Politics: Paleontology & Palintology

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Politics is a profession; a serious, complicated and, in its true sense, a noble one. - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Pop, Fizzle, SSSSss.
Those sounds might remind one of inferior fireworks being launched on an exceedingly damp 4th of July.

Fitting isn't it, that Sarah! -the elected one- elected to announce her non-election close to independence day, isn't it?

Can't take the heat any more, and doesn't want to attract more unfavorable attention.
Who can blame her?

It's just no fun.
So, she quit her day job over 1.5 years early.
Leaving those who elected her governor wondering why they had done so.
But, maybe not, because Alaska prides itself on being such a different place.

One difference is the relative size of its government.
Ever heard this one; 'never have so few been governed by so many'?

For a resource-rich state with a population of less than 700,000, an inordinate reliance on federal subsidies, plus an annual state rebate of over $3200 to every citizen on oil & gas production, that big government label sticks like a spoonful of peanut butter to the roof of the mouth.
(Did you know that the U.S. Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million at two cents per acre?)

Alas, there won't be any Sarah! to kick around any more.
What a shame!
Or is it?
Maybe not.
But, only because the political games she agreed to play were taken so seriously -both ways.

The science of Paleontology studies extinct beasts from fossil evidence collected from thousands of years ago.
if Palintology were to become a formal study subject, its extinct beasts -mostly thin-skinned political animals- might have lived for thousands of minutes, maybe even hours, or days.
And, its possible a few may have been around for several months or years, despite a propensity to bug out early when the going gets tougher, or less fun.

It probably doesn't help a political animal's longevity to rely so completely on 'gut feelings' and instincts that no effort is made to actually learn something from history.
For any species to be so unbalanced does not bode well for its survival.

But, we need to wish Sarah! well, whatever path she now chooses.
Rest assured she will continue in the public eye, even if not in an official public capacity.
Her attraction to the spotlight won't allow otherwise.
But, this time it will be more on her own terms -at least that's what she must hope.

Between the likely -paid- speaking engagements, the inevitable book contracts, the appearances on selected media channels, and generally her ability to attract attention , she'll still be able to make a pretty fair living I suppose.

But, somehow things are not likely to ever be the same for this Sarah! person.
Quitting a high profile elected job is frowned upon by those who have worked up such a passion for her that they will inevitably feel let down or betrayed.

Survival of the fittest is probably the operative phrase, and everyone knows its easier to be a critic or booster than it is to actually serve in office and be seen as a leader.
So, the critics always survive longer because they take less risks, and rely on poor memories to connect them to past stupidities.
God help those Sarah! type people who are attracted to fame like moths to a flame!

But, hey, crashing and burning is an American tradition, isn't it?
And, what better time than the 4th of July to do that?
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My blog of August 30, 2008 predicted that Sarah! would be mainly a distraction.
Little did I know how true that eventually would become!

I'm proud to say that two very talented women, both graduates of my alma mater, were instrumental in helping us understand who Sarah! was - and who she wasn't.
Thank you, Katie Couric and Tina Fey!
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Politics is not a game. It is an earnest business. - Winston Churchill
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