Comments, please

[snafu]

Paul B. Farrel's article caused a big discussion here so we wonder what Americans think. Could Sarah Palin really run? You're scaring the rest of the world with your political choices. Discussion here went ballistic at the thought of THE Donald. We plead, no more actors in the real role of President.

Reagan insider: GOP destroyed U.S. economy, Part 2 Paul B. Farrell - MarketWatch

[maat55]

Sure she "could". Would I vote for her? Not likely.

[Like2Plan]

Originally Posted by snafu

Could Sarah Palin really run?

I admire certain aspects about Sarah Palin, but at this point it is not likely I would vote for her (always subject to change )

[dczech09]

The thing the Republicans need to focus on is not finding a good candidate, but finding a good President. Lets face it, whoever runs against Obama will most likely win.

[marvholly]

I hope the Republicans are smart enough NOT to nominate Palin for anything higher than dogcatcher. To me that would be a sure re-election for Obama. I did vote for him in 2008 but that was mostly because I felt McCann was too old and feared Palin ending up POTUS.

I am from metro Chicago and just felt Obama needed more time in the Senate/national office before becoming president. My reservations appear to have manifest themselves.

[cschin4]

I support anyone running who wants to toss their hat in the ring. She has as much chance to get elected as anybody and you dont' know if you can win if you don't try. As for Palin, i would heartily support her candidacy. I have gone to her live speaking events and i like what she has to say.

[cschin4]

It isn't up to the Republicans to find a candidate, it is up to the people. The problem with the RNC is trying to ram candidates down our throat that we don't want.

[MonkeyMama]

My personal opinion is that the extreme right was getting somewhere for a short time, with their extreme right and evangelical agenda. For example, I have poor/evangelical relatives who will vote whoever their church tells them to vote for. I marvel how they support candidates who cut taxes for the wealthy, etc. It's like some kind of evil genius - to get the poor to vote for the interests of the wealthy. IF you ask them why - it all comes down to abortion and gay marriage.

BUT, while they were gaining support of the sheep, they have been losing longtime conservatives to the democratic side. My family is very conservative, and I know they all voted for Obama. I think it is somewhat related - that most of my educated/middle class devout family is leaving the church. To me, it's jaw dropping. If you told me most my family would leave the church by the year 2010, I wouldn't have believed you. The politics have everything to do with it. Some of my family is very left leaning, and others are very right leaning - but they all are disgusted by the church and *right-wing* politics of today. They don't care about abortion and gays - they want the economy fixed. They want affordable healthcare. They want jobs.

Anyway, Palin seemed to be a driving force in getting many traditional conservatives voting for Obama. If the right thinks that the likes of Trump and Palin are what the people want, well, they apparently want to hand over another win to the democrats. They fooled much of California into voting for Arnold, and that ended in disaster. All of this seems to be backfiring for the long haul.

As for me personally? I have no political party. I will vote for anyone who runs on common sense. Arnold, Trump and Palins are all just clowns to me. No matter which party supported them, I wouldn't vote for them. I think fiscal conservatism is probably more of an important issue to me than any other. The right has put forth candidates in recent years who borrow borrow borrow (Arnold) and who cut taxes while increasing spending (Bush). Most conservatives aren't buying these *conservatives.*

[KTP]

We didn't vote for Obama in 2008 but for sure will vote for him in 2012. Our early retirement plans depend in high income taxes for the rich (hopefully lowered to mean anyone with payroll income of $150,000 or more rather than $250,000) and heavily subsidized health care and other programs. Hopefully we will be fully sucking off a plump government teat by 2016, at which point we will definately want another democrat in power to keep the handouts flowing.

[maat55]

Originally Posted by KTP

We didn't vote for Obama in 2008 but for sure will vote for him in 2012. Our early retirement plans depend in high income taxes for the rich (hopefully lowered to mean anyone with payroll income of $150,000 or more rather than $250,000) and heavily subsidized health care and other programs. Hopefully we will be fully sucking off a plump government teat by 2016, at which point we will definately want another democrat in power to keep the handouts flowing.

I hope this is a sarcastic post.

[cschin4]

Is this point of this thread to just be a Palin bashing post? I can read those in other sites.

