I am Sarah Palin

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I am Sarah Palin

Barracuda and maverick she is a “get it done gal”
By mg Robbins
Freelance Reporter


Summary
Political party. Republican, social conservative
__________________________________
Political service
1992-1996 Member of the Wasilla City Council
Promised a progressive, competitive attitude to government __________________________________
1996-2002 Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska
Platform: wasteful spending, high taxes, abortion,
gun rights, term limits
1st Passed legislation overhauling the state’s
ethics laws
Construction for the gas pipeline
Created the position of City
Administrator
Eliminated the Museum Director position
merging the museum with the library
Fired Police Chief
Reduced her $68,000 salary by 10% - City
Council in 1998 reversed her decision
75% cut in property taxes
Eliminated personal property and
business inventory tax
Road and Sewer improvements
Increased funding to police department
Vetoed new library and city hall
Funding for storm-water treatment
protecting freshwater resources
Elected president of the Alaska Conference
of Mayors
2nd Re-elected by 74%
Construction of a $14m multi-use sports
complex – completed on time & under budget
$8m federal funds secured for Wasilla city
government
$19m for public & private entities in Wasilla
area to include: youth shelter, transportation
hub, sewer repairs, rail project
__________________________________
2003-2004 Chairperson, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation
Commission, appointed by Mayor Frank
Murkowski; served as Ethics Supervisor.
2003-2005 A director of Ted Stevens Excellence in Public
Service, Inc., providing political training
for Republican women
2004 Resigned from Oil and Gas Commission for “lack of
ethics” filing a complaint against Randy
Ruedrich chair of the Alaska Republican party
doing party rather than oil & gas work and
working closely with a company the commission
regulated. A second complaint of financial conflict
of interest against Gregg Renkes, former attorney
general
Decision not to run for the Senate conflicting with
being a team mom
__________________________________
2006 Elected the 11th governor of Alaska as the youngest
and first woman governor
Platform: a clean-government
1st Enacted a bipartisan ethics reform bill signed in 2007
Competitive process to construct a gas pipeline
Sale of the Westwind II jet
Promoted oil & natural gas resource development
Visited Alaska National Guard in Kuwait
$5b invested in state savings
Overhaul educational funding
Implemented Senior Benefits program
Created Alaska Petroleum Systems Integrity office
Climate Change Sub-cabinet

2007 Signed $6.6b operating budget into law
Cut $237m in construction cost reducing construction
budget to $1.6m
2008 Vetoed $286m from the 2009 capital budget
__________________________________
Aug. 29, 2008 announced as the VP nominee on the Republican
ticket. 1st woman and Alaskan to run on a
presidential Republican ticket.


Policies
NRA lifetime member. Supports Second Amendment
including handgun possession but advocates gun safety
education for youth.

Supports capital punishment.

Supports the classroom discussion of creationism.

Opposes same-sex marriage but vetoed a bill denying
same-sex couples state health benefits as unconstitutional.
Pro-Life – opposing abortion.
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Personal
February 11, 1964 born: Sarah Louise Heath,
Sandpoint, Idaho to Sarah Sheeran
and Charles R. Heath.
1964 Family moved to Alaska

Schools
1982 Graduated from Wasilla High School, Wasilla, AK.
Head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Point guard and captain, girls’ basketball team
Nicknamed Sarah “Barracuda” because
of her intense play at sports
1984 Miss Wasilla
1987 University of Idaho graduate with a BS in
Communications-Journalism
Second runner-up Miss Alaska pageant
Awarded “Miss Congeniality” & college scholarship


_________________________________
1988 Eloped with high school sweetheart Todd Palin
Children: Track, b.1989; Willow, b.1995;
Bristol, b 1990; Piper Indy, b 2001;
Trig, b.2001
2007 Track enlisted in the United States Army
2008 Infantry brigade deployed to Iraq for 1 year
Residence. Wasilla, Alaska
Profession. Sportscaster, Homemaker, Politician
Religion. b. Catholic, a non-denominational “Bible believing Christian”, attends Wasilla Bible Church
Website. Gov.state.ak.us


One touts change while the other brings change.
“You want to talk about CHANGE? You should see a before and
after picture of the State government in Alaska, that's
CHANGE!” says Gary “Butch” King a pilot guide and owner
with his wife Kathy of Wildman Lake Lodge located on the
remote frontier, the Alaska Peninsula. King says “when
Sarah moved to Juneau, so did accountability and
responsibility.” He likened the states capital
to a “bunch of freshmen in a college town.” Once the oil
started flowing so did the money and at $100/bbl,
King likened legislators to “drunken sailors.”

