Now that we've covered the issue of Governor Palin's daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy it's time to have a look at the other issues bubbling up around her. What's a valid issue and what's not? So in no particular order:
- Her husband's job with BP. He is an oil worker of some sort and that, in and of itself, is not an issue.
However he took a leave of absence from his job after his wife was elected to office to help with the family but went back because the family "needs the income". This strikes me as a bit elitist. AFter all Ms. Palin's wages as Governor of Alaska are around $86K per annum which puts the family right on the cusp of the top 10% of earners in America. Did they really need the money? One thinks not.
So the fact he works for BP isn't relevant but their idea of how much money is not enough is.
VERDICT: VALID ISSUE! - Reports are surfacing that she was either a member of the Alaska Independence Party or, at the least, a fellow traveller. The AIP has as it's basis a belief that "the legality of the Alaskan statehood vote [was] illegal and in violation of United Nations charter and international law". This hardly sounds like the "America first" rhetoric we are hearing from the campaign and some, but not me, might call it treason.
The defense that she was a registered Republican all along is absolutely meaningless. Voter registration in the states is not the same as membership in a party. It is often a matter of convenience. One can register for any party one wants and, living in Chester County, I often registered as a Republican in order to vote in local Republican primaries; the only meaningful votes there were in local elections.
VERDICT: VALID ISSUE! - The "baby Daddy" of the younger Ms. Palin describes himself on his now private MySpace page as a "fucking redneck" who doesn't want kids.
VERDICT: Amusing, and possibly trouble for the longer term prospects of his upcoming marriage but NOT A VALID ISSUE! - She seems to think that the American Pledge of Allegiance was written by the founding fathers, including the "under God" bit.
She couldn't be more wrong. It was written by a, (Shock! Horror!), socialist in the late nineteenth century and the "under God" bit was added during the dark days of the McCarthy era after a campaign by the not-very-secular Knights of Columbus.
VERDICT: goes to knowledge and character - VALID ISSUE! - She seems to think that it is appropriate to pray for pipelines!
VERDICT: demeaning of (a non-existent) God - VALID ISSUE! - She has been accused of, and is currently being investigated for abuse of her powers as governor and there is evidence that the McCain campaign is bearing pressure to bear to delay the completion of this investigation, due at the end of October, until after the election.
VERDICT: (silly question really) - EXTREMELY VALID ISSUE! - She used her line item veto as governor to slash funding for housing for teenage mothers.
VERDICT: Irrespective of her daughter's current condition - goes to her anti-feminist, anti-human credential - VALID ISSUE! (I guess if she and McCain win in November the daughter, the "baby Daddy" and the baby will be able to share a spare room at Number One Observatory Circle and avail themselves of fine, taxpayer funded health care so no need for Alaskan money for them at least!) - There are those that are questioning her experience given that she has only been in charge of Alaska, a state with roughly three times the population of Bromley, for less than two years and before that it was the undoubtedly lovely town of Wasilla AK. I think this picture of the Wasilla town hall says it all.
VERDICT: VALID ISSUE! (And no it doesn't count that Alaska is "close" to Russia.) - If she's on the cover of US Weekly she must be a celebrity which is, apparently, an evil thing.
VERDICT: like the "fucking redneck" amusing but NOT A VALID ISSUE! - There are suggestions that she wanted to ban books from the local library in Wasilla.
VERDICT: silly question - VALID AS HELL!
I haven't missed any have I? I certainly hope not; I'm all Palin-ed out.
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