Beware the Barracuda

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many
others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and
among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to
support more government programs, in other words, redistribution of wealth.



She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a
feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had
participated in, and the

occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years
harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.



One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on
the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed
objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she
indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in
school.



Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let
him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very
difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to
go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a
boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all
her

time studying.



Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She
replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she
never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus;
college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and
lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung
over.'



Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office
and ask him to

deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That
way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and
equal distribution of GPA.'



The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired
back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard
for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of

hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played
while I worked my tail off!'



The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican
party.'

A Face in the Crowd? So who is playing the banjo in jail?

Are you kidding me?? Be gentle with Ms Palin?? She's coming out with all barrels loaded - There's no being careful! She's put herself in this arena. This, hockey-mom, trophy-veep thing is being milked to the hilt. Her entire acceptance speech was one-long smirky condescension. Somehow she pulls it off - and the dems are supposed to handle her with Kid Gloves. No! go out with the issues and may the best man win!!

Anybode ever see "A Face in the Crowd"? Absolutely required viewing.

In response to Connie Leigh, "what arrogance" do you see in Sarah not Farrah Palin. Compare her administrative experience with BHO and his 143 days as a U.S. Senator. What possible administrative experience does he have. His staff does all his work. As for international secerity experience, I admit her limits there, but they are the same limits that BHO has. He has "NO" and I mean "None" international experience as evidenced by BHO's pick of Joseph Biden as VP. The only difference is she is running for VP and will have an established administration in place, up and running should she be called on to step into the presidential role. BHO will be just as inexperienced, on his day one, as he is now and don't be fooled, he will be pushed and tested by the international thugs and bullies on day one. His learning curve will be ours to endure and to pay for should he prove not to be up to the task. dcznmt,augusta,ga

Palin is pro-life, even in the case of rape, and opposes same-sex marriage and favors the discussion of creationism alongside evolution in schools. But she hasn't pushed for legislative changes in any of those areas.

The Associated Press reported Sept 3: "Palin's children attend public schools and Palin has made no push to have creationism taught in them. ... It reflects a hands-off attitude toward mixing government and religion by most Alaskans."

She even vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships because she said it was unconstitutional.

That says plenty. It shows she knows the limits of government, and believes that government isn't there to tell us what to do.

Obama seems more inclined to use government to control what choices we have than Palin does. Check out HR 800 and see what the democrats are up to while we're all talking about Palin. They are trying to eliminate the secret ballot in union elections. How unAmerican is THAT?????

I think we're seeing a scary, landslide-mentality taking over this presidential election. It may just be that Democrats must now watch a Republican "rock-star" emerge, and maybe Republicans are feeling overly joyous because they get to parade Palin as a bigger hit than Barak Obama.

We Clinton supporters were never in that mental stadium (screaming for a political rock star), so this just seems bizarre. But in general I think the country is now in real danger of being handed to a (fairly reasonable, if somewhat dopey) man who would stand one step away from the specter of a Sarah Palin presidency.

Palin's a cowboy like George, I say. Not a cowGIRL. I think she will overwhelm with her odd but powerful brand of femininity. She reminds me of one of those sharp-tongued, hard-drinking popular cheerleader girls in high school who charmed good marks out of teachers and were forever taking the lead in school plays and in front of admirers and hangers-on as they walked down the halls. A sort of Farrah Palin Wayne.

Palin plays to the boys and girls who still fall for the short skirts, long hair, lipstick and demure-if-fake modesty. She's testosterone clothed in a very thin but tough layer of synthetic estrogen. A lot of people really think that's sexy ... and we all know how sexy sells in this country. But I think she's fooling a whole lot of people into thinking "oh, here's an oh-so-girly-girl woman who could shoot an AK47 while standing up for Truth, Justice and The American Way with her heart on her sleeve!"

I would sum up the quality in this Superman that most frightens me and others as her arrogance. She's definitely a leader-type, consumed by the need to be followed and obviously ready to capture followers by any means. But are leader-types necessarily wise? Isn't it clear that Palin is incapable of realizing that she in no way has any kind of experience that truly prepares her to run with the big dogs, both nationally and Internationally -- even though she has obviously worked hard to master the art of sliding along on the seat of her wits?