First to go was former governor Frank Murkowski’s state
jet utilized by state employees. However, Perry Green, retired
business owner of David Green, Master Furrier, Anchorage says
Murkowski “was a good man “who tried to cut the state budget
and fiscally turn the state around.” Green says Murkowski did
things that were not popular and it afforded Sarah Palin perfect
timing to seek the governor’s office due to misconceptions.

At one time a Democrat, Green is a registered independent and did not
support Palin in her campaign for the governor’s office. He concludes
“Once elected she has proven to be forceful, dynamic and public
opinion does not sway her. Believing she is doing the right thing
is her principle.” To Greens knowledge Palin has never been on
the receiving end of “big donations from important segments
of the economy be it labor, management or lobbyist,” Green
explained Juneau; the Capital of Alaska is isolated.

It is accessible only by boat or plane. It has only 40 miles of paved
road and that, according to King is the state's major problem that
Juneau is 500 miles from the nearest road and 800 air miles from
the population base which is Anchorage, Wasilla and Fairbanks.
Isolation of the capital breeds a certain contention among voters
who believe it allows legislators distance from voter scrutiny.
Attempts have been made to relocate the capital to no avail.

Alaska is two and a half times the size of Texas with
586,412 square miles of land, 2210 miles wide and the
Aleutian Islands are 1100 miles long with some portions
of the state closer to Tokyo than Washington DC - and
in Green’s opinion it was necessary for governor Murkowski
to have the plane at his disposal for state troopers and other
cabinet members. To reach major cities, “It would be like
flying two-thirds across the country” he says.

Alaska Airlines is the only commercial jet operator out of
the Juneau International Airport servicing Anchorage and
Fairbanks, several smaller communities and Seattle.
With limited daily flights Juneau is not like flying out of
Dallas and not conducive for state business. However, the
legislature opposed purchase of the $2.7m jet as did Palin
and apparently the voters, she won the 2006 gubernatorial
election 48.3% to 40.9% defeating incumbent Murkowski
and former governor Tony Knowles becoming the first female
governor and at forty-two the youngest governor.

Palin lives in Juneau during the legislative session, but
works out of Anchorage the balance of the year. She accepts
a $58 per diem but drives fifty miles to her home in Wasilla
refusing hotel reimbursement. Gubernatorial expenses run
approximately 80 percent less than the previous administration.

She continues to be popular with Alaska voters, polls in 2007
showed her with a 93% favorable rating and 89% popularity rating
among republican and democratic voters. In September
2008 she held a favorable 68% rating. As governor, Palin placed
resource development, education, public health and safety,
workforce development and transportation and infrastructure
development as priority programs.

According to King about half of the Alaska “good old boys
club” legislative body was in the “pocket of big oil or contractors”
funded by oil revenue. It didn’t stop there but like a sieve,
filtered into the departments of Natural Resources and Labor
and into the Public Safety Department. Running her platform on
“clean government” Green says Palin “was elected to ‘clean
house’ and bring political reform. That is what people elected
her for. She bucked the system totally.” King added “when
Sarah finished cleaning house, legislators ended up in jail, or resigned
as did numerous department heads. She saved millions of dollars
for Alaskan voters – and has not yet slowed down.” King exclaims,
“She has truly brought CHANGE to Juneau!”

Contrary to media criticism that Palin eliminated everyone
from the previous administration that did not agree with her
policies, Green counters saying “she wanted people that would
be entirely loyal to her.” This course of action is not uncommon
in an administration change.

