Gov. Palin, and why I'm angry.

[Skunk]

He was astounded when they admitted their opinion was formed from some "skits" about her that they saw on SNL! He was flabbergasted and had a very different opinion of those particular girls from that point onwards. I am afraid that too many people base decisions upon their "gut" feelings when they should be using their gray matter.

Your grandson wasn't the only person who witnessed idiotic reasoning when it came to Gov. Palin. One of my daughter's female friends would have voted for McCain and Palin, but Palin reminded her of a cartoon character that she disliked while growing up. So of course, she voted for Obama instead. Now that is reasoning at its finest. 

[Casull]

I live in an urban east coast area, and it is said that 28% of conservatives voted for Obama because of Palin.

tm7, I don't believe that for one instant.  NO CONSERVATIVE would vote for Obama, I don't care what the alternative.  Now maybe some east coast RINO republicans voted for him, but no way in hell did any conservatives vote for him, and certainly not 28%.   

[ironglow]

 TM:
   While I don't watch SNL, I am amazed that anyone can be sucked in by their silliness and I don't know many around here that have, I find it somewhat telling that the "sophisticated urbanites" do. Remember, it was a city type that startled my rural dwelling grandson with her lack of substance. Indeed, it is tragic that so much of our election should be determined by fickle "pop" culture. It would seem that even the youthful would be more circumspect than that! Frankly; I believe that it was en effort at rigging elections that brought the 18 year old vote. I believe that most of us realize that a large portion of 18 yr olds do not have enough experience to make a clear choice. Here I call attention to the college student that bases her vote on SNL. I have little patience with folks that are that superficial in their thought processes..no matter where they live.
   
    Where you mentioned the urban women who feared the attractiveness of Palin, what can I say..I CAN quite confidently say that Sarah is not likely to  "rob the husband" of any 2nd grade teacher living in Queens. The likelihood is impossibly remote, even if the Queens teacher's husband is a capable moose hunter and is willing to compete in the "Iron Dog"...    Palin's choice in men is quite clear and likely doesn't include any "happy hour" insurance salesmen that considers a winter walk to the subway as "roughing it"..     I also don't believe that Joe Biden is going to leave his office and chase after my wife..

     What more can I say about such a sophisticated thought process?   Guess we just have to live with 'em...and their choices..

   I do have to affirm Casull's contention that NO conservative could vote for Bama..not if he/she still possessed a living brain cell!

[Fazak]

If America is ever going to have truly representative government again, people are going to have to reach the painfully obvious conclusion that Democrats and Republicans aren't the solution to each other.

Both of the dominant parties sold the people down the river a long time ago.

Unfortunately, it seems highly likely that it's all going to have to come tumbling down before enough people see it to make the change,...and that day doesn't appear to be too far off.

[Swampman]

I live in an urban east coast area, and it is said that 28% of conservatives voted for Obama because of Palin.

tm7, I don't believe that for one instant.  NO CONSERVATIVE would vote for Obama, I don't care what the alternative.  Now maybe some east coast RINO republicans voted for him, but no way in hell did any conservatives vote for him, and certainly not 28%.   

I don't believe any Republicans voted for bo.

[Swampman]

To me is that anyone who doesn't vote for the Republican that can win, is the enemy.

[Dee]

To me is that anyone who doesn't vote for the Republican that can win, is the enemy.

Well I didn't vote Democrat, and since I didn't vote Republican either, I guess you and I must be enemies. Oh well. So be it.

[45-70.gov]

  TM;
  I do not pretend to understand the "urban' mind..not being one of them; but why do you think the urban women are against her ? Is it just possible that it is only the urban women you know personally that are against her ?
  Frankly, as a way of peering into trhe urban mind I would like to know what they find objectional in Sarah. She is obviously a great example of a woman who won her own spot politically, without skidding in on some guy's coat tails. She is successful in raising a family, even accepting the challenge of raising a child with special needs while fulfilling her office as governor. She has dealt with foreign powers and cleaned up a corrupt political system in AK while doing so. She is truly a self-made woman that retains about a 90% approval rating in AK...much more than any other governor. It would seem that all these things would endear her to the hearts of all free minded women..say nothing about urbanites.

