Sarah Palin Steps Down as Governor: Let the speculation commence

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:02 am

And now, she's out of office, as Washington Monthly points out:

"As expected, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) resigned yesterday, giving up her office half-way through her first term. Before officially handing over the reins to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R), Palin delivered a campaign-style speech at an event in Fairbanks, during which she predictably complained about the news media, her political opponents, and Hollywood "starlets."

The former governor added that she "will be able to fight even harder" for her supporters, now that she has no office, no governmental power, no authority, and no influence over public policy. She didn't elaborate as to why."

You can read more of this at the link provided, above. Some interesting observations about how Palin had polarized herself during the national election, and moved so far to the right that she alienated a large bloc of her own supporters as well as the opposition party in the state.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:36 am

I saw something that she'd said that the "media should stop making up stories".......

With somebody as her, who needs to make up stories. "I can see Russia" :laugh:

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:14 am

Xandax wrote:I saw something that she'd said that the "media should stop making up stories".......

With somebody as her, who needs to make up stories. "I can see Russia" :laugh:

One of her tropes is that the media is out to get her and all politicians, and makes up things out of thin air. She's even gone so far as to deny the things she's said--like the comment about Russia--despite the fact that blogs flooded with images actually showing her saying it, afterwords. Which plays into her line about the media being out to get her, from her point of view.

She has also made a general offer to help campaign for literally anybody running from major office in the US. Thus far, nobody of either party has taken her up on it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Texas' ethically bankrupt governor, Perry, calls for her support as he moves into the election cycle. He's grasped at every straw, even appearing at meetings of the Texas Secessionist Movement to cheer them on, to get support against a powerful challenge from his own Republican party in the primary. And it's clear by now that Palin still wants to pursue a presidential bid, so she'll do anything to remain in the national spotlight.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:44 am

Okay. This is pretty amazing.

Sain · Post by **Sain** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:11 pm

@fable
The video on your link has been copyrighted. Damn I hate it when that happens.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:24 pm

Sain wrote:@fable
The video on your link has been copyrighted. Damn I hate it when that happens.

Me, too. The blogs that were also running it have all pulled it. Shame: it had William Shattner on Conan, doing a dramatic reading of Palin's farewell speech.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:27 pm

Try searching YouTube... fast...

EDIT

As to the video itself.. ROFLMAO!!!

I have to say, Shatner never impressed me as JT Kirk, his acting varied between mediocre, uneven and downright excruciatingly painful.
However, I've somewhat revised my opinion of him in the last few years. In my view he plays an excellent role on Boston Legal.. blending comedy and pathos.
And this... well this was comedic brilliance

jklinders · Post by **jklinders** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:42 am

Found it, new link. NewTeeVee Station

Thing I like about Shatner despite his horrid association with Star Trek is he gets the joke he has become. That video is gold.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:01 am

You can see it [url="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93476-Shatner-Does-Palin"]here[/url] as well

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:21 am

Two weeks after she publicly demanded that journalists quit making things up, Palin's made a policy statement in Facebook. I won't quote it; it's complete nonsense from start to finish, without factual basis. With a side dose of rabble-rousing fearmongering at its worst. But you can read it here, with good commentary.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:48 am

Not all that surprised, really. I wonder though if she's just setting up a straw-man to argue against Obama's health care plans, or if she genuinely believes that's what he's proposing.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:41 am

Nightmare wrote:Not all that surprised, really. I wonder though if she's just setting up a straw-man to argue against Obama's health care plans, or if she genuinely believes that's what he's proposing.

Pretty much what many people are wondering, including myself. But that's true of ideologues, everywhere. You wonder if they're cynically spouting whatever garbage will inspire fear and anger in their followers, or whether they actually believe what they're saying. Or perhaps some of both, which is my inclination. Surely she knows that she's contradicting her own previous statements, and acts at complete variance for what she demands from others.

My guess is that she wants to keep base stoked up, so she can make claims that get her a tv show. That would be used to propel her to the 2012 presidential election. But again, this is just a guess, and where Palin is concerned, it's about as easy to figure her brain out as it is to figure out Madonna's sexual preferences next week.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:02 pm

Another reaction to Palin's Facebook policy statement. Raises a good point that I suspect Palin knows about the health care industry.

