Republican Party now glorifies Palin's daughter

[HAL 9000 96]

the daughter got knocked up by her boyfriend..i am glad she was not black, then the GOP been saying what a #######

i was totally thinking this when i read your post.

all i know is that i've worked in inner city public schools, where a high percentage of teenage girls find themselves pregnant.

how come none of them are praised for being brave or making a difficult decision or embarking on a difficult journey...? A model of the American family?

IMO it's not an issue of race, but of class. I don't think that most republicans care whether teenagers have babies as long as their tax dollars don't go towards raising them.

Exactly.

The official line I'm hearing about this (from a right wing POV) is that it's about loving your children even when they make mistakes and supporting their decisions. The left wing POV (not shared by everyone, but I'm hearing it a lot) is that this pregnancy is shameful. Maybe Bristol should be banished to a nunnery?

It's a topsy turvy election when people I should agree with politically sound like the lecturing moral police.

I don't think that is quite true. I think there are people who want to see the GOP or right wing or whatever it is flounder because they consider this a percieved moral hypocracy. However, I think Jenn is on the button. Although the right agenda is family values, no sex before marriage etc, the reality is that these are real people who have real families with all the problems that always entails. The truth is, that if you do make a mistake, make sure you can pay for it, financially as well as emotionally, because it's not up to the goverment to fix these mistakes once made. I think that's the reality.

Right on!!

This is the main misunderstanding of what it means to be a republican. We strive to live by our morals but we are also human. We are human and sometimes don't live up to our goals. All people make mistakes regardless of our political stripe. The difference between us is how we react to the mistakes.

You'd like to think so, wouldn't you? But if the vast majority of teen pregnancies are in red states (all but three of the 25 states with highest rates of teen pregnancy are red states: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/6/145758/107) ...

then it only stands to reason that a good percentage of Republicans are taking the dole to pay for their babies.

Gary's logic fails again!

I kind of agree with Gary. People are people.

[GaryC 7]

the daughter got knocked up by her boyfriend..i am glad she was not black, then the GOP been saying what a #######

i was totally thinking this when i read your post.

all i know is that i've worked in inner city public schools, where a high percentage of teenage girls find themselves pregnant.

how come none of them are praised for being brave or making a difficult decision or embarking on a difficult journey...? A model of the American family?

IMO it's not an issue of race, but of class. I don't think that most republicans care whether teenagers have babies as long as their tax dollars don't go towards raising them.

Exactly.

The official line I'm hearing about this (from a right wing POV) is that it's about loving your children even when they make mistakes and supporting their decisions. The left wing POV (not shared by everyone, but I'm hearing it a lot) is that this pregnancy is shameful. Maybe Bristol should be banished to a nunnery?

It's a topsy turvy election when people I should agree with politically sound like the lecturing moral police.

I don't think that is quite true. I think there are people who want to see the GOP or right wing or whatever it is flounder because they consider this a percieved moral hypocracy. However, I think Jenn is on the button. Although the right agenda is family values, no sex before marriage etc, the reality is that these are real people who have real families with all the problems that always entails. The truth is, that if you do make a mistake, make sure you can pay for it, financially as well as emotionally, because it's not up to the goverment to fix these mistakes once made. I think that's the reality.

Right on!!

This is the main misunderstanding of what it means to be a republican. We strive to live by our morals but we are also human. We are human and sometimes don't live up to our goals. All people make mistakes regardless of our political stripe. The difference between us is how we react to the mistakes.

You'd like to think so, wouldn't you? But if the vast majority of teen pregnancies are in red states (all but three of the 25 states with highest rates of teen pregnancy are red states: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/6/145758/107) ...

then it only stands to reason that a good percentage of Republicans are taking the dole to pay for their babies.

Gary's logic fails again!

