To all of my mom readers: You need to start talking and thinking about this issue–because you are the important vote. Whether you are republican or democrat, for McCain or an Obama fan, I am afraid of Sarah Palin.
I hope this article will lay out some of the issues and her stances. I try not to bring politics into my blog, but this is one issue that not only is very important to me, but also is a controversial topic amongst my readers. I know this article will anger some of you, I hope that you can use it as a forum and if you disagree with something, please put it in the comments. (I will allow all comments that offer constructive points and do not have cursing or ill-wishes).
First, know Palin’s stance on some of the issues that I think many mothers care about:
*Palin opposes stem cell research
(Source: Boston Globe, “A valentine to evangelical base”, p. A12 Aug 30, 2008)
*Palin opposes physician-assisted suicide
(Source: Boston Globe, “A valentine to evangelical base”, p. A12 Aug 30, 2008)
*Palin opposes state health benefits for same-sex partners.
(Source: New York Times, pp. A1 & A10, “An Outsider Who Charms” Aug 29, 2008)
*Palin supports the ‘Safe Haven’ Bill Into Law which allows parents to surrender newborns without prosecution
(Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: Press release 08-020, “Safe Haven” Feb 11, 2008)
*Palin approves “abstinence-only” programs
(Source: Alaska 2006 Governor Debate: AP coverage of public TV debate Nov 3, 2006)
*Palin believes the Iraq War is a “task from god”
(Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com)
*Palin is Pro-Life even if her own daughter were raped
(Source: Alaska 2006 Governor Debate: AP coverage of public TV debate Nov 3, 2006)
*Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools
(Source: Boston Globe, “A valentine to evangelical base”, p. A12 Aug 30, 2008)
*Palin disbelieves global warming.
(Source: New York Times, pp. A1 & A10, “An Outsider Who Charms” Aug 29, 2008)
*Palin has said that Alaska’s economic future depends on aggressively extracting its vast natural resources, from oil to natural gas and minerals.
(Source: New York Times, pp. A1 & A10, “An Outsider Who Charms” Aug 29, 2008)
*Palin opposes gun control and hopes to end the ban on handguns
(Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: press release, “2nd Amendment” Jun 26, 2008)
*Palin tried to use taxpayer money for a state program to shoot wolves from the air
(Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: Press release 07-197, “Wildlife” Sep 26, 2007)
*Palin chose not to spend money to fix a state school system with the lowest high-school graduation rate in the nation.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,0,7915118.story)
*Palin supports $500 million in subsidies for a natural gas pipeline across Alaska.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,0,7915118.story)
*Palin supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve
(Source: State of the State Address to the 25th Alaska Legislature Jan 15, 2008)
*Palin has fought to take many species such as the Polar Bear and the Beluga Whale off the endangered species list.
(Source: Alaska Governor’s Office: press release, “Polar Bear” Aug 4, 2008)
Second, her videos:
Third, my worries:
1. Will she make someone go without?
Either her family will suffer, or the country will. Having 5 kids in such a large age range is hugely demanding on your time and energy. I think either she will be sacrificing her kids needs or she will be unable to fulfill the needs for the country. Everyone keeps saying that if a man was running for president and had five kids—one with Down Syndrome and one who is about to have a baby underage, out of wed-lock—it would not matter as much as if it is a woman. I do not think it is sexist to say, if I got pregnant when I was 17, I would want my mother. There is a different kind of bond between mothers and children and father’s and children and this family was struggling even before Palin announced she was running for Vice President. She needs to fix her family before she tries to fix the country.
2. Is it selfish?
By running for Vice President, Sarah Palin has thrust every single one of her kids into the spotlight and put her own daughters mistake and trials under the media microscope. Even if (and I really do not think this happened) the daughter said “yes, please run for president and talk about my pregnancy,” as a mother, I think she should have chosen to protect the sanctity and privacy of her children (and her husband’s DUI). Her 17 year-old daughter is about to have a baby and get married underage. She needs support and privacy.
3. Can she manage?
I would say the same for a man: She is pro-abstinence and cannot even get her daughter to follow it, how in the world could she speak on that issue now? If she cannot manage her family, then how could she manage a country? If she couldn’t support her family before running for Vice President, how will she have time and energy to now?
4. Does she really know what she is doing?
“When asked last month about the vice presidency, she said, “I still can’t answer that question until someone answers for me: What is it exactly that the VP does every day?” When asked about Iraq, she said, “I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq.”” (Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,0,7915118.story).
5. Is this bad for women?
If there is one woman who would be in support of having a woman in the Vice Presidency, I would think it would be leading feminist Gloria Steinem. Gloria Steinem wrote an article called “Palin: Wrong Woman, Wrong Message” and says:
“[Palin] opposes just about every issue that women support by a majority or plurality… She doesn’t just echo McCain’s pledge to criminalize abortion by overturning Roe vs. Wade, she says that if one of her daughters were impregnated by rape or incest, she should bear the child. She not only opposes reproductive freedom as a human right but implies that it dictates abortion, without saying that it also protects the right to have a child.”
