About this Blog
During the semester, I shall post course material and students will comment on it. Students are also free to comment on any aspect of American politics, either current or historical. There are only two major limitations: no coarse language, and no derogatory comments about people at the Claremont Colleges. This blog is on the open Internet, so post nothing that you would not want a potential employer to see. Syllabus:
http://gov20h.blogspot.com/2023/08/draft-introduction-to-american-politics.html
Sarah Palin's Verbal Vomit
Maureen Dowd's latest column mocks Sarah Palin's loose interpretation of grammar and proper syntax. Although Sen. McCain may mock Sen. Obama's inspiring speeches, he must admit that Obama and his speech writers have a way with words...or at least appreciate the English language enough to follow the rules of grammar. I know that voters want to feel a connection with the candidates and sometimes the "could I have a beer with them" factor outweighs policy, but can we agree that the head of our nation must sound educated and competent?
Could Sarah Palin's folksiness really be her lack of substance and articulation? According to Maureen Dowd,
"She dangles gerunds, mangles prepositions, randomly exiles nouns and verbs and also — “also” is her favorite vamping word — uses verbs better left as nouns, as in, “If Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them,” or how she tried to “progress the agenda.”
I don't think Strunk and White would approve either...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/opinion/05dowd.html?em
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