Is Palin Beginning to Pale?

OPINION
Tom Toles of The Washington Post

Is the enthusiasm for Governor Sarah Palin for veep beginning to pale? Many think it is. John McCain hasn't helped by keeping her sequestered, allowing her only limited appearances and mainly with him. She memorized her nomination speech, written by a former G.W. speechwriter. She did such a good job at memorizing and delivering one speech that all she does now is repeat that speech, and repeat it, and repeat it . . . .

One might think she is a princess in waiting for coronation the way McCain and his supporters are treating her. She is far from being much of anything.

I, and many others, consider her undereducated, inexperienced, a pompous know-it-all, and certainly a spotlight-seeking wannabe. Some have actually called her Alaskan trailer park trash. I haven't called her that - - yet.

What she does to the English language is worse than what G.W. does, and she waves her retarded baby like a badge of honor. A baby, which if she is elected will get all of its special care at the expense of the American taxpayers, perhaps for life. That kid's care will burn through thousands and thousands of dollars in the next four years alone, and he will never be a productive member of society.

Any thinking person knows Palin is not equipped to be Vice President of the United States to a 72-year-old-man whose mental faculties will only decrease. After his overreaction to the Wall Street supposed crisis, some think his faculties are failing fast.

He has been treated for cancer two or three times, and anyone who faces reality knows that cancer never goes away for good. It is always waiting to reactivate.

Therefore, if he is elected and re-diagnosed with active cancer, he could be debilitated for an extended time, or die. It can happen to any of us at any time, so the odds are high that it could happen to him in the next four years. In that case, this small-town know-nothing WILL be President of the United States. To even consider this fibbity britches for veep is an affront to our founding fathers, all our ancestors, and everyone who has sacrificed themselves in our wars to preserve our feedom.

Dear God. Please save America from her follies.

Lost Interest in the Presidential Election?

OPINION

Who is Tom Toles?

I guess, if you are a Christian Evangelical extremist, you are probably happy with the way things are going in the Presidential campaign. I guess you can get very emotional about the nominated Republican V.P., identify, admire, emulate. I recommend that you save that for church where your heart can be strangely warmed, you can cry, shout, and you know you are right with God, ready to catch the holy train for Heaven. Hallelujah!

That's fine in church. Religion is all about emotions. Elections, on the other hand, are about getting the hard facts and making decisions.

Letting our emotions run away with us is like leaving the house for a long journey where there are no gas stations, simply calculating that we will be able to run on air. Elections are about using our brains and putting our emotions in a box for a few weeks.

I hope Americans are not being hoodwinked again like they were in 2000. Voting in an election is the biggest job a citizen in a democracy has.

Too often, members of political parties are too comfortable in their state of being. Well, this is not the time for that, because comfortable times are fleeting.

Too much reliance on religious ideology is dangerous to a democracy. It has been proven over and over again. Adolph Hitler was a religious man, a practicing Roman Catholic, so was Francisco Franco of Spain. Too much religion is unhealthy for the mind.

Just like an automobile needs gas to run, democracy needs well-informed citizens who constantly pay attention to our government - state, national and local. We all need to constantly read, think, listen, and discuss the issues, problems, and possible solutions. It is our obligation. Our job. We must show up and on time, informed and confident.

It is OUR Government wherever it is, state, national, local, and we are as responsible for it as we are for our spouses, siblings, children, pets, parents. When candidates bash "The Government," they are showing a great lack of knowledge.

To the power seeker running for office, "The Government / Washington," an entity to them that is disassociated from them, is broken, corrupt, inept - - add some more of your own. They will reform it, make it perfect. It will run like an automobile that just had a tune up -- smooth, straight, fast, getting fantastic mileage, saving money, and then everyone will be happy.

The concerned person running for office considers those currently in power responsible for any adverse conditions. The thinking candidate believes in the Constitution and will defend the Consitution, not attempt to rewrite it for his / her own gain.

The people who have been running our National Government, more who are non-elected than elected by you and I, have gotten this country in such a high pile of horse pucky, all our lives are going to be difficult for a long time to come if we don't put our emotions in a box, along with our dislikes, our prejudices, our biases, our wants and our give me, give me.

We must actually vote for what is best for our country, not yours, not mine alone - - OUR country. What is concrete, what is real, not based on some belief. Otherwise, the bad times may be a long time here. We either stand together for strength through the tough times that are coming, or we will all fall singularly and painfully into an abyss without warning.