No matter who you are going to vote for, I think it is really important to know the issues and vote for what you believe in, not just to protest against something else. I would really like to hear mothers’ opinions on this topic. Do you think she can manage? Do you think it is fair to her baby with down syndrome…to her pregnant daughter…to the country?
This is a great post for Parents, because many teens do not know how to relay this information to their parents. They just know they are stressed out and that their parents usually add to the stress.
That last one was supposed to be for the Teen Post below. My bad.
If anyone claims that it is sexist to mention that if Sarah Palin can’t handle her family, how will manage the country, I suggest they look back at history:
After coming in third in the democratic primary of 1988, Al Gore intended to run for president again in 1992. Then in 1989 his son, Albert Gore, then six, was hit by a car while crossing the street. In August 1991, Gore announced that his son’s accident had “left a deep impression on our family” and that it was a factor in his decision not to run for president during the 1992 presidential campaign. Gore stated: “I would like to be President, but I am also a father, and I feel deeply about my responsibility to my children. I didn’t feel right about tearing myself away from my family to the extent that is necessary in a Presidential campaign.”
It is not about male or female, mother or father. It is about making good decisions for your family.
My concerns about Sarah Palin are actually not at all related to the family/work balance issue. Just because your child makes a mistake, doesn’t mean the family teachings and values are worthless. People make mistakes. Just because she has 5 children doesn’t mean she can’t find work/life balance. There is a father present – it’s not like she’s doing this on her own.
The reasons to fear Sarah Palin are her many lies with regard to her accomplishments. She “led” her state’s national guard. When the state national guard is not being deployed (and therefore no activities to manage) they report to her. If they were to be deployed, their command moves out of the state, to the Federal level. I might as well claim I manage California’s national guard since I live here.
She said she opposed the infamous “bridge to nowhere.” No, she supported it, received the funds to build it, and only when national outcry emerged about the bridge did she oppose it. Oh, and she didn’t return the funds.
If you work for her and disagree with her, you get fired. Many people in the state of Alaska are very frightened of appearing to disagree with her because it’s such a small, insular government. I’m sorry I don’t have quotes to cite to back this claim.
She claims her proximity to Russia gives her international experience. Hmm, I crossed into Canada once and Mexico several times. I guess I have even more international experience by that metric.
I’ll bet Sarah Palin is the life of the party and a cool chick to know. A marathon runner, sports fanatic, gun-toting moose hunter, snowmobiler, mom to 5 including one with Down’s – I’d bet she’s far more interesting than most women I meet. But I don’t trust her farther than I can throw her and I don’t want her anywhere near the White House except on the same public tour I can take.
I totally agree that making good decisions fory our family is paramount, I wonder if her choosing the spotlight during this time (baby with disabilities, daughter pregnant, son going off to war) was a good idea.
Well said Marian!
If a liberal woman with a Downs kid was on the Democratic ticket, people would not be questioning about her sacrificing her kids, if she is selfish, or if she can manage. They’d be hailing her as a hero.
Feminism isn’t about support women in general. Feminists like Gloria Steimen only support women who agree with their liberal idealogy. If feminism is only about raising the standard of women in society, they should be supporting strong and intelligent women like Palin and Condi Rice. Feminism promotes an agenda, not women.
Sorry, Vanessa, I disagree with your analysis and your approach here.
Whether or not abortion is morally acceptable is a personal opinion, and I would certainly discourage my daughters from having an abortion, but it certainly is not the place of the government to tell people what to do in such circumstances.
But on another note – Vanessa, considering the amount of media attention Palin is generating, what sort of questions should we expect our teenagers to bring up at the dinner table and how do you recommend we handle them?
I am not sure why you said what “moms” need to know. It seems this info is directed towards US Citizens that vote. All the things you listed only make me want to vote for her more. It seems your goal has been to get parents and kids talking to each other about things in their lives that have traditionally haven’t been discussed (premarital sex, etc.). Don’t you think this is bringing these issues out in the open and giving parents an opportunity to talk around the dinner table? I agree with Marian when she said “Just because your child makes a mistake, doesn’t mean the family teachings and values are worthless. ” If they did make them worthless then we would have no values or family teachings…..
Everything in this post puts Sarah Palin on the wrong side of history. When I hear that a possible VP thinks Iraq is a mission from God, I think about what they call religious wars on the other side of the globe – jihads. Someone who believe in that sort of thing has no business being anywhere near the White House.
I also agree that there is a special bond between mother and daughter that a father just can’t replace (especially for a 17 year old pregnant girl). If there were ever an advertisement for why abstinence only education doesn’t work, that would be it!
