The Chill in Georgia is More Than the Weather

Gov. Palin "signs autographs" in Savannah. Isn't that too much makeup? Photo (cc) by Dizzy Girl.

It was a dark, cloudy, chilly day here in Georgia.  But it wasn’t just the weather.  That Alaskan beauty pageant runner-up Sarah Palin was in our state today.  Palin was here to campaign for Republican Incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss, who faces Democrat Jim Martin in a run-off tomorrow.  How nice of Gov. Palin to come down here to the “Real America” in the deep south, where we sure do love our guns and freedoms!  (Freedoms for everyone except for gay folk, that is.) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that one Augusta woman stood behind Palin holding a sign that read “Save my Gun” at the first rally of the day.  I’d rather someone save jobs and lives through affordable healthcare rather than saving guns.  The GOP is banking on Georgians clinging to guns and God rather than worrying about jobs and healthcare.  It worked for them in the Bush years–that and stirring up hatred and fear of queers.

Between the hard-right leanings of Palin and Chambliss, it’s a miracle the whole state didn’t tip into the Atlantic ocean.  According to ABC News, Palin told a decidedly smaller crowd than her Presidential campaign angry mobs that:  “We need Saxby because we need checks and balances in Washington, and we will not have that if Saxby is not re-elected. With one party in control of the House and the Senate and the White House we need a conservative who will speak for themselves.”

Ignoring Palin’s grammatical challenges, I couldn’t help but wonder what checks and balances she meant.  The only checks and balances I’m worried about right now are how to balance my checkbook in the middle of the Republican’s economic recession.  Maybe it’s just me, but the conservative trickle-down theory sure felt more like a tinkle-down in practice.  Palin doesn’t understand the concept of checks and balances (which is understandable from someone who doesn’t know what the Vice President does).  There are three branches of government in the United States.  The Supreme Court is dominated by conservatives.  There’s your balance.  What we don’t need is Republicans in Congress filibustering their way through the Obama presidency, slowing down hopes of early and decisive change.

Palin is like one of those horror movie monsters that keep sneaking up on you when you least expect them.  One of those evils that just won’t stay down.  It is truly chilling.  So no matter how cold the weather tomorrow, I’m getting out early to vote for Jim Martin for U.S. Senate.