I'm a registered independent and a true moderate when it comes to most issues (meaning "liberal" on some and "conservative" on others). Like many Americans, I've been following the whole bitter exchange between Dems and Republicans about Sarah Palin's qualifications, and I'd like to make a few observations from a pragmatic perspective:

1) I have nothing against Palin personally and see no need to participate in all the Palin bashing, because it obscures intelligent discussion of the real issues. Rather, my concern as an American citizen is about her basic qualifications for serving in the second highest office in this country, and the fact that she may have to move up to the highest office more quickly than most given McCain's age.

2) As a "reformed Mennonite" and current agnostic, I worry that someone with Palin's strong religious convictions will try to impose this way of thinking on the rest of us. While I fully support people's right to practice (or not practice) whatever religion they choose, I don't want to live in a country that legalizes those beliefs via public policies, such as taking away a woman's right to choose, denying same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual ones, and insisting that creationism be taught alongside evolution. We're not a theocracy, and I really don't want to live in one.

3) I plan to vote for Obama/Biden because I feel most comfortable with their approach to domestic and world affairs, not because I believe they're the absolute best candidates we have--and not because I hate John McCain or believe Sarah Palin is the devil incarnate. I respect people's right to vote for whomever they choose.

I'm originally from Harlan County, Kentucky (one of the sites mentioned in this article), and I absolutely agree with what Hoyle observed. My father is still practicing medicine in Harlan, and his patients sound exactly like that Middleton guy from Cranks Creek. In fact, he probably *is* one of my dad's patients!

The thing that makes me want to tear out my hair during every election cycle is this: These folks are *consistently* willing to vote against their best economic interests--and we're talking some of the poorest, most downtrodden people imaginable--because the candidate is too black or too un-Christian or too educated. It's mind-boggling to me that people actually *want* to elect someone based on mediocrity!

Having grown up in Kentucky and now living in Montgomery County, PA, the name combination always amuses me! And frightens me a bit too, considering what's at stake with this election.

My relatives in Lancaster County (part of the -tucky region) exemplify this well. They're good people, but they see everything through a highly religious lens. So to them, Palin is their sole reason for voting for McCain, and they secretly hope Palin becomes President. Even though they're as badly affected by the economy as the rest of the country, religious beliefs triumph over all else (coupled with that subliminal fear of Obama's "Muslim" identify). When people are this blinded by their faith, no amount of reasoning on behalf of their objective economic interests will get through. A sad fact, but I have hope that most people in "-tucky" will take off the religious glasses just this once and see what they have to gain (or lose) depending on which lever they pull on Nov. 4.