Bottom line: Sarah Palin is actually trying to put the rights of women back twenty years! Please don’t help her in achieving that goal.
Vanessa, I would be shocked if you weren’t “scared” by Palin. You are a young idealist. You know the old saying, “If you are under 30 and not a liberal, you have no heart. If you are over 30 and aren’t a conservative, you have no brain.” Is so true.
The issue that struck me the most that you don’t seem to grasp is gun control. Do you think it is any mistake that our forefathers made The Right to Bare Arms the SECOND ammendment. Second ONLY to the right to religion, speech and press? No. They knew, just as anyone who has really looked at the facts knows, that an armed society is a safe society. I guess I have a hard time ignoring statistics that come back the same every time.
Washington D.C. enacted a virtual ban on handguns in 1976. Between 1976 and 1991, Washington D.C.’s homicide rate rose 200%, while the U.S. rate rose 12% . Why is that? I know you are a thinking person and this is one of those issues that until I stopped and researched it I agreed with you. Guns are bad right? Just take them away and no one will be hurt by them,right? Well, the “bad guys” already have them. They will always have them. So, why on earth should it be illegal for me, a “good guy” to have one to protect myself? It shouldn’t. Period. The only way for gun control to ever have worked would be if this was a brand new society and guns had NEVER been introduced into society. But, in reality we know that’s not the case.
Why do those random crazy shootings always seem to happen in “gun free” zones like colleges and malls? Same reason they DON’T happen at shooting ranges.
When only the criminals have guns we as a society are sitting ducks. Criminals don’t like having to worry about being shot at any more than the next guy.
I have other points I would like to make but this one is the most glaring to me as one I wholeheartedly disagree with you on Vanessa. Love your blog though!
In an effort not to get upset, I’m going to try and make this brief. As of 3 PM today I have received 3 different emails all containing either a giant list of Sarah Palin criticisms or completely inappropriate Palin “jokes,” (complete with crude pictures). I am a fiscal conservative and social liberal who normally votes Republican. As of this morning I was planning on voting for John McCain. As of 3 PM today I am wholeheartedly endorsing McCain and Palin. Way to jump on the bandwagon Vanessa and join the liberal media in their unfounded fears. If you disagree with Palin’s politics, that’s one thing. If you have a problem with her record in Alaska, that’s fair. But questioning her readiness to serve as Vice President because she has a family (and a pregnant teenage daughter makes her family quite normal) is just ridiculous to me. May I remind you that Obama’s mother gave birth to him when she was 18, just a year older than Palin’s daughter is now? Did the Obama family need “fixing” too?
I think it’s also important to note that teen moms are some of the best advocates of abstinence education, so I don’t see a conflict there at all. I don’t happen to agree with abstinence-only education, but I also don’t agree that her daughter’s pregnancy means she’s a hypocrite as many in the media would like me to believe.
As for your reference to Gloria Steinam, perhaps you should read a bit of Steinam’s work before including her in your posts. She would never in a million years support a hard-core conservative like Sarah Palin.
Katy,
Glad to hear your opinion, I think that if she was on the democratic ticket or running independent I would still not think what she is doing heroic. New–maybe, daring–yes, but if I were her pregnant daughter, all I would want and need is my mother’s support and help. I would not want to have my unborn baby and mistake thrust into the public eye.
Jonathan:
“Vanessa, considering the amount of media attention Palin is generating, what sort of questions should we expect our teenagers to bring up at the dinner table and how do you recommend we handle them?”
Good question! I think parents need to use this time to talk to their kids about safe sex and what they would do if they had a baby.
I also think it is a really good time to talk to your kids about women in politics. Do they think the way Palin is being treated is sexist? Do they think the mother and father role is the same?
Use this time to get to know your kids thoughts and to help them expand them!
They Call Me Bobby
Thank you for pointing out your opinion on this, I will look into this research and think it is a very valid point about the second amendment . I worry most about guns getting into the wrong hands, yet if those people want guns bad enough, they will get their hands on some no matter what….
Thanks for reading
I think we are mixing to different philosophies here that cannot be addressed in the same breath.
The argument that she is unable to serve as a Vice-Presidential nominee (or become Vice President) while dealing with a special needs newborn, pregnant teenage daughter, and son leaving to serve in the military is moot. There is nobody other the Sarah and her husband that are qualified to answer that question. I think we are dismissing the fact that the Palin family can actually think on their own and make correct decisions for their family.
Second – this idea that Gloria Steinem would be proud supporter of Palin is far fetched. As previously pointed out by another commenter it is impossible for someone like Steinem to support a female that does not believe the same way she does. While she says she fights for Feminism, she actually fights for liberal thinking feminist.
I think you do raise a good point that we need to be prepared to answer questions raised by our daughters or younger woman, but to do that you must show an unbiased thought pattern. What you presented is not that.
