Not politically correct? You bet.
When you choose to have children, certain limitations to your life style go with the territory. It's a 24/7 twenty year (at least) committment to being responsible for the little critters and putting their interests above yours. A loving partner and family is a dream realized in and of itself. Personal fulfillment thru a career is a valid additional dream for men and women alike.
For the few lucky ones, sometimes everything falls into place, and serenity prevails--no divorce, no money problems, steady employment, no health problems, no kid problems, no responsibility for aging parents. Circumstances force adjustments. Dreams are compromised. Mom goes to work if Dad loses his job, Dad passes on a promotion which will keep him on the road much of the time, divorce upends everything and single Moms become forced breadwinners.
My Mother was ahead of her time. She loved her job and promotions to office manager in a large corporation. With two wage earners, we had a brand new house (and a brand new mortgage!). Presented with a diagnosis of a permanently crippled 10 year old, she quit. I never grasped the financial devastation it caused. We couldn't afford professional rehab; the rehab lady was kind enough to show my Mother the ropes, and miraculously, from paralyzed to back in school, on crutches, the next semester. It was several years of braces and special shoes and the like. My Mother didn't get any special credit or demand any, because that's what Mothers do--sacrifice for their children.
Would I have done as well with a caretaker or a stranger? I doubt it. A child tries harder for Mom because the child senses that Mom wants the best for them. The bond between Mother and child is a powerful one. After my recovery, my Mother went back to work, and finally retired in her '70's---because my Dad fell ill. My Mother always worked after we entered first grade; we were with sitters after school when we were younger; I don't think we were deprived by her absence; aside from the above period it was smooth sailing.
A generation ago, women were brainwashed into the Super Woman role, convinced they could manage both the full time jobs of motherhood and high powered career. It was a scam, which denigrated motherhood, relegating it to a part-time job, and making women feel inadequate if they couldn't do both. Even Super Women have only 24 hours in their day. The results are in, and they're not pretty. There's a heavy price to pay for neglecting your primary responsibility to kids and family to pursue your own personal aspirations, for Mom and Dad alike. For moms and dads under a financial gun, where the luxury of stay at home parent is not an option, "personal aspirations" become "parental responsibilities"---coming up with rent and grocery money. If a child has serious problems--mental, physical, behavioral--whether transient or permanent--there's no slack for Mom and Dad and limited or no options. So let me make it clear: the issue of priorities arises only when the child has problems or is in crisis and you DO have options. Parenting is a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes devoted parents get difficult children, while lousy parents get A student angels. You play the hand that's dealt you and do the best you can.
When you choose to bring a disadvantaged infant into the world, the right thing to do is put your own dreams on hold and accept the consequences of your decision. You've chosen to limit your options. Your special-needs baby needs more attention. Red flashing DANGER signals of a pregnant teen and a doper son mean you drop everything and deal with it. That's what mothers do. You can always get another job; you can't go back and re-do your child's life. I doubt that anyone would argue with the fact that kids are a lot of work and need a lot of attention. Sometimes, they need even more.
Sarah Palin has chosen to ignore her pre-existing responsibilities to her three troubled children. This is poor judgment and a selfish, immature decision-- with chickens already roosting. Feminism at its worst. If she promises to be a full time president or vice president, by definition, she is a zero time mother. She is, indeed, ignorant of what both jobs entail. Neither is a 9 to 5 job.
Go home, look after your children, take care of your pre-existing obligations before you take on new ones, study up on the job requirements, and then come roaring back in 10 years or so as a woman of wisdom and experience. The nasty vindictiveness toward your ex in-law, the librarian, and the judge will be long forgotten, and perhaps you will have learned some humility and balance, instead of riding roughshod over others. Your kids will be on an even keel, and your job aspirations realizable. This isn't sexism, and it isn't rocket science. It's about coming through for your kids when they need you. Common sense, old fashioned values...family values...kids first, family first, not country first.
Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb?