Understanding Politics

Your mother is the administrator of the money, so! We call her the

Government.

We are here to take care of your needs, so we will call you

the People.


The nanny, we will consider her the

Working Class.

And your baby brother, we will call him the Future.

Now think about that and see if it makes sense.'

S o the little boy! Goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said.

Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him.

He finds that the baby has severely

soiled his diaper.

So the little boy goes to his parents' room and finds his mother asleep. 
Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny.

He gives up and goes back to bed.

The next morning, the little boy says to his father, 'Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now.'

The father says, 'Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about.'

The little boy replies,

'The President is screwing the Working Class while the Government is sound asleep.

The People are being ignored and the

Future is in deep shit.

Obama's True Agenda Exposed

Beneath Obama's flowery rhetoric lies a dangerous economic plan that will wreak havoc on the American economy. Obama plans to return to the failed policies of high taxation coupled with an expansion of government spending. Worse, Obama says he is absolutely committed to almost doubling the capital gains rate — something he will easily accomplish with a Democrat Congress. In the coming months — when investors realize that Obama will raise the cap gains rate — there could be a stampede of asset sales as investors rush to take their profits now to avoid Obama's doubling of the tax rates next year.   An Urgent Message from The National Republican Trust PAC

Dear Fellow American: Never before in the history of our nation have we faced such a grave crisis: one of the most radical political figures ever to be nominated by a major party is just minutes away from becoming President of the United States. That man is Barack Obama. He promises to change America forever. If elected, he will do just that — but in ways you may not like. Remember Obama is the most liberal member of the United States Senate. He received a 100 percent Liberal Rating from the National Journal, making him the most left-wing Senator in Washington — more liberal than even Democratic senators like Ted Kennedy or John Kerry. If you look at Obama’s record, you will understand just how dangerous this man is. He even has terrorist friends he won’t denounce. One such man is William Ayers,a leader in the radical terrorist group the Weatherman Underground. The group bombed several government buildings, including the Pentagon, killing civilians and police officers. In 2001, Ayers said he had no regrets for his actions and wished he could have done more.  The ties between Obama and Ayers are tight. Both served on two non profit boards and they worked closely together. Ayers even hosted a political event at his home for Obama. Obama has acknowledged he is a friend of Ayers and defends his association by saying he, Obama, was only 8 years old at the time of the Pentagon bombing. However, Obama has no explanation as to why he is still a friend of Ayers. Obama has even been endorsed by radicals such as Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan.  Just this week Farrakhan again called Obama "the Messiah". No one can deny hearing about Obama’s relationship with the America-hating Rev. Jeremiah Wright. There should be little doubt that William Ayers and Louis Farrakhan and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright are rooting for Obama — because he is one of them. In keeping with such friends, Obama has promised to meet with radical leaders like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without “preconditions” even though Ahmadinejad has promised to “wipe Israel off the map” and “destroy” America. Even radical Hamas terrorists have praised him. “We like Mr. Obama and we hope he will win the election,” Ahmed Yousef, senior Hamas leader was quoted by ABC radio as saying.

Dangerous Economic Plan

And then there are Obama’s dangerous economic plans for America.

He wants to almost double the capital gains tax. He wants to strip the FICA tax cap off every worker making more than $97,500. He wants to increase the dividend tax. He wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire — giving almost every American family an automatic tax increase.

He has called for more than $800 billion in new spending programs. (Which if added to the now $810 billion bailout program will certainly cripple this country for generations to come!)

He is so radical he even backed driver’s licenses for illegal aliens — even though such a move would help future terrorists move freely in the United States.

He is the most pro-abortion candidate in the history of the country. In 2001, as a state legislator in Illinois, he opposed a bill to protect live born children — children actually born alive!  He was the only Illinois senator to speak out against the bill.

He opposes gun rights. He has long history of trying to deny ordinary citizens access to guns, one the basic rights of our Constitution.

He originally backed Washington D.C.’s total ban on private handguns — a ban that was overturned. The NRA rated him an “F” on gun positions and says he is one of the most dangerous anti-gun politicians in the nation.

Never forget that Obama is a Harvard educated elitist. To him we Americans are simply “bitter” and he has mocked us saying “[they] cling to their guns and their religion.”

Obama also has strong ties to ACORN, the most radical group in the country and has received large campaign contributions from Freddie Mac

Exposing the Truth

Hillary Clinton was late in recognizing the threat Obama posed to her campaign, but once she did, her strategy worked.

When Hillary exposed Obama publicly, her campaign saw a major turnaround.