Michelle,
How do you know that those “jokes” were not initiated by the McCain campaign for the sole reason of eliciting the very same reaction that you’ve expressed?
Personally, I find it very interesting that McCain would pick an unknown for VP, that nobody really knows, then, when the inevitable happens, people start asking questions, (digging into her past decisions, positions she’s held etc.) this is deemed sexist.
Sure, you don’t see that happening with the other three, and is not because they are male, it’s only that they’ve been around so long that all of their triumphs and foibles are public knowledge.
For God’s sake please don’t make an important decision like this by perceived insult, or that you think a candidate is being treated unfairly. The country is at stake.
I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment – I have been a member of the Second Amendment Sisters, of the NRA, and am a lifetime member of the Gun Owners of America.
I support the Constitution (*ALL* of the Constitution, not just the 2nd Amendment) and the rule of Law.
For me, it comes down to – which candidate voted *for* restoring habeas corpus? which candidate actually *supports* the Constitution, rather than mocking it? which candidate actually supports our *veterans* who have put their lives on the line to defend that Constitution? Obama.
Which candidate lies about their record? Which candidate hides essential files from investigators invoking executive privilege? Palin.
Which candidate insisted on leaving personal lives and unsubstantiated rumors out of the campaign? Obama
Which candidate lies to smear their opponent? McCain – in ads he personally approved. (Seen the latest on “education” where they lie about Obama’s support for a piece of legislation on sex ed? It claims Obama supported teaching sex ed to kindergartners. Obama *actually* supported teaching kindergartners about inappropriate touch and avoiding *predators*. )
Thank you Vanessa for bringing this up.
Now I’ve got to go drive my 15-year-old over to his training at the Obama campaign HQ – where *he* volunteered, and then asked me if I could drive him… He also volunteered to go do weekend literature drops – and asked me afterwards… Typical teen. ;-)
Michelle–a normal family has a pregnant teen daughter? Thank God for abnormality, then!
And when did we become a nation that celebrates mediocrity? Why are the Republicans so scornful about Obama’s Ivy League education? When I was growing up, that was something to be admired. I guess Bush’s Yale degree kinda took the luster off that.
I’m still dumbfounded that anyone could think Sarah Palin could get Hilary Clinton supporters’ votes. Are there people out there stupid enough to think one woman in a pantsuit is just like another?
And right on, Anna! My 16 year old is walking our precinct this weekend. Guess we both have abnormal kids;)
Good post, Vanessa!
I completely agree with you Vanessa!
If McCain wins this election and then kicks the bucket, we are all going to be in a world of hurt with a “Hockey Mom” running our country!
Palin’s stance on many issues worries me. It may be that many will feel better about voting for McCain because he has a woman on his team and will appear progressive to those who dig no deeper. However, Palin’s views do not reflect those of women outside the bible belt.
That being said, I would object to anyone disqualifying her on the basis of being a mother. It is for a family to decide what works for them. Many women (though, oddly enough, not the ones Palin represents) are better parents when they work. Not everyone is cut out to be a stay-home mom and work provides a balance to our lives and mental health that benefits the whole family. As for having a pregnant daughter… We do our best as parents to provide our children with values and a strong moral compass, and gradually have to let go and trust them to make their own choices- and take responsibility for the results. Should Palin discard her own life goals to jump in as a rescuer for her daughter? She is supporting her, and that is enough. Although I disagree with her views, I still believe she is setting a strong example for her children by standing up for those views, putting them into action, and working to achieve something.
Vanessa,
I started to write a blog entry to ask many of the same questions you’ve asked here, but decided “Why Bother?,” largely because of the type of responses this attempt at dialog generates. As I expected, your blog generated them.
More than any other issue, I question Governor Palin’s willingness to put her oldest daughter in the national spotlight, knowing full well that she was pregnant. Either she lacks regard for her daughter, or she has much more regard for her political career. Regardless of gender, as a parent, this tells me a great deal about the candidate.
The fact that Senator McCain chose a person who makes decisions like this, tells me something about his ability to make decisions, or his willingness to take advice from the wrong people about important decisions. Either way, I’m at a loss.
For perspective, I’m a gun owner who recognizes that the realities of gun ownership in Alaska and rural Kentucky are much different from those in the urban US. I would have hoped for a candidate with a broader perspective than Governor Palin appears to bring to the table.
I’m also a lifelong Southern Baptist who recognizes that no matter how much I’ve preached abstinence to my sons, if I’ve not talked to them about the realities of birth control, I’ve neglected their education. Even if I take the position that “sex education is the responsibility of the parents, and not the schools,” it’s hard for me to feel that Governor Palin did an effective job at communicating this information within her own household.
All of this causes me to wonder if her daughter’s pregnancy is due to typical teenage carelessness, or a lack of information and understanding. If the former, then I have only my initial concern about the Governor’s willingness to put her family under the microscope. If the latter, then I have to wonder how effectively she can lead and communicate complex topics to people outside of her own home, or if she would simply choose to not present information she doesn’t like, and hope people don’t need it.
