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Political positions of Sarah Palin

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Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin is the Governor of Alaska and Republican vice presidential candidate for the 2008 United States presidential election. The following are Palin's known positions on political issues.

Social issues

Abortion and sex education

Palin is pro-life and [1] is opposed to abortion in all cases, including rape and incest, except when necessary to save the life of the mother.[2][3][4] In 2006, while running for governor, Palin was asked what she would do if her own daughter were raped and became pregnant; she responded that she would "choose life".[5] She and her husband stated that they had "faith that every baby is created for a good purpose."[6] Palin has been a member of Feminists for Life since 2006.[1]

Palin supports abstinence-based sex education, as well as teaching about contraception. She does not however favor what she called "explicit" sex education programs.[7][8]

Education and creationism

As governor, Palin supported full funding for K–12 education, as well as "early funding of education", a program that would give school districts more predictability.[9]

While running for Governor of Alaska and asked about the teaching of creationism along with evolution in public school science classes, Palin answered: "Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important, and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both"; she further clarified that open debate between the two ideas should not be prohibited if it came up in discussion, but that creationism did not specifically need to be part of the curriculum.[10]

Equal pay

According to the McCain campaign, Palin favors the concept of equal pay for women (the abolition of wage differences based on gender), but opposes the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would have allowed more time to bring suit under the Equal Pay Act of 1963.[11]

Gay unions

Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998.[12] Whilst campaigning for election as Governor of Alaska in 2006, Palin declared that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment, although she said she has good friends who are gay and does not wish to judge gay people.[8]

In December 2006, following long-running litigation and a 2005 ruling, the Supreme Court of Alaska ordered the state to begin paying health and retiree benefits to the same-sex partners of state employees. Declaring that there were "no more judicial options to pursue" to avoid paying the benefits, Palin agreed to comply with the ruling.[13] At the same time, in her first legislative act, Palin signed a bill ordering a non-binding referendum for a constitutional amendment to deny the benefits.[14]

Palin subsequently vetoed a bill that would have denied the benefits, declaring that "signing this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office" due to the state Supreme Court ruling.[15] Although the referendum passed in April 2007 with 53% of voters supporting a constitutional amendment, a bill to place such an amendment on the ballot in November 2008 stalled in the state legislature.[16]

Capital punishment

Palin has declared herself in favor of capital punishment. She has stated: "If the legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it. We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive by shooting will never be able to do that again."[17] In a televised debate in 2006, Palin's responded to a question about the death penalty by saying that for crimes such as the murder of a child, "My goodness, hang 'em up, yeah."[18]

Gun rights

Palin is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, and supports gun-safety education for children.[19] Palin is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, and is popular among gun rights activists. Sandra Froman, a member of the NRA Board of Directors, described McCain's selection of Palin as "outstanding".[20]

Drugs

Palin does not want a return to the days of de-criminalized marijuana in Alaska, and regards methamphetamine as a greater social threat than cannabis.[8]

Jury rights

On August 31, 2007, Palin signed a Jury Rights Day Proclamation,[21] commemorating September 5, 2007 as the 337th anniversary of the acquittal, in defiance of the legal direction of the bench, of William Penn and William Mead for preaching a Quaker sermon. The proclamation stated, "[This case] established forever the English and American legal doctrine that it is the right and responsibility of the trial jury to decide on matters of law and fact", and "Whereas, the Sixth and Seventh Amendments are included in the Bill of Rights to preserve the right to trial by jury, which in turn conveys upon the jury the responsibility to defend, with its verdict, all other individual rights enumerated or implied by the U.S. Constitution, including its Amendments."

