BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:50 AM

"'There is no "Department of Law" at the White House.'"


                  There is no law at the White House.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: heric
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:52 AM

A situation like this could spiral into a half million dollars of legal fees but it shouldn't have done so yet. Maybe expensive lawyers are preying on inordinate fear on her part, but I'm inclined to guess that she's lying to some extent.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:57 AM

If I was an Alaskan, I'd be devastated at the thought of Sarah's departure from the gubernatorial office. Just devastated. Her wink slays me. The thought, though, that she is now free to devote her attention to larger issues than merely running Alaska gives me some comfort. I await her next career move with bated breath. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 12:00 PM

She does have counsel at the Governor's office. An Attorney General is always available for legal advice; that's why s/he is there.

Of course, Palin didn't get that right either. One of her AGs apparently thought he represented only her and the advice he gave was problematical, to say the least.

For instance, during the Trooper thing he advised her staff that they needn't necessarily obey the subpoenas they were issued - and they didn't.

He's long gone, as are some of the others. She goes through a lot of staff and advisers and appointees.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 12:17 PM

I like it, Donuel!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: heric
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 12:25 PM

So she probably now thinks that if she had lawyers like Bush's White House counsel, they could do and write anything she wanted for her own benefit. It's easy to see how someone would get that idea!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: heric
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 12:28 PM

"Write me a memo that says I can mentally torture my sister's ex-husband, please. Tomorrow."

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 03:29 PM

The enigmatic WHDOL (the white house department of law) has found that the numerous ethics complaints is largely the result of Sarah Palin's own campaign of reform that introduced the very bill that made so many ethics charges by so many people possible.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 03:44 PM

Here's an even scarier quote than the "Department of Law" nonsense, from the same interview with ABC News (see this article: "Sarah Palin: Why She Resigned"):

"I don't need a title to be the one to usher in what it is that needs to be done in our state or our country."

*shiver*

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 06:12 PM

And the hits just keep on comin'...


Legislators challenge Palin LG appointment

July 8, 2009 -- Alaska legislators are questioning whether Gov. Sarah Palin can appoint the state's No. 2 elected official without their input.

When Palin's resignation takes effect, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will automatically become the state's chief executive and vacate the office of lieutenant governor.

In her resignation announcement Friday, Palin said Commissioner Craig Campbell of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would "assume his role as lieutenant governor."

It's not clear how that would happen, as the Alaska Legislature has already designated Commissioner of Corrections Joe Schmidt as next in the line of succession to be lieutenant governor. Deviating from the line of succession will take legislative approval, top legislative leaders say.

"I certainly think she can put Campbell into that position; it's a little bit more unclear whether he can take office without being confirmed by the Legislature," said House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski.

From this Politico.com article by Ben Smith

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 08:24 PM

Actually it's fairly clear what Sarah has in mind now.

As I noted in my first post on this thread (3 July 2009 4:03 PM):   think Reagan.


She envisions herself as the female Reagan.   It's certainly true there's the same minimal grasp of any issue.   But there the parallel stops.

Not being a student of history (to say the least), she does not realize Reagan opted not to run for a third term as California governor, so by 1974 he was free to travel the nation building up a reputation and amassing political IOU's he could then collect. Without an accusation of deserting his post.

He did not quit in his first term as governor.

And he came close to getting the nomination--from a sitting president.



She does however realize that, as I've noted earlier, Sanford is now finished as a rival for 2012, and therefore his potential financial backers are up for grabs. And EMILY (Early Money Is Like Yeast).   She also has a passionate fan base- (of yahoos, but unfortunately they do vote)-- and she's not seen as used merchandise, as are Huckabee and Romney. She imagines she'll get more of the female vote than they will (of those who vote solely based on chromosomes).

Further, as we saw in 2008 on the Democratic side, the Iowa caucuses are indeed important. The Republican Iowa caucuses are stuffed full of Right to Lifers.   There she reigns supreme-- of the likely candidates she alone can claim to have "walked the walk".

So between now and then her plan is to roam the nation (a la Reagan) supporting Republicans, appearing at various rightist fora, talking about her book (which will easily solve all her money worries, thanks to the multimillion dollar contract), and further building up her reputation as an attractive, aggressive "real American".

It all hinges on the economy. If the economy has not recovered substantially (e.g. from 9.5% unemployment) by 2011, voters will be in a mood to take it out on Obama and the Democrats.   In that gloomy scenario, some Republican will be the beneficiary in 2012. Sarah aims to be the one.