Lastly, I am appalled at the number of Evangelical Christians who were just waiting form some reason to jump on the Republican bandwagon, and blindly support a candidate who appears to espouse the views of the far right. Of all the presidents in my lifetime, few would align more closely with my theological and political leanings than former President Jimmy Carter. However, I’d be the last person to suggest that he was (or could be) an effective President.
As for me, I have no idea who I’ll vote for in November. I’m not happy with my options on either side.
Tim
“If she couldn’t support her family before running for Vice President, how will she have time and energy to now?” I will not be voting for the McCain/Palin ticket, but I don’t think this comment is any of our business. It is not for us to judge if politicians are good parents. We don’t hire them to be good parents. That is their personal life that they have to manage on their own way. We pay them to carry out administrative duties. It is job performance that our tax dollars pay for. You ask, “Do you think it is fair to her baby with down syndrome…to her pregnant daughter…to the country?” No employer ever asks these questions of an employee. It is invasive and irrelevant. You make hiring decisions based on resume. All the rest is just emotional stuff and we should never never vote based on emotion.
Janice,
While I am a McCain supporter, I think your argument misconstrues what Vanessa was saying about Palin. Clearly, work can provide mothers a healthy balance to family life. But Palin is not just an admirable working mother, she has thrown herself into the national spotlight by running for VP! That isn’t a normal job.
I was buying groceries the other day and saw her daughter on the cover of the tabloids. To be a pregnant teenager on the national tabloids has a permanent psychological impact on your development. As a father, I would not want to do that to my daughters. While it is up for a family to determine what is best for them, that doesn’t mean we can’t judge them for it, especially when judgment should be used in determining who we vote to run the country.
If Obama wasn’t so extremely far to the left, the Palin issue would make me seriously rethink who I was voting for.
They Call Me Bobby, the quote you were looking for is from Winston Churchill – “If you’re not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you’re not a conservative at forty you have no brain.”
I would hope that when people in this country go to the voting booths and mark their choice for President and Vice President that they look at the issues and where the candidates stand – not at whether or not someone is making the appropriate live/work balance choice.
Although I certainly wouldn’t make the same decision as Sarah if I were in her shoes, I also won’t choose who I’m voting for based on my opinion of the choice she made to run for Vice President.
As a previous comment mentioned, it’s not like she’s doing this alone – there’s a full-time dad in the picture.
When choosing a candidate to vote for, I stick with the issues and the candidates stance on the issues – I try to leave all of the pregnant daughter / down syndrome distractions completely out of the picture.
Hi Vanessa:
Well thought out and well-stated. Palin is a frightening choice for Vice President for all the reasons you’ve stated plus her total lack of experience for the position.
Sarah would never have been considered had another (far more qualified) woman not been in the race previously.
Thanks for being brave enough to put the obvious together for other people who care about our future to examine.
Best regards,
Rosalind
The Voice of Child-Centered Divorce
Wonderful post. I wholeheartedly agree. We cannot allow this woman anywhere near the oval office.
That said though, I fully suspect this was a deliberate move by McCain and his advisors to take the focus off of him…making Palin his human shield to take the bullets.
Meanwhile we don’t focus on how bad McCain will be for this country. He keeps saying he will change things, shake them up, and be a Maverick…but the thing is…his actions don’t back that up at all. He voted with Bush 95% of the time. He is a GWB clone and doesn’t want people talking about that. He knows people are fed up with GWB and he has to appear different. He can’t do that…so he threw a barracuda in the ring to distract us. Its working.
After reading your post, Vanessa, I got the feeling that you were throwing any bad thing about Palin against the wall to see what would stick. People who try to maintain an unbiased view usually don’t resort to this. You did not present any side of Palin other than the negative and your concerns appear to be right out of the Obama campaign talking points handbook. Four out of five of your “worries” about Palin are solely concerned with her personal family issues which really are none of our business. By the time she is sworn in, her first grandchild will have already been born into a married home with a mother and a father…I don’t see what his has to do with her Vice Presidency. Vanessa, I don’t think you need to spend any more of your time worrying about the personal struggles of this family…any more than you would about John Edwards (who, by the way, decided to continue his candidacy after learning that his wife was DYING…slightly more difficult to deal with than Sarah’s problems but no questions were asked of him.)
I also think you are aware that Gloria Steinem is a dyed-in-the-wool idealogue, (possibly an attempt at undoing her misspent youth as a Playboy Bunny) and would never support a conservative no matter what it’s gender. I would have hoped for more honesty from you regarding Gloria. I think you are excellent at what you do but perhaps a little too transparent regarding your political agenda and agenda – not unbiased discussion – is what this blog is all about.