  What would urban women find as so objectional..suburban/rural inquiring minds would like to know ?

urban  minds  have ONE  more  layer  of government  to  contend  with
that  layer  is  usually  more  involved with  the everyday activity
state  and  feds  don't own  football  teems  [idon't think]
that is  why  i  think they  are so  quick  to  accept  government regulation  than   us  out  in  the county  IMHO
they don't  shoot  much  and when  they  do it  is  mostly  in  a structured  invironment  of a  range

[bilmac]

I don't think there is any denying that the vote is split on urban vs rural lines. They say that maps that show voting by precints make this even more apparent, you can see the difference in voting in rural areas of democrat States, even New York has it's rural republican areas.

But I think there is a basic difference in the character of liberals and conservatives. Liberals tend to go with emotions way more than conservatives. So why do liberals congregate in cities and conservatives stay away from them? Maybe this should be a new thread so some brain power could be applied to the question.

[Swampman]

There are quite a few more women voters than men voters.  I think Palin was too conservative(& real) for many women.  That cost us the election.  McCain was liberal enough to get elected, but he had President Bush's legacy to contend with.  We live in a very liberal country and only a centrist can get elected.

[Mike Britton]

Sara Palin-Independant/Libertarian anyone???

Then I wouldn't be able to vote for her.  I'll never waste my vote on a 3rd party canidate.

Part of the problem we are having with the Republicans and the democrats comes from the fact that both parties know that as long as voters are afraid to vote third party the existing two parties can go where they want without any repercussions.

[Swampman]

I doubt anyone's afriad, they just don't want to waste their vote on someone who cannot win.

A conservative cannot win.

[myronman3]

A conservative cannot win.

horsefeathers.  mccains second biggest problem was that he is a isle-crossing, fiengold-kennedy-fienstien-pelosi-schumer-loving, liberal.    and people knew it.  his first biggest problem was bush's mistakes and his association as a repubulican.   third was media coverage.     the thing he had going for him was palin, but he never really let her do her thing.   he displayed the same arrogance as the bush admin and people saw it. 

[Swampman]

True conservatives probably make up less than 5% of the population.  How can they elect a President?

[myronman3]

True conservatives probably make up less than 5% of the population.  How can they elect a President?

ahhhh.... you are talking about the extreme right wingers.....at times even worse than the lefties.  i understand your point now.   someone like you are talking about wouldnt make it half as far as mccain.  you want to see a bunch of hateful, miserable s.o.b.'s, look to the extreme right or left.  eeeks!!!! 
no thanks...... 

[bilmac]

I disagree that most folks are liberal, I think that most are conservative and just don't know it. Obama had to pretend to be conservative to get elected just like Clinton. Remember the go to your computer and find out how much your tax saving will be ad that Obama ran? Dems always have to pretend to be for guns during the elections. Anti gay marriage  referendums win even in places like Kalif. Trouble is most people just don't pay enough attention, they believe Dem ads that are run two days before an election, and don't know that Dems lie. The modern media is so liberal that anyone who watches them to be informed is brainwashed.

[Swampman]

The modern media is so liberal that anyone who watches them to be informed is brainwashed.

That would be nearly everyone.

[Mike Britton]

I doubt anyone's afriad, they just don't want to waste their vote on someone who cannot win.

A conservative cannot win.

I guess Regan wasn't conservative?

[Swampman]

I guess Regan wasn't conservative?

I would consider him a moderate with a right tilt.

