policy, so it would be of little help. I don’t think the purpose of the book was to propose policy anyway – the policy issue only came up when the book was couched by her opponents (and proponents) as a step toward the presidency. Only then was it hailed as an insightful policy piece by Rush Limbaugh. Okay, so if there is policy in there, someone weed it out and tell us what it is. Limbaugh seemed to notice it, so let’s let him do it.
If there is a possibility that she is a contender for POTUS, it would be helpful to know what her platform actually is. Not how people feel for or against her. Not how she feels about Levi Johnston. Leave her kids and religion out of it. But what is her solution for Afghanistan? How should we deal with Korea? What is her solution to the health care crisis? What does she think of Iran and Somalia? Immigration reform? What’s the best way to restore the economy? Who would she appoint for SCOTUS if she had the opportunity? Would she attempt to reorganize and downsize the federal government? If so, how? What would she do with the Gitmo detainees? Hanging is not an option.
Palin has been made into a paper doll by nearly everyone with an interest in her – even her supporters. She’s like an actor whose public persona is a caricature that is being revered or reviled for mostly the wrong reasons. As a liberal, I could not care less about Palin’s family or what church she goes to. I don’t care if she eats moose or filet mignon. I don’t care what her toenails look like, though I’d rather not see them. I don’t even care how many colleges she went to – at least she went, and if she got a degree, then that’s better than a lot of people can say.
What it all boils down to for most people is whether or not a candidate has similar ideas to theirs about the purpose of government as it relates to the people of this country and how this country relates to the rest of the world. The only way to judge that is by their public life – their words, experience, and actions – and trysts in public restrooms count as public actions. Do I think that, on that basis, Sarah Palin is qualified to be POTUS? No I don’t. I think if we make that assessment based on policy and not her merits as a pop culture icon, the debates might be a bit more productive. Since it is Palin herself who turns political criticism of her into a personal attack, it is not surprising that those who support her do likewise.
Frances, I’ve got two words for you: “Dreams From My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope”
And based on that and little more, we (well….you) elected the most inexperienced person ever to hold the office of the President of the United States of America.
Now, you choose to hold others to a different set of standards? I’m only pointing out your hypocrisy in doing so. Considering the failure this President has shaped up to be, I would agree with you that a viable candidate for the Presidency should show us something other than a couple of mediocre books, a good speech, and a lot of empty and unfulfilled campaign rhetoric.
TN, you missed the whole point of my comments. I’m not surprised.
Frances, perhaps there wasn’t a point. ;-)
I get, if not “your”, “the” point. Your bias colors your thought processes and you can’t overcome it.
“The only way to judge that is by their public life – their words, experience, and actions…”
Obama hungout with Ayers and Rev Wright. He said “spread the wealth”. He was an academic without real world work experience. All of those points spoke to me about his character.
I see the libs attacks on Palin, and their disbelief that people could take her seriously as a POTUS candidate, as exactly the same as the disbelief conservatives had about Obama.
Can we talk about Palin and what she would actually like to do as POTUS? That’s what I’m interested in. If people believe that Pres. Obama’s aquantance with Ayers and Wright influenced his policy as POTUS, then okay, they have the right to believe what they want. That doesn’t have anything to do with Palin’s experiences, thoughts or actions though. I’m saying that the media facade of Palin gets in the way of determining who she is policy-wise.
and who Palin is policy wise is dangerous. She’s been associated with C Street and with a fundamentalist christian group that wants to take over government. She is also affiliated with the movement to have Alaska secede from the United States.
Given her associations and who she pals around with, I have a lot of concerns about her ‘policies’ were she to run for POTUS as it will likely be fundamentalists pulling the doll string affixed to her back.
janine, OH MY FRIGGIN’ GOD!!!!!!! You DID NOT just say that?
“Given her associations and who she pals around with, I have a lot of concerns about her ‘policies’ were she to run for POTUS as it will likely be fundamentalists pulling the doll string affixed to her back.”
I’m not going to take the time and effort to do it, but I would literally bet you MY LIFE that if I took the time to do it, I could find almost those exact same words spoken by some Conservative or Republican about Obama. And much to your chagrin, if you plugged in words to make it about Obama, I would guess it came from Hannity. Possibly Beck.
Frances, Palin has not announced she is running for President. As a matter of fact, she has, for the most part, downplayed the notion. (Don’t they all.) Aren’t you putting the horse in front of the cart?
I have to apologize to Mario for hijacking his post. These were just thoughts that I have had – like, “What if Napoleon had a B-1 bomber.”