tvashtarkatena

DId they vote? Yes or No? Either one's a crap sandwich.

It's probably already clear to most readers here that I was referring to economics as an academic discipline, not any particular campaign slogan. If you try real, real hard, you may be able to separate political ideology from the social science in your mind. Scientific accounting? Did you major in that, cuz, like, I don't remember that that being offered in my business school curriculum.

We must have watched two different debates. Comparing Palin to Reagan is a complete stretch. Reagan had an original, large presence which Palin couldn't match in any universe. Reagan was also original; his ideas, phrases and statements were his own, and new for the time. Palins are clearly coached and parroted, and drawn from a worn out playbook that the American people have clearly grown tired of. I'm willing to give credit where credit is due; Palin didn't fuck up like everyone thought she would, but that's about as far as it goes here. To compare her to the founder of the party of Reagan, however, is complete fantasy. Rachel Ray would be a better comparison, but then, Rachel Ray isn't running for 2nd in command.

Wait, if I bring a dish, I have to share her? And you're providing the buns? It's gonna be that kind of party? I'll bring a 12 x 12 tarp.

No, thank God.

Palin was playing the standard game of Liberal Gotcha! Trouble was, she was short on accuracy, and Biden was much, much better at it and far more credible. McCain supporters were simply looking for her not to fuck up too bad, and she delivered on that. As for substance, accuracy, or the wisdom of any of McCain's proposed programs, well, that fell predictably short of the mark. Biden did a great job of looking genuine against Palin's coached, talking point ridden, beauty contestent performance. I predict that Biden won over a significant portion of undecided voters with his straight talk, emotionally open demeanor, and better understanding of what actually plagues the middle class these days. Palin's performance won't erode McCain's support, as a more stumbling performance might have, but I doubt it will garnish much additional support, either. I know the popular wisdom is that large percentage of voters don't care about the issues (don't understand them seems more accurate), but Biden clearly bested Palin on both substance and genuineness.

I'll bet Biden did pretty well on FuckBush.com and Palin cleaned up on WombChild.net, too. Steer clear of that biased mainstream media, though, boy! Seek The Truth !

What is the moron.org poll saying this morning?

The Drudge report?

As I recall, economics is a social science; a discipline with testable theories and mathematical models the predictability of which is limited by the vagaries of human behavior and natural events. Predictability decreases as the system becomes more complex, as with any system, including completely 'scientific' ones such as the space shuttle or an ecosystem. To state it's not science or scientific simply because the accuracy of economic predictions varies belies a lack of understanding of what a complex system is and how deterministically its behavior can be predicted. But hey, I guess meteorology isn't a science, right?

you put your money into a bank to keep it safe?

your parents would buy you a gun, but not a phone?

no child was ever left behind because the rear seats in the Country Squire folded down?

being smart was considered a good thing?

anytime you saw two Mavericks together, you knew one was just for parts?

your bumper sticker demanded gas or grass, not gas from grass?

we had a crook for a president and a moron for a vice president?

flip flop was a noun?

a spin cycle was what ruined your favorite overalls?

when the government gave you a check for $600, you got a uniform to go with it?

you gapped 8 points in an afternoon instead of losing them?

I know, silly. I even know where your Commonwealth colony is.

You definitely contribute your opinions freely.

You guys are thinking of switching languages?

Palin's three days of intensive coaching showed. She didn't fumble her sentences. BUT She didn't answer half the questions. She stuck to, even returned to (at awkward times, after the topic had changed) what were obviously campaign slogan sound bites. Very canned. It was like watching a beauty contestant. I was crinching. She was, at times, too sarcastic. Biden ignored her remarks, and her, and just ripped into McCain, a HUGE target, in response. It was a thing of beauty. Biden was 100% genuine. Why act? He's got a record of substance behind him. OH, and Biden's response to her final "I'm just a regular mom" speech. Losing his wife and kid in an accident. FUCK ME. Palin pushed that line against the wrong guy. She might as well have given Biden an on the spot blow job, because, metaphorically speaking, that's pretty much what happened. The strategist that came up with that statement should be killed.