True, but making people angry doesn't pass for productive in my book. Reagan got people voting for him beyond his personality. He knew how to deliver tangible results because of years of study and intellectual preparation. I don't have that confidence in Sarah Palin as she has shown little interest beyond feel-good platitudes that do not comport with the results of her administration.
I have zero confidence in her preparation for the conduct of foreign policy.
She left Wasilla far deeper in dept due to a subsidized and socialized exercise and entertainment monopoly. She vastly increased taxes on oil production such that drilling plans were dropped and left the state. Checked the unemployment numbers in Alaska lately?
The truth is Reagan got much the same reaction from both.
No argument there.
Palin is younger and more energetic while retaining the ability to connect to ordinary people.
Barack Obama had those attributes in 2008, but it didn't mean he would be a good President.
Actually, I don’t disagree greatly with many of your criticisms of Palin. But, she can fill in many of those gaps over the next two years. Her real test is in assembling a solid team of knowledgeable loyal people in those areas where she is lacking. Reagan certainly did. If she has the wisdom to choose the right people and uses her authority to provide the political will to move the best ideas from these people forward she could be an excellent President. A President doesn’t have to know everything - and simply cannot. What makes an excellent President is having the wisdom to recognize other people who do have good workable ideas and putting them into action.
She is clearly a shrewed politician and it takes brains to do that well. I don’t doubt her brain power in the political arena. You can’t fake it this long.
Time will tell on the bigger picture.
No, she vastly increased royalties on Alaska's oil. Before Palin the stuff was being given away at a bargain price. Now the royalty is more reasonable - though much lower than e.g. the Iraq fields charge.
Alaska owns that oil. It's ok to charge money for it - especially if you give the money directly to Alaskans.