Hot Air Headlines » Sarah Palin and our dysfunctional political class

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James DeLong

Sarah Palin and our dysfunctional political class

Her resignation from the governorship, which was mostly condemned by the pundits, was dead-on shrewd. Why let herself be tied down defending perjured ethics charges from people with infinite money, whose only desire is to shut her up or bankrupt her? Her willingness to be herself and pursue her own ideas without regard to whether or not they could lead to future office is a source of great political strength. Her public pronouncements, such as the Hong Kong speech, are serious and adult, unlike most of the vapidity produced by politicians, especially Obama. And Palin is mastering the art of short, sharp statements.

None of this is winning over the political class. Indeed, Palin’s refusal to fulfill their desires that she be a clown or take a proper role in the kabuki theater of Washington is making them angrier than ever and more determined to marginalize her. But the disillusionment with government among the tea-partying middle class is so great that every attack on her builds her stature on Main Street.

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Private Citizen Sarah – Scaring the living shiite out of the left on a daily basis.

Bishop on November 8, 2009 at 7:28 PM

It’s a damn good thing this woman isn’t Vice President, our foreign policy would be a shambles.

Left Coast Right Mind on November 8, 2009 at 7:31 PM

yep.

homesickamerican on November 8, 2009 at 7:32 PM

they more they criticize her, the more I love her. Whether they want to admit it or not, she really has been a big help with the whole health care and “death panels.” It was brilliant.

deidre on November 8, 2009 at 7:34 PM

You Betcha!!

davek70 on November 8, 2009 at 7:34 PM

Sarah’s political instincts has been perfect up to this point. Very shrewd indeed.

She makes the other GOP contenders look like amateurs.

Norwegian on November 8, 2009 at 7:35 PM

Just wait to they get a dose of the real Sarah next week.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 7:36 PM

BTW, how many Palin headlines have been linked at HA today? Where are all the Huck, Romney, TPaw stories???

davek70 on November 8, 2009 at 7:37 PM

Wow that was indeed a good article and if we are lucky enough for her to run for and win the presidency America will be well served.

fourdeucer on November 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM

Private Citizen Sarah – Scaring the living shiite out of the left on a daily basis.

Bishop on November 8, 2009 at 7:28 PM

Obambi is no doubt losing sleep at nights in terror of what Sarah Palin’s next facebook posting might say about his administration.

e-pirate on November 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM

One of the best Palin articles I’ve read in a long time. James DeLong hit this out of the park!
Palin has the most real world experience than any of the jokes we’ve had as president, especially the current idiot holding office.
I like President Bush, but he was wrong and out of the loop on several things.

cubachi on November 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM

She makes the other GOP contenders look like amateurs.

Norwegian on November 8, 2009 at 7:35 PM

That’s exactly right. She’s supposed to be some backwoods rube, but while the other ‘big’ names flutter in the wind, she’s providing keen leadership and real direction.

It’s a long way to 2012, but at this moment she’s it.

ElectricPhase on November 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM

Main Street > K Street

SouthernGent on November 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM

Was not T-Paw in Iowa or something last nite.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM

yes

rob verdi on November 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM

Just remember if Sarah doesn’t run in ‘12 the rats win.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 7:42 PM

Obambi is no doubt losing sleep at nights in terror of what Sarah Palin’s next facebook posting might say about his administration.

e-pirate on November 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM

Can you picture him curled up in the fetal position crying “Michelle those teabaggers led by that Alaskan witch are trying to ruin my presidency.”

farright on November 8, 2009 at 7:43 PM

This is a dead on article.

My recommendation for a complete fixing of the GOP is an alliance between Jim DeMint, Sarah Palin, Mike Pence, Michelle Bachmann, Joe Wilson, John Boehner, and Liz Cheney.

You won’t get all of them to agree – but you could get enough to vow to work in concert to bring the GOP back onto the Reagan course and sail this ship to victory.

The deal is – no egos – everyone does what they’re best at. No political aspirations – everyone does the best they can to help the movement and let the chips fall where they may. The strongest one runs for Prez in 2012 and picks a VP from the bunch and the rest 100 percent support it.

It would be unbeatable.

HondaV65 on November 8, 2009 at 7:44 PM

Was not T-Paw in Iowa or something last nite.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM

I think so, so where was the headline for that?? I’ll do one for ya AP:

“Pawlenty draws enthusiastic crowd of… 700 in Iowa”

davek70 on November 8, 2009 at 7:45 PM

I see that the dumbarse, David Frum, is having another Sarah meltdown.

http://www.frumforum.com/saint-sarah

NoNails on November 8, 2009 at 7:46 PM

I am pro-choice (but with reasonable caveats about the exercise of that choice), utterly indifferent to gay marriage, pro-gun, pro-decriminalization of marijuana, in favor of a forward strategy towards the terrorist wing of Islam and with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and sympathetic to China’s extraordinary effort to remake itself economically and politically.

Good grief.
…
He does seem to have some insight on Palin, though.

