Sarah Palin, the GOP & Me

Less than a year ago, August 29, Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain chose her as his vice-presidential running mate. You know to whom I refer.

Unfortunate or not, but most likely viewed as inconsequential to many Americans, Sarah Louise Palin made the controversial decision to abandon her elected post as Governor of Alaska. Considering her apparent interest in seeking higher political office at some point in the future, it’s a rather shocking action that mistakenly warrants extensive dialogue, news analysis and talk show blithering.

Actually, the short but oh-so-swell exchange between Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and Karl Rove was priceless in that, although they disagreed on the political ramifications of Palin’s resignation, Bill was very respectful and “unargumentative” of their conflicting views. If a Democrat had spoken Rove’s words, the verbal exchange would have been entirely different – you know, the attitude and over-speak tantrum that Bill reverts to with premeditated animosity.

While O’Reilly appeared optimistic that Palin’s course of action might eventually lead to a Palin bid to head the Republican ticket for president in 2012, Rove was decidedly at odds of her having the support of influential party leaders.

Palin’s actions, or rather inactions, leading up to the annual fundraising event for the National Republican Congressional and Senatorial Committees in Washington in early June did much damage to her standing among other Republicans.

Back in March, she was given an invitation to headline the political event but, gosh darn it, she couldn’t give a timely RSVP and, wouldn’t ya know it, by the time she decided she had the time to attend, the alternate keynote speaker, Newt Gingrich, who’s another 2012 presidential hopeful, wouldn’t have it. As a matter of fact when she made a less than grand entrance on the night of the event, in fear she’d upstage the older dude, she and hubby Todd were seen but Sarah wasn’t heard.

Well, that’s quite enough about Sarah. I wish! I foresee me flickin’ the remote fast and furious for the next couple of years searching for anything – commercials, cartoons, game shows, even reality shows – anything to limit the length and frequency of times of seeing that face pop up before my eyes with those senseless words crackling in my ears.

I do admit that I’m rather relieved that doctors were able to remedy the winkin’ and blinkin’ malady she experienced during campaign season last year. It may have been dry eye syndrome but I suspect it was a case of Marcus Gunn Phenomenon, whereby the movement of the upper eyelid moves in a rapid rising motion each time the jaw moves, which is not to be confused as an act of coordination. Anyway, medical wonders never cease to amaze me.

Actually, Hockey Mom Palin needs a time-out and take a seat in the penalty box for being at odds with mainstream conservatism. Her no “politics as usual” doesn’t ring true. For one thing, she and other Republicans continue to question, disregard and spew green house gases over scientific conclusions that global warming and climate change are in fact of grave concern for the health of the planet, thus and an immediate and progressive danger to all living things on land and in the sea and air.

The ignorance that belies the findings of the Mineral Management Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is belligerent of views of countries around the world. An American Association for the Advancement of Science study released in 2005 reported that carbon dioxide levels were 27% higher than at any time in the past 650,000 years.

The findings were taken from the analysis of air bubbles trapped in an East Antarctica area monitored by the European Project for Ice Coring (EPIC).

I sincerely commend Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for softening the company’s stance on climate change and carbon emissions. But his January announcement in support of a carbon tax to be a fairer option than the cap-and-trade system came only after a shareholder revolt at last year’s annual meeting, led by none other than the Rockefeller family.

Republicans as a whole must change their tone on nearly every political front. They have no leader. Certainly not Palin. The retreads of Gingrich and Dean, and the inflexible views of Cheney don’t cut it either. Ron Paul would have my solid support if he were given the opportunity to head the Republican Presidential ticket in 2012 but the Party isn’t likely to stand behind his Libertarian views. Besides, by Election Day he’ll be 77 years old, 5 years beyond McCain’s 72 years in 2008.

Charlie Crist, the lamest rubber ducky governor in the nation, isn’t any better than the rest with his recent cop-outs to the people of Florida as self-interest groups saddled him up for a ride to Washington in next year’s Senatorial race. He had to make up with Party leaders for supporting Obama’s stimulus package. The same goes for Colin Powell for abandoning McCain in last year’s Presidential election.

In the economic climate of everybody porking handouts from Obama’s stimulus dollars, regional political interests won’t enhance any particular politician. Especially Palin whom, after family and friends, will continue to put Alaska’s interests above all else.

Party leaders must have scripted Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s GOP response to Obama’s State of the Union Address in February. I say this because just two days prior, on Meet the Press, Jindal’s interview with David Gregory was very impressive with assured, coherent statements, a veritable smooth talker and quite a 360-degree turnaround from his delivery two days later.

Disastrous. That’s the Republican Party right now. I pray, but not with religious fury, that the Party can realign themselves with the American people. It’s important not only to me but for the whole of the United States.