The Problem with American Spectator

The American Spectator's Quinn Hillyer apparently came down with a bad case of Palin Derangement Syndrome (PDS), as evidenced by his hit piece called, "The Problem with Palin." For a supposedly "conservative" publication, Hillyer presented three pages of left-wing rantings along the lines of "she's not qualified," and "quitter."

She Read Legislation and Budgets Before Signing...

On page one, Hillyer rails at Gov. Palin personally reading budgets and reading legislation! "And it was no doubt admirable for Palin to take her own responsibility so seriously. But at some point a chief executive can't personally handle such details herself," (Hillyer, 2010, p. 1). He continues, with a snarky "Maybe Alaska, being the single most sparsely populated state in the Union, lends itself to having budgets personally vetted on every line by the governor herself. "

The reality: Gov. Palin wanted to know that what her hand signed is legitimate and actually going to benefit her constituents.

On "Quitting Up" - Like that's Bad...

The "quitter" meme was particularly interesting. Hillyer's assertion is not that Gov. Palin merely "quit," rather she "quit up" - meaning that she secured a better position for herself post-resignation from various positions, to wit:

AGAIN AND AGAIN, Palin hasn't failed upward, but quit upward: quitting her way through four colleges, quitting the oil commission, quitting as governor after barely more than two years in office. It's an odd record, and it stands in contrast to her own history of gritty refusal to give in to physical (as opposed to political) challenges (Hillyer, 2010, p. 2).

President Ronald Reagan did precisely the same thing. In fact, everything Gov. Palin does is straight out of the Reagan playbook.

We can even look all the way to the left for a benchmark. The man who holds the office of President quit his "job" as a garden variety rabble rouser - read that "community organizer" - got elected as an Ill State Senator, accomplished nothing, got elected as a US Senator, still accomplished nothing, spent his entire time in the Senate campaiging for the job he now holds. His accomplishments since? Setting our nation on the course to socialism, alienating allies, emboldening enemies, increasing national debt, taxes, size and scope of government - all while working on his golf handicap. In fact, we should encourage Obama to spend less time in the White House and much more time on the green teeing off. The more his hands are off the nation's governance and the more firmly they are wrapped around a golf club, the better off our nation will be.

Yes, Gov. Palin "quit up." So what? Absent promotion (which does not exist in politics), we are supposed to "quit" lesser jobs to advance to higher ones, else we stagnate. When Gov. Palin "quit," she left a legacy of accomplishments. In her final seven months as Governor, she accomplished more for Alaska than seven governors in 50 years have accomplished for the State of New York.

The "Inexperienced Meme"

Hillyer spills many screen pixels building the case that Gov. Palin's "inexperience" led her to champion ethics reform that was later used to drive her out of office, with the conclusion that she "is not qualified to be president" (Hillyer, 2010, p. 2). The frivolous ethics complaints did not start flooding in until after August 29, 2008. The ethics laws Gov. Palin championed were on the books for over a year without issue.

Sexism?

The entire article is written in the tone of a stern father telling his disobedient daughter to sit down and shut up and grow up. According to him, she should not even consider running till 2024. She's "too young." Really? But, Obama who's only two years older and has no executive experience is not too young? But Gov. Palin who has 18 years of executive experience in positions of increasing responsibility is "too young." She has to wait. Why? Because she's a woman?

Our Sarah

What Hillyer began with, I conclude with: "There's something distinctive, something deeply personal, about the way her legions of strong supporters rush not just to defend her but to counter-attack any and all of her critics. Palin has a way of establishing a sense of connectedness with her backers." (Hillyer, 2010, p. 1).

I am simultaneously proud and humbled to be among Gov. Palin's "legions of strong supporters." We work together; we set aside differences and internecine rivalries to achieve a common goal. We are her wing men and women. We will not be bought off with free trips to leadership conferences to cheat in straw polls. We have something called loyalty. Our bonds with Gov. Palin are tight and strong, for she is not merely Gov. Palin. She is Sarah. Our Sarah.

No Mr. Hillyer, just like Gov. Palin - Sarah - we will not sit down and shut up. When she comes under attack, we're locked and loaded - ready for the counter-attack, whether it originates from leftists or so-called conservatives. And when we're done, we never retreat. We always reload - in her honor.

And, yes Mr. Hillyer, we await the day Gov. Palin answers her summons to serve.



References:

Hillyer, Q. (2010, April 19). "The Problem with Palin." The American Spectator. Retrieved April 19, 2010 from: http://spectator.org/archives/2010/04/19/the-problem-with-palin/