Not good to underestimate her.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Peace
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 08:49 PM

'There is no "Department of Law" at the White House.'

OK, then, the "Department of LNGSAFU".

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 09:43 PM

"She envisions herself as the female Reagan.   It's certainly true there's the same minimal grasp of any issue.   But there the parallel stops."

               Does that mean she would not sign an amensty bill that would drive California--and much of the rest of the country--into insolvency 23 years later. And she would not initiate a peace time military build up that would run up so much federal debt that it wouldn't be paid off for another two decades, and that she wouldn't declare 1983--or any other year--to be the "Year of the Bible," and that she wouldn't be stupid enough to marry someone who thought you could "Just Say No To Drugs," and the drugs would all go away, and that she wouldn't make a deal with Iran to provide missles to shoot at Iraq to provide money for the purpose of flooding Los Angeles with crack cocain to provide a diversion as to what you are really doing, and that she wouldn't team up with somebody as grotesque as Margaret Thatcher to promote something as stupid as "supply-side-economics."



               She sounds like my kind of girl!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 10:05 PM

"...my kind of girl".   Yup, no question. Your kind. Looking forward to the end of the world, since, being a committed Christian, she's "of the elect".   Would love to re-instate prayer in public school. Convinced the Lord has sent global warming.   Conversation restricted to "Governing is so tough."

At least we know where one of the yahoo votes for her would come from in 2012.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 10:15 PM

What the heck are you talking about, Ron?

It's completely clear that Rig thoroughly disagrees with both Reagan's philosophy and Sarah Palin's philosophy. He was making a joke, but it seems to have gone right by you. He detests Reaganism, and he suspects that Palin is someone who would undertake something quite similar to Reaganism as soon as she got the chance to.

He is speaking tongue in cheek when he says, "She sounds like my kind of girl." He's being satirical.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:19 PM

If you think so, LH, you need to read a bit more of Rig's posts--before venturing your views.   He has defended many of her pronouncements--check the posts during the 2008 campaign-- though it makes him a total hypocrite, since he alleges to be against religion.   If you don't think he is serious about throwing out illegal immigrants, you need to read quite a bit more of his contributions. It's not at all clear that he would refuse to vote for a fundamentalist--as long as that candidate wanted to toss out illegal immigrants.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:44 PM

Ron - I think Ronald Reagan is the worst thing that's happened to America in my lifetime. To the extent that Sarah Palin would follow in his footsteps, I think that's scary. I don't think the American public would seriously consider her for the office of president--maybe that's where we differ.

            But these continued attacks make no sense to me. Is it true that some writer for the Huffington Post refered to her youngest child as a "retard?" Are we so down on Sarah Palin that we would happily attack a disadvantaged infant?

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:52 PM

Like most people, Ron, Rig is a complex personality with complex viewpoints...and he does not fit some crude political stereotype. While he may disagree with you on some specific issues...he does not fit the general stereotypical mould that you are trying to place him in. It would be convenient for you if he did....cos then he could be as despicably awful as you seem to want him to be! ;-) But he doesn't.

I know Rig well enough to know that he is not suffering from the gross hypocritical conundrums that you ascribe to him. It's wishful thinking on your part.

It's entirely possible for a person to be extremely anti-religious (which Rig is...he's fanatically anti-religious as a matter of fact)...and STILL be in favor of some political view which IS espoused by some religious person....while disagreeing with many other political views that person espouses.

It's not a question of "all or nothing"...and why should it be?

Rig is simply addressing each specific issue that comes up on what he sees as its own merits rather than preaching from some pre-digested all-embracing script.

That's what any free-thinking individual does. He deals with each thing on its own merits. Those who don't think freely simply spout party line from their standard pre-digested script...rather a robot might. If Rig did that, then you'd have a reason to stereotype him as you seem to wish to.

I don't vote for OR against people on the basis of their stated religious beliefs, Ron. I've discovered that there are good and bad people amongst all religious groups...just as there are good and bad people among humanists and atheists. I judge a politician on what they say and do...not on their stated religious credentials or their lack of same.

Because Rig favors the odd specific thing Palin HAS said...it does not indicate in any way that he favors most of what she says or, for heaven's sake, ALL of what she says. My impression is that he fears she would perpetrate the same kind of nonsense on the country that Reagan did if she attained the presidency.

