Straight Talk from Sarah
Sarah Palin has written an “Open Letter to Republican Freshmen Members of Congress” telling them what they should support in the upcoming legislative session. The letter is clearly directed towards those congressmen who are believed to be associated with the tea parties. Her advice on foreign policy is pretty much a straight neoconservative interpretation – not at all surprising since that is who is advising her and providing her with her talking points. Her bumper sticker jingoism maintains that “We are the most powerful country on earth and the world is better off because of it.” She calls for finishing the job in Iraq and Afghanistan, whatever that means, opposing Iran’s nuclear ambitions “using whatever means necessary,” saying “no to cutting the necessities in our defense budget,” and standing “with allies like Israel, not criticize them.” She is clearly ignorant of the fact that Israel is not an ally of the US in any legal sense and that it in fact pursues policies that damage American interests. Nor does she seem concerned about the $3 billion a year that Israel receives from the US taxpayer in spite of her exhortations for fiscal austerity, a sum that the Obama administration has recently sweetened with an extra $400 million plus an offer of $2.75 billion more if Bibi Netanyahu agrees to a 90 day partial settlement freeze. And Sarah repeats the neocon meme that “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, not a settlement.” Neocons always come back to the subject of Israel, which is dear to their hearts. Palin also opposes trying “dangerous, evil terrorists in the US,” wants to keep Guantanamo open, and believes fighting terrorism is a military rather than a law enforcement problem.
Palin might be surprised to learn that many tea partiers are tired of the types of solutions that she proposes. A review of a couple of tea party internet sites reveals that she has attracted considerable negative commentary over her foreign policy prescriptions. She might also be shocked to discover that the midterm election was not an affirmation of George Bush’s foreign and security policies any more than it was an endorsement of the continuing war in Afghanistan. Her Manichean vision of the world is a guarantee of endless conflict not to mention bigger government and huge deficits, which the tea parties oppose. She constantly cites the constitution but has apparently not read the part about war powers.
If the United States ever has to suffer through a Sarah Palin presidency it would be an unmitigated disaster, driven by half baked ideas and simplistic solutions to complex problems. That Palin is taking seriously by many is an indictment of our system of selecting office holders, where celebrity is more important than values and experience.
The only difference between a “conservative fiscal hawk” and a Keynesian pork bareller is the jingoism level. One man’s pork is another man’s pride.
We need to make ourselves heard among the Tea Partiers. Lamenting their falling into the hands of the Neo-cons is not enought.
You mention Tea Party web sites. Would you list a few?Where are they? Let’s get talking to them. Like many I didn’t take the Tea Party seriously while they were forming. I never went to their protest gatherings. I think too many of us have been studying them as though they were an unknown life form in a petrie dish. They are out neighors and we should reach out to them.
Her stand on foreign policy is not surprising. Her political re-education has been an ongoing project of the neocons ever since Bill Kristol touted her for vice president at the 2008 convention.
It was reported that Palin cancelled a meeting with Phyllis Schlafly at the convention in order to be vetted by Joe Lieberman and AIPAC. To stiff a fine lady like Phyllis who could have given her solid advice and counsel in favor of a foreign lobbying group whose interests run counter to the U.S. national interest is deplorable.
Ask and ye shall receive:
http://dailyteaparty.com/
http://www.teapartypatriots.org/
http://www.teapartyexpress.org/
(Mind you, I am not vouching for these sites, but please go stop by and let your feelings be known!)
Peace be with you.
Regarding the Tea Partiers, Thom Meehan wrote:
“The are out neighbors and….”
Geez, Thom, they’re *gay*!? Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course, but … I had *no* idea! No *wonder* they like parties so much! And I bet the decorations were divine too….
Hell, if only I’d have known I’d have been at some of those parties if they’re ecumenical enough to let guys like me in. Probably wouldn’t have been a fan of the party favors, but….
Boy do I ever feel dumb now: Shoulda picked up on it I suppose though after that Beck guy called for “Bringing glamour back to America” and Sarah Palin’s constant affectionate references to “bears.”
(And here I thought the leather-clad guys I saw in the pictures of some of those gatherings were bikers! Then too there’s this lonely gay friend of mine that I had *no* idea of where to steer, and….)
They didn’t have anyone popping out of cakes at those parties though, did they? Again, not that there’s anything wrong with that but … what’s the phrase … not exactly my cup of … Oh! *Now* I get what they meant!
