compromises and inconsistencies

do i have very strong political opinions? sure i do. do they lean to the left? well, not in a world-historical sense, but for today, yes indeed probably pretty far. do i think current public political discourse is impoverished? yeppers. do i think part of the problem is that people don't think logically or materially or ethically and instead think knee-jerkily and ideologically and (what they think is) self-servingly? of course! am i generally appalled by lies about "death panels", or the logic that says health care is best left to insurance companies, or the sentiment that marriage is somehow under threat? you bet.

do i think sarah palin is a mere momentary symptom of all of this? yes. i recognize these are systemic issues, not ones to lay on just one well-coiffed head. i think she is narcissistic and stupid, but i think it is dangerous to have one scapegoat.

but oh! do i love hating her. when i saw her behind a podium back in june, my mouth practically watered at the thought of what she might be serving up. and i savored levi johnston's vanity fair tell-all like it was a big plate of cheesy spicy nachos with a cold beer. you see, i am part of The Problem: clicking on every "Palin" link on CNN, assuring news purveyors that the public wants to read about her, keeping her and her numbskullery in the news constantly. and although i have not watched oprah in years, today, oh yes, today, i will be enjoying a big scoop of palin-hating ice cream, with pretzels and hot fudge.