Sarah Palin, Energy Policy Wonk (Updated Below)

Sigh. I'm not actually recommending you go and read this piece in the Washington Post by Sarah Palin -- unless you're into S&M -- but I am alerting you to the fact that it exists. In the article, which is purportedly about energy policy and the environment, she doesn't once use any of the following words: pollution, emissions, carbon, or global warming. But I'm not mad at her for being stupid. I'm mad at the Washington Post for publishing this tripe. As Yglesias says:

After all, why does Sarah Palin have an op-ed on climate legislation in the Washington Post? Does she have scientific expertise? Economic expertise? Knowledge of the state of international climate negotiations?

Perhaps during her brief time in the public spotlight she developed a reputation for an unusually solid grasp of complicated policy details? Or is the idea that she’s known for being honest? A good-faith participant in public policy debates?

Well, no.

I know exactly how this is going to play out, by the way. As I said last week, Sarah Palin's resignation from her office as governor of Alaska is a very astute move. Why? Because she no longer has to, you know, govern. She can just talk shit for two years without any actual responsibility. And if you don't have any responsibility, then two things result.

One, your rhetoric can become more extreme as you're not accountable to an electorate, meaning she's going to spout all sorts of nonsense between now and when she announces her Presidential candidacy in 2011. Extremist and ideological nonsense is exactly what the Republican party wants right now, and she will be very successful. By way of illustration, consider that 71% of Republicans would actually vote for her as President today. Think about that number for a minute.

Two, she can have extremely scripted and well-organized ventures into the public eye before retreating. This op-ed is perfect in that regard, for it "shows" a policy side to her that was sorely lacking in the campaign last fall. In the warped alternate reality of the Republican party base, this op-ed (and other talks and speeches and interviews on Faux News to follow, no doubt) evinces her serious policy wonkish credentials, and supports the position that she can be serious about being a national and international leader.

I think she's batshit crazy, but I think she's batshit crazy like a fox. You watch, she will be back to haunt us very soon.

Anyway, for some comedic relief, please check out the Daily Show's two segments on her resignation from last night:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Craziest Catch
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Half Baked Alaska
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

UPDATE: It should also be clear, though I wasn't explicit about it, that Sarah Palin wrote this piece the same way Asif Zardari writes his pieces in the Washington Post. That is, she didn't. How can I tell? Well, there's actually complete and diagrammable sentences in the piece, not something she is known for. As Ezra Klein says:

It's probably a bit kind to say that Sarah Palin "wrote" this. There are no words in all capital letters. There are no sports metaphors. There is nothing at all like "*((Gotta put First Things First))*." The stylistic and grammatical tics on display in last week's speech are totally absent. Sarah Palin signed her name to this. Or at least let someone else do so.