I fully agree with everyone that we should ignore Governor Palin’s family life and “Hockey Mom” status when considering her qualification for Vice-President. So now that we’ve all agreed that we must ignore her being married and being a mother, what else does she have on her resume? Well then… it seems we have almost nothing to talk about, other than some highly questionable actions as Mayor and short-term Governor.
As soon as a John Edwards ad says “Devoted Family Man,” I have every right to bring his infidelity into the discussion about his qualification for public office. Bill Clinton talked a lot about character when running, so he has nobody but himself to blame when his actions in the Oval Office demonstrate his character to be less-than-honorable.
The same maxim holds true when Governor Palin puts the label “Hockey Mom” or “Pitbull with Lipstick” on herself. She has regularly admitted to being an outsider and having very little political experience. Instead, she held up her experience as a wife and mother.
How then do I analyze a candidate when the stated qualifications (that they themselves present) for the job are eliminated from consideration? – Tim
You raise so many good questions that I know we are all wrestling with. But, in the end, I am not worried about whether she’s a good mom. I want to know if she’d be a good VP. And for me, on the issues, the answer is, “no.”
Wow. First, I’m not a Palin supporter. I’m a little uneasy with her for many reasons but after reading your comments, I had to respond.
I’ll take them (I didn’t have time for them all) one by one and I took your sources out to save room.
*Palin opposes stem cell research
Non issue, stem cells are found in amniotic fluid, we don’t need an aborted fetus
*Palin supports the ‘Safe Haven’ Bill Into Law which allows parents to surrender newborns without prosecution
You’d prefer they be dropped in a dumpster? According to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, 32 to 34 infants were found abandoned each year from 1997-1999. Of these, approximately 20 infants are abandoned in the first 24 hours of their life.
According to a CNN review of FBI statistics, nearly five infants under the age of one are killed in the U.S. each week.
The federal government and most states do not keep statistics specific to abandoned newborns. There is presently no way to determine what portion of infant deaths are due to abandonment.
*Palin approves “abstinence-only” programs
So? Abstinence still is the only way to be 100% sure you don’t get pregnant or a disease. Why not promote it? It is my recommendation to my daughters; do I leave it there? No follow with safe sex. But why not teach both? Let the individual decide.
*Palin believes the Iraq War is a “task from god”
I’ve watched this piece and, shudder, I dislike strongly for anyone to tell me their task is from ‘god’. However, is this really any worse than what Obama’s pastor preached? Obama’s mentors are a man who doesn’t have very, shall we say, high views of Americans and Louis Farrakhan. If you don’t know who he is, look him up. Scary.
*Palin is Pro-Life even if her own daughter were raped.
I do not share Palin’s opinion on this subject butat least she’s not a hypocrite. Your statement is misleading and an example of propaganda. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis, or gives loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the cognitive narrative of the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.
Sarah Palin doesn’t believe abortion is the right choice and I suppose many children born from rape victims might be thankful their mothers’ agreed with her.
*Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools
And in October of 2006, the Anchorage Daily News reported that Palin said the following about creationism at a debate:
“Teach both. You know, don’t be afraid of information….Healthy debate is so important and it’s so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject — creationism and evolution. It’s been a healthy foundation for me. But don’t be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides.”
*Palin disbelieves global warming.
Get your facts straight. She disbelieves global warming is a product of man. Recently, there have been several articles on treasures found in melting ice caps. Evidence of civilizations. Think: The ice caps were once melted or smaller than they are today if men walked on them: They’ve melted before when man had nothing could have nothing to do with it. Take care of our earth, it’s the only one we have but there is evidence that men are not completely to blame for warming but that is part of a much large global cycle.
*Palin has said that Alaska’s economic future depends on aggressively extracting its vast natural resources, from oil to natural gas and minerals.
This is a subject I’ve just started to analyze. Do you realize that we, America, you, America’s people are dependent upon the middle east for our oil? Of course you do, but do you realize what this means?This affects not only foreign policy but adds to the national debt. If we drilled for our own oil, we could reduce our dependence enough that when they say jump, we don’t have to say, how high? Let’s work on an alternative to fossil fuels and use our own supply and once again become a sovereign country. The environment? I want my children to grow up in a safe environment, in a strong America.
Your ‘worries’ offend me on so many levels, I don’t know where to start. For the most part, they are completely sexist. You say you would say the same of a man running for VP. Do you know how many children Biden has? I have five children, I run a business, does that mean I’m making someone go without or am I’m teaching my children to be independent and follow their dreams? I’m looking at a calendar and it still says 2008, not 1958.
Regarding the pregnant teen: I was a pregnant teen. Let me tell you something, it wasn’t my mother’s fault; it’s called sex and my mother wasn’t involved.
