Sarah Palin Love Smacks

Have to give this broad her due. She did not tank last night, which is what I tuned in to watch. What a tough babe. What a dame. She has no brains and much confidence; she is as dangerous as remarkable.

Some highlights (Quotes from the NYTimes):

On the Financial Debacle: "One thing that Americans do at this time, also, though, is let's commit ourselves just every day American people, Joe Six Pack, hockey moms across the nation, I think we need to band together and say never again. Never will we be exploited and taken advantage of again by those who are managing our money and loaning us these dollars. We need to make sure that we demand from the federal government strict oversight of those entities in charge of our investments and our savings and we need also to not get ourselves in debt. Let's do what our parents told us before we probably even got that first credit card. Don't live outside of our means. We need to make sure that as individuals we're taking personal responsibility through all of this. It's not the American peoples fault that the economy is hurting like it is, but we have an opportunity to learn a heck of a lot of good lessons through this and say never again will we be taken advantage of."

That's right - it was Wall Street's fault. But what are ya gonna do? Let's just chalk it up to experience.

On her party's stance on taxes:"And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also."

Also this one: "But when you talk about Barack's plan to tax increase affecting only those making $250,000 a year or more, you're forgetting millions of small businesses that are going to fit into that category." Right, the way to equitable taxation is to reduce the incidence of tax on small businesses. Some taxes are bad, so let's get rid of all taxes.

Aside: taxes aren't imposed on income, they are imposed on net income: income less deductions. There isn't a problem with taxing small businesses - a well run small business net's its taxable income to zero. And most small businesses are formed pass-through entities. If the tax paid by a small business is net of deductions - essentially on the taxable income of the owner - aren't you just giving a break to some forms of income at the expense of others? Lets jump-start the economy by eliminating employees in favor of creating owners of small business. You gotta have faith. Why should we drive the economy by favoring small business with tax breaks? Doesn't that just misallocate resources?

Another one for Ms. Palin: "Now you said recently that higher taxes or asking for higher taxes or paying higher taxes is patriotic. In the middle class of America which is where Todd and I have been all of our lives, that's not patriotic. Patriotic is saying, government, you know, you're not always the solution. In fact, too often you're the problem so, government, lessen the tax burden and on our families and get out of the way and let the private sector and our families grow and thrive and prosper."

Straight Reagan - love it. We're gonna dump this tea!! At least she recognizes that government is sometimes the solution. Like in the next sentence: the government's gonna give tax breaks to spur health care: "He's proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage. That's a smart thing to do. That's budget neutral. That doesn't cost the government anything as opposed to Barack Obama's plan to mandate health care coverage and have universal government run program and unless you're pleased with the way the federal government has been running anything lately, I don't think that it's going to be real pleasing for Americans to consider health care being taken over by the feds. But a $5,000 health care credit through our income tax that's budget neutral. That's going to help."

"Gwen, I don't know where to start." Well, we could start with wondering why it's revenue neutral. Note that John McCain is gonna raise taxes by taxing our employer paid heath care premiums. I guess if JM does it, it's not so bad for the economy.

But she says it with such certainty and folksy charm ...

But we do need government help: "And the rescue plan has got to include that massive oversight that Americans are expecting and deserving."

Another does not compute gem: "We're circulating about $700 billion a year into foreign countries, some who do not like America -- they certainly don't have our best interests at heart -- instead of those dollars circulating here, creating tens of thousands of jobs and allowing domestic supplies of energy to be tapped into and start flowing into these very, very hungry markets. Energy independence is the key to this nation's future, to our economic future, and to our national security. So when we talk about energy plans, it's not just about who got a tax break and who didn't. And we're not giving oil companies tax breaks, but it's about a heck of a lot more than that. Energy independence is the key to America's future."

If we drill here- there is only enough proven oil in the US to buy us about one year at our current consumption rate. How much could we possibly extend that with new drilling?

Also: we need energy independence because that will support a greener earth: "We've got to become energy independent for that reason. Also as we rely more and more on other countries that don't care as much about the climate as we do, we're allowing them to produce and to emit and even pollute more than America would ever stand for." Right China's oil production forces them to emit more greenhouse gasses. If we drill for oil, it is certain to reduce Chinese consumption.

Palin on the Bush Administration: "There have been huge blunders in the war. There have been huge blunders throughout this administration, as there are with every administration."

Regardless though, "Positive change is coming, though. Reform of government is coming. We'll learn from the past mistakes in this administration and other administrations. And we're going to forge ahead with putting government back on the side of the people and making sure that our country comes first, putting obsessive partisanship aside. That's what John McCain has been known for in all these years. He has been the maverick. He has ruffled feathers. But I know, Senator Biden, you have respected for them that, and I respect you for acknowledging that. But change is coming." Ahhh... hockey mom and maverick will ride into town and set things straight.

"The past is the prologue."

Thankfully, an M-P presidency wouldn't look back: "I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are." The Fourth Branch.

"Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position." Right, the founders left the VP slot an open question for future generations. This seems a pretty close reading of the C.

Another charmer: "You do that [create jobs] by lowering taxes on American workers and on our businesses. And you build up infrastructure, and you rein in government spending, and you make our -- our nation energy independent." The free market will work if we just let it.

Word stats: Maverick: 15 times
Main Street: 4

It's all coming into focus.

She is pretty hot though.