[ironglow]

 
 All a matter of perspective I guess; 
Just my opinion of course, but RR was an ideal conservative. any more to the right and he would have been pressing the outer fringes. He dismissed the "moderates and centerists" as somewhat spineless. McCain & Lieberman would be considered moderates..with much of the Democrats falling away to the fringe/radical in a precipitous manner. Some Republicans, such as in Maine & RI approach the very liberal label.
    Contrary to what the Republican "machine"* politicians say, Sarah Palin is the only thing that brought the moderate Republicans up into contention with the Democrat's ticket. She brought the old Reagan style excitement and enthusiasm into Republican ranks. The Republicans are clearly in disarray and will remain so, as long as the CC wing retains any kind of grip on leadership. Those Rhinos are so steeped in the Washington "merry-go-round" and social circle..they don't have any better grasp of what the Americans in "flyover country" are thinking that Pelosi or Reid do. Still; they recognize in Palin the appeal to common sense and traditional values of honesty, integrity and logical dealing that is miserably lacking inside the beltway. She is a threat to their stodgy lifestyle! They know she is a winner with the American people, so the Rhinos, in collusion with the major media are trying to destroy her.
     To borrow a part of a phrase from Dee, the Rhinos would "rather lose with a loser, than win with a winner"..if that winner fits with the American people..and not with the entrenched beltway establishment.
  If the Republicans don't soon wake up and perform a house cleaning, they are doomed to wither.

   *  Yes Virginia, the Republicans too, have a "machine".

[bilmac]

One of the things that has to be changed is how our presidential nominees are selected. We had some fair people running, but most never made it past first base. Instead States that allow democrats to vote in the republican primary gave us Mccain.

Anybody have any idea how to go about getting such a thing changed? While I have always been a registerd Republican, I have never participated in the party itself, it kind of seems like a closed club in Wyo. I'm thinking it's maybe time to get involved and making some waves. Wyo made a weak attempt to change the nominating process by saying that they wanted to have their election much earlier, but they got told no and so backed down.

I wonder why we can't all vote on the same day? I also think that no state should allow dems to vote in our election.

[Swampman]

My brother and his wife vote for the dems least likely to win in the primary, and then vote Republican in November.  I don't think we really had any good candidates to choose from on either side myself.   I like Palin for several reasons.  As far as being President or VP, I don't think she was qualified.  I still voted for her.

I may just quit voting.  I no longer see the point.

[Dee]

During the primaries, many on this forum discussed and encouraged Republicans to go and vote for either Obama or Hillary, which ever one they thought would be the weakest candidate to run against the Republican nominee. Now it would seem the Republicans on this forum are crying foul, and want to change voting rules, as it may have BACK-FIRED on the Republicans, and the Democrats used the same strategy MAYBE.
Can't have it both ways gentlemen.
When this primary thing started I locked in on Paul, and hoped he would catch on, but figured he probably wouldn't. He simply was not flamboyant, and chrismatic. Instead he was honest and factual, and doggedly in support of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. He didn't promise things he couldn't produce, and he pointed out errors in government judgement. Of course this is not what the American people wanted to hear.
For a very brief time after McCain selected Palin I tried to tell myself and others that perhaps McCain had come to his senses and was going to go conservative. And then he began doing what he does best. Changing horses.
I believe we ended up with McCain due to a lack of consistency in American conservatives voting habits, and I use HABITS in the most literal sense.
I believe that Obama won, because most Democrats openly supported him, and some Republicans quietly did, along with a few Independents.
In my state Texas, McCain was going to win no doubt, yet I know folks here that are ultra conservative, and yet voted Obama. It really didn't matter, as McCain carried Texas anyway. They are so tired of the same ole, same ole, that they wanted something different. Hopefully Obama will be a one term president, and folks will be so fed up at the end of four years, they will get behind a candidate, that doesn't have to be shiny, just honest. JMO

[Mike Britton]

