Take Back the Flag

From the Sarah Palin:

A vice president has a really great job, because not only are they to support the president’s agenda, they’re like the team member, the team mate to that president, but also they’re in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to, they can really get in there with the Senators and make lots of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom, and it’s a great job, and I look forward to having that job.

From the Constitution of the United States of America (only paragraphs with the words “vice president):

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.  The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

(From the National Archives Constitution transcript)

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

Feel free to read the above selections.  But trust me, with every paragraph containing the words “vice president” out in the open, there is nothing to interpret as “in charge of the United States Senate.”  Governor Palin is utterly confused about the simplest of civic lessons.

Her teachers at every level should be ashamed.  But the blame doesn’t rest solely on the teachers.  Students must want to learn, to seek knowledge.  And as a high ranking government official, it is unacceptable that Governor Palin doesn’t seek even the most basic and fundamental information about our country.

It speaks to her larger problem of sticking with what she knows and never venturing from her comfort zone.  It might work when you’re a small town mayor in Alaska, but it’s unacceptable from a candidate for Vice President of the United States of America.