Day: May 26, 2010

Sarah Palin: Earning Tons Of Money, But Learning Nothing! :(

As Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post points out today, former Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska has become quite a star in the country, between her best selling book, her political appearances and endorsements, and her public speeches!

But what has NOT happened is a learning curve, the gaining of knowledge and facts about public affairs!

This is a woman who resists gaining information about public issues; has her own distorted view of reality; and loves to blame the media for her plight of being seen as a KNOW NOTHING, when it is all due to her own unwillingness to LEARN and become INFORMED, as any potential Presidential candidate must be!

Palin is milking the system as any good “capitalist” would do, earning an estimated $12 million so far this year, but she has done absolutely nothing to contribute anything positive or enlightening to public discourse! She has her “fans”, and knows how to play to the “crowd” for her own financial enrichment, but she utilizes “applause lines” without realizing that she often has a detrimental effect on dealing with the many public problems we face!

Rather than having an open mind, she is only comfortable in interviews on her sponsoring news channel, Fox News! She avoids interviews with anyone considered mainstream, or those who might challenge her world view or her ego!

To imagine such a vacuous individual as a serious presidential candidate, or God forbid, as our President is enough to engender nightmares, and this is not said to promote laughter, but serious consideration by the Republican party! This is not an issue of being “fair”! It is an issue of considering the interests and security of the American people!

We are NOT a nation who can experiment with someone who has less curiosity and interest than the average community college student or high school graduate! We NEED the BEST among us to lead our nation, not the so called “average Joe or Sally”! 🙁

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Coming Closer To An End!

Yesterday, a step was taken that should soon bring the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the US military!

Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, an Iraq War veteran, introduced an amendment to the military appropriations bill, which is also cosponsored by Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee!

It calls upon Congress to pass repeal, but the amendment provides a delay in implementation until December, after a full study has been completed by the military, headed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff head, Admiral Mike Mullen.

It seems as if the only barrier now to passage is two fold: Some Democrats seem unwilling to endorse the idea, including Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Evan Bayh of Indiana, and Jim Webb of Virginia. Also, there is a search for a few Republicans to sign on, including Scott Brown, who so far seems resistant, even though his state (Massachusetts) allows gay marriage and is highly in favor of the end of the military ban on gays.

Additionally, House Republicans and many Senate Republicans seem willing to vote down the military appropriations bill if the amendment proposed by Murphy, Lieberman, and Levin is included in it!

It is absolutely amazing how most Republicans will constantly vote against anything that favors minorities or gays! How can they call themselves representative of the American people when they demonstrate so much bias, and willingness to discriminate? 🙁

The hope is that the ban on gays in the military is, indeed, nearing, its end!