by Stan Dyer

Created on: October 03, 2008

I am not Joe Six-Pack
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Who doesn't love Sarah Palin? She's precious! She's adorable! She is almost a breath of fresh air in a stale, old, tired Republican Party. She is the perfect contrast to McCain's "grampa" image and an excellent choice for him as a running mate. To some she may come off as a cross between Shirley Temple and Dan Quayle in a scene from "<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /

>Fargo", but no one can deny that her cup does overflow with "cute". Nonetheless, I personally resent her referring to the entire middle-class as either "Joe Six-Pack" or "Hockey Mom" and it frightens me to think what would happen if she had to take over the presidency.

Sure, there are many "Joe Six-Packs" and many "Hockey Moms" in the middle class, but there are also many who do not fit that mold. I, for one, do not see myself as either "Joe Six-Pack" or "Hockey Mom". As a result, I feel Palin is leaving people like me out when referring to a "specialized" middle-class as if minorities don't count. Her generalizations exclude many Americans and make us feel her party, the party who selected her as a running mate, would also exclude our thoughts, feelings and needs if they were ever to occupy the White House. Maybe that is just me and maybe that is petty, but it becomes real and scary when you consider exactly what the Vice President's job is and what could happen.

According to the Constitution, the job of the Vice President is to preside over the Senate as its speaker, to break any voting ties in the Senate, and, if the situation should present itself, take over for the President. In the presidential election of 1840, a candidate named William Henry Harrison won the election by selling the public on his down-home, folksy, and war-hero image. The only truth in that was he was a war hero, if you consider the massacre of almost defenseless Native Americans on the banks of the Tippecanoe River heroism. Nonetheless, America bought it and he was elected the ninth president of the United States. Next, things got interesting.

After giving a lengthy inaugural speech in the cold and the rain, Harrison became ill. Approximately one month later, he ended the shortest term ever as president when he died of his illness, which, by Constitution, made his running mate, John Tyler the new President of the United States. No one expected that and no one, except Tyler, wanted it, but it happened. So, what happens if McCain is elected with Sarah Palin as his Vice President? If McCain becomes ill or incapacitated in any way, Sarah Palin would become President and that scares me. I can think of no "Joe Six-Pack" or any "Hockey Mom", (even if they are Governors), who I want in charge of the future of this nation.

Sure Sarah Palin is cute as heck. There is no doubt she can wrestle with moose and play hockey with the big boys, but so can Elly May Clampett, who is just as cute and I do not want either one of them that close to the Presidency. There is nothing wrong with being middle class and there is nothing wrong with playing with the big boys, but we are not all Hockey Moms and we are not all suited for the Presidency. Before you cast your vote in November, think about the election of 1840, think about how many "Joe Six-Packs" and "Hockey Moms" you know who would make good presidents and think about the future of our country. Cute is a nice personality trait for anyone to have, but it takes a lot more than cute to make a good leader.

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