Sarah Palin - a fruity little number
So, Sarah Palin has been found to be in violation of a state ethics law prohibiting public officials from using their office for personal gain. What amounts to a sacking of a senior public official over a family feud, marks the end of another depressing week in America’s presidential politics.
It’s doubtful whether the ruling will have any impact on public voting behaviour but, despite public protestations from Republicans relating to the partisan nature of the enquiry, there are sure to be further private concerns in the GOP about Palin’s credibility.
Now, I don’t know what Palin’s drinking habits are (I’m presuming teetotal in public, moonshine shots on the porch in private) but she probably would have no doubt passing off the alcoholic fruit juice of her adopted state as fine wine. And that it ain’t. There are four wineries in Alaska but don’t expect to find any sign of fermented grape juice – it’s all Blueberry, Wild Rose, Wild Fireweed Raspberry, Black Currant and Gooseberry.
I have nothing against alcoholic juice from fruit other than the grape. Technically it still qualifies as wine and I’m sure some of it tastes ok. But I do have an issue with growers of fruit wines peddling their wares as if they are equal to the product of the grape vine. Growers of fruit wine need to find an alternative marketing approach – by defining themselves within the vine they immediately draw attention to comparisons with fermented grape juice. The consumer ends up feeling disappointed never to return. If growers or marketers had the imagination, they’d seek to define their products as a different form of alcoholic drink as close to wine as beer is to cider.
As for Palin, Republicans are rejecting the notion that her actions were a violation of ethics as there is no evidence that she received any personal gain. However, an instance of corruption where the crime did not yield any material gain is actually more depressing. If you going to dabble in a bit of corruption at least let it involve a harbour-side property or a brown paper bag full of used fivers. The fact that Palin was simply avenging a slight on her sister is bad enough but to then sack an official who wouldn’t help her in this cause tells us all we need to know about the standard bearer for Joe Six Pack (who he?).
If nothing else, the last few months has finally proved that the American experiment has gone wrong. More4 are currently showing the HBO drama John Adams – a story of serious, educated, inspring, principled men for serious, challenging, revolutionary times. A time when elitist men were celebrated and looked to by the people to lead and do the right thing. Now we have Palin, Obhama and McCain and a populist electorate who rush towards the sugary hit of alcoholic Blueberry punch.
Sure it tastes good but it aint the real thing. Never will be.
There are too many West Wing parallels to mention in the whole sorry affair, but it does really scare me that the idea of an intellectual/”elitist” president has become in some way a ‘bad thing’. I really want there to be a Jed Bartlett with a Nobel Prize in Economics running the US economy(especially at the moment). Favourite quote (from memory so possibly a misquote) “For your information; ‘crime, I don’t know’ was the moment I decided to kick your ass”. That’s who I want in the White House (or No. 10, for that matter) not someone who has the ability to pull in sleb endorsements and a sort of no-brained populism. It’s like the moment in Family Guy when Lois is running for office purely on the rabble rousing slogan “Nine! Eleven!”
Another bottle? Seems rude not to.