Let’s ay someone like Belgium or Norway or Venezuela, okay let’s say Venezuela, contracted with Cuba to drill an off-shore oil well and when they drilled it they turned the straw northwest into American waters.

We all know sending an army or rockets into another country to explode and blow up stuff is an act of war. Is oil theft a violation of international law? Is it an act of war? Is it worth going to military war over?

Would we have to go to war against Cuba or Venezuela or both?

What if they used drilling equipment leased or bought from Russia? Would we also have to go to war against Russia?

1. As VP, Palin will he a heartbeat away from the President. Should women experiencing post-partum depression be permitted that close to the nuclear button?

No. Let’s just not even go there.

5. How does conducting marriages in the aisle of a Wal-Mart preserve the sanctity of marriage?

Duh! It was a het couple. That’s all that really matters to anyone trumpeting that “sanctity” BS, not whether the marriage was actually done in any sort of, y’know, sanctified setting.

We don’t have to touch the culture wars–or her family. At some point the wingnuts are going to have to turn away from their beer, their nachos, and that chunk of Sara Lee chocolate pound cake with half a quart of Breyer’s Strawberry cheesecake ice cream on top that they’re hiding behind, and think about some real issues:

1. As VP, Palin will he a heartbeat away from the President. Should women experiencing post-partum depression be permitted that close to the nuclear button?

2. If a President Palin attempts to fire Gen. Patraeus because he refuses to nuke Iran without Congressional approval, would this be an abuse of her authority.

3. If God favors building a Pipeline through Alaska, does He say so in the Bible? (One would think that Someone as big on laws as God was would put this in writing….) And if it IS in the Bible, is this in the OT, the King James NT or some newfangled version that only the Assembly of God recognizes?

4. What is Palin’s view on hybrid snowmobiles? Would Jesus drive a snowmobile or would he use snowshoes?

5. How does conducting marriages in the aisle of a Wal-Mart preserve the sanctity of marriage?

6. Has Palin ever killed a moose with an M-16 like the one she was holding in a PR photograph? (My guess is no.)

7. Much has been made of the fact that “Caribou Barbie” shoots her own moose. Big whoop. Can Palin field dress her own carcass? How long does it take? And which does she prefer for tenderizing the meat: Coke, Pepsi or Jack Daniels?

8. Enough with the fluff! The Bush administration recently announced that it would assume temporary control over the nation’s two largest mortgage finance companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in an attempt to calm their influence on Wall Street’s market fluctuations. The cost of this bailout package ranges from zero to stratospheric, depending on who you talk to. Does Palin favor the bailout? Or would it make more economic sense to Palin if Bush just told the banks to hire arsonists from across the border to torch the most hideously overvalued properties, and let the re-insurers pick up the tab?

9. Bush has vetoed two earlier versions of legislation expanding the Children’s Health Insurance Program, because they could eventually open the door to “government-run health care for every American.” If Palin had to step into the shoes of the President, and was subsequently faced with such legislation, how would she vote? If Palin vetoed such legislation, what measures would she propose to insure that all children from families that could not afford health insurance received basic care? Just out of curiosity, does Palin  know the average cost to employers of providing health insurance coverage to employees and their families? Does Palin even know what the average cost of COBRA Continuation Coverage is for a family of 4 in the lower 48? If she DOES know the answer to these questions by the time ABC interviews her, did she know before Rove’s minions “prepped” her?

10. In your speech, you claimed you would champion the rights of special needs children. Isn’t that special. If you were President, who would you appoint to the U.S. Supreme Court in order to insure that public schools in America didn’t just “warehouse” kids like Trigg?

It is my humble but very firm opinion that Barack Hussein Obama will be the next President of the United States.
Why do I believe so? A few reasons.

To begin with there is this: http://www.electoral-vote.com/ As the Votemaster points out, this is NOT a national race but 51 (50 states plus D.C.) individual winner-take-all races of varying values. Compare to Kerry/Bush four years ago. If you want a Republican slant you can go here (Obama’s still ahead).

And then there are the odds-makers. Now they have been known to be wrong in the past (go Giants) but not very often.

Finally there is (of course) money. As best as I can tell, the person with the most money has won the Presidential Election for at least as long as I have been alive (and probably a lot longer). I have no reason to doubt this year will be different.

So enjoy the show. If you live in a battleground state (or even if you don’t) donate and/or volunteer. But try not to worry too much (at least not at this point).

Thanks.

Gov. Palin will be a potent and energizing force for a campaign that was desperately in need of some juice, but her appeal is almost entirely to the Republican base. Those folks were not going to vote for a Democrat, particularly a black one, so they were never on the table.

The real issue is how this plays with the independents. Once people start getting a sense of her personal politics –abstinence only sex ed; no abortions even for rape or incest; global warming denier; irresponsible on fiscal issues after leaving Wasilla facing a $22-million deficit; ran a 527 for corrupt Sen. Ted Stevens– she’s likely to look a lot less attractive.

Frankly, it was partially the hysterical coverage of her family issues by some on the left that has given the Republicans a cudgel with which to bash the media. The lesson is to forget about the 5-month-old and her pregnant daughter and just keep pounding away on her lies, her political beliefs and her poor performance in Alaska.

It’s just so demoralizing to see this election go back to the same culture war stereotypes that have been running our country into the ground for 8 years. If this stuff works on the voters again, I seriously think we may be beyond hope.

You might want to stop in Aisle 6 for a little gift, before headin’ over to Aisle 14 where our very own Tamilyn Watson & Billy “Buck” Rodgers were just hitched!

Reception is goin’ on in Aisle 15, where a cash bar is servin’ up RC Cola and Mooselodge punch. Stop by and give ‘em your congrats.

Mayor Barbie will be signing autographs until 3:00 pm.