Here's What We Know About Sarah Palin's Decision | 40 comments (40 topical, 0 hidden)
RE: What We Know (none / 0)

The point that this must inevitably be bad news in Palin's perspective is absolutely sound.  If this was a long time coming as Palin states then the timing is not advantageous to furthering her appeal throughout the US.

 Honestly I don't think this has anything to do with traveling the country and campaigning.  She did just fine at denigrating herself world-wide and access is really no problem with her.  In fact, part of the image that I think appealed to many republicans was her down home wolf huntress facade.  Even many of her screw ups were passed by as amusing but irrelevant by reasonable republicans for one main reason.  The Sarah Palin that people were willing to vote for was an empty image.  It was the archetype which made republicans feel progressive.  This allowed a detachement from guilt (which I speculate existed subconsciously if at all) without a concrete reality based candidate for the vice-presidency.

 This is my theory on Palin's reasoning.  Whomever is directing her political path has decided that the closer Palin is to the realization of Republican politics the mor eunpopular she will become.  Her purist outsider (maverick dare I say) image will become fettered along with the rest of the unpopular republican party.  By resigning as Governor she has secluded herself from any political damage that may occur to the republicans in the next 4 years.  This is the ideal situation for Palin.  As governor, the political eye was focused on her at least in its perifery ever sense the election concluded.  Now she is free from some scrutiny.  Her image can grow without being damaged along with her republican (counterparts? or is she just bailing ship to tell the world what republicans were all about?) 

This is the damage of Palin removing herself from politics (which I doubt will last).  The further she can separate herself from the messy stubborn republicans of today, the easier it will be for her to convince people that she wasn't part of the specialized polarized party that was voted unpopular.  She will give another opportunity for people to relax their economic woes and to focus on the social conservatism that usually loses the election for Democrats.

 If this is the case though, why is she jumping ship now? As Cenk pointed out, this isn't good news for her.  If it were she would have waited for the news to slow down drastically before announcing this strange decision.  If I'm right which obviously isn't for sure in any way... the only reason I can see for her to follow through with this plan that's been in the making for so long now as opposed to a more appropriate time is that there either is a scandal as Cenk mentioned, or they're actually looking at the polls that they supposedly ignore...  I guess the election of the president and the senators were a creditable enough poll to affect her decision making.  If republican popularity is on the decline then if she jumps out now and goes on a charity drive or osmething then she can keep her image separate.

 

I hope I'm wrong because I could see that making a massive difference in her popularity.  If there's nothing to complain about between now and the next election then the li ne that she's an idiot is going to run dry fast..

by HellaSancho on 07/05/2009 01:18:07 AM EST

Palin vs. The Republicans (none / 0)
You may be right.  It's clear even to the dumbest of Republicans that they're a very unpopular party; they just don't understand that doing more of what made them unpopular won't reverse that trend.

Palin may very well be trying to shield herself from the additional self-inflicted damage that Republicans will do to themselves, even though she would do absolutely nothing different.  Then she can come back and say, "See? If only Republicans had been more Republican the world would be a better place."

And she'll have the same 20% of the country behind her that is supporting Republicans today.  These people, who always vote for the most ignorant and insane candidate, are very dependable Republican voters.

If the Republican Party splits and Palin takes the real nutcases with her, that will leave the hypocrits and thieves behind.  We'll then have two right-wing parties: The Loons and The Crooks.

It's hard to say which will be the tougher opponent.

However, I disagree that American's prefer social conservatives.

  • A majority of us support abortion, even though we might want to limit its practice while staying out of such matters as much as possible.
  • A majority of us don't want to shut down the porn shops because we think that people have rights to free speech and privacy.
  • A majority of us want liquor stores because we recognize that prohibition doesn't work, people are going to alter their consciousness no matter what we do, and we might as well collect taxes on it.
  • A majority of us think that we should provide health care to people who can't pay for it.
  • A majority of us think we should make sure that no one goes hungry and that everyone who wants one can have a roof over their heads.
  • A majority of us think that we should collect taxes for the services that we want to provide for ourselves.
  • And now a majority of us think that we should allow homosexuals to marry.

Name your social issue, and Americans inevitably come out on the liberal side of it.

But they voted for Reagan and Bush Jr. anyway, even though both opposed the values of the American People, because they didn't feel intellectually inferior to them.  They could "have a beer" with Reagan or Bush. They didn't feel that way about Carter (a born again Christian), or Mondale or Dukakis or Gore (all intellectuals).

They feel the same way about Obama.  They felt that way about Clinton.  We could have a beer with them.

It's not the social issues that does in the left.  It's The Beer Factor.

by EveningStarNM on 07/05/2009 02:11:46 AM EST

[ Parent ]
I agree (none / 0)

I think for the most part Americans are social liberals and fiscal conservatives. I don't think I have ever heard of a person that liked the idea of government spending money. Most of us deal with the fact government can be rather wasteful because our only other option is letting private companies take over and they would be even worse.

 I honestly don't know why Democrats don't grow a pair and call out Republicans on money issues. Over the last 40 or so years Democrats(presidents) have tried to reduce the size of government and/or reduce spending. The reasoning behind letting them run on something they don't ever do is beyond me.

 I think it is the fact Americans want to save money and have a beer with them that does in the Democrats. We are all taught in school about what good people the founding fathers where. I think many people just assume that politicians can be trusted. Republicans come out and say "we will save money" and "I am just like you" people believe it. I think people get a real shock when they see how bad the GOP is with money.

 I think it is also odd how many GOP are born into money.... talk about "real" Americans.

 I also think a lot of people don't even know the difference between Democrat and Republican. Ask some of your friends or coworkers and you may be surprised.

 

by mattish on 07/05/2009 03:08:25 AM EST

[ Parent ]

Here's What We Know About Sarah Palin's Decision | 40 comments (40 topical, 0 hidden)