Does your local Sex Offender approve of Sarah Palin?

I've heard a number of reasons why Sarah Palin is "qualified" to lead the country, including the fact that she's a governor (big deal, so was G.W. Bush), she's a mother of five (Obama is a father of two), and she's got an 80% approval rating as governor of Alaska.

Although I've read varying accounts ranging from 60% to 80%, suppose that the figure is completely accurate. Let us take a peek at the demographics of Alaska, shall we?

The total population of Alaska in 2005 was recorded as 663,661. That breaks down to
White - 74.71%
Black - 4.72%
American Native/Alaska Native - 18.77%
Asian - 5.90%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander - 0.88%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Alaska

It looks like that approval rating comes from the White population with a whopping 75%, and borrowing a percentage point from every other ethnic group, you have approximately 80%.

Now let's take a look at the demographics for the rest of the U.S. including the "lower 48" as the Alaskans so affectionately call us.
The current U.S. population is a little over 300 million. It is estimated that in 2008 the demographics break down as follows:

White (non-Hispanic) - 68%
Hispanic - 15%
Black - 12%
Asian - 5%

By 2050, the U.S. is projected to look like:

White (non-Hispanic) - 46%
Hispanic - 30%
Black - 15%
Asian - 9%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_demographics

So my layperson analysis is that the ethnic make-up of Alaska doesn't accurately reflect that of the rest of the United States, and is made more glaringly obvious when taken in comparison with the projected change in demographics by 2050. Alask is not in tune with the direction that the rest of the U.S. is moving in, and will never be. As Governor Palin's approval rating parallels that of the ethnic breakdown of her state, can we really expect a similarly high approval rating in her job as VP of the U.S., an ethnically diverse nation?

Just for kicks:

From Democratic Underground, "According to our research there were 63 registered sex offenders living in Wasilla, Alaska in early 2007. The ratio of number of residents in Wasilla to the number of sex offenders is 133 to 1."
One poster notes "According to the data, Wasilla has 9,780 people -- half of them are woman, but only one sex offender is a woman. Of the male population, roughly 33 percent are children. This means there are about 3270 men and 133 sex offenders. This means that one out of every 25 men in Wasilla is a sex offender. Yikes."

Makes you feel kinda slimy thinking about just whose approval Governor Palin has!

Palins Under the Bus

I've come to the conclusion that Governor Sarah Palin is merely a pawn for the GOP and McCain. There doesn't seem to be another logical explanation for the fact that the McCain campaign picked a first term governor of a state with a population equal to that of El Paso, Texas, with little to no experience making executive decisions. The decision to tap Governor Palin, a self-professed conservative Christian, for the veep slot was exactly the spark that the GOP and McCain's campaign needed to ignite the evangelicals planning to sit out this race. As a mother of five, staunchly pro-life (even in the case of rape and incest), anti-gay rights and a huge proponent of offshore drilling and even drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (a position that even John McCain is against), this is exactly the kind of attack dog that the Right craves. The McCain camp probably thought that by adding Palin to the ticket, they would kill three birds with one stone: Energize the evangelicals, make McCain look like a forward thinking "maverick," and pick up former Hillary Clinton voters who haven't yet committed to Barack Obama. It looks like yes, they have gotten the evangelicals/right-wingers on board, but whether McCain will look like a "maverick" and whether they will pick up a large bloc of former Clinton voters remains to be seen. Personally, as a Hillary supporter, I am insulted. Did Team McCain really think that "any woman will do?" That if I can't have say, filet mignon, that ramen noodles will do? Come on. I have yet to hear anything of substance from Sarah Palin that would even nominally compare to Hillary Clinton.

That said, it's funny that all these scandals about Sarah and the Palin family are tearing out of the floodgates in rapid succession. The McCain camp thought that Governor Palin would be a great power play, but instead, are finding out very quickly, that their "through vetting process" lacked significant depth. Consider: McCain only met Palin ONCE in February this year, before offering her the VP job on Thursday August 28th 2008. The decision was announced on Friday, August 29th. Following the weekend, bright and early on Monday morning, September 1st, it was revealed that Bristol Palin is 5 months pregnant. It was also revealed that Governor Palin who also styled herself a "maverick" that fiercely fought pork barrel spending, strongly supported the pork project: Bridge to Nowhere before she was forced by Congress to drop the project. According to Governor Palin:

I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves..

So essentially, she lied to reporters (and to McCain's Team of veep vetters, I'm assuming) when she told them that she did not support the Bridge to Nowhere. She was forced withdraw her support after the federal funds for the almost $400 million dollar project were pulled, and Alaska would have to pony up $329 million of the cost themselves. So much for the "reformist" governor.