If he's in favor of the odd thing she says...fine. That just shows he can think freely...and outside the box of blind lockstep knee-jerk reaction. It would be extraordinary if Palin had NEVER said anything that a person could agree with...even if that person disagreed with a great deal of what she said.

But, hey....let's ask him! There's a radical notion, eh? (grin) It might save you and I wasting an inordinate amount of our time here arguing about nothing.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:55 PM

Ah...there we go. Rig already has answered the question while I was composing my own post.

Case closed. He is NOT a Palin supporter or backer. He is a person who is simply a bit disgusted at the sheer pettiness and immaturity of the gross personal attacks many will stoop to in their desire to damage those they deem to be their political "enemies". And so am I.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 12:38 AM

"Is it true that some writer for the Huffington Post refer[r]ed to her youngest child as a 'retard?' "

Apparently so, or else he used the word "retarded"; it's not clear which. I found this: Huffngton Post July 3, 2009 apology by Erik Sean Nelson ...a sort of backhanded apology in which he again uses the offensive word:

<>"I wrote a piece making fun of the fact that a Trig Palin joke was given as the reason that Sarah Palin left office. I wrote jokes that were offensive but my intent was for them to be ironic and therefore not offensive. I was wrong. Within ten minutes of my post I received some emails from the loved ones of the retarded and I saw that my piece was hurtful. Therefore, I removed the post right after receiving the first 2 emails.

"I removed it immediately because I saw that it did not come across as I intended. I apologize to all of those who were offended."

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Amos
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:13 AM

"It's easy to look at the soon-to-be-former governor of Alaska as an iconic feminist, a path-breaking working mother, or noble rabble-rousing populist. But when the dust settles, the lesson may be that she was simply a woman who made no sense. Her meteoric rise and dubious fall will say less about America than you think, beyond the fact that America likes its politicians to communicate their ideas clearly. We will someday come to realize that while it's all well and good to be mavericky with one's policies, it's never smart to be mavericky with one's message."

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:28 AM

"America likes its politicians to communicate their ideas clearly."

???? It does? Look, I know that a number of the more intellectually inclined people here do indeed like their politicians to communicate their ideas clearly....and I know that serious political columnists like it as well...but.....

My impression from all the ridiculous Hoo-Hah and bafflegab that goes on in the mass media generally and during election campaigns is that the majority of Americans aren't interested in clearly expressed ideas nearly as much as they are interested in vague but dramatic general impressions created by demagogues who very seldom present a clear idea! ;-) The American public in general is swayed by sweeping emotional impressions and boldly voiced platitudes and bizarre drama, not by clearly articulated ideas, for gosh sakes!

This is probably so in many other electorates as well.

If I may quote from a Jackson Browne song: "It's who you look like, not who you are." That's what usually works for getting the most votes in the USA. You have to look like you know what you're talking about.

Or as Charlie Brown once hollered at Lucy in utter frustration: "You think you're right, but you're NOT right! You just SOUND right!!!!!!!"

For instance, a demagogue like Ronald Reagan looked right and sounded right to the majority of American voters. He gave the vague impression of having some clear ideas, didn't he? He's even been called "The Great Communicator"! ;-) The master of creating those vague, fuzzy, feel-good impressions...and those snappy sound bites.

DougR will probably accuse Obama of the same thing... (grin) And it's true, Obama is very good at creating those general emotional impressions. He is also, however, absolutely brilliant at clearly grasping and articulating subtle and powerful ideas.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 02:56 PM

+1 LH

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 05:04 PM

Good god, Little Hawk. And what's your excuse? I seem to recall quite a few leaders of the known world who are less than pleasing to some of their electorates.

(I tire of stereotypes.)

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Amos
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 05:16 PM

"You think you're right, but you're NOT right! You just SOUND right!!!!!!!"

THat is the exact essence of so much protest on the part of reasonable people everywhere when examinigng the highjinks rhetoric of the previous Admin gang. They do not care much about the ground truth, but they work very hard to sound right.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 05:38 PM

No excuse at all, Ebbie. ;-) I did say, "This is probably so in many other electorates as well."....and I meant it. Demagogues have succeeded in baffling their people the world over, going right back to ancient times. That's mainly because they have such effective means at hand to spread their message, I guess.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:17 PM

Re: Rig:   The thing about the Web is that once you hit "send" your words are there, unless you specifically disown them.   I've read considerably more of Rig's contributions--particularly during the 2008 campaign-- than you, LH. He attacked Obama and praised Sarah. If he now disowns Sarah, that is a change.    I can cite chapter and verse, but you could actually do some research yourself to answer the question.

