" Palin has little to crow about after the fiasco of her 16 year old kid getting pregnant by an 18 year old kid. Clearly statutory rape in any court , except for the GOP that is. What a dog & pony show. "

" After Guiliani mocked community organizers as well, that must be the new racial code word, replacing "strict constructionist" and "state's rights". "

" That was a very smug sarcastic performance with very little substance. She is a likeable figure, but too far to the right for independents or democrats. I am also concerned with the fact that almost every speech that I have heard at the RNC has been full of many lies and misrepresentations. Palin blatantly misrepresented her record in her speech last night. She is not nearly the maverick that she claims to be, but then again neither is this new John McCain that has changed his positions and abandoned his convictions in order to capture the republican nomination. If you are going to base your campaign on a bunch of misrepresentations, you might want to rethink picking a fight with the media, as you can be sure that the truth will be reported to the American people (except on the republican propoganda channel "fixed noise", which only plays to the far right anyway, as anyone the least bit independent thinking could not stomach watching such one sided garbage). The RNC so far has sounded like a militant pep rally. I am about tired of hearing about John McCain being a p.o.w. - yeah, yeah, we all know he is a war hero and we respect his service to the country; that doesn't mean that we want him to lead our country with his misguided policies. I keep hearing the same fresh new ideas that I have been hearing from the Bush administration for the last eight years. Unfortunately, we have already been trying those ideas for eight years and they are driving our economy to the brink of disaster. We cannot keep doing the same things over and over expecting to get a different result. If we want a different result, we need to try something different. More tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans will not solve our economic problems, but rather will make them worse. The trickle down theory of economics has already proven not to work. I say raise taxes on those who make insane amounts of money at the expense of the majority then give them tax breaks if they ACTUALLY DO CREATE JOBS OR RAISE INCOMES FOR THE AVERAGE WORKERS TO A LIVING WAGE. Don't just give them the breaks assuming that they will do something positive, as we have seen over the last eight years that they do not do it on their own, but rather just hoard up even more money that they do not even need at the detriment of the rest of the nation. "

" With all of the AP stories floating around on the wire last night, this is the one picked for today's big bold front page headline? Good to see that Chad is so in touch with his readers... "

" Glad to see all you Democrats up early, grasping at straws, uncomfortable and squirming, like a worm in the gutter after a hard rain. This gal is going to be your next vice president, so you better get used to it. For me a war hero ranks a little higher than a community organizer. The Democrats are visibly desperate, stooping to attacks on Palin's daughter, and so on. Let's face it - McCain ejected from a Navy jet - Nobama ejected from Tony Rezko. The choice is simple. McCain / Palin = progressive positive change. Nobama / Biden = socialism, welfare, socialized health care, gun control.


Here's a nice little link for all of you trying to bash Palin because her daughter is pregnant. For me this is more significant...


www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi080605rezko_verdict_gfx,0,3971583.graphic "

" All you Obama loving weenies seem to forget that Afghanistan and Iraq were started by the other side. Clinton's policy was to go in and drop a couple of bombs and call it good. Meanwhile, the Taliban and Saddam Hussein gained strength and became bigger PITAs until they decided to take a shot on our soil. The previous policies of drop a few bombs and hope they would crawl back into their muslim caves were proven not to work. So, Geo W Bush decides to see if we could clean them out and whether it would work any better. Perhaps the first Geo Bush was wiser to not topple Hussein, but then again, it maybe set us up for 9-11. Whatever your leanings there, no one can deny that the economic troubles started with 9-11, which was one of the Taliban's goals. Then we had the awakening of China and India and other countries as economic powers, which helped push the oil markets to record levels. The society of all First and Second World countries runs on cheap energy. When it is no longer cheap, then we have a "wrenching transformation" in economic adjustment. Outside of doing 5-year plans a la Stalin and Lenin, no government is big and powerful enough to overcome that for long - remember what happened to the Soviet Union. The Bush administration has botched a number of things, but it would have been much worse with Gore or Kerry in there. The Republicans do need to clean house and get rid of the corruption, but so do the Democrats. If you want this country being sympathetic to muslims instead of standing up to them, then go ahead and put Obama the chosen one in -- he will fill his cabinet with total weenies and mess things up so bad that the US will be begging to merge with Mexico. The democrats have held both houses since the last election and have not had very many good ideas for legislation in that time. Maybe gridlock is a good thing in that it keeps some bad ideas from becoming law. "

