As if there aren't enough other things in life to get angry and hateful about...

So I was sitting on my couch, relaxing with Henry who was visiting at the time, planning our coup of the Berlin nightlife scene when John McCain drops the bomb of Sarah Palin on my unsuspecting self.

Can we talk about this?

There are so many things about this nomination that get me unbelievably riled. It's like for the first time the GOP has noticed that there are a ton of Americans out there who'd like to see women in higher positions in government--the Hilary phenomenon isn't really explainable any other way--and they thought, "Oh, okay--we want a piece of that action. Women who would have voted for Hilary will indiscriminately vote for another vag as well. Who can we take who'll pose no threat whatsoever to our heinous agenda? H'mmmm..."

...E voila, ladies and gents, that's how Sarah Palin and her charming family were catapulted out of their Alaskan obscurity and into the national (and international) limelight. Oh boy!

Okay, to be honest, I was pumped for about a minute until Henry swiftly Wikipedia'd her ass. After that it was pretty much all over. Initially I thought...well, maybe it's the start of something. Maybe, regardless of their motivations, both the Dems and the GOP are rising above themselves and allowing American politics to ascend to a whole new level. It didn't take long for the wonders of modern technology to send me hurtling back down from cloud nine with a reverberating thud.

It hurt.

According to her Wickipedia entry, she also didn't seem like the antichrist. You know, with all her alleged anti-pork-barrelling and all. And honestly, I'm sure she's terribly nice, and certainly a great mom. I respect her "values" and all that jazz--more on that later--but what bugs me I think, about the whole kit'n kaboodle is that people are forgiving her things that no man would EVER get away with. I mean, she's trying to trump up PTA experience as a qualification for the American executive branch! Sorry, but I'm not okay with the post of VP for an aged potential president being filled via affirmative action. A woman so close to becoming the most powerful PERSON on Earth should be impeccably qualified. Or amazingly intelligent. I am offended by her being held to what appears to be a completely different standard than everyone else in those echelons of politics. It upsets me. She's a GOP poster child--or should I say pin up--and little more.

As a feminist, I've got to be honest and say that I don't want the first female president of the USA to get in the back door like this--as a pawn in the hands of the same old half dead white male elite. I want it to be REAL. I want her (whoever she may one day be) to run and win a REAL campaign, win the popular vote, win over the establishment and go in there and kick some ass! What's happening here is a sham. This woman might just manage to win over conservative voters who fall for the "Oh, she's just like me!" line of campaign logic. It might sound arrogant and condescending but the American president should NOT be just like you and me. What did that get us the last time?! People voted for GW because they thought he was accessable and down to earth and just an all around nice guy. Didn't really help him run the country, though. Did get us into the PR/IR/Ungodly disaster that is Iraq. Didn't help the economy any, or the national debt.

Let's sum up: THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE SHOULD NOT BE A POPULARITY CONTEST!


I just sighed. Deeply. I know how things are, and I know that in all honestly, despite whatever Barack Obama is promising, they probably aren't going to change in the near future. I just had to get my frustrations out there, though. I just can't stand people mistaking this woman for a feminist and a role model. Okay, she's a role model in that she's a working mom. I respect that. And I respect the fact that she wrangled with some gut wrentching decisions regarding her youngest son, and most recently her daughter. Before things get all pro-choice-y up in here, I just want to say that whatever decisions a woman makes regarding her reproductive system are just that: personal, sometimes painful decisions and should not now, not EVER be misconstrued as politics, a litmus test or a qualification to hold higher office.


Anyway, I hope everyone's doing well.
Fight the good fight, guys.