Stem cell research

Palin stated in 2006 that because she believes stem cell research ends in destruction of life, it is inconsistent with her pro-life position and she does not support this research. [22]

Lobbyists

Newsweek described Palin's relaions with lobbyists thus:

Plain has given jobs to friends and appointed lobbyists to oversee industries they used to represent. There's nothing illegal about it--that's business as usual in politics. But part of Palin's appeal is that she markets herself as a reformer who fights against cronyism, when in fact her record shows her to be, in many ways, a typical politician who rewards her friends and punishes her enemies.[23]

Economic

Shortly after becoming governor, Palin canceled a contract for the construction of an 11-mile (18 km) gravel road outside Juneau to a mine. [24] She also followed through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased. [25] She used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects, and reduced the construction budget to nearly $1.6 billion.[26]

"Bridge to Nowhere"

In 2006, Ketchikan's Gravina Island Bridge, better known outside the state as the "Bridge to Nowhere", became an issue in the gubernatorial campaign. Palin initially expressed support for the bridge and ran on a "build-the-bridge" platform, arguing that it was essential for local prosperity.[27] After the bridge became a political issue Congress replaced the earmark for the bridge with an infrastructure grant to Alaska to use at its discretion; Palin's subsequent policy was to continue construction on the road originally intended to link to the bridge while exploring less-expensive transportation between Ketchikan and Gravina Island.[28][29][30]

Palin made national news when she stopped work on the bridge. Reuters said the move was responsible for "earning her admirers from earmark critics and budget hawks from around the nation. The move also thrust her into the spotlight as a reform-minded newcomer." In an article titled, "Bridge leads McCain to running mate Palin", the Associated Press said canceling the bridge was "the first identifiable link connecting Palin and McCain," soon followed by "whispers of Palin being an ideal GOP running mate".[31][32]

In 2008, when introduced as McCain's running mate, Palin told the crowd, "I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere" — a line that garnered big applause but upset political leaders in Ketchikan. Palin's campaign coordinator in the city, Republican Mike Elerding, remarked, "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money." Democratic Mayor Bob Weinstein also criticized Palin for using the very term 'bridge to nowhere' that she had said was insulting when she was in favor of the bridge.[33]

Energy and environment

Oil and gas development

As Governor, Palin has strongly promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, including opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.[34] She has also helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits.[35][36] Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.[37]

In an interview with Time, Palin argued that energy independence through ANWR drilling was essential to reducing American dependence on hostile foreign regimes.[38]

Cook Inlet stretches 180 miles (290 km) from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska.[39]

As governor, Palin allowed Chevron to triple the amount of toxic oil and gas wastes it dumps into Cook Inlet waters, despite the fact that the Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) (a genetically distinct beluga whale) in the area is on the verge of extinction.[40] Palin has additionally blocked attempts to place the Cook Inlet beluga whale on the endangered species list, which prompted a June 30, 2008, notice of a lawsuit by environmental groups.[41]

Trish Rolfe of the Sierra Club's Alaska branch has stated that Palin's policies have been a disaster for Alaska's environment, saying "the idea that she stands up to the oil companies is a joke."[42]

Palin has taxed oil company profits to give every man woman and child in Alaska a $2,000 entitlement check each year. The Independent states that this has served, in effect, as "a vote-buying machine" for Palin among Alaskans.[43]

Global warming

On August 29, 2008, Palin stated in an interview: "A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one, though, who would attribute it to being man-made."[44]

Endangered species

In January 2008, Palin wrote an opinion column for The New York Times in which she opposed the listing of polar bears as an endangered species, claiming that she had based her position on a comprehensive review of expert scientific opinion.[45] State biologists have disagreed that such support exists.[46]

In May 2008, she threatened to sue the federal government over their decision to list the bears. She again questioned the scientific basis for the listing, and warned that it would adversely affect energy development in Alaska.[47]

Palin also opposed the placement of beluga whales in Alaska's Cook Inlet on the endangered species list, on economic grounds.[48] Palin cited state scientists who claimed that hunting was the only factor causing the whales' decline, and that the hunting has been effectively controlled through cooperative agreements with Alaska Native organizations. [49] More recent research by the National Marine Fisheries Service suggests that despite hunting controls beluga whales in Cook's Inlet remain severely depleted and at high risk of permanent extinction. [50]

Predator control

In 2007, Palin supported the Alaska Department of Fish and Game policy allowing Alaska state biologists to hunt wolves from helicopters as part of a predator control program intended to increase moose populations.[51] The program was criticized by predator control opponents including Defenders of Wildlife,[51] and prompted California State Representative George Miller to introduce a federal bill (H.R. 3663) seeking to make the practice illegal.[51] In March 2008, a federal judge in Alaska upheld the practice of hunting wolves from the air, though limited its extent.[52] On August 26, 2008, Alaskans voted against ending the state's predator control program.[53]

Foreign policy

Iraq

In an interview with Alaska Business Monthly "shortly after she took office" as governor,[54] Palin favored an "exit plan" for the war in Iraq:

Alaska Business Monthly: We've lost a lot of Alaska's military members to the war in Iraq. How do you feel about sending more troops into battle, as President Bush is suggesting?

