Palin gives keynote speech at 'tea party' gathering

[honeychile]

My own bottom lines after reading this thread:

-Sarah Palin will never translate into a viable national candidate as long as she's measured on her looks ("bump-it" hair, eyeglass style, etc), or as long as most people continue to confuse what she's said and what the Tina Fey look-a-like said. Most of the United States will probably never know who she really is or what she really stands for. I'm tempted to say that about most political women, but there are exceptions to every rule.

-"Tea Party" is a catch-all phrase for those who are sick to death of the inflated Beltway egos and their "what's good enough for me is too good for the average American" attitudes. Our Representatives rarely represent their district any longer (yes, even more so for those in DC), and Tea Party people are simply vocalizing what many people have been saying for years. I hope the movement to form a new party doesn't catch on, so much as brings more to the table of each of the parties. It's human nature to rebel, and when I hear Universal Health Care doesn't include the very people voting for it, I call shenanigans.

-VandalSquirrel's summary of undergraduates is completely on the money. Sadly, I had a grandmother like that, so it's not a shortcoming of a certain age group or educational class - too many people only want to hear their own side of a story, instead of weighing the facts of each side. It's the quickest way to dumb yourself down, IMHO.

-Lastly, anyone who thinks that the world spins according to GreekChat has been sipping too much of the Kool Aid.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by honeychile

My own bottom lines after reading this thread:

-Sarah Palin will never translate into a viable national candidate as long as she's measured on her looks ("bump-it" hair, eyeglass style, etc), or as long as most people continue to confuse what she's said and what the Tina Fey look-a-like said. Most of the United States will probably never know who she really is or what she really stands for. I'm tempted to say that about most political women, but there are exceptions to every rule.

-"Tea Party" is a catch-all phrase for those who are sick to death of the inflated Beltway egos and their "what's good enough for me is too good for the average American" attitudes. Our Representatives rarely represent their district any longer (yes, even more so for those in DC), and Tea Party people are simply vocalizing what many people have been saying for years. I hope the movement to form a new party doesn't catch on, so much as brings more to the table of each of the parties. It's human nature to rebel, and when I hear Universal Health Care doesn't include the very people voting for it, I call shenanigans.

-VandalSquirrel's summary of undergraduates is completely on the money. Sadly, I had a grandmother like that, so it's not a shortcoming of a certain age group or educational class - too many people only want to hear their own side of a story, instead of weighing the facts of each side. It's the quickest way to dumb yourself down, IMHO.

-Lastly, anyone who thinks that the world spins according to GreekChat has been sipping too much of the Kool Aid.

You forgot one...

As long as Palin keeps going after comedy shows and cartoons instead of dealing with legitimate causes, people won't take her seriously

See link

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

You forgot one...

As long as Palin keeps going after comedy shows and cartoons instead of dealing with legitimate causes, people won't take her seriously

See link

Granted. (This is part of the last statement of my bottom line - being able to admit a mistake!)

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Granted. (This is part of the last statement of my bottom line - being able to admit a mistake!)

My bad...please accept my post for integration

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by honeychile

My own bottom lines after reading this thread:

-Sarah Palin will never translate into a viable national candidate as long as she's measured on her looks ("bump-it" hair, eyeglass style, etc), or as long as most people continue to confuse what she's said and what the Tina Fey look-a-like said. Most of the United States will probably never know who she really is or what she really stands for. I'm tempted to say that about most political women, but there are exceptions to every rule.

I totally disagree with this - most discussions re: Palin lately have completely discussed her, the literal person with actual (terrible) ideas. Such as:

-Her favorite founder? All of them!
-Her notes? Cross out lower taxes, talk about lower spending!
-Her book? Full of tacit misstatements and rampant factual errors!
-And etc.

While there are dummies who will like/dislike her because she's attractive (and these people neatly offset each other - remember, attractiveness matters, in a good way, so she's not exactly losing out), and while women still have not achieved complete equality in general or in politics specifically, Palin has received more than a fair shake.

She has proven herself to be an above-average politician and a top-tier fundraiser, public speaker and figurehead. She's also proven herself to perform poorly on her feet, to be essentially devoid of substantive platform-type thoughts, and absurdly focused on "attack-dog" or similarly partisan politics (aka "politics as usual"). She is what she is - it's more than the hockey mom at this point.

-"Tea Party" is a catch-all phrase for those who are sick to death of the inflated Beltway egos and their "what's good enough for me is too good for the average American" attitudes. Our Representatives rarely represent their district any longer (yes, even more so for those in DC), and Tea Party people are simply vocalizing what many people have been saying for years. I hope the movement to form a new party doesn't catch on, so much as brings more to the table of each of the parties. It's human nature to rebel, and when I hear Universal Health Care doesn't include the very people voting for it, I call shenanigans.

I wish this were more true today, although I completely believe this is how it began. This may be the genesis of the Tea Party movement, but in reality, it's a purely Conservative movement, which really eliminates its ability to do a lot of these things you've mentioned, and it seems to be one more predicated on an idea ("Government is out of control") than any specific complaints or actionable changes.

Additionally, it is certainly drifting more and more toward a traditional party structure - what with paying Palin $100,000 to speak at a $500/plate dinner, and all the associated things that counteract that awesome origin story that I wish were more true (because honestly, one can wish, can't we?).

If only there were an economically conservative, socially hands-off non-religious party that didn't carry the Libertarian social stigma (or aversion to national defense) . . . that would be the real winner. While I wish the Tea Party dicks did these things, they don't. They just don't. It's rah-rah for Glenn Beck - and so too will be the next movement.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by honeychile

My own bottom lines after reading this thread:

-Sarah Palin will never translate into a viable national candidate as long as she's measured on her looks ("bump-it" hair, eyeglass style, etc), or as long as most people continue to confuse what she's said and what the Tina Fey look-a-like said. Most of the United States will probably never know who she really is or what she really stands for. I'm tempted to say that about most political women, but there are exceptions to every rule.

I'll give you that women have a tougher go of it in politics than men. That said, I feel like statements like this totally underestimate the criticisms of Palin. There are a lot of people who have examined her record, her statements and her background, and who don't think she's a credible candidate based on all of that information. There are some of us who have looked at those things and won't vote for her based on that information, not based on some SNL skit.

I don't think it's as easy as saying, essentially, that people are too superficial in examining candidates. There is a sizable population who just doesn't think that her substance = Presidential material.

Originally Posted by honeychile

-Lastly, anyone who thinks that the world spins according to GreekChat has been sipping too much of the Kool Aid.

ETA: Now that I look at it again, I have no idea what you're actually saying in this last statement. Can you clarify?

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by honeychile

-"Tea Party" is a catch-all phrase for those who are sick to death of the inflated Beltway egos and their "what's good enough for me is too good for the average American" attitudes. Our Representatives rarely represent their district any longer (yes, even more so for those in DC), and Tea Party people are simply vocalizing what many people have been saying for years. I hope the movement to form a new party doesn't catch on, so much as brings more to the table of each of the parties. It's human nature to rebel, and when I hear Universal Health Care doesn't include the very people voting for it, I call shenanigans.

I feel like a lot of that mission is really lost when tea partiers start screaming that Obama isn't a citizen, liken him to Hitler or the Joker, are riled up because his middle name is Hussein, etc. I call shenanigans on that kind of ignorance and fear-mongering. I don't understand how that nonsense fits into their "rebellion;" in fact, I think it really detracts from what they're attempting to express and makes it even less likely others will take them seriously. I just have to believe there are more intelligent and effective ways for them to get the point across that they don't like inflated egos or Universal Health Care (which I didn't realize we capitalized, now) or whatever.