Intellectual Dishonesty

Though I'm adamant on this blog being about ideas and style and not me personally, from time to time I will refer to my parents in this blog because they have shaped alot of my ideas. They were older, grew up in the 1930s and both served our country in World War II, Dad then married to his first wife enlisted and fortunately for my half brother and sister who were small at the time was sent to a battleship in the south Pacific, far away from active conflict. Mom had yet to meet my Dad and was one of the many single women who came from all over the country to work for the government when the war broke out. She was an editor at the State Department and when the time came for restabilization efforts in Manila and Okinawa and people were needed to go over there, she went. They loved this country and unfortunately both are gone now, but as a testament to how much they loved America, both are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

We frequently had dinner table conversations about politics, especially in that intense period around 1971 and 1972 where my Dad would complain of President Nixon's habit of "wanting to make one thing perfectly clear" or saying something was "crystal clear". How could he talk like that when he covered up *something* in Watergate, when he may well have erased tape? He would always then go on to say he was intellectually dishonest.

I wonder what my Dad would say today to a Republican party whose candidates for President and Vice President make Nixon look like a completely transparent, open guy. Much has been said about Sarah Palin these past few days but what makes me the angriest is not the family issues but the intellectual dishonesty.

In her acceptance speech last night she spoke of being a maverick, of saying thanks but no thanks to the Gravina Island Bridge, also known as the Bridge to Nowhere. She spoke of refusing to take congressional monies for many things. But what's this? And what would be done, could be done with $91 million dollars. Probably a LOT for teenage mothers.

Even The Heritage Foundation has spoken out against this project. The same group that on its homepage touts Sarah Palin's proposals and grasp of energy issues.

This is intellectual dishonesty at its best, never mind the many MANY other reasons these people do not and MUST not represent our country or be given responsibility of any kind. When I contrast this dishonesty, and her acceptance speech last night with Senator Biden's acceptance speech at last week's DNC, I am as proud to be a Democrat as I have ever been.