It's hard to jump on board this thread when it has already taken off!
That is EXACTLY how i feel! I think she is just a cheap attempt to pick up hilary and Alaskan voter.
While I do not necessarily consider it a
cheap attempt, I do empathize with the sentament. I think it is a risky move, and I do think it is motivated by trying to pick up
some of the democratic voters that are still angry over Hilary not being the nominee. I think it is risky, and I do not think it will pay off. I believe that the democratic ticket has much more overall "street cred" than the republican ticket; and I definitely do not think that she has more "experience" than Senator Obama.
The point about picking up Alaskan voters is a moot point, in my opinion; because Biden has Delaware (3 electoral votes) and Palin has Alaska (also 3 electoral votes) so it is pretty much a wash. Of course, I don't know what Alaskans typically vote, so I suppose if it was traditionally a republican state, it could be an extra three votes; but that is only if Alaskans are voting based on the VP spot.
i like that Palin is short on DC experiance....means she aint been touched by its back room politics......
I agree with your point about being an outsider; but, I don't think that is really going to help when she is trying to get work done.
What really makes me excited the most is Obama's college community service thing...
I agree with this proposal 10 times over. This could make the difference between a good society and a great society. Students that perform community service with relation to higher education have higher college satisfaction, higher engagement, and a plethora of other indicators that all point to higher four year graduation rates.
Obama wants more social programs and the only way to do that is to fund them with tax dollars.....how in the hell do you make more programs without raising taxes?
He did say that he would look through program list and cut the ones that aren't working, retool the ones that could work better and more efficiently. Creating new programs does not always mean raising taxes. If something isn't working, it needs to be cut (I think we can all agree on that). The main responsibility with social programs is fiscal responsibility.
On a personal note, I just have to say, when I look to a leader, I look for someone who is going to inspire me. The president should inspire the American people to want to do more for themselves and do more for the people around themselves. The job of the president isn't to appeal to the lowest common denominator; it is to help the population collectively raise it.
I look forward to the future, and recognize that life isn't easy. I recognize that in order for things to get better, everyone has to make sacrifices and dig in. Whatever president we have isn't going to return life back to easy street; but rather help us understand and provide opportunities for everyone to better himself or herself. Isn't that the American Dream?
Many years ago, there was a man from the former Persian (now Iran) that donated a total of 8 million dollars to build two scholarship halls at my former university. During the ribbon cutting of the first building, he said something along the lines of: "You can go anywhere in the world and you'll never hear about the German Dream, the French Dream, the Chinese Dream, or any other Dream. All you ever hear about is the American Dream. I came to this country with my brother, five dollars, and a bag full of dreams." To achieve the American Dream, you need hard work, help from others, and inspiration.
xvart.