The Sarah Palin Factor

Reprinted from The Asian Journal


As the presidential election gets closer and the race tighter, it is to be expected that the campaign rhetoric gets even hotter. Tactics from the extreme wings of both the Republican and Democratic parties (which hardly represent mainstream America) get downright nastier. The democratic process of electing the most powerful political leader, indeed, is a mess -- though it remains the best system we've got.

Yet, since Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin was nominated Vice Presidential candidate by the Republican Party, no campaign in recent memory has exhibited more nasty, bitter, or personalized attacks.

American culture idolizes beauty, success, and gutsiness -- traits that Gov. Palin is not short on. And in the framework of male dominance in politics and the slow evolution of women's suffrage, one would think that the appearance of Sarah Palin on the national stage would be met with cheers, rather than jeers.

Yet, the opposite has happened, particularly in the media. Except for Fox News Network, television and print conglomerates have joined forces to demonize Governor Palin. Cleverly disguised fair and balanced interviews are conducted to catch Palin off guard, so that edited video clips can be replayed ad infinitum over the internet. The goal, it appears, is not to find out what Gov. Palin thinks of the issues but to portray her as either clueless or incompetent.

The most popular and accomplished governor of Alaska has clearly been treated differently from such female politicians as Hillary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Dianne Feinstein, or even Linda Lingle.

Which begs the question: Why is a charismatic politician whose accomplishments as a maverick mayor and governor merit a whooping 80+% approval rating in her home state, who is happily married and raises a Down Syndrome child, incessantly portrayed as inexperienced or lacking in intelligence?

The answer is not that Governor Sarah Palin is ugly, has a low IQ, or is unethical. Nor is she oblivious to geopolitical realities or ignorant of energy demands and conservation. The answer -- the big elephant in the room -- is that Palin clearly expresses her stance on abortion, is openly pro-life, and does not hide her Christian faith under a bushel.

And that is something that the liberal advocates in media and entertainment -- whether it's Katie Couric or Barbara Walters or Barbara Streisand or Whoopi Goldberg -- get apoplectic about.

If Governor Sarah Palin is elected Vice President, she (with John McCain) will be a formidable force in moving the Supreme Court to the right and eventually overturning Roe v. Wade.

"A President Obama or a President McCain will likely be handed an opportunity to affect the makeup of the Supreme Court that is unprecedented in our history," comments Wendy Long, chief counsel for the Judicial Confirmation Network.

During the first term of the next administration, there could be two or three openings in the Supreme Court. Justices John Paul Stevens, 88, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, and perhaps David Souter, 69, may retire in the next four years.

Today's Supreme Court is split on constitutional issues, with four conservatives (Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas), four liberals (John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David H. Souter, and Stephen G. Breyer), and one moderate (Anthony M. Kennedy).

Whether it is publicly admitted or not, rejection of a litmus test nothwithstanding, religion is a factor, particularly on constitutional matters relating to abortion and church-and-state separation. The four conservative justices are Roman Catholics (Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas). President George Bush successfully pushed for the confirmation of Roberts and Alito. Kennedy, the moderate independent, is also Roman Catholic.

On the liberal end of the spectrum, Ginsburg and Breyer are Jewish; Souter is Episcopalian and Stevens is Protestant.

If Stevens, who at age 88 is the second-oldest justice in the court's history, steps down, a McCain-Palin administration will likely nominate a conservative judge who will nudge the court to the conservative right. An Obama-Biden administration, on the other hand, will nominate a liberal "judicial activist", tugging the court to the left.

The very real possibility of McCain and Palin nominating conservative judges who will eventually overturn, or at least erode, Roe v. Wade is the greatest fear of liberal pro-abortion advocates. This explains the intensity of hatred and vile directed towards Gov. Sarah Palin. She has become a conservative lighting rod, protecting the rights of the unborn and the disabled, and taking the hit from abortionists.

As voters, we can change and push back the pro-abortion media onslaught. We can elect to office a Mc-Cain/Palin pro-life team that can reform the Supreme Court's composition and finally stop the indiscriminate killing of innocent lives.

In the same manner, let's vote YES on Prop 4 (Sarah's Law) so that a responsible adult family member (parent or legal guardian) is appropriately notified 48 hours before an abortion is performed on a minor (under the age of 18). After all, a physician or nurse is not allowed to treat or even dispense an aspirin pill to minors without parental notification.

Restore Traditional Marriage - Vote YES on Proposition 8

In less than a month, we will be trekking to the polls to decide if we prefer Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin to manage the country, or have Democrats Barach Obama and Joe Biden do it for us.

This choice has serious implications on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic recession, healthcare, taxation, and immigration. It will also move the United States as a society toward conservative or liberal policies in social and moral issues.

In California, we will be offered several initiatives to vote on. The more critical propositions will be Prop 4 and Prop 8.

Proposition 8 states: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

This measure contains the same terminology in Proposition 22 which was approved in 2000 by 61% of California voters. It was overturned by four liberal San Francisco-based judges in a 4-3 decision.

Here we go again, waging a familiar battle for traditional family values. We may just throw our hands up in the air and not bother. But, it is critical that we vote for this measure and gather community support to restore the definition of marriage.

Voting "YES" on Proposition 8 will accomplish three things:

1) It will restore the traditional and common-sense definition of marriage.

2) It will overturn the decision of four activist judges who ignored the majority decision of voters in 2000.

3) It will protect our children from being taught in California public schools that same-sex or gay marriage is not different from the traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

With an amendment of the state constitution in place, the State Supreme Court cannot declare Prop 8 unconstitutional as it did with Prop 22 which had been added as a regular statute to the California Family Code.

We cannot afford not to pass this measure on November 4, 2008. If Proposition 8 is defeated, marriage in the State of California will be regarded as nothing more than a no-frills contractual relationship between adults. The sanctity and sacredness of marriage, which has been at the heart of society since time immemorial, will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

The Catholic Church and other faith traditions view marriage as instituted by God, as the faithful, loving, permanent and exclusive covenant between a man and a woman. In traditional marriage, husband and wife vow to love each other, "for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, 'till death do us part." Husband and wife take on the task of bringing children into the world, raising, educating and caring for them. Traditional marriage, not same-sex marriage, is the ideal setting for children to be raised.

Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage as an ideal. It does not insult, attack, or discriminate against homosexuals. Voting yes to Prop 8 will not eliminate any rights or benefits enjoyed by gay and lesbian domestic partners because California Law (Family Code 297.5) ensures that "domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits as married spouses."

If Proposition 8 is not passed, the consequences will be far reaching. For one, state law requires teachers to instruct children as early as kindergarten about marriage (Education Code 51890). Teachers will be required to teach our children that there is no difference between traditional marriage and "gay marriage." Churches which teach and advocate traditional marriage and family values may be sued for discrimination.

Register to vote. Endorse Prop 8 and tell your family and friends about this important measure. During the recent Vice Presidential debate, both Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden fully supported traditional marriage while endorsing tolerance toward homosexuals and respect for the civil rights of gays and lesbians, as the majority of Californians do.

Proposition 8 is supported by national and state pro-family organizations. For more information, please visit www.ProtectMarriage.com or call (916) 446-2956.