Politics

First of all, Bloomberg's move to extend term limits:

This quote from Randi Weingarten really stuck out for me:

One powerful union leader, Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said she was uncertain about what steps, if any, the union would take to oppose the mayor’s efforts to extend term limits.

“I am going to have a real discussion with our members, and I wish that there would be a real discussion in the city,” Ms. Weingarten said. “This is a significant policy change, and there has been no real public airing of the debate. We live in a unprecedented world right now, and we have to explore the pros and cons of changing, and of doing it in this kind of way, rather than putting it to the voters.”

So yeah, what's the deal with not listening to the people who put these politicians in office? This term limit change has been voted down twice; even if Bloomberg is a great mayor, and wants to keep serving the city, he could do that in a private capacity without this last minute bid for power. He could support the process as it exists (for a reason) and support the next mayor with his money and expertise. Ugh.

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And the debate. I don't have TV, but we watched it live on the NY Times Online. Honestly, I wanted to weep with frustration at times. Palin refused to answer pointed questions, and worked from a script that was old and tired. Reform? Maverick? Puleeeze. I thought Biden did a good job of trying to keep her on track and made some strong points and counterpoints without being patronizing. I did appreciate his one emotional moment where he talked about his own experience with single parenting - and he almost made me believe in that Old American Dream of success. Palin made me feel like I was sure to just stay stuck in the middle class forever, and her failure to talk up any actual plans for reform was disappointing, but not unexpected.

I also just wanted to cry when I saw her up there with her family. I can't help but feel sorry for her; a new baby with special needs, a pregnant teen daughter, and being put squarely in the spotlight. Despite her clear lack of ability for this job, I was impressed with her for getting up there and sticking it out despite the fact that I wanted to reach through the screen and shake her a bunch of times. I could love to hate her, but something in me thinks she might go home and cry after some of these events. She must feel so patronized by the McCain ticket she's on - guarded and shielded (badly). She reminds me of the girl in Anastasia, except she's not the real thing. She's just being prepared in the same way, but with less success.

It's just too bad that she thinks her ability to govern a state that has less people in it that the city I just moved from gives her the experiernce to help govern a nation. I still don't think she knows what a VP does.