Palin/ Bush v. The People, Round Two
The hits just keep on coming. One of the main pushes in the Democratic campaign, as we all have seen, is to tie McCain with Bush on issues and on their policy records. Granted, it’s not that difficult of a job, but there was no need for McCain to go and make it even easier by picking someone who agrees with Bush not only in policy matters, but also in their shared concept of the powers of an executive official. And to make it even better, they apparently chose a VP candidate that shares the President’s views towards dissent and public influence in government.
An article yesterday in the Times had something that goes along nicely with my last post. As always, I’d recommend reading the whole piece, because it does have some interesting information concerning the current opinions of those who have dealt with her in Alaska. But towards the end of the article, it discusses her ideas and methods of governance, and the similarities with what we have been through in the past eight years shone through brilliantly.
The article tells of Dan Fagan, a conservative radio talk show host who supported her run for governor in 2006, but was later branded by Palin as a "hater" for criticizing her tax cuts on the oil company. And Fagan’s next statement from the article is priceless:
It is part of a pattern, Mr. Fagan said, in which Ms. Palin characterizes critics as “bad people who are anti-Alaska.”
Substitute "anti-Alaska" with "anti-American" and you have the premier tool in the repertoire of G.W. Bush’s administration over the course of his two terms. Not only can this country ill afford another year - much less four - of economic policies akin to those we’ve had and will continue to have with a McCain presidency, but we definitely cannot afford one more day of having a leader that champions the ostracization of dissenters, regardless of their opinions or statements. This has been the main factor in the division of this country over the past eight years, and it cannot be allowed to continue if we are to move forward and get our country back on the rails again.
P.S. - If you haven’t already, you should watch the video of McCain’s recent appearance on The View. It would be pure comedy if the guy didn’t have an actual shot at the White House.
The concept of the “loyal opposition” is foreign to neocons. “You’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists.” Palin reminds me of Woodrow Wilson, a man convinced of his own rectitude. Wilson believed that his opinions were not only right but moral. So if you disagreed with him, you were not only wrong but evil. Palin and her buddies appear to have the same attitude.
Comment by JoJo — September 16, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Very astute comparison, JoJo. I am reminded that Woodrow Wilson was of the conviction that he was part of the class that should rule/govern America as they saw fit, because they were inherently noble. And if their policies somehow crossed a line and went against our founding principles (like the Bush wiretapping program), well then they were simply entitled to do that. Their basic assertion was (and still is, by the way) that it was wrong for anyone else to do such a thing, but their identical actions were permissible - and somehow necessary - because of their noble intentions and the fact that they, as the leaders of the nation, have carte blanche to do what they deem necessary. All of this is based on the ridiculous idea that their committment to and love of this country justifies any action they take in governance. Sound familiar?
Comment by brokensoldier — September 16, 2008 @ 11:17 pm