With Sarah Palin once again hinting at a presidential run pundits and politics wonks are all the more aflutter with 2016 talk. The predictable slings and arrows of the surly left are coming her way while her excited fans are firing up the troops. Then there are those who say that while they like the ex-governor they dont believe she could win the presidency. My focus however is a bit different: I have an objection to Palin one relating to something of which most are unaware.
Before getting to that please indulge me as I ask a few questions that establish where we all stand. Are you adamantly pro-life or might your position change if (as in polling) the question is framed as a womans right to choose"? Do you stand foursquare against amnesty or could you be persuaded to accept a path to citizenship" for illegals? Do you uphold the proper and only definition of marriage or have the unrelenting attacks on tradition worn you down to a point where you might conclude Well none of this affects me anyway"?
If youre unwavering on all those issues as I am youre a real Sarah Palin conservative.
Or are you?
You see Im pretty sure how Palin would answer those questions and one answer is a real problem.
On October 26 2008 Palin had an interview with Jorge Ramos of Spanish-language network Univision. She was asked about amnesty: So you support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?"
Her answer: I do because I understand why people would want to be in America. To seek the safety and prosperity the opportunities the health that is here. It is so important that yes people follow the rules so that people can be treated equally and fairly in this country."
Sarah Palin supported amnesty…in so many words.
See if you can put enough lipstick on that pig.
Now since our country is subject to a somewhat planned invasion thats changing its face and involves the importation of leftist voters-to-be I consider any pro-amnesty position a deal-breaker. Ive been front and center on the issue so much so that Pat Buchanan saw fit to quote me in his book Death of the West. I even stated Marco Rubio is dead to me" after he supported the Gang of Eight amnesty group in 2013. And believe me I once had high hopes for the photogenic articulate Rubio. But my principles arent negotiable (especially the one in question here).
Some may now say that Palin had to play ball as she was running for the White House in 2008 with amnesty poster boy John McCain.
But as they say back home that dog dont hunt certainly not grizzly in Alaska.
Remember that Palin has been billed by supporters as a breath of fresh air the un-politician a principled crusader and transformational figure. Her whole stated appeal is based on the notion that shes not just another politician who goes along to get along.
But on Oct 26 2008 she gave a quintessential politician-like answer. And on one of the biggest issues of our time.
Yet theres more than just Palins words on immigration. There are also her actions or perhaps inaction. As Examiner.coms Victor Medina wrote in 2013 citing Lou Dobbs reportage Palin did not appear to act on the fact that Alaska hosted two sanctuary cities." As Dobbs put it related Medina Alaska and Oregon both have state-wide policies that forbid state agencies from using resources to enforce federal immigration law. Apparently this is by design from the highest levels" (emphasis added).
Now since Ive learned the hard way that criticizing Palin alienates some of my usual readers Ill state that I bear her no special animus. Shes no different from 1000 other politicians who either dont understand the true impact of immigration (and a lot of other things) or have principles whose malleability is proportional to the power at stake. But thats the point.
Palin is no different from 1000 other politicians.
This brings us to her true appeal. And if youre a fan of hers please try to take a step back if you can and view the matter from an emotional distance.
Question: can you cite for me one novel or unusually insightful thing Palin has ever said?
Just one.
Anyone?
Politics wonk that I am I cant think of anything. Dont misunderstand me theres nothing wrong with most of what she does say; its conservative boilerplate and thats where you generally start. But that again is the point.
Palin says nothing 1000 politicians havent said before her.
So I ask whats her true appeal really?
Lets be honest if we cant point to even one thing that makes a much ballyhooed politician substantively different from less touted co-ideologists the process of elimination tells us where the greater appeal must lie.
Style.
Its not Palins oratory either. Oh its not bad but shes no Reagan or Alan Keyes. The difference is what she is.
No one would be talking about Palin if she werent attractive and female.
This is true even if by chance John McCain would have been willing to choose a Scott" Palin to be his running-mate (which he wouldnt have).
Its the phenomenon I expounded upon in Cultural Affirmative Action" and The New Chivalry": when people in the market and media privilege others sometimes unconsciously based upon the latters identification with a victim group."
