Vice President Sarah Palin...really? Are you kidding me?

If you consider yourself a progressive Democrat or literally an individual who cares about the direction of the United States and the peace of this world, now is the time to act. The extreme corporate right wing of the Republican party is in the process of doing everything they can to bankrupt this nation, turn it over to private companies and place our safety and welfare at risk. Sarah Palin is their current political tool to carry them through to the White House on 1/20/09. What she represents is dangerous, dangerous to this country and quite frankly, after last night's (carefully crafted) speech, is very likely to swing voters, independent and otherwise, towards McCain (who by the way happens to be a serious war monger and even greater threat to world peace than GWB). Here is a great backstory on who John McCain really is and what he truly represents.

Palin made her case as a very appealing choice to middle America, a self-prescribed "hockey mom." Her pick as VP candidate plays right into the Karl Rove political playbook. The Republican party is up to dirty politics again (i.e. check your history books and read up on Spiro Agnew as the '68 Republican VP candidate on Nixon's ticket - same thing going on, a largely unknown candidate is shoved into the national spotlight, one who is populist with no substantial or legitimate experience for the job - Palin like Agnew has minimal experience in the national political arena...she has just 22 months as Alaska governor - a state with a population of 683,000 - and as a mayor of a Wasilla, AK, a town of 9,000, hardly compares with Biden's 30 year experience in the US Senate).

Mark my words, she is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a tool of the Republicans, and mostly everything she was talking about in her RNC speech were LIES. She is a right wing, conservative Christian nut job hand picked and strongly promoted by the evangelical, fundamental right wing base, that if elected will be one heart beat away from the "button" (McCain's health as a 72 year old with a history of bouts of cancer and other health ailments is not entirely reliable or encouraging). Vice President or perhaps President Palin? Where is the substantial domestic (think national not just Alaska) or foreign relations experience that a US Vice President demands?

Consider that she is a member of the Assembly of God (known for its members speaking in tongues during service when they feel the coming of the holy spirit) that promotes ideas about the end times. She believes in the book of revelation and the coming of JC, etc etc. Now is a good time not to caught up in the right wing rhetoric. Now is the time not to believe the hype.

I don't mean to use scare tactics here, but Palin is the real deal and would appear to now seriously hinder Obama and his campaign for President. The big "D" Democratic Party is partly to blame here. During the course of this campaign, the DP has been seriously lacking in highlighting and criticizing the Bush cronyism, the corrupt politics, the shredding of the US Constitution particularly with respect to the 4th Amendment, the removal of habeas corpus, the torture and extraordinary rendtion of innocents, the ongoing nightmare and US occupation in Iraq, etc etc.

It has all led to the Republicans strategically picking a VP candidate who has turned out to be a rock star, someone that many working Americans can identify with. It is conservative politics 101, pick a populist, someone identifiable, and then blame the so called liberal "elite" media for all the wrongs. This is all a smoke screen for the real Republican agenda to come in 2009 if in fact they win, which represents more war, more dependence on oil for our energy needs, more unequal distribution of wealth, more poverty, no universal health care, just to name a few.

So if you are interested in listening to a decent alternative critique to mainstream media of last nights speech, click on the following link for the Thom Hartmann program, an Air America radio show. I think he really gives a good alternative perspective to the corporate media's portrayal of Palin as a legitimate candidate.

Also, there is some serious police state action going down in St. Paul where the RNC is being held that is NOT being covered by the national corporate media. Along with several other members of the press, investigative reporter Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was arrested this week for simply asking the status of her co-workers who were themselves arrested and beaten by police earlier in the day. The local and state police, as well as federal law enforcement and secret service officers, are rounding up hundreds of protesters in St. Paul, including innocent bystanders and press, for simply exercising their First Amendment rights. For more information and video about Amy's arrest and go to or try this more direct link

Call your state representatives and Congress people, and tell them you oppose the police crackdown and violation of the First Amendment going on in St. Paul. For more information on whats being done to defend the rights and efforts of those protesting in St. Paul, please check out the National Lawyers Guild website or the ACLU.

And remember, democracy begins with you, tag your it!