Palin: I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place; I want assurances that we are doing all we can to keep our troops safe. Every life lost is such a tragedy. I am very, very proud of the troops we have in Alaska, those fighting overseas for our freedoms, and the families here who are making so many sacrifices.[55]

Palin has tied the war to the quest for new energy supplies, saying, "We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources, which is nonsensical when you consider that domestically we have the supplies ready to go."[56] However, she also stipulated that a clear plan for Iraq should not include concerns with oil or energy dependence, saying, "I’m a mom, and my son is going to get deployed in September, and we better have a real clear plan for this war. And it better not have to do with oil and dependence on foreign energy."[57]

Israel

In a meeting on September 2, 2008 with leaders of the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC, Palin reportedly told them that she would "work to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between U.S. and Israel."[58]

References

  1. ^ a b Yardley, William (August 29, 2008). "Sarah Heath Palin, an Outsider Who Charms". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Juneau Empire, "Abortion Draws Clear Divide in State Races," accessed 8/29/08 and Anchorage Daily News, "Governor’s Race: Top contenders meet one last time to debate," 11/03/06.
  3. ^ Alter, Jonathan (August 29, 2008). "McCain's 'Hail Sarah' Pass". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-09-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Haase, Don (2006-07-31). "2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire". Eagle Forum Alaska. Retrieved 2008-09-01. I am pro-life. With the exception of a doctor's determination that the mother's life would end if the pregnancy continued. Cited web page was deleted on 2008-09-02. Copy of original web page as of 2007-05-01 found on Wayback Machine and archived on WebCite.
  5. ^ "All three candidates support gas line lawsuit". Anchorage Daily News. 2008-11-03. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  6. ^ Simon, Stephanie (2008-08-29). "Anti-Abortion Activists Cheer McCain's V.P. Pick". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  7. ^ "Palin appears to disagree with McCain on sex education". LA Times. 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  8. ^ a b c ">Hopkins, Kyle (2006-08-06). "Same-sex unions, drugs get little play". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  9. ^ Palin, Sarah (2007-01-17). "State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007". Quoted in On the Issues. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  10. ^ Kizzia, Tom (October 27, 2006). "'Creation science' enters the race". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  11. ^ Babington, Charles (August 31, 2008), "Obama deals gently with Palin on equal pay issue", The Boston Globe{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  12. ^ Vestal, Christine (March 1, 2007 (updated March 6, 2008)). "Gay marriage decisions ripe in two courts". Stateline.org. Retrieved 2007-12-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Demer, Lisa (December 21, 2006). "Palin to comply on same-sex ruling". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  14. ^ McAllister, Bill (December 20, 2006). "Gay partners of state employees win benefits". KTUU News. KTUU-TV. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  15. ^ Hopkins, Kyle (December 29, 2006). "Same-sex benefits ban gets Palin veto". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  16. ^ Sutton, Anne (May 8, 2007). "Same-sex benefits bill stalls". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  17. ^ Palin, Sarah (2006-11-07). "Issues". "Palin for Governor" (inactive web site) quoted in On the Issues. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  18. ^ Kyle Hopkins (2006-08-18). "Governor debate gets lively as hopefuls pose questions". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  19. ^ Braiker, Brian (2008-08-29). "On the Hunt". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  20. ^ Davis, Susan (2008-08-29). "Conservative Activists Praise Palin as McCain's VP Pick". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  21. ^ Jury Rights Day Proclamation of 2007
  22. ^ Sarah Palin, Andrew Halcro, Tony Knowles. 2006 Alaska Governor's Debate among Sarah Palin, Andrew Halcro and Tony Knowles (Televised debate). Anchorage, Alaska: KTOO Television. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |airdate= ignored (help)
  23. ^ http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/3
