Sarah's Tanning

While some of you out there think that the new revelation that Sarah Palin has installed a tanning bed in the governor's mansion has nothing to do with her qualifications for vice president, I beg to differ. For those of you who know me, understand that I am fully aware of the irony in judging someone for their irresponsible tanning behavior. I am humbled and will think twice before next applying SPF 4 one time for an entire afternoon at the pool. Then again, if John McCain called me and wanted to put me on his ticket as the #2, I WOULD blink and turn him down and would not dream of subjecting the American people to my inept leadership!

My list of arguments below go towards general intelligence, lack of leadership abililties, possible ethics compromises and elitism. Here's why it's wrong:

• Tanning beds have been proven to increase the chances of skin cancer so someone using one is either ignorant of this fact or is choosing vanity over health (neither which reflects very well on the user - apologies to all my tanning bed friends out there...and yes, I used them in college and it was STUPID for me to do).
• She is setting a bad example for her children.
• She is increasing the odds that she will not be there for her children should she develop skin cancer which is selfish. (ouch! see above reference to irony....)
  
• She is a role model in Alaska and, in May 2007 declared it "Skin Cancer Awareness Month." She can't say one thing and do another and be a good role model.
• It doesn't help with Seasonal Affective Disorder as noted in this article by the American Academy of Family Physicians where I pulled this quote: "It is important to note that no evidence indicates that tanning beds, where the eyes are generally covered and the subject's skin is exposed to light, are useful in the treatment of SAD. Furthermore, the light sources in tanning beds are relatively high in UV rays, which can be harmful to both the eyes and the skin."
• It doesn't help with Vitamin D deficiency as cited in Wikipedia here where it says, "However, because tanning beds use bulbs that emit mostly UVA light (95% UVA and 5% UVB), tanning beds do not appreciably help the body produce vitamin D."
• It's elitist. How many of you out there have a tanning bed in your house?
• There has been no evidence put forward proving she used her own private funds to buy and install the tanning bed. Even if she bought it second-hand, if a discount of over $150.00 was given, it violates the gift limits to which all elected officials must adhere.

Show us receipts!!!!!!