Palin

[Smiling JOe]

Thanks for the info. So given that a Democratic Congress has to appoint her VP, should something happen to McCain, don't you think they will select someone with experience, just as Obama has done in selecting his VP? Who knows, they may even choose a Democrat. ???

 

[Chickpea]

Thanks for the info. So given that a Democratic Congress has to appoint her VP, should something happen to McCain, don't you think they will select someone with experience, just as Obama has done in selecting his VP? Who knows, they may even choose a Democrat. ???

That was an interesting question you posed and one I did not know the answer to (thanks SJ and Goofer).

One quick fact that FREAKS me out although I know that many people will dismiss this as inconsequential whereas to me it is speaks volumes about one's curiousness and natural inquisitiveness.

Sarah Pallin only applied and got a passport in 2007!! She had to go to Kuwait as a govenor representing the Guard.

It always bothered me alot about G.W Bush that given his EXTREMELY privileged background and opportunities that he had traveled so little in his life (with his father as head of CIA, VP and President) - that lack of curiosity and interest in the rest of the world was a lareg contributor (IMHO) to his arrogrance and dismissal of others opinions.

This election for me and for obvious reasons is much more than just domestic policies (although I do admit they are and should be center stage right nwo given how messed up we are) but it is quite disconcerting that Pallin has seen nothing of the world!!

 

[Miss Kitty]

That was an interesting question you posed and one I did not know the answer to (thanks SJ and Goofer).

One quick fact that FREAKS me out although I know that many people will dismiss this as inconsequential whereas to me it is speaks volumes about one's curiousness and natural inquisitiveness.

Sarah Pallin only applied and got a passport in 2007!! She had to go to Kuwait as a govenor representing the Guard.

It always bothered me alot about G.W Bush that given his EXTREMELY privileged background and opportunities that he had traveled so little in his life (with his father as head of CIA, VP and President) - that lack of curiosity and interest in the rest of the world was a lareg contributor (IMHO) to his arrogrance and dismissal of others opinions.

This election for me and for obvious reasons is much more than just domestic policies (although I do admit they are and should be center stage right nwo given how messed up we are) but it is quite disconcerting that Pallin has seen nothing of the world!!

I am really interested in what you have to say because you, not being born here, but choosing this as your country gives you a different perspective. I so agree with you about the importance of Americans learning about the rest of the world. I have traveled a bit overseas and as you might imagine, I find a friend/victim to talk with wherever I go. ;-) I love learning from people about their experiences and how they view the world and America. It is amazing how many people (mostly Canadians and Australians) on my last trip to Canada were McCain supporters! I do know that not everyone in America can or chooses to travel beyond their borders. So, to this end, it is imperative that we teach our children about the world in school to give them the best chance to understand there is a big world out there with people and governments that differ from ours. You can be a great teacher here on sowal.com.

Please be patient with us...teach us and don't give up on us.

 

[Smiling JOe]

chickpea, I don't know why Bush didn't travel, but one guess might be that with Daddy Bush in the CIA, VP and Pres, he was scared to travel outside the US due to fearing potential security threats. I'm just thinking that the head of the CIA might have reason to fear the safety of family, when traveling abroad.

I would love to travel the world, has always been a goal of mine, but I'm broke. There is a small part of me which would be concerned when traveling to some parts of the world, even right here in the good ole US of A, but that alone, won't stop me.

Why didn't Palin not travel? Good question, but she does live in a state which is half the size of the Continental US, and gives much room for exploring. Maybe she didn't have intentions of being a worldly person. I have many friends who used to always be talking about wanting to travel to many places in Europe. However, when I asked them how many states in the US they have explored, I learned that most of them hadn't even explored much of their own state, much less the others. Going to NYC is rather cool, but a 4 day trip to NYC doesn't mean you have a taste for what NY (the State) is like. Most of my friends idea of exploring the US, meant shopping in NYC, gambling in Vegas, maybe touring wine country in CA, going to DC for 3 days to see the Mall, Disney World, and maybe going to Seaworld. Those are all great things to do, and good places to visit, but not my idea of seeing what this Country offers. I've been working on venturing out from my home, exploring first my own yard, then moving out from there. There is no right or wrong way to explore, and I may die before I get to India, but for now, I'm going to explore that which is around me. Last week, I led some people on a nature walk. We stopped to look at some deer tracks, while stopped, we saw raccoon tracks, then a walking-stick bug, then an ant-lion, then a frog, all while standing still for ten seconds. There is as much to see in the microscopic world around us, as there is in the entire world, if we just take the time to look. Someone once talked about seeing the world in a grain of sand.