" Nobama and Obinden combined are not qualified to be dog catcher, let alone lead this great nation. The best they can do, along with the liberal drive by media, is whine and then attack Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter. What a bunch of losers. "

" GoWyo, actually, you are a little mixed up there. You need to stop putting Iraq and Afghanistan in the same category. Afghanistan is the war that we went into to go after the terrorists that attacked us, that we never finished because we got sidetracked in Iraq. Iraq is the war of choice that we started over oil rather than going after the terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan that we still have not captured because we have been busy being security for the big oil companies in Iraq. Our economic troubles are in large part due to spending obscene amounts of money on this ill-conceived war in Iraq. The democrats have held a slim majority in both houses for only 2 of the last 8 years, and for those 2 years they have had a republican president that figured out only 6 years into his administration that he had a veto pin and used it if the democrats tried to accomplish anything worthwhile. They have also been saddled with the wreckless deficit that the republican congress and administration left to them from the previous six years or cramming through wreckless spending bills and the president rubberstamping everything that came to his desk. The one worthwhile bill that they did manage to get through was the g.i. bill that the president vetoed and enough republicans came to their senses and supported so they could over-ride it. Don't blame this mess on the democrats...the responsibility belongs squarely on the shoulders of the GOP. "

" I believe it's not entirely important to get into a persons' personal life (atleast the parts that would be irrelevent to their role as the leader of a country). So, I think their proposals and a kind of resume of how prepared they are to lead a country and what they will do for this country should be further discussed instead of all these catty debates that are going on. "

" I was glad to hear in Senator McCain's acceptance speach that he recognizes how badly his party has screwed things up for the last eight years. I was encouraged to hear that he would like to change Washington and believe that he was sincere. I was disappointed to hear that his idea for how to accomplish this "change" is to continue the same failed policies that caused the problems that need to be solved in the first place. Mr. McCain, we cannot continue to pursue the same failed policies and expect a different result...that's the definition of insanity (or in your case maybe senility). "

" How bizarre that after months of deriding the Obama campaign theme of change, McSame has adopted that theme!
The Palin vetting was obviously too quick and superficial, so don't be surprised if more skeletons emerge out of Alaska. "

" Ah, Independent, that is O"bomb"a's plan; to continue the same old failed Liberal policies.

"Independent?" I doubt you're indepenent at all. You're more like a purple onion - purple (Independent) on the outside but blue (a Lib) to the core.

If you're going to spew liberal gibberish at least have the backbone to admit your political stripes. "

" I'm in alignment with the Republican doctrine and delighted with the prospect that a real woman, raising five children, could possibly be the Vice President of this country. Are all you Mutt lovers worried now? "

" Where do I start. How about the failed policies of the Bush Administration. We can start with the economy and work our way to the failure of Katrina. "Hell of a job Brownie" The United States has sunk to an all time low in the eyes of the world. McCain is not entirely to blame, well maybe only 90% of the time.
The nomination of Palin is a slap in the face to this country. Country First indeed. She is nothing more than a prop to win votes. The Republicans call foul when the media makes comments of her children, but they are not afraid to use them as props during the convention. give me a break.
If Sara Palin was suddenly named CEO of the Apple Corp. what do you think would happen to the stock? Right, it would tank. But, regardless of her lack of experience the GOP hails her a Maverick. So, why is this so called Maverick afraid to sit with the media for some one on one? Could it be she has no clue?
The Republican Party's mascot should not be an elephant but a sheep.
Because as you know, sheep don't think for themselves, there is always the sheepherder to think for them.
You want the next four years to be as bad if not worse than the last eight, you sheep keep your heads down and keep grazing your way off the cliff. "

" Maverick and Barracuda 08!!!!!! You go girlr! "

" It's amazing that Sarah Palin has the audacity to preach family values to the rest of us Americans, i.e., abstinence, no sex education in shcools, etc. Perhaps if she spent more time at home practicing what she preaches her 16 year old daughter wouldn't be pregnant. Hypocrisy !!! "

" If Too Old McSame gets elected, he stands a good chance of passing away while in office of his advanced age. Anyone who watched the Republican Convention could see the guy can barely move. Plus he's a hot head who will get us into more international shi'ite because he thinks might makes right. Get ready to spend at least four more years in Iraq at $10 BILLION a month of taxpayer money if he's elected, and still no Osama. Further, if McSame does die in office, can this country really risk being run by a hockey mom? I don't think so. This broad doesn't have near the basic experience needed to run this country. She's a joke of a pick for a running mate and McSame only did it because he thought he'd pander to the Hillary supporters. Can you say "serious backfire"? How about "out-of-touch"? How about "senile"? They didn't vet this gal beyond seeing she was a Republican woman and a governor for 20 months (that's not quite 2 years for you guys mathmatically challenged) Yeah, she's a real expert on energy issues. So am I because I live in Wyoming. You Palin lovers only like her because she's been seen holding a gun. Is an unintended, out of wedlock teenage pregnancy the new example of Republican morals? "

" Wyo Boy, I guess compared to a right wing hack like yourself, I am pretty liberal. If by liberal you mean caring about other people besides myself and the radical wing of one political party. We have not been pursuing liberal policies for the last eight years, but rather so called conservative policies; and they are failing terribly. The highest unemployment in 5 years, 600,000 people out of work since the beginning of this year. Record deficits. Failing housing market, banks, etc. Record profits for the largest corporations and record rises in the cost of everything from gas to food to everything else for the average American. A negative savings rate for the average American. Record foreclosures. 13,000,000 people in America living below poverty level. Yeah, things are going pretty well...not. McCain's economic policies are almost exactly the same as the ones that Bush has been peddling for the last eight years that have not been working; so I guess you could say, yes, I am definitely leaning toward Obamas plans. I don't know if they will work either, but at least they are a change from the misdirection that our country has been going in for the last eight years that definitely does not work; we just witnessed it first hand. If you would pull your head out of the GOP's a** for two minutes, you would see the obvious truth too and you would be as ticked off about it as I am. "

" I'm with you Audrey! How can she preach family values when she apprently dosn't have any... She may be more liberal then even SHE knows! "

" Dear GoWyo:
For the record, 9/11 happened on Dubya and Cheney's watch, who were far more focused on making their buddies in Enron, Exxon and Halliburton happy than in protecting the US! Or haven't you ever heard of the Aug. 6 memo that warned Bin Ladin was planning something? Ever read Tom Clancy novels? His best-seller was about a passenger jet crashing into Congress and killing Congress, the Cabinet, VP and President.
And Bushco whines "Well, no one could imagine,..." Oh, horse feathers. Bush blew it and the GOP fear machine suckered you into swallowing Rovian swill for six-plus years. "

