The American Spectator

Doug Roll br> Jacksonville, Texas /p> p> Mr. Klein’s warning to avoid placing Governor Palin on a pedestal is well intended and appreciated. However, to compare Sarah Palin to Barry Obama is disgusting. Ms. Palin actually believes something of substance, can articulate same without a teleprompter, and has raised a family and governed in the toughest environment in America. Obama has all the sincerity and power of a high school class president and comes across as an empty suit with no specific ideas that will work in the real world. His suggestion to properly inflate our tires was almost as good as Bush 41 telling us to telecommute 20% of the work week. An Obama Administration would be a replay of the Carter Administration, without the competence. Also, my political intuition, which has served me well for decades, tells me that I trust this woman but not that community organizer. br> — David Shoup br> Dublin, Georgia /p>

With the selection of Sarah Palin as VP candidate there is suddenly wild enthusiasm for the McCain/Palin ticket. Let me suggest 10 good reasons why conservatives and libertarians should refrain from voting for John McCain:

(1) John McCain was the moving force behind repeal of the First Amendment in McCain Feingold. As President, what additional violations of the Constitution will he champion? He has no fixed Constitutional principles.

(2) JM will consider his election as an endorsement of his immigration policy and amnesty. While I do agree we need comprehensive reform, and that sending back millions of people will probably never happen, I do not believe that most of us support his poorly considered “solution.” He will have the enthusiastic support of the Democrat Party, probably the acquiescence of his own Republican Party, and it is unlikely that talk radio will be able to stop it after the election.

(3) JM will try to use the only administrative paradigm he has available to him in controlling the bureaucracy — his military experience. The bureaucracy will end up controlling him.

(4) JM will be desperate to do deals with the Dems to establish his “maverick” bona fides. Unlike President Bush, he will not give up and he will be rolled by the evil party.

(5) JM has a total lack of understanding of economic reality, and will be totally at sea in trying to deal with forthcoming economic challenges. In a worst case scenario, he could end up being our modern Herbert Hoover.

(6) JM’s tendency to scapegoat producers in the oil industry, the pharmaceuticals industry, and whatever industry is slandered by the MSM tomorrow will further undermine his ability to deal with economic problems on a realistic basis.