SARAH PALIN AS THE PIVOT FOR ‘NEW’ GOP
I don’t know who’s advising her at this point, but Sarah Palin is making some shrewd political moves lately that are likely to vault her into a very favorable position as leader of the only real “reform” faction in the Republican party.
Since the publication of Going Rogue, Palin has demonstrated an understanding not only her core constituency, but has slightly redefined her public image to allow a broader cross section of conservatives to embrace her. This has caused her poll numbers to rise and increase her standing with what passes for the reformist element in the Republican party.
But the question will be for Palin is who is driving who? The way the Tea Party folks want to “reform” the Republican party is to toss out those members of congress who fail to live up to their impossible standards of conservate ideology. Political professionals realize that this would mean a smaller party, not a larger one.
And herein lies Palin’s dilemma; must she embrace the reformers concept of “true conservatism” and thus emerge as a bona fide leader of a movement that may shrink the party? Or should she promote a more mainstream conservatism and eschews litmus tests while seeking support from some of the party insiders?
Apparently, she has made a choice; Palin will forgo speaking at CPAC this year and instead, address the even more conservative Southern Republican Leadership Conference. By dumping on CPAC - what passes for a “mainstream” conservative gathering today even with the John Birch Society co-sponsoring - Palin is sending the message that the conservative elites who run the conference and dominate its programs will have to go through her to get the support of the conservative base. She is setting herself up to be the pivot by which the current party leadership in Washington will be able to utilize the enthusiasm and commitment of the tea partiers to help the GOP.
For more traditional conservatives like Pawlenty and Romney, the road to the White House will go through Sarah Palin.
The significance of her appearance at the SRLC as opposed to CPAC is plain; the party’s strength now resides in the south while the southern brand of conservative ideology dominates among the base nationwide. As I have described it, Palin’s natural constituency lies with the anti-elite, anti-intellectual ideologues who believe they are putting “principle” ahead of politics but end up sacrificing both for a stultifying “purity” that bears no relation to political realities outside of the southern base. Palin made that plain in her dismissal of the CPAC invite:
A source close to the Palin camp says that request led to a decision to stay away from the upcoming CPAC conference, calling it a forum that will place “special interests over core beliefs” and “pocketbook over policy.”
“That’s not what CPAC should be about and people are tiring,” the source said. “Palin is taking a stance against this just as she did in Alaska.”
When asked about the move, Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said: “We support those who advance our core beliefs and lead by principle.”
To say this is monumentally naive and stupid would be to repeat what ACU president David Keene has said of Palin in the past:
Keene has criticized Palin in the conservative press, telling Newsmax in July that she was “whining” about her press coverage and was not yet ready for primetime.
“Conservatives like her, but you’ve got to have more than that,” Keene told the outlet. “You’ve got to be more than a rock star. If in fact she’s interested in the presidency, she has got to establish herself as someone you can envision in the Oval Office. And it’s become more difficult to envision than it was at the time of the election.”
The base can envision her in the Oval Office because they believe that Palin’s very ordinariness - her demonstrable unfitness for the presidency - is just what the country and conservatism needs. Who cares if she knows less about foreign policy than my bartender? What need have we of a president who can articulate an agenda, speak beyond simple-minded talking points on issues, and grasp the nuance of governance when it is obvious that her gut instincts are so swell?
There are good arguments to be made that the GOP elite is out of touch with ordinary Americans and that some Republican members of congress need to be retired. But when logic, reason, and even a modicum of pragmatism are tossed out the window at the same time as the dead wood and drift wood, there is no meaningful “reform” to be had. Instead, flying squads of political executioners will move into suspect party regulars’ districts (as well as the growing number of open races), and put their stamp of approval on candidates likely to be slaughtered in the general election.
If Palin sides completely with these “reformers,” she doesn’t lose anything, judging by this informal poll of party insiders:
A poll of GOP insiders suggests that ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has little support among the party’s professional class — and maybe that’s just how she wants it.
