Sarah Palin Was Allegedly AWOL from her Governorship, But Claims Higher Calling

Sarah Palin was allegedly AWOL from her governorship, but claims a "higher calling ." Thus begins the newest excuse for playing hooky and then resigning her job as governor of Alaska. She's only nominally served two of the 2.5 years because much of 2008 was focused on national ambitions. She was laying the groundwork before August 2008. Indeed all of that seemed more important than staying home to safely deliver the her latest child.

Among all the other curiosities concerning the bizarre departure announcement by Sarah Palin is this: She’s not been all that engaged in her job anyway. According to MSNBC, Sarah Palin had “gone fishing.”

So, what of this "higher calling”? Is she trying to tell us (ala GWB) that "God" whispered in her ear? God also ate her homework, apparently. Palin claims this "higher calling" to unite the country along conservative lines. So now God wants the country to be run according to conservative lines. Evidently, Palin doesn’t know what the Bible really says about humility, much less the poor, the meek, the hungry. And, btw, perhaps God takes a dim view of loading your selves up with designer clothing from a shopping spree on someone else's dime (or rather $150,000).

In the last few months, Palin had laid the groundwork for a possible presidential run, establishing a political action committee, SarahPAC. She has a very lucrative (especially for someone who is not all that literate) book deal. Of course, she has a co-writer. And she is moving forward to whatever she is up to.

The recent Vanity Fair piece here shows the extent of her unpredictable, even erratic, behavior. It’s a sobering look at one who could have sat in the second highest office in this country. Our nation's near-peril was trifled with by a GOP which ironically only wanted to win and reflexively dismissed the larger issue of fitness to serve.

What is once again evident is that far too many people fail to vote with a grasp of the facts, knowledge of candidate inconsistencies and fabrications, and fitness for office. Too many were and are willing to fall into line if their buttons are pushed and the right ideological buzzwords uttered. It’s a frightening thought and not at all comforting as we await the Barracuda's next move.

The responsibility for the crisis belongs with candidates such as John McCain, who don’t thoroughly vet their choices; with candidates such as Sarah Palin, who care more about power and little about serving the public; and with the voters who vote for senseless candidates because they think she is “Godly” or “pro-life” or a “values” candidate, when she really none of these. Her notion of valuing "life" is so one-dimensional it would be laughable if it weren't so appalling.

When citizens fail their precious duty, to vote with knowledge and thoughtfulness, we become our nation's gravest hazard. The sad thing --and the outrageous thing--is we had just been there, with a know nothing and no-nothing George W. Bush. Along with his VP he formed a two-person wrecking crew. How soon we forget?

In her repeated tantrums, her anger, her fulminating at the media, she saw everyone else as to blame. And it becomes clear that, sadly, Sarah Palin cares only about herself. That is her legacy (to herself). America will have to, must, look elsewhere. But in Evansville, IN, this spring, Sarah Palin brought out thousands to the local civic center. We write off this dangerous political figure at our--and our nation's-- peril.