We Don't Need No Education

A couple things I found on the speculation that McCain/Palin (especially Palin) are a bit anti-intellectual.

The least one can say is that none of her children seems to have been brought up thinking that college is something to aspire to. And her new son-in-law just dropped out of high school as well.

Sarah Palin's own record of several colleges over several years - ending with a degree in sports journalism - tells you a lot. So does her interest in policing the Wasilla library as mayor and using the town's money for a sports stadium. She cut funding for the town museum and opposed building a new library. So does her amazing ignorance about the constitution. --- read more

I'm sure there is a lot more to the story than these examples, as damning as they may be. I'm not going to slam her for bouncing around to finally end up with a journalism degree, hey she stuck with it and finished! That's something! And even if a few of her kids don't quite make it out of high school, it's not the end of the world. Alaskans still elected her, she at least meets their standards for education. But what still bugs me is the quality of education of expected of a "World Leader", which is what the Vice President of the USA is technically. Especially if there's some resentment against being 'educated'. I'm a community college and online school guy myself, far from the educated elite, but I'm not seeking one of the highest office in the world either.

Palin, by contrast, may be the first conservative politician since Nixon to experience resentment so authentically. For her, it's not so much a political tool as a motivating principle. A trip through Palin's past reveals that almost every step of her career can be understood as a reaction to elitist condescension--much of it in her own mind. -- read more

Well, I guess I have two or three points to make. 1. Leaders MUST have a well rounded and complete education. 2. They must not be intimidated by others that have a well rounded and complete education. 3. They must promote and advocate a well rounded and complete education (which I haven't heard much talk on the GOP ticket), keeping kids in high school and helping them into college if they really an to go. And in the spirit of disclosing who associated with whom, and being forthright with the American voters: I want full transcripts of college courses taken by all candidates posted online! Who took "Basket Weaving I, II, and II" and who took "Applied Constitutional Law"? I want to know.

and what the heck: just for fun