Republicans are very suspicious of “smart” people, because “smart” = “elite” and they have successfully labeled “elites” as being out of touch with ordinary Americans

So long as people choose to live in denial, there will always be politicians to sell them whatever myth they want to believe:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/opinion/16brooks.html

Actually most Americans really in fact are quite STUPID because they don’t/can’t/won’t understand current events or affairs that are happening around them; instead they prefer to be led by the nose by people who talk down to them, as long as they believe they can have a beer or a coffee with that person.  (“Hey, he’s just like one of us!  I don’t know how the frigging economy works, and neither does he!   I’m definitely voting for him now!”)

It worked with Bush, and it’s going to work with Palin.

Speaking of Palin, she truly scares me.  Forget about 4 more years of Bush, imagine a female Dick Cheney:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html

And I’m thoroughly convinced that most Americans are stupid since I had an argument in Times Square with an average tourist from Kansas (not making this up) who swore that Jesus Christ spoke English because her BIBLE was written in English.  Yes, people, these are the salt-of-the-earth people that are the backbone of this country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14friedman.html

Reminds me of the scene in ‘Blazing Saddles’ when the Gene Wilder tells the sheriff (the man, the legend, Cleavon Little), “You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.”

Fight the good fight everyone, but I fear these are PRECISELY the reasons why the Republicans will win.   I’ve been contributing $50 every month to Obama’s campaign since March of 2007 (LONG before he even gained national prominence because I knew he would be a different, more ethical and better kind of leader), but if the Dems screw this up then I will never, not ever, vote for them again.

Well, I shouldn’t say it means exactly “nothing” but the weight it carries is a lot less than people think.

Have you ever worked for a boss that was a temperamental, vindictive bully? Or perhaps he was incompetent without a clear vision for navigating the bad times, let alone the good? Was he spiteful, petty, stupid, short-sighted? How many years of “experience” did he have as a manager? Do you think it had any bearing on his management style?

The same thing goes with politicians.

Let’s talk about Bush: the inexperienced Bush and the experienced Bush.

Bush had no political experience when he campaigned against the popular and heavily-favored Ann Richards for Governor of Texas in 1995. But he won anyway. So when he announced his intent to run for President in 2000 he had FIVE years of experience as a governor (three more than Palin).

Eight years later and the record shows that he is one of the worst Presidents in American history.

Was that BECAUSE of his experience, or BECAUSE of his lack of it?

The answer is neither.

What trumps experience any day of the week is Intelligence, Wisdom and Ethics. Bush has shown for the last eight years how ill-equipped he is in any of the three areas, and the country is suffering for it.

Maybe McCain can lay some claim to ethics and wisdom (I don’t know how intelligent he is), but Palin definitely cannot say that. Everything I’ve read about her so far doesn’t give me the confidence that she is ethical, wise or intelligent.

McCain may or may not give the country four more years of Bush, but President Palin most certainly will.

So remember: Intelligence + Wisdom + Ethics = Good Judgment.

This is your choice, America. What will you fight for?