Friday, July 11, 2008

A Repost - Sarah Palin For VP: Maverick & Maverick?


With the Republican Convention nearing, and the questions of who will be McCain's pick for a running-mate swirling through the blogosphere, I figured I should repost this - from February - as a reminder of someone out there who would be as good a choice as any for the Republican standard-bearer. Who would you choose?

And do you care who the Obamamessiah picks for His running-mate?

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“I respect our military personnel and understand the importance of Alaska's National Guard. As I watched our military men and women being deployed I recognized how important it is for their families to know how much Alaska and America support them.” - Sarah Palin


Sarah PalinSarah Palin is the incumbent Governor of Alaska and former Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. A Journalist, she is the first Governor of Alaska born after Alaska was granted statehood. She took office at the age of 42, making her the youngest Governor in Alaska's short history, as well as the first woman Governor.


Palin's oldest child, and only son, Track, joined the Army in 2007, at the age of 18. Palin also has three daughters, Bristol, Piper, and Willow, who live at home in Wasilla. Husband Todd is a commercial fisherman. Sarah Palin has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Idaho, and is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.
“I am a lifetime member of the NRA, I support our Constitutional right to bear arms and am a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaska's youth […]” - Sarah Palin

Some of her political imagery comes from her private life. When marijuana was still legal in Alaska - a true maverick state! - she admits she tried it, but didn't like it. One wonders just how good or bad Alaskan Gold is. She eats mooseburgers, and rides snowmobiles.

Sarah Palin's nice gams
Gov. Sarah Palin responds to a question in her downtown Anchorage office next to a grizzly her father shot in Denali Highway country. - photo by STEPHEN NOWERS / Anchorage Daily News

Palin's political career began with two terms on the Wasilla City Council, then was elected Mayor for two terms. She was elected President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. From Wiki:
In 2002, Palin made a failed bid to become the state's lieutenant governor, coming in second place behind Loren Leman in a four-way race, some say due to her inability to raise campaign contributions equal to that of her opponents. After Frank Murkowski became governor, resigning from his long-time U.S. Senate seat, Palin was considered by some to be a candidate for that job; however Murkowski appointed his daughter, then State Representative Lisa Murkowski.

Governor Murkowski did appoint Palin to serve as a commissioner on the state's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which she served on during 2003–2004, but later resigned, in protest over what she perceived to be the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders. This included the state party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, a fellow commissioner, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time and providing a sensitive email to a lobbyist. She filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former state Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who was eventually found not guilty.

Hmmm, spunky and ethical! No wonder the MSM ignores her while deifying Oprah and Hillary. A Republican takes on the Republican Party, and it ain't the MSM's favorite Maverick, John McCain, but a woman in Alaska. But the Republican Party had a small comeuppance coming.

Palin campaigningIn 2006 Palin took on the sitting Republican Governor Frank "Bridge To Nowhere" Murkowski in the Republican Primaries. She beat the party and Murkowski. Then she went on to the general election and whipped the former Governor, Tony Knowles, by 8 percentage points in a six-candidate race. Her plurality was 48%+. How many times have we sat back and groaned as the Party went out of its way to shove good candidates aside to protect lousy, incumbent Republicans in their re-election bids? Well, Palin fought them, beat them, and then beat the Democrat. And it turns out she has been so good as Governor that, in July 2007, Palin was heralded in the national media as being the most popular governor in the country, with an approval rating often in the 90s. An August 2007 poll had her approval rating at 84%, with 5% disapproving. Wonder who disapproved? Democrats, no doubt, wishing for a bigger government and more handouts.

Wanna talk about a Maverick? Sarah Palin supports moving the Legislative sessions out of Juneau - the state Capital - on occasion. She also pushes sending the state's wealth back down to the municipalities. Which, of course, is where that wealth came from in the first place. This is Municipal Revenue Sharing, something the National Football League uses a form of to keep smaller teams in smaller cities afloat. And after all, the locals know far better what is needed in their town than some elected twit in the Capital. I know that's political Heresy to the Left, but it's a fact nevertheless. Palin seems to understand that a government's wealth comes only from taking it from those who actually worked for it. Governments do not make money, nor do they create wealth. Ever. They consume it, ravenously, if allowed.

Maverick? When Palin was elected Governor, she decided Juneau had seen enough inaugurations. She moved the ceremonies to Fairbanks, Alaska. Imagine the President of the United States being inaugurated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania rather than in Washington, D.C. Where would all those Big Wigs and government muckety-mucks stay? And just who would they impress? I like Palin's idea. Maybe we ought to try it one of these days for the President's inauguration, eh?

Sarah Palin is not immune to the disease of government meddling in things economic. And she did not come out looking good. Again, from Wiki:
Gov. Palin received widespread criticism for her handling of Matanuska Maid Dairy, a state owned dairy. When the State Dairy Board recommend the closing of the unprofitable state owned business, Palin fired the board and appointed long-time MATSU Borough associates to run the board, including influential real estate businesswoman Kristan Cole. The new board quickly approved raising the price of milk offered by the dairy in a vain attempt to control hemorrhaging fiscal losses and despite the fact that milk from the state of Washington was already offered in Alaska for much less the Mat Maid milk. In the end the dairy was forced to close and the state tried to sell the assets to pay for its huge debts, but because the initial minimum asking price was set too high no bids were received.
I hope she understands that government is not the answer to every problem. She does seem to.
“As Mayor and CEO of the booming city of Wasilla, my team invited investment and encouraged business growth by eliminating small business inventory taxes, eliminated personal property taxes, reduced real property tax mill levies every year I was in office, reduced fees, and built the infrastructure our businesses needed to grow and prosper.” - Sarah Palin

Palin did sign into law Alaska's largest operating budget ever, but also used her veto pen to make the second largest cuts ever, in the state's construction budget.