As teenagers, do you always do what your parents want you to? At some point, and it’s about… 15-16; you start to feel you can make your own decisions. By 17, you consider yourself an adult and in truth, you’re only one year away from the legality. It’s a natural part of the process to challenge your parents’ convictions and decide what your own convictions are. I don’t see how this qualifies or disqualifies anyone from a high public office. Her pregnant daughter is now an adult; I don’t think being a grandmother is another reason to disqualify someone either.
When Sarah Palin sais she wouldn’t answer the question (are you going to accept the nomination for VP) with ‘what does a VP do’, she was joking, she followed it with, ‘because I’m used to working’, or something like that.Look it up.
And finally, did you actually say a father couldn’t be as good a primary caretaker as a woman? I know a lot that would disagree with you.
As an American, you can believe what you like and even say what you like and Thank God for it
Please, think, don’t react to emotionally driven half-truths.
Ever since Sarah Palin was announced as McCain’s running mate I have been watching the debates swirling around her. Things have moved from when Hillary was running for president and some were saying that women should vote for her because she’s a woman and would understand women’s issues better. Now that Sarah is running for VP some of these same people are saying there is no way they would vote for Sarah just because she’s a woman. What I enjoy about this debate is that it shows that women do not all think alike! We are not just a block of voters that can be persuaded to vote for a candidate if they stand for X, Y, and Z.
This debate can be a great launching point to discuss different points of view with your teens
Shawna your version of what consititutes half truths is what scares me.
First: Palin approves “abstinence-only” programs – You follow this up by saying it should be taught along with safe sex. What does your opinion have to do with her statements on abstinence-only. She does not want safe sex taught…she wants abstinence-only…there is no other side or half truth there.
Then Palin believes the Iraq War is a “task from god” – You respond by pointing out what Obama’s pastor belives. Uhm…how is that relevant to Palin’s beliefs. They don’t cancel each other out. Palin said the war was a task from God AND God’s plan. So where is the halftruth?
Then Palin is Pro-Life even if her own daughter were raped – You respond by syaing it is propoganda. What??? She doesn’t JUST think it is the wrong choice….if she could she would legislate her choice on everyone….so again…where is the half truth?
Next Palin has said that Alaska’s economic future depends on aggressively extracting its vast natural resources, from oil to natural gas and minerals – You respond basically by agreeing with her. But I see a half truth in YOUR response. We are currently reliant on oil from the middle east but drilling here was banned because of a horrific oil spill on our coastlines…remember that? Second…oil…regardless of origin is a global commodity. How do you know it won’t be given to the highest bidder and we won’t see a only a few drops? You don’t know…so don’t sell us this line that we will benefit from local oil drilling when it is a tenuous MAYBE at best.
Vanessa,
I really feel you made a bad call with this post. It comes across as “I try not to bring politics into my blog … unless of course I want to bring politics into my blog”.
I come here for great advice on how to deal with my 14 year old daughter … and the fact that this post has generated almost double the number of comments of any other post tells me you have hit a nerve, but not one that needs hitting here.
There are too many other places that I can go to to debate politics with strangers I’ve never met and unfortunately, not enough places to which I can go to learn about how to talk to the stranger I’m already living with.
As we say in the military, I think “staying in your lane” would have been better for all of us in the long run.
Sincerely,
Mike
Vanessa, I’m really surprised at your comments about whether or not she can handle the job because she has 5 kids. Like others have said, that’s not our business. She has a husband who could choose to be an at-home caretaker, or she could hired a nanny and housekeeper like many working women do. And to say that a 17 year old would want her mother, not her father…just because that’s what you would want doesn’t mean it speaks for all other pregnant 17 year olds. My parents are divorced and if I were 17 and pregnant I’d have chosen to live with my father over my mother, hands down, no question about it. I DO think it’s sexist of you to imply that a mother would be better in that situation…it’s a case by case situation.
On another topic, three people mentioned that Vanessa was wrong and that Gloria Steinem would not have supported someone like Palin. I’m really surprised that so many people misread what Vanessa was saying. She’s saying that even Steinem, who you would THINK would be in support of a woman for VP, is against Palin:
If there is one woman who would be in support of having a woman in the Vice Presidency, I would think it would be leading feminist Gloria Steinem. Gloria Steinem wrote an article called “Palin: Wrong Woman, Wrong Message” and says:
I started a Tumblr blog, with relevant information about Palin, including youtube videos, and news articles/reports where the facts are laid out, and people can mae up their own minds, but people have to know the truth about her, not just the Moose Myth. If anyone is interested, you can find it over at http://www.thePalinTruth.tumblr.com
Hello!
Please see below for information about a new site, we would love for you (and anyone you know), to be a part of! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
-Cafe McMullen
Dear Moms,
Did you know 9 out of 43 American presidents have had died or resigned, leaving their vice president to take command? That’s more than 1 in 5.
Did you know that Senator McCain, if elected, would be the oldest president to take office?