In a survey of 109 party leaders, political professionals and pundits, Palin finished 5th on the list of candidates most likely to win the party’s ‘12 WH nomination. Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) was the overwhelming choice of the
Voters were asked to rank 5 candidates in the order of likeliness to capture the GOP nod.
Does it matter that the professional class doesn’t take Palin seriously as a candidate in 2012? Not much. But it is indicative of the chasm that has opened up between the 1/3 or so of the party that identifies with her whose opposition to the party leadership has metastasized into a hate only slightly less intense than that felt for Obama and the liberals.
It may very well be that Michael Steele and the inside the beltway conservatives will have to go hat in hand to Palin and ask for her intercession with her supporters in order to get them fully engaged in the effort to flip the Congress in 2010. Will she end up being a team player and agree to work toward that end or will she maintain her distance and independence, looking to cash in on her standing with the base by running for president in 2012?
My guess is the latter. In the end, the tea partiers will run Palin more than she will be able to run them. That’s the price you pay when you mount the tiger and attempt to ride the whirlwind.
I disagree.
Palin will work with Steele and Company and then claim credit for the large number of flipped House and Senate seats, possibly a majority for the former. I’m not a Palin fan, either, but give credit where it is due: she is shrewd enough to capitalize on what will be the most Republican year possibly ever and emerge as the party’s major powerbroker.
The fact she carried water for a bathetic RINO like McCain is a glimpse into how she can drop ideology on a dime when it benefits her.
I don’t see Palin running for president. Given how incredibly weak and vulnerable Obama has proved, the field will be quite crowded with anti-Obamas–you know, people who actually have done something and accomplished something in their lives–but I do agree Palin will be a major factor in who the anti-Obama is (and take credit if, as seems likely now, he or she wins).
Comment by jackson1234 — 1/8/2010 @ 11:15 am
Possibly. It’s also possible they will not be “slaughtered”, though. And if those candidates win their general elections, they will be loyal to Palin over anyone else in the GOP. If she’s going to be president in 2012, she can’t rely on GOP insiders and will need her own soldiers to get legislation through. She will therefore try very, very hard to see that her people win in 2010 and 2012. She’s a smart cookie.
Comment by alwaysfiredup — 1/8/2010 @ 11:43 am
Mixed metaphor much?
Unemployment under 8% in 2012, we kick yer butts. Simple as that.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 12:04 pm
While you describe the Left’s dream scenario, it ain’t going to happen. The stakes are too high, and by unifying the GOP to slaughter Democrats en masse Palin will be the go-to woman. Potential GOP nominees will have to kiss her ass in 2012, and she will be able to capitalize on celebrity in the private sector as long as she wishes. Unlike Obama, Palin realizes celebrity and personality cults are prescriptions for failed Administrations.
America will not tolerate another incompetent, unqualified president, and Palin realizes. I suspect Obama fears it.
Comment by obamathered — 1/8/2010 @ 12:28 pm
This is just first incident, by summer there will be many more because these angry white guys just won’t be able to help themselves.
You’ll whine about how it’s not fair and liberals are smearing you, all the while more and more Dale Robertson’s will be out there.
I’m especially pleased he’s the owner of TeaParty.org
Republicans = Teabaggers = Nutcases won’t win you any elections.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 1:36 pm
Dream on, Richard. But I will hand it to you: that strained, nay, non-existent connection between some whack job and Palin’s relationship to the GOP leadership was innovative even if unproductive. The coming rout of Democrats from the Congress won’t even be the first shoe to drop after indpenedents and the American public at large have seen the grotesque visages of Pelosi, Reid and Obama and the vast destruction they managed in less than a year. We don’t even need boogeymen. Your freak show speaks for itself.
Comment by obamathered — 1/8/2010 @ 1:49 pm
The GOP either embraces the teabaggers, which means Dale Robertson and Orl Taitz come along for the ride, or they don’t.
Win win as far as I’m concerned.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 2:00 pm
Sarah Palin has 16 years of executive experience and owns 2 successful business. So when slow witted individuals say she lack experience or foreign affairs knowledge (Rick Moran) you are basing that on a test you gave her? Her grades from college? A Conversation with her? OR IGNORANT & BIASED OPINION?
