Sarah Writes

Judging by the reactions to Sarah’s book, what she seems to have accomplished is mostly to prove she can’t remember phone conversations any better than email, or that she even knows the difference (what might be a legitimate point for someone who thinks a photograph for a running magazine wouldn’t turn up anywhere else). Apparently, to her it’s all just words. I can’t argue with that.

But moving on to important stuff, it’s not the shorts in the photo. It’s the classic “I am sex object on display” pose that’s sort of offensive. I’ve seen some dramatic photos of Palin running along a rocky beach somewhere in front of a glacier that seem to say more about an effective personality than standing with your hands and one leg hitched up in a beauty-contest, fashion-mag celebrity pose, although even with the glacier, she is alone. She may be a highly intelligent and savvy politician, but she’s channeling it into a fool’s image. How are we supposed to respect that? She has to get beyond Wasilla-league popularity to be a serious political factor.

"I'm going to have my official portrait painted on the nose of an F-22."





And by the way, isn’t it a desecration of The Flag to throw it over a chair and plant your elbow on it like a placemat? I thought there was a specific way to fold and store an American Flag when it isn’t on proper display? What do the swift boat veterans for patriotic BS have to say about that?

No doubt Newsweek chose the photo because it seems to reflect badly on Palin’s ideology and would generate controversy, but that isn’t even the issue. Yeah, unless you’re Bill O’Reilly or Hannity, and sexual harassment is your cup of tea, so to speak, this is a demeaning photo, whether it’s Newsweek, Runners World, Hustler, or the Catholic Review. What makes her think she can get away with it? I’ve seen photos of presidents running and playing golf or tennis, but unless they were just being goofy I’ve never seen presidents dressed for exercise and standing around in a Mr. Universe flex pose with American Flags wadded up under their arms.

If you have some, trot them out.

Here’s Thinking for You.
Iffy

Government Transparency

The only thing Republicans hate worse than opaque government is transparent government. The Bush Administration had a firm grip on understanding that ignorance can only complain about lack of information. Knowledge opens up all kinds of potential issues. Look at the Whithouse guest lists. Under Bush, the only complaint was that nobody knew who had access to the President. Under Obama, knowing that George Clooney has access to the President makes Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney feel inadequate again. Poor Rush. Poor Dick.

And speaking of Rush and Dick, we’re on to another week of the inexperienced and immature Obama thing. Uh, did I miss something, or was not extension of the “war” in Afghanistan a Bush administration policy? Afghanistan was never going to be easy, and how we are going to get out was never clear, but none of that makes the previous administration less responsible for anything except having any idea of how to get out before going in. Once the military solution was achieved (except for failing to neutralize Bin Laden, which correct me if I’m wrong was why we went in. No? Oh, my bad.) , how do you democratically maintain a government that you put in place but the inhabitants seem less than enthusiastic about, without leaving it to be lynched if you leave, like the Russians?

Oh, I know. We can move Karzai over here and give him Canada. The Canadians are moving to Florida anyway. In fact, we can just cut out the dealer and give Karzai Florida up front. Florida gave the election to Dubya, it’s only fair that we should have Karzai for King. We’re done with Crist anyway. He’s going to have to switch parties after the Obama hug thing. Don’t forget, Charlie, Sara Palin’s out there somewhere, very far out there.

Maybe my wife is right. The Republicans don’t want to take stimulus money, because the more people without work, the more people default on their mortgages, and the more cheap houses go to those bright enterprising Christian conservatives to share with their less fortunate brethren, at a fair rent that defaults to 27.99%, of course. The work ethic rules.

Here's Thinking for You
Iffy