California’s Slow Motion Political Suicide

It’s oft been said that only Christians kill their wounded. Running somewhat parallel to this is the truism, regardless of whether it’s regarded as such, that only in politics do participants set themselves on fire and proclaim it a case of shining light on the situation. Such is presently the case in California. At least as far as the Republican portion of next month’s primary is concerned.

In the competition to oppose Barbara Boxer come November, the three candidates — career politician and champion flip-flopper Tom Campbell, former HP boss Carly Fiorina and Orange County Republican through and through Chuck DeVore — have expended tremendous amounts of energy and money trashing each other, paying only occasional attention to the actual goal of ensuring that come next January Ms. Boxer no longer has to concern herself with being offended by not being referred to as Senator. The race received quite the jolt last Thursday when Sarah Palin chimed in with her support…

… for Fiorina.

While this outraged the DeVore devotees, an observation containing 1/100th of 1% objectivity shows this to be an intelligent, prudent move by Palin. Why?

First, it shows Palin is capable of something the aforementioned DeVore devotees are studiously avoiding. Namely, seeing the big picture. I like DeVore. He has the background, experience and political philosophy to be an outstanding senator. But he doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance of winning a general election in the not-so Golden State. Why? He’s the ultimate minority: a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant. And with a Y chromosome to boot. In this state, with its self-destructive addiction to voting for person over policy, that’s a political death sentence. As to Campbell, his star power would be hard-pressed to fill a phone booth even if there were any left. It’s not that Boxer holds any great sway over anyone; with the exception of brainless union people (pardon the redundancy) no one gives a rip for or about her. But in a general election? She’d eke out a win against Campbell and demolish DeVore. Period.

Fiorina? She has zing. Broke the glass ceiling at HP. Yes, she was eventually shown the door, but has the company done any better since her departure? No. Back to Fiorina. Want more evidence of toughness? Try breast cancer survivor. As to political philosophy, conservative without being suffocating to the public at large. Does she meet every jot and tittle of the conservative agenda? No. So what? Ideological purity is a luxury reserved for the modern version of the armchair warrior, that being the keyboard politic. Focusing on what matters –and it ain’t people throwing a snit on Twitter — unlike Boxer, Fiorina is not only more than acceptable politically. She has actually done something in life. In short? Winner come November. Which is the goal, is it not?

Palin’s endorsement of Fiorina demonstrates an additional quality noticeably lacking in those flooding 911 with calls for a waahmbulance. Namely, the ability to get over it, also known as forgiveness. In 2008, although she actively supported John McCain’s presidential bid Fiorina didn’t exactly exude praise for Palin, her comments about CEO-ing ability being the main example. In today’s political world of acidic toxicity where memories are long and tempers short, Palin has given us a moment seldom seen these days. She is showing what true leadership alone provides. You know… working with people and letting bygones be bygones?

California is in a world of hurt right now. We have an entrenched welfare state expecting everything to be handed to them, a bloated in both number and salary plus benefits public sector, ever-increasing debt, a shrinking tax base and obscenely high unemployment. The last thing we need is to keep in office the same morons who dragged us into this mess. We need a new Senator. It is not going to be Chuck DeVore. It can be Carly Fiorina. However, this can happen only if the voters in next month’s primary vote with their minds, not their litmus test results. Can we demonstrate the intelligence demonstrated by Sarah Palin in endorsing Carly Fiorina and then working like mad to get her the win over Boxer this November? Or will we continue our slow motion political suicide by backing someone who, should he be on the ballot in the general election, become the Ed Zschau of the twenty-first century?