Why would anyone in the Republican Party be afraid of Sarah Palin?
Ms. Palin is a moron, plain and simple. She understands nothing and has no ability to lead, much less govern. She was the mayor of a small town, the failed governor of a rich state, and keeps edited crib notes on the palm of her hand. She is a quitter, and an opportunist. She is making a fortune on her vapid thoughts, while claiming to champion the American middle class. She thinks "The Flintstones" is a documentary . (Oh, to hell with the religious fundamentalists. You can believe what you want in this country. I don't have to vote for you if I think your beliefs are too weird. Beforeyou scream tht I am a religious "bigot" - has anyone seen any politically viable satanists or avowed atheists? How many of the Christian fundamentalists thatdemand to be heard would vote for a Muslim?).
I grew up in a very conservative household. You worked hard, paid your taxes, became educated, contributed to your church, schools and community, and voluntarily served in the armed forces. The government stayed out of your home. There was no "nanny state". You didn't turn to the government for aid unless you absolutely had to, and even then, only for the briefest of times. I have made most of my life one of public service - first the army then as a prosecutor. Not exactly liberal trades.
Now, conservative means that you are a member of a fundamentalist Christian faith. You want to control decisions better left to families. You don't want government to be involved in your health care decisions (oops wrong -do you not recall the Terry Schaivo case?). You want to dictate the curricula taught our youth, to ensure that your fundamentalist views are taught in every classroom.You want more money spent on social engineering than ever before, and your solution to any activity that bothers you is to criminalize the conduct, even if it impinges on the free speech and religious freedom of others (if you think I am kidding, look at Jason Nelson's attempts in Oklahoma to criminalize religious marriage ceremonies outside of traditional marriage). You rail against big government, but spend more money than drunken sailors on shore leave. And to what end?
I don't know much about Senator Scott Brown. I am tickled that he had the fortitude to take on the megalithic machine that was Ted Kennedy's. The seat really did belong to Massachusetts and not the dynasty. I know that he is not in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, and he has turned his back on Sarah and the tea baggers. Is he comfortable irking the lunatic fringe because he is in a liberal state, or does he just have the "nads" that are missing with most Republicans? Will he keep them?
Cannot mainstream Republicans hold to the courage of their convictions, no matter the cost? Hell no. Look at John McCain. Once the voice of independence, he sold his soul to the "agents of intolerance" he once railed against. All for a nomination. He threw Palin into his VP slot, to try and gain women's votes. He changed his mind on every issue, as, of course, did Mitt Romney. Even that wasn't enough for the ultra-right, and now he may well lose his Senate seat to someone as equally odious as Ms. Palin.
The Republicans all cheer Ronald Reagan and his conservatism (which included tripling the national debt?). But Ronald Reagan stuck to his guns. He had little patience for the fringe. While he may not have violated his "Eleventh Commandment" and criticized his fellow Republican, he sure wouldn't have given her the time of day. At least I would like to think so. I think there are a lot of good stories about what he really thought of the nut jobs on the far right.
Ms. Palin may not think of herself as a fascist, but her views are authoritarian, nationalistic, and intolerant. Look up the meaning of the word in the Oxford dictionary. Dwight Eisenhower warned us of the "military industrial complex" which threatened to take over American politics, and to which the Republicans have cozied up quite well. Of course, Hitler did the same in his bid to gain power. Is this the Republican Party?
Maybe I misspoke. Maybe the Republicans of today aren't running scared of Ms. Palin. Maybe the Republican Party of today reflects her views. Maybe all the commentators who have said that the mainstream Republicans are wimps for kissing up to Sarah are wrong. Maybe they aren't political whores. Maybe they embrace her wholeheartedly.
It's just scary.
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