An Open Letter to Sarah Palin

I am voting for Barack Obama for President.

There are many reasons for this, and that is not what this blog is about. I could potentially write a novel between now and election day about all the thoughts I have concerning politics these days. But today, my thoughts are mostly about Sarah Palin.

I feel bad for her. And I also feel bad for feeling bad for her, because she's made it clear that she doesn't want my sympathy, she wants my vote. Because we both have vaginas, you know, so clearly because I supported Hillary in the primary I should now vote for her. Actually, SARAH, I voted for Hillary not because of her anatomy, but because she shares my position on a variety of issues and I thought she was smart and qualified to lead. I also liked Barack Obama, and am just as comfortable voting for him come November as I was voting for Hillary in February. But again, more about that in another blog.

Unfortunately, only a month ago admitted that she did not understand the role of a vice-president. And a month later, I am to believe that the woman who made the statement below now understands not only that role, but the inner workings of our governments design, has a complete command of foreign policy, and that my life and my country will be better when she is elected?

Palin replied: “As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day? I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question.”

See for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9pnzQ96kWA

Well, Sarah, when I have applied for a job in the past, I have first made sure that I learn about the organization that I am applying to work for, I read the job description, and have questions prepared to ask at my interview. You know, I like to make sure that my experiences and interests are compatible with the position. But that's just me, and ordinary working American.

So, since you obviously didn't think preparing for applying for the 2nd highest job in the country was important, I did some of the work for you. I mean, of course its too late to ask questions of your potential employer, John McCain, so the fact that you both disagree on a few issues is just something you two will have to work out. But I did look into exactly what the VP is supposed to do, besides take over in case the president dies, resigns, or becomes medically unable to continue; and here is what I found out. You can thank me later. I know you have more important things to deal with right now.

Via wikipedia.org:
1. VP is President of the Senate: As President of the Senate, the Vice President has two primary duties: to cast a vote in the event of a Senate deadlock and to preside over and certify the official vote count of the U.S. Electoral College.

2. Chairman of the Board of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

3. Member of the board of the Smithsonian Institution

4. A symbol of American concern or support

5. Depending on the specific relationship between the President and the Vice President, formal and informal duties may vary, but often include drafter and spokesperson for the administration's policy, and an adviser to the president.

6. He or she may be assigned additional duties by the president but, as the Constitution assigns no executive powers to the vice president, in performing such duties he or she acts only as an agent of the president.

Ya hear that? NO EXECUTIVE POWERS. So, all of your year and a half's worth of "executive experience" that you keep bragging about is not really relative to the position. Exactly which of your experiences, from Mayor to Governor to Miss Alaska, have given you the qualifications to advise our president on foreign policy? To deal with the 45.3 million people in our country that do not have health insurance?

And let's see....you also want to convince me that after being Mayor or a town of somewhere between 6,000 and 9,000, you had enough "responsibilities" and "accomplishments" to prepare you for presiding over a country of more than 300 million people?

Barack Obama had more than 3.5 million people vote for him in his most recent election for public office as Senator of Illinois.

You had less than 120,000 votes when you were elected governor of the 4th smallest state in the union.

I do believe that comparing the experiences of Senator and Governor in terms of which makes you more prepared to be president is like apples and oranges. Unfortunately, Sarah, none of your political experience until a week ago was on a national stage. You have to admit, that SHOULD make people a little nervous. Especially since John McCain would be the oldest inaugurated President in history at 72, and its pretty obvious that the job is a stressful one.

And last night, you insulted the millions of Americans who work in nonprofit industries like myself. You mocked Barack Obama's early career experiences in the 1980s as a community organizer, but you were in fact competing in beauty pageants during those same years. You and Rudy Guiliani accused Barack Obama of "never leading anything" when in fact, while you were dreaming of being Miss Alaska, Obama was the DIRECTOR of the Developing Communities Project, which he grew from a staff of 1 to 13 in three years.

Then, in 1988, when you were working as a Sportscaster on the local news, Barack Obama attended Harvard Law School, where he became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. A full-time VOLUNTEER position, to which he was elected, a position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors.

Obama directed Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers. This is the same year that you entered the political forum, being elected to the city council of a town of less than 7,000. So at that time, Barack Obama already had nearly 10 years more experience in law, politics, and community knowledge than you did.

So now I am up to 1992, and I have already proved you a liar three times, Sarah and Rudy. Barack Obama has been LEADING for the majority of his life. I am not trying in any way to diminish your achievements in politics Sarah, but to say that you led while Barack Obama wrote books is simply untrue.

Shame on you both. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have both spoken kindly and graciously of John McCain and Sarah Palin's accomplishments. I urge you, Sarah Palin, as nominee for Vice-President of the United States, that if you really want to prove yourself as a non-Washington insider, that you at least do your homework. You may find it helpful to understand how Washington government works, and to do your homework on your opponents, and to speak of your plans and beliefs rather than trashing someone else's.

Just a suggestion. After all, we get to make our own choices here in America, at least for now.