On being a Republican. The Republican platform for
Palin is “the right agenda for America.” Palin believes in
equality and the respect for life and walked this talk when
she and husband Todd Mitchell Palin in 2001 elected to
complete their pregnancy with Trig. The baby was diagnosed
as Down syndrome. Further, she believes Americans “can make"
better decisions for themselves than the government could
ever make for us. “Individual freedom and independence
is extremely important to me and that’s why I’m a Republican.”
Previously Palin was a registered independent.

Palin may be a Party gal, but not to the point of compromising
her ethical code. She will differ with Party members and actively
worked to unseat US Representative Don Young. She publicly
challenged Senator Ted Stevens over federal investigation into his
financial dealings but at the same time held a joint press conference
to show party support before his 2008 indictment.

Alaska Policies: Big oil, pipeline & gas companies.
May 2008 TransCanada Alaska Company, LLC and Foothills
Pipelines Ltd. (TC Alaska) were awarded the opportunity to
build and operate the pipeline that will transverse Alaska through
Canada bringing natural gas into the lower 48, a $26b project that
will net billions back into the Alaska economy. Newsweek reported
this as the “principal achievement” of Palin’s administration.

It is no secret the Alaska economy is primarily based on oil
revenues a whooping 85 percent of the operating budget comes
from this source.

Palin is an advocate for drilling in Alaska including in
the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. In August the governor
said “I am pleased to see Senator Obama acknowledge the
huge potential Alaska’s natural gas reserves represent in
terms of clean energy and sound jobs.” Obama favors
completion of the gas pipeline and leasing in the National
Petroleum Reserve for oil and gas production. Palin also agrees
with Obama’s proposal to return $1000 rebates to Americans
“struggling with the high cost of energy.” Palin has already done
this giving $1200 to Alaska citizens following a tax increase on oil.

In opposition Palin disagrees with the profit tax on oil
companies proposed by the Democratic presidential hopeful.
She believes incentives encourage companies to re-invest
their profits into new production whereas profit taxes drain
capital deterring companies from product re-investment
continuing a US dependency from Middle East oil suppliers.

Palin introduced a totally revolutionary and controversial
plan to pipe natural gas out of the ground. Companies currently
use natural gas re-injecting it into the North Slope causing gas
to escape to the surface to keep the oil flowing. When oil revenues
were at an all time high, Palin levied a tax increase.

The Alaska legislature considering her proposal levied an
even greater tax and the Alaska coffers were filled. Green is
not so certain the highly controversial plan is not a mistake.
He questions the “profit break” piping the natural gas into the
states. Just the permitting process with tribal land owners in
Alaska and cooperation with the Canadian government is an
astronomical political quest.

In September this year Palin supported a new five-year
outer continental shelf oil and gas lease program in the
Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea and “limited areas” in the North
Aleutian Basin. The project, Palin believes will go far in
helping to gain independence from foreign oil and gas
imports. The federal Minerals Management Service will work
with residents and local governments in leasing regions and
oil and gas companies to minimize conflicts arising from
subsistence activities such as fish and wildlife resources.

Active Predator Control Program. Possibly the
most controversial Alaska policy for the lower 48 states
is the predator control policy. For liberal voters specifically,
animal activist who may choose an emotional vote based
upon one issue only, for just a moment remove yourself from
your comfortable home here in the south of Texas with food
only as far away as the key in an ignition switch.

As of 2004 approximately ten percent or 6,705 persons
live below poverty level in Alaska. “Unemployment can
be staggering with little economic opportunity” says Green
quoting as high as 50 percent unemployment in some villages.
Without welfare assistance the percentage would be higher.

Fifteen percent of the population is Alaska Natives – Aleut,
Eskimo or Indian. Protected under the Alaska Native Land
Claims Settlement Act of 1971, a substantial number of these
tribes continue to live their traditional cultures. 36 percent speak
their native language preserving their heritage. They occupy
up to 200 villages mostly in rural and remote Alaska.
They rely on hunting and fishing to feed their families.
Caribou and moose, fish and other wildlife are their main
source for food. “There are no McDonald’s, gas stations or
retail stores in these villages” Green says. Tribal communities
rely on trapping, hunting, fishing and gathering to live.
No summer jobs exist for young people, instead they spend the
summer months helping their parents gather fish to dry for the
coming winter.

