A Woman Says NO to Palin's Ethics Violations

I wasn't going to write to you again, because I truly thought I had exhausted my outrage over Sarah Palin's behavior. Her terrible policy positions, lack of qualifications (and total oblivious disregard of that fact), her lack of intellectual curiosity, her abhorrent behavior on the campaign trail—I had become, I confess, somewhat numb to it all. And then they released the Troopergate report, and Palin and the McCain camp tried to spin it as some vindication of her. Are they kidding me? Sure, under Alaska law she had the right to fire Walt Monegan for no reason whatsoever, since he was an at-will employee, but how in the world does that justify the campaign of harassment against Trooper Wooten?

According to the report, it doesn't. She was found to be in violation of the ethics statute. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that it should be self-evident that one cannot use a position of power to advance your own interests, whether that is to put money in your own pocket, give jobs to your friends over other better-qualified people, or to punish your enemies. Sarah Palin may not have succeeded in getting her former brother-in-law fired, but she certainly tried her hardest, after being warned many times that her efforts could result in professional embarrassment for her and a lawsuit against the state. Lack of success does not make this any less of an ethical violation.

When you pair this with her recent inflammatory statements on the campaign trail, whipping up fear and hate, it is very clear that she has no interest in serving the greater good of this country. She will happily shout "fire!" in a crowded theater if it will get her votes, and she will deliberately use whatever power she has to advance her own agenda, regardless of the consequences for anyone else. So I guess my outrage isn't gone, and it won't be gone until she is headed back to Alaska for good on November 5th. Please, please help me make that a reality!

-Jennifer B., 36, Sherman Oaks, CA