And most every politically aware person grasps this phenomenon to some degree. The late Geraldine Ferraro addressed Barack Obamas meteoric political rise in 2008 and said If Obama was a white man he would not be in this position." And Ferraro had noted herself that she wouldnt have been the 1984 vice-presidential candidate were she not a woman. Its the same reason by the way why Fox News hires a large number of attractive female hosts and pundits. Do you think its a coincidence? Is the largely conservative audience so taken with them solely because of their minds?
The fact is that its impossible to not benefit from fairer-sex status in politics today; it even elevates your brand among conservatives though its difficult convincing many conservatives theyre thus influenced. With many motivations being unconscious its common for people to not be completely aware of what drives them. How many Americans voted for Obama in 2008 without fully grasping the degree to which electing the first black president" and wanting to feel unbigoted and open-minded influenced them?
This isnt to say Palin fans dont have some legitimate reasons to support her only that the kind of heroine worship and savior-status attribution evident in some quarters support vastly in excess of what boilerplate conservatism warrants is due to a purely emotional reaction stoked by image and hope. Many conservatives knowing that having a female or minority presidential candidate is advantageous today want to believe in the Great Female Hope. Moreover there is this politically correct notion now seamlessly woven into our culture of female specialness and superiority. So many today are looking for a woman to save us.
Then theres simply the matter of conservative female politicians relative rarity (even many GOP women officeholders are quite liberal); its easier to be seen as a standout when you stand out.
So the perhaps unwelcome message here is this: as with the 2008 Barack Obama Palin is a cult of personality.
If even now you count yourself a Palinista realize that Im not emotionally invested in the matter. After all I know that political remedies wont cure what at bottom are cultural problems anyway. Its also true that like so many other politicians Palin demonstrates the ability to evolve. And at least shes evolved in the right direction: two years ago she called the 2013 Gang-of-Eight Rubio Judas" in a tweet. I only wonder what she now really thinks deep down about the 2008 Palin.
With Sarah Palin once again hinting at a presidential run pundits and politics wonks are all the more aflutter with 2016 talk. The predictable slings and arrows of the surly left are coming her way while her excited fans are firing up the troops. Then there are those who say that while they like the ex-governor they dont believe she could win the presidency. My focus however is a bit different: I have an objection to Palin one relating to something of which most are unaware.
Before getting to that please indulge me as I ask a few questions that establish where we all stand. Are you adamantly pro-life or might your position change if (as in polling) the question is framed as a womans right to choose"? Do you stand foursquare against amnesty or could you be persuaded to accept a path to citizenship" for illegals? Do you uphold the proper and only definition of marriage or have the unrelenting attacks on tradition worn you down to a point where you might conclude Well none of this affects me anyway"?
If youre unwavering on all those issues as I am youre a real Sarah Palin conservative.
Or are you?
You see Im pretty sure how Palin would answer those questions and one answer is a real problem.
On October 26 2008 Palin had an interview with Jorge Ramos of Spanish-language network Univision. She was asked about amnesty: So you support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?"
Her answer: I do because I understand why people would want to be in America. To seek the safety and prosperity the opportunities the health that is here. It is so important that yes people follow the rules so that people can be treated equally and fairly in this country."
Sarah Palin supported amnesty…in so many words.
See if you can put enough lipstick on that pig.
Now since our country is subject to a somewhat planned invasion thats changing its face and involves the importation of leftist voters-to-be I consider any pro-amnesty position a deal-breaker. Ive been front and center on the issue so much so that Pat Buchanan saw fit to quote me in his book Death of the West. I even stated Marco Rubio is dead to me" after he supported the Gang of Eight amnesty group in 2013. And believe me I once had high hopes for the photogenic articulate Rubio. But my principles arent negotiable (especially the one in question here).
Some may now say that Palin had to play ball as she was running for the White House in 2008 with amnesty poster boy John McCain.
But as they say back home that dog dont hunt certainly not grizzly in Alaska.