The answer, as it would be for any hubris-filled, novice power-monger, is Yes. Maybe she'll learn a lot more in the next few years about what it really takes to earn your way to the top and how you might ultimately use that education in the good service of your country. But for now her arrogance seems to have wiped any capacity for real concern for these United States clean out of her character -- which is what makes her not Machiavellian but Rovian. And it's why many now believe that a potential win by the Republican party, in terms of the top two offices at stake, is very, very frightening indeed.

Oh, America .... !

Connie Conway
Woodbury, CT

Take care. Have a nice day in spite of Farrah Palin!

Her "bark" is worse than her "bite" then she will take over McCain as president. People are already chanting "Palin/McCain" when in history as the VP been more popular than the President.
Sounds like the makings of a Karl Rove plot to me.

"We've got to go after her, and fast," a top Democratic strategist, who asked for anonymity when discussing strategy, told me."

- Dirty, old politics, from the "holier than thou" candidate´s campaign... Because Obama has to "keep his hands clean".
But it did sound ridiculous when Obama talked about Palin changing her mind; "you were for, before you were against" - when that is all that he has been doing ever since the primaries.

And why attack women for voting out of pride, in support of a sister having the guts to take on the "good, old boy´s club" - and also, as a message that we will not "get in line behind the men" anymore - when it is ok for the African-American voters to be 80-90% behind a black candidate?

You go, Sarah! Use your grounded in reality, common sense in Washington!

America: We're supposed to love and embrace Palin. Do not probe into her political career or her record. Just shut up and love her. On the other hand, ask Obama if he's a Muslim, if he loves his country, if he's 'one of us', and probe into every relationship with every human being that he's encountered.

When will Obama be investigated as thoroughly as Sarah Palin? Sarah is the real deal we can believe in.
Obama believes in a socialist government. Our Democracy and capitalistic government made this country great. Yes we do have separation of church and state, a good thing. A socialist government makes all of us totally dependent on Obama's government, His next step will be us being dependent on the UN, a world government. Is this what America is all about? Look into his education in the Muslim classes he attended from age 6 to 10. (Quote 57 states ). What are his Muslim relationships. Why would a Muslim billionaire work hard to get Obama into Harvard. Our constition protects us from right wing concerns. Nothing will protect us if Obama wins.

McCain picking Palin for VP is not a woman's issue. It is an issue of Republican cynicism for our electoral process, McCain's poor judgement, and, the American fascination with reality TV. The crime of picking Sarah Palin is that McCain wants us to vet an unknown person in less time that the country picks an American Idol. They also, with this pick, manage to move people from talking about real issues like the economy, the war, and our children - to the latest "news" about a journalist who refuses to talk to the media, pitting woman against woman, and wasting very precious time. Sarah - Superwoman - allows Republicans to bask in the fantasy that they are not responsible for our nation being involved in torture, for the lax regulations on the mortgage industry, and for our reliance on oil. Palin is the Republicans' great joke on America - and it is so clever that certainly this had to be Rove's idea. Americans have to clearly see the problem in this pick and that the rejection of Palin has nothing to do with religion, NRA, choice, or even the environment - although all initial reports suggest she is completely unqualified to be president or vice president - but the Republicans set this up so the choice would be between a candidate who seems so harmless and appealing - but is totally unknown and unknowable and Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The question is whether America is going to turn this into American Idol or Obama/Biden, the only serious choice for the future of our country. Ask the polar bears. Ask Adams and Jefferson. Go Obama/Biden

When will we have a full investigation into Obama's history, relationships and beliefs. He attended Muslim classes from age 6 to 10. Is that why he doesn't know we have 50 states instead of the "57" he quoted. Is he lacking history of the United States. Why does he want a socialist government in the US. Capitalist government and democracy made this country great. It is our Constition that made us great. Obama wants us to be totally dependent on him. Remember the tea party in Boston!!!!

Here comes the Apocalypse. I'm building a fall out shelter.

This new "mega church" conservative Christian movement is undermining what this country is all about ... separation of church and state. They put Bush in the White House and are actively supporting this war as God's Will (Palin sure supports that idea!). Regular Americans need to wake up. Take a look at the documentary movie by an ex Catholic Priest called "Constantine's Sword" which shows what they are doing...how they are infiltrating the military with their fanatical religious fever for war by trying to convert everyone to their faith and world view. Please wake up if you really believe in what Jesus taught. It wasn't what these people are selling during their entertaining musical Sunday events.