" I guess what burns my grits about the republican party the most is that they tout themselves as the party of 'personal responsibility and accountability'. Yet if an opposing political candidate says that they have to raise taxes to pay for things that the republicans have fought for so vehemently: The continuing war in Iraq, raises for themselves, golden umbrella healthcare, etc., they throw the biggest fits imaginable! How is not paying for something that you wanted showing personal responsibility or accountability? It sounds more like "Wimpy" politics to me. You know, the old "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today" type of b.s.. They rant on and on about 'pork-barrel' spending, yet they are as guilty of it as the dems are, Palin included. (On a side note, remember, that McCain wants our water for Arizona too! Goes to show he has no idea about our western states' water problems.)
Just who is going to pay for the war we are waging on two fronts? Or the bail-outs of Freddie Mae and Fannie Mac ( I know I spelled them wrong, it was intentional as they are interchangeable)? Is all the money to pay for just these two 'wants' going to fall from the sky or something? NOOOOOO! The american taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill yet again for failed policies of the present republican administration. And whose idea was it to do so? You guessed it, the present republican administration! Who will continue on with these very same failed policies? You guessed it! McCain will, being that he voted with them 90% of the time.
As far as to my opinion of Palin...She will just do as she is told by the GOP and her handlers. Yes, her speech at the RNC was phenomenal, too bad it was a Bush speechwriter that came up with it and she merely read it off a TelePromTer. I thought that Nancy Pelosi worried the crap outta me, but the video that I watched of Palin speaking to the congregation at her church, gave me an even worse feeling in the pit of my stomach Can anyone say "Holy War"? If McCain wins in November and takes the dirt nap before his presidency is over, guess who will be in charge? A bible thumper that thinks that the war in Iraq is God's plan. The republicans spout that Obama lacks experience, but do we really want to take that chance with a woman whose only experience is serving as a mayor in a relatively small town, and has been a governor for her state for only 20 months? Think before you vote! "

" Time to stop giving tax breaks to the wealthiest of Americans now and pushing our responsibilities off on our children and grandchildren in the future. We have been doing tax breaks for the wealthy for the last eight years and it isn't working for the economy. Let's try something different like letting those who are doing well in this economy to kick down more to help keep our country strong and giving a hand up to the ones who are working very hard only to continue to move backward. The cost of living is raising way faster than incomes of those in the middle class. Something's gotta give. Time for a change. "

" Well Joe I see you’re at it again. For the record most people don’t care if Palin’s daughter is pregnant… that sort of thing happens. It is a tad on the ironic side that it happened to someone who is running on a “family value’s “ticket. Bristol Palin is now the poster child for why abstained only sex education dose not work! If Chelsea Clinton had gotten pregnant while her dad was President you people would have crucified them. As it was you crucified him for having and consensual adult relationship.

Sara Palin made a poor deciosn as a mother to throw her kid to the wolves at this time in their lives.

You Rethugs can’t have it both ways….. The Clinton’s were open for speculation on every part of their lives and so the Palins will be too!!! "

" Hey Purple Onion (A/K/A Independent, A/K/A liberal talking point spewing buffoon)! Good to see you’ve broken away from the Wal Mart greeter job long enough to concoct a response! This is about the one-hundredth time I’ve heard this dribble come out of socialist knuckle-dragging trogglobites such as yourself, and I grow weary of your stupidity. Your definition of “caring about other people” is creating another government program or spending other people’s money to make yourselves feel good. If you define “caring” as giving to other people then I suggest you look at statistics; Republicans and Conservatives give far more to charitable causes than you Libs do. But then again, how would you be able to find the time to volunteer when the majority of your day is spent spewing your class envy and hatred-filled vile? By the way, the “head out of the GOP’s a**” comment, real classy; I wouldn’t expect anything different from an emotionally-driven wild-eyed radical such as yourself.

Let’s examine your illogic, shall we?

First, you talk of the economy – “highest unemployment rate in five years, 600,000 out of work since the beginning of the year.” Hello, McFly! Do you know anything about the business cycle, you moron!? I’m sorry, I don’t remember it being defined in the job description that the President is responsible for the creation of companies and the hiring and firing of anyone in the private sector. If you truly believe the President has anything major to do with the normal business cycle of the U.S. economy then you are truly ignorant. You might want to go back and get your GED and then go to Community College and take a few economics courses. I suggest you start with basic macro economics and then Money and Banking. Once you finish maybe then we can have a rational discussion.

Second, “record deficits.” It’s true that in fiscal 2009 a federal deficit of between $400 and $500 billion dollars is expected. Hey, Purple Onion; what party had been in control of the House of Representative for the last two years? Answer: Democrats. Under the Constitution, in what House of Congress do appropriations (spending) bills originate? Answer: The House of Representatives. Hey Onion, think real carefully and tell me again what party is responsible for the current deficit. While you’re at it, tell me what party opposed and killed the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution when it was proposed in March 1995. Answer: Democrats.

