One of the things that drew me to the Republican Party -- or at least the Republican Party of 1994-2000 -- was a sense of personal strength and perseverance. They demanded -- but also accepted -- individual responsibility.

This letter, Sarah Palin, and much of the current Republican Party lack any sense of individual responsibility or strength. Oh, the buzzwords are still there -- we hear about how the American people are so great because they work so hard unlike those out-of-touch liberals in Washington, etc., etc. But other than blowing sunshine up the working man's ass, Republicans no longer have any idea what it means to be strong and independent.

Real strength doesn't require bogeymen in the form of a media out to "get" you. Real strength doesn't hide behind sound bites and cheapshots, behind cutting off your opponents' mic or screaming at them. Real strength doesn't need to out-shout its opponents -- it is confident that it can out-think and out-work them. Real strength doesn't talk about "Democrat operatives" or imagine itself oppressed by the too-powerful forces of a vast conspiracy. Real strength goes to work every day and tries to do a better job, and remains confident that it will get the job done without having to resort to cheap tricks and petty whining.

And, yes, real strength doesn't tell its lawyer to threaten to sue anyone who looks into an issue. Real strength doesn't fear sunlight.

How on Earth did the Republican Party go from the party of personal independence to the party of personal oppression? When did we get so whiny? How on Earth can a party claim to value intelligent thought and independent responsibility, but spend so much time on cheap rhetoric and whiny conspiracy claims? It's sad.

Sarah Palin -- the universe is not out to get you. Your failures are yours and yours alone -- own them. They are not the product of Democratic "operatives" or a liberal media. We should not -- and will not -- sacrifice American indepence and personal responsibility by letting you pass your shortcomings off to someone else.