Hi anti-green. Thanks for reading and commenting on my article.

Unfortunately, you lost me at "as a libertarian...".

Ruby

Thanks Sancho - and well said indeed. Glad to see I got up Paul.L's nose though.

I wonder what added dimensions he thought keith's and Timkins pathetic comments, to which I responded, brought to this excuse for a 'debate'.

Altman says:

"No, its not about the policies, nor male sexism its about the angry Left who claim to speak for women but only as long as they conform to a Left wing stereotype".

I do not want Palin or any other woman to conform to any stereotype. The problem with Palin and other similarly conservative women is that they actively attempt to make other women conform to theirs.

Abstinence-only sex education, limiting birth control and attempting to ban abortion in virtually ALL circumstances is nothing short of forcing other women to live by your own view of the world.

If women are deprived of the right to control when and if they have children, then they are never truly in control of their own lives.

I do not begrudge Palin's decision to have all five of her children. In fact I heartily commend her. But, for some reason I will never understand, she not only begrudges millions of women their decision not to, but is attempting to take their right to make that decision away from them.

Ruby

Palin is the USA's version of Pauline Hanson, thick as two planks, but can speak under wet cement about what she believes in but has no understanding / cannot articulate the finer details of policy or history of the policies of her own party.

The republicans have attacked the Democrats for being sexist but insist on branding Palin as the "Pit-bull with Lipstick".

Reality TV may give Palin some populist traction but at the end of the day this US election is much bigger than this, indeed for perhaps the first time this US election is about the future of the planet.

Palin will be hard pressed to respond and articulate the bigger picture.

No doubt Hillary Clinton will step in soon and do the deed (after she finishes laughing her guts out)

PS. Isn't it sad (pathetic?) to see disgruntled Howard/Bush supporters posting here - still trying to convince us they are relevant! Move on guys, move on, you're embarrassing yourselves.

*indeed for perhaps the first time this US election is about the future of the planet.*

That is indeed the issue, for US politics in the end, affects all
of us. Making decisions about changing kids nappies, or as mayor
deciding about sewerage pipes etc, is quite a different game to
issues of global significance, which require wisdom and good
judgement. I for one, do not believe that Sarah Palin has either
of those, to have her finger on the nuclear button, as she may
well have one day. We don't need pullbit terriers with their fingers
on the button, but incredible judgement. Obama so far is the only
character that stands out as having that, in the US elections.

Hi Rainier

This election is about change. The issue isn't policy but about how the economy is managed.

Voters think the economy is ok. Overall the way the economy is organised has served them well. What's perceived to be wrong is the way it's manipulated by the 'special interests','the elites' and the 'lobbyests'.

That's Obama's problem. He's campaigned on change. But with the selection of Biden, his oration and the way he's 'circulated' he's now seen as part of the Washington elites and their practises. He's also supporting, not new policy, but the traditional democrat policy. Not new at all and certainly no change or not the change the voters want.

McCain with his selection of Palin and his 'maverick' status simply highlight the difference. He'll maintain the way the economy operates but is set to destroy the influence and manipulation of the 'special interests', the 'Washington elites', and the way the operate.

That's what Palin did in Alaska.

That's the crux of the election. And it's the only change the 'swinging' electors are interested in.

Obama and his advisors won't identify their problem and won't address the issue in the voters minds. They'll cling to hope Bush's hopeless economic record is the issue and run on that. And of course McCain will run on the issue Obama has spent millions promoting ... change in Washington.

Hillary's finished even though mention has been made of a move to dump Biden. It's too late the horse has bolted.

I think distancing himself from the Clintons Obama thought he would have distanced himself from the Washington elites. Major error. Clinton was the best economic manager the US ever had and he rejected many of the 'pet' economic policies of the Democrats. Obama distanced himself from his best weapon... Clinton's economic management.

Watch the polls Tuesday and Wednesday that'll tell the impact of McCains now obvious strategy.

Noone can point the racist finger at Palin ... Her husband and children are part Inuit. That prevents the left from painting her typical Redneck. Must be bloody frustrating eh?