Count to 10 on November 8, 2009 at 7:46 PM

The political class is indeed dysfunctional. Their dysfunction stems from their upbringing and education. Somewhere along their way to adulthood they picked up the belief that they are our betters, a true ruling class who we dare not question and whose diktats we should eagerly follow.
The Founders intended that we have citizen legislators so that the common man could bring the wisdom of the citizenry to politics and then return to private life to live under the laws he helped to pass.
Never was the intention that we have an actual imperial, ruling class of “elites” to whom none of their laws are to apply. There is no stronger basis for term limits than the behavior of the Leftists in Congress who are simply undefeatable due to gerrymandered districts. Waxman, Pelosi, Frank, Markey, Rangel, et al are simply despicable legislators and human beings and they are a pox on our House, yet we cannot purge them from our system.

I’m supportive of legislation that would ban graduates of Ivy League schools from running for political office and prohibited from being appointed to high posts in the bureaucracy. If only.

Conservatives cry out to simply be left alone to manage our own lives on our own terms yet our ’superiors’ don’t believe that we’re capable so they plot ways to take hold of every facet of our lives for us. For our own good of course.

DerKrieger on November 8, 2009 at 7:48 PM

And the nite before Palin draws 5000. Now that getting t-pawed.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 7:49 PM

Just remember if Sarah doesn’t run in ‘12 the rats win.

If Sarah doesn’t run in ‘12 – the terrorists win.

honsy on November 8, 2009 at 7:50 PM

Here you go AP:

Pawlenty draws enthusiastic crowd of… 700 in Iowa

davek70 on November 8, 2009 at 7:51 PM

One thing I trust Sarah to do better than any Demo politician is to select a cabinet and staff that are competent, grounded in reality, not insufferably arrogant, and eager to help free Americans from their government rather than enslave us to it.

DerKrieger on November 8, 2009 at 7:53 PM

Obambi is no doubt losing sleep at nights in terror of what Sarah Palin’s next facebook posting might say about his administration.
e-pirate on November 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM

Of that I have no doubt considering that his own administration took the time to pronounce that they had “beaten” Sarah Palin because Owens won in NY23.

Yessir, a single facebook item proclaiming support for Hoffman versus a full bore effort from the White House for Owens (and eventually for Scozzalaza too).

Bishop on November 8, 2009 at 7:54 PM

Great article. I hadn’t quite thought of things in quite the way the article frames it — that our political class keeps producing uninspiring nitwits with plenty of experience in staging photo-ops and hobnobbing with foreign leaders but no real achievements to speak of, that Sarah Palin was in fact, in the sense that matters most, better qualified for higher office than most of the twits we’re asked to vote for, and that the idea that some socker mom had more executive experience than most of the Beltway crowd was so galling that it explains why the Beltway crowd started piling on Sarah Palin less than an hour after the nation first learned her name and haven’t really stopped pummelling her, even a full year after she and her uninspiring partner lost the election.

Maybe it really isn’t that they fear Sarah Palin. Maybe they’re just sick with jealousy because she’s a doer and they’re all ditherers.

Aitch748 on November 8, 2009 at 7:55 PM

I am pro-choice (but with reasonable caveats about the exercise of that choice), utterly indifferent to gay marriage, pro-gun, pro-decriminalization of marijuana, in favor of a forward strategy towards the terrorist wing of Islam and with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and sympathetic to China’s extraordinary effort to remake itself economically and politically.

Good grief.
…
He does seem to have some insight on Palin, though.

Count to 10 on November 8, 2009 at 7:46 PM

He sounds like one of those “centerists” that pols are always courting.

farright on November 8, 2009 at 7:57 PM

I loved this quote!!!

In fact — and of course — negotiating with Exxon is better preparation for negotiating with Putin than is a foreign photo op. And running a town is a miles-better education than warming a Senate seat. But again, it is not in the interests of the political class to acknowledge this.

deidre on November 8, 2009 at 8:00 PM

To start, compare her experience as a person, mayor, and state leader with George W. Bush’s pre-presidential career as an alcoholic, baseball executive, and ornamental governor. Whatever one thinks of his performance as president — and like most conservatives my views are complex — he was not promising material as of 2000.

Al Gore would be disqualified by knowledge of his academic career and by a reading of Earth in the Balance, an exercise in messianic ignorance. His subsequent career getting rich from climate change subsidies would reinforce this opinion. John Kerry had a Senate career of unbroken mediocrity, compounded by his unapologized-for Winter Soldier exercise and the still-unanswered Swift Boat questions.

John Edwards had no shadow of a qualification, and again the judgment is confirmed by subsequent events.

Obama’s qualifications were will-o-the-wisp. His supporters cited his “potential,” as they had to, because his only actual feat was his first book — and the claims that this was ghosted have been met by non-denial. The Asia Times characterizes these rumors as “well-established,” which tells one something about current foreign assessments of Obama. The president’s long-standing ties to the radical left should have tipped the balance to the negative.

Vice President Joe Biden has a long history of blurring the line between fantasy and reality to a degree that one wonders if he sees any distinction, but 36 years of this is enough to make him “qualified.” This, too, tells a lot about the mental processes of the dominant political class.