Third, “record profits for the largest corporations.” I assume you’re talking about the oil industry here since, like flies to horse crap, you Libs can’t seem to stop demonizing the oil industry whenever you open your mouths. There are many reasons for the volatility in the energy markets, most of which are beyond your intellectual capacity to understand; and I’m not going to waste my breath on a moron such as yourself whose ultimate response will be “it was a big ploy by Bush, Cheney and Halliburton to enrich themselves while the “average joe” suffers.” However, I will say this, these large corporations are publically traded and their stock is held in the pension and retirement accounts of millions of hard working teachers, firefighters, police and “average joes” throughout this county. When you and the rest of the socialist whackos target these companies you are actually targeting the futures of the millions of citizens counting on these investments to provide a decent retirement and economic stability. Finally, don’t spew your class envy B.S. above outrageously paid CEOs and corporate executives. Their combined salaries matter little in the overall economic picture of this country.

Fourth, “record rises in the cost of everything from gas to food to everything else for the average American.” Hey Onion, do you understand why the costs of these products are going up? Answer: Intensified world demand for unstable supplies of raw and refined petroleum products. If you want to bring down the cost of consumer goods, you first have to bring down the cost to produce and transport these goods which, in the end, ties back to the price of energy. Like it or not my ignorant liberal friend, setting on your thumb and “not drilling” is not the answer. If you want to stabilize consumer prices then here is what you do: 1) Open ANWR to the two thousand acres needed to produce billions of barrels of oil that will, in turn, keep the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline functioning. When considering the entire Reserve, this amounts to an area the comparative size of a dime on a football field. 2) Immediately open all unprotected costal waters to off-shore drilling. 3) Reform NEPA, the ESA and the Clean Air Act so your friends in the liberal whack job environ”mental” groups cannot continue to use these well-intended laws as legal tools of sabotage that further their fundraising and self-preservation activities to the detriment of our country and its citizens. 3) Ditch the liberal hand-wringing belief that nuclear fission power is bad and streamline the NRC construction permit approval process. Forward-plan each plant for the eventual conversion to fusion reactor technology. 4) Eliminate all taxes on efforts to construct and launch up to 200 coal gasification plants throughout the U.S. 5) Finally, augment supplies with wind and solar only where it makes commercial sense to do so and where it will not adversely harm the environment.

Fifth, 13 million below the poverty level. Onion, Libs like you appear incapable of adequately addressing this issue. Lord knows you’ve tried. But after 70 years, a New Deal, a Great Society and seven trillion dollars of debt what have you really accomplished? Poverty rates remain the same, you’ve destroyed the black family and you’ve decimated the private charity infrastructure of our country. Regardless, your party continues to insist on sending the monthly check, giving out the food stamps and providing free government housing. In the end all you and the rest of your compassion fascist friends have succeeded in doing is creating intergenerational poverty and a dependant class enslaved to your socialist party for their continued existence.

Sixth, the same economic policies. Again, like a good Lib incapable of mustering a defendable argument, you’ve resorted to generalities and talking points. Provide concrete examples and I’ll be happy to debate you point-for-point.

In closing my poor misguided Leninist friend, let me say that you’re welcome to lean towards supporting O”bomb”a, if you must. Unfortunately, the “hope” and “change” that he offers is nothing more than the same old Marxist ideals that have continually failed your party and that were long ago relegated to the dust bin of socialist history. In the mean time, cheer up! Just because you’re a liberal whacko doesn’t mean that you have to be angry all the time. "

" I think Obama is saying something rite when he sais you can put lipstick ona pig and it is still a pig. not a hockey mom that is still a pig. MCCain is old and Palins doesnt know anythings about president. "

