Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

So brutal politics is okay as long as some constituents seem to enjoy it???

...

No thanks. I'll take statesmen over ruthless opportunists any day. They're few and far between, but they're out there. Palin isn't one, sorry to say. Keep your eyes open; you'll see. Just pay attention to Troopergate for starters.

EDIT:

Check out the candidates not running under either the democrat or republican banners.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

I have ;) Their names won't be on my state's ballot.

Again... I wouldn't vote Palin, even if I could. Just talking out my ***.. :D

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

There's some Mastercard joke here somewhere. Maybe it would end with:

Sarah Palin actually thinking she's qualified: priceless.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

See, irrespective of which side you belive in, this is exactly the kind of apathy that lets misrule (Bush's presidency is exactly that) and bad policies happen while we sit and wait for the worse to hit us.

If the people want to make a change that works FOR them, then we have to drive away this apathetical attitude to politics (an I mean policy making) and be more involved - rather than keeping the interest and the vote (the only act of involvement) for the most bored day in life.

It is eactly this apathy that ruling govts utilize to keep doing more of the same.

And talking about the Biden/Palin debate - isn't it time America realised that intelligence and competence and understanding of issues matters in the president/VP and that having someone like us (pretentiously as Bush) up there can be a disaster.

I myself am a non-voter (non citizen), and am amazed at this belief in middle America that a average joe-sixpack can be handed a task of running the most influential country (add - in the world) efficiently. It boggles the mind.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

For what little my polictical views count - Amen to that !

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

"I myself am a non-voter (non citizen), and am amazed at this belief in middle America that a average joe-sixpack can be handed a task of running the most influential country efficiently. It boggles the mind."

Mine too. We should try this idea first, by picking pitchers out of a crowd instead of those who have demonstrated their skill at baseball. And scientists could be chosen at church socials, by majority vote -- compare their results with those of real scientists!

I have never agreed that politicians are bad. They are necessary. They have to be skilled, since they specialize in riding the tiger of public opinion, and if they fall off, they are devoured.

We actually don't need a maverick as President at this time. The problem with mavericks is that they often flounder when they get in power -- who can they revolt against?

We need someone with a better approach than the current President, and the ability to carry it through, not as a maverick, but as the head of a majority team.

Some of you think that it will be good to have a President of one team and the House and Senate from another team. (In fact, the Economist once calculated that taxes were lower when the parties in power were split.)

I think we are in serious trouble as a country. We need a unified and rational approach to governing. This is not the time for BS gestures such as impeachment. This is the time for regrouping and coming up with better ideas when the old ones didn't work. There are really good reasons for putting the same party in control of the White House and of the House and Senate at this particular time.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

So you're saying that I should care about this debate, even though I already know where both participants stand, and where they claim to stand?

And that if I just cared enough to sit in front of a screen for an hour watching a competition as much of acting skills as of intelligence and ideas, then that would somehow engender positive change, or stem the tide of wrongful government?

Really, that makes no sense; effective action is much more likely to involve discussing politics -- real politics -- with those around you than exercising your couch watching phony politics.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

I'm not apathetic... I'm bitter.

I have to go now. My church is having a their annual gun show tonight and I don't want to be late. :D

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

It's not Wall street that's getting bailed out. It's Main street. Just try to picture the economy when there is little or no credit. Just watch your local businesses go down the drain. Half are going to go anyway, it's the other half that they are trying to save. Try and imagine where all that money comes from that allows Visa and Mastercard to lend you money. If nothing was done to shore up the credit markets, the only banks would be Pay DAy Loan outfits. Wall Street has little or nothing to do with this.

Re: Palin/Biden debate
 

What do we need someone for and what are they going to do?

We need doctors to hopefully fix highly technical medical problems. Not exactly a job for Joe-6-pack. I hope my surgeon knew more about surgery than I do.

We need lawyers to deal with convuluted legal problems. Not exactly a job for Joe-6-pack. I hope my lawyer knows more about the law than I do.

We need car mechanics, plumbers, carpenters. Exactly a job for Joe-6-pack. Most of those I deal with don't know much more about their line of work than than I do (or can quickly learn), but they have the tools.

We need waiters, trashmen and cab drivers. Exactly a job for Joe-6-pack. I don't want to do their work.

I would expect almost any one on this board who can function with CLI Linux and operate a NIT could perform as a council person or small town mayor.

I would expect few of us capable of being president of the biggest, most powerful nation in the free world.

I want my president to be highly intelligent and willing to accept science as a fact, and to have a VP ready to step in if they become incapable.

I was embarrassed a little with Dan (potatoE) Quayle. I am embarrassed with George (WMD) Bush and Shotgun Cheney.

I cannot figure out WHY McCain picked Palin over the others unless everyone else turned him down and is waiting for 2012. I probably would have voted for McCain if he had chosen someone who might be able to fill his shoes, but Palin has too many faults that a wink-wink and a pretty smile cannot fix.