OR IS IT BRAINWASHING from the MSM? The same media that sold us the Disaster Obama sold us Sarah Palin has no experience, no knowledge of foreign affairs etc… YOU, Rick Moran, and many others have allowed the media to tell you what to think and this tells me you could have voted for Obama.
I have met Sarah Palin several times. I sat next to her at a Fundraising Dinner in West Palm Beach. I spoke with her for over an hour and her knowledge of foreign affairs is extensive. As an eyewitness with a Georgetown Degree in Foreign Affairs or someone whom has experienced this firsthand I tell you that she is ideal for the job as President and all we have to do is look at her track record.
Example, What type of judges would she appoint? How will she deal with a deficit or surplus? How will she deal with a bad economy, natural disaster, deploying troops, taxes, creating jobs etc. All we need to do is look at her record. Their is no guarantee unlike Obama who is guarantee to fail.
Comment by Max — 1/8/2010 @ 2:19 pm
My guess is that the GOP will try to sideline her from an actual run, while courting her for a full fledged endorsement. She has the ability to bring out the crowds and raise money so they need her, but I don’t think she has the horsepower to run.
The key question is, will her supporters stay with her if she doesn’t run? If she doesn’t live up to their expectations, i.e. selling out to the establishment, they could turn on her in a heartbeat.
Comment by Allen — 1/8/2010 @ 2:31 pm
Nobody who denies evolution should ever get to be President of the United States. Ever. Period. It’s unfortunate and telling that she might even have half a chance. Facepalm.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 1/8/2010 @ 2:32 pm
For the GOP to take advantage of the County’s dissatisafaction with the current regime, they will have to bend the wind. Notice I did not say bend over. The mood of the country is biting and those that will be bit are those who stray desperately away from some basic conservative economic principles. Smaller, less intrusive government, and a controlled spending plan that minimizes the deficit. Eliminate the deficit? Small steps at first. An America-first foreign policy stance would also be a nicety.
Leaning left and becoming Democrat-Lite is not what is being asked for nor what is being demanded. Many GOP elites feel that is the future - it isn’t. This country is moderate to right in its politics regardless of what some believe the ‘08 elections revealed. The ‘08 election were won with a 53% majority of the vote - not the 90% they act like they got. And it is deep in the moderate right where the GOP should be deeply embedded.
If the GOP can accomplish this - preferably with Palin, they can capture the vigor of the Tea Parties. They do not need to embrace them but ideally they can blend the two “wings” of Conservativism and regain the momentum. But if they continue, like the NY 23rd, to play Democrat Lite, then they are doomed to the scrap heap and that is where they deserve to go.
Comment by SShiell — 1/8/2010 @ 3:12 pm
So now we have yet another litmus test, born of the necessity for atheists to have confirmation of their beliefs in a mechanical Universe.
Fortunately, by far the majority of voters do believe in God, and relegate science to its proper role of discovery and explanation in the material world. They are willing to consider that nay-sayers of Darwinian Evolution have some very powerful arguments on their side, such as the total imcompleteness of the fossel history, the necessity for the believers to resort to “it will be discovered, sooner or later!”, and the difficulties surrounding the Pre-Cambrian Explosion of life forms, etc. etc.
Why should true scientists ever close their minds to possibilities and attempt to shut off debate? Only for non-scientific reasons! Just as AGW is not “settled science” neither is the total story surrounding Darwinian or NeoDarwinian evolution.
Comment by mannning — 1/8/2010 @ 3:38 pm
Actually the litmus test is pass first year high school biology.
Heh - in fairness, it is incorrect to state that Palin is a creationist or even promoted creationist teachings for Alaska public schools. In fact, that was a lie spread by a couple of lefty Alaska bloggers. She specifically opposed the teaching of creationism in Wasilla schools.