During the primaries, many on this forum discussed and encouraged Republicans to go and vote for either Obama or Hillary, which ever one they thought would be the weakest candidate to run against the Republican nominee. Now it would seem the Republicans on this forum are crying foul, and want to change voting rules, as it may have BACK-FIRED on the Republicans, and the Democrats used the same strategy MAYBE.
Can't have it both ways gentlemen.
When this primary thing started I locked in on Paul, and hoped he would catch on, but figured he probably wouldn't. He simply was not flamboyant, and chrismatic. Instead he was honest and factual, and doggedly in support of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. He didn't promise things he couldn't produce, and he pointed out errors in government judgement. Of course this is not what the American people wanted to hear.
For a very brief time after McCain selected Palin I tried to tell myself and others that perhaps McCain had come to his senses and was going to go conservative. And then he began doing what he does best. Changing horses.
I believe we ended up with McCain due to a lack of consistency in American conservatives voting habits, and I use HABITS in the most literal sense.
I believe that Obama won, because most Democrats openly supported him, and some Republicans quietly did, along with a few Independents.
In my state Texas, McCain was going to win no doubt, yet I know folks here that are ultra conservative, and yet voted Obama. It really didn't matter, as McCain carried Texas anyway. They are so tired of the same ole, same ole, that they wanted something different. Hopefully Obama will be a one term president, and folks will be so fed up at the end of four years, they will get behind a candidate, that doesn't have to be shiny, just honest. JMO

I agree wholeheartedly Dee. I used to work with some of the most conservative people you would ever want to know, but would vote democrat " because my family has always voted democrat".
These feelings go clear back to the civil war when almost all the republicans were northerners.
We have to get past this need to put a party name on our feelings and start to think as conservatives or liberals regardless of the candidate.

[bilmac]

If you will recall Dee the Republican primary was over and the Dems had had their input into our nominee a long time before we started messing around with theirs. The push to vote in the Dem primary was led by Rush Limbaugh. I think it was a good thing, it gave the Clinton machine time to dig dirt on Obama as only democrats can do, and maybe it will give both parties reason to look at the notion that they should accept votes from the opposite party in the primaries.

[jjas]

This election was like the '76 election.  Nixon's mess had the country screaming for change and it didn't matter who ran as a Republican, it was over....

This election was a bit like that.  Bush's approval rating is in the crapper, the economy sucks, gas prices were up and it didn't matter who was running as a Republican, they would have lost (and did).  Palin, Romney, Huckabee it didn't matter.  There was too much to overcome.

Will we be looking @ double digit inflation and interest rates ala Jimmy Carter?  I don't know, but as is always the case, time will tell.

[indiancreek235]

The media attacked her like wolves. She is very green and the media attacked her weakness. Notice Mr. Biden played the good dog in the election sat there like a good boy. If they would have came after him that heavy he has no probelm opening that claymore mouth of his. I liked Mike have you been to Arkansas since the Clintons left it is 100X better. His radical ideas of taxes was change. That goes to show people don't really want change that can be put on paper and seen they want change they can believe in. And I do agree that it wouldn't have mattered who ran Bush's rep won it for them. People are hurting, losing jobs, and just fed up with our leadership. But both canidates lied in the fact that they can change the economy around in thier first term. Most change a president makes is seen after they are gone. Thier power is effected by congress but what they do thier real damage is judges and commitees. The fact is and what bothers me is the lack of military experience in the new  administration. I'll just keep writing my senators and reps and keep praying.

[ironglow]

  I don't doubt Dee's word..but it is so hard to conceive of an ultraconservative voting for Bama. Such a person must have a death wish From the endorsements he got, the Muslims figure he is someone they can work with (what does that tell us?) News came over Fox this morning that the Taliban has asked Bama for a favor....pull out of Afghanistan.   We'll see...
   The enemy also perceives him as weaker, so we may get hit by them. Obviously if such an event takes place, anybody that voted for Bama can take credit for the hit...

[Heather]

  I don't doubt Dee's word..but it is so hard to conceive of an ultraconservative voting for Bama. Such a person must have a death wish From the endorsements he got, the Muslims figure he is someone they can work with (what does that tell us?) News came over Fox this morning that the Taliban has asked Bama for a favor....pull out of Afghanistan.   We'll see...
   The enemy also perceives him as weaker, so we may get hit by them. Obviously if such an event takes place, anybody that voted for Bama can take credit for the hit...

Can't you find a worse name for Obama.  I'm from Bama and Obama is the exact opposite of what we stand for here in the Heart of Dixie!

Heather

[ironglow]

Ooops! Sorry Heather..ummm..how about ..Ubama ?   I guess there is no need to offer a name yet, perhaps after a couple years we (and some of his sheeple) will have found new names for him...