Palin 2016

@marlingrace,

My opinion of what she did was my instinctive impression long before Gifford was shot and was at the moment of viewing.  There are simply things that a politician or orator should do and shouldn't do.  She absolutely crossed a line for me in terms of recklessness, animosity and behavior unfit for a politician, let alone a vice president.  To be absolutely clear, what happened to Gifford bore no weight on my assessment at all and that is precisely why I did not cite what happened to Gifford as being in any way related to Palin's actions or words.

Instead, orators wield enormous power over people, particularly factious and charismatic orators.  That is a fact.





I'm talking about faction in Madison's terms. 

I am looking for an enlightened statesman, also using his terms as well.  Have you seen one for I have grown cynical at this point?

I'd take Allen West for $100, myself....but a black man won't have a hope in hades for a generation after what Obama has done here. Sadly..unfortunate...but I'll put money on it. I don't think the US will tolerate the chance of another man who sees their race before their nation in leading the whole thing at once, and even the chance...probably kills it. Kinda like how Kennedy was bitterly opposed by the ignorant belief that he'd dance like a puppet to the tune of the Vatican. So...I don't figure I'll get my wish, but I'd respect West. He's walked the walk, and long before he got to talking about anything.

Nope.

I would have voted for her when she ran with McCain - if she had been at the top of the ticket rather than McCain. Now? Not a chance in hell.

Volatile speakers don't bother me. People who shoot from the hip or wear their hearts on their sleeves don't bother me - that's probably exactly what we need at this juncture, on all counts. Someone who says what they mean and means what they say... with firm conviction, and no reverse gear.

She crapped in the nest when she spearheaded the effort to co-opt the Tea Party into the neocon-controlled Republican Party. That placed her firmly in the enemy camp. She made her bed, now she can lie in it.

I swear, if it shapes up like it appears to be going, with a Clinton or a Warren against a Bush or a Romney, I swear that I will write-in for Karl Marx.

Or even Groucho Marx. neither could do any worse than any of the above, even considering that both have been dead for years.

I will NOT vote for the "lesser of two evils", because then I would still be voting for evil. That ain't what we need. We've got enough already.

In 1730, the colony of Virginia passed a very unpopular law concerning the inspection of tobacco for sale. In the next election, 1735, fully 45% of ALL the incumbents in the House of Burgesses were unseated.

That would be a start. I wish we still had voters like that - people who voted in their own best interest and the best interest of the nation, rather than for "the lesser evil".

Now Now.... Obama is actually highly educated and highly skilled. Many hate the man, and with good reason. He's earned every % point against him, with interest...but stupid isn't among his shortcomings. I think he's gotten to where he is, largely by showing that side to people he counted on taking a shot...and cutting them off at the knees when they didn't resist the temptation.

He couldn't lead the hungry to food, but he could convince them they didn't need it after all, while he ate his lunch. That's his skill. A charisma that is damn near spooky, and I've said that about him since the beginning. I recall times I came to follow his speeches and found myself believing him in 08 and 09, before I caught myself to recall who and what I was listening to.


I don't see any true skill with Palin though. Again, if she stood totally alone, and it wasn't her vs. Bush and Christie and ...heaven help us..maybe even Romney? Would she ever occur to anyone today as 'Hey...She's the best one I can imagine!'?

I know it's all 'uncool' to say these days...but we do need a successful businessman of some flavor or someone with extensive and successful executive level track record (as in, they lead...OTHERS followed...and it worked out for them in the end). I don't want one of the 1% by any means. Pure evil doesn't replace pure ideologue any better...but this poor boy nonsense is what has a U.S. President intimidated to the point of bowing to more than one leader, and outside where that would even be culturally appropriate for goodness sake.

We need someone who is CAPABLE of feeling superior to other world leaders and because they believe it. I don't see that steel in her, either. Just fuzzy feel good, mixed with bitterness.

As someone who is in the middle, and therefore a part of the electorate that generally determines who wins...

Sarah Palin is unelectable. She has too much baggage, a poor reputation and nothing to really attract centralists. If she was the Republican candidate, she'd pretty well ensure that the Democrat would get in.

Ouch! They were NOT kind about her in Iowa...

Source

Sounds like building support has a way to go....

I haven't voted for President since 2004 (I voted in all other elections, just couldn't bring myself to vote for Obama (x2), McCain or Romney) and that pairing might well grant me another four year absence, although I am still kind of open on Hillary Clinton, because I'm not really sure what she stands for. If she winds up singing the same "progressive" tune that President Obama has been whistling up our butts for six years, no thank you. If she's a little more moderate, like her husband was, I would consider her. I still think that Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan were the best Presidents of the modern era.