Hillary won every major state primary in the nation with the sole exception of Obama’s home state of Illinois.

And even though Obama was “anointed” by the media and Democratic elites, Hillary went on to win eight of the last 10 Democratic primaries.

How did Obama beat Hillary for the nomination?

Well, using a loophole in Democratic rules, he was able to rack up large majorities in caucus states where he outspent and out organized her.

But in large, contested states she won almost every time. Why? Because when Democrats heard what Obama really stood for, they turned on him.

Make no mistake about it: If Americans know the truth about Obama, John McCain can win this election! 

Barack Obama's Stealth Socialism

The Audacity of Socialism

McCain and Obama Within Two Points in Latest Zogby Poll

The latest Zogby poll had John McCain trailing Obama by two points. Just two points!

Despite the full-court press to destroy McCain and Sarah Palin, Katie Couric’s antics against her, a daily onslaught of media spin and registration and voter fraud encourage by ACORN and other Obama advocacy organizations  . . . McCain is still within striking distance.

updated 3:51 p.m. PT, Wed., Oct. 8, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Officials in Missouri, a hard-fought jewel in the presidential race, are sifting through possibly hundreds of questionable or duplicate voter-registration forms submitted by an advocacy group that has been accused of election fraud in other states.

Charlene Davis, co-director of the election board in Jackson County, where Kansas City is, said the fraudulent registration forms came from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN. She said they were bogging down work Wednesday, the final day Missourians could register to vote.

"I don't even know the entire scope of it because registrations are coming in so heavy," Davis said. "We have identified about 100 duplicates, and probably 280 addresses that don't exist, people who have driver's license numbers that won't verify or Social Security numbers that won't verify. Some have no address at all."

Republicans... Get Out the Vote

Dear Friends,

The RNC Victory 2008 emergency voter registration and get-out-the-vote effort needs your immediate support.

With four weeks until Election Day, I’m counting on our Party’s top supporters like you to help fund these vital programs.

Your generous secure online contribution of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or $35 today will go a long way to helping RNC Victory 2008 reach our $50 million goal for October and ensuring our Party has the resources to reach, register and motivate voters who agree with our reform agenda.

The last two presidential elections have proven voter turnout is the key to Republican victories.  In 2004, John Kerry would have won the election had he received 127,014 more votes in New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado -- three states that will have many closely contested races again this fall.  And the 2000 presidential election was decided by a mere 537 votes.

The Obama-Biden Democrats and liberal special interests learned their lessons from those elections.  Democrats registered and turned-out record numbers of voters during the primaries.  Big Labor and other left-wing groups are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to register even more Democrat voters before Election Day.

The Obama-Biden Democrats and their far-left allies will also spend over
$1 billion on distortions and attack ads designed to smear the facts about our agenda of reform, prosperity and greater security.

To win this election and defeat the liberal Obama-Biden Democrats, we must counter their false charges and share with voters the truth about our plans to strengthen our economy, keep taxes and spending low, win the war against Islamic extremism, provide affordable and accessible health care and increase our nation’s energy independence.

Republicans are on the right side of the issues.  But there are no second chances after Election Day.  RNC Victory 2008 needs your help now more than ever if we are to get our message past the liberal media filter and keep our emergency get-out-the-vote drive on track.

Please make a secure online contribution of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or $35 to RNC Victory 2008 right now to provide the grassroots support our Party needs to register every Republican voter and get them to the polls on November 4.

These programs are critical to our Party’s success.  Please help as generously as you can.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S.  Your generous support of RNC Victory 2008’s emergency voter registration and get-out-the-vote effort could mean the difference between winning and losing on Election Day.  Your secure online contribution of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or $35 is critical to helping our Party reach our $50 million goal for October and ensure these vital programs are fully funded. Thank you.

Obama just received another $10,000,000 from Saudi Arabian Contributors...
You need to ask yourself where is allegiance is going to be!

Thought For The Day - 10.02.08

The New One Dollar Bill

“Statistics and polls can be spun by anyone who wants to or needs to!”

(So, the trick is to find out who is doing the spinning… and what is real!)

 Biden Secret Service Codename: 'Assassination Insurance'

While Gov. Sarah Palin is being grilled on her position on mark-to-market accounting rules, the press can't bother to ask Joe Biden if he could give us a ballpark estimate on when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president -- or maybe take a stab at guessing the decade when televisions were first available to the public.