There is no indoor plumbing or running water and “while
we may complain of $4/gal gas, villagers may pay up to
$11/gal in rural areas. It was in response to rural requests that
Gov. Palin issued an emergency order for the aerial program.
Palin supported the helicopter predator control program through
the Dept. of Fish and Game in 2007. She declared a $150 bounty
per wolf to offset the cost of fuel. Wildlife activists sued Alaska
and the court declared the bounty illegal through Fish and
Game, it would have to funnel through another department.


Alaska is home for the largest Canis Lupus population in the US.
It is estimated that six to seven thousand free roam the state.
Left unchecked, the gray wolf, a fast breeding species could
seriously endanger the ability for some of the Native Alaskans
to feed their families because the carnivore is a natural predator
of both caribou and moose the main staples of the villagers’ diet.

Green says Gov. Palin has a lot of support from poorer voters
in rural areas because of her understanding of the difficulties
of rural life. These people depend on large game to supplement
their meager income, food and clothing. Green says most
people in the lower 48 will not understand this. “They are sold
on the fact hunters are mean and callous, going out to shoot
Bambi.” What people need to realize is that it is not sport hunting
in the Alaskan bush. Controlling the wolf population by thinning
out is all a part of living with nature.” Green challenges 99.99
percent of the American population to go out and trap a wolf, a
“very hard thing to do.”

The use of aircraft is not a hunt rather a “science-driven
abundance-based program…a component of moose and
caribou management in five specific areas of Alaska” to
protect the rural areas. The wildlife resource plan first
works to protect wildlife by increasing the game population
that ultimately ensures Alaska families “the greatest
opportunity to hunt and harvest to feed their families.”
Without this controlled management necessary food
sources could become limited, “eliminating opportunities
for Alaskans to secure wild game for food – to put food
on their families’ table.” To insure proper wildlife
conservation and protect wildlife resources, the Alaska
Wildlife Troopers an enforcement agency, has been
re-introduced. Palin emphasizes Alaska takes seriously
their obligation in the management, conservation and
regulation for all species of wildlife as well as other
natural resources.

Wildlife management is set by the Alaska Board of
Game composed of public appointees and confirmed
by the state legislature. The management program is
advised by Dept. of Fish and Game scientists,
non-governmental agencies and private citizens.
“Our goal” Palin says “is to have healthy populations of all
wildlife…” Palin states her commitment to protecting
wildlife as “an important [Alaska] heritage” one that allows
“many families [to] subsist on wild fish and game.”

Left unchecked the wolf faces the potential for a slow
and painful starvation as they carve out the population
of their own food resources. Remember the picture of
Laverne in La Vernia City Park? Visualize hundreds of
wolves in this same condition. No longer classified by the
Federal Government as an endangered species, the
population is increasing. If you disagree with these policies,
run for office in Alaska and do the best you know how to do.
Still, I assure you there will be wolves at your door.

TrooperGate. You will hear about this scuttlebutt
sometime in October when the Alaska Legislature
releases their investigation into whether Governor Palin
used her position to terminate Public Safety Commissioner
Walt Monegan when after three years he had failed to fire
Palin’s ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten an Alaska state trooper.
Wooten threatened her sister Molly McCann, and is alleged to
have told his ex-wife to “rein in your sister [Palin] or I will
take her down.” There is speculation the investigation
into the governor’s office over the Monegan/Wooten
affair could play into that threat.

Palin is accused of firing Public Safety Commissioner
Walt Monegan this year for failing to fire Wooten for the
2005 incident. At the time Palin described Wooten as a
“ticking time bomb” and “loose cannon.” After her
election as governor, she questioned his character as a
public servant representative for Alaska.

Palin denies Monegan was terminated for personal
reasons stating the termination was due to differences
in budget policy. He was offered another position in
the administration which he refused.

Palin ordered the Attorney Generals office to conduct
an internal investigation, the State Trooper organization
ordered an investigation into allegations of continued
misconduct by Wooten and the Alaska Legislative Council
hired Stephen Branchflower, a retired state prosecutor to
investigate allegations of misconduct as well.

Wooten received several days’ suspension in 2006 for
“serious and concentrated patters of unacceptable and
illegal activity.” It was determined by the state trooper
organization that in fact Wooten had threatened his
ex-wife McCann.