It is fairly evident what his overwhelming obsession is: illegal immigration.

If the 2012 election turns out to be Obama vs Palin, it's obvious that Palin will be far more harsh on illegal immigrants than Obama.   Therefore, in that event, it is likely that she would get Rig's support.

Perhaps he would care to dispute this. It would be interesting to hear.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:33 PM

Rig couldn't stand Obama, no doubt about that, Ron. It was a personal thing. He simply didn't trust Obama at all...and he thought Obama couldn't win, if I recall correctly (presumably because too many White Americans wouldn't vote for a "Black" president?) He much preferred Hillary Clinton to Obama, and it was Clinton he wanted to see win the election. A lot of Democrats and independents felt that way...but not quite enough of them to give Hillary the victory over Obama in the end. You'll recall it was pretty close. In my case, I liked Kucinich the best by far...but he never had a chance. I liked Obama way better than Clinton.

I notice that Rig has considerably modified his stance on Obama in the last few months and he's said some positive stuff about Obama lately...so evidently he's changed his mind some. That's good. It shows he's flexible and willing to change an old opinion when confronted with changing events.

Although all our past posts are recorded here...yes...that doesn't mean that our ideas can't change.

I don't know if the immigration issue is so important to Rig that he would side with a candidate simply on the basis of that issue alone. It seems unlikely to me, but I guess we'll have to ask him.

What say, Rig? Would you do that? Is immigration THE make or break issue for you?

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Peace
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:36 PM

'"I [Huffington Post writer who used the word 'retard(ed) in a column--but s/eh was advised by readers that it was not so good] removed it immediately because I saw that it did not come across as I intended. I apologize to all of those who were offended."'

I wonder if SP ever thought like that?

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 10:39 PM

Doesn't seem too likely to me, Peace. She gives the impression of being one who never doubts that she said and did exactly the right thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 07:34 AM

"What say, Rig? Would you do that? Is immigration THE make or break issue for you?"

             Little Hawk - The issue for me is the survival of the planet (at least the survival of life on the planet). I think the single biggest threat to the planet is unchecked human population growth.
             Probably the thing that amazes me the most are people who will get worked into a lather over deforestation, global warming, ozone depletion, and paved over farm land, but they can't make the connection of those things to increasing population. It seems to be like you say, if nobody puts a plank in their political platform about popultion growth, it doesn't exist for them.
             Worse than that, are those people who will openly complain about population growth, but can't seem to connect that eventuality to human migration. They continue to want to see it as a civil rights issue. It's a form of tunnel vision. They can look at Easter Island, and see what unchecked humanity did there, and then turn their gaze on Mexico City and fail to make the connection.
             Obviously, if you are going to do something about population growth, you would want to start with those places where the birth rates are the highest. If some place on the globe is spewing out more people than it can support, and the excess people are simply allowed to go somewhere else, it does nothing to control population growth where the person comes from, and increases the population where that person ends up.
             That's a long way around the question, but I would say yes, because population growth is the planets largest problem, I would support almost any candidate who would do something about it.
             Applying that litmus test to Sarah Palin, I'm not sure where she stands on immigration, but if she would come out strong against immigration, while preventing family planning programs in poorer nations, not much would be accomplished.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 10:47 AM

As far as I understand it it seems likely that the depopulation of Easter Island (before the arrival of European diseases) was linked to deforestation, but it is entirely unclear whether the deforestation was caused by overpopulation or the need for logs to move the famous statues. Early reports seem to indicate productive farming despite the loss of large tree species, which in turn makes famine (without more) unlikely (despite the cannibalism stories).

I am tempted to conclude that territorial strife (and possibly a rapacious religion) are more likely causes of depupulaiton than overpopulation followed by famine.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 10:48 AM

Oops, "depopulation".

As to breeding, family planning is one thing (and a murrain on catholicism in that respect) - but imposed population control is quite another.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 10:52 AM

PPS. Voluntary limitation of families is only possible if the old do not need to rely on thier families to support them. Since voluntary saving for retirement is not always possible and even then not always effective (in times of capitalist meltdown) it follows that the community (in larger terms, the state) must provide, which in turn necessitates a state graduated pension (come back Barbara Castle) and that, in turn, necessitates significant and progressive taxation (and death duties and capital gains taxes).