Being interviewed by Katie Couric on the "CBS Evening News," Biden said: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'"

For those of you who aren't hard-core history buffs, Biden not only named the wrong president during the 1929 stock market crash, he also claimed a president who wasn't president during the stock market crash went on TV before Americans had TVs.

Other than that, the statement holds up pretty well. At least Biden managed to avoid mentioning any "clean" Negroes he had met.

Couric was nearly moved to tears by the brilliance of Biden's brain-damaged remark. She was especially intrigued by Biden's claim that FDR had said the new iPhone was the bomb!

Here is Couric's full response to Biden's bizarre outburst about FDR (a) being president and (b) going on TV in 1929: "Relating to the fears of the average American is one of Biden's strong suits."

But when our beauteous Sarah said that John McCain was a better leader on the economy than Barack Obama, Couric relentlessly badgered her for evidence. "Why do you say that?" Couric demanded. "Why are they waiting for John McCain and not Barack Obama? ... Can you give us any more examples of his leading the charge for more oversight?"

The beauteous Sarah had cited McCain's prescient warnings about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But Couric, the crackerjack journalist who didn't know FDR wasn't president in 1929, demanded more examples from Palin.

We are currently in the middle of a massive financial crisis brought on by Fannie Mae. McCain was right on Fannie Mae; Obama was wrong. That's not enough?

Not for the affable Eva Braun of evening TV! "I'm just going to ask you one more time," Couric snipped, "not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation?" 

This would be like responding to someone who predicted the 9/11 attacks by saying: OK, you got one thing right. Not to belabor the point, but what else?

Obama was not merely wrong on Fannie Mae: He is owned by Fannie Mae. Somehow Obama managed to become the second biggest all-time recipient of Fannie Mae political money after only three years in the Senate. The biggest beneficiary, Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, had a 30-year head start on receiving loot from Fannie Mae -- the government-backed institution behind our current crisis.

How does the Democratic ticket stack up on other major issues facing the nation, say, gas prices?

Shockingly, Sen. Joe Biden was one of only five senators to vote against the first Alaskan pipeline bill in 1973. This is like having been a Nazi sympathizer during World War II. If Sarah Palin does nothing else, she has got to tie that idiotic pipeline vote around Biden's neck.

The Senate passed the 1973 Alaskan pipeline bill by an overwhelming 80-5 vote. Only five senators voted against the pipeline on final passage. Sen. Biden is the only one who is still in the Senate -- the other four having been confined to mental institutions long ago.

The stakes were clear: This was in the midst of the first Arab oil embargo. Liberal Democrats, such as senators Robert Byrd, Mike Mansfield, Frank Church and Hubert Humphrey, all voted for the pipeline.

But Biden cast one of only five votes against the pipeline that has produced more than 15 billion barrels of oil, supplied nearly 20 percent of this nation's oil, created tens of thousands of jobs, added hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and reduced money transfers to the nation's enemies by about the same amount.

The only argument against the pipeline was that it would harm the caribou, an argument that was both trivial and wrong. The caribou population near the pipeline increased from 5,000 in the 1970s to 32,000 by 2002.

It would have been bad enough to vote against the pipeline bill even if it had hurt the caribou. A sane person would still say: Our enemies have us in a vice grip. Sorry, caribou, you've got to take one for the team. But when the pipeline goes through and the caribou population sextuples in the next 20 years, you really look like a moron.

We couldn't possibly expect Couric to ask Biden about a vote that is the equivalent of voting against the invention of the wheel. But couldn't she have come up with just one follow-up question for Biden on FDR's magnificent handling of the 1929 stock market crash?

Or here's a question the public is dying to know: "If Obama wanted a historically delusional vice president, why not Lyndon LaRouche?" At least LaRouche didn't vote against the Alaskan pipeline.

The media also keeps telling us that Obama is ahead in the polls by as much as 9 percentage points, because of his ‘handling’ of the present economic crisis… Handling???  He is nowhere around!!  And as we all know, statistics and polls can be interpreted and spun by anyone who wants to and needs to… The fact is that only one poll, that interviewed Democrats to Republicans 2 to 1, shows Obama ahead of McCain by more than 3 percentage points… while others show them from 3 percentage points apart to being in a dead heat, even with all the media spin for Obama and with McCain being off the campaign trail and doing his job in Washington.

By Ann Coulter for NewsMax

“McCain wants to ‘put his country first’. The best way is simple: Get aggressive and win the election!” …Larry Elder, who says McCain needs to take off the gloves! 