" It is so wrong to sit around with friends discussing this. The stay at home mom thinks she's doing a great thing. The working single mom thinks she's stupid and bad for the country. The older woman who had a nanny when her children were growing-even though she did not work-thinks she should stay at home with her kids and be a mom.
They don't see the irony. I guess party blood is thicker than gender blood.
Are all you girls really saying Palin to get her shoes off and get back in the kitchen? What happened to I am woman hear me roar? Who is really being hypocritical here?
Now excuse me, I'm going to go take a women's "movement". " "

" To the clown who assailed Wyo Boy with his childish and embarrasing Rush (the drug addict) Limbaugh wannabe sarcasims. I'm guessing you got your Polictical Science Diploma out of a box of cracker jacks cause you certainly don't know what you are talking about. I'm not going to dignify each and every one of your useless comments cause it would only tend to dignify them. But I will address a few of the things you said. (1) You stated the President has nothing to do with the business cycle, Wrong, this President has pushed legislation that rewards American businesses to relocate outside the U S borders. When our corporations move to other countries in order to use cheap labor they lay off American workers which has significantly contributed to the 600,000 additional unemployed. (2) True Democrats have been in control of Congress for the past 18 months but the record deficits occurred during the first 6 years of the Bush adminstration when the Republicans controlled both the House and Senate. How many spending bills did Bush veto in that period? Zero, Bush and the Republicans even passed the funding to the 'Bridge To No Where' that Palin was for before she was against it during that period of time. (3) Nothing wrong with record profits by any business, the only argument here is that these businesses and CEO's should be paying their fair share of taxes. You NeoCons have had 8 years to prove that this so-called trickle down theory works and it's obvious by now that it doesn't work. Two recessions in the 8 years Bush has been President should tell you something. (4) Inflation: You obviously understand economics less than John McCain. There are many contributing factors at work here but one cause is the record high national deficit created by Bush and the Republicans and the necessity to pay interest on the debt to a communist nations like China who have bought our bonds. The second highest expenditure we taxpayers have is interest on the national debt. Printing new money is inflationary but I doubt you understand that concept. (5) Actually, after McCains revelation that rich is defined as those making over $5 million a year, I thought there would be a lot more than 13 million below the poverty level. You really need to expand your education level. Repeating the talking points from Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly really limits your ability to express yourself in an intelligent manner. "

" Wow, Damian, what an inspiring thought process you possess. And to think you're an average Democrat voter helping to control our Country's destiny. I needn't say more. "

" Wyo Boy, you are so far out in right field that there is no hope of correcting your misguided ignorance. If you honestly believe that garbage that you are spewing then you should continue to blindly vote for your party. Those of us with real brains that are able to think for ourselves know that what you are spreading is nothing more than fertilizer. You sure do win the blowing hot air contest though. You should harness that and use it to power your appliances after the cost of living has passed up your McDonalds income and you are no longer able to power your mommy's computer. What an absolute idiot! "

" REAL Jane sixpack? Anyway, I reiterate, the Democrats are VISIBLY desperate stooping to attacks on Palin's daughter. Have to find something to pick on, and lack anything else, certainly nothing of substance.


AND - if Chelsea Clinton had gotten pregnant while her dad was President no one would have known because the Clintons would have (as evidenced by their track record) LIED ABOUT IT. Keep trying good luck. "

" Joe I don't care about any one but me:

What do you call the attacks on Clinton? He was doing an awesome job in the white house. (Can you say balanced deficit?) His personal life and NO bearing on his job. Did I think he was a pig when he cheated on his wife? Yup. But it wasn’t any of MY business. He lied in answer to a question he NEVER should have been asked in the first place.

