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Would be interested to hear how Ben Stein deals with the challenge he laid down in an editorial in the New York Times Business when he asked if John McCain had the guts to address the failure to meet funding requirements of social security, medicare, military spending that republican tax cut stimulus will miss? It has not been answered and Ben remains strangely silent concerning his leaders 'guts'.

Did the backers of intelligently designed Palin influence the timing of son's departure to Iraq to test the will of the designer?

It's funny hearing Obama's supporters talk about Palin's lack of experience. I'd say something about what the pot called the kettle but it's likely to be bleeped out. I think Palin's got the Democrats running scared. Everyone except for one person I've talked to said they will be voting for McCain.

My views on Palin:
I disagree with her attempt to force her idea of religion on America. I'm a Baptist, and I hold to the traditional Baptist stance of no state-run religion. I also consider her comments regarding God, Iraq and the Gas Pipeline as blasphemous.
I also view her as dishonest, given her ethical record and support of current government policies. I also look askance at the appearances of evil in her dealings as Governor and Mayor.
I also view her citations of Ferraro (who would disagree with her on most points) and Clinton (ditto- and, let's face it, ask any Republican or Democrat Hillary's run against- they may describe her in many ways, but "gracious" is NOT one of them) as blatant pandering.

Of course, this dislike for Palin doesn't mean I'm voting Obama. McCain may have lost my vote long before Palin (when he knuckled under to Bush in 2000, to be exact...), but Obama lost what little respect I had for him when he picked Joe Biden to be his VP. After how Biden was all gung-ho for war in Iraq (in 1998 AND 2002) despite the evidence (There was enough evidence even back in 1998 to show the WMD charge was false), he's joined my short list of least favorite people.

It has certainly fired up many of the theological conservatives, who are rather pleased about the Palin pick.

Orville- What exactly ARE you, then, politically? Also;

1) In what way has Palin attempted to "force her idea of religion on America"?

2) What comments in particular do you consider to be blasphemous (quotes please)?

3) What parts of her "ethical record" do you think make her "dishonest" (again, direct citations are necessary)?

4) What do you mean by the "appearances of evil" and "askance"?

People ask what it is that Sarah Palin has said that is blasphemous. Such a question is posed because the so-called "Christian Right" are clearly not real Christians. To say that anyone who does not support Bush is going to hell, to say that a war is God's will, and to have said that anyone who supports John Kerry cannot go to heaven, is blasphemous. Why? If you have to ask, you clearly don't know what blasphemy is. She is comparing Bush to God by saying that if you oppose him, you can't go to heaven; she is making war and a nation's military policy godliness, and she is asserting that democrats cannot go to heaven. She is blasphemous! She doesn't know God.

These right-wingers and televangelists are the false prophets of these End Times. They gather the nations together for the final battle, says the Bible. Ironic, because televagelists raise money under the guise of religion, which in itself is not godly (make not my house of house of merchandise), and they use it to further the right-wing poltical agenda throughout the world (The New World Order). They run the news media (98% Republican owned and owned by fewer and fewer entities as they merge more into one Republican hegemony), and they blaspheme God's name by asserting their closeness to God while supporting war, greed, torture, lies, spying on the American people, holding prisoners in secret prisons without due process, polluting the environment, and spreading division and hate. Sarah Palin compares Bush to God by saying you cannot go to heaven if you oppose him, and she gets the support of the so-called Christians because of that and because she is anti-gay. Beware of false prophets who deceive the whole world. They don't come to us as terrorists; they come to us as "Christians."

To John Wright:
I'm not exactly sure. I have various influences, from social liberalism, to fiscal conservativism, to minarchism, to a distrust of unethical government/elected officials. I'm not sure which party I would fit in. I can state that I have voted for Democrats and Republicans, plus third-party candidates. (I cannot state who I'm voting for this election- I'm a poll worker. (Yes, I'm an American...)

Admittedly, Palin has not forced anyone to convert to her brand of Christianity. While she may attempt to force her beliefs on others (see the Wasilla library controversy), I was a bit overdramatic on that.

Her personal blasphemous comments are her reference to the Iraq War as "a mission from God." She has clarified that statement, in that she has said that it is in regards to Iraq being God's will. However, given the numerous lies told to "justify" the war, I view this statement as the equivalent of "Let us do evil, that good may come." (Romans 3:8) (While I'm trying to get away from my strict religious upbringing, things like this do set it off, albeit in different ways from my parents.) (It should be noted that, while I consider this blasphemous, I'm also angry at her Democratic counterpart, Joe Biden, who bears command responsibility (in part) for the attacks on Iraq in 1998 and 2003-, as a result of his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.)

The blotches on her ethical record include her differing testimony in the (Alaska) "Troopergate" case, and her failure to abide by legal regulations regarding her time on a fishing boat. (This has been desribed as "fishing without a license" by the media, though if it was known, it could be construed as poaching.)

The phrase "appearances of evil" deal with the aforementioned ethical issues. (It's a reference to I Thessalonians 5:2.) As for "askance", I'll use the secondary definition from Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, "with disapproval or distrust ".

As for gregory1250, you are confusing Palin with her pastor. He did say those things, she didn't.