This is one of the problems with discussing Palin. There were so many outright lies and falsehoods as well as published rumors about her that trying to understand who she truly is becomes extremely difficult. There has never been a campaign of falsehoods mounted against a modern day candidate as there was against Palin. The list is endless - something like 125 prominent published lies and misstatements of her beliefs. A lot of it came from her enemies in Alaska that the press never bothered to check.
I hate Sarah Palin. But what was done to her by her opponents and the media was unconscionable.
ed.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 3:46 pm
Kitchen. Heat.
Obama is a Muslim/Anti-Christ, etc.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 3:56 pm
mannning said:
Just because you and Sarah Palin don’t understand something, doesn’t make it false.
Scientists do exactly the opposite of this. Every single day. It’s built into the job description via the Scientific Method.
Denying evolution and saying nonsense about the incompleteness of the fossil history is simply to deny the gigantic mountains of verifiable evidence science has collected. Speciation has been observed. You are completely and utterly 100% wrong.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 1/8/2010 @ 4:00 pm
BTW, the issue isn’t whether Palin believes in evolution or not
It’s that, even it she did believe in it, she would never come right out and say it because it would piss off the multitudes of silly people who believe the earth is 6,000 years old.
You know, just like all the Republican politicians who hem and haw about whether Obama is a US citizen. They just can’t flat out admit they know it to be true, because 30% of Republicans doubt the fact, and a similar percentage aren’t sure whether Obama is the Anti-Christ or not.
So they continue down the path of irrelevancy, which seems to be the thesis you yourself present.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 4:06 pm
[...] Right Wing Nut House: SARAH PALIN AS THE PIVOT FOR ‘NEW’ GOP [...]
Pingback by All American Blogger » Palin-Keene Feud Continues, Palin to Skip CPAC Again — 1/8/2010 @ 4:09 pm
Oh seriously…to the monkey who said no one should be elected that does not “believe” (and that’s ALL it is- “belief” NOT fact) in evolution-apparently you have not evolved enough yourself because your brain is only functioning on sea turtle level.Please go lay out on the beach where you belong.
Comment by Carole — 1/8/2010 @ 5:07 pm
ALL it is- “belief” NOT fact
Just because you don’t believe in electrons does not mean they don’t believe in you.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 5:15 pm
Carole said:
Do you realize that you just said evolution was not a fact, and in the exact same sentence said I was not evolved enough to understand that it wasn’t a fact?
Your logic is dizzying. You win.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 1/8/2010 @ 5:45 pm
One of the Blue Dog Dems who is retiring from politics said the said the whole process is now so toxic that you can’t even attempt to talk to the other side with out being denounced by the Righteous true believers. I don’t know how many times I have seen a comment referring to Obama as “spineless” for not getting the Liberal agenda passed. So it looks like the Dems are also moving to the extreme. With the right kicking out the RINOs and the left doing the same to the Blue Dogs what we will be left with is two political cults rather than political parties. Of course inevitable conclusion to all of this is that without any moderates eventually people stop shouting at each other and start shooting. We are looking more and more like Spain before the Civil war.
Comment by grognard — 1/8/2010 @ 7:48 pm
[...] A better question: Why shouldn’t Palin skip CPAC? She’s got her grassroots flank covered by speaking at the tea party convention and she’s got her party establishment flank covered by speaking at the SRLC. What does she gain by speaking at CPAC? With no obvious benefit in attending, better to skip it and use your absence to burnish your credentials as a crusader against corporate interests. Even Rick Moran, who’s no Palin fan, agrees she’s making some shrewd moves. [...]
Pingback by Hot Air » Blog Archive » Should Palin skip CPAC? — 1/8/2010 @ 8:08 pm
It is really to bad that some people here cannot read. Where was it that I said anything about my not believing in evolution? What I did do was to accuse atheists of making that belief a litmus test, for one thing, and for another, I said in effect that significant contrary evidence should get a hearing, if one is a true scientist, and I suggested several lines of investigation that are not refuted at all by even the greatest in the field to this day. Was it Pinker that tried to invent “Punctuated Evolution” to get around the Pre-Cambrian refutation?
