Saturday, July 4, 2009

Sarah Say it Ain't So

Sarah Palin has announced her resignation as Governor of Alaska. Her explanation was more than a little ambiguous. One thing that was clear is that her family seems happy to have this part of their life behind them. Some of Sarah’s five children have been put through the ringer of public notoriety. Her youngest, having Down’s syndrome, has been one of the biggest targets. Questions of who his biological mother is and some very unseemly cartoons. Her eldest daughter being an unwed mother has been equally targeted. One of the many things that were misunderstood about Sarah Palin’s views is her stance on birth control. She is staunchly anti-abortion, but she is not against birth control; at least for others. Her politic future has been put up for the great debate today after her announcement.

Has she ruined her chances for a Presidential bid in 2012? That answer may very well be yes. Quitting is never a good sign. It gives a perception of weakness. But is she weak? A very good argument can be made that it is really the opposite. Mrs. Palin may very well be showing a strength that is sorely missing in politics today.

Sarah has been ridiculed, called stupid, and investigated to death. Sarah Palin is only 45 years old. She has served on the city council, Mayor of Wasilla, chaired the Oil and Gas Conservation board, and beat an incumbent Governor of her own party. That is quite a lot to accomplish in 45 years. Especially if you consider she is not wealthy, does not come from a politically connected family and is raising a family of five children. I think it is obvious to anyone who is open-minded that she is a savvy politician. Disagree with her views, but calling her stupid is only showing your own ignorance.

Over the past 10 months she has had many ethics violations brought against her, 16 to be exact. Every one of them has been dropped. And they have not been dropped as publically as they have been brought. This has caused her family to accrue $500,000 in debt and legal bills. Her children have been attacked, and her level of intelligence has been questioned. Walking away from her job as governor now will allow her to spend some quality time with her children; she is working on a book and has a created SarahPac. The book deal will help her family settle the debts she accrued and give her some time to figure out her next moves.

Mrs. Palin made a speech several months ago at a pro-life dinner. Her welcome was quite astonishing. She is a rising star in social conservative circles. Her appearance at a Republican Party Dinner in Washington DC was also a huge hit. She didn’t speak at this appearance, but she still stole the show. Sarah will be a big draw to any candidate that she chooses to make appearances for. She will bring in the bucks for these candidates. This will allow her to build relationships that have previously been unavailable to her. She also can start to give speeches on energy and special needs children issues; two topics that she is very well versed in. This will give her the opportunity to allow the public see a different side to her. Sarah is putting her financial world in order and prioritizing her children. That is not a weakness. That is a women who understands what is important and what is not so important.

5 comments:

LL said...

The liberals are crowing and cheering.

What a personal relief this must be to Sarah and the Palin family to put the wicked, sniping, state-controlled media behind her (for the most part) as she steps back into private life.

I don't think that the public understands how truly nasty it is to be in public office and how unpleasant people are to you when you're in the spotlight.

Hat tip to Sarah, for putting first things first. I hope she can take a well deserved vacation. I don't know what her future is either but she has a place in the American recovery (if we are able to make one).

Chuck said...

It will either be a brilliant move or political suicide. I am putting together a post for tomorrow about this.

Unknown said...

I believe Sarah is stepping down as governor for the benefit of Alaska and her family. She has made a tough decision but she made it with others in mind. The cost to Alaskans for the many ethic complaints, her inability to govern while constantly thwarting attacks and the toll on her family led to her decision. It would have been in her best interest to stay, but not in the best interest of the state and her family. That to me is not a quitter, but rather someone that is willing to ignore personal interests for the greater good.

Opus #6 said...

There are a lot of opinions on Sarah Palin, but I know her heart is in the right place. I see little that is selfish about her. I wish her and her family all the best in or out of politics.

The Conservative Lady said...

Agreed. Gov. Palin is doing what she thinks is right for her at this time and everyone should give her the benefit of the doubt. She will be a great voice for conservative values, whether she runs for office again or chooses to speak out from the sidelines.

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