One can deeply respect John McCain’s courage and service. But he is an erratic senator, with a tendency to reach decisions on a whim and then excoriate anyone who disagrees. As demonstrated by McCain-Feingold — which hamstrings the middle-class base of the Republicans while leaving intact the power of unions and public employees, the media, the rich, and Native American tribes — McCain does not, or cannot, think even two moves ahead.

This leaves Joe Lieberman and Dick Cheney as the only candidates with any weight, and Palin’s executive experience gives her an edge over Lieberman.

Best part.

Wethal on November 8, 2009 at 8:00 PM

Bishop on November 8, 2009 at 7:54 PM

Let’s apply a test here …

Sarah Palin made two facebook postings supporting Hoffman – and one of those was more of an attack on Joe Biden. Hoffman, essentially a third party candidate – loses by about five points. So her detractors say that Palin …

“Was Defeated”

What then is to be made of New Jersey? Where Obama personally campaigned for weeks for Corzine and even managed his campaign – outspending the Republican, Christy … by about three to one and then losing anyway when Christy takes 50 percent of the vote in a three man race?

If they say Sarah was “defeated” in NY-23 for her two facebook postings – you have to also admit that Obama got his ass nuked in New Jersey.

And that – is the plain and simple of it folks.

HondaV65 on November 8, 2009 at 8:18 PM

Palin/Patreus 2012

John the Libertarian on November 8, 2009 at 8:19 PM

Very good assessment

Palin is following the path of Reagan for the same reason. She has her own agenda, and she is not in sync with the entrenched politicrats.

Palin doesn’t have a lot of competition right now. The more the elites kick Palin the better she looks because the trust is gone

I do not worry about the sorry polls. The big poll comes when Palin goes up against the establishment poinies in the next race. The same games won’t play well, unless China decides to send 2 trillion back to the US to help

10 percent unemployment and 10 percent foreclosures might not do it in better times, but people all know our manufacturing base has been transferred to China, the crap the middlemen are bringing back to sell is worse every shipment, and the unions are the biggest supporters of illegal replacement workers.

We are at a dead end (unless you are a teacher, healthcare provider, lawyer, gov worker or illegal alien)

Neither party can get past this. Healthcare and unemployment extensions do not make up for stolen jobs and rotted lifestyle.

It is the economy that brings out the mob

The elites hate Palin. Who do you trust?

entagor on November 8, 2009 at 8:22 PM

I was on the verge of a period of depression until I read this DeLong article. Now, I am perked up again!
.
It makes so much sense! How could I have been so blind not to see all this?
.
There has got to be a way to rip back the republic from the clutches of the socialists and authoritarians. We have got to find the ways, in small acts and large, to get the country back on the road to productivity and positive real economy growth.
.
Thank you, Mr. DeLong!

ExpressoBold on November 8, 2009 at 8:22 PM

Pawlenty draws enthusiastic crowd of… 700 in Iowa

davek70 on November 8, 2009 at 7:51 PM

SAMS CLUB!!!!!!

battleoflepanto1571 on November 8, 2009 at 8:37 PM

If they say Sarah was “defeated” in NY-23 for her two facebook postings – you have to also admit that Obama got his ass nuked in New Jersey.

And that – is the plain and simple of it folks.

HondaV65 on November 8, 2009 at 8:18 PM

Obama put a lot into that.

the_nile on November 8, 2009 at 8:47 PM

Agreed the rundown of other recent major candidates was nicely done, except for this howler:

The Asia Times characterizes these rumors as “well-established,” which tells one something about current foreign assessments of Obama.

The “Asia Times” on this one is “Spengler,” whose real name is Goldman, and is, I believe, as Amurican as… Sarah Palin.

CK MacLeod on November 8, 2009 at 8:52 PM

Palin also endorsed McDonnell and sent him money. She also endorsed Christie as well. What is funny is Sarah was not a top any of these tickets.

Clyde5445 on November 8, 2009 at 8:57 PM

DerKrieger on November 8, 2009 at 7:48 PM

…always enjoy your posts DerKrieger…

ornery_independent on November 8, 2009 at 9:58 PM

I bet Obama dreams about Sarah every night… beating him at basketball.

profitsbeard on November 8, 2009 at 9:59 PM

Sarah Palin and our dysfunctional political class

Which is why we need a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time these parasites can suck the life out of the rest of us.

jdkchem on November 8, 2009 at 10:00 PM

if the government is too big and complex to be run by avg citizens with a high degree of leadership skills….than the gov is too big and complex and must be reduced in size and complexitity.

unseen on November 8, 2009 at 11:06 PM

I am pro-choice (but with reasonable caveats about the exercise of that choice), utterly indifferent to gay marriage, pro-gun, pro-decriminalization of marijuana, in favor of a forward strategy towards the terrorist wing of Islam and with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and sympathetic to China’s extraordinary effort to remake itself economically and politically.

Good grief.
…
He does seem to have some insight on Palin, though.

Count to 10 on November 8, 2009 at 7:46 PM

What’s wrong with that? A true limited-government conservative would be in agreement with most of those positions.

Washington bureaucrats micromanaging peoples’ lives and making their decisions for them is largely what got us into this mess in the first place.

UltimateBob on November 8, 2009 at 11:40 PM