It has been proven that many biology texts used in our lower schools are portraying a false picture of evolution, so if someone bases their belief in evolution on that made-up stuff, they are simply fooled, if not also foolish. You cannot at the same time be open-minded as a scientist, and declare that evolution is “settled science”, because it isn’t.
My favorite quote on this matter is from A.N.
Whitehead, who was something of a brain to be admired. He said: “When a majority of scientists agree on some theory, it is guaranteed that they are wrong.” Think of closed-minded people that believe working theories are the final word. It isn’t so, no matter how tall the mountains of so-called evidence are. They, after all, ARE Theories.
Comment by mannning — 1/8/2010 @ 9:50 pm
ok, for me the interesting part is not the endless evolution, Palin etc debate. Maybe she will run maybe she won’t; I’m not loosing any sleep over this. As far as evolution goes, the change in genome sequence over time and dependent on the environment has been tested (and everyone of you can) and proven to be true. End of story.
The interesting part for me is can a “Southern GOP’ win an election and what financial policies should I expect from them. How can we start manufacturing again? The strategy in the South seems to be bring in German and Japanese companies in union free territory. Maybe not altogether bad but the engineering still happens in Germany or Japan. How can we make our school system competitive again? Again, I don’t really see a Southern state that’s burying the competition in that area.
What I see is a lot of social issues that are not that important to me as a somewhat rational conservative.
I concede they are economic areas that have made great progress e.g. North Carolina and Atlanta but the big bucks are not made in the South, the innovation are not made in the South, the best educated people do not live in the South. I just warn against a strategy where an area thinks they are so much more with the message and can suddenly turn the whole country their way. Won’t happen and it probably shouldn’t.
Comment by funny man — 1/8/2010 @ 10:31 pm
White Supremacists and tax protesters an angry lot, film at 11.
The Right will bring teh crazy in 2010.
It’s going to be a joy to watch once the weather gets a bit warmer (and football season is over) when all the angry white men will hit the bricks, tea bags firm in one hand and a shotgun in the other.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/8/2010 @ 10:52 pm
It’s going to be a joy to watch once the weather gets a bit warmer (and football season is over) when all the angry white men will hit the bricks, tea bags firm in one hand and a shotgun in the other with Dick Butts lined up in the sights!
Comment by SShiell — 1/8/2010 @ 11:57 pm
Hey ed.,
You hate Sarah Palin? Ok, I don’t love everyone myself. While this site has never been particularly kind to Sarah, I think a post as to why exactly you hate her would be welcome. It would certainly drive up the traffic, don’t you think?
Comment by Harry O — 1/9/2010 @ 12:17 am
I have no prediction RE: what Palin will or won’t do; I’m just curious to see both what she actually does and how everything else unfolds.
I hope there is no violence and that somewhere in all of this Palin finds it within herself to move past what people “want to hear” to what she thinks they need to hear, where such is based on the truth, or at least a level-headed understanding of as much as possible of what’s going on in the country.
If Palin can speak from this perspective and marry that knowledge to conservatism in a way that shows how the later can be used to guide (if not necessarily control) the former, I’d be willing to take her seriously and give her positions some thought.
If not then I will simply watch and be (hopefully) entertained.
RE: Evolution
The breadth of scientific data and information collected, analyzed and put together over time since Darwin first published his theories on the origins of species is considerable, with much of it linked together and built upon earlier work.
In this regard, claiming that evolution is not a settled science is like claiming the science involved in building bridges is not “settled” either. After all, bridges fall down.
Never mind all the bridges (like the Golden Gate Bridge) that are up and running, day after day.
Comment by Jeremy G. — 1/9/2010 @ 12:34 am
White men killing a black man because they don’t like him being uppity? Yeah, that does happen. Though last time I upset the local crackers they shot my mom’s dog instead of me.
