Compare and contrast

I am sure many of you had exercises in school where you were called upon to write an essay in which you would compare and contrast two perspectives or two systems or two fill-in-the-blanks. Such essays were designed to stimulate careful observation and critical thinking. Perhaps essays like this are largely a thing of the past; I don't know. In the "no child left behind" era the last thing the Bush crime regime wants is a populace capable of careful observation and critical thinking.

So for those who have never done such an exercise I offer this opportunity.


Compare and contrast the comments of these two candidates for Vice President of the United States:

"We believe that the best of America is in the small towns that we get to visit, and in the wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation," she said.
--Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska

"It doesn't matter where you live, we all love this country, and I hope it gets through. We all love this country," he said. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible. We are all patriotic. We all love our country in every part of this nation! And I'm tired. I am tired, tired, tired, tired of the implications about patriotism."
--Senator Joe Biden of Delaware

Extra credit: Discuss the pros and cons of "small-town values" and the value of such a concept in contemporary society. Provide specific examples and take a position.

h/t to Kula2316
--the BB