Politics

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!
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  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-03-08 AT 04:52PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Since we haven't heard much about her, other than what the media has to say...
    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.

  • In HR terms - would I hire her? I think in many ways, yes, she has been a good employee for the state of Alaska. She seems to have the courage of her convictions in terms of what is good for our state. In some ways she's been a real breath of fresh air because she doesn't do things a certain way just because that's the way they've always been done by politicians in this state. (A couple of minor examples: she got rid of the governor's private - and expensive - jet when she took office; she declined to keep a staff of cooks on the payroll year-round at the governor's mansion because she felt it was an unneccessary expenditure of state funds when her family didn't really need them.) I think overall she's done a good job for our state.

    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.

  • Good answer, apolitical and honest!
    Thank you x:D
  • The Democratic party can't ask this officially, so I will: Hey, Gov. Palin -- how's that whole "abstinence only" thing workin' out for ya?

    Sorry, I just had to come out of retirement for this one.
  • I've always heard "the sins of the fathers follow the children", but I, for the life of me, do not understand how parents can be blamed for their children's mistakes. I also don't understand when, where, how or why the actions of one's children became fair game for political discussion. As HR professionals, we wouldn't even begin to discuss or consider taking action against an applicant because of what their children have done. Shame on us if we do so in the political arena.
  • Whirlygirl, haven't seen you on the forum in ages.

    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?
  • I don't have a problem whatsoever with a political candidate having an underaged, pregnant child, and I agree that candidates' kids should not be turned into political fodder. Heck, I didn't hold it against Dubya when his daughters were boozing it up here in my hometown bars and restaurants before they reached legal drinking age. I'm merely pointing out that this situation exemplifies how misguided the cherished conservative principle of "abstinence only" education is. Yes, life happens and it's messy. Why pretend otherwise? Why pretend teaching kids Not To Do It works? A better preparation for this "curve ball" might have been some sane, frank discussion of birth control and safe sex.
  • Well, we teach our kids not to murder, too. How's that working for us? Maybe we should just give up on abstaining from murder. Or theft. Or rape. Or name any crime you want. We live in a society of rules and laws and all based on a concept of ethics, that's what makes us civilized.

    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.
  • Oh, Ray! I can't quite make the leap of comparing consensual sex among minors with murder and rape but, okay, I'll work with you here. How about if we teach abstinence as the ideal for anyone who is not prepared for ALL of the consequences of being sexually active, but also teach a back-up plan?
  • I can easily make that leap when abortion is thrown into the equation.
  • I'm not biting. We've been there and done that, and besides, my dog needs a walk. But, as always, nice chatting with you, Ray! Seems like old times....

  • Stop in again when you feel like arguing. x;-)
  • Whirlwind, I have often disagreed with your point of view, but this is the first time you have ever personally offended me.

    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
  • Kudos to you and your daughter for the way you handled your situation.

    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 have no negative judgment about Gov. Palin or her daughter, and I sure don't think poor choices equal terminal stupidity (if they did, I would've been dead a long time ago). Again, as stated above, I was only commenting on the failure of the abstinence education policies. The Palins seem to have a fine family, as do you. It sounds like your family really pulled together and did a fantastic job with your daughter's situation. I'm sure the Palins will, too.
  • Hey Whirl, good to see you back.

    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.
  • How would Fox News have viewed it if the black candidate had a pregnant unmarried teen?
  • I am beginning to wish I hadn't renewed my subscription last week...
    x:-(

  • Oh Skoshi, don't say that. We are really a nice group, at least most of us. Sometimes there are issues that push our buttons. Actually, this thread is the liveliest we've had in a while.
  • Well Skosh, I was purposely trying to stay away for awhile, but now I'm cranked up. But, it's good for the heart - keeps the circulation going. And it's good to exchange ideas.
  • I am a thorough believer in exchanging ideas. Sometimes it can go too far and people get hurt (see above). At that point it is no longer enjoyable.

    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
  • >How would Fox News have viewed it if the black candidate had a pregnant
    >unmarried teen?


    Good point Frank.
  • No it's not a good point. It is a strawman argument. It is a diversion from substance. A while ago when Obama had his kids on TV he received a lot of press concerning it and there was justifiable criticism over it and he admitted it was a mistake. Good for him. Sarah Palin's daughter's pregnancy has absolutely no bearing on this race. It is totally irrelevant. Just as anything Obama's kids do will be irrelevant. The press trying to assign relevancy shows their desperation. Or should I say Obama's supporters are showing their desperation?
  • One of the sad parts about the revelation of Bristol Palin's pregnancy was the fact that they felt they had to say something when they did (not that it isn't physically evident already anyhow) because of the rumors circulating in magazines and on the Internet that the Palin's newest child was actually Bristol's and Gov. Palin had claimed he was her child to cover up for her daughter.

    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.
  • >How would Fox News have viewed it if the black candidate had a pregnant
    >unmarried teen?

    Nothing, because if you believe the media, it is the mother's fault for working outside the home.



  • You guys obviously don't watch Fox News as often as most of your GOP brethren. For a very funny sample of the hypocrisy Fox has already started subjecting us to, check this out... [url]http://tinyurl.com/65d7wv[/url]
  • True story - my dog died last year (this is going somewhere).

    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...
  • I dont watch Fox news. I listen to it on XM radio.
  • It would have been funnier if the hypocrisy on BOTH sides had been displayed. Gee. I wonder why those republicans keep claiming the media is one sided?
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