Like I said, teabaggers will bring teh crazy in 2010.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/9/2010 @ 2:55 am
You guys are way overanalyzing her decision to skip CPAC, a decision I support. CPAC is nothing more than an annual lovefest for Romney. What can she possibly gain by attending? In addition, the idea that DC lobbyist and Arlen Specter supporter David Keene is a grass roots conservative is absurd. CPAC was once a grass roots conservative organization, now it is nothing but a platform for that most established of establishment Republicans…Mitt Romney. I applaud her decision to skip CPAC.
Comment by ContemptuousConservative — 1/9/2010 @ 7:29 am
Evolution: Just one of many arguments that need adequate explanation and not merely claiming heaps of evidence that turn out to be irrelevant:
There is no data or valid evidence that the life forms that suddenly appeared in the Cambrian period had any precursors at all, as Darwinism demands. No eons of time to evolve, either; it all happened over some 5 million years, and the forms include the complex mammalian types from which we presumably descended.
This should given rabid Darwinists pause, if they are objective Darwinist scientists, but is that possibly an oxymoron?
Here is where the next phrase is inserted: “Oh, it (the progression of life forms) will be discovered, just give us time!”
OK, but till then, your theory does not hold up well enough against this argument, and hence it is not settled science. So simple is it!
Comment by mannning — 1/9/2010 @ 7:37 am
$100,000 to speak to the teabaggers. Now $549 to attend the teabaggers “grassroots” get-together. You betcha, this griftin gal is nobody’s fool, also.
The right wing protesters have just sold their souls to the money machine and will get the same results as the fundamentalist Christians got when the sold their souls to the political money machine. Lip service and no actual results for their agenda.
“Stupid is as stupid does.” Forrest Gump
Comment by still liberal — 1/9/2010 @ 9:06 am
“Though last time I upset the local crackers they shot my mom’s dog instead of me.”
Tesrs were shed when the dog got shot - Why waste a bullet on you?
Comment by SShiell — 1/9/2010 @ 9:13 am
Points of contention:
1. Atheism is a religious belief.
You cannot prove a negative. If god doesn’t exist…Prove it. Go ahead Really with mathematical certantity PROVE IT. I am not intrested in what arguments you use to yourself. I want absolute airtight proof. I can’t see electrons, I cannot feel them, I cannot smell them. Ask an honest high energy particle physicist what an electron really is when he is not talking down to you or using public speak. If you really do listen your head will hurt and your faith in reality will be severly damaged.
I cannot prove the existence of a Diety but I dont have to. I have not made the monumental Huberitic error of saying I know or can prove anything in reference to a Diety. Someone who does commit such an error and clings to it has nicely categorized themselves.
2. You can flow with the stream in serenity in the middle and go where it leads, or you can dam the river, take power from it and redirect the flow. Sarah Palin is looking more like an engineer who the local yokels thought was a bit touched when they talked about the future Hoover Dam.
Rick is a true blue Died in the wool conservative. Doesn’t like any of these uppity Kids and their new fangled Ideas. Sorry Rick the direction of the party is too important too allow Grampa rocking on the porch to spike ‘progress’ >>:-)<< because it make you uncomfortable. Yes I like Grampa, he’s a sweet old man with amazing stories.
“But grampa you retired for a reason.”
Reminds of the opening song to that show with Caroll O’Connor “All in the Family” was the show, “Those were the Days” was the Theme song.
Comment by steve — 1/9/2010 @ 9:29 am
I know Rick gets upset whenever I get too mean in needling conservatives.
Ordinarily I’d expect this type of comment to be beyond the pale, but who knows. Winning in 2010 is pretty important to the GOP.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/9/2010 @ 12:01 pm
“Winning in 2010 is pretty important to the GOP.”
And Whining is always important to Dhimmocrats! Man up and grow a pair!
Comment by SShiell — 1/9/2010 @ 12:19 pm
Corrections; the concept in my Post #23 was supposed to be “punctuated equilibrium” and its author was S. J. Gould, not Pinker.
