Politics
cnghr
719 Posts
Wow, as politically interesting as things have gotten on this board before, I'm surprised nobody has chimed in with opinions on McCain's choice of running mate. Granted, as a lifelong Alaskan I know that most people don't know much about our state and Gov. Palin is certainly an unknown on the national scene, but she's the first Republican female ever to run on a presidential ticket and I thought that in itself might stir up interest. (I know, probably most people in the lower 49 states are scratching their heads and going "Sarah who?")
Most people here were pretty much in shock because on the whole as a state we're used to being more or less ignored, and to have our governor shoved onto the front pages like that just seems very surreal. I think the last time something or someone from Alaska got this much press it was probably the earthquake in 1964!
Most people here were pretty much in shock because on the whole as a state we're used to being more or less ignored, and to have our governor shoved onto the front pages like that just seems very surreal. I think the last time something or someone from Alaska got this much press it was probably the earthquake in 1964!
Comments
As an HR professional in Alaska - Would you hire her? I'm not asking you if you would vote (or have voted) for her - just was she a good employee for Alaska?
The media on both sides is so partisan it is difficult to get any real answers; I honestly would value your opinion.
She does lack political experience, but on the other hand, that gives her something of a fresh perspective on the way to do things. I would hope that if they win in November, she can hang on to some of that fresh perspective. She strikes me as much more of a "real person" than a lot of politicians. I think I like her as a person, although I don't completely agree with her politically.
Thank you x:D
Sorry, I just had to come out of retirement for this one.
As has been said by the campaign, "life happens". As much as we may want perfection, it isn't going to happen. That doesn't mean we shouldn't have ideals and strive for them. What is important is how we react to curve balls life throws at us. Ms. Palin has demonstrated some strong character, in my opinion. First, when she found out she was having a baby with Down's Syndrome she could have done as so many others do, terminate the pregnancy, but her ethics told her that was wrong and she gave birth to her little boy and is caring for him. Then, she could have urged her daughter to terminate her pregnancy, again as so many these days do in situations like this, but she supported her daughter and has made no attempt to hide their shortcomings. She is rising to the occasion.
Contrast that with Obama's comment about a similar pregnancy being a burden. Who truly has a higher value on life? The one who embraces it or the one who calls it a burden?
What our society is going through is a struggle of where to draw the line, what truly is right or wrong. Too often post modern thought tells us that line shifts, meaning there is no absolute right or wrong - think situational ethics from the 60s.
Many of us believe there is absolute truth and some behaviors are either right or wrong and if we do wrong, then we pay the consequences.
With that said, there is nothing wrong with abstinence for underaged kids being the ideal, being the norm, being expected behavior. That doesn't mean it will work 100% of the time. But, it is a goal. Just as it is with murder.
I taught my children to say no and to be responsible. Nevertheless, shortly before my daughter's 16th birthday she found herself pregnant. She did neither of the things I had taught her and she had to pay the cost. In general, she knows when to say no. In general, she is very responsible. Sometimes, however, we make poor choices. NO ONE makes every right decision, and when you are young your are more likely to choose wrong.
She didn't run to me and expect me to fix it. She faced up to her responsibility. She did, however, ask for my help, and I willingly gave it. I was going to school 2-3 evenings a week then, working towards a degree. Since I was doing so on student loans, I couldn't stop before finishing or I would have to begin paying the loans back. We certainly could not afford another baby. My husband and I worked and reworked our budget, but we had limited funds. We could manage to feed and clothe the new child, but childcare was very expensive and we didn't know how we could swing it so our daughter could stay in school. Eventually we arrived at a compromise. I went to school 2 nights a week, and babysat 4 nights a week. My daughter worked on those nights to pay for childcare so she could stay in school. There was never a mother more proud than I was when my daughter graduated from high school.
Your smug and snarky question was offensive not only to me, but to millions of women who for a few minutes, perhaps on only one occassion, made a poor choice. Making a poor choice does not make you terminally stupid or immoral. Nor does making a thoughtless statement on one occassion. I will assume you were just thoughtless, and not intending to be so offensive. If so, please try to think next time before you speak. If not, I have nothing more to say to you.
Nae
My sister also faced that same dilemma but unfortunately she went into labor at six months and the girls only lived for a few hours. My parents are very religious and were strict on us growing up - but they couldn't be with her every minute of every day. Like you said sometimes people make poor choices; it is how they react to the consequences of those choices that shows the true quality of the individual.
My best friend has a 3 yr old daughter with Down Syndrome. Even though it was a high risk pregnancy, they did not test for Down Syndrome since there was no doubt they would have the baby either way. They are glad to have her because she is a joy to be around!
From the remarks of cnghr I think Gov. Palin has been a good employee for the state of Alaska.
I thought Palin started slowly and awkwardly and then really hit her stride midway through her speech. She had some genuinely funny lines (albeit written for her by a political speechwriter) and she delivered them well.
I thought one pundit put it well. "She hit a home run, but its just the first inning."
The debates between "Barracuda Sarah" and "Scranton Joe" will be awesome. As a political junkie, I am in heaven.
As for her daughter's situation, my only comment is that I think it could have been handled better by the Mccain camp. They should have come out with the information from the beginning (or had it released prior to the Palin announcement). By not addressing it, it gave fuel to the scandal mongers and that is unfortunate.
No young lady should be put through the grinder of American politics. It was wrong and unfair when it happened to Chelsea Clinton and its wrong here.
x:-(
My father used to fly corporate aircraft and has had the opportunity to meet several of these pols on many occasions (when they were leaving the Kentucky Derby one year, Ted Kennedy asked him how well he could fly the plane - dad bit his tongue, but wanted to say, "Better than you can drive a car, I've yet to kill anyone"). Most of them on both sides are actually very decent people.
Anyway, none of the pols are perfect, no one is - you just need to find the candidate who you believe will guide the country best. Don't just listen to the media and the pundits - they are paid to sensationalize and get ratings.
I'm off my soapbox now. xhugs
>unmarried teen?
Good point Frank.
Having been a pregnant 17-year-old myself, I really feel for this kid. No matter how mature she is, no matter how good her relationship with her boyfriend is, it's hard to be a pregnant 17-year-old under the best of circumstances and then to throw in all this national attention on top of it has got to be really difficult for her. I agree that the kids should be left out of the presidential race, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the way it works anymore.
>unmarried teen?
Nothing, because if you believe the media, it is the mother's fault for working outside the home.
He had been sick for awhile and finally fell off the bed headfirst into a trashcan (he was dead before he fell). The thing is my father ONLY watches Fox News and he would leave the TV on for the dog all day. Mom and I tease that the dog finally got so depressed from the constant bickering on Fox News that he actually jumped into the trashcan and thus committed suicide...