Sain · Post by **Sain** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:05 am

The only logical(yes I know Palin isn't logical) explaination for her anti-nationalized medicine rant is that she is trying to get some of the people ignorant on it against it.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:12 pm

Interesting news from the Anchorage Daily News:

Legislature overrides Palin's stimulus veto

The Alaska Legislature voted Monday to override former Gov. Sarah Palin's veto of $28 million in federal stimulus money for energy cost relief. But it was as close as a vote can get. Reversing a governor's appropriation veto requires a vote of 75 percent of the Legislature, a hurdle rarely met. The override passed 45 to 14 and if a single other legislator had voted against it or been absent from the special session, it would have failed.

Supporters argued Palin badly overstated the "strings" attached to taking the money, and that frigid Alaska could use the assistance. "Instead of being the last state in the union to take this money we should have been the first," said Bethel Democratic Sen. Lyman Hoffman. "We live in the coldest state in the union and we should be setting the standard in efficiencies and how energy is being used throughout this state."

You can read all of it here.

jklinders · Post by **jklinders** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 6:20 am

I don't really know what "Obamacare" is actually going to mean. In Canada, you are covered by public health care cradle to grave. I don't know what Obama is proposing in any kind of meaningful detail.

I do know that outright lies have been used to flog our system as being a terrible heartless thing. Rationing happens in every health care system. In the US it is by means of whether private insurance will cover it or the care can be paid for. In Canada it is done through wait lists and whether some forms of treatment(ie chiropractor dental for which private supplementary insurance can be bought) can be paid for. Care is is NOT denied a patient here for any reason unless it is through the patients express wishes(ie living will)

Frankly I do not care what the US does with their health care. But I would apprieciate them figuring it out without using half understood facts and outright lies about how my country does it.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:40 am

jklinders wrote:Frankly I do not care what the US does with their health care. But I would apprieciate them figuring it out without using half understood facts and outright lies about how my country does it.

I know for a fact that there are British, French, and Dutch politicians who regularly use the US as a whipping boy in order to stand wreathed in the flag of their nation. The US is no different in this respect. One could wish all politicians would rise above such things, but then, many are despicable, power-craving people who will do anything to achieve their goals.

Including, obviously, Palin.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:58 am

Unfortunately - politicians are only a product of humanity and the stupidity which exists amongst us.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:50 pm

Xandax wrote:Unfortunately - politicians are only a product of humanity and the stupidity which exists amongst us.

I agree, but there seems to be no other way to keep many people from entirely selfish behavior--as witness the unbridled wealth-gathering in the hands of the few of many cultures, past and present. So some kind of governmental organization is necessary to handle policing, defense, health care, education, etc. I see no other solution than to put this in the hand of representatives for people. Which means the ones who want the jobs, and are often (though not always) the least principled, go after them.

Palin is an example. She has enormous ambition, and will do just about anything she can that is legal if unethical to achieve what she wants. What can be done to keep such people out of the political process?

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:53 pm

fable wrote:I agree, but there seems to be no other way to keep many people from entirely selfish behavior. So some kind of governmental organization is necessary to handle policing, defense, health care, education, etc. I see no other solution than to put this in the hand of representatives for people--which means the ones who want the jobs, and are often the least principled, go after them.

Palin is an example. She has enormous ambition, and will do just about anything she can that is legal if unethical to achieve what she wants. What can be done to keep such people out of the political process?

This is something I have often contemplated. While there are occasional exceptions, the majority of people who seek public office are self-serving, ruthlessly ambitious power-hungry whores with a tendency toward megalomania.
Decent individuals with a conscience and a desire to improve the human condition are generally turned off by the thought of becoming politically involved, at least at that level.

My sense is that in order for this to change, the entire political structure has to be placed upon its head and turned into something genuinely dedicated to achieving the greater good. This means completely transforming human society as a whole.... I'm doubtful this can occur. *sigh*
And of course, another problem is that individual definitions of "the greater good" will vary tremendously from person to person.