  24. ^ McAllister, Bill (December 14, 2006). "Palin cancels contracts for pioneer road to Juneau". ktuu.com. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  25. ^ "No bidders on eBay; sold it offline". PolitiFact.com. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  26. ^ Bradner, Tim (July 8, 2007). "Lawmakers cringe over governor's deep budget cuts". Alaska Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  27. ^ "Palin's maverick trail goes from city hall to gov's mansion". CNN. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  28. ^ Kizzia, Tom (2008-08-31). "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' does not note flip-flop". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  29. ^ "Where they stand". Anchorage Daily News. 2006-10-22. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  30. ^ Rosen, Yereth (September 1, 2008). "Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  31. ^ Quinn, Steve (August 29, 2008). "Bridge leads McCain to running mate Palin". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  32. ^ Kirkpatrick, David (September 1, 2008). "Opposing Alaska bridge endeared Palin to McCain". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2008-09-02. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Rosen, Yereth (2008-09-01). "Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  34. ^ "State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007". January 17, 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  35. ^ Quinn, Steve (2007-05-10). "Alaska governor balances newborn's needs, official duties". Associated Press. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Barnes, Fred (July 16, 2007). "The Most Popular Governor". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  37. ^ Kizzia, Tom (April 12, 2007). "State aims to reduce emissions". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  38. ^ Newton-Small, Jay (2008-08-29). "Transcript: TIME's interview with Sarah Palin". Time. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  39. ^ "Cook Inlet, Alaska". Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  40. ^ Leonard Doyle, "Palin: the real scandal", The Independent, 6 Sept 2008. Available online. Archived.
  41. ^ http://www.inletkeeper.org/pdf/80630pressReleaseBelugaWhale.pdf
  42. ^ Leonard Doyle, "Palin: the real scandal", The Independent, 6 Sept 2008. Available online. Archived.
  43. ^ Leonard Doyle, "Palin: the real scandal", The Independent, 6 Sept 2008. "Palin: the real scandal - Americas, World - The Independent". Retrieved 2008-09-07. Archived.
  44. ^ Coppock, Mike (August 29, 2008). "Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change". Newsmax. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  45. ^ Sarah Palin (January 5, 2008). "Bearing Up - New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  46. ^ Tom Kizzia (May 25, 2005). "E-mail reveals state dispute over polar bear listing: Polar Bear News". Adn.com. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  47. ^ Joling, Dan (2008-05-22). "State will sue over polar bear listing, Palin says". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  48. ^ Bryan Walsh (2008-09-01). "Palin on the Environment: Far Right". Time. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  49. ^ "Governor Palin Urges Feds to not list Belugas as Endangered". State of Alaska. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  50. ^ "2008 Status Review and Extinction Risk Assessment of Cook Inlet Belugas" (PDF). U.S. Department of Commerce. April 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  51. ^ a b c Bolstad, Erika (2007-09-26). "Lawmaker seeks to ban wolf hunting from planes, copters". Oakland Tribune. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  52. ^ "Alaska Judge Upholds Aerial Wolf Killing But Limits Extent". ens-newswire.com. Environmental News Service. 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  53. ^ "Alaska voters shoot down predator control initiative". newsminer.com. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  54. ^ "Gov. Sarah Palin speaks out". Goliath. The Gale Group. 2007-03-01. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  55. ^ Sullivan, Andrew (2008-08-29). "Palin On Iraq". The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  56. ^ Bartiromo, Maria (August 29, 2008), "Bartiromo Talks with Sarah Palin", Business Week{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  57. ^ Gourevitch, Philip (2008-09-08). "Palin on Obama". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2008-09-02. This article was available online the first days of September, despite its later 'printed' date.
  58. ^ "Sarah Palin tells AIPAC she's pro-Israel". Retrieved 2008-09-04. {{cite web}}: Text "Jewish Journal" ignored (help)

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