December 8, 2009

She clearly represents the anti-intellectualism, bigotry and intolerance of the Republican party which is unfortunately strengthening through their Astroturf teabagger movement. This new neo-conservative movement demands image over substance. Her lack of credibility and quitter attitude gives her gravitas for Republicans.

She is a myth and believes in the myths of Ozzie and Harriet a world that never existed. She is all show and no go, talk without action and words without meaning. These things have taken her quite a ways and seem to be working for her financially and politically. And this gives her even more gravitas and momentum with her fans.

For her supporters, her failings are what endear her to them and make her “real” in their world. Even her strategy to quit when things get difficult is a positive for them. For example, her circuitous educational path where she attended five colleges in six years and barely made it with a degree in mass communications is quite an accomplishment. And her leaving office as governor in mid term was all American because she wouldn't “play their game”. They can't see it was the stress of being incompetent that made her a quitter. She wants things easy and in her world things just happen if you just wish them to be.

She left college in Hawaii supposedly because the Asians made her feel uncomfortable, implying that she was a racist. She is undoubtedly is a racist but Hawaii was not a place where she stood out physically or intellectually. She was pressured to work hard but wanted to party and be the center of attention. She left because she did not matter and it is always about her, so she went to Idaho, a bastion for whites and white supremacy. Teabaggers and Republicans have white supremacy as a cornerstone of their lives and politics. They like this about her.

Her beauty contestant mentality means she focuses on herself, what she believes at the moment and how she relates to other women as far as fashion and cosmetics. For example during the presidential campaign, tens of thousands were spent on clothing and make-up because she demanded it. What we have is a shell that looks like a politically competent woman desirable to many white men.

Because she is attractive, her supporters give her a break. They don't believe a woman is really qualified for politics but she will get their support because they want her sexually. Don't believe it? Who could forget the Sarah Wink that got thousands of Republican men hot and bothered. Or how about how she always blew kisses at appearances and her infamous comment about being a pit bull with lipstick. Men ate it up and so did women who wanted to look like her.

Incredibly shallow, superficial and egocentric? Yes, it is what binds her supporters to her.

She is always a beauty pageant contestant and plays that role wherever she goes. It is not surprising she can't speak well unless it is written down and for extemporaneous responses.. for get about it. Those skills are unnecessary for pageant contestants. Republicans and teabaggers love this because only liberal intellectuals have the brains and education to speak well and that is un-American. It also means they don't have to think deeply about problems. Palin doesn't so why should they?

Having a pageant persona is one thing but what fuels her is a moral core that is dark, evil and criminal. Even her own party could see this soon after she took office in Alaska. The investigations found problems such as misspending state funds, filing bogus expense claims, generally acting unethically and using her position to attack her opponents. Her supporters see this as an “us against them” battle ... "real" Americans versus everyone else.

To Palin, education is unimportant because she says she relies on the Bible not only for moral issues but for everything. It gives her an illusion of morality. Never mind the lies she has spoken or written. This religious parochialism means she lacks worldly curiosity and a desire for more information. That is why she is inarticulate and incapable of serious thought on any complex subject. Teabaggers and Republicans who supported Bush embrace this. They believe being properly educated means you are incapable of understanding what she is trying to say about “real Americans”. Meaning them.

She has nothing substantive to offer and her supporters love it because like her, they have nothing to offer either. This is a curious relationship where neither side would be much of anything if it weren't for this relationship.

It is disturbing and scary to think a psychopathic beauty queen wants to be president and millions think she should be.