You have no idea how long I tried to come up with a snappy title to this post

A) To my recollection, Clinton was not impeached for lying to his wife. He was impeached for lying under oath. Perjury is an extremely serious offense, and he deserved to be censured. Then again, it was all just a vast right wing conspiracy. (My favorite political sound bite ever, followed closely by Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle in 1988: "I knew Jack Kennedy. I worked with Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." Zinger!)

2)Tom J, I take back what I said 'bout you being welcome here. You have RIPPED my rose colored glasses off my face! Women voting for women simply because they are women! So, there are people out there who really don't care what a candidate stands for or if they are qualified for the job they are being elected for? Are we, the 12 of us here, the ONLY informed voters left in America?! I ask you! I just went around with Colonel K about this last week, insisting that no Hilary vote would go to the other side of the aisle just because Palin is a woman. "Yes they would!" he was yelling over and over. And now, Tom J, our resident delegate at the Iowa Caucas, reports the same. *Hmph* Well, this makes me cranky.

Don't you think this is more likely a liberal agenda that would manifest on the Democrats' side of things? I find it less likely to happen with the Republican party, what with the majority of feminist issues being represented by Democrats. That is to say, if another woman in the Democrat Party ran, she would take the "oooh it's a girl" weirdo votes, but I just think it's more unlikely with a Republican candidate.

D) Oh, sexual politics. Oh, sanctity of life issues. Pro-choice, pro-life, pro-woman, pro-child. What is life? When does it begin? The arguments are excellent and so respectful. I love you guys. These things are so important to our lives that we must discuss them, we must wrestle with them, and we must do everything we can to get to the truth of them. There is a truth to be found, I truly believe that. Not sure we'll all find it on my little blog, though I would hope for that, but I want to say that we can always talk about that stuff here and always in such a impassioned, dignified manner. Know that I am constantly monitoring, just please don't expect me to constantly moderate - I'm a little busy keeping other sandboxes neat and tidy - and please don't expect that any commenter's view reflects my own.

In my next post, I'll throw in my two cents, which is about what it's worth. Until then, Tom J, it is good to know that you'll be voting McCain/Palin because you want to see a woman in office. You woman voter, you.

Things are starting to heat up around here ... and I like it!

Micah's back!!

Very quickly, before the next post ... The socially conservative base are so excited about Sarah Palin NOT ONLY because of the pro-life issue. Palin offers a broad range of experience in executive offices as well as representing the best interests of her constituents and leading with conviction in her conservative values. The VP is an unlimited potential commodity to the president and to the country, as an advisor, as a diplomat, as an executive, as one "standing by." If the VP stance on issues is of limited importance, I don't know why we take a look at them at all. It certainly makes Joe Biden's foreign policy experience irrelevant in the face of Obama's inexperience.

As for inexperience, I just don't know how Obama supporters can question Palin's experience. That boggles my mind.

If McCain were throwing a bone, he would have gone with the obvious (Ridge, even Huckabee). Palin reflects (and restores, honestly) his maverick status because of her own.

Finally, Palin's daughter's teenage pregnancy reeeeeeeeeally doesn't make Palin a hypocrite at all. Micah, you and I both know that we've done things that our parents would not approve of, taught us not to do, and stand against. They still went about their jobs and lives and no one accused them of being hypocrites.

This young woman is proof of the value, unfortunately for her. She is 17, and the age of consent in Alaska is 16. (By law in her state, she has the right to an abortion without parental consent at the age of 16.) Clearly she chose to do something she was taught not to, and clearly she did not "choose" to get pregnant. But it is also clear that she had the right to terminate the pregnancy and is choosing not to.

I'm pretty sure that my parents would have liked to lock me - or themselves - up a couple of times after I got myself into trouble (speaking of which, I ran into Valerie Truitt the other day!), but I think they realized that, as a person, I make my own mind and own my own victories and failures. Is not this individual responsibility in morality not a fundamental value for the left?

People are just angry that she didn't get an abortion. That's the bottom line there.