IN REASON, RADLEY BALKO ON SARAH PALIN: A decent libertarian pick. “As a libertarian, there’s plenty I like about Palin. I don’t agree with many of her culturally conservative positions, but she has for the most part declined to enshrine those views in public policy. Her lack of experience doesn’t bother me much at all. Washington’s in desperate need of fresh blood and fresh ideas, not the promotion of another five-term senator who’s found a permanent home in the Beltway morass. But what I like about Palin should bother McCain.” If you know Radley Balko, you’ll believe that . . . . .

He concludes: “Palin’s persona thus far seems to be more in the tradition of Alaska’s frontier, individualistic conservatism than John McCain’s Weekly Standard-style national greatness conservatism. It’s a philosophy that’s skeptical of government, instead of what Repubilcans stand for now, which is to embrace government, so long as Republicans are running it.” I’m with Radley on this one.