Thats quite a leap to come to that conclusion. All states have a diversity of dems and reps, just some states have a few more of one over the other. You also fail to realize that there are twice the number of red states over blue ones. But it fits your narrow minded hatred for anything that doesn't fit your twisted ideas. Your logic is a tragic failure as usual.

[Peikko 1,575]

the daughter got knocked up by her boyfriend..i am glad she was not black, then the GOP been saying what a #######

i was totally thinking this when i read your post.

all i know is that i've worked in inner city public schools, where a high percentage of teenage girls find themselves pregnant.

how come none of them are praised for being brave or making a difficult decision or embarking on a difficult journey...? A model of the American family?

IMO it's not an issue of race, but of class. I don't think that most republicans care whether teenagers have babies as long as their tax dollars don't go towards raising them.

Exactly.

The official line I'm hearing about this (from a right wing POV) is that it's about loving your children even when they make mistakes and supporting their decisions. The left wing POV (not shared by everyone, but I'm hearing it a lot) is that this pregnancy is shameful. Maybe Bristol should be banished to a nunnery?

It's a topsy turvy election when people I should agree with politically sound like the lecturing moral police.

I don't think that is quite true. I think there are people who want to see the GOP or right wing or whatever it is flounder because they consider this a percieved moral hypocracy. However, I think Jenn is on the button. Although the right agenda is family values, no sex before marriage etc, the reality is that these are real people who have real families with all the problems that always entails. The truth is, that if you do make a mistake, make sure you can pay for it, financially as well as emotionally, because it's not up to the goverment to fix these mistakes once made. I think that's the reality.

Right on!!

This is the main misunderstanding of what it means to be a republican. We strive to live by our morals but we are also human. We are human and sometimes don't live up to our goals. All people make mistakes regardless of our political stripe. The difference between us is how we react to the mistakes.

Hold on Gary, I don't think that's quite true either. I think the reactions cannot be split along party lines either. What I think is true the perception of how to help the people that end up in this position, and equally if not more importantly the ideas put forward to PREVENT as far as possible these mistakes happening time and time again is split along party lines.

The GOP would like it if the government never had to intervene to aid either with help once it's happened or prevention because that smacks of a tax burden and an interfering federal system.

I think the Dems recognize (yes, my bias showing on this point) that the burden of families who have to shoulder the responsibilities of these types of mistakes are families who can least afford it (hence how it can become a behaviour that goes on from generation to generation) and that prevention is rooted in education. Education of all types, from the home but also from outside authorities. Education in prevention via responsible sexual activity (understanding the value of oneself etc) and via the use of preventitive measures (condoms, pills etc) as necessary.

Those are the issues that should be discussed, not laying petty accusations at the doors of people who are undergoing these difficulties.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Madame Cleo

[almaty 19]

but the gop faction has no lock.. on living their lives the proper way..or being responsible for ones action///

[AlHayatZween 2]

We can make the discussion about class if you want, but we also have to keep in mind that not every girl of a lower or working class background who gets pregnant out of wedlock is going to become a ward of the state.

i think the point is that this is a private matter. and goodness help Bristol Palin and the trials that lie ahead.

that also being said, teenage pregnancy should not be glorified no matter how loving the parents are, how well-off the family is... [i.e., Jaime Lynn Spears sending a baby gift to Briston Palin...it was in the morning press]. C'mon, this is not reality... most teenagers who have babies have a long, hard road cut out for them.

i know about 4 or 5 girls right now who would really love to go on tv and talk about the realities of teenage pregnancy. Would any of them be a suitable pick for a campaign about family values?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I totally agree with you, this is so sicken on how they have glorfied this. Note, neither one of them the girl nor the boy even has a high school diploma. Also her oldest son, has come straight out of school and enlisted into the military.

This is what I see here about Plains:

1. Husband has no JOB

2. Daughter look outside of the family for guidance, she got pregnant when Mom was pregnant with baby brother. Plain and hubby too busy doing other things to relaized daughter was looking for love.

