# How will quitting as governor affect Palin's chances. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 2, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051 "2011-06-02T05:13:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/241 "2011-07-14T23:44:42Z")
Never mind, I found it. She said it on Fox “News” last night: > [@](#): > > “We will not hand over more power, which I think is unconstitutional, to President Obama to further manipulate our economy,” Palin said on Fox News Wednesday night. Further manipulate? > [@](#): > > “You know, Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution spells out that Congress has the power of the purse strings,” she said, “so this plan of McConnell’s I think makes no sense because it does cede power to our president and takes away that authority that is inherent in Congress to control the economic decisions that have to be made when it comes to debt.” Yep. She is really fucking ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/242 "2011-07-14T23:55:00Z")
[Here’s](http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/hannity/2011/07/14/sarah-palin-talks-tough-debt-ceiling-reveals-timeframe-2012-decision) the full conversation. It’s full of stupid. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/243 "2011-07-15T00:08:07Z")
She does not know a thing. She is pretty and appeals to those who do not care but think pretty is enough. It is hard to refudiate that. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/244 "2011-07-15T00:16:38Z")
I think it’s pretty obvious that, to Palin, anything that hands Obama any sort of power, from raising the debt ceiling to switching to non-dairy creamer in the White House cafeteria, makes the woman quake. I’m pretty sure she’s convinced that Obama is a Bond-level villain, destroying the country in the name of KAOS or something. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/245 "2011-07-15T00:21:03Z")
The quotes you picked out seem perfectly reasonable to me. Downright genius for Palin. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/246 "2011-07-15T00:34:15Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The quotes you picked out seem perfectly reasonable to me. Downright genius for Palin. You _are_ kidding, right? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/247 "2011-07-15T00:34:36Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m pretty sure she’s convinced that Obama is a Bond-level villain, destroying the country in the name of KAOS or something. I think this is true for all Teabaggers, and for a large percentage of the Republican Party, frankly. Which leads me to ask…why? Why would a person want to “destroy the country?” Why do liberals seek to destroy America, as conservatives claim? What is our motive? What’s Obama’s motive to destroy America? It’s the downfall of most supervillains, really - there’s never a good motive for destroying the world, they just want to do it for…no good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/248 "2011-07-15T00:39:05Z")
Palin has raised only $1.6M in the first half of 2011. Romney raised $18.25M in the second quarter alone. Palin doesn’t even have the bucks to hire staff. She’s not running. I wonder when she’s going to go back to her bus tour? Did she serve on a jury in the last few weeks? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/249 "2011-07-15T00:48:29Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Did she serve on a jury in the last few weeks? You bought that crap? PSYCH!!! ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/250 "2011-07-15T00:51:05Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > I wonder when she’s going to go back to her bus tour? Did she serve on a jury in the last few weeks? That’s a damn good question. And, no. [These](http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/no-jury-duty-friday-palin) [articles](http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/sarah-palin-no-jury-duty-june) are the most up to date I could find. I love this quote from the first one: > [@](#): > > It is rare to get picked, and a half-dozen attorneys queried by Alaska Dispatch said that they would immediately move to waive Palin if she was actually called to sit on a jury. > > As one of them put it, no one would want to bring to the courtroom the circus that seems to follow in the wake of the former Alaska governor these days. > > Palin, however, has said she’s putting all her plans on hold for the moment awaiting the jury call. On Facebook – her favorite means of communication – she posted that “the coming weeks are tight because civic duty calls (like most everyone else, even former governors get called up for jury duty) and I look forward to doing my part just like every other Alaskan.” Did she really think any of the following: 1. There was a chance in hell she would ever serve on a jury? 2. She really had to abandon everything and immediately return to AK? 3. She would score some political capital with this? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/251 "2011-07-15T01:05:55Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > You _are_ kidding, right? No, what’s wrong with them? Having control of the debt limit has never been a presidential power, nor is there any compelling reason it should be. Would you have rushed to give Bush unilateral control of the debt limit? Besides that, you’re not only saying you disagree, you’re saying she’s retarded for even holding that position. Why? Is this so cut and dried that it’s just purely obvious that this should pass and the president should have that power? No debate, just straight up anyone who doesn’t agree with this proposition - which is a weird political gimmick tactic in itself - is ignorant? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/252 "2011-07-15T01:23:05Z")
Quoth **gonzomax** : > [@](#): > > She does not know a thing. She is pretty and appeals to those who do not care but think pretty is enough. It is hard to refudiate that. No, I can refute that. She’s not pretty. Her face looks like it was molded out of plastic. Quoth **SenorBeefp** : > [@](#): > > Having control of the debt limit has never been a presidential power, nor is there any compelling reason it should be. Would you have rushed to give Bush unilateral control of the debt limit? No, I wouldn’t have, because it’s a stupid idea. Just because it’s stupid doesn’t make it unconstitutional, though. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/253 "2011-07-15T01:42:20Z")