So now with the McCain veep pick going to hell in a handbasket, and even conservative Republican analysts blasting McCain for his hasty and irrational decision, it remains to be seen whether McCain will drop Palin and pick someone else, or burn the Republican party in the November election. Personally, I think he has insulted the qualified women of his own party, such as Condoleeza Rice, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and even top advisor Carly Fiorina. As much as I HATE Condi, I have to admit that she is experienced, and ready to lead (in the wrong direction, but at least for the GOP, the "Right" direction). And Fiorina has actual executive experience as head of HP. Kay Bailey, I just like. No reason, really. She's just Texan. And as a Texan, I love Kay.

With the Palin family kids at the mercy of the GOP puppetmasters, and their ego-maniacal, self-aggrandizing and self-serving mother, whose got a taste of the good life, going from small town mayor to Alaska's governor, and now the historic VP nominee, I feel really bad for them, especially the teenage girls and the baby. Being a teenager ain't easy, and Mom's ambitious agenda isn't going to help the situation either.

Palin's Abstinence Only Education Pans Out

First of all, let me just say, this is not an attack on Bristol Palin. Poor girl has a whole host of problems to deal with now. As a new mom, I know it's no picnic to be waking up three, four times a night to feed a baby, get no sleep during the day as the little guy eats and poops, and have no time for day time naps. Being a mom means dropping all the other roles in your life, and being just MOM for a really long time. It's a tough job for anyone, especially a 17 year old girl whose mother has just stepped into the national spotlight on a presidential ticket. So my heart goes out to her. I wish her luck in raising a child as a teenage mom.



But next, WHAT THE HELL WAS SARAH PALIN THINKING??

Governor Palin supports abstinence-only sex-ed programs for Alaska schools. According to CNN:

In a 2006 Eagle Forum questionnaire, Palin indicated that she supported funding abstinence-until-marriage education programs instead of teaching sex-education programs.
"Explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support," Palin wrote in the conservative group’s questionnaire.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/01/palin-backed-abstinence-education/?eref=ib_politicalticker

Now, I may not be a conservative, but I agree that abstinence is the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STDs. However, in creating policies by which to govern a state and its people, including and especially its children, one has to be pragmatic about what can and will be effective in solving a problem. For example, a big problem in San Francisco is homelessness. But the city cannot mandate that in order for any person to live in San Francisco, they must have a job and find appropriate housing, in order to solve the problem of homelessness. Such a law does not effectively address the problem of homelessness, just as abstinence only sex-ed does not effectively address the problem of teen pregnancies. Teenagers of conservative parents and liberal parents alike, will have sex, regardless of their parents' views. The question is, how do parents and school administrators mitigate the repercussions of teens having sex before marriage. Teaching the responsible and proper use of contraceptives is the job of the school administrators and government, teaching the moral implications of pre-marital sex is the job of parents. In supporting abstinence only sex-ed for Alaska's students, Governor Palin has failed those young adults making the decision to have sex.

As a parent, Sarah Palin has failed to be attentive to her daughter's needs, and oblivious to her actions. I find it hard to believe that a mother of a pregnant teen, and a special needs infant would put her self-interests and her ego before the needs of her children.

GROW UP, SARAH PALIN. This is not a high scool popularity contest. Yes, you may have a better than 60% approval raing in Alaska, however, that's really not the point. As a member of the party of "family values" shouldn't you be putting your family first? As a member of the party of "family values" shouldn't you put your money where your mouth is? As a member of the party of "family values" shouldn't you practice what you preach?

Sarah Palin = Worst Veep pick. Ever.

Palin Postures as a Hillary Wannabe

Palin Booed for Mentioning Hillary Clinton
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/30/palin-booed-for-mentioning-hillary-clinton/

In a move that everyone that anyone with two brain cells to create a spark would have forseen, the GOP VP pick, Sarah Palin, was booed in Pennsyvania at her second appearance on the campaign trail with John McCain for mentioning Hillary Clinton.

Disillusioned Clinton supporters were likely miffed by her patronizing comments about Clinton's "determination and grace in her presidential campaign.” And I am betting that any further attempts by Palin and the GOP to draw parallels between Palin and Clinton will be similarly received around the nation.

Sarah Palin, with her extsensive experience in running such a populated state such Alaska (a state with more reindeer than humans), will be challenged to make a case for herself as Clinton's doppelganger in the Republican party.

Sarah Palin, you are NO Hillary Clinton. Please exit stage left. Thank you.