Sarah

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
There can't be much debate about who has more experience... I mean Wasilla is a nice town (spent a bit of time there myself), but national level government it's not. What experience does she have doing things that Obama says he would like to do?

 

[menageriemama]

Potter: Kay, I am not the OP and I would not vote for Sarah Palin for president, and I will not vote for her as vp either. Is she charming? Yes. Is she smart? yes. Is she a quick learner? YES! Do I like her? Uh huh! Will I ever, ever, ever vote for her? NO!!!!!! Americans are so silly, we tend to let personality override position. Not I!!! I like her, yes, but I have deep beliefs that are at total odds with her position. C'mon people, lets have some conviction and seek a political figure who represents us the best, not somebody who "seems really great".

(and that can be said about both parties, just to be fair.) Sorry for all of my misspellings and grammatical errors, I am tired and getting ready for bed and I dont have my contacts in!

 

[PotterWatch]

Menagerie, I am totally with you. I just don't understand voting for someone because they are charming or attractive (not saying people here have said they are voting for her just for those reasons). There is no way I could ever vote for McCain or her simply because I am too at odds with their way of thinking. I am curious to find out what it is about her politics people like though, is it just the republican platform or is there something more that I am not seeing?

 

[d.k]

* Potter, I'm curious here, can you elaborate a smidge and go a little deeper into what you mean by "their way of thinking", please?

 

[Verboten]

Quote:
I sadly do not have much knowlege about Alaska other than that I am from another less populated state that generally feels manipulated by the national government (or at least a large area of it anyway). I do appreciate managerial experience on any level - obviously the higher, the better if you wish to be president - Is being the Governor of Alaska like managing a Domino's or something?

I would not presume past Governors of Georgia, California, Arkansas, or Texas to be ready for 'national level government' either - the simple fact is NOBODY is "ready to be president".

Governor Palin appears to have brought about quite a measure of (positive) change in her state's government. I have not heard much about Senator Obama making a (positive) change in Illinois state politics or national politics.

 

[PotterWatch]

Sure!
McCain was asked if he thought a non-Christian should be president of the United States. He answered, "I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles, personally, I prefer someone who has a grounding in my faith." I have a big problem with religion being used as a basis for the decisions our President makes. For instance, I don't like the idea of creationism being taught in schools. I don't think public school is the place for religious teachings.

McCain has stated that he believes human life begins at the moment of conception and that embryos should be afforded full human rights. McCain has said he supports amending the U.S. Constitution to ban abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or risk to the mother's life. I do not agree with his stance on abortion at all.

McCain is against federal funding of birth control and sex education; his opposition included a vote against spending $100 million to reduce teen pregnancy by education and contraceptives. McCain voted in 2003 and 2005 against legislation requiring insurance plans that cover prescription drugs to also cover birth control. I don't think the government should be able to have that kind of control over the perfectly sensible option of birth control.

He supported the failed 2006 Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage, and supports a similar initiative in California that will be on that state's November 2008 ballot. He also voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 which barred the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. I believe any two people should have the right to marriage no matter what their gender or sexual preference is. I'm not thrilled to death with Obama's position on this issue, but at least he has no issues with a civil union.

The above issues are make-or-break for me. I will not vote for a candidate who would support state-sanctioned religious teachings in school, is anti-abortion, anti-birth control, and anti-gay unions. Palin is even further along the path of what I won't support.

 

[Verboten]

Quote:
Umm... I thought we were just (as in a just couple of minutes ago) talking about Governor Palin's experience vs that of Senator Obama.

I've already said that Senators do not make good presidents.

 

[d.k]

* Thank you for explaining. You do know, I am sure, that very nearly every (if not every) president we have ever had-- for the duration-- and not just recently, has at least claimed to hold to Judeo-Christian beliefs? And Obama does also?

 

[Verboten]

-sorry did not see d.k's post

The problem Senator Obama may have in this election is that "change" means different things to different people and honestly PotterWatch I do not believe that your ideal is what people are talking about at all. You mentioned quite a number of positions that are very popular.

 

[d.k]

* We sorta overlapped you, V. Sorry for the confusion.