The big news this week has been Sarah Palin, and the press has been at a loss about how she will stand up over the next 2 months. There's Troopergate, Flip/Flop on the Bridge to Nowhere, EBay trader or not, Alaska secessionist or not, anti-Semite or not... racist or not.
A friend of mine asked rhetorically, on another forum, why Democrats were so angered by her selection as McCain's running mate. My response was that I've met too many people like her in my life, and that her well-documented character traits would make most people angry. In other words, she's just not a very nice person.
- She fired everyone in Wasilla- police chief, librarian, etc- who didn't support her mayoral bid or went against some of her more extreme demands. For many, it seems that they hadn't necessarily campaigned against her... they just didn't support her.
- She's at least an active participant in the Alaska Independence Movement, if not an actual member... her husband is the member.
- This whole Troopergate thing is because she wanted more blood from her sister's ex-husband... even after he'd already been through due process for his infraction. It's called 'double jeopardy' but, like most Republicans, the Constitution doesn't matter if you want to get even.
- She lies through her teeth: While she says she's fought Porkbarrel Programs, she's begged for them from Stevens and Young- $12 million as mayor alone. She says she didn't try to get Wooten (ex-brother-in-law) fired, but tapes and emails prove she did. There are literally dozens of these floating around.
- Fiscally irresponsible: As mayor, she inherited zero debt; she left with Wasilla $22 million in the hole. (Remind you of another 'conservative'?)
- Her minister is a right-wing wacko- and she has endorsed, publicly, his sermons on numerous occasions. She is a firm believer in Dominionist "Last Days" Rushdooney theology.
- She has publicly stated her maniacal dislike of gays.
- She is anti-abortion to the extreme: even victims of rape and incest gain no sympathy from her extremist view.
And now there's some evidence that she is a flat-out racist.
Maybe your experiences with people sharing these views has been OK, but to a person I've found these people to be not just distasteful and boorish, but mean, vicious, callous, and vindictive. They are, to the person, shallow idealogues. They are the likes of Karl Rove, Tom DeLay, Bill Frist, Phyllis Schafly, and Dick Cheney; these are the first to come to mind, but everyone knows I could go on.
She is absolutely not the person I want to become President when McCain is unable to continue in office because of dementia or death. She is everything even the most conservative Democrat is against. I don't think the Enquirer needs to vet her rumored infidelity... there's already enough there to dislike.
