Please put aside your prejudices about folks online here, and give us a chance to see if we might agree with you, once you have come up with any such quotes to share with us here.

Yes, I know what socialism is. I'm not stupid. I'm educated and know plenty about economics and socialism. I know that Barack Obama thinks that the goverment can heal all problems and issues. Do I think he's the next Karl Marx? No, but what he says scares me and it's veiled in pretty text and utopian phrases. Read his speeches, verbatim, and socialism cries out as a theme.

By the way, Biden was accused of, and he admitted to, plagiarism in law school.

What my point was, Lighthouse, was that name calling is not the answer. Did Emily like me calling Obama and Biden a socialist and a plagiarist? No. Neither did you. But she can call an honorable, upstanding man, who happens to be one of the bravest war heroes of our time “Unstable”, and call an intelligent and clear-thinking modern woman, who happens to be very popular in her state “Unable” and expect to get away with it? Sorry……I'm not going to let her get away with it.

As the physician noted in the original article above, Emily's condition is “not really a form of insomnia but more in the zone of a delusional disorder.” To believe that Sarah Palin is so awful for this country, maybe she needs some meds. As her friend, maybe you need to help her with that.

I, too, live in the real world and don't speak talking points. I'm speaking as a wife, a mom, a businesswoman and a concerned citizen of this wonderful country. I get so weary of all the negative attitudes and comments of people (like your Palinsomnia jibe), when we all should be remembering all the positives of this country and many of it's leaders. Do I believe all Republicans are wonderful? Heck no. On the contrary. That's why I think Sarah Palin deserves a bit more respect from us, as she confronted the Republican leaders in her own state and pushed for reform. Do I think she's perfect? No. Do I think she's the best pick for this job? Maybe not, but neither do I think Joe Biden or Barack Obama are good for this country. We can agree to disagree on many issues, but stop the name calling and the total disrespect of citizens of this country who are trying to do good.

You claim to be terrified of Sarah Palin but yet were you terrified when Bill Clinton was getting a blowjob under the Oval office desk while speaking to foreign leaders on the phone? And he was the GOVERNOR of Arkansas (wow) when he was elected.

As far as the other issues you mentioned, I could talk all day about unemployment, the budget deficit, poverty and the economy. Many of these issues can be blamed on both sides……Emily, the republicans cannot be blamed for everything! If you are older than me, then you can remember back to administrations that should take the blame for all kinds of negative things that happen, but in the end, this country is good and the people are good and they love to help one another. Many of my closest friends are Democrats and I love their passion on so many issues, but they never seem to go down the negative road and slump to name calling. Republicans care about the same issues that you care about, Emily. We are not all greedy selfish creatures who want to trash the environment. Really. We volunteer and donate time and money to worthy causes, we scrimp and save to send our kids to college. We don't like to lean on the government, especially when it comes to raising our kids. We are not elitists, but real people doing good in the world.

I had, until today, never gone onto the Minnesota Independant site, but was linked there by a tagline referring to your joke about insomnia. I read a good amount of their content and soon realized that it was a negative site. They obviously loved your fear of Sarah Palin and fed on it. So, now all who read it will get an impression of Governor Palin that's so ridiculous and naive.

I lose sleep, too, but it's over terrorists living in this country who want to kill you, me and my children. I lose sleep over good citizens of this country being trashed daily by the leftist media because they believe in God (oh no!) and who go to church on a regular basis and who hate that abortion is rampant and used as birth control. I lose sleep over things like taxes and deficits and the future for my kids.

I'm sad to say that I think the readers on this site hate all Republicans, no matter what. So this will be laughed at and spit out by most who read it. But you started this conversation by admitting your hatred and fear of a woman who works hard, who has raised a family while trying to improve her community. Wow….what's so horrible about that? She is a breath of fresh air.

