more on Sarah Palin as potential VP

[liveonearth]

PALIN
--is anti-choice
--is a religious conservative
--denies global warming
--until 1.5 years ago was mayor of a town of 9,000 people (Wasilla)
--is a hunter and fisherwoman
--was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago
--has no foreign policy experience (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin)
--opposes abortion even in the case of rape or incest (http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=1)
--supported Pat Buchanan for president in 2000 (http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=2)
--thinks creationism should be taught in public schools (http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=3)
--doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change (http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=4)
--is in line with McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy
--has pushed for more oil drilling (including in ANWAR)
--says renewables won't be ready for years
--sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species (bcs it could interfere with oil drilling) (http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=5)
--had met McCain once before last Sunday, when he called her about being VP and offered the job
(http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=13661-3248945-cjrpX7x&t=8)
--is awfully inexperienced to serve as backup president, and McCain turned 72 on 8/29/08

Comments

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I don't know where people are getting that idea that she's trying to push creationism (aside from the misleading e-mail from MoveOn). From the Alaska Daily News:

“I don’t think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.”

She added that, if elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add such creation-based alternatives to the state’s required curriculum.

Members of the state school board, which sets minimum requirements, are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature.

“I won’t have religion as a litmus test, or anybody’s personal opinion on evolution or creationism,” Palin said.

So, she may personally be a creationist and may not be opposed to its teaching, but she's NOT in favor of pushing it on others. I think she's wrong to even allow it in class, but there's a big difference between "allowing" (passive) and "pushing" (active).

My understanding is that she's anti-abortion, and practiced what she preaches when she gave birth to the Down Syndrome child, Trig. I don't find that particularly offensive, although I would like to think there must be SOME exception. This Wikipedia blurb suggests she thinks of it more of a personal view than any motivation for overturning Roe v. Wade:

In 2002, while running for lieutenant governor, Palin called herself as "pro-life as any candidate can be." 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". She and her husband stated that they had "faith that every baby is created for a good purpose." However, while running for Governor, Palin's campaign said she was not running to govern on the abortion issue, and would propose no new anti-abortion laws.

I think it's a secret that Republicans may not want known -- even the anti-abortion ones have little or no power in making abortion illegal.

She does seem in favor of ending the war:

"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."

"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."

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The more I learn about her the more I think there may be hope for her. Not that I have any intention of supporting McCain.

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

As another person replied in this thread, it's not so much her as those she associates with. While I hardly agree with her views, she seems to be a genuinely caring person.

McCain, though, I just think is an asshole.