The bridge to nowhere. Scandal is not likely to
avoid any politician, real or hypotheized; it is a condition
for the job – nature of the beast. Palin is no exception
and the “bridge to nowhere” is her ballyhoo.

It all started in 2005 with a Highway bill providing
$223m to build a bridge from the 21 mile long,
9.5 mile wide Gravina Island to Ketchikan.
Negotiations were handled by Representative Don Young,
the republican Palin actively worked to unseat from Congress
after her election as governor in 2006. Palin inherited the
project and citing ‘prosperity’ had intentions to see the project
through, but eventually rescinded instructing the Alaska
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities to find a
“fiscally responsible” alternative for access to the Ketchikan
International Airport.

Access to the airport by ferry takes about seven minutes
and runs every thirty minutes. The US Congress, without
a hitch transferred $442m dollars to Alaska to “use at
their discretion for road projects.” And, that is what Palin
did spending $25m of the federal funds building a road on
Gravina to the bridge site. Therein comes her ballyhoo – she
opted not to refund the $442m to Congress. The Alaska
Department of Transportation and Federal Highway
Administration say with “minimal cost” Palin could have
returned the money to Congress, although she had no moral or
ethical obligation to do so under the “no strings attached” award
for “road projects” at their discretion. Palin inherited the
contract for the road and sources from the McCain-Palin
campaign say “the governor was left no viable alternative.”

While critics and media harped on the 50 residents
on Gravina Island, thus dubbed the ‘bridge to nowhere,’
no one seemed to care that the connecting side on Ketchikan
is home to 8000 residents or that the bridge would allow
access for the 350,000 passengers serviced each year
by the airport.

As Vice President Nominee. Media casts doubt
Palin; the mother of five children is capable of discharging
properly the office of Vice President. In 2004 Palin rejected
running for the US Senate because she could not be the
“team mom” for her teenage son if a U.S. Senator,
according to the Anchorage Daily News. Accepting the
VP nomination Palin definitively states she has balanced
the duties of Vice President with the responsibility of motherhood.
Describing Palin as a multi-tasker Green says
“Palin has the capability to do this. She has a lot to learn but
is a quick learner.” She will “vote her conscious for the welfare
of the American people and be a worthy candidate if able to grasp
economic and political reality.”

Green says she is a “good spokeswoman” and both Green and
King laud Palin as honest and not persuaded by special interest.
She has integrity. She surrounds herself with smart people,
knows when to listen, how to analyze facts, but “makes her own
decision then implements the plan” says King. “She is a straight
shooting, hard charging, get it done gal!” Sarah Palin” says King
“is a no BS politician” a refreshing change to what Palin her
self refers to as the “Washington insiders.”

Using the heartbeat away from the president scare tactic,
Green counters these critics saying, “I think her heart beats for
America. She is blessed with energy and enthusiasm and the
need to lead in public service.” Green uses the term “mean
spirited” describing those speculating McCain might not live
out his term in office, “just take a look at his 96 year old
mother to see his family has great genes!”

Would Sarah Palin be capable as President? Green
answers “could she be any worse than what has gone
on from both parties leadership?” Green reminisces over
Roosevelt nominating Truman as his VP and the rancor it
caused. “Some people rise to the occasion while others do
not live up to their expectations.” He believes the country
needs a maverick and “only history will decide” this debate.

King and Green believe McCain was “well advised” and made
a “good political move” in his choice of Palin. “She will
represent people who do not feel they have been represented
in the US Congress and appeal to independents who feel
government does not know how they truly feel” says Green.
The London Daily News wrote that Palin from small town
America has the same values.

“If Sarah gets a chance to dig her spurs into the flanks of
the liberal Washington types” says King “they will know
she is in the saddle!” As far as having legislative experience,
King says she has always been in the executive position in her
private and political life. “With all the hoop-la, it's easy to forget
that [Palin’s] running for Vice-President, not President - not yet.
Sarah Palin, the next Margaret Thatcher? Time will tell.”
[London Daily News, Sept. 8]

Foreign policy. Traditionally the VP is not in a position
to set policy so experience in this area is not a qualifier.
She supports preemptive strikes in an imminent threat
and military operation in Pakistan. Supports NATO
membership for the Ukraine and Georgia. Says the US
should uphold all treaty obligations if Russia should invade
a NATO member nation. One might ask American enemies who
they would most be leery of, a president anxious to negotiate or
one not afraid to “pack a six shooter.” She is a staunch
supporter for Israel.

