Quote:
Originally posted by Tim Murphy:
I suggest that Spherians show a little deference to the people who elected her to govern a landmass one third the size of the continental US, where Little Diomede is 800 yards from Russia. How many of you pouring derision on this choice have been to The Great Land, have seen the Alaska Pipeline, have hiked in brown bear country? You people are SO provincial.
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Tim, I think Daniel and Lo have responded well to this, but I couldn't resist as it seemed to be one of the silliest things I have ever read by you.
Why should anyone show deference to an electorate for its choice? People elect idiots, criminals, and scoundrels all the time, not to mention bad politicians.
Unless you meant to suggest we show deference to Palin for having been elected. But that is just as silly. Show respect perhaps, if she deserves it, but deference? No. Show deference for the office, maybe, but not for the office holder, who in our unique system is supposed to be one of the people, representing the people, and working for the people.
If we show deference to elected officials simply because they got themselves elected, then we abdicate our civic duties and cede control of our government. And in a democratic system already as flawed and unrealized as ours, such considerations are doubly, triply, quadruply important.
By the way I have vacationed in Alaska and hiked in bear country there, though I haven't seen the pipeline. It was a relatively short visit, which I enjoyed immensely, but which doesn't seem to be having much impact on the formation of my opinions about Palin one way or another. Of course I have never been to Russia and I have all sorts of opinions about Putin. Meanwhile, having spent most of my life in California hasn't given me as much insight into the election of its governors as I might wish I had, and it certainly hasn't helped me develop feelings of deference for any of them or for the voters of the state as a group.
David R.