The Palin Family "Abstinence" Hypocrisy Is America's Problem

When Sarah Palin stepped out onto the national stage, she brought her big family with her too, so that America would love her even more, or something like that. Unfortunately, the story about her pregnant teenage daughter surfaced shortly after and hypocrisy meters were screaming off the charts. Palin's views were of a typical wingnut Republican (abstinence education only, nothing about birth control) but the reality in her own home was quite a different story. Well now her daughter Bristol got herself on the teevee, and well, like, oh my god, guess what she said.

From ThinkProgress:

In 2006, as a gubernatorial candidate, Sarah Palin filled out a questionnaire emphasizing her support for abstinence education. She wrote that “the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.” Alaska does not require sex ed to be taught in schools; Anchorage schools teach “Abstinence Plus,” which emphasizes abstaining from sex.

Palin’s views came under fire when it was revealed that her then-17-year-old daughter Bristol was pregnant. In her first public interview, Bristol told Fox News’ chief Palin cheerleader Greta Van Susteren last night that abstinence is “not realistic at all”:

VAN SUSTEREN: I don’t want to pry to personally, but I mean, actually, contraception is an issue here. Is that something that you were just lazy about or not interested, or do you have a philosophical or religious opposition to it or…

BRISTOL: No. I don’t want to get into detail about that. But I think abstinence is, like — like, the — I don’t know how to put it — like, the main — everyone should be abstinent or whatever, but it’s not realistic at all.

When Van Susteren asked Gov. Palin about abstinence, she seemed similarly dismissive of her former views, admitting, “It sounds naive.” Bristol added, “I just — I hope that people learn from my story and just, like, I don’t know, prevent teen pregnancy, I guess.”

I guess? To paraphrase a quote from a great President, is our children learning anything at all?

Thank god that the adults are back in control of the government and are directing spending towards sex ed and not merely abstinence. The ways of the GOP puritanical purity patrol have shown themselves to be a complete failure, and not just in the Palin house. Schools across the country that have only taught abstinence are doing our nation's children a serious disservice, and that willful ignorance of a real problem will be put to an end by President Obama.

Palin's Teen Pregnancy Hypocrisy

When the news of Bristol Palin's pregnancy broke I could hardly believe what I was reading. It was hilarious and for a second, I honestly thought it was a joke. Finally when I noticed that there were no "snark" tags on the story I just started laughing again, and making quips about it with every liberal I knew. Of course the second I mention it to an Independent, I got a skeptical response and "the Democrats are certainly not perfect either" line.

However, I tried to explain to said Independent, it isn't about Bristol, it is the hypocrisy of the matter that gets me. Ideologues like Palin can help take care of their teenager's babies all day and night and that is a great thing for the budding portion of their family. What gets me is when they act hypocritically and legislate the exact opposite way for others who are dealing with a pregnant teen. Lo and behold, one day later we find that the caring, compassionate Mom of five decided to slash funding for teenage mothers in her state.

From The Washington Post:

ST. PAUL -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee who revealed Monday that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant, earlier this year used her line-item veto to slash funding for a state program benefiting teen mothers in need of a place to live.

After the legislature passed a spending bill in April, Palin went through the measure reducing and eliminating funds for programs she opposed. Inking her initials on the legislation -- "SP" -- Palin reduced funding for Covenant House Alaska by more than 20 percent, cutting funds from $5 million to $3.9 million. Covenant House is a mix of programs and shelters for troubled youths, including Passage House, which is a transitional home for teenage mothers.

According to Passage House's web site, its purpose is to provide "young mothers a place to live with their babies for up to eighteen months while they gain the necessary skills and resources to change their lives" and help teen moms "become productive, successful, independent adults who create and provide a stable environment for themselves and their families."

She opposes sex-ed programs that aren't abstinence only, but as she and her family proved so explicitly, it doesn't work that way in the real world. Oh and guess what, John McCain feels the same way. His exact words? "Ahhh, I think I support the president's policy." So if you are okay with right-wing Republicans being allowed to do what they want while dictating to the public to be "morally pure then McCain/Palin is your ticket. If you want a President and a Vice-President who want to help those that don't always live a perfect Judeo/Christianity life (including the politicians) then you know who to vote for two months from now.