As I said before. I could care less that Bristol Palin is pregnant. I think it’s a tad ignorant of her mother to still be preaching abstained only sex Ed. But hey. To Each Their Own Right? I for one stood up and cheered a great big “ Obama your awesome” When he gave the “Families are OFF limits in this race” Speech! One more reason why Barrack Obama WILL make a GREAT president! "

" Well Jane, we disagree but the important thing to remember, I guess, is that we are ALL Americans. Best of luck to you and your candidate. McCain will win however. "

" So it's ok to lie under oath if it's a question you shouldn't have been asked in the first place? Are you teaching your kids that? The point is this: Clinton Lied under oath. That's a crime. End of story, good night. "

" The whole or majority of posts to these comment" sections to articles are not productive and have not been a place of reasonable discourse for the purpose of moving anthing forward. The Casper Star Tribune staff should consider discontinuing them. Thank you. "

" Clinton lied but no one died. 4,000+ Americans dead for a war in Iraq based on Bush's lies and Clinton get's imnpeached? Bush and Cheney should be put on trial for War crimes. "

" The pregnancy of Sarah Palin's daughter was not statutory rape according to WY. law. According Wyoming's very liberal laws a man can have sex with a minor as long as he not more than 4 years and one day older than girl he has sex with.

Also we need to remember that it is a domocractic controlled, do nothing Congress, lead by a working mom, that have not listened to the American people who elected them to serve the public. They have the lowest approval rating in history of the United States Congress. Their approval rating is even lower than President Bushes, whom by the way has kept us safe from another attack. We need to remember today September 11, 2008. "

" Hey "enough Already" great to see you've once again emerged from under your rock! How's the job at Loaf n' Jug going? Please tell me (and be specific with supporting information) what points that I have made are "fertilizer?"

By the way, I'll harness my hot air if you agree to build an incinerator to burn all the BS that you, Drew and the rest of your socialist friends spew. Yes sir, I do believe the resulting heat from that fire would be enough to generate all the electricity this nation could ever use. Problem solved!

Drew, I'll dismantle your arguments later. Right now I've got to go to work and pay my taxes so the government has enough money to issue your monthly welfare check. "

" It's too bad Bush didn't protect us from the 911 attack because he certainly had the opportunity to do so. Remember the findings from the bipartisan 911 commission report? Bush had in his possession a PDB (Presidential Daily Briefing) from the CIA in August 2001 stating that an attack using airplanes to crash into U S buildings was immient. YOUR president chose to do NOTHING! "

" I used to always vote Republican, but couldn't do it in '04 and can't force myself to do it this year because I've had enough of the Republican Party's lies and lame candidates. Ok, sure, McCain and Palin are mavericks, that's cool, whatever they want to call themselves is fine with me - even if it is just another lie. But when it comes right down to it, I have to ask myself this: If McCain/Palin get elected, and then McCain kicks the bucket in office, do I really want Sarah Palin facing off against Vladimir Putin and the increasingly strong and hostile country of Russia? The answer is No Way No How. It's going to be bad enough having that hot-head McCain in there starting something to try and keep his man-cred viable with our entire military being whittled down in Iraq. We are less safe from REAL THREATS to our security than we have ever been in the last 100 years!

No, the Republicans squandered their claim as the only party that can keep us safe when Bush/Cheney lied about Saddam and look where we are now. I'm not about to give them another chance. No Way. Now How. No Palin! I'm voting FOR REAL CHANGE, not four more years of Bush run by a senile hot head and a ditzi broad who likes to embelish herself and can't take care of her kids. "

" Ummmm...momffive, I think it's more important what the definition of stautory rape is IN ALASKA, than what it is in Wyoming. Hell, age of consent in Vermont used to be 13 - lowest in the nation.

Palin is a joke as a VP candidate. She's been alleged to be a white separatist, bible slapper who speaks in tongues and plays with snakes in church, and refuses to allow sex education for young people. Her own daughter's life is going to prove out how stupid that move was. Having a baby at 17 isn't what anyone would consider a success story or the best way to start off your life.

Palin had to attend 5 different colleges before she ever got her degree. What?Most people can get a degree by attending only one. She isn't any kind of reformer. She's an example of some one who got to where they are through pure old fashioned blind and dumb luck. And then a broke-down-has-been comes along and picks her to be his running mate. McSame has lost it.

