1998 Deflecting Flack

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I subscribe to the local Mensa Yahoo Group. Lately, several members have been posting emails or bits they've scarfed from websites, supposedly from people who know or have worked with Sarah Palin. One of them, the Kilkenny letter, is valid, but most are not.

One of the most ubiquitous is the list of books that she supposedly tried to get removed from the town library when she was mayor. That list is definitely fake, since no specific titles were discussed with the librarian, and several of the books on the list weren't even published until afterward. The list is actually simply a list of the most often banned books, which someone picked up and attributed to her.

After I had shot down several attacks (I wish people would check with Snopes.com before they go spreading rumors - it's NOT that difficult), I was afraid I was beginning to look like a Palin supporter, so I posted the following:

Just to clarify - I may be coming off sounding like I'm defending Sarah Palin. I'm not. I'm just anti-disinformation. The truth is damning enough.

In actuality, the woman scares me. I am insulted that the McCain campaign seemed to think that nominating just any woman would swing the Hillary Sisters of the Pantsuit. If they wanted a woman, there were plenty of better-qualified women out there to choose from. The darker part of me wonders if the man who divorced the loyal but disfigured wife for the beautiful heiress wasn't swayed by charm and appearance.

Palin reminds me of many people I've run into - the socially and politically astute people who set goals, and then move from position to position to reach those goals, without really caring for the institutions they use along the way. They climb on people, they get other people to do the work for them for which they take credit, but so charmingly nobody resents them. It has always amazed me the way they seem to always be in the right spot at the right time, always saying the right thing to the right people. It's a skill that results in personal success - until they finally get to the point where their social and political skills aren't enough, where actual performance and knowledge are required, and then it all falls apart.

But the falling apart usually comes with a golden parachute, so they still win.

Maddening.

Silk

Speaking of golden parachutes, the CEOs of disgraced Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each got 13 to 15 MILLION in severance. Um, weren't they the ones responsible for the debacle? Under what theory do they deserve that? Bond holders will be paid, but stockholders, who have already lost 90% of their investment, may get the shaft.

The stock may go back up, but not for a long time.
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