My very own governor as Republican Vice President nominee!

[Woodcarver]

Hah!  Good one, OWW.  ;D  "liberal", yes.  "Liberal", no.  ;)

Right on Warbird.  No income tax?  The government sharing income with the people instead of the people giving a large part of their income to the goverment?  Doesn't sound very Liberal to me.

[StorminN]

No state income tax here in WA state, either... but our sales tax is 8.4% here in the country, and over 9% in Seattle (it varies by county)... what is it there in AK, Warbird?

-Norm.

[ely]

we have both here in okla.

[TexasTimbers]

No state income tax here, but 8.25% sales tax and some of the highest property taxes in the union. In fact, as a % of home value our property taxes in Texas rank #2 only behind Wisconsin. They get you one way or the other.

On top of that our LLC franchise taxes are outrageous compared to other states. Of course since both of mine are New Mexico LLC's I don't worry about that. ;D

Remember, "Texas" and "taxes" are spelled the same, they just swapped the "e" with the "a". :

[Warbird]

No state income tax here in WA state, either... but our sales tax is 8.4% here in the country, and over 9% in Seattle (it varies by county)... what is it there in AK, Warbird?

-Norm.

Hey Norm,

We have neither an income tax nor a sales tax here.  We do have pretty high property taxes, though.  There has been talk of changing the tax structure around but everyone freaks out about it.

[DanG]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm listening to one of the best political speeches I've ever heard.  Sarah Palin is at the podium! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Corley5]

Oh Ya  Sarah ROCKS  8) 8) 8) 8)

[Faron]

 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

I believe little Piper is a natural as well!  8) 8)

[beenthere]

Thought about you DanG, and all the other 'nam vets I know when Sarah was relating to the fight McCain has given for this country...very proud of her presentation too. 8)

[Jeff]

This is one time I can't and won't stay in my neutral corner. After what I saw and heard and felt tonight, I know that we have a real connection to those that are going to be representing, leading and protecting us. The McCain and Palin families are American familiy. Our family.

[Bibbyman]

Job well done! _grin

[trapper]

in addition to high property taxes,  high income tax, we also have 5% sales tax and an anti gun democrat for governor

[Warbird]

I really have no words right now except to say...  that's how we do it, in Alaska.  I've never been happier in my life to have voted for someone and I imagine I will be as equally happy to vote for her again.

[Bibbyman]

We watched Palin's speech on the RNC network channel on Dish (they had one for the Democrats too).  I got really cracked up when they paned to the family section and the littlest Palin daughter was holding the baby.  She was smoothing down his hair.  Then she wetted the whole palm and fingers with her tongue – slurp! - and went back to smoothing down the baby's hair. 

That's what kids do...   :D

[Jeff]

We got to see that too. And ya know what? That tells worlds about that family.

[Faron]

Howard Wolfson admitted that the Obama campaign now has real problems dealing with Palin.  Charles Krouthammer: "She didn't just throw a little raw meat to the delegates, she slaughtered a small cow on stage."

This has to be the most important speech of her life, before the largest audience she has ever spoken to, while under intense attack from a ruthless enemy.  I could see no traces of nervousness whatever.  This is one tough and smart woman.

[DanG]

I know that the opposition is going to say that it was all just theatrics, and perhaps some of it was, but it was the BEST theatrics I ever saw!  Ya just can't stage that little girl slickin' down her little brother's hair with her spit, though!  That was natural, and that's what I believe our next VP is!

[Warbird]

This is one tough and smart woman.

Yessir, that she is.

[Don_Papenburg]

That little girl ain't shy of the camera either  . After the speach she was looking for the camera so she could wave to America.

[Gary_C]

Even the talking head on PBS said he was just amazed with her poise, her slow measured delivery, and every thing else about her speech. She did not start to shout nor skip any of her speech. Couldn't have been better.  8)

[logwalker]

That was some speech alright. Lookout Obama. She has your number.    8) 8)

[DanG]

What struck me the most was the way she controlled the crowd.  I noticed that when she was making a popular statement, of which there were many, and the delegates started to cheer before she had made her point, with the slightest tilt of her head and an almost imperceptable change in inflection, she quieted them.  That is the kind of thing you cannot teach.  It is called "Presence", and very few people have it.  We have a Granddaughter that has it.  She is a student of dance, and has been a Prima Ballerina with the Tallahassee Ballet since she was 14.  Every summer, she goes to NYC to study with one of the hoity-toity ballet schools there, and Linda sometimes goes along as a chaperone.  One of the chaperone's duties is to escort her back to her hotel after the sessions.  Well, she come's striding out of the dance studio, and the crowd on the sidewalk just moves aside to let her by.  Even people with their backs turned scramble out of her way!  There is just something about someone who has Presence, that makes them a leader.  Sarah Palin has Presence, and a strong background of experience and morals to back it up.  I'd hate to think I had to face her in the debates!

[Ironwood]

Personally, I thought Guliani's (sic) "speech was CLASSLESS. Regardless of your polical bent it is a shame to have the whole crowd laughing while mocking someone else, #$%^ shame. One of the first things Mama taught me, was NOT to do a low class stunt like that.

Palin, she did great. Good for her. I did love the Lil sis spit in the hair thing too. Great stuff. Do I think she'd be my first pick if McCain kicked off?, no, but she sure did a good job. Certianly some theatrics. I am glad the Dems showed a little more class.

Ironwood

[Bibbyman]

This is really going to be fun! 

To the Democrats, putting Sarah on the ticket was like dowsing a hornet's nest with gasoline.   But they'll get organized and come after her.  They'll drag out every old left-wing feminist and line them up to slap Sarah's face.  (No.  Correct that.  They're already lining up.)  I hope she punches them all in the nose. Metaphorical of course.   

Palin in her speech got off a number of good zingers.  Here is the one I was waiting for.

"I've learned quickly these last few days that, if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone."

"But — now, here's a little newsflash. Here's a little newsflash for those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this great country."

Here is her speech...

Raw Data: Sarah Palin Remarks at GOP Convention – Fox News

[Toolman]

Incredible woman!! I can't wait for VP debate. I just know Biden is gonna say something stupid. I can picture him refering to her as "honey", "baby", "sweet heart" or something similar. He has a track record of being careless with the tongue.

She certainly looked like a pro last night.