An Analysis of Sarah Palin's Speech - Part Two

Here's part two.

1. [Referring to people in small towns] I grew up with those people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America ... who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars.

They love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town.

Analysis

What... the... fuck? There are factories in big cities. People from cities enlist in the military. I like to think most Americans work pretty damn hard: whether they are in the city or country, blue-collar or white-collar. I also like to think we all love our country. You know the twin towers were located in New York City. I think New Yawkers love there country just as much as you do. Except for the fact you wanted to succeed from the country you love so much.

I lived most of my life in a small suburb of a big city. Not quite a small town, but roughly the same amount of residents as Wasilla, AK. The people in the cities and suburbs love their country as well. But some of us are not proud. How can anyone be proud of Bush and the GOP's corruption?

2. I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids' public education better.

Analysis

Try funding it. Whereas "No Child Left Behind" had the governing philosophy of well if we leave them all behind it really doesn't count.

3. When I ran for city council, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too.

Analysis

I know most of my hometown too. Not all 8,000 residents but enough of them to get a good feel for the community. I'm sure you did this too. The U.S. has 300 million residents. Polling helps gauge "what the people want." Listening is not something you seem to do well.

4. Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.

Analysis

No, we don't look down on it, we think you served your community honorably. But being the executive of a small town is not the same as President, executive of the country, leader of the free world.

5. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening.

We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.

Analysis

Well, by now you should have seen how I feel about community organizing. But I'd just like to point out that Jesus was community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a Prefect, that is a Roman Governor.

Oh, and Obama made a gaffe. I think we should be able to forgive him for it, you know like our religion dictates.

6. As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man.

Analysis

Actually, he's changed a lot to secure this nomination, for the mere sake of political immediacy.

7. I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

Analysis

No, you are just unqualified. There's a difference between qualified and experience. Experience comes from years on the job, which neither of you have much of. Qualifications are recommendations and achievements done that show you can perform a task. Obama is a lawyer, an expert on constitutional law. Palin could not even figure out what the Vice President does, which is clearly outlined by the Twelfth Amendment.

8. But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.

Analysis

A majority of us want us out of this war. And it seems like you mingled with enough right people to get a VP nomination. You know, because you weren't even on the short list.

And if you are not part of Washington, why did you have Matthew Scully write your speech. If you don't know who he is that's a George W.'s speechwriter.

9. Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests.

Analysis

You're right, with Republicans it's a fucking war.

10. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.

Analysis

Like George W. Bush did? Because let's be honest you're giving us four more years of the same. Actually, you'll probably make it worse.

11. No one expects us to agree on everything.

But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart.

Analysis

Integrity? You're under investigation and took so many earmarks you make Ted Stevens look like a joke. A servant... Like a community organizer is a servant of the community.

12. I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States. This was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office, when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau ... when I stood up to the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the good-ol' boys network.

Sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve.

But with the support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up.

Analysis

You love big oil. Your husband works for big oil. Spirit? Your spirit is tainted.

13. And in short order we put the government of our state back on the side of the people.

I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay.

Analysis

So what? You're going to sell Air Force One? I could think of a few ways to make it more effective. Give it to the National Guard. Convert it to fight forest fires.

14. I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef - although I've got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her. I came to office promising to control spending - by request if possible and by veto if necessary.

Senator McCain also promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest - and as a chief executive, I can assure you it works.

Analysis

It looks like you've abused your line-item veto to pass what you like and what you don't. Which, frankly is too much power for one person to have. Which is why it was taken away from the President. I'm glad you drive yourself to work and I'm sure you and your husband are fine cooks.

15. Our state budget is under control.

Analysis

You passed the largest budget in state history.

16. We have a surplus.

And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes.

I suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.

I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere.

Analysis

You cut mostly local construction projects as I noted in my Jackass column. And you also kept the Federal money for that bridge. It was more of a, "thanks, I'll just take this and do what I want with it."

17. If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves. When oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged - directly to the people of Alaska.

And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists, who kind of liked things the way they were, we broke their monopoly on power and resources.

As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people.

Analysis

I like competition, but how about moving to green energy?

This might go to four parts... Part three is on its way.