All Things Palin

Once again, Palin makes a snarky--and, of course--inaccurate--comment about Michelle Obama's campaign against child obesity.  Who knew that this cause would provoke controversy?

Palin is cursed with a compulsion to respond to every criticism leveled at her and to comment on nearly everything the Obama Administration does.  I don't think she's doing herself any favors by doing this.

Michelle Obama remains extremely popular, particularly among that portion of the U.S. electorate that is the "swing" vote in 2010--genuine independents.  As with most of what Palin says, this attack undoubtedly pleases the base but wins no friends elsewhere.

Palin asserts that the Obama anti-obesity campaign intends to impose Federal laws resricting what parents can allow their children to eat, and that this is an unacceptabel incursion on individual freedom.  If the claim were true, I would have to agree with Palin.  (Although we need to make a distinction between "unsafe" food, which is properly the subject of regulation and restriction, and safe but "unhealthy" food, which should not be regulated.)  However, it is my understanding that the legislation tied to this campaign is aimed at providing better education to consumer about food contents and healthiness and to limiting the kinds of food that public schools can offer students.  These aims ought to be non-controversial.

Even if there is an element of the pending legslation which would allow the Government to restrict the food a parent buys for or fees his or her child, one would think that the serious response from a critc would be to push to modify the legislation in order to remove the offending portions, so as to preserve the remainder.    Not only does Palin appear to be persnally attackking the First Lady, admirred figure and one who  is--and shuld be--out of the direct line of fir.

And besides her snark, what does Palin contribute to our understanding of this health issue?  Doe she say what she does like about the legislation, identify what she woud do on this issue if President, or even acknowledge the existion of this proble?  No.