Palins Alaska?

[packsaddle]

So Sherm, you're saying that if one of them resembles a potato their chances are not good? If your suggestion is correct, we should right now be suffering under President John (girly-man) Edwards (and now I will go wash my hands for even typing those words).

 

I'm fairly certain that, IMHO, Bill Clinton (who to me bears a striking resemblance to WC Fields) was not more 'handsome' than Bob Dole. OK, Clinton didn't stumble off the speaker platform or act like a doddering old coot. Not that there's anything wrong with being a coot, it means you've survived quite well and besides, I liked Bob Dole.

But maybe you ARE correct...that perhaps in addition to being tobacco-juice-drooling, stupid Southern jerks over age 35 and bearing birth certificates with the Tea Party seal of approval, candidates all also need to be ugly...so we can focus on the important issues rather than superficial things like 'camera presence'?

HEY!!! I think maybe Brent HAS something there with Barbour after all!

[sherminator505]

I'm not just talking about looks. We have a crop of politicians right now who are completely absorbed with "selling themselves" to the public via mass media. Unfortunately, to garner the funding necessary to do this, they must "sell themselves" to corporations and other large entities. Those who do this best get elected.

 

The problem is that the skill set required to get elected is very different from the skill set required to govern effectively. That is why we really haven't had a truly great President since Ike, and why Congress seems to be truly inept at this point in time!

[packsaddle]

Ike? Despite that astonishing resemblance to Homer Simpson?

 

http://www.visitingdc.com/president/dwight-eisenhower-picture.htm

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2008-01-25-Homer_Simpson_prez.jpg

 

[JoeBob]

When I found myself agreeing with sherminator, I had to go back to read his last post again.

 

Yep, I still agree that we've allowed the media to sell us our politicians, and the politicians who could buy the most airtime usually won.

 

And the politicians whose positions most mirrored the positions of the broadcasters, got the more favorable treatment. Journalists went to journalism school so that they could "save the world", so left-leaning positions were amplified, and "evil" conservatives were demeaned. Once the liberal bias in the Main Stream Media became undeniable, FoxNews was born to fill the vacuum on the right.

 

Now we have websites and blogs where we go to have our opinions reinforced. The echo chamber effect makes us more certain of our positions, and less tolerant of the ignoramuses with whon we disagree.

 

Polarization makes us angry and un-yielding.

 

Which is one of the reasons that I like to visit the 'Issues and Politics' section of this forum. Y'all seldom agree with me, so I have to be able to defend my ideas and question their validity. Not much of an echo in here!

 

And then there is always the hope that I might lead some of you to the light...

 

;^)

JoeBob

 

 

[Beavah]

Aw, there's a little bit of an echo chamber, JoeBob.

 

Leastways, a big "ditto" and 100% agreement with your last post.

 

I like it when packsaddle and BrentAllen both yell at me, eh? I try to keep a bunch of non-virtual friends and colleagues who come from different backgrounds and perspectives too.

 

I always figure that there's a certain Darwinism of ideas. The best ideas will survive the challenge and competition. Ideas that can only live in the echo chamber are doomed to extinction in the real world.

 

Thing is, yeh can generally rely on scouters being good folk no matter what their background or political stripes. One of the great things about Scoutin'.

 

Beavah

 

[GernBlansten]

"And then there is always the hope that I might lead some of you to the light..."

And there is always hope we might lead you out of the darkness.

 

 

[Woapalanne]

"Thing is, yeh can generally rely on scouters being good folk no matter what their background or political stripes. One of the great things about Scoutin'.

Beavah"

 

You are exactly correct, Sir!

[Beavah]

Yah, I finally caught da first episode off of a download, eh? (not gettin' TLC on cable)

 

The biggest focus seems not to be on Alaska so much as on the Palin family. Some really nice, cute, ordinary family moments. Makin' muffins, dealin' with a surly teenage girl, in the RV with her parents, cheering her daughter on a climbing wall, goin' fishing, young kids disappointed and tired after not catching fish.

As much as I shared their annoyance with a silly reporter/bookwriter moving in next door, I was disappointed with the relatively long segments taking pot-shots at the neighbor. Just because yeh don't like your neighbor or find him to be a nuisance doesn't mean yeh don't still have an obligation to be courteous yourself... and especially to teach your kids to be courteous.

