The Sarah Palin Channel

Don said:

That bit right there isn't nearly the condemnation it should be, IMO. See also: Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, and John McCain, just to name a few.

Sarah Palin is just the poster child for the whole stupid situation.

How many of today's rulers have held an actual job, in the sense that most of us would consider employment? Subtract out the ones that have only worked in political-class jobs that don't actually produce anything, but represent government-mandated overhead to the productive, standard-of-living-generating economy, such as lobbyists, lawyers and military-industrial personnel. You can toss the Chamber of Commerce into that group as well.

Finally, subtract out the ones whose entire "productive" career was in the bosom of crony-crapitalist corporations such as Goldman Sachs, Boeing, Government General Motors, Bank of America, or Koch Industries. Those pillars of society that are "too big to fail," and where bad decisions are punished by lifelong employment and massive bonuses paid by the taxpayers.

My guess is the remainder would fit in my living room, and it's a small living room.

Our nation is led by 545 people with little to no practical experience in the real world, and with no fear that making wrong decisions will have any impact on their lives, other than the off chance they might get beaten in an election if they do something really, egregiously stupid. 545 people who will be able to leech off their record even if they are driven from office, and have no fear of ever missing a four-course meal, regardless of how badly they fuck up.

That sounds like a great way to run a society to me.


Do I even need the sign?

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Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), for example, is a former social worker. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is an obstetrician and has personally delivered more than 4,000 babies, according to his website. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) has more than 30 years of experience as a nurse. Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) is the Senate's only accountant by profession, as well as the former owner of a small shoe store.

Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor & Pensions (HELP), held his first job in high school, working as a janitor — a position he found as part a summer job-training program through the Department of Labor. After high school, he worked as a stringer at a local newspaper, where he was paid six dollars per article. After attending law school at Cornell University, he worked as an attorney, representing small businesses and families and taught at Rutgers University School of Law.
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), who serves on the House Education and Labor Committee, spent eight years studying in a Roman Catholic Seminary to become a priest. Following that, he worked as a high school Latin teacher for 10 years before working beginning his 25-year long career in public service.

All three Congressmen said they felt their past careers have made them better at what they do now. Andrews said even though "politics is a noble profession," he believes having other life or career experience is key for anyone interested in working in politics. Price said he believes “it’s important to follow your passion, whatever it might be.” As he sees it, being an elected politician wasn’t the goal for most of the individuals in the House of Representatives, it just happened to be one of the things that began to present itself in their lives, he said.

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My guess is the remainder would fit in my living room, and it's a small living room.

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MarkEsq said:

Don, how is being a lawyer who works for the govt not a real job? I have a real desk, a real pay check, and really have to be here 40 hours a week. I also prosecute real criminals, help real victims, and have a stapler. It works really well. Even my intern is real, I just pinched him (his squeal sounded fake though).

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Don said:

Like I said, the remainder would fit in my living room. I appreciate the documentation.

The 545 people.

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Don said:

Sorry, I should have exempted the justice system, given that it's broadly considered a legitimate overhead cost of even minimalist government.

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Don said:

Sorry, I should have exempted the justice system, given that it's broadly considered a legitimate overhead cost of even minimalist government.

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blacbird said:

I think you miss the most important aspect of Sarah Palin. Money is major important, to be sure, but the guiding star is that goddamn camera spotlight. That's at the top of the pyramid of her interests. If the money helps her get that, great, she's after the money. But she most certainly isn't one to sit back like the Koch Bros or the Waltons and quietly rake it in and buy fabulous private doodads with it. With Sarah Palin, it's all about the klieg lights.

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MarkEsq said:

Very well, I shall call off the hounds.

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Xelebes said:

Barack Obama worked a few years as a lawyer and activist.
John McCain worked as a soldier, rising to CO.
Joe Biden was a law clerk.

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