Re: [tlug] Somewhat OT- open source software for US voting machines

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

SL Baur writes:

 > [1] The only way for it not to be to be close is for McCain
 > to win in a blowout with an energized Republican base voting
 > for him, which isn't likely to happen at this point, but still
 > could if they set Mrs. Palin free to be herself.  "Flyover"
 > americans like myself like her very much.

I find it scary you think McCain is so weak that he needs to set his
VP candidate "free to be herself".  VP candidates generally can only
hurt the team in the campaign, especially when "set free"
(cf. Geraldine Ferraro).  The point of VP candidates is usually to
shore up internal support networks.

I find it scary that the VP nominee for the most-likely-to-die-
in-office-if-elected Presidential candidate we've ever had has no
political experience whatsoever outside of a state that for over a
generation has averaged a negative personal income tax rate.

You may think that a negative personal income tax rate is desirable;
that is arguable, though I disagree.  However, I think it is an
excellent indication that Mrs. Palin will be utterly incompetent at
handling national politics -- she will never be able to broker a tax
reduction.  I also don't like the idea that someone who's never been
near a real legislature is going to chair and vote tie-break in the
U.S. Senate.

Finally, I think setting her free to be herself is the only thing that
could get the apathetic left-of-center people voting.  That's a
double-edged sword -- "be careful what you wish for, you might just
get it".