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 11:03 AM

Yes, well I don't find anything to argue with in all of that, except to mention that if voluntary limitation of families doesn't work, imposed population control will probably happen, either with a one-child policy like they have in China, or through war, famine, and disease.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 11:04 AM

The best humane way to reduce overpopulation in the world is to raise the standard of living of the poorest populations in the world. When people's standard of living and their economic security goes up, their birthrate goes down.

What we need is a worldwide Bill of Rights, a worldwide decently adequate minimum wage that's the same everywhere, worldwide employment in decent jobs, a wordwide level of good education available to all people........we need EQUALITY. And I don't mean forced equality....and I don't mean everyone made to be at the same material level....I mean equal opportunity and equal social services for everyone from the getgo.

That can only be achieved if we become a single united human race on this planet and get beyond our presently divided tribal and national consciousness.

It ain't gonna happen soon. But that would be the real moral solution to the overpopulation problem.

I find it strange that when we write science fiction stories about other worlds, we usually imagine the beings on them to be living as a single, united society rather than split up into warring little tribes and nations.

That's because it's eventually natural for a single race of beings on a planet to unite into one harmonious society...and we know that deep in our hearts.

If they don't do so, they will end up destroying one another when their weapons, number, and technology get too overwhelming.

That, I think, is the choice that is before us now. Unite and prosper....or stay divided and go down to misery and destruction.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 11:55 AM

Some anthropoligists think the key to they whole thing is the education of women. Societies, they say, who keep women from knowledge are the biggest impediment from advancement.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 12:12 PM

"Applying that litmus test to Sarah Palin, I'm not sure where she stands on immigration, but if she would come out strong against immigration, while preventing family planning programs in poorer nations, not much would be accomplished." Rig

Rig, Sarah Palin has 6. Six. SIX children.

Immigration regulation and restriction be damned- start with your own family. (Yes, I do realize that every country has rules on immigration, but I liked the phrase.)

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 12:18 PM

How about - Start with your own damn family - Now there's a phrase!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 12:41 PM

Well, I have done my bit. No progeny at all so far.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: jeffp
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 12:51 PM

As of October 17, I will have 6 children and 5 grandchildren without having procreated once. Not for lack of effort, mind you!

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 01:16 PM

Well there you go Ebbie. Another example of detrimentally skewed input into the gene pool.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 01:18 PM

"Voluntary limitation of families is only possible if the old do not need to rely on thier families to support them. Since voluntary saving for retirement is not always possible and even then not always effective (in times of capitalist meltdown) it follows that the community (in larger terms, the state) must provide, which in turn necessitates a state graduated pension (come back Barbara Castle) and that, in turn, necessitates significant and progressive taxation (and death duties and capital gains taxes)."

Ummm, guys, let's not forget that where there are fewer people, there are fewer taxpayers. Therefore the government of any country has no real incentive to control the general population (except perhaps for the lowest classes), nor to encourage people to depend on the government for a state graduated pension rather than on the support of their descendants in their senior years.

I agree that global overpopulation is the problem from which most of our current social/economic/environmental problems extend. But don't depend on "the government" to fix it. My thoughts: There needs to be a global shift in religious attitude away from going forth and multiplying, and TOWARD replenishing the Earth by being stewards of our natural environment. THAT will require a concentrated, sooperative effort by ALL major and minor religions to preach that -- hello -- we have long since fulfilled the commandment to multiply, and we are now "sinning" by destroying what "God" has "created" (whatever "God" is considered to be by any of those religions).

Good luck with THAT idea, right? What religion is going to preach that, when having fewer people ALSO means fewer converts and fewer $$$ in the offering basket? Greed is the sin that is turning out to be the deadliest for Mother Earth.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 01:30 PM

By the way, no progeny from me, either. No natural progeny from my two brothers. We are the last generation of our branch of the family.

One brother has adopted two children (from unwed mothers) who have gone on to have 3 children (as unwed mothers) themselves, plus one child (as a married mother) who passed away after a year of expensive medical treatment, plus one miscarriage. So far. According to Palin and the rest of the religious Right, these kids are all "blessings". I have no idea whether any of them will be a blessing (support-wise) to me or to my childless brother in our old age, but I doubt it, since the kids have been a drain on the government's resources as it is... not to mention my legal-granddaddy brother's revenue.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 01:49 PM

Several things....

