Monday, February 22, 2010

The "Quitter" Response, Pt. 3

Sarah Doubter: She really let her state down. How can we trust a woman like that?

You: So you think Alaskans are disappointed she quit?

Sarah Doubter: They should be.

You: Well, I guess if they thought she was doing a good job, they would be disappointed. Do you think she was doing a good job as governor for her state?

Sarah Doubter: I dunno. Maybe

You: Well, according to most Alaskans she was one of the better govenors Alaska has ever had with a long list of accomplishments in just 2 1/2 years so yes, that's understandable that some would be bitterly disappointed about her resignation. They really liked her and wanted her to be their governor judging from the 80% approval rating she had before the VP pick.

Sarah Doubter: She's just such a quitter.

You: Why would someone who was doing such an outstanding job as governor just up and quit?

Sarah Doubter: Because she wanted to be a celebrity.

You: Wasn't she already kind of a celebrity after the VP pick anyway?

Sarah Doubter: She wanted to make more money.

You: Well, quitting a six-figure job isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you want more money. She would have had the book money regardless of whether she quit her governor's job. But it sounds like you think she's a diva who cares only about a cushy lifestyle?

Sarah Doubter: Basically, yes.

You: So, she does a fantastically competent job as governor, including reducing the governor's personal travel budget budget by 85%, selling the private jet, laying off the chauffeur and the chef to save the state money (not to mention all the policy initiatives she got passed)... and she spends several weeks during the summer as a commercial fisherwoman, one of the grimiest jobs on the planet ... and then she wakes up one day and decides to become a diva? Do divas actually fish?

Sarah Doubter: She got used to the crowds on campaign and all the adoration. She missed that.

You: So you don't buy her reason that her newfound celebrity and the negative attention and bogus charges it brought was harming her state?

Sarah Doubter: No.

You: Hmmm ... So it was fair to Alaskans for their executive branch of government to be basically shut down with 80% of its time dealing with frivolous lawsuits and freedom of information act requests? Doesn't that sound like a huge waste? One frivolous suit after another ... 19 in all, with no merit to any of them, all because of the presence of celebrity Sarah Palin in office? Wasn't she really harming her state sticking around? Basically doing more harm in her position than good?

Sarah Doubter: Well, maybe. I dunno about all those ethics charges.

You: Would divas really care about their states? If she were a diva, wouldn't she have stayed in office, screwed the state over, traveled around the country or the world the next year (expensed it to Alaska) and reveled in being an Alaskan celebrity while still collecting her governor's salary? Nobody would have called her a "quitter" then. Don't you think, in fact, it took guts to quit? Especially knowing her decision might be misunderstood by Alaskans and that she might be signing her political death warrant?

Sarah Doubter: I suppose.

You: Don't we need more elected officials with that kind of courage?

Sarah Doubter: Probably

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