While I do think it's legitimate to question Sarah Palin's qualifications for national office and to scrutinize her ongoing preparation for it (or lack thereof, if you will), I do think it's ridiculous to suggest that her promotors be punished for backing a candidate of questionable ability, even in an symbolic fashion. Number one, it seems to me that it treads on first amendment rights (as many people have successfully pushed, directly or indirectly, immoral or just plain incompetent officials into office before). Number two, if we're talking about people who cause really widespread and concrete damage, I would think that the previous president and many others before him would also be under scrutiny, far more than a woman who never even achieved the office she was running for and who quit the one she bears now.

Now manage the money we've authorized wisely.

This is how unions destroyed steel companies, auto companies, airlines, schools.

Unions were a good thing to begin with until government regulations came into effect eliminating the need for unions.

Instead of taking the strike, auto companies gave in to unions.

As with government, it is never enough and they came back for more.

Enter foreign competition and profit was no longer attainable.

Unions will suck you dry. Governments do the same. That's why the founding fathers instituted limits on everything.

Then comes the hue and cry we'll need to curtail high-profile services like police, fire, road maintenance, teachers, school lunches.

Instead of streamlining government offices where pay is higher than private sector, with more holidays and benefits.

Edwards wasn't much more qualified than Palin

ThankGodfortheAtlantic, I had no idea Joe Biden was "an affirmative action child, from a chaotic and secretive background."

Thanks for the info!

birth certificate. Change we can believe in.

Bozo is a clown.

You are a dumb clown!

Welcome to the GOP circus!

And come join Palin, another dumb clown.

The GOP… they are always looking for other stupid clowns.

Despite the massive & long-lasting attacks on Sarah Palin by the lefty wingnuts like Conason, it is clear from all this that those lefty wingnuts are very AFRAID of Sarah Palin. If that is not the case, why the unending, vicious attacks against not only the governor herself, but against members of her family, notably her CHILDREN!

I am a Republican with independent tendencies and personally don't think Sarah Palin represents the Second Coming of the Republican Party, but the attacks by the Democrats & the left are truly telling of their fears & vulnerabilities.

But it should be pointed out that Barack Obama is now the President of the United States, and I can't wait for the reckoning that will be coming to those who put HIM IN the Presidency, not just IN LINE to it. He was not ready for prime time and it appears that his policies, now that their effects are being seen, have already done great damage to the people of the United States. This nation and its citizens are in great danger because of Barack Obama and the Democratic lackeys in the Capitol. Their day of reckoning will come in 2010, and so many crimes have been committed by the Obama administration--actual financial crimes--that Obama may not get to 2012 without an impeachment proceeding.

With all due respect, sir, this is the first time I've been exposed to your work and it's obvious to anyone that you are a fan of the Obama nation. And, as horrified as I am at the direction that the current administration is taking the country, I wouldn't criticize it with the bitterness and anger that clearly consumes you. Lighten up, cupcake......your side won and is hard at work imposing the sort of "change" that you no doubt support.

You are hopelessly misinformed.

Government has been DEREGULATING since Reagan became president. We're in the economic mess we're in right now because government didn't do ENOUGH to stop Casino capitalism.

As for unions. American workers have seen their wages stagnate in a direct correlation with the loss of union strength in America, the resulting increase in corporate power over government and workers, and the reduction of taxes for the rich.

Workers are hurting because unions have LOST so much power. And you want to blame them?

As for government growth. It has grown MORE under the GOP than under Dem control. The GOP does that in several ways. The two biggest:

1. their insane desire to pour trillions into the coffers of the Military-Industrial complex, which Eisenhower warned us about. We already spend more on Defense than the rest of the world combined, and the GOP wants even more (the Dems aren't much better . . .)

When Obama announced a 4% INCREASE, GOP corporate whores went ballistic, saying Obama was destroying the military. It was an INCREASE, and they called it a huge cut.

2. The other major source for growth is outsourcing and privatization. Contrary to what you say about government salaries, they are lower than in the private sector. Government can do many, many things cheaper than the private sector because of that, and because they don't need to make a profit.

Bush sent as many private contractors into Iraq as he did soldiers, paid them ten times as much to do the same jobs, and cost taxpayers trillions in the bargain. That doesn't shrink government. It expands it. It puts the taxpayer on the hook for many, many times more money, without the accountability.

A soldier can do his or her own laundry for a fraction of the price we pay KBR, etc. That goes for logistics, security, cafeteria, etc. etc.

It also goes for health care financing.

Dozens of the top execs for private insurance companies make tens of millions a year in salary. A couple make more than 100 million. The government would be paying the director of that project six figures, not ten.

Yes, we can streamline government. We can make it more efficient. Definitely. If we cut defense, rolled back our empire, concentrated on home, and stopped privatizing so much, we could save a fortune. If we stop corporate welfare, we could save a fortune. If we direct all public resources toward making life better for our citizens, instead of trying to make rich fat cats richer, we could reduce waste, abuse and inefficiencies AND do the right thing in the bargain.