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Sarah Palin is the Governor of Alaska and Republican vice presidential candidate for the 2008 United States presidential election. Palin has been described as more conservative than presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain. The following is a list of her known positions on political issues.

Social issues

Abortion and sex education

Palin is pro-life and, since 2006, a member of Feminists for Life. She is opposed to abortion, except when necessary to save the life of the mother. The Anchorage Daily News referred to her as supportive of contraception in a 2006 article on the then-gubernatorial candidates.

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." In July 2006 she wrote, "I am pro-life. With the exception of a doctor’s determination that the mother’s life would end if the pregnancy continued." 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.

According to CNN, in 2006 Palin supported abstinence-only education in Alaskan schools. She wrote, "Explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support," on a questionnaire while running for governor in 2006.

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.

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 stated the next day that she meant that open debate between the two ideas should not be prohibited if it came up in discussion, but that creationism did not need to be part of the curriculum.

Gay marriage and domestic partnership

Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

Legal issues

Capital punishment

Though Alaska has no current death penalty statute, Palin has declared herself in favor of capital punishment. She has stated that: "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."

Gun rights

Palin is a life-time 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". An avid hunter, Palin is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, and supports gun-safety education for children.

Drugs

Though she admits to having smoked marijuana when possession was legal under Alaska state law, but illegal under federal law, Palin opposes the return of legalized marijuana to Alaska. She regards methamphetamine as a greater social threat than cannabis.

Jury Rights

On August 31, 2007, she signed a Jury Rights Day Proclamation, commemorating September 5, 2007, as the 337th anniversary of the acquittal, in defiance of the direction of the bench concerning what the law was, of William Penn and William Mead, for preaching a Quaker sermon. To quote the proclamation as signed by Governor Palin, "(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."

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. She has also helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits. Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.

In an interview with Time, Palin argued that energy independence through ANWR drilling was essential to reducing American dependence on hostile foreign regimes. According to Investor's Business Daily, Palin:

...figured out how to deliver energy to the U.S. without Congress — by championing state legislation to create a 1,712-mile natural gas pipeline across Canada to the U.S. It was a major feat, negotiating with the Canadian government, educating lawmakers and getting the public behind her.

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."

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. State biologists have disagreed that such support exists.

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".

Palin likewise opposes listing the beluga whale as endangered.

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. The program was criticized by Defenders of Wildlife and predator control opponents, and prompted California State Representative George Miller to introduce a federal bill (H.R. 3663) seeking to make the practice illegal. In March 2008, a federal judge in Alaska upheld the practice of hunting wolves from the air, though limited its extent. On August 26, 2008, Alaskans voted against ending the state's predator control program.

Economy

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 proposed legislation that would give workers more time to discover sex discrimination before bringing suit under the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The issue arose from the Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear in 2007 where the Court dismissed a woman's wage discrimination claim because she had filed it more than 180 days after receiving the first affected paycheck. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the bill to overturn that decision, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, would have allowed "employees to file charges of pay discrimination within 180 days of the last received paycheck affected by the alleged discriminatory decision." (emphasis added)

Foreign policy

Iraq

In an interview with Alaska Business Monthly "shortly after she took office" as governor, 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.

Palin has tied the war to the quest for new energy supplies, saying, "We are a nation at war and in many the reasons for war are fights over energy sources, which is nonsensical when you consider that domestically we have the supplies ready to go." 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."

Israel

Palin recently met with leaders of the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC, and reportedly told them that she would "work to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between U.S. and Israel."

References

1. Barnes, Fred (2008-08-30). "Palin Fought for Reform in Alaska". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
2. 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)
3. 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.
4. ^ Hopkins, Kyle (2006-08-06). "Same-sex unions, drugs get little play". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
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. Haase, Don (2006-07-31) "2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire", Eagle Forum Alaska. Retrieved on 2008-09-01. Cited web page was deleted on 2008-09-02. Copy from Google cache archived on 2008-09-02.
8. Forgey, Pat. "Abortion draws clear divide in state races". Juneau Empire. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
9. "Palin backed abstinence education". CNN. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
10. Primm, Katie (2008-09-01). "Palin Backed Abstinence-Only Education". MSNBC. Retrieved 2008-09-01. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
11. Palin, Sarah (2007-01-17). "State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007". Quoted in On the Issues. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
12. Kizzia, Tom (October 27, 2006). "'Creation science' enters the race". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
13. 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)
14. Demer, Lisa (December 21, 2006). "Palin to comply on same-sex ruling". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
15. McAllister, Bill (December 20, 2006). "Gay partners of state employees win benefits". KTUU News. KTUU-TV. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
16. Hopkins, Kyle (December 29, 2006). "Same-sex benefits ban gets Palin veto". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
17. Sutton, Anne (May 8, 2007). "Same-sex benefits bill stalls". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
18. Palin, Sarah (2006-11-07). "Issues". "Palin for Governor" (inactive web site) quoted in On the Issues. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
19. Davis, Susan (2008-08-29). "Conservative Activists Praise Palin as McCain's VP Pick". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
20. Braiker, Brian (2008-08-29). "On the Hunt". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
21. Jury Rights Day Proclamation of 2007
22. "State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007". January 17, 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
23. Quinn, Steve (2007-05-10). "Alaska governor balances newborn's needs, official duties". Associated Press. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
24. Barnes, Fred (July 16, 2007). "The Most Popular Governor". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
25. Kizzia, Tom (April 12, 2007). "State aims to reduce emissions". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
26. Newton-Small, Jay (2008-08-29). "Transcript: TIME's interview with Sarah Palin". Time. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
27. "Palin's Importance". ibdeditorials.com. Investor's Business Daily. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
28. Coppock, Mike (August 29, 2008). "Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change". Newsmax. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
29. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/opinion/05palin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
30. http://www.adn.com/polarbears/story/416432.html
31. Joling, Dan (2008-05-22). "State will sue over polar bear listing, Palin says". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
32. "Governor Palin Urges Feds to not list Belugas as Endangered". State of Alaska. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
33. ^ Bolstad, Erika (2007-09-26). "Lawmaker seeks to ban wolf hunting from planes, copters". Oakland Tribune. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
34. "Alaska Judge Upholds Aerial Wolf Killing But Limits Extent". ens-newswire.com. Environmental News Service. 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
35. "Alaska voters shoot down predator control initiative". newsminer.com. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
36. Babington, Charles (August 31, 2008), "Obama deals gently with Palin on equal pay issue", The Boston Globe{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
37. Voter Information Services (July 31, 2007). "DETAIL FOR 2007 House ROLL CