THINK, America!

I would like to forewarn everyone that this blog post has NOTHING to do with West Africa. I feel compelled to write after hearing the BBC report on the Vice Presidential debate yesterday. They aired snips from the debate. In one particular part, they aired Biden and Palin debating on taxes cuts and the present state of the economy. Palin presented a point, and Biden buried her in his response. She then came back with "Now, I'm not gonna answer questions like you're used to. I'm not a Washington insider. I speak for the common people" and Middle America, blah blah. She then proceeded to say nothing using the simplest words possible. It is at this point that I became completely OUTRAGED.
What exactly is Sarah Palin saying? Is she implying that the American people are too stupid to understand politics, so she has to dumb it down for them? And why is a Vice Presidential candidate dumbing anything down at all? WHY, oh why, are we content to have our politicians say they "speak to us" when they talk down to us? Do we have no mental capacity? Do we doubt our own ability to THINK?
In 2000 and 2004, we elected a president that spoke to the "common man". Yes, Mr. C Student, Average Joe. Eight years later America is caught in two expensive, unending wars, our economy is in shambles, and we have lost many of our allies in the international sphere. In short, we're a mess. This is the President that spoke to Middle America. He dumbed things down in his election campaigns too, saying he spoke to people, when in reality, I believe he couldn't grapple with the issues in the first place.
Now we have Sarah Palin running as Vice President on the Republican ticket. She is also SPEAKING to the people. Fine. Why is it do desirable for her to water down politics? Is she dumbing things down for us, or for herself? Either, I believe, are dangerous. In lowering the bar of intelligence for the American people, she sells us short. We are human beings, blessed with critical thinking ability and rational thought. We should be able to use them. We should be pushed, be forced, be proud, to understand campaign issues that affect this country. We have the ability. Why not have someone, finally, demand that we use them?
If, in fact, Palin dumbed these issues down for herself, then that is even more dangerous. If McCain dies, she becomes the President. Unfortunately, Mrs. Palin, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES is a job that requires intelligence. I don't want Middle America, one of the good ol' boys in office. I want the most qualified person possible to lead us. I want the best of the best, someone with great intellect and ability, a President who towers above everyone else. I'm sorry, but President of the United States is a job that demands all of these things. Can Sarah Palin deliver? I believe that the answer is a resounding NO.
So, in short, Sarah Palin, you do not speak to me. I am a middle class woman, like yourself, and in fact I am insulted and outraged that you dare even try to speak to me on that level, and I can only hope that the rest of your audience feels the same way. You speak to a country of with one of the best educational systems in the world, of highly intelligent people who THINK. Don't belittle them, or yourself.