The Republicans will rise again, just like the Democrats always swing back. However, before the GOP comes back, they need to think George H. W. Bush. He was the middle of them, the most calm and intellectual President they have had since Eisenhower. (And, no, I am not a fan of GHW Bush. I just am pointing out the obvious.)

In the recent decades, Republicans only succeed in two situations: When Democrats fail or when the GOP touches some deep seated fears and/or greed in America. They hit a double with Dubya, the greed of the 1990s and the Puritan Americans look at Clinton timed with the 'family values' crap. Even then, they had to steal the election and it was not easy. And to keep it, they pointed at their most dismal failure, 9/11, and somehow turned it to their advantage. They lied and said were the true patriots and only they could protect us. When they pushed it too damn far with a made up war and Katrina, America went Democratic.

The recent Republican Party is a sham, a closed bigoted, lock-step party that is just plain hateful. Even the smarter business people are sick of them. Those of us who live in the area when they still rule can't stand them for their: "Who, Me? I love the sinner but hate the sin" quote BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT HATE. Even that one trick pony is about to die soon. Many fiscal conservatives don't have a problem with gays or abortion but they sure have one with Hagee and Dobson, manifested in that awful Veep selection.

When the GOP goes back to fixing business problems and kicks out the religious haters they will stage a come back. Ironically, it may be under someone like the John McCain of 2000. Until then, the GOP is just the FOX News whiners, same as they were when they were in charge, worrying about a phony made up war on Christmas while Bush raged a real war against real people and spent a trillion dollars, eventually that must be paid for by TAX DOLLARS.

When the GOP gets back to what they originally stood for, they will rule again. But they got a long way to go, and a lot of purging to do.

And personally, I hope they take a long, long, time to figure it out. In the meantime, I hope the Democrats figure out how to kill the rest of the beast that resides in red America.

Again, STOP posting crap about this woman. Her 15 minutes are so over.

No matter how much the media fawns all over her, no matter how much the Repubs right wingers love her, we have had it with stupid Presidents. And she is stupid.

Dubya was enough. No President embarrassed us more in my lifetime. Not even Nixon, certainly not Clinton's tryst.

Stop writing articles about this stupid wannabe President.

Years ago, I refused to even look at a People magazine because nothing was in it but Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. A couple of weeks ago, I was stuck in a doctors waiting with nothing to read but a People magazine.

Sure enough, Britney and Paris are still there. If the media keeps up the hype, Sarah will be just like Britney and Paris: Smart enough to keep herself in the limelight and keep her name known.

Name recognition is everything. Even in a Presidential election. Don't deny it. And even if the candidate is stupid, sometimes that is endearing, think Dubya and all the people that wanted to drink beer with him.

Now, will you stop talking about Palin so the bat shit crazy lady doesn't manage to get elected President in eight years by the gullible public?

In our state, I have worked on a few recounts as a County Election official. We too, have optical scanners.

In recounts, we have found the scanners to be very accurate except for those ballots that were not clearly marked, sometimes (we suspected) by elderly folks, because the marks were very shaky.

But on the most local county level, as much as I could not stand my Republican counter part, I think we had a pretty good system. We counted the ballots and AGREED, with an unbiased official overlooking the process. Also, in some instances, representatives for both candidates have sit and watched.

I have faith in the recount system because of this. We gave credit to the obvious intent of the voter, no matter what party.

Even though I hate the way people in my red state vote, I don't think our system is corrupt. I think it is very accurate.

Based on President-elect Obama's known admiration for President Lincoln, do you suppose Obama is considering McCain for some post? Sec'y of Navy perhaps? Or, Sec'y or Homeland Security?

Bonus: By offering McCain a position in the White House, it would open up McCain's seat in Arizona. And, Arizona has a Democratic governor who could appoint a Democrat to the open Senate seat. (Remember the magic #60).

Just a thought....