Comment by mannning — 1/9/2010 @ 3:03 pm
Manning:
regarding evolution I would invite you to check out the flood of genome sequences, bacterial, fungal, plants and mammals etc. What has come clear is that evolution doesn’t work slowly as in mutation by mutation but rather by rapid horizontal gene transfer through plasmids, viruses, transposons etc. This was quite a surprise and proves your point regarding there never is anything settled. On the other hand, it quite clearly puts some of the earlier criticisms regarding unattainable complexity at rest. Something that Darwin could not have foreseen given that we just know DNA is the hereditary material 65 years ago (Avery) and the structure 57 years ago.
Would just like to change the subject too. Tired of the worn out Liberals bad, Conservatives bad, everybody is bad. Substances is more fun (ok, mostly).
Comment by funny man — 1/9/2010 @ 3:29 pm
If I was afraid of angry white guys I would have given up long ago. I wasn’t afraid of your threats then, I am not afraid of them now.
The world has changed and whether it’s cowards with hoods or chickenhawks with computers America is vastly different and better place than when I was growing up.
I couldn’t be happier that the over-sized armpit called the South is losing its influence over the direction of this nation.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/9/2010 @ 5:56 pm
I have not read anything on this site for quite awhile.
One thing I’ve noticed is the lack of knowledge of Sarah Palin, her beliefs, and her history.
Has any one of you read her book?
Who is stupid enough to still believe the lefty blogger lie (passed on by the LSM) about Sarah not believing evolution?
Basically, she is a western libertarian/conservative of the Reagan variety.
Anybody that thinks she is some Ayatollah of evangelism ready to turn the USA into a theocracy is completely nuts.
Do your homework and study. Then come back and join the discussion.
There are about a half dozen good reasons why Sarah not going to CPAC is not only a principled move but a shrewd political one too. One is that CPAC is now recognized as being more of an insider/establishment conference whose purpose is to push Romney, who isn’t even really a conservative at all.
If CPAC can reform its image, get back to being the conservative activist conference for politicians (not just media personalities), and move it out of DC and rotate it to different sites around the country, it could become once again a great event. It’s just a Mitt-fest now and Sarah knows that. In fact, anybody who follows GOP politics closely knows it is just that the last 4 years.
Comment by Sapwolf — 1/9/2010 @ 7:32 pm
The issue has nothing to do with whether Palin believes in evolution or not, It’s that not a single one of current or future GOP candidates for president can dare say they don’t believe in it for fear of enraging the snake handlers who think the earth is less than 10,000 years old.
Same way they have to weasel about the Confederate flag for fear of hurting the feelings of the neo-Confederates who make up the Southern wing of the party.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/9/2010 @ 8:00 pm
I’ve stayed away from this site for a while as well, so the Kilkenny letter was a lie, but the fact that some people believed it was enough. That’s the bulk of much of the supposed ‘facts’ about her. CPAC, from my informal survey was probably more pro Sarah, in the winter, then that poll would indicate. Now one minor point few have noticed is her husband starts the Ironman race, the next day after the conference, so that might be a reason.
Now it’s curious the only violence has been seen at Tea Parties has beenthat directed at Gladney by SEIU thugs, yet this is made as an argument, first prompted by Boxer, because of her San Francisco background, the SLA, the Dan White shooting, Jim Jones who wasn’t violent in San Francisco, but we know how that turned out
Comment by narciso — 1/9/2010 @ 9:20 pm
Did St. Gladney ever get health insurance? Wait a few more weeks and he can sign up for Obama’s plan.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/9/2010 @ 9:27 pm
funnyman:
Very interesting comment! Gene transfer via a number of mechanisms, and it directly implicates the comparative similarity of genomes of many animals. How does this relate to the so-called trash DNA sequences, that some believe are not trash at all?
I am still puzzled by the evolution of human consciousness, brain function, and mind, but then, so is everyone. From whence came the spark that clearly separates man from all other animals? It would seem that still other evolutionary mechanisms are at work that we have little knowledge of or scientific explanation for, not yet, anyway. Definitely unsettling!
Comment by mannning — 1/9/2010 @ 9:44 pm
Actually, Richard, losing 2010 seems very important to the Democrats. Then again, you have reminded people why they threw you on the ash heap of history a couple of decades ago so your four-year exodus from the wilderness is about to end.
