Republican Convention: Drill, baby, Drill!

Are Republicans stupid? I’m sorry to my Republican friends and family, but the delegates televised at the 2008 convention have embarrassed you.  “Drill, baby, drill?”  Are you kidding me?  Is this their energy policy of the future?  And do they really not understand who they need to vote for them?  Why are they touting traditional conservative talking points?  Was Mitt Romney really evoking an image of the the traditional family as the solution to our social ills?  Does he not understand that a large percentage of the voting public falls into the NON-traditional category?  What’s his solution for a single mother struggling to make ends meet and keep her kids safe…go get married?  And in the same breath, Mike Huckabee claims he became a Republican not because he grew up in privilege, but because he wasn’t sitting around waiting for the government to save him and ridicules the idea of a government that tells us how much air to put in our tires, yet asserts that McCain is a man who recognizes that all life begins at conception.  Essentially, he is granting the government the power to dictate the single most important decision in a woman’s life–whether or not to become a mother.  The outcome of that decision is potetially far more grave that low tire pressure.  Keep your laws out of my body, Republicans.

And here is Sarah Palin.  She’s cute, articulate, disarming.  She has a strong voice and a good sense of humor.  She’s talking about the grit of small-town people.  One of the qualities she admires is that ”they are always proud of America.”  Why is that a good thing?  Aren’t there times when we should feel some shame?  Some humility?

Okay, here’s the reality of the Republican ticket.  The presidential nominee is 72 years old with a history of health problems.   So that gives our young governor from Alaska a LOT of potential power.  Is this the woman I want holding the reigns?  No thanks.  I’m sure she’s part of the “Drill, baby, drill” solution to the energy crisis.  And I’m sure that if she gets to choose a Supreme Court justice, which may very likely happen, she will certainly prioritize an issue near and dear to her heart–abortion.  If she can do it, every woman should be able to do it, right? Yes, she’s likeable and personable.  But that’s not enough in my book.

Here’s my checklist:

*  “War on Terrorism” is not winable.  New dialog, new language, new thinking is needed.

*  Health care is a right, not a privilege.  Make it affordable.  Make it happen.

*  ”Energy independence” will not be found in oil…we need renewable energy technology NOW.

*  Quality education means more than being able to take a multiple choice test.  Public school kids deserve REAL education reform and REAL investment.

*  My government should stay out of my bed, my body, my love life (not to mention my email, my library check-outs, my spending habits).  In short:  KEEP OUT.

That’s it for tonight.  I’ve got school tomorrow.  This should be an interesting race.