Have Gun, Will Travel. Sarah Palin a Good VP pick?

[Shuckins]

Hap, I listened to every single, utterly predictable word.  I heard nothing that I hadn't already heard a hundred times from almost every member of the far left.  The things he has promised to do are just repackaged versions of the promises made by previous democratic contenders.

If you look at his voting record (Here...I'll loan ya my magnifying glass.) it simply reinforces that image of him as an ultra liberal.  An ultra liberal will always find it tough to get elected, simply because the extremism of their views do not play will in Peoria.  He cannot claim to be a moderate or a maverick who will cross the aisle to shake hands with and craft deals with the Republicans because he has no record of doing so.

McCain, on the other hand, DOES have the reputation of being a maverick.  That's one reason why his pick of Palin as his VP running mate has been such a coup.....it shores up his support amongst conservatives who have been miffed at him for abandoning conservative principles upon occasion to work with democrats on bills he deemed too important to allow to languish.

Elfie...no offense, because none is intended...but I think you're splitting hairs on my statement about Down's Syndrome.  There is, indeed, a small chance that Palin's daughter gave birth to a child with Down's Syndrome.  But the reality is that it is FAR more likely that the facts are what they appear to be....that the child was born to the Governor and not her daughter.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Yes really.. that was the basis for separation of church and state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state

Quoting "wiki". It's like dragging out that blog crap.

There is NO clause creating "separation of church and state". There IS a clause that forbids ESTABLISHING a religion. It means you cannot have a STATE RELIGION. It was written to prevent there being a "Church of the U.S.A., because they knew how bad a problem the "Church of England" was.

[bj229r]

No kidding RPM.  I'm flamed every second post.  I'm a registered Independent, firmly support the 2nd ammendment......and still members of this board call me a liberal consistantly.

All the MSNBC journalists are registered Independents also , but seriously, you tend to say a LOT of things that someone from my side of the fence would ascribe to a liberal. <That aside, I believe you were spot-on about Brad13 >

[Elfie]

Elfie...no offense, because none is intended...but I think you're splitting hairs on my statement about Down's Syndrome.  There is, indeed, a small chance that Palin's daughter gave birth to a child with Down's Syndrome.  But the reality is that it is FAR more likely that the facts are what they appear to be....that the child was born to the Governor and not her daughter.

No offense taken. I agree with that bolded part, I'm also thinking I may have misinterpreted your original intent.

[Shuckins]

 

[bj229r]

Just heard, Palin vetoed three HUNDRED spending proposals last year....that's about 299 more than Bush in 7 years

[Elfie]

Just heard, Palin vetoed three HUNDRED spending proposals last year....that's about 299 more than Bush in 7 years

Palin is all for cutting wasteful spending......I just wish my wife was more like her. 

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Elfie, considering Sarah Palin is 44, her chances of having a child with Down's Syndrome are, by your numbers, somewhere between 1 in 100 for the age of 40, and 1 in 30 at the age of 45.

In this day and age, a child being born to a young girl, outside of marriage, is nothing uncommon at all. While certainly in direct contrast to a "family values" plank in a political platform, it isn't sufficient to end political aspirations, for the parent of the child giving birth or even the child giving birth. Two or three decades ago, maybe. It would be so difficult to do a really good job of faking it, it wouldn't be worth the risk. But then, sometimes people get really stupid, even if they are really smart. It's not beyond the realm of possibility for the rumor to be true. However, it is just as likely that early testing revealed the Down's Syndrome, and since it is not uncommon for Down's Syndrome babies to be miscarried, it is very likely that the Governor's pregnancy was kept VERY quiet.

[crockett]

One document does not establish intent by the founders. If there were multiple documents then I would agree with you.

The use of the Jefferson letter by the SC just might be the first time the SC legislated from the bench, although I'm sure Toad can and will correct me if I am wrong on that account. 

Considering it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the letter in question about the intent of the 1st Amendment, well I'll take his word on it. I'll also take James Madison's word on it because he wrote much of the 1st amendment and is considered the father of our constitution.  He had pretty much the same view as TJ..

“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.” James Maddision 1803

That's two.. how many more you need?

[Elfie]

Elfie, considering Sarah Palin is 44, her chances of having a child with Down's Syndrome are, by your numbers, somewhere between 1 in 100 for the age of 40, and 1 in 30 at the age of 45.

Actually those figures are from the March of Dimes, I figure they know a bit more about it than I do.   