Mr. Giralidi is absolutely right! Tea Party base is not a Bush-Cheney retread. They directed their fury against President Obama because of his betrayal of all of his campaign promises, his bailout policies, his arrogance, and his capitulation to Israel and the neocon agenda. If the Republicans pursue austerity policies, fail to act to create meaningful jobs here in the United States and become bigger toadies for AIPAC and a war by Israel against Iran–using advanced American fighter jets given to them by U.S. taxpayers–they will suffer a route in 2012, similar to what Obama rightfully experienced on Nov. 2. Sarah Palin wins praise when she attacks bailouts of banks and “death panels,” but not when she echoes the old neocon garbage on foreign policy.
This should end all doubts regarding the stupidity of Palin, or of the danger of elevating politicians who rely on others for their thinking.
“Please, Mr. Kristol, tell me what I think! Oh THANK YOU!”
Any Tea Partier who takes her ignorant, pernicious advice can forget my vote next time. The Tea Party continues.
We have already had to suffer through a SPalin presidency, that of Geo. W. Bush. Sarah is only the latest and conservative manifestation of the affirmative action presidency we are enduring now, that of Geo. W. Obama’s. IOW the more things change, the more they remain the same. We’ve already been there, done that but still we want to do it again and again…..
TomB – Gosh, I never caused a psychotic break via comment before. Was it the misspelling of neighbor or was it the reaching out part?
Sarah Palin is absolutelyt right! You liberals just hate her because she’s a beautiful winner and your a bunch of ant-war losers!
Apropos my comment Thom Meehan wrote:
“Gosh, I never caused a psychotic break via comment before. Was it the misspelling of neighbor or was it the reaching out part?”
Well Thom, when you said the TP’s were “out” I just thought….
Seriously though, while I wouldn’t bet the farm on it I thought your proposal to reach out to the TP’s was as good as it gets. To me the fundamental drivers behind their movement are a sense of patriotism, and reactionism. Well then, some logic might be, if only they could be made to see that it’s hardly patriotic to support the subordination of U.S. interests to a foreign country, and that same *has* been the reigning paradigm, well….
Like I say, not optimistic, but perhaps in time even they will come to see that there’s something wrong with a policy that delivers nothing but endless war.
“”She is clearly ignorant of the fact that Israel is not an ally of the US in any legal sense and that it in fact pursues policies that damage American interests. Nor does she seem concerned about the $3 billion a year that Israel receives from the US taxpayer in spite of her exhortations for fiscal austerity, a sum that the Obama administration has recently sweetened with an extra $400 million plus an offer of $2.75 billion more if Bibi Netanyahu agrees to a 90 day partial settlement freeze.”"
Sadly, Ms.Sarah is not the only politician guilty of that error, PG. I have heard, among others, our extremely intelligent, well-educated Secretary of State refer numerous times to our “great ally” Israel. Why I even heard her once declare that, if she were to become President and Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons and launch one at Israel, the U.S. would “annihilate” Iran. I understand that she is even a devout Christian. It’s a very strange “alliance” that seems to overwhelmingly benefit one side and obligates the other side to render unlimited benefits for nothing in return.
With regard to the recent “deal” struck between Israel and the U.S., you failed to mention the perpetual proxy we have granted Israel with regard to our vote in the U.N. when it comes to matters affecting Israel. One more instance where Israel basically has all the benefits of being a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with none of the burdens. It is also a remarkable commentary that the Obama Administraion came into office demanding the complete cessation of all Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and, less than two years later, was forced to beg and bribe Israel to impose a 90-day freeze (with no future demands for any more settlement freezes) of settlements that every American administration since 1967 has labelled as illegal and contrary to international law. As a patriotic American, it makes me sick to witness such abasement by an American administration.
Cantor just came out of a one-on-one meeting with Netanyahu saying he will take Israel’s part against Obama. Cantor’s not a very bright man, and some of his AIPAC friends apparently told him to tone it down, so he’s trying to backtrack from it now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/cantordrawsfireoverpledgetoisrael5809
We now have a House Majority Leader on record stating that he has dual loyalty, and that loyalty to Israel trumps his loyalty to the United States. This is nothing more than the truth, of course, but the neocons have been denying the dual loyalty accusation so long that Cantor’s confession must come as a considerable embarrassment.
This is why I never bought into the Tea Party BS.
My issue is foreign policy. And none of them speak my language, to say the least.
Sarah Palin and the Israel Lobby
http://tinyurl.com/PalinandIsraelLobby
http://tinyurl.com/TeaPartyHijackedbyNeocons