Biden in 1988 quoted a British politician several times by name and only once said what he said without mentioning that name. I was elected three out of four times and often used words that others had used before I had. That was not plagiarism, as I could've been accused of only if I had written a scholarly article with such unattributed quotes. My friend Mike Dukakis fired his campaign manager for having unfairly accused BIden of plagiarism back then. Like now, if you repeat a lie often enough, you start to believe that your “talking points” are indeed true, but implying Biden is a plagiarist is wrong. And shame on you if that's what you meant.

And greater shame on you if you mean to imply that Obama is a socialist. I am an economist and so is Emily. I expect we both know better than you what socialism really means. Obama's health care proposal is by far the least socialistic of any I've seen that would make health care coverage comprehensive. His other reform proposals also use free-market processes to achieve, yes, “social” goals that I believe in but perhaps you don't. Please don't use socialism and communism fears of the 1950s a half century ago. Instead tell us what you do or don't believe in about economic and energy issues.

Pay attention, she was a sports reporter! Mahmoud Ahmadinejad loves sports!

In all seriousness, thanks for your thoughtful comment and pertinent facts. Keep spreading them. Keep the faith.

Warmly,
Emily

The most popular governor in America? Now that IS funny.

You keep calling me a Democrat (ooooh what an insult) but for 20 years I was a registered Independent and I've voted Republican. I get my facts from a lot of sources besides the NY Times, but you'll never believe me because you are just so sure you are right no matter what the numbers say. No, it's not the Republicans who've directly raised gas prices, it's the oil companies which, gee whiz, interestingly enough several highly placed Republican leaders are huge stake holders in those companies. Oh never mind. This is way more complicated than this ridiculous debate deserves. But I note you make no mention of unemployment, the budget deficit, poverty, and btw, did you notice that our economy is basically crashing RIGHT NOW?

I'm sorry to admit that I've never read the Minnesota Independent until today, they heard about my Palinsomnia and wanted to write about it. Now I've discovered this great source of reporting not tainted by the mainstream corporate-owned media, and no not because my joke-malady is in it. There's many other stories worthy of attention and dissemination. I'm not sure why you bother to read this site, since it really sets you off.

Good luck and God bless.

A) Table, until 2012, divisive 3 G's wedge issues: “God, guns & gays” — in order to focus campaigns on THE “single” issue: C below.

B) Achieve global consensus as well as national unity via a Dialog09 process (which will be described to anyone who replies to this e-mail) that would guarantee actions to be taken – both in the US & worldwide — to resolve this multifaceted issue:

C) Save our democracy, economy, environment, health, security, lives and the entire world by focusing on this, as “the” ONLY (7-part) issue:

1) From the bottom up, families can become “energy independents” via a new Energy Internet or PowerNet powered by our own rooftop solar, backyard wind & pluggable hybrid cars.

2) From the top down, get the 8 nuclear powers to build tenfold larger multi-national Peace Corps to educate & to implement PowerNet globally by 2020.

3) Do not build new nuclear power plants until WMD stockpiles have been destroyed and no fearful country can thereafter build nuclear weapons.

4) Via tax incentives, Congress act now in 2008 to stimulate economic growth of new green industries that support energy independence & environmental security.

5) By 2010, replace all current income taxes that discourage work/savings by a new consumption Fair Tax — with pre-bates for necessities, healthcare & the elderly.

6) Fight root causes of terrorism and oil wars: implement the above reforms, and end (as Ike warned in 1961) “military industrial complex” corruption.

7) If global warming, our addiction to scarcer fossil fuels, and/or more oil wars & terrorism are global threats, then indeed we “will save the world.”

Campaigns, “change” now! Advocate ABC&1-7!
Consensus and unity are possible.
We already agree on service & maybe energy.
_______

I am in the process of trying to revise the above “independents platform” before trying to get it published and before both Obama & McCain. Comments from Minnesota Independents and others would be most welcome.

We'll all sleep better knowing that you've alerted folks here about why we must elect Obama-Biden.