Who We Are
We are moms who, for a variety of reasons, are very concerned that Governor Sarah Palin could be one heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin was added to the ticket to get our vote and we want to let America know that just because we are women and mothers we will not blindly support her candidacy. In this historic election, we have to think first of our country, our kids and our grandkids. The idea of a woman in the White House is exciting, but Sarah Palin is not the woman for the job.
What We Are Doing
We are putting together a video to post on our website, http://www.votermoms.com (up soon!), and on Youtube, that features American moms (military moms, soccer moms, nervous-in-front-of-a-camera moms, ballet grandmoms, etc.) explaining their own reasons why they do not want Governor Palin one heartbeat away.
We are currently interviewing moms in the LA-area AND asking moms across the country to send in video statements (guidelines and directions below).
We are hoping to cover as many states, issues, and perspectives as possible. The more moms the mightier!
What You Can Do
Be heard! If you are a mom who does not want Governor Palin a heartbeat away, make a video or contact us to be recorded. America needs your voice and the election is in only eight weeks!
Finally, and most importantly, you can vote. Only 23% of eligible women vote; this is not enough. The power to shape America’s future is in our hands. Let’s exercise it.
Thank you for your time and consideration – we know how precious every minute is for a mom.
Sincerely,
Delphine Hirsh
Mom
http://www.votermoms.com
email: votermoms@gmail.com
P.S. Votermoms.com aims to be a friendly, non-partisan environment. Please keep this in mind when submitting your statement. Thanks again.
Guidelines for Video Statements
When making your video, please identify yourself by your first name, where you are from, and a self-identifying mom description (ex. “Hi. I’m Delphine and I’m from New York, New York. I’m a little-league, working mom.”) The way you identify yourself is entirely up to you.
Somewhere in your message you should say “I don’t want Governor Palin one heartbeat away” or something about “one heartbeat away” since that is our theme.
The statements should each be 20-45 seconds long.
Examples from two moms :
1) Hi. I’m Gwen and I’m an On-The-Go mom from New Hampshire. I was really surprised to hear that Governor Palin does not think that we are responsible for global warming. If she can’t accept responsibility then she won’t do anything to control it. As a mom, I’m trying to teach my girls about taking responsibility. That’s a big part of my job as a mom and it should be a big part of being a leader. Global warming is an issue that will so clearly impact my children and future grandchildren’s survival on this planet and someone who doesn’t want to deal with it should definitely not be a heartbeat way from the presidency.
2) My name is Lisa. I’m from Elizabeth, NJ. I’m a small business owner mom. I think Governor Palin shouldn’t be one heartbeat away from the presidency because she believes that it should be illegal to have an abortion even in the case of rape. I have two daughters and if, god forbid, something like that happened to them, I don’t think they should be forced by the government to carry their rapist’s child. That’s not what I believe in so I can’t vote for a ticket with Governor Palin on it.
Directions for Submitting a Video Statement
1. Record your statement – between 20-45 seconds – on a video camera or internal or external computer camera.
NOTE: Please wait 2 or 3 seconds after you have begun recording before beginning to speak. After you have finished speaking, do not look away from the camera and please allow 2 or 3 seconds more to elapse before you stop recording. This will help in cutting statements together. Quicktime files are preferable, if possible. Also, please try to include your last name in the filename so we can easily distinguish submissions.
2. Go to http://public.me.com/catburkley
3. When prompted enter username “public” and password “password.”
4. You should now be connected to the catburkley public iDisk page.
5. Click once on the “upload” symbol in the upper right corner.
6. When prompted, select your statement file, then press upload.
7. This should begin the uploading process.
8. The upload may take as long as 30 to 40 minutes. Do not be worried. It’s okay. When the upload is finished, close out of the window. You have been heard!
TROUBLESHOOTING NOTE:
Sometimes, the “loading” symbol will hang and not disappear when the upload is actually finished. If this occurs, do not stop the upload. Instead, call us or email us (see below) and we can confirm for you that we have received your submission.
Or, if you cannot reach us, open another window in your browser and follow steps 2-4. You should then be able to see if your file has uploaded onto the catburkley public idisk page. If it has, feel free to close this window and your original window. It worked.
If it’s more convenient, a skype or ichat exchange can probably be arranged, though we’re still unsure of size restraints for those systems.
Questions or Problems?
Please contact:
Chris Farber
(310) 344-0606
ccbf@ca.rr.com
Café McMullen
(917) 319-4643
cafemcmullen@gmail.com
While I don’t necessarily agree with PunditMom’s views, I do believe she hit the nail on the head – it’s the issues that matter, not all of the personal life distractions the media has bombarded us with.
I agree with Sarah Palin’s stances 100%. She is not a great communicator. She wasn’t well-educated before the campaign, but I do agree with her position on the issues. And I second every other commenter who claims if she were a lib/dem, she would not have taken half of this heat. Perhaps next time Obama’s speech writer’s can run point for her?