Re: The Sarah Palin corner of the Sandbox!

**snooggums** · 10-03-2008, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

Too bad your history teacher isn't around right now to slap you, as you reach for some obscure definition of federalism.

Look, I'll be the first to admit that Governor Pallin hasn't done much to impress me, but I don't see why some of you are stretching to make her look bad. If she said she wanted to protect bats because they eat so many mosquitoes and you start going off on the fact that baseball bats don't eat mosquitoes, would you feel smart?

And to correct anyone else's misconceptions, federalism is a government system where government is shared between states and a national (central) government. The USA is a federation. Each state in the USA is also a federation of counties (or parishes).

Um, he was using the definition of federalism that applies to US government: strong central national government. You are completely wrong here.

**Switchcraft** · 10-03-2008, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by snooggums

Um, he was using the definition of federalism that applies to US government: strong central national government. You are completely wrong here.

I laughed out loud.

The poster you are defending did not post a "definition of federalism", he posted a definition of "federalist", and then bolded a description of the plank of a political party that carried the name.

Federalism, as Cingular pointed out, is a political system. If you had bothered to look it up, in the same dictionary, you would have seen:

Main Entry:
fed·er·al·ism
Pronunciation:
\ˈfe-d(ə-)rə-ˌli-zəm\
Function:
noun
Date:
1787

1 a. often capitalized : the distribution of power in an organization (as a government) between a central authority and the constituent units — compare centralism
b: support or advocacy of this principle

2 capitalized : Federalist principles

Rule of thumb: when you're going to tell someone they're "completely wrong" about a definition, make sure that you have, in fact, bothered to look it up. Otherwise you make it obvious you don't know what you're talking about.

**snooggums** · 10-03-2008, 09:51 AM

Palin said federalist, not federalism. Try reading the thread again.

**Switchcraft** · 10-03-2008, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by snooggums

Palin said federalist, not federalism. Try reading the thread again.

Cing said federalism. And you said he was wrong.
And if you think Palin meant "federalist" as in "a member of the Federalist Party" as compared to the most common definition, which is "an advocate of federalism", which I defined, and Cing defined, then it's because you're being willfully ignorant.

I implore you: look them up before you say something even more wrong.

**leejo** · 10-03-2008, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Switchcraft

Cing said federalism. And you said he was wrong.
And if you think Palin meant "federalist" as in "a member of the Federalist Party" as compared to the most common definition, which is "an advocate of federalism", which I defined, and Cing defined, then it's because you're being willfully ignorant.

I implore you: look them up before you say something even more wrong.

Implore? I'd think a "strongly suggest" would be more than sufficient. Personally I'd only be willing to suggest. You're too nice.

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 10-03-2008, 11:41 AM

Palin did better than I thought. Meaning she didn't pull a Stockdale.

So kudos to her.

And Biden didn't pull a Gore. So kudos to him.

But neither actually impressed. But I think most people watch these things like they watch NASCAR. Just hoping, deep down in the dark place, for a big crash and burn.

**MagnaCentipede** · 10-03-2008, 12:33 PM

"I think most people watch these things like they watch NASCAR. Just hoping, deep down in the dark place, for a big crash and burn."

QFT
Also, as in sports, every "play" is followed by fans either trying to rub a "score" into the other team's face, or trying to defend a fumble with a flimsy on-the-spot excuse or re-framing of the situation.

**DeePsix** · 10-03-2008, 12:39 PM

QFT Indeed. I don't think anyone realized that the debate isn't the same format as the Katie Couric interviews where Palin actually has to justify answers by being asked follow-ups. This was just more of a firing off of lines from stump speeches.

Atleast Palin looked at Joe Biden. Both I thought gave a better performance. I actually liked Biden during the debate.

**Gambit7** · 10-03-2008, 02:05 PM

The only reason Palin DIDNT crash and burn is because Biden couldn't/wouldn't attack her. I sat through the whole debate practically yelling at him to challenge her on SOMETHING... he let her off the hook WAY too much, even when she clearly was avoiding questions.

Yah, he won the debate handily and Palin barely scraped by... but he could've made it a lot worse for her and McCain pretty easily. Opportunity lost IMO.

**Hambergler** · 10-03-2008, 03:34 PM

I was waiting for Biden to say "**** answer the question" and become the most hated white man on the planet. Every time a little steam would start coming out of his ears he would crack a big smile.

Obamas camp knew she would hang herself, and she did. And they didn't even have to get their hands dirty. Well played.

**WhiskeySix** · 10-03-2008, 04:48 PM

**Skylark** · 10-03-2008, 07:51 PM

Rofl

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 10-04-2008, 01:13 AM

Brian Williams on David Letterman just put the Palin question as I see it.

I will paraphrase.

Two ways of looking at it.

One is that she is definitely not a politician and because of this she brings a different view. A view that is closer to the average American and is different from the old white guy that is a career politician we have been dealing with forever.

The other is imagine it is another 9/11 and the president is in a position such that he cannot know the situation or make decisions. Or maybe he is taken out in the attack. So she is now in control of the American government and calling the shots.

Interesting.

**RudeBoy** · 10-04-2008, 04:40 PM

different from the old white guy that is a career politician we have been dealing with forever.

to me shes just an old white guy in a soccer mom costume. listen to her talk, shes George Bush in a dress.

**ScratchMonkey** · 10-06-2008, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by RudeBoy

to me shes just an old white guy in a soccer mom costume. listen to her talk, shes George Bush in a dress.

Well blow out the candles and put the cork back in the wine. You just spoiled the mood.

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