3. Oldest son, running away from home, to the military

4. Nanny will be taken care of baby with Down Syndrome....... He is and will become someone else problem....

5. Plain, is wicked, rude, and nasty.... She is not will never represent woman who work a job and raise their families.

Still amazing to see how poor posts go unchalllenged as long as they fit it with majority opinion. Lame.

- If the girl is 17, how could she have a high diploma?

- It's PALIN not "Plains". Can any of the Palin bashers get the basic facts straight? Nope, that would entail having the critical thought kick in which is strangely absent on this issue.

- Husband has no job! Can't you get anything right?

"For 18 years, he worked for BP Oil in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, in order to avoid a conflict of interest relating to his wife's position as governor, he took a leave[11] from his job as production supervisor when his employer became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with his wife's administration.[4] Seven months later, because the family needed more income, Todd returned to BP, and again in order to avoid potential conflict of interest, he accepted a non-management position as a production operator.[11][1]

He is also a commercial salmon fisherman at Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.[4] Financial statements filed in 2007 show that Palin earned $92,790 from BP and fishing.[5]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Palin

- Son ran away to join military? Hey, if you're going to make up stuff why not be a consistent liar as well. We're all good liberals here so nobody will question you. The son was at the RNC so he isn't hiding very well.

- Will Mrs Obama watch her kids or will she have a nanny, too?

- "Plain (sic) , is wicked, rude, and nasty". She'll be in good company with Hillary.

It just would not be a liberal dominated thread without more ignorance posing as an intelligent observation. There's a new deal on the Internet. It's called a "search engine". You type in a word and . . . I know, I know, it's too difficult and it's easier to think the worst of the political opposition. More demonization.

You know, I doubt that the girl really even HAD a choice about whether or not she wanted to keep the baby. Don't abortion clinics require a parent's permission to perform the procedure on a minor?

"Alaska

No policy in effect.

**Minors can obtain an abortion without parental consent."

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/teenpre...ortion_laws.htm

Of course, there's always the standard "The Republicans would have done it to our people so anything is acceptable." I think Obama will be president but ANY political or personal attack on him and his family will be justified for the next 4 to 8 years if the Democrats choose to have a first strike policy in place on Republicans so let's hear no more complaints about dirty tricks, sound fair? I doubt I'll get agreement on that one.

Nice Alien. The liberals here on VJ are really showing their true colors.

[Peikko 1,575]

I totally agree with you, this is so sicken on how they have glorfied this. Note, neither one of them the girl nor the boy even has a high school diploma. Also her oldest son, has come straight out of school and enlisted into the military.

This is what I see here about Plains:

1. Husband has no JOB

2. Daughter look outside of the family for guidance, she got pregnant when Mom was pregnant with baby brother. Plain and hubby too busy doing other things to relaized daughter was looking for love.

3. Oldest son, running away from home, to the military

4. Nanny will be taken care of baby with Down Syndrome....... He is and will become someone else problem....

5. Plain, is wicked, rude, and nasty.... She is not will never represent woman who work a job and raise their families.

Still amazing to see how poor posts go unchalllenged as long as they fit it with majority opinion. Lame.

- If the girl is 17, how could she have a high diploma?

- It's PALIN not "Plains". Can any of the Palin bashers get the basic facts straight? Nope, that would entail having the critical thought kick in which is strangely absent on this issue.

- Husband has no job! Can't you get anything right?

"For 18 years, he worked for BP Oil in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, in order to avoid a conflict of interest relating to his wife's position as governor, he took a leave[11] from his job as production supervisor when his employer became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with his wife's administration.[4] Seven months later, because the family needed more income, Todd returned to BP, and again in order to avoid potential conflict of interest, he accepted a non-management position as a production operator.[11][1]

He is also a commercial salmon fisherman at Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.[4] Financial statements filed in 2007 show that Palin earned $92,790 from BP and fishing.[5]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Palin

- Son ran away to join military? Hey, if you're going to make up stuff why not be a consistent liar as well. We're all good liberals here so nobody will question you. The son was at the RNC so he isn't hiding very well.