I agree with the rest of your post. To add to that, it really makes no sense to me to have a mother fake a pregnancy to protect her daughter especially a mother in the public eye as much as a governor is. There is just to much risk of exposure involved.

[Hap]

What's VPLIF mean?

Here's my take the day after the Palin announcement as if I were working for either campaign.

If I worked for the Dem's, I'd be overjoyed because those in charge of the Repub ticket lost the "not enough experience" argument against my guy.  I'd hammer away on Bush = McCain.  Republicans = big brother imposing their rules about abortion and marriage.  I'd hammer away at Repubs being reckless war mongers (see Pat Buchanan's latest essay on his website).  I'd hammer away that the Repubs have ruined your kids future with how they have run the war on terror.  Gazillions down the drain.  They will tax the middle and lower classes into docile submission while enriching the upper and uber classes.  They need someone to sell them their large order of fries and Wal Mart products.  I'd watch hurricane season.  If FEMA is able look like its on-top of stuff this time, I'll accuse them of malfeasance during Katrina.  I'd hammer away on the new world order where worker are slaves and war becomes a way of doing business with neo-cons running the show.  I'd hammer away on the American Republic (take a Buchanan argument) because it's there for the taking.
 
If I worked for the Repubs, I'd not be overjoyed.  I would want the no experience argument.  So now, I'll hammer, hammer, hammer, 24/7 on TV all the Rev Wright anti-white racist and anti-American thing nonstop.  I'd hammer away on abortion and gay marriage.  I'd hammer away on guns.  It'll be character, character, character.  I'd get Exxon to spend some of their billions on my ads, nonstop.  (Can Exxon do that?)  I'd make an Obama/Biden presidency look like taking money out of your pocket, ending your lifestyle and giving it to them: the homosexuals, immigrants, and women.  I'd make McCain and Palin look like the Pop and Mom of America.  (sidelight: a woman in the white house if Repubs win this time??)  I'd paint the Dems as anti God and guns.  I'd make them appear to value things that abhors a majority of Americans.

I think that's what the next two months will look like.

The winner will be??  I've said no way Dems win with Obama on the ticket because American won't elect a black man.  I don't think McCain helped himself.  At least at this juncture.

2 months is a long time.  If a good portion of the public falls in love with Palin, and McCain convinces a good portion of American that he won't follow Bush's spending and conduct the war on terror better (don't know how based on what he has said), Repubs win.  Oh, if Osama Bin Laden is found and executed, Repubs win.

I did not think this race would be as close as the last two.  Now, barring Bin Laden's execution, it will be just as close as the last two, I'm guessing.

For Dems to win, here's what needs to happen: gas $5.00 a gallon.  Another housing debacle or worsening of the present mess.  A big company like GM declares bankruptcy and pensions are gone.  All the debates go their way in an outlandish fashion.  Real gaffes by McCain and Palin.  McCain becomes ill. 

As always, happy to eat crow publicly when the facts prove me wrong.

Hap

PS  I don't buy the "experience argument" in its usual form as we have seen it over the past few elections.  If Palin comes out big time as no no nonsense Mom who is capable of getting folks to follow her lead were she President, Repubs win.  Especially if during the next two months she blows some Dems out of the water in a aggressive and charming manner.

[Toad]

"Separation of Church & State" it's not just a catchy phrase it's part of our constitution.

Do you even know where that phrase comes from?

Again, tell me why the first act of the first US Senate was to appoint a chaplain. Then tell me how that shows "separation of Church & State" in our constitution.

BTW, that phrase is not in our Constitution.

[Elfie]

Considering it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the letter in question about the intent of the 1st Amendment, well I'll take his word on it. I'll also take James Madison's word on it because he wrote much of the 1st amendment and is considered the father of our constitution.  He had pretty much the same view as TJ..

“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.” James Maddision 1803

That's two.. how many more you need?

The total separation of church and state as you interpret it was never intended by the founders. If it was, why did the first Congress appoint a chaplain as one of their first actions? That certainly isn't consistent with a total separation of church and state as you see it.

In many cases countries in Europe had official churches whether it was the Catholic Church or the Church of England, those churches interfered with the secular government in undesireable ways. That is what the founders wanted to prevent here. They never intended that children couldn't pray in school, or use school facilities for after school Bible studies with like minded students.

We can find dozens of private and public documents to support an individual right for the 2nd Amendment, 2 sources is still a pretty weak argument in comparison.

[Hap]

oops

[Donzo]

I fail to see ...

That's not surprising.