Maybe Palin has been seeing much of Alaska, and as a Governor, wants to focus on that. My guess is that she never set her sights on the Office of VP or Pres, and therefore never felt the need to travel. Does that make her less versed in worldly issues? With the internet available, I think it would be easy to learn something about most of the world, from the luxury of your sofa. That doesn't discount the valuable experience of going to Iran, talking with people, feeling the culture, hearing the language, seeing people, eating the food, and exploring the land and businesses. Traveling brings a third dimension to a two dimension perspective, and surely can add to anyone's perspective.

 

[Chickpea]

I am really interested in what you have to say because you, not being born here, but choosing this as your country gives you a different perspective. I so agree with you about the importance of Americans learning about the rest of the world. I have traveled a bit overseas and as you might imagine, I find a friend/victim to talk with wherever I go. ;-) I love learning from people about their experiences and how they view the world and America. It si amazing how many people (mostly Canadians and Australians) on my last trip to Canada were McCain supporters! I do know that not everyone in America can or chooses to travel beyond their borders. So, to this end, it is imperative that we teach our children about the world in school to give them the best chance to understand there is a big world out there with people and governments that differ from ours. You can be a great teacher here on sowal.com.

Please be patient with us...teach us and don't give up on us.

What a kind email and I will not lose patience- no worry!

I recognize that not everyone has the means to travel - I also have seen many many people chose to spend whatever small discretionary income they have on travel - I have made many financial decisions in my life that were personal to me so that I COULD travel - but for me they were easy - I would rather (and have) spend my money on traveling the world than on other things. I am VERY lucky and priviledged that my choices were never about food on the table or a roof over my head versus travel - but they were about owning a small compact car, living in a smaller house, not having fancy electronics, being very judicious in my spending on clothes, restaurants, etc.. but traveling is what feeds my soul and fuels my interest in the world. And I have seen others with considerable less money also travel because it was a strong desire.

Creative people can also find ways to get paid for their travels OR if not paid, partially subsidizied. I went to Haiti for 2 summers when I was a college student to help red cross and specifically to help working women get food on their tables to feed their families. I got grants to travel, wrote essays ad nauseum to travel, volunteered so that I could travel, mader penpals and friends in my travels so that we could exchange houses, etc, etc...

I literally POUND it into the heads of people I work with to travel - I see so many who are still unmarried, unattached and earn an OK living - and I tell them constantly to do it NOW while they are relatively free and mobile - it does get harder.

Traveling does not make you smarter BUT it gives you a perspective on the world that is otherwises hard to acquire (even in this day of internet access everywhere).

I love the US and having had my family forced to leave countries because of war (and having multiple times lost ALL of their belongings) I feel truely blessed and lucky to be here. But I also love other countries I have lived in (including some in the middle east)- and caring about the foreign policies of any administration is crucial to me. I have had many interesting discussions with some American jewish friends who are so staunch pro-israeli that they would rather vote on that ONE issue - could that potentially be seen as treasonous by some - maybe - for me it is understandable for those to whom the state of Israel MUST survive that this would be their one issue. They will vote for McCain regardless because they do not trust or know Obama well enough to know how he will help protect their country - on every other issue they disagree with McCain and actually think he will be worse for America and even though they live here and american issues is what they should also care about they are dismissing this.

An interesting world we live in!!

 

[Smiling JOe]

Let me add one thing, even if I had a political career, I wouldn't accept a position such as VP without traveling to many parts of the world.

 

[Miss Kitty]

SJ and Chickpea...you both made my day. Thanks. I hope everone finds it as interesting as I, that until you know a person's experience, you cannot truly understand their postion or outlook. Fascinating, indeed.

 

[Cil]

Yes, the foreign policy depth (or lack thereof) of McCain/Palin does concern me.
I realize that not everyone has the opportunity to travel, and I also realize that some voters are attracted to Gov. Palin's down-to-earth populist hero persona, but there does seem to be a lack of intellectual curiosity that does indeed remind me of President Bush. If you are not curious enough about the world to care to travel, what does this say about your world view?
When I try to picture Gov. Palin as our Vice President,holding forth with world leaders, it is a bit worriesome.
Maybe she is indeed a quick study, and I hope so.
The Biden/Palin debates are Thursday, October 2nd, and I'll be watching.

 

[Smiling JOe]

If she is only VP, her lack of worldly experience probably won't matter much. Can you name one VP that was traveling around dealing with foreign countries? They may have done it, but I sure cannot recall one. Cheney probably has done more than others as VP, but with GW in the White House, someone needs to be thinking. Her lack of worldly experience probably comes into play when we think of something happening to McCain, and she has to step-in. As I mentioned, then her appointed VP will surely be experienced in worldly matters.

 

[NoHall]

Thanks for the info. So given that a Democratic Congress has to appoint her VP, should something happen to McCain, don't you think they will select someone with experience, just as Obama has done in selecting his VP? Who knows, they may even choose a Democrat. ???

That's not what he said. If McCain croaks, she is President. Congress appoints her new VP. If something happens to McCain and Palin at once, Pelosi (God forbid!) would be president.