OK, maybe I'm not shutting up just yet. I watched and read all manner of coverage of the election-- foreign and domestic, left leaning, right leaning, and nonpartisan. I saw nothing in Palin except that she was selected by the left wing of the same machine that brought the nation the policies and actions that got us into this mess. She was running with McCain, a candidate worse than Obama. After listening to her speak, hearing interviews with and about her, including on Fox, she is still an unknown quantity. I hear nothing of substance.
If we don't approach republican or "conservative" overtures with deep skepticism, and if we do not put high barriers that they must cross to gain our trust, they will have no incentive to reform. I say that when Palin works hard and well, as Gingrich did in the 90s, and Reagan did in the 70s, and Harding did in the teens, and Coolidge did in the 20s, to earn conservative trust, then, and only then, should she be taken seriously.
Now, on to why McCain was a worse candidate than Obama. If he had been elected, then it would have been a reward to the republican party for exercising liberal spending and fiscal practices. That would have made the two parties virtually equivalent.
What we need is a solid two party system, based on creative opposition. At its best one party is in power, and the other party is almost in power.
We have no such thing today. It is what we must restore.
(Sorry Sourdough. I offended you. I respect you. I wish I had not offended you. This post sums up my frustration in the matter.)