Estee Lauder Politics

Last weekend it was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, now, we have Wall Street continuing to collapse, with Lehman Brothers seemingly bankrupt, Merrill-Lynch needing to be sold to someone so they can avoid that fate, and Washington Mutual endangered. We found out that we're importing tainted baby formula from China. Hurricane Ike has brought back $4 gas (what a surprise, a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico). Unemployment continues high and foreclosures have set another new single month record. American casualties mount in Afghanistan and we have illegally invaded Pakistan, a nation we've in the past described as a critical ally in our so-called "War on Terror". And the debate among TV's talking heads? Makeup on farm animals. This nation is descending into idiocy.

In the prior post about Governor Palin, I removed the statement that she was a supporter of Buchanan in 2000, as it seems she actually supported Steve Forbes, and I clarified that she has been associated with the AIP, but has not been a member. Her greeting to their convention as Governor was way to friendly and First Dude Todd is a member, but she's been a faithful Republican since 1982. I apologize for the errors.

On trying to get her brother-in-law fired, this is a high school civics issue. You don't use public office for private gain or to further your private interests. When you're a public office holder and you run into an issue that involves your private interests, you recuse yourself to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest. The personal failings of the individual in question are not an issue. For all I know he's a terrible police officer who should be fired. It doesn't matter. These things should be handled in a manner consistent with law. Ms Palin appears, instead, to view holding public office as an opportunity for personal aggrandizement and for the settling of personal scores. It is exactly that separation that distinguishes our Constitutional form of government, in which power and authority are vested in an office and incidentally in an office holder, from a monarchy, in which power and authority are held by an individual as an individual. For the Latter-day Saint readers, I would refer you to the 121st section of the D&C.

I would expect any conservative to be appalled by her actions. These are the kinds of things that have marked the Bush administration's most significant failings, the belief that the President is above the law (as one of his spokesmen said "the President is always right") and that public office is an invitation to pillage the public purse (Halliburton). We're a government of laws and not of men. The growth of police powers and their partisan use--as exemplified by Justice Department officials asking political and religious questions of would-be attorneys--is a shockingly inappropriate use of power. If you're a Republican (or if you won't admit you're a Republican and you're a "conservative") just imagine what you'd think if similar questions are asked in an Obama administration.