(Published at Associated Content on July 5th, check the link to see some worthy comments, pro and con on her resignation)
Sarah Palin took to the national stage one more time on Friday and upstaged the Fourth with her pronouncement that she was resigning as the Governor of Alaska. I suppose that should only matter to the people of Alaska. It is either their loss or they’re relieved.
But for the rest of us down here in America’s lower 48..what does it mean to us and why should we care?
My immediate response was glee and relief. Should I be ashamed of that and why did I feel so jubilant about one women from Wasilla and her decision to quit her job. Ms. Sarah has certainly contributed to the political divide in America. There are few noncommital responses to her presence in our media and in our lives. We either strongly dislike her or promote her as the greatest thing since Swiss Cheese. Okay..my simile might be full of holes. But why the difference of opinions? Why is she so damn frustrating and agonizing to watch in interviews?
Why does her syntax disturb me so much that it almost physically hurts? I listened to her replacement, Governor to be, Parnell, and I half expected him to drone on in chunky, broken sentences that gyrate around the subject. But, no, he was clear, articulate in his defense of her and quite intelligent sounding. I think perhaps Alaska might be better off with him as their leader from what I heard. Maybe Sarah is right, she’s been the point guard long enough and her drive for the basket and passing the ball to her replacement player is a good thing for Alaska.
For us, I just hope, she takes some time to go back to Wasilla, to her very big house, not saying there is anything wrong with the way she obtained the funds needed to build the house, (so don’t sue me Sarah) and that she takes some time to really attempt to understand why so many of us were both afraid of her, fascinated by her meteoric climb to fame, and repulsed by her beliefs and her stunningly simplistic way of looking at the world.
And for her fans, I do apologize for my strong feelings of fear and loathing as pertains to her. I’m just a mom of five myself, and while I’m a wee bit older than Sarah, I think we probably have some things in common. I was a soccer Mom, instead of ice hockey. My daughters and I were ball players, not basketball, but softball, tennis and volleyball. We get what it means to be part of a team and how good that is for girls.
I was a PTO president, volunteer leader, and even contemplated running for political office in my small town at one time. But being a Democrat in Indiana, I knew I didn’t have much of a chance in my Republican county of Hamilton, Indiana. So, I resigned myself to being part of the loyal opposition, that element of American politics that must always be strong to counteract abuse of power.
We need Republicans right now to fight for their beliefs, opinions and thoughts on all things political, just as we needed Democrats to fight George Bush, Dick Cheny and Sarah Palin’s vision of what their America should be. It’s how our system of government works, we balance each other. We need both strong active intelligent parties.
And so, where does the exit of Sarah Palin leave the Republicans. I would hope as relieved as we are. Perhaps they can channel her into raising funds, or helping others, but please, please, don’t nominate her for political office. Let her be a political hack for you guys, a spokesperson representing strong defense, gas line usuage (that isn’t even needed down here), and the rights of lumbering interests and mining interests and gun owners, etc.
I say that with what sounds like sarcasm and for me, those interests all deserve a lot of sarcasm. But..as an American, I also think they deserve fair, well meaning politicians and citizens defending them. If Republicans think that perplexing, stunningly simplistic Sarah Palin can do the job, then by all means, have at it with her.
For the rest of serious Republicans who understand that they are in a crisis of moral,intelligent leadership, then let her go hang out with the Rush Limbaughs of your party, and find someone who represents you better. Tim Pawlenty, even the Mormon guy. Someone who can string a sentence together in intelligble fashion and knows that Africa is a continent, not a country and doesn’t base their national defense on being able to see Russia from their house.
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