Ryan Streeter, one of America’s leading conservative commentators, once more tells the world that Sarah Palin needs to get back into the kitchen and leave important money stuff to the menfolk (specifically Chris Christie, Mitch Daniels and..surprise, surprise…Jeb Bush…)
Being a former Bush staffer Ryan Streeter is clearly just the guy to wax lyrically about fiscal rectitude. As part of his campaign to get Jeb Bush into the White House in January 2013 (and, no doubt, to get Mr Streeter back onto the government’s payroll) America’s top conservative blogger continues his campaign to derail Sarah Palin by bigging up potential rivals and this time it’s Coulter’s crush Governor Christie of New Jersey
Ryan Streeter reckons that Governor Palin’s fiscal record in Alaska does not bear comparison with Governor Christie
Her record as governor was fine, but it hardly looks courageous. Yes, she cut earmarks, sold the state jet, took a pay cut, used the pocket veto to cut funding, and socked funds away for a rainy day. But she also signed a big budget increase and went hunting for federal earmarks to the tune of a couple hundred million dollars while trimming them at home. Her record is more of a mixed bag than a model of fiscal innovation. Her comments only invite more scrutiny of her record than she probably wants or needs right now.
Moreover she had it easier in Alaska because she was a Republican Governor in a red state
Courage manifests itself in various ways, one of which is bucking political opinion and pressure – which Christie has had to do in ways she hasn’t. New Jersey and Alaska are a bit different politically, to put it mildly
Excuse me? For a guy who claims to be the greatest living expert on the GOP it seems strange that Streeter appears to have no knowledge of the Corrupt Bastards Club, Palin’s road to power as Republican outsider against the Murkowski machine or her fight against the Big Oil interests that dominated Alaskan politics for so long – or that at times the Alaska GOP establishment acted as a kind of unofficial opposition against her throughout her governorship?
But then can someone who values Ari Fleischer’s opinion on the viability of a Palin candidature in 2012 really be expected to have done much homework on her? As for Streeter’s admiration of Christie as the great white hope of American conservatives it might be useful to follow Reagan’s maxim and trust and verify Christie on Obamacare, illegal immigration, gun control and the Tea Party.
Perhaps Streeter would also like to comment on the ethics of preferring to nail a Democratic mayor rather than a trafficker of underage sex slaves.
Motes, beams anyone?
