The Plight of Republicans and Sarah Palin
Republican politics have changed ever since Sarah Palin came to town. To think that prior to her nomination as the Republican Vice President, no one knew her name except those in her own state, is startling, to say the least. Now, she is as prominent a player in Republican politics as anyone, and her name is known in households across America. What remains terribly unclear, however, is whether or not her presence and the dynamic shifts in Republican politics that her presence has brought are for America’s good or bad.
No one can deny that Sarah Palin has her own unique idiom and style. No one can deny that she is memorable. But the methods she uses in order to obtain popularity are, to some extent, the embodiment of what upsets many supporters of Republican politics, and what turns away many who would call themselves conservative Republicans if only there were certain changes made to the nature of conservatism in the Republican Party. Sarah Palin attempts to use appeals to emotion, and appeals to more subconscious, irrational elements of a human being, in order to gain the support of conservative Republicans. Her allure lies not in what she thinks or believes, though she ensures that her opinions do remain in line with those of her supporters, those of Republican politics in general; her allure instead lies in the emotional invective she uses to gain support. It lies in the fashionable ways she dressed. It lies in the way she attempts to present herself as a simple, small-town American, so that she can appeal to the broadest base of conservative Republicans.
In essence, her tactics embody the logical fallacy of the appeal to emotion. She is attempting to win the hearts, not the minds, of voters. Not for even an instant does she appear dishonest, nor does she appear to be sneaky and underhanded; of these things, she certainly cannot be accused. Her tactics, though manipulative, are likely used with good intentions, and perhaps without even realizing it. But she uses them nonetheless, and Republican politics become less rational as a result.
This is what turns away many who are close to calling themselves conservative Republicans, as opposed to simply conservatives. They do not like attaching themselves to the perceived irrationality and emotionality inherent to Republican politics. A movement towards irrationality has marked much of the rhetoric throughout Republican politics for years now, with a greater emphasis on appealing to the hearts of the voters than on making logically coherent arguments. Sarah Palin is the embodiment of this movement, and as a result, any would-be conservative Republicans who find themselves uncomfortable with the general irrationality of Republican politics will likely be unwilling to move into supporting the party directly until she has changed her tactics, or until she is genuinely out or the spotlight of Republican politics. At the end of the day, Sarah Palin may be able to pave her path into higher office by using these irrational techniques which she ahs so ably mastered, but it likely will not keep her there for long with the support of voters more interested in substance over style.
