Balkinization: Palin, conservative populists, and freedom

Palin, conservative populists, and freedom

Priscilla J. Smith

George Lakoff makes the point in his excellent post on the Huffington Post, available at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/the-palin-choice-and-the_b_123012.html, that the choice of Gov. Palin to be on McCain’s ticket reflects the Republican’s “understanding of the political mind and political marketing.” While he calls it “expert understanding,” I’m wondering if they haven’t finally miscalculated.

Lakoff warns that “Democrats who simply belittle the Palin choice are courting disaster” and that democrats should not be distracted by the “realities” of her positions, her ideology, her inexperience, etc. Agreed. Instead, he argues, we should be worried about her symbolism, her potential ability to “activate the conservative view of the world.” In other words, as I wrote before, she represents “wife,” the kind of wife who the Republicans believe will appeal to “conservative populists,” like – to return to my Little House references – Ma and Pa Ingalls. Lakoff describes this group as: “conservative on patriotism and certain social and family issues, which they have been led to see as ‘moral,’ progressive in loving the land, living in communities of care, and practical kitchen table issues like mortgages, health care, wages, retirement, and so on.”

At the heart of the question of how America – the Ingalls and specifically women who swing (their votes) – will react to Palin are two questions. First, how will they react to the symbolism of this kind of wife? And second, how will Palin finesse the contradiction at the core of her symbolic self? The policies she promotes require the all giving and sacrificial mother, but she claims to be ready to serve as Commander in Chief. Perhaps the First Dude is the primary caretaker – fine with me – but then does our freedom depend on our ability to land such a Dude? Of course, this works fine for the right. They are fine with contradictory imagery, as long as it hides truly regressive policies. But the Ingalls always knew how to smell a rat.

Posted 9:59 PM by Priscilla J. Smith [link]

Comments:

Then we have Palin on freedom of speech.

She was almost too much for even Alaskans....

Of course, book burning goes down good with the Republican "base" (and that term is strangely appropriate). So our recent throngs of Palin defenders (and RNC Blog-Point hustlers) should be ecstatic; she's their type of candidate, sure to win hearts and minds all across 'Merkuh.....

How about this quote:

11. Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

Palin: "Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance."

I can see why she wants to ban books; she doesn't want anyone to find out how ignerrent she is....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 10:32 PM

This comment has been removed by the author.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 9:34 AM

This post begins to get to the root of what is driving the left to distraction about Palin and why the conservatives are utterly thrilled with this pick.

GOP central casting could not come up with a more attractive social conservative icon who pushes nearly every button in our social divide. A strong church going woman who hunts caribou, married her high school sweetheart and stayed married, mothered five children, gave life to her last special needs child rather than killing him in an abortion, gave her pregnant minor daughter unconditional love when she kept her child and decided to marry the father, and BTW has a day job as a Reagan revolutionary governor cutting taxes and spending while taking on corruption to earn an 80% approval rating from her constituents.

Ms. Smith, Gov. Palin is hardly a "rat" hiding her philosophy from the voters. Rather, she is an open and proud role model for everything in which she believes. It is the very fact that she is a role model who offers a very attractive social alternative is what justifiably worries the left.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 9:43 AM

Bart,

You're projecting again.

You might want to take a look at this before determining that Sarah Palin is the second coming of Ronald Reagan.

# posted by

C2H50H : 9:57 AM

Bart: "...what is driving the left to distraction about Palin..."
It's terrible. We have the same problem as a pride of lions circling a herd of zebras, deciding which target to go for first.

# posted by

James Wimberley : 11:13 AM

c2h50h said...

Bart,You're projecting again. You might want to take a look at this before determining that Sarah Palin is the second coming of Ronald Reagan.

Neither Reagan nor Palin are Mother Theresa and no politician in the history of the world's second oldest profession has ever been completely consistent.

Time has a biographical piece on Palin's political history in Alaska and confirms the initial reports that the Alaska countryside is figuratively littered with the bodies of her political opponents for a variety of reasons. "Sarah Barracuda" is not a woman to be trifled with.

In the case of the state trooper, feel free to take the side of the wife and child abuser whom Sarah tried to remove from government employment. See if that works politically for you among women and most men.

The Dems would be far better advised to studiously ignore Palin and have their allies in the press black her out. The alternative of smearing her is going to buy the Dems nothing but grief. They will suffer the twin consequences of appearing to pick on the girl while keeping the spotlight on Plain while she feeds them their lunch with a perky beauty queen smile on her fact.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 1:01 PM

"Bart" DeStoopido:

This post begins to get to the root of what is driving the left to distraction about Palin and why the conservatives are utterly thrilled with this pick.

No. My comment (at the top of the comments section) gets at the root of this dichotomy of reaction.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:53 PM

"Bart" DeFlacka:

Ms. Smith, Gov. Palin is hardly a "rat" hiding her philosophy from the voters....

... which explains why she just lawyered up..... ;-)

You think the folks there will cite her firing of the librarian and police chief as proof of habit or character trait in her trial?

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:56 PM

Neither Reagan nor Palin are Mother Theresa and no politician in the history of the world's second oldest profession has ever been completely consistent....

"... which explains why it's OK if we do it, but it's evidence of a deep character flaw when the Dummycrats (allegedly) do it."

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:59 PM

Bart,

Apparently you have no problem with an elected official very likely behaving unethically and then lying about it. Please forgive the rest of us if we object.

Which is Governor Palin: a political barracuda who will turn on even those in her own party if she sees political advantage, or a "girl"?

You can't have it both ways, although you'd seem to like to.

# posted by

C2H50H : 2:11 PM

GOP central casting could not come up with a more attractive social conservative icon who pushes nearly every button in our social divide.

Pat Buchanan's speech in Houston in 1992 pushed every button in our social divide too, and conservatives went nuts for it.

You guys need to learn that pushing buttons in our social divide is a very good way to lose elections.

# posted by

Dilan : 2:31 PM