This fascination with Palin will wear off
in the next couple weeks when people start finding out who she really is. In the meantime, look for McSame have her with him everywhere he goes. She's simply a novelty that people want to see in person, that's all. No one wants see McSame when he's campaigning by himself, and that's a fact. I think the American public is smart enough to know he's just four more years of Bush Jr's failed policies that have wrecked this country, and Palin is just lipstick. "

" Joe: Best of Luck to you and yours as well. And when Obama wins in Nov I will remember to commend you for how passionately you supported your candidate.

Sorry Carrier, I didn’t clarify myself well. Although I don’t think Clinton should have been asked the question in the first place, I don’t think he should have lied either. The Republican Party spent something like 75 MILLION dollars attempting to prove that he lied about something that happened in his PERSONAL LIFE. That is the part I have an issue with.

Ann E; I’m with you! No one died when Clinton lied!

Momoffive: I would love to see the stats that say Congress’s approval rating is lower then Bush’s. George Bush has the LOWEST approval rating of ANY American President. Oh yea. And they probably are more of a “do nothing” congress in your book because Bush has been using his Veto pen a lot more this last year.

Today is 911. Take a moment to remember the lives that were lost. And pray for our troops to return home safe and sound… and very soon! "

" Think about this one: If McBush and Palin get elected, it will be a taxpayer funded daycare taking care of her kids at the Vice President's Residence. It won't be super mom Palin doing it. Just like super mom Palin wasn't taking care of them in Juneau. Maybe that's how her daughter got knocked up - no parental supervision. How's that for welfare? Hey, ain't the Republicans all against taxpayer supported welfare? "

" I'm with MadMax because McBush is out to try and establish some man-cred (like most 70 + old men always do to prove they're still tough and virile) by acting tough and look at him parading around with some half-way hot babe who's not his wife. How pathetic is that? Can't run on his own issues so he goes for the cheap visual. Imagine if y'all were blind. Would you still support McBush and the failed policies of the last 8 years of the dynamic duo of duplicity, Bush and Cheney? I doubt it. You got it right Rance, Palin is gonna fade into a footnote. Adieu m'dame. "

" Wyo Boy...I agree with everything you have said...You are absolutely correct....Keep up the impossible work of trying to convince the dolts that you live amoungst...like the idiot Damien and the moron madmax and the rest of the ignorant leftist libs...The polls are showing the truth about B. Hussein Obama.. "

" I'm wondering if anyone actually thinks prior to writing....so much of what is written is not well thought out or rational...so sad that this is what American's think of as productive dialogue. "

" If anyone thinks that Obama is even closely suitable for the leadership role, they are most likely deficient in basic reasoning ( or common sense, to those democrats out there) "

" Still think that Palin is the best choice for V.P.? You may want to take a gander at this. It was written by someone who knows the woman who will be the next president (if elected into office as V.P. in November) when McCain takes the dirt nap after about three months in the highest office in the land. I doubt that most of the republicans will bother to read it all because they will lack either the attention span, or the intestinal fortitude it will take to do so. It is as follows:
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way shes like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palins kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a fiscal conservative. During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
werent enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didnt even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.
Shes not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that werent generated by
her or her staff. Ideas werent evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the old boys club when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the States top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasillas Police Chief because he intimidated her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didnt
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the old boys club when she dramatically quit,
exposing this mans ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the bridge to
nowhere after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as anti-pork.
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her Sarah Barracuda because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as AGIA that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned as a private citizen against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the States
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interiors decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, theres a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT Hockey mom: true for a few years PTA mom: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since NRA supporter: absolutely true social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional). pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it. Pro-life: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Downs syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation Experienced: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000. political maverick: not at all gutsy: absolutely! open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions. has a developed philosophy of public policy: no a Greenie: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR. fiscal conservative: not by my definition! pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards. pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasillas history. pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesnt make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen
when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out
of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: thats life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's
attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are
swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The
day Palins selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90s.
Anne Kilkenny
August 31, 2008 "