- Will Mrs Obama watch her kids or will she have a nanny, too?

- "Plain (sic) , is wicked, rude, and nasty". She'll be in good company with Hillary.

It just would not be a liberal dominated thread without more ignorance posing as an intelligent observation. There's a new deal on the Internet. It's called a "search engine". You type in a word and . . . I know, I know, it's too difficult and it's easier to think the worst of the political opposition. More demonization.

You know, I doubt that the girl really even HAD a choice about whether or not she wanted to keep the baby. Don't abortion clinics require a parent's permission to perform the procedure on a minor?

"Alaska

No policy in effect.

**Minors can obtain an abortion without parental consent."

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/teenpre...ortion_laws.htm

Of course, there's always the standard "The Republicans would have done it to our people so anything is acceptable." I think Obama will be president but ANY political or personal attack on him and his family will be justified for the next 4 to 8 years if the Democrats choose to have a first strike policy in place on Republicans so let's hear no more complaints about dirty tricks, sound fair? I doubt I'll get agreement on that one.

Nice Alien. The liberals here on VJ are really showing their true colors.

Your attempt to steer this back onto an 'us versus them' course are actually more illuminating of your true colours than some block 'liberal' trait.

[HAL 9000 96]

I totally agree with you, this is so sicken on how they have glorfied this. Note, neither one of them the girl nor the boy even has a high school diploma. Also her oldest son, has come straight out of school and enlisted into the military.

This is what I see here about Plains:

1. Husband has no JOB

2. Daughter look outside of the family for guidance, she got pregnant when Mom was pregnant with baby brother. Plain and hubby too busy doing other things to relaized daughter was looking for love.

3. Oldest son, running away from home, to the military

4. Nanny will be taken care of baby with Down Syndrome....... He is and will become someone else problem....

5. Plain, is wicked, rude, and nasty.... She is not will never represent woman who work a job and raise their families.

Still amazing to see how poor posts go unchalllenged as long as they fit it with majority opinion. Lame.

- If the girl is 17, how could she have a high diploma?

- It's PALIN not "Plains". Can any of the Palin bashers get the basic facts straight? Nope, that would entail having the critical thought kick in which is strangely absent on this issue.

- Husband has no job! Can't you get anything right?

"For 18 years, he worked for BP Oil in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, in order to avoid a conflict of interest relating to his wife's position as governor, he took a leave[11] from his job as production supervisor when his employer became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with his wife's administration.[4] Seven months later, because the family needed more income, Todd returned to BP, and again in order to avoid potential conflict of interest, he accepted a non-management position as a production operator.[11][1]

He is also a commercial salmon fisherman at Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.[4] Financial statements filed in 2007 show that Palin earned $92,790 from BP and fishing.[5]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Palin

- Son ran away to join military? Hey, if you're going to make up stuff why not be a consistent liar as well. We're all good liberals here so nobody will question you. The son was at the RNC so he isn't hiding very well.

- Will Mrs Obama watch her kids or will she have a nanny, too?

- "Plain (sic) , is wicked, rude, and nasty". She'll be in good company with Hillary.

It just would not be a liberal dominated thread without more ignorance posing as an intelligent observation. There's a new deal on the Internet. It's called a "search engine". You type in a word and . . . I know, I know, it's too difficult and it's easier to think the worst of the political opposition. More demonization.

You know, I doubt that the girl really even HAD a choice about whether or not she wanted to keep the baby. Don't abortion clinics require a parent's permission to perform the procedure on a minor?

"Alaska

No policy in effect.

**Minors can obtain an abortion without parental consent."

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/teenpre...ortion_laws.htm

Of course, there's always the standard "The Republicans would have done it to our people so anything is acceptable." I think Obama will be president but ANY political or personal attack on him and his family will be justified for the next 4 to 8 years if the Democrats choose to have a first strike policy in place on Republicans so let's hear no more complaints about dirty tricks, sound fair? I doubt I'll get agreement on that one.

