One of the most talked about subjects in politics is whether or not Sarah Palin will run for the presidency.  It's frankly anyone's guess which direction she will go with her decision and when she will make the decision.  However, if Palin doesn't run it will be a disaster for the Republican Party and quite possibly the country.

Aside from the fact thata there isn't another libertarian-conservative in the race, at least not another one who isn't an international isolationist, if Palin doesn't run, it will represent an enormous victory for the Republican beltway establishment and the big players in the left-wing-dominated media.  Furthermore, the leftist media will learn a fool-proof means to destroy any political opponent in a manner that will likely result in another four years of Obama.

In watching the coverage of the announced candidates, the alarm bells should be clanging violently.  The fact that the leftist media hasn't really gone after the other Republican politicians in the race should be a violent warning to all conservatives and libertarians out there.  It's totally out of character for the leftist media to not bring up Newt Gingrich's infidelity every ten minutes, or to have squads of reporters interviewing every foster child of Michele Bachmann that can be found to try to dig up some dirt.  The rigorous inspection that has been visited upon Sarah Palin hasn't even started on the remainder of the Republican field.  However, that doesn't mean the media has tacked suddenly to the center; far from it.

Throughout the last two years the media has embarked on a vitriolic, obsessed campaign to destroy Sarah Palin, not just as a politician but also as a person.  They manipulated the legal system to try to bankrupt her while in office; they hacked her personal email and forced the release of her official email.  When all of that produced nothing consequential, they simply made up the stories they wished and put them out to be in every headline for two weeks until they have the majority believing their deceits.  As an example, ask any ten people you know who said, "I can see Russia from my house," and probably most of them will incorrectly name Sarah Palin rather than the comedian Tina Fey who actually said it.  To the media, facts are unimportant so long as the story forwards the agenda.

If Sarah Palin doesn't run for president, the operatives in the media and Beltway establishment will have learned a fool-proof method of destroying any political opponent.  If they are allowed to successfully paint a politician as stupid without any facts, merely because they disagree with the "aristocracy," America will be left with a choice of RINOs or progressive socialists.  If that happens then the transformation of America from a libertarian culture to one of socialism and government dependence may very well be irreparable.

Assuming that Sarah Palin doesn't run the campaign will go sort of like this: the media will talk up the largest RINO they can find in an attempt to split the Republican Party from within.  However, the real dirt will be kept securely under wraps.  As the Republican primary nears its close, the research effort will go into full force.  They will send squads of lawyers to go into every tiny detail of the candidate's personal and professional life.  They will examine every detail of the life of the nominee from the day of their birth.  The researchers will talk to every ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, every business partner, and any employees they can find.

After the primary is over, they will start to dump the juiciest tidbits in carefully edited and scripted special stories.  National interviews will be granted to jilted lovers and business acquaintances that felt wronged by the candidate, or perhaps could be persuaded to feel wronged with a little interview stipend.  The candidate will be mocked for their lack of intelligence and any microscopic mispronunciation or slip of the tongue will result in a weeklong national news cycle about why that candidate is too stupid to be president.  The candidate will not have time to counter the perception and, combined with the media adoration of Obama, likely Obama would get another four years.

By contrast, if Sarah Palin runs, the media has already shot all of their ammo.  They have done everything they can possibly do to destroy her but she has learned how to counter them via Facebook, Twitter, and streaming video.  The accusations against Palin and her children have been flying in for two years and have failed to destroy her.  All they have left is to repeat the old tired line of "Palin is an idiot."  Of course it wouldn't take more than a debate or two, nationally televised with live video, to dispel that myth with everyone that can possibly be persuaded.  The problem with the media is that all they have left to shoot are lies which can't stand in the light of day, and even all the plausible lies have been spent by Palin's opponents.  If Palin wins the primary, the leftist media will be left to incoherent rage watched by fewer and fewer Americans. 

With a properly run campaign, Palin will be able to easily counter the media perpetuated perception of stupidity with all except those that are so ideologically or emotionally committed as to be unpersuadable.  Furthermore, on the issues Palin will be able to bring all guns blazing against Obama rather than being handicapped by prior records of endorsing government-mandated healthcare or global warming hysteria.  On the issues, Palin's conservatism combined with her small-government libertarianism will make a stark contrast to Obama who will now be forced to defend his policies rather than run on emotion ad-hominem attacks and catchy phrases.

When the political calculus is done, it is clear that Palin is the only real conservative with libertarian leanings that can possibly be elected in the country.  Although there are other conservatives with promise such as Bachmann, Cain, and West, they have not been subjected to the vetting that Sarah Palin has and there should be no doubt that the media will do everything they possibly can to destroy them should they win the nomination.