1)I'll tell you what Sarah Palin is up to: She is tired of dodging questions, reading harsh reviews of her campaign, going to work everyday with folks who no longer respect her...etc., and now she is so well-known...as in 'notorious'...that she can write a book or two, and only has to pop-up now & then on HER schedule to keep fanning the flames - sort of like Ann Coulter. She will make millions and live comfortably and raise her family (provided no indictable offenses come to light). Not bad for being yanked out of obscurity a year ago.

2)After disagreeing with Rig on so many things, it is 'slightly' awkward for me to agree with him totally that overpopulation is the single greatest threat to humanity. It is the 'keystone' issue....if we solve ALL the other environmental problems and stop war besides, we will still be in trouble when there are 97 billion people.
My father used to befuddle my brother & I by asking, "If you were carrying all the feathers you can carry, can you carry one more?"
Apparently, the common answer is "sure!" Meaning, I suppose, that it is too hard to tell, and adding one feather seldom makes a huge difference. But you KNOW you can't carry 4 tons of feathers, so somewhere down about 200-400 lbs of feathers, you are gonna get so tired you collapse. You do the metaphor on population.

3) Palin's child IS retarded...the child is not insulted by the word, only those who want a PC version of everything. (I am, officially, OLD. 'Senior citizen' does not make me less old, and the guys who come by every Monday are 'trash collectors', not 'environmental refuse associates'.)
I would not call her child "a retard" to her face - nor even in print...he is a child, and no one needs a sad label applied to a loved one. But a non-judgmental adjective is a different matter. There may be other words, but 'retarded' is not prima facie insulting.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 02:02 PM

Bill D sez: "I'll tell you what Sarah Palin is up to: She is tired of dodging questions, reading harsh reviews of her campaign, going to work everyday with folks who no longer respect her...etc., and now she is so well-known...as in 'notorious'...that she can write a book or two, and only has to pop-up now & then on HER schedule to keep fanning the flames - sort of like Ann Coulter. She will make millions and live comfortably and raise her family (provided no indictable offenses come to light). Not bad for being yanked out of obscurity a year ago."

Yeah, but she brought the questions, reviews and disrespect upon herself, so her continual bleating about how she's being picked on and misunderstood is just so much kaka. She was yanked out of relative obscurity but she was already notorious in Alaska at the time of the yanking. Bottom line is that the folks she is tired of are equally tired of her, if not more so.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 02:35 PM

It is interesting to conjecture where Palin would be right now if McCain had not "yanked her out of obscurity." She has gone from being popular - wildly so in some quarters - to being an object of frustration and irritation.

Without the greater visibility that occurred with the campaign. people like me might not ever have wakened to the fact that she is vindictive, small minded, a biblical-literalist, bullheaded, rules from her gut rather than from available facts, has a strange blend of negligence and protectiveness in her mothering... but there were some in Alaska who already knew that.

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A local woman I respect greatly wrote a letter to the editor yesterday remarking upon Palin's absence from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Alaska statehood and she made the point that the celebration was for Alaska, not the city of Juneau, and that it was extremely rude of Palin to sit in the Governor's house two blocks away and not attend the ceremony nor even send a representative. Coming out later and watching the July 4th parade, making it obvious that it was a deliberate snub, simply underscored the rudeness.

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 02:48 PM

Ebbie: Maybe she thought that showing up at the 50th gala would draw reporters (like flies) and detract from the celebration, but if so, she should have thought about that before she decided to make her resignation announcement on July 3rd. The polite thing for her to have done would have been to delay her announcement until after the 50th celebration, attend the gala and Independence Day parade as head of state, and make her resignation public AFTER the official anniversary of Alaska's statehood (July 7th).

But noooOOOOoooo...

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 02:51 PM

I would not call her child "a retard" to her face - nor even in print..

How kind of Bill.

"'retarded' is not prima facie insulting." It is where I live, and I strongly suspect it is where Bill lives too. Words can take on associations, and that can mean good manners requires that we recognise that. "Mongol" was at one time used without an intent to cause offence, but it couldn't be now.

"Retarded" isn't equivalent to "old" in the insult stakes. It's closer to "nigger".

Subject: RE: BS: Sarah Palin will resign on July 26!
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 03:57 PM

I count only 5 children..Track?? Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trigg. Who is the sixth? mg