You guys are trying to figure out what makes Sarah Palin tick.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

Sarah Palin is the culmination, the end result of many years of the Republican party's outreach and seduction of the most radical elements of the right. The extremists, the Christian Identity people, the regional separatists, the militias, the whackos and the crazies. This outreach was started by Helen Chenoweth, back in the early 90's, when it became apparent that minorities were not rushing to join the Republicans and the party felt that by tacking right, they would pick up votes and ground troops.

The views that Palin and others ascribe to are not new. They have been around for quite a number of years, amongst quite a number of groups. They can best be described as "the views of us and them". Essentially, this says that everyone who is not the "us" is the enemy. Anyone who is different in skin color, ethnic background, religion or whatever is the enemy. History shows that the lengths the adherents to this philosophy will go, to strike against this enemy are sometimes quite extreme. As in killing, bombing, robbery and more. Oh, the greatest enemy is the federal government, which stands between them and their aspirations, and collects taxes along the way. Make no mistake: The Alaska Independence Party was, at its core, about just such things.

Sarah Palin is the end result of all this. The Republicans know they are running from a deficit position and they need their fingiest of fringe base. They don't seem to care that in empowering these positions, they open a Pandora's Box. Of course, the Republicans that are peeling away from their party and endorsing Obama, like Jim Leach and potentially Colin Powell, know this intimately. You can be sure there are more. They just aren't talking about it to the press.

For the real background on all this mess, I will once again suggest you go dig around in here: http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/

Dave is the expert on Pacific Northwest radical right. You will be illuminated by his writings and insights. Another reading suggestion is the book "The Silent Brotherhood". It will let you know what happens when these people take it to its farthest extreme.

Happy reading.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Thank you. K&R

[Philosoraptor]

2. She's the Dead Zone candidate

[kurth_]

3. Either you are with her or against her

Palin is resolute and always right:

Frontiersman Editorial Slammed Palin For Not Tolerating Dissent. A Frontiersman editorial wrote,
“Wasilla is led by a woman who will tolerate no one who questions her actions or her authority.”
(Frontiersman editorial, 3/7/97)

Frontiersman Editorial: Palin Philosophy Is People Are Either With Her or Against Her. A
Frontiersman editorial wrote, “Palin continues to lose public faith sticking by her philosophy that either we are with her or against her.” (Frontiersman editorial, 3/7/97)

Deja vu.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. SOP.

She seems to have been trying to make over Wasilla, into some perfect enclave for her and her followers positions. These people are, by nature, authoritarian. They countenance no opposition and have a historical penchant for doing whatever it takes to defeat said opposition. "With her or against her" is the very embodiment of the Manachaen worldview that underpins and informs their every action.

These are not deep thinkers. Mostly brain stem.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

4. Yes, it has become abundantly clear over the past six days

There have been stories that explain why she is the right woman for the job, and stories that explain just what that job is. I always thought Newt Gingrich would be the one chosen to make this assault but a lot of people would have seen that coming. With this one, not so much.

Thanks for the link. Bookmarked.

[blm]

6. Ralph Reed targeting every election at every level, including school boards.

And DNC sitting on their hands throughout the 90s pretending it didn't matter.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. That was a big part...

But Palin and her ilk track back far more to Chenoweth's militia et al. outreach. Helen really worked the cheap and crazy seats.

[Delphinus]

8. Thank you!

I agree with what you say down (or up) thread - they are not deep thinkers.

[cyberspirit]

9. Chuck Todd Calls Palin The Repub's Obama

I didn't know where to post this, but what is Chuck Todd thinking? Comparing Palin to Obama is beyond insulting. I've always had high regard for Chuck, but this is making me take another look. Watching MSNBC this morning gushing over Palin is rather nauseating.

Palin read a speech written by top Republican speech writers and consultants that was nasty, sarcastic and said nothing about how she or the Republicans plan to save this country. McClain gets angry at the media and the media rolls over. Unbelievable.

[NNN0LHI]

10. This is the same crowd Tim McVeigh came from

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

11. Exactly. nt

[slackmaster]

13. She kicked my dog

And I don't even HAVE a dog.

[Zero Division]

12. That pretty much nails it. K&R.

I think McCain was looking for someone with whom the base would strongly identify, but also have the capability to deceptively appeal to a significant potion of those usually turned off by the Republican base ("she's an outsider, a reformer,...etc."). This is why so many Freepers are having joygasms over Palin--why they think she's invincible.

I've said before on DU that the primary motivation of the right wing is maintaining in-group privileges (although identification with an in-group is also an important motivation for many liberals and moderates, as well). You say essentially the same thing in a simpler form by describing is as "the views of us and them".

Excellent blog suggestion, as well. I've been reading Orcinus (Dave Neiwert) for a long time.