[Polybius]

It occurs to me how difficult it must be for a politician to be able to say “I’m not for sale.” When a politician has a record over many years during which they have never sold out to corruption or cronyism, that person is truly the rarest gem among leaders. When a politician has sold himself out to corruption, he will avoid the claim “I’m not for sale” like the plague.

Well, politicians being politicians and sinners being sinners, I really doubt there is a single politician out there that has a right to throw the first stone and brag about the right without having the non-supporters of the said politician rolling with laughter.

In 1987, Gary Hart dared the media to follow him around and see how boring his personal life was. That turned old news into brand new hard news and the rest is history.

In 2011, certain politicians would be very foolish to repeat Gary Hart's dare to the media.

The Branchflower Report, released by a 12-0 vote of the Legislative Council, with eight Republicans and four Democrats voting. CONCLUSION: " ..... abused .... power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110 (a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act,"

That same politician was also forced by the State of Alaska to return more than $386,000 in contributions to her Alaska Fund Trust when the Independent Cousel concluded that "the Trust itself, as ultimately conceived, violates the Ethics Act." The State of Alaska also forced a longtime political crony, Kirstan Cole, to be removed from serving as Trustee of the fund.

That same politician could have addressed the issue of frivolous lawsuits used as blackmail against sitting Governors in Alaska and stayed to fight for a "Loser Pays" law such as the one that Texas now has. Instead, that politician resigned in order to pursue Reality TV contracts and speaking fees that resulted in $12 million in personal income within the first two years after leaving office.

It is extremely easy to say, "I am not for sale".

The hard part comes after you say it and the old skeletons in the closet become marching out again as a result of the bragging.

[reasonisfaith]

So should she have stayed and fought for the Loser Pays law after the dozens of frivolous lawsuits were dismissed and millions of taxpayer dollars were lost, or should she have done it before they were dismissed when her hands were already tied and it was impossible to work as a sincere Governor?

When Palin says “I’m not for sale,” she means her principles are not for sale. This is very different from earning money. Her record shows she’s not for sale, and with this record she nukes all opponents.

Yes, politicians are politicians and sinners are sinners.

Trees are trees. Rocks are rocks. But diamond is never mistaken for sandstone.