A retort to some of you.

No, I am not paid for this, or affiliated with any person or entity, although I will share a brief insight.

After my donation to McCain/Palin last year, I was taken to a website outlining various things one could do for the campaign. One of them involved internet postings, and suggesting one could earn some sort of "points" if you posted supportive comments. It did not appear to be suggesting infiltration of the left. Rather, it mentioned a "red state" site and suggested people should "tell their friends" about their support, or words to that effect.

I laughed out loud at the thought of compiling "points" under such a scenario, and could not imagine what I would do with them. I never went to the McCain web site again, or followed up in any way on the concept. Nonetheless, it did prompt a thought: maybe I could find a site where I could plant my flag and converse a bit.

That's how I found Salon -- I had seen Joan on Hardball, and thought she seemed articulate (for a liberal). Obviously, I did not stop with the election; Sarah Palin's career went forward. My intent was to share my enthusiasm for her. The rest was incidental, and gravy.

So, there you have it. Full disclosure.

Tschuss.

I'll make an exception for you. Still pondering the effects of deregulation on last year's events. Appreciate your inputs.

Re: your question/comment earlier, no, I can't say I have learned much from citizen commentary on politics. That is also true of commentary on the right.

In the main, citizens have an undue tendency to cling to establishment professional opinion on either side of the spectrum, and are unwillingly to gaze out their own front door, draw on their own learning and judgment, and imagine that variations are possible.

I am consistently surprised at how often my own modest stabs in that direction are dismissed as "paid" efforts (they are not) or otherwise insincere, and thus discredited. I'm not complaining, mind you. It's just an interesting phenomenon.

Of course, being a Palin supporter in such an environment is an amplified experience. The left template for her does not contemplate the existence of such support. My advice: get a new template. Or, just keep shouting. Either way, I'll be okay.

You ignored nuclear power. It's clean. It's renewable. It stays here. A majority of the country supports it, according to Gallup's annual energy poll this spring.

Obama/Biden are completely opposed, even while claiming their position is nuanced and complicated.

As for oil, the more we drill domestically, the greater our share of that global oil revenue. When the price is $80, and we're shipping 80 greenbacks overseas, that's not good. Domestic drilling also creates good paying union jobs here at home.

Palin supports both nuclear and oil drilling, to create jobs and retain wealth in global trading. Obama/Biden oppose both, even while oil prices and unemployment soar.

Here are questions for you.

Liberals like Joan Walsh often posit that the GOP needs smart, serious people like Newt Gingrich, not lite and dumb like Sarah Palin.

In NY-23, we see an example where Palin -- no one ever said she lacks guts -- endorsed a sure fire loser at 16% in the polls, and helped catapult him to potential victory. Meanwhile, Newt dug in and insisted the establican -- who equivocated on whether she would even endorse the GOP for House leadership positions -- was a great candidate.

We now see, of course, that the establican really was a liberal all along, and Newt insisted today that he was fooled and betrayed.

Now tell me. Is that smart? Is that serious? Is that good judgment?

Palin. Guts and smarts. I'll take those qualities every time.

You are mistaken.

Joe Biden claims that energy is "more complicated" than drill, baby, drill.

However, his position is not complicated. It is simple. He is 100% opposed to new domestic drilling, whether in Alaska or off shore. He is 100% opposed to nuclear power.

He favors windmills, which were fashionable back in January when oil was at $45. Now it's back to $80, and we still have no new energy production. Doh!

As for smarts, I can't judge Gov. Palin's thought process because I can't see it happen. I can only judge the results. Her policies and preferences are exceptionally smart.