[cschin4]

What are the comparisons? Palin isn't an "actor". She rose through the ranks of local politics to ultimately run the Oil and Gas commission and become Governor. At least get the facts straight if you want to start a bash fest.

[cschin4]

And, just for fairness, Obama is a clown. A one trick pony. A look at me ma, I can read from a Teleprompter Dog and Pony show and so far that seems to be his only executive skill.

[bjl584]

I don't think that Palin will run. She is making too much money doing speeches, book tours, and appearing on Fox News. She has s pretty good deal worked out. Why give it all up to have a stressful as a job as being the President?

[snafu]

cschin4: [see the link to P. Farrel's opinion] The rest of the world shivers when we see names that scare us proposed as possible President of USA since decisions made in the United States of America affect the world to some extent.As mentioned, THE Donald shook up my colleagues and friends. It's a relief to see names like Gov. Perry [TX], Christie [NJ], Romney [MT prev}. proposed as they understand the levers of power. Government cannot be run like a business. You can't tell handicapped, soldiers returning with missing limbs, or the people of Joplin...'You're fired.'

[feh]

Man, I hope she does. She'd have no chance and would draw the rest of the R candidates to the right.

[woodie96]

Another candidate for the GOP that I heard of recently is a fellow named Herman Cain. He comes from a business background, not politics. I have to admit, he isn't getting the press that the other people are, but man if you listen to what he has to say, it makes a lot of sense.
The one most important thing that he said that I appreciated his honesty, the day after he announced his candidacy, he was asked what he would do about Afghanistan and the other wars.

He was pretty much ridiculed when he responded, he wasn't sure. His mentality was that he didn't have enough information at his disposal to make an informed decision. Without the information and knowledge of the senior military leaders, CIA intelligence briefs, NSA briefs, etc. He said, to make an uninformed decision was only smoke and mirrors.

Gotta love his honesty. Even after being pressed, he stuck to his guns and said he would have to get the information before he could make any decision.

[shanecurran]

Originally Posted by dczech09

The thing the Republicans need to focus on is not finding a good candidate, but finding a good President. Lets face it, whoever runs against Obama will most likely win.

Not true. The incumbent will have the advantage, even if they have unpopular policies (Look at G.W.)

[bjl584]

Originally Posted by shanecurran

Not true. The incumbent will have the advantage, even if they have unpopular policies (Look at G.W.)

The incumbent historically has the advantage going into elections. The thing that Obama will need to focus on is the economic numbers. Only once in history has a sitting President won re-election when the unemployment rate was over 7%. If I were running, I would be stressing the high unemployment rate to people everyday.

[riverwed070707]

Well said.

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

My personal opinion is that the extreme right was getting somewhere for a short time, with their extreme right and evangelical agenda. For example, I have poor/evangelical relatives who will vote whoever their church tells them to vote for. I marvel how they support candidates who cut taxes for the wealthy, etc. It's like some kind of evil genius - to get the poor to vote for the interests of the wealthy. IF you ask them why - it all comes down to abortion and gay marriage.

BUT, while they were gaining support of the sheep, they have been losing longtime conservatives to the democratic side. My family is very conservative, and I know they all voted for Obama. I think it is somewhat related - that most of my educated/middle class devout family is leaving the church. To me, it's jaw dropping. If you told me most my family would leave the church by the year 2010, I wouldn't have believed you. The politics have everything to do with it. Some of my family is very left leaning, and others are very right leaning - but they all are disgusted by the church and *right-wing* politics of today. They don't care about abortion and gays - they want the economy fixed. They want affordable healthcare. They want jobs.

Anyway, Palin seemed to be a driving force in getting many traditional conservatives voting for Obama. If the right thinks that the likes of Trump and Palin are what the people want, well, they apparently want to hand over another win to the democrats. They fooled much of California into voting for Arnold, and that ended in disaster. All of this seems to be backfiring for the long haul.

As for me personally? I have no political party. I will vote for anyone who runs on common sense. Arnold, Trump and Palins are all just clowns to me. No matter which party supported them, I wouldn't vote for them. I think fiscal conservatism is probably more of an important issue to me than any other. The right has put forth candidates in recent years who borrow borrow borrow (Arnold) and who cut taxes while increasing spending (Bush). Most conservatives aren't buying these *conservatives.*