As the Murkowski Administration came to a close he appointed his Chief of Staff, Jim Clark, to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority. Shortly after her inauguration, Palin tossed Clark off the Authority. In Murkowski's closing days he okayed the building of an eleven-mile-long gravel road to a mine outside Juneau. Palin scrapped that. Although it took a few years, Palin finally managed to sell the jet Murkowski bought for the state - with state money, of course - on eBay. That was one of her campaign promises. And she kept it.

Palin tours the Bunker Hill

Can you imagine her as a Commander in Chief? Touring the Bunker Hill.


As for the Social Values voters in conservative America, here's more Wiki:
Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life. She opposes same-sex marriage, but has gay friends and has otherwise been receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination. While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin followed an Alaska Supreme Court order and signed them into law.

She supports a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter. Alaska was one of the first states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.

Palin's first veto was used on legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with her attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.
I don't particularly care for that last part. State Benefits are just a way of redistributing wealth. If same-sex couples need benefits they should pay for them. I pay for mine. My folks pay for their's. And there is such a thing as a Will. Gays should learn to write them and use them rather than seek governmental approval of their lifestyle. Contracts are binding. Write up a contract, people! *sigh* Rant over.

Palin unveils Alaska Quarter design

Now you know something about Sarah Palin, Republican Governor of Alaska, and fair-to-middling conservative. I hope she's on John McCain's short-list as a Vice Presidential running mate. Let's hope we don't see a replay of the 1980 Republican Party trying to shoehorn in Gerald Ford as Ronald Reagan's VP running mate/co-presidential candidate (since the Party knew that Reagan couldn't win the election on his own. Have we learned anything, Republicans?). Enough of the old Party garbage. Let's put the old Pols to bed. Maybe Palin isn't the perfect VP candidate, but she's proven electoral candidate, she has managed a growing city and a growing State. And she's smart, bold, brave, ... and a Maverick!

Sarah Palin for Vice President of the United States of America!

Sarah Palin at ontheissues.org
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin For VP?
Palin meets with McCain to talk about Pork
Que Sarah, Sarah
Sarah Palin for VP
Draft Sarah Palin For Vice President

Palin on the Political GraphAccording to VoteMatchQuiz, Palin is a Moderate Populist Conservative.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just wish McCain would officially pick Palin already so we can start having fun watching the main stream media and the Democrats squirm!

Gayle said...

I was hoping he would pick Palin too, Benning, but after reading she vetoed that bill preventing gay marriage, now I'm not so sure. I thought she was more conservative than that. This is a great disappointment to me. :(

Brooke said...

I think Palin is an EXCELLENT choice.

If McCain hopes to have any hope with conservatives while he panders to independents and blue dog Dems, he'd BETTER pick someone to salve the right's wounds.

benning said...

Gayle: The bill she vetoed would have prevented benefits to same-sex couples. Gay marriage is already banned via an earlier (1998) constitutional amendment. As one commenter remarked in February, this had to do with equality rather than special treatment. I don't care for it, but it is what it is.

Anonymous said...

Saradise Lost:

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/why_walt_monegan_got_fired

Anonymous said...

What is it like to be a bigot?

benning said...

There's just something so sad about the infantile, drive-by, snarky comments made by folks without the gumption to name themselves.

Anonymous, why not get your own blog and show us how unbigoted you are? I suspect you're simply projecting. That's something would-be bullies do.

Have a Palintastic Day, Dude!

Anonymous said...

Just hit your site by happenstance looking for Palin. Then I found a few other things and thought...hey why not share? http://www.ktva.com/ci_10026165

By the way my name is Allison, I didn't want to be a snarky commenter afetr all.

benning said...

Allison, sign up with Blogger and you won't be anonymous anymore. I don't mind snarky, when it's accompanied by facts, but I hate snarky just to be cute!

I added your link to my latest post.

Thanks for stopping by!

dewatobay said...

Palin ethical????

hmmm, for folks who do not like snobs you sure are impressed by looks. mike

benning said...

Not really, Mike. As for ethical, yes. Palin has been ethical. I know you aren't trying to refer to this politically motivated fraud.

esther said...

i am so excited she seems like a great conservative woman. love the fact that she will bring enery to the ticket! can you imagine the first woman as the vice president and maybe after mccain she can run for president!

benning said...

Esther: The possiblities are limitless. This is going to be a fun election! :D

Always On Watch said...

A real conservative on the Republican ticket! I feel better now (and I don't mean my eye, either).

benning said...

I feel better, too, AOW!

And how is that eye?

Anonymous said...

I first found this post back in July when I did a Google image search for the Alaska quarter. I had never even heard of Sarah Palin before I read your post. But, as I read it, I thought, hey, she sounds like a great choice.

And then, when McCain picked her, I was way ahead of my friends, having learned about her from you. Thanks!

benning said...

Cat: Glad you visited! I can't remember who mentioned Palin as a VP possibility. But once I read a little about her I knew I'd have to blog about her, too.

:D

Unknown said...

Republican party is the wrong wrench to fix this broken American Engine. Not saying that the democratic party is. But let's try something diffrent. I'm so tired of majority of the republican party that I would rather vote for an inexperienced president. Atleast he has a experienced VP.

unclesmedley said...

Howdy folks...!

I was just looking for a ridiculous picture of Ms. Palin to post on another blog, and happened across your comments. Congrats on your girl! We all got a huge kick outta her down here, but we want you to know that you can have her back--for keeps--anytime you want. Thanks for the laughs, and give our best to Ted.

~us~