Actually, Rolando, I don't mind fielding this one.
I never heard of Palin until I visited Alaska, on a cruise, in 2007. While touring Mendenhall glacier up there - which is receding, and the change in the past 21 years has been INCREDIBLY notable, causing me to re-think my stance on global climate change - we took a tour of Juneau. The tour guide on the bus mentioned in glowing tones that Alaska loved it's governor, and how she had done a lot of good for the state. This caught my attention, because 1) no one ever talks about their state's governor, and 2) it was a woman governor.
Never gave it another thought at the time.
Fast forward to when McCain announced his running-mate. My mom reminded me of the tour guide in Alaska.
From what I read of Palin following that, I found her to be plain-spoken, which is something I particularly like. (See Barack Obama's speech last night. Excellent work, because it cut through the BS to get to the heart of the truth.) I read that she took on her own political party in Alaska - which I *ALSO* liked, because I had always considered the long-time Senator from up there (Stephens) to be more than just a bit crooked. When I listened to the MEDIA, however, they made a well-liked governor into some sort of incompetent boob. Yet when Palin spoke, she was up-front, honest, and while ultimately unprepared to be Vice President, definitely a breath of fresh air in the stale political climate of Washington, DC. Add to that that I've always considered Biden to be a crook, and amongst the worst that Washington has to offer.
I understand Palin's value system, because it's not all that unlike the one I was brought up under and still find myself clinging to.
My problem with Palin - and really the only one - is that she's becoming part of the collective national windbag rather than the breath of fresh air she used to represent. Her brash style fits in WAY too well with what we have coming out of Washington. I don't like being told by my government, "We know more than you do, so listen to us." And I believe that her quitting as governor of Alaska, while undeniably due to the media craze surrounding her, really invalidates her as a Presidential/Vice Presidential candidate. But this is a lady who's proven she can accomplish good things in a state, and that, in my opinion, is the type of person we need more of.
The Tea Party is another issue. I understand the Tea Party. I identify myself more with the Tea Party than with the Republican or Democratic parties at the present. I believe spending is out of control, that we need to get under control not just the "deficit," but the "debt." In all the important ways, the Tea Party is reminiscent of what I supported when I voted for Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. And I think Claire McCaskill, Democratic Senator from here in Missouri, really hit the nail on the head in terms of public temperature - people have a right to be mad at how things are in Washington - especially after two stimulus packages and a National Health Care package that most independent people feel will WORSEN the debt rather than decrease the deficit (as the CBO predicts).
Obviously, I'm on the other side of the political fence than many here, although I consider myself a moderate. I support our efforts in Iraq in cleaining up the mess that we made (a view shared by Huckabee, who was my choice for President last time around). I support the continued war in Afghanistan. I believe in sealing our borders, but in immigration reform, with A DEGREE of amnesty. I believe in birth-right citizenship. I believe it doesn't matter where Obama was born, since, if either of his parents were citizens of the U.S. at the time of his birth, he's an American by birth. I believe in the fundamental principles of the Constitution, and feel that it should be the guiding document to everything the government does. I believe that the only thing the government has ever really done right is defend the country, and am not eager to have it prove its incompetence in other areas.
In addition, I do *NOT* consider myself a die-hard capitalist, since pure capitalism by itself seems to violate too many of my ethics. I think the government has no business "outsourcing" military operations to private firms (e.g. American companies that act as security firms (which I call mercenaries) in Iraq).
I think earmarks are a problem, and should go away. I think the deficit should not be REDUCED, but ELIMINATED, and I don't think it takes more than a two-year election cycle to do it. I think the current tax system has too many loopholes. I also think it is unfair to the wealthy. I think the estate tax is among the most evil of taxes, and I think that the estate tax is responsible for the upper middle class being prevented from rising into the upper class. And I think taxes are too high because we waste too much money.
And with all of that, I won't vote for a Republican just because he's a Republican. You want to lead me? IMPRESS ME. Make me think that you're headed the same direction I am.
When last election rolled around, I was happy - I thought there were two good candidates that I could support in McCain and Obama. And then they both voted for TARP - when I was DECIDEDLY against it. That told me that both would be an addition to the money-wasters and the corrupt. So, in protest, I voted for Barr.
I'm the kind of person Palin appeals to. She's not a Washington insider. Unfortunatley, I'm finding her to be more and more over her head in an overly hostile environment. I don't think she'll survive it without a unified America supporting her, and I don't think that's where she thinks she needs to be, which constitutes, in my opinion, a serious error in judgement.
I'm definitely on the pro-Palin side, but just not for political office (meaning President/Vice President) - at least not in 2012. I could have been in 2008, but I think the situation in America has changed since that time. I think she has a lot to learn to work at the National level. But I think she's got the potential to do it.