Comment by obamathered — 1/10/2010 @ 9:32 am
Big talk from a political party that owned the world nine years ago who went on to get their butts roundly kicked two elections in a row.
No matter what happens in 2010 you can’t outrun demographics and Hispanics despise the GOP almost as much as black folks do.
Foaming at the mouth racist teabagger will be unrestrained in their anger at the brown and black people they blame for all their troubles.
The insult fest will be so nauseating that that precious 2% will once again see your party for what it always was and still is no matter what face you put on it.
The fact remains is if unemployment is below 10% by next year’s election you’ll gain squat.
And I can tell you now after a year of nothing my phone is ringing off the hook like it’s 1997 again. If tech in California is any indication, spring will be on fire.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/10/2010 @ 10:24 am
All GOP DC insiders and RINO pundits main intention is to trash out Palin. The DNC dirty political strategists has successfully infiltrated the GOP core even during the time of 2012 POTUS election. The bald head Schmidt is among the double agent being highly paid by DNC operatives. The DNC desires to have MITT as the GOP nominee on 2012 to ensure Obama’s reelection. With Palin rising as shown on all current polls, it is clearly to say that ONLY PALIN can be able to defeat Obama on 2012. Palin does not need the GOP. She can run 2012 POTUS as an independent conservative and I am pretty sure that she will get the majority of the American voters who are tired and fed up of corruption in washington. I am feeling now the outrage and American people are tired already of corrupted politics. Thing and times have changed. American people now wants true reform and true change.
Some who comment here are dumb. Some are crazy.
With you, we get a twofer.
ed.
Comment by Raymond — 1/10/2010 @ 12:00 pm
Manning:
you have to differentiate between bacterial and mammalian strategies in evolution. So bacteria have the tendency to shrink their genome constantly. Everything they don’t need they kick out. That is why bacteria that live in a symbiotic environment have much smaller genomes than their free living relatives. Why? Because their environment is much more stable e.g. they don’t have to worry about a sudden heat wave or a sudden increase in metal concentration because acid mine drainage suddenly enters their stream. So if they don’t have those protective genes they are dead (so their streamlining didn’t work, smile)
Ok, regarding the so called junk sequence. Very interesting, unresolved topic. So when genomes of many higher organisms were sequenced people noticed vast areas of DNA that didn’t seem to have any purpose, hence the term. However, as we slowly understand how differentiation and regulation work in those organisms some people (including me) believe this is a way to allow the genome to be more flexible to show plasticity. It’s a bit long now to ponder but that is my short answer.
Ok, conscience. Great topic. So when you look at the genome sequence, apes and humans are very, very close. So it can’t be vast amounts of different genes etc but rather it has to be regulation, different ability to better connect the neurons in our brain. Trust me, with the genomes available and the ability to look at differential regulation, this will be an exiting time in the next years.
Comment by funny man — 1/10/2010 @ 12:14 pm
When asked about the move, Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said: “We support those who advance our core beliefs and lead by principle.”
And how does “Visorgate” fit in?
She endorses McCain…. ANWR, Gitmo, waterboarding, cap and trade all things that are not her core beliefs but she supports McCain anyways.
That statement Meg made is typical Stapleton blunder.
Your analysis is off track… The people advising her haven’t a clue what may lay ahead in an Arizona Senate race…
Makes you wonder who SarahPac has endorsed?
Palin needs a new coat of fresh paint and an oil change to get her bus running right.
Comment by Tom Lamb — 1/10/2010 @ 12:15 pm
There’s only one thing about the Republicans that gets me down: Rupert Murdoch owns Buffy, The Simpsons, X-Men, and Avatar.
D’Oh.
Comment by Richard bottoms — 1/10/2010 @ 1:07 pm
The bald head Schmidt is among the double agent being highly paid by DNC operatives.
Great. LOL!!!!
Comment by funny man — 1/10/2010 @ 3:50 pm