Episode 54: Fascist In Stilettos

"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."

- attributed to Sinclair Lewis (1935)

**************************************************

What We Know (So Far) About Her
Understanding that what was new and startling this morning is old hat by tonight, consider the following as a reminder of the convictions (many) and accomplishments (few) of Sara Palin.

* She likes to kill large animals for fun. In 2007, under the guise of predator control, she put a bounty on wild wolves - $150 each upon presentation of the left foreleg of each kill. The shootings were approved if made from low-flying planes. Even avid hunters reject this technique as unfair. See what this is all about at http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1287024576/bctid1290867853

* She obtained her first passport in 2007. It was used to take her to Kuwait to visit Alaskan reservists and wounded soldiers in Germany. Her campaign said she stopped in Iraq, but she didn't. They said she set down in Ireland, but it was only to re-fuel, and she never got out of the airport. Her other foreign travel was to Canada to boost a proposed pipeline. It's claimed that she went to Mexico, but when and why are questions her campaign mysteriously refuses to answer.

* As for meaningful experiences abroad, she has said she didn't think previous vice presidents had met any foreign leaders, either. In fact, every Veep in the last sixty years (except Spiro Agnew) had met with foreign leaders before taking office.

* No snobby elitist higher education for Sarah. She attended five academic backwaters in six years: University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii Pacific University, North Idaho College, and Matanuska-Susitna College, graduating at length from the University of Idaho. None of them imposed entrance requirements. She graduated with no honors, no achievements. Oddly, considering how isolated she has been from the press, her major was journalism. Husband "First Dude" Todd graduated from high school.

* Palin is touted as a tax cutter, but Alaska has neither a state income tax nor a state sales tax. Local property and sales taxes pay the bills, along with considerable lavings of federal largesse. In her six years as mayor of Wasilla, she increased government expenditures by over a third. While she reduced property taxes, she increased the local sales tax. Wasilla had no debt at all when she took office, but was $22 million in the hole when she left.

*During Palin's mayoral terms, she signed off on budget cuts of funds that paid for medical exams for victims of crime. From that point on, rape victims or their insurers had to pay for their rape kits. The tab: $500 to $1200.

* In a town without a sewer system, she borrowed money to build a $15 million sports arena. Years later, it still operates in the red.

* She talks about her executive experience in Wasilla, but she hired an administrator to do most of the work shortly after becoming mayor.

* She has issues with police chiefs. She fired the one in Wasilla because he "intimidated" her, then tossed the state's public safety commissioner because he wouldn't fire her ex-brother-in-law.

* When the Wasilla librarian refused to remove books that Palin found offensive, the Mayor tried to fire her. The titles in question reportedly were those on the hit lists of fundamentalist religionists across the country, such dangerous works as Lord of the Flies, Lysistrata, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Twelfth Night, Catch-22, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.

* Palin advocates abstinence-only sex education, with no mention of birth control, never mind that she was pregnant when she eloped with the First Dude or that her daughter was knocked up by a home-schooled, self-described "redneck" who declared on MySpace that he didn't want kids. Las Vegas is probably giving odds on how long that shotgun marriage will last.

* Palin got around to applying for her first passport last year. This was so she could visit Alaska reservists in Kuwait and Germany. Her campaign had to back off claims that she also went to Iraq and Ireland - turns out she took a peek at a border crossing and landed at Shannon Airport long enough to re-fuel.

* She crossed into Canada once, to pitch a pipeline. And it has been revealed that she visited Mexico once, although her staff has mysteriously walled off questions about why and when she went. The balance of her experience with foreigners involves those famous views of Siberia across the Bering Sea. Clearly, she's ready to deal with Putin.

* Palin says she sold the state plane on Ebay at a profit. She did list it on that site, but no one bit. The plane was eventually sold to a private buyer...at a loss.

* She was for the Bridge to Nowhere until she wasn't. As vice-presidential nominee, she claims to be against earmarks. As governor, she hired a Washington lobbyist to advocate for earmarks.

* As governor, Palin charged the state $17,00 in travel per diems for 312 nights she spent at her home in Wasilla during her first 550 days in office. (Possibly she was unaware that per diems are intended to compensate for time spent away from home.)

*In April, she told a church congregation that the war in Iraq was "A task that is from God." In a ceremony in September that sent her son and his comrades off to that misbegotten conflict, she said they were going there to destroy the people responsible for 9/11. Don't confuse her with the facts.

************************************************************************************

On The Trail

* On a press trip some years ago, one of the other participants, pretending to be a travel journalist, leaned over to me seeking information. We were in a 747 midway across the Atlantic, on our way to Madrid. She asked, in words I won't forget, "So, Spain. That's sort of next to Mexico, right?"

One of our presidential aspirants has a similar form of geographical dyslexia. Understanding that we old folks are prone to confusion and forgetfulness, shouldn't a candidate for our highest office at least know which hemisphere is home to one of our most important allies? Check out http://salon.com/ent/video_dog/comedy/2008/09/20/bateman_mccainspain/index.html

* You'll remember that former cheerleader/current heiress Cindy McCain introduced her husband at the Republican convention. Did you know, as reported by Vanity Fair, that the outfit she chose to wear for the occasion cost $300,000? Palin was a piker - the Valentino jacket the hockey mom bought for her acceptance speech set her back only $2,500.

* Here's an idea purloined from the 'Net: Send a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. They will then send her a thank-you card. Everyone should do this.

* Nineteen American cities have larger populations than the entire state of Alaska. A total of 47 states, including both Dakotas and Rhode island have larger populations than Palin's frontier territory.

*Favorite Obama quote so far: "The Old Boys Network. In the McCain campaign, that's known as a staff meeting."

************************************************************************************

If you came across this blog while surfing and would like to receive advance notice of future postings, please send your e-mail address to TUCKg3@optonline.net. The information will not be shared.

***********************************************************************************