Nice Alien. The liberals here on VJ are really showing their true colors.

Your attempt to steer this back onto an 'us versus them' course are actually more illuminating of your true colours than some block 'liberal' trait.

Until they can wrap their fingers around the idea that they are being quite liberal in broad generalizations, 'their' arguments deflate themselves quite rapidly.

[alienlovechild 75]

Now you've got all the side issues cleaned up Alien do you agree with the OP's theory that the GOP seems to be making this situation out to be somehow wonderful because it's happening to the family of the GOP's VP nominee? Or do you think Palin and her family are being pushed into the limelight by the 'left wing biased media' and they are simply showing the positive side of the situation?

It's a valid point if the GOP and its supporters generally take a different tack on what constitutes good family values.

I don't think Palin went out of her way to shove her pregnant daughter before the public and claim how wonderful it is so you're wrong- again. Most of the cheap shots were spearheaded by the far left Daily Kos and later picked up by the usual left-wing media outlets. Palin defended her family and put her best spin on a less than desirable situation. I'm sure if I started critizing your kids (if you have any) on my first post directed to you you'd lie back and take it, right? You're actually lower than the Republicans if you think all first strike attacks are cool because you claim a higher moral position. In fact I could call you a series of names and make up a few charges because I know you'd do it first because you have a history of giving your frank opinions on the forum and you repeatedly backed this policy.

So you accept my premise that any and all political attacks on the Obamas are justified because we now know that is is line with the widespread justification by Democratic attacks on Palin?

You can't back any family legislation dealing with families if you're family isn't perfect? Hmm, does that mean Obama can't make military decisions because he wasn't in the military? He can't decide on housing issues because of a shady land deal? He can't deal with drug abuse because he abused drugs? He can't be president because most Americans aren't of mixed parentage so he doesn't reflect the American population? He can't make any policy on public schools because his daughters are in private schools?

Nice Alien. The liberals here on VJ are really showing their true colors.

Shouldn't they be posting with yellow font if that's the case?

Edited September 5, 2008 by alienlovechild

[rclouse 0]

That's what gets me about the candidate is the hypocrisy.

"Hi, I'm Sarah Palin. My daughter got knocked up and she decided to keep the baby. You should leave her alone because it's a private matter. Now elect me so I can work to make sure the government invades your privacy and makes that decision for your daughter."

Slowly but surely, rclouse is becoming one of my favorite VJers.

The hypocrisy is indeed what gets me.

Muchas gracias! <bows>

Here's a great video from the Daily Show. Watch Sam Bee make 'em squirm: Video

[Peikko 1,575]

Now you've got all the side issues cleaned up Alien do you agree with the OP's theory that the GOP seems to be making this situation out to be somehow wonderful because it's happening to the family of the GOP's VP nominee? Or do you think Palin and her family are being pushed into the limelight by the 'left wing biased media' and they are simply showing the positive side of the situation?

It's a valid point if the GOP and its supporters generally take a different tack on what constitutes good family values.

I don't think Palin went out of her way to shove her pregnant daughter before the public and claim how wonderful it is so you're wrong- again. Most of the cheap shots were spearheaded by the far left Daily Kos and later picked up by the usual left-wing media outlets. Palin defended her family and put her best spin on a less than desirable situation. I'm sure if I started critizing your kids (if you have any) on my first post directed to you you'd lie back and take it, right? You're actually lower than the Republicans if you think all first strike attacks are cool because you claim a higher moral position. In fact I could call you a series of names and make up a few charges because I know you'd do it first because you have a history of giving your frank opinions on the forum and you repeatedly backed this policy.

So you accept my premise that any and all political attacks on the Obamas are justified because we now know that is is line with the widespread justification by Democratic attacks on Palin?