Oh come on. The constitution does enumerate the seperation of powers even if we do ignore it pretty much entirely. You can make a reasonable case that controlling the debt ceiling is not a function of the presidency. You can also disagree with that. But let’s not treat it like she said OH LOL JESUS SAID DINOSAURS here, it’s a perfectly reasonable stance to take on the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/254 "2011-07-15T02:10:05Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Having control of the debt limit has never been a presidential power, nor is there any compelling reason it should be. Would you have rushed to give Bush unilateral control of the debt limit? News flash: there’s a big, big difference between “bad idea” and “unconstitutional.” > [@](#): > > Besides that, you’re not only saying you disagree, you’re saying she’s retarded for even holding that position. Why? Is this so cut and dried that it’s just purely obvious that this should pass and the president should have that power? No debate, just straight up anyone who doesn’t agree with this proposition - which is a weird political gimmick tactic in itself - is ignorant? Her comments about constitutionality display rather profound ignorance, yes. Please note that I did not use the word “retarded.” ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/255 "2011-07-15T02:35:46Z")
Ok then, specifically what section of the constitution grants either the executive the ability to control the debt ceiling, or congress the ability to make laws granting someone else the ability to control the debt ceiling? Be specific. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/256 "2011-07-15T02:39:46Z")
The same part of the Constitution that gave Congress the authority to set a debt ceiling to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/257 "2011-07-15T02:45:12Z")
I’m not quite sure legally exactly how the debt limit works. If the debt limit is raised, does Congress still have to go in and specify exactly when it will incur debt, or do treasury bonds automatically sell to whatever the debt ceiling allows them, should it be needed to face current expenditures? If the law regarding the debt ceiling automatically grants the treasury the ability to sell t-bills without a specific order from Congress, then the ability to set the debt ceiling is effectively the indirect ability to borrow. Which is a power granted to Congress, not the presidency. Hence you could make a case for it being in violation of the constitution. This assessment may very well be wrong, but wrong is a different issue than “OMG REALLY SHE SAID THAT YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS”, like what she said here was just another Paul Revere hisory lesson or something. If someone with more credibility had said it, it’d seem like a reasonable point. So there’s no reason to pile on here like it’s the dumbest thing anyone has ever said just because she said it, snce there’s plenty of stupid shit she’s said. This is one of the few times she’s actually said something that at least sounds like a reasonable case could be made for it. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/258 "2011-07-15T02:56:32Z")
I am not a constitutional lawyer. But here’s what I understand about the issue: Congress has the right to pass laws (Article 1, Section 8). Nothing in the constitution explicitly concerns laws about the creation of a “debt ceiling.” Congress can therefore pass laws authorizing a debt ceiling, whether the authority is vested in themselves or ceded to the president or some other authority, such as the Federal Reserve, which has been authorized by Congress (Federal Reserve Act, 1913) to dictate monetary policy in the U.S., such as by setting the federal funds rate. Authorizing control of the “debt ceiling” really is no different in principle. There has been some question about whether creating a debt limit is unconstitutional in the first place, but I don’t buy that either. Anyway, Palin is full of fail for stating that McConnell’s suggestion is unconstitutional. If it were, then the Federal Reserve would be, too. (I am not implying that the Federal Reserve is part of the executive branch, just that the principle is the same.) ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/259 "2011-07-15T03:27:34Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > This assessment may very well be wrong, but wrong is a different issue than “OMG REALLY SHE SAID THAT YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS”, like what she said here was just another Paul Revere hisory lesson or something. If someone with more credibility had said it, it’d seem like a reasonable point. In thinking about it some more, I accept this point. I will add however that my remark referring to Palin as “fucking ignorant” also referred to her statement about Obama “manipulating” the economy. That’s an absurd remark on the face of it and deserves ridicule. Obama has no direct control of the economy, and cannot “manipulate” it in any sense that does justice to the word. All presidential effect on the economy is indirect. Congress has the direct control. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051/260 "2011-07-15T11:12:16Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > You really believe those who worked for her are fine with her walking off to fill her pockets? > She has become a Clown Princess since she quit for the greed train. She makes strings of stupid comments that most political commentators have comedy fun with. Today she claims the debt ceiling deal is unconstitutional. She believes drinking a Pepsi instead of a Coke is unconstitutional. She is a national joke. A fountain of misspeaks and mistakes. Looking at 2010 and how you guys took a bath in that one, I don’t think anyone should be laughing. 80% of candiates she supported won. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-quitting-as-governor-affect-palins-chances/584051.md?page=14)