 

It was truly hysterical to see her strugglin' for a couple hours on what looked to be a pretty short 3rd or 4th class climb (while tryin' to protect her long nails ). The mountaineering segment mostly showed that she'd never been on a mountain before despite her beautiful "back yard", and was clearly set up to be the biggest guided tour softball route possible. But for ordinary viewers, I reckon it came across fine, and showed her as being adventurous and "not a quitter." Much like the fishing bit. Not much good spin-casting, but da guide gets kudos for findin' a great spot for a bear show!

 

All in all well-produced with some high-quality cinematography. Clearly a vehicle for promotin' her image as much or more than the State. Aside from da shots at the neighbor and one or two political comments that seemed out of place, I enjoyed it.

 

B

 

[vol_scouter]

Beavah,

 

I agree with your assessment of the first episode. I don't blame Sarah Palin for wanting to make the point about the muckraker who had moved next door. None of us would find that a tolerable situation either especially if we had young children as do the Palins. The later episodes are better with less political comments. It seems to me that the series is so far a win for all concerned: the Palins receive positive coverage and are paid; Alaska gets attention; and the Learning Channel has had a significant increase in viewership.

[GernBlansten]

I'm very thankful that the eldest daughter has found success entertaining the masses with her dancing and in this reality show. Many girls in her situation end up supporting their young families on the public dole. She's broken from that and demonstrated she can support herself and her young son without a husband or living in shame off the parents or welfare. The Palin clan are an inspiration to all of us.

[vol_scouter]

Gern, Your humor is quite clever. The Palins are like so many American families who have successes and less than happy endings. I believe that bringing up such things makes Sarah Palin seem to be the most 'like us' of any candidate for office. Attacks on her family only strengthens her appeal. The left wanted Reagan to be the Republican candidate because he was 'a joke', 'not intellectual', and would be easy for Carter to defeat. Keep pushing as you are doing and you may very well be watching President Palin on the evening news.

[GernBlansten]

Vol,

You make it sound like a palin presidency would be a bad thing. And if it occurred it would be my ilk's fault. Don't you think palin would make a great president?

[vol_scouter]

Gern,

 

From past posts, I sincerely doubt that you agree with any of Palin's politics. So I am saying that the left is strengthening her rather than diminishing her. Like many conservatives, Sarah Palin says many of the right things and I have no doubt that she sincerely believes them. So Sarah Palin has the ideals that I and many others believe represent the best ideals for the country. Would she be a great president? That is a more difficult question to answer. For example, Clinton and Reagan were effective presidents by assembling a competent team around them. Obama is not effective because he has given the actual reins of power (often his czars rather than secretaries) who are inexperienced ideologues (extremist on the left). So who would Sarah Palin select? I do not know and I do not know how much authority she would delegate. This is the same thing that I would say about most presidential candidates and is no way unique to Sarah Palin. So I think that based on her views that Sarah Palin could be a great president like Reagan if she selects the best cabinet and delegates her authority.

 

[Beavah]

Yah, vol, this is where I think da modern neo-conservative muddles things up.

 

Just because yeh may like the (media-crafted) image of the Palins as regular family folk doesn't mean that she is ready to be Commander in Chief and Chief Executive of the country. Mrs. Beavah is regular family folks with outstanding values IMNSHO, but she wouldn't get my vote for President (thank goodness ballots are secret, eh? ).

 

Just like a one-term Senator who happens to be a good orator doesn't have the experience to be an executive, eh?

 

Former Governor Palin failed as the executive for one of the smallest (economically and population-wise) states in the country, despite its homogeneity and one-party governance. Quit halfway through, with some small-state ethical squabbles to boot. That's a far cry from Reagan, who served several terms successfully as the governor of the economically largest and most diverse state in the union with a split-party, almost chaotic system. Reagan had been a leader and organizer since his college days, where Palin quit 4 colleges before finally muddlin' through. Only thing she stuck with successfully was being Mayor of a small town on da federal dole.

 

We have a great big country with a lot of excellent people in it. We can find lots of folks with great values who are more qualified than Mrs. Palin.

 

Beavah

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[GernBlansten]

Gotta agree with Vol there Beav.

Surrounding yourself with the best and brightest people will offset abject inexperience, misguided wisdom, inadequate education and a general lack of intellectual curiosity. However, a lack of beauty and stage presence can not be offset. That's why Sarah is such a driving force in the Republican party. She's drop dead gorgeous. Nobody can fake that. She's genuine.