However, in my opinion she would do far better to prepare for 2012 (if that’s what she’s doing) by travelling the world and trying desperately to understand how it works (or doesn’t), which would allow her to speak with a great deal more conviction and from far greater knowledge than the sound bite generalities she managed as VP candidate.

Unlike Sarah Palin’s apparent view (and that of quite a few fringe Americans – even some mainstream ones) the world, indeed the universe, does not revolve around America and what it wants and its influence may well decline sharply in the current economic climate too.

As to voting for a party rather than an issue, I couldn’t agree more – in an ideal world at least. But it’s not an ideal world and mostly the situation is far worse than that anyway. In the UK it’s called “tactical voting” but it’s very much the same in the US – people don’t vote for a party, let alone an issue – they frequently vote for whatever party seems most likely to BEAT THE ONE THEY HATE THE MOST!

That’s sad but true – a huge chunk of the electorate is actually voting AGAINST a particular party rather than FOR anyone!

That says a whole lot about what most people think of our current political parties, doesn’t it?

But that is more on a macro-level. I guess they do differentiate themselves at the micro-level. The problem there is we only see this in the lack of progress on macro type issues like health care. Each party is in pretty tight unison about the talking points, but the details are a lightning rod stunting progress.

Kudos to Palin, and a noble challenge. Do they still have the party option on ballots – I don’t remember looking last time I voted?