Thought For The Day - 09.28.08

“JFK and LBJ knew a thing or two about politics and governing. They understood with Solomon-like wisdom that, ‘there is a time to campaign, and a time to break off campaigning’.  It’s a leadership thing.”

 Americans are interesting people when it comes to politics and politicians.  We are proud of our freedoms and most of us are willing to die for them, yet we come out in very low numbers for elections, especially local elections, even when the results affect us directly and immediately. 

We hold the first amendment and freedom of speech close to our hearts but are usually hesitant to talk politics, in fear of offending someone, and are usually more worried about being politically correct than we are about having the wrong person elected or having a misguided proposition pass. 

We will tell our friends when they’ve made a fashion mistake or often even when they’ve chosen the wrong partner, but we hesitate to pass along information about candidates or their positions, even when we know our information is correct and our friend or associate is confused or uninformed.  Part of the process should be debate and discussion, and not only between the candidates. 

Americans also put their candidates and politicians on pedestals, and we want them to be perfect, while simultaneously wanting them to be just like us, an average Joe or Jane.  Which when you think about it, is obviously completely contradictory and impossible.  We want our candidates or have come from Middle America having shared in ‘every man’s common experiences’, yet we don’t want them to have had to accept any help or to be beholden to anyone through their process of election, which is less likely if they come from a background of means and connections, so again is naïve and almost impossible.  And while we do want them to have experienced what we all have, we are intolerant of any scandals or even the normal teenage and college behaviors that their generation experienced, in their backgrounds  We want them to be above that, better than the average, but not ‘above us’, again a total contradiction.  

We also want our politicians to be well educated, well spoken, polished and full of promise, yet very few of us take the time to really find out what they stand for; often leaning toward the candidate that sparkles instead of the candidate of substance.  And then when we do have a clear choice, including someone with experience, a good record, and perhaps even something special about them like heroism, exceptional service or records of charity or kindness, we decide to vote for the other person, with less experience, no or little record and maybe with even a questionable background.  And then when their promises turn out to be nothing more than rhetoric, we are disappointed with what we got. 

We vote for change when we want stability.   We wait for years for a female presidential or vice presidential candidate and then we don’t support their ticket.  We vote for the new guy, forgetting that we elected the Washington outsider last time and it didn’t work out so well.  And we feel proud and safe during uncertain times when represented by someone who we know that has dedicated their life to the service of our Country and then we support and even elect someone we don’t know that really doesn’t have a clue. 

It is probably a miracle that the experiment in self-government that we know as the United States has done as well as it has and is still around.  Perhaps it is time for us to get a clue!  

Time to Cowboy-up to Main Street

Last week, Main Street received an opportunity to sit in the front seat of the election, thanks to John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign to go to Washington to help Congress fix the financial meltdown.

Whether that was an admirable decision by a man who once said he “would rather lose an election than a war” or a political stunt to boost his economic muscle, (and I personally think it was an admirable decision) it did accomplish one thing: The rhetoric of both candidates pivoted to Middle America and working families.

Let’s hope it stays there.

Until now, chin-wagging by the political elite and endless e-mails from the campaigns and the national parties have driven the hour’s story.

“Those clowns make it difficult for those elected ultimately to govern, because governing is reality -- it isn't campaigning,” says Purdue University political science professor Bert Rockman.

Rockman says a lot of focus has been on the wrong things -- sort of like looking at the zookeepers, not the animals.

Voters lose ultimately when politics consumes governing, when style overrides substance, when tough -- usually stupid -- words override reflective thought that might prevent you from being painted into a corner.

Politics is gut stuff. Good government and serious policy-making, in contrast, engage the brain.

“We didn't get to the top of the food chain by out-muscling some of the larger mammals,” Rockman points out. “We got there by outwitting them.”

Now that the campaigns have paused (and perhaps realized that they aren’t just preaching to their respective choirs), what should they be saying?

First, the candidates should ask without preconditions why the current economic crisis happened -- and then not respond with stock answers.

They can't just shout “Regulate more!” without knowing what it is they need to regulate, and under what framework and oversight Most Americans understand that you must balance your checkbook. They want to know that the guy they’re electing operates the same way; they want to hear that, under his administration, the Federal Reserve will be more incremental in managing the nation’s money supply.

No ideological themes sung to finger-wagging -- Middle America wants to know what political commitments we can and cannot afford.

For its part, the press should ask much better questions, departing from “gotcha” or silly questions and leaping into reality, such as “What are you actually going to do?” or “What’s the basis for the claim you’re making?”