Remember that Palin has been billed by supporters as a breath of fresh air the un-politician a principled crusader and transformational figure. Her whole stated appeal is based on the notion that shes not just another politician who goes along to get along.
But on Oct 26 2008 she gave a quintessential politician-like answer. And on one of the biggest issues of our time.
Yet theres more than just Palins words on immigration. There are also her actions or perhaps inaction. As Examiner.coms Victor Medina wrote in 2013 citing Lou Dobbs reportage Palin did not appear to act on the fact that Alaska hosted two sanctuary cities." As Dobbs put it related Medina Alaska and Oregon both have state-wide policies that forbid state agencies from using resources to enforce federal immigration law. Apparently this is by design from the highest levels" (emphasis added).
Now since Ive learned the hard way that criticizing Palin alienates some of my usual readers Ill state that I bear her no special animus. Shes no different from 1000 other politicians who either dont understand the true impact of immigration (and a lot of other things) or have principles whose malleability is proportional to the power at stake. But thats the point.
Palin is no different from 1000 other politicians.
This brings us to her true appeal. And if youre a fan of hers please try to take a step back if you can and view the matter from an emotional distance.
Question: can you cite for me one novel or unusually insightful thing Palin has ever said?
Just one.
Anyone?
Politics wonk that I am I cant think of anything. Dont misunderstand me theres nothing wrong with most of what she does say; its conservative boilerplate and thats where you generally start. But that again is the point.
Palin says nothing 1000 politicians havent said before her.
So I ask whats her true appeal really?
Lets be honest if we cant point to even one thing that makes a much ballyhooed politician substantively different from less touted co-ideologists the process of elimination tells us where the greater appeal must lie.
Style.
Its not Palins oratory either. Oh its not bad but shes no Reagan or Alan Keyes. The difference is what she is.
No one would be talking about Palin if she werent attractive and female.
This is true even if by chance John McCain would have been willing to choose a Scott" Palin to be his running-mate (which he wouldnt have).
Its the phenomenon I expounded upon in Cultural Affirmative Action" and The New Chivalry": when people in the market and media privilege others sometimes unconsciously based upon the latters identification with a victim group."
And most every politically aware person grasps this phenomenon to some degree. The late Geraldine Ferraro addressed Barack Obamas meteoric political rise in 2008 and said If Obama was a white man he would not be in this position." And Ferraro had noted herself that she wouldnt have been the 1984 vice-presidential candidate were she not a woman. Its the same reason by the way why Fox News hires a large number of attractive female hosts and pundits. Do you think its a coincidence? Is the largely conservative audience so taken with them solely because of their minds?
The fact is that its impossible to not benefit from fairer-sex status in politics today; it even elevates your brand among conservatives though its difficult convincing many conservatives theyre thus influenced. With many motivations being unconscious its common for people to not be completely aware of what drives them. How many Americans voted for Obama in 2008 without fully grasping the degree to which electing the first black president" and wanting to feel unbigoted and open-minded influenced them?
This isnt to say Palin fans dont have some legitimate reasons to support her only that the kind of heroine worship and savior-status attribution evident in some quarters support vastly in excess of what boilerplate conservatism warrants is due to a purely emotional reaction stoked by image and hope. Many conservatives knowing that having a female or minority presidential candidate is advantageous today want to believe in the Great Female Hope. Moreover there is this politically correct notion now seamlessly woven into our culture of female specialness and superiority. So many today are looking for a woman to save us.
Then theres simply the matter of conservative female politicians relative rarity (even many GOP women officeholders are quite liberal); its easier to be seen as a standout when you stand out.
So the perhaps unwelcome message here is this: as with the 2008 Barack Obama Palin is a cult of personality.
If even now you count yourself a Palinista realize that Im not emotionally invested in the matter. After all I know that political remedies wont cure what at bottom are cultural problems anyway. Its also true that like so many other politicians Palin demonstrates the ability to evolve. And at least shes evolved in the right direction: two years ago she called the 2013 Gang-of-Eight Rubio Judas" in a tweet. I only wonder what she now really thinks deep down about the 2008 Palin.