An Analysis of Sarah Palin's Speech: Part Three

Part three rolling out.

1. I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history.

And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly forty billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.

That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.

Analysis

Wait! I thought you reformed big oil... private-sector... It's not done yet? Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

2. The stakes for our nation could not be higher.

Analysis

You're damn right they couldn't be. Which is why you are the wrong person for the job.

3. When a hurricane strikes in the Gulf of Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we are forced to draw from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Analysis

This just proves she's and idiot. Yes, oil is imported from New Orleans, but the major cause of disruption is the oil drilling facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. There's over 4,000 of them. Hurricanes wreck havoc on them. Those are not foreign oil sources, many are American.

4. And families cannot throw away more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil.

Analysis

Gas prices are coming down, because of something remarkable, people are driving less. Which they should be. Any energy plan (including Obama's) that doesn't start with energy waste reduction isn't and energy plan. Walk more, take the bus. Live closer to work. Besides gas and oil are contributing to global warming, which will only increase energy demand. Vicious cycle, break it now.

Most people don't realize that going green is not a question of how. Going to the moon was a question of how... The technology did not exist we invented it. Green technology is here. The question is when... When will it be put to good use? Not with Sarah Palin.

5. With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies ... or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia ... or that Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries ... we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas.

Analysis

Really do you need to do a little more saber rattling? We're not going to attack Russia over oil, well you might.

6. And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska: we've got lots of both.

Analysis

Actually, we only have 3% of the world's oil under our feet, but one of the best wind corridors for natural wind energy. Plenty of desert space for solar power.

7. Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems - as if we all didn't know that already.

But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.

Analysis

No, you misheard us. It won't solve any of our problems, just make it worse.

8. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines ... build more new-clear plants ... create jobs with clean coal ... and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources.

We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers. I've noticed a pattern with our opponent.

Maybe you have, too.

Analysis

Obama has promised more energy, with more American jobs. Except the energy is green and doesn't pander to the oil companies that have enslaved us.

9. We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.

And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.

But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.

Analysis

Flat out fucking lie. Obama authored a major bipartisan bill. And a list of bills he sponsored. Many passed and expired, but it is to be expected from a junior Senator. What are Palin's stunning legislative accomplishments? Wait she was an executive, never mind.

10. This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed ... when the roar of the crowd fades away ... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger ... take more of your money ... give you more orders from Washington ... and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy ... our opponent is against producing it.

Analysis

I'm almost sick of talking about Iraq. There cannot be a victory, we are not fighting a clear enemy. Terrorists lurk in the shadows and underground. The are not a country that will surrender or admit defeat. We'll never kill them all.

Cloud of rhetoric? Wait, what is this called? When the roar of the crowd fades away when does this speech become about what to do rather than a hit job on Obama? If you want to talk about contrived showmanship you can blame the RNC as well.

Obama's been explicitly clear on what he wants to accomplish, so much that any supporter could talk about it in their sleep. Make government bigger? No, that's what Bush did. Cutting 95% of the people taxes is taking their money? Where you removing math books from the library?

Give more orders from Washington? You want to tell woman what to do with their own bodies. Reduce the strength of America? Listen, the military is strained to the limit. We don't have the strength we once had, Republicans made it weaker.

Obama doesn't want more energy? If you really can't follow a thirty second spot on his plan, you don't have the attention span we need for a president.

11. Victory in Iraq is finally in sight ... he wants to forfeit

Analysis

No, he wants to bring our troops home responsibly. As the Iraqi government has asked us to do. I though the plan was to turn their country over to them. Well they've asked for the keys, time to let them drive.

12. Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay ... he wants to meet them without preconditions.

Analysis

It's called diplomacy, try it sometime.

13. Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights? Government is too big ... he wants to grow it.

Analysis

Sadly, Palin demonstrates her complete lack of understanding of the U.S. legal system. We're not reading them their rights. I'm not explaining the subtleties of it here. Actually, Republicans have been growing the government.

14. Congress spends too much ... he promises more.

Taxes are too high ... he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be specific.

Analysis

No, he will let the tax cuts for the rich expire, because guess what? The gravy train is over. He wants to spend more on things like health care and eduction, not guns and wars.

Yeah, going to part four.