Of little concern outside the Alaska border, few Americans
consider the Bering Straight places Russia in proximity of US soil.
The Alaska National Guard is the backdoor watchdog for this
nation against any potential predator. While the governor
commands the Guard in peace time, it falls to federal command
in a threatened national emergency. Funding for the National
Guard falls to the federal National Guard Bureau who also
sets policy guidelines for Guard operations in all 50 states.

"The mission of the Alaska Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs is to provide strategically positioned,
relevant and ready military forces capable of rapid deployment
joint operations and mission accomplishment while maintaining
the capability to provide emergency services to the state
of Alaska.” Global Security

Religion, family values and policy. Green does not cater
to the idea Palin will force her religious view on any one.

“She is a firm believer in the American way - regardless of your
religion you may practice it.” Green says Palin goes to
church because she has a “passion” for that part of her life.

Depicted as a staunch believer in traditional marriage
values, Councilwoman Palin in 1995 when she saw
"Daddy’s Roommate" for check-out in the Wasilla public
library took no action. She vetoed a bill as unconstitutional
prohibiting same-sex couples receiving state health benefits.
Does not disagree with creationism discussion in the classroom
and supports public school sex education stressing abstinence but
not opposed to birth control education. She disagrees with
abortion at any stage under any circumstances excepting
for the life of the mother, but does not advocate judicial punishment.
Personal religious preferences did not stop her from opposing a
measure calling for Wasilla bars to close two hours early.
Green says “she has her standards and ‘lives her own life.’”

Personal life. 24- year old Sarah Louise Heath eloped August 29,
1988 to marry her Wasilla high school sweetheart, Todd Mitchell
Palin, son of James F. “Jim” Palin and Blanche (Roberts) Kallstrom.
Todd Palin is descended from the Yup’ik and Curyung tribes through
his mother and maternal grandmother. He is employed by British
Petroleum as a non-managerial production operator. For 18 years
Palin worked in management for BP but elected for the lesser position
to avoid any conflict of interest arising from his wife’s position
as governor. Palin is a commercial salmon fisherman.

Palin races with friend and team buddy Scott Davis in
the world’s longest snowmobile race, the 1,971 mile grueling
back country Tesoro Iron Dog championship from Wasilla, to
Nome then Fairbanks. He has won the championship four times.
Sarah hunts, fishes and runs marathon races.

In September Gov. Palin announced the pregnancy of her
unwed daughter Bristol. Green accuses the press of “jumping on
every small issue creating a firestorm. He says the “same press
that vilifies Palin for her daughter’s condition is the same press
that condones so much freedom for children…” Bristol and Levi
Johnston father of the child plan to marry.

Palin has ruffled a lot of feathers and like any politician she
has made friends and enemies. “That” Green says “is the nature
of politics.” Summing up Sarah Palin, Green says, “She is as
pretty on the outside as she is smart and capable on the inside.”

Election and the media. The intent of this author is to present
the four candidates as candidly as possible without bias
or gentle persuasion. There is much discontent toward media
reporting. As Green says, “I see a direct contrast to people trying
to make the news for you and not let the public decide – allowing
individuals to think for themselves.” News past was reported.
The tendency today is to “tell you the news is the news.”



Ref:
State of Alaska Dept of Commerce Community and
Economic Development;
Alask.gov
Gov.state.ak.us
Gov.state.ak.us/bio
US.gov
Wikipedia
Washinton Post
London Daily News
ADN.com
Wildman Lodge

Interview through personal e-mail & website:
Gary “Butch” King, Pilot/Guide and owner Wildman
Lake Lodge;
by telephone & e-mail: Mr. Perry Green, retired owner
David Green, Master Furriers, 1971 Democratic Delegate
& personal family friend with James Palin and Blanche Kallstrom.


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