Federal Reserve historian and Carnegie Mellon professor Allan Meltzer says we have faced serious problems such as this before, most recently the banking problems of the early 1990s.

Meltzer says that because banks lend long-term and borrow short-term, “Crises occur when the market changes.”

What most people want is to understand the problem, how it affects their pocketbook and what each candidate will do to clean up the mess.

University of Arkansas political science professor Rob Maranto says that because the press focuses on such things as intercepted e-mails, pregnant daughters, Obama's slickness or McCain's temper, we all understand the candidates’ personal characteristics and can make some sense of them.

But the larger issue is, who understands today’s financial meltdown?

Only time (short-term time, since we are now just 30-odd days from Election Day) will tell if McCain cowboy-upped during his “suspended” campaign and achieved something worthwhile or if he and Obama simply picked up where they left off -- allowing the chin-waggers to frame the campaign’s final month and leaving Main Street in suspended animation.  I will give McCain that he headed right back to Washington after the debate, while Obama went back to the campaign trail and phoning in to check on the 'real stuff'.

by Salena Zito

Source:  NewsMax

Obama Win Could Be the Beginning of the End for Freedom of Speech!!

Obama Ad Hits Rush Limbaugh

The Barack Obama campaign has released new TV and radio ads in Spanish that tie Republican opponent John McCain to anti-immigrant comments allegedly made by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh denies making those assertions. The ads, airing in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, also suggest McCain has "dos caras" — "two faces" — when it comes to his relations with Latino voters. (another lie if you look at McCain's record and character...) "They want us to forget the insults we've put up with, the intolerance," the television ad's announcer says in Spanish as a picture of Rush Limbaugh appears onscreen with quotes of him saying, "Mexicans are stupid and unqualified" and "Shut your mouth or get out." "They made us feel marginalized in a country we love so much," the ad continues in a translation provided by The Washington Post. "John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote and another, even worse, that continues the failed policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families." The companion radio ad uses the same script as above and then continues: "Don't forget that John McCain abandoned us rather than confront the leaders of the Republican Party. Many of us were born here, and others came to work and achieve a better life for their families — not to commit crimes or drain the system like many of John McCain's friends claim. Let's not be fooled by political tricks from John McCain and the Republicans. Vote so they respect us. Vote for a change." Limbaugh reacted to the ads on Wednesday, telling his listeners: “I never said those things … We have this ad in which I am misquoted and impugned… “Even in the heat of the amnesty battle, I never said shut your mouth or get out. “What we have learned is that the usual suspects are behind this. The Media Matters types, the Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting types.” Limbaugh explained the context in which one of his alleged anti-Latino quotes was uttered. “The statement you're a foreigner, shut your mouth and get out, was made, I did say it, but in a parody of Mexican immigration laws in a Morning Update April 6th of 2006. “We were making fun of Mexican immigration laws by trying to point out the stark difference between what you can do as an immigrant or illegal immigrant in Mexico versus what they can do here. “Now, let me just give you some of the highlights of this: ‘Everybody's making immigration proposals these days. Let me add mine to the mix. Call it the Limbaugh Laws… “‘First, if you emigrate to our country you have to speak the native language. You have to be a professional or an investor. No unskilled workers allowed. Also there will be no special bilingual programs in the schools with the Limbaugh Laws, no special ballots for elections, no government business will be conducted in your language, foreigners will not have the right to vote or hold political office. “‘If you're in our country, you cannot be a burden to taxpayers. You are not entitled to welfare, food stamps, or other government goodies. You can come if you invest here an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage. If not, stay home. But if you want to buy land it's going to be restricted. No waterfront, for instance. As a foreigner, you must relinquish individual rights to the property. “‘And another thing, you don't have the right to protest. You're allowed no demonstrations, no foreign flag waving, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his policies. You're a foreigner, either shut your mouth or get out. And if you come here illegally, you're going to jail. “‘You think the Limbaugh Laws are harsh? Well, every one of these laws I just mentioned are actual laws of Mexico today. That's how the Mexican government handles immigrants in their country, yet Mexicans come here illegally and protest in our streets. How do you say double standard in Spanish?’” Limbaugh said on Wednesday that the left “constantly takes me totally out of context” and added: “The Obama campaign has taken ‘shut your mouth or get out’ from this commentary and put it in an Obama ad and claiming I said that about Mexicans in this country, when I never have, plain and simple.” If Obama gets elected he will try to have programs like Rush Lindbaugh's taken of the air... the first step in ending freedom of speech.  You don't have to agree with Rush Lindbaugh, but sensoring who is on the airwaves and what is said... is another right taken from you and another freedom lost!!  But you also have to wonder why Obama would feel it is necessary to distort Rush's words... and make you wonder what else he has distorted or will distort.  This ad isn't just a little campagin fudge!  As far as McCain goes... his record should stand for itself,  and at least he doesn't vote 'present' most of the time. By: Jim Meyers Click on and check out some of the free reports that rotate on this page... about Obama and the other candidates.  Reports are random and not chosen by the Daily Thought Pad. © 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserve Related Topics:  Change Presidential Candidate Comparison

