As a former Chattanoogan now living in Alaska, I had to comment on the opinions about Sarah Palin. By the way, what are the elusive "facts that will surface"? Maybe Lucy Bach meant facts about the Alaska state trooper who was fired. Maybe she isn't aware that when Gov. Palin was told there would be a legislative investigation on the matter she said, "Bring it on. I have nothing to hide."

Do people really think Palin was picked because she was attractive and charming? Do people think Alaskans elected her governor because she was cute and "intelligent... to a degree"?

Alaska... one of our 'smallest' states? Are you kidding me? I'm sure the other reader meant smallest in population, not area, but does anyone really think that the heft of a governor's job is determined only by the number of people in her state? Consider, if you will, the complexity of managing a state that is so vast that its borders from end to end would span the entire continental U.S., that has limited infrastructure because of its geographical and climactic extremes, and has 95%+ of its land locked in the bureaucracy of state and federal land management.

As a woman, am I only supposed to support female politicians whose only platform is my right to have myself vacuumed out like a dusty old sofa? Or here's a great issue... my right to work, to do it all, for equal pay (yeah) while my kid spends all day in a government-subsidized, affordable day care, so that I can come home and nag my husband to load the dishwasher and fold the laundry because I'm tired.

In the last few days all I have heard from Alaskans is disgust at how she and her family have been treated. And if I have to see one more TV ad mentioning the tiny town of Wasilla and showing a small gravel road intersection and a stop sign, I'm going to scream (they must have driven by the four-lane highway lined with a series of strip malls, chain restaurants, stores, stoplights, turn lanes, Super Wal-Mart and newly constructed Target to get there.)

It sickens me to read smug comments about how the conservative abstinence advocate has a teenage daughter who is pregnant (always worded in a way that you can almost hear the snickers), and that she acted irresponsibly when she had her son who has Down's Syndrome. I spent a year working as a nurse in a public health department so I can say with confidence that availability of birth control does not prevent teenage pregnancy. It is much more complicated than that. And as far as her handicapped son, well teenage pregnancy may be considered a community issue, but sex within a marriage (and the occasional results of it) is not. The circumstances of her son's conception and birth are none of anyone's business.

So, here's my dissection of the issues that are important to me and my family in a troubled economy. Sarah Palin was just another woman, mother and wife. Her husband had a good stable job and a comfortable income that allowed her the time to be a mother and also pursue local school and then government issues that were important to her. The rest is history.

She doesn't whine and complain that all the problems in her life are someone else's fault. And she and her family aren't looking for someone else to solve their problems for them.

I'm proud of her for living a good life, for being a woman, for being a mother, for being a wife, for having ingenuity, and for having the guts to be proud of her family, skeletons and all.

That brings us to the main issue facing us in this election. We want good lives, a comfortable home, to be happy, and to be proud of our accomplishments. So, do we want a government that creates an environment in our country where we as individuals can make that happen, or do we want a government that does it all for us, that "takes care of us"?

All we've heard so far are speeches. Speeches don't lend themselves well to a thorough discussion of issues. Speeches are written to motivate and inspire, not necessarily to sway. That's what debates are for.

I agree that the recent media theatrics are surreal, but it makes me sad that so many have reeled them in hook, line and sinker.

Stephanie Ferguson
Kenai, Alaska

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As a lifelong Democrat and active voter, I am truly impressed with Ms. Palin. The Democratic Party has only demonstrated to me that they are dyfunctional in the handling of Hillary Clinton. How do you leave out a state, namely Florida? The swing vote may swing Republican.

It is not a challenge to figure out that the educated, PTA mom that rose to governor of the great state of Alaska is a person of vision and very focused to execute the vision. Make no mistake about it, we are impressed with her in Chattanooga.

Allison Graham