You can't back any family legislation dealing with families if you're family isn't perfect? Hmm, does that mean Obama can't make military decisions because he wasn't in the military? He can't decide on housing issues because of a shady land deal? He can't deal with drug abuse because he abused drugs? He can't be president because most Americans aren't of mixed parentage so he doesn't reflect the American population? He can't make any policy on public schools because his daughters are in private schools?

Nice Alien. The liberals here on VJ are really showing their true colors.

Shouldn't they be posting with yellow font if that's the case?

I asked for your opinion and gave you two credible choices. Somehow that has become "you hate Palin and you have been constantly attacking her personally so that now gives me justification to go after Obama and his family"

How did you get from one to the other, never mind the guff about 'calling me names because I have frank opinions'. I have absolutely no clue who you think you are talking to, or what argument you think I should be defending because your response to my question went off on in all kinds of directions that I find totally baffling.

[IAMX 3,055]

So just for the sake of humor I will just further rub it in how Palin is an example of the success of the idealism of abstinence, and how idealism is really a recipe for failure and ####-ups, while education is a far more effective tool at getting people not to make such stupid, life-altering mistakes. An educated understanding is that teens are going to have sex when they are ready or feel like it, and while abstinence may work for some extreme few, it will not work for most teenagers. So schools should take note of this and certainly continue sex ed teaching contraceptives and STD prevention just as I was taught in HS to prevent diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Thank you Palin for being the figurehead of the uneducated moral elite.

Without your mistakes, I'd have no one to look down upon and learn from.

Edited September 5, 2008 by SRVT

[panamania79 2]

Republicans glorifying the fact that Plain’s daughter is pregnant. The young boy, now the hockey hunk and calling the family so beautiful. Yeah she gave a speech the other night and it was a good speech. It also turned me off more than I was to the party. She was belittling and just outright nasty. I understand that she made a comment towards Hillary Clinton calling her a whiner, now all I hear the republicans doing is playing a card(sexism card) If you as a parent don't have time to handle your child at home how can you say it is not okay for another child to get pregnant, now it is being glorified. Listen I want my child to grow wanting to wait to have sex and with someone heading to the white this looks like it is a okay thing, as long as your forced to get married

How typical.It doesn't surprise me at all.

Remember when Cheney's "Rosie O'Donnell look alike" daughter wanted a kid ?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

That's what gets me about the candidate is the hypocrisy.

"Hi, I'm Sarah Palin. My daughter got knocked up and she decided to keep the baby. You should leave her alone because it's a private matter. Now elect me so I can work to make sure the government invades your privacy and makes that decision for your daughter."

Slowly but surely, rclouse is becoming one of my favorite VJers.

The hypocrisy is indeed what gets me.

Muchas gracias! <bows>

Here's a great video from the Daily Show. Watch Sam Bee make 'em squirm: Video

That's very funny but you do realize that Alaska has no parental consent laws? Something Palin did nothing to change during her tenure. Guess she did have a choice.

I believe parental consent was one of Obama's present votes in the IL legislature.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

You'd like to think so, wouldn't you? But if the vast majority of teen pregnancies are in red states (all but three of the 25 states with highest rates of teen pregnancy are red states: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/6/145758/107) ...

I had done some research for a report back in college on pre-marital sex among teens and interestingly, most teen pregnancies do occur in conservative religious families than in any other group. From what I can recall, a country like Sweden, where teenagers are taught sex education more openly in schools, teens are sexually active at a younger age, but there are less pregnancies or STD's.

If anything this family crises demonstrates, is that it proves that the religiously conservative view that abstinence only is the best method for teens, particularly when those who are defending Sarah Palin as a mother are saying that teenagers DON'T listen to their parents all the time. That's when allowing them to be taught about contraception comes into play. You may hope your kids will wait until they are older to have sex, but if they choose to have sex, let them make an informed decision.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Jabberwocky