Man is in love and loves what vanishes. 
What more is there to say?
-- William Butler Yeats

Conservatives, who reputedly have lumps of coal where their hearts should be, have fallen in love... in love with Sarah Palin.  

WASHINGTON --So have many people who are not doctrinal conservatives. The world is a sweeter place because Sarah Palin has increased the quantity of love, but this is not a reliable foundation for John McCain's campaign.

The tech bubble was followed by the housing bubble, which has been topped by the Palin bubble. Bubbles will always be with us, because irrational exuberance always will be. Its symptom is the assumption that old limits have yielded to undreamt-of possibilities: The Dow will always rise, as will housing prices, and rapture about a running mate can be decisive in a presidential election.

Palin is as bracing as an Arctic breeze and delightfully elicits the condescension of liberals whose enthusiasm for everyday middle-class Americans cannot survive an encounter with one. But the country's romance with her will, as romances do, cool somewhat, and even before November some new fad might distract a nation that loves "American Idol" for the metronomic regularity with which it discovers genius in persons hitherto unsuspected of it.

McCain should, therefore, enunciate a closing argument for his candidacy that goes to fundamentals of governance, concerning which the vice presidency is usually peripheral. His argument should assert the virtues of something that voters, judging by their behavior over time, prefer -- divided government.

The incumbent Republican president's job approval is in the low 30s but is about 10 points higher than that of the Democratic-controlled Congress. The 22nd Amendment will banish the president in January, but Congress will then be even more Democratic than it is now. Does the country really want there to be no check on it? Consider two things that will quickly become law unless McCain is there to veto them or unless -- this is a thin reed on which to depend -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has 40 reliable senators to filibuster them to deserved deaths.

The exquisitely misnamed Employee Free Choice Act would strip from workers their right to secret ballots in unionization elections. Instead, unions could use the "card check" system: Once a majority of a company's employees -- each person confronted one-on-one by a union organizer in an inherently coercive setting -- sign cards expressing consent, the union would be certified as the bargaining agent for all workers. Proving that the law's purpose is less to improve workers' conditions than to capture dues-payers for the unions, the law will forbid employers from discouraging unionization by giving "unilateral" -- not negotiated -- improvements in compensation and working conditions.

Unless McCain is president, the government will reinstate the equally misnamed "fairness doctrine." Until Ronald Reagan eliminated it in 1987, that regulation discouraged freewheeling political programming by the threat of litigation over inherently vague standards of "fairness" in presenting "balanced" political views. In 1980 there were fewer than 100 radio talk shows nationwide. Today there are more than 1,400 stations entirely devoted to talk formats. Liberals, not satisfied with their domination of academia, Hollywood and most of the mainstream media, want to kill talk radio, where liberals have been unable to dent conservatives' dominance.

Today, as usual, but perhaps even more so, Americans are in the iron grip of cognitive dissonance. It is a genteel mental disorder afflicting those people -- essentially everybody -- who have contradictory convictions and yearnings. Consider health care. Americans want 2008 medicine at 1958 prices, and universal coverage with undiminished choice -- without mandatory purchases or government interference with choices, including doctor-patient relationships. As usual, neither party completely pleases a majority of voters. That is why 19 of the 31 elections since World War II produced or preserved divided government -- the presidency and at least one chamber of Congress controlled by different parties.

Divided government compels compromises that curb each party's excesses, especially both parties' proclivities for excessive spending when unconstrained by an institution controlled by the other party. William Niskanen, chairman of the libertarian Cato Institute, notes that in the last 50 years, "government spending has increased an average of only 1.73 percent annually during periods of divided government. This number more than triples, to 5.26 percent, for periods of unified government."

By picking Palin, McCain got the country's attention. That is a perishable thing and before it dissipates, he should show the country his veto pen.

Related Topics:  Best Man for the Job Turned Out To Be A Woman