Cloward-Piven Driven

When Palin announced she was resigning, I said that I figured the harassment was a sufficient reason. Lots of other people had and have lots of other theories regarding her decision, but here's John Fund, taking her at her word:

This situation developed because Alaska's transparency laws allow anyone to file Freedom of Information Act requests. While normally useful, in the hands of political opponents FOIA requests can become a means to bog down a target in a bureaucratic quagmire, thanks to the need to comb through records and respond by a strict timetable. Similarly, ethics investigations are easily triggered and can drag on for months even if the initial complaint is flimsy. Since Ms. Palin returned to Alaska after the 2008 campaign, some 150 FOIA requests have been filed and her office has been targeted for investigation by everyone from the FBI to the Alaska legislature. Most have centered on Ms. Palin's use of government resources, and to date have turned up little save for a few state trips that she agreed to reimburse the state for because her children had accompanied her. In the process, though, she accumulated $500,000 in legal fees in just the last nine months, and knew the bill would grow ever larger in the future.

Seems pretty straightforward to me.

I've added this link for the Palin haters, such as Steve Benen. It doesn't bother me that Obama brings his kids along on state visits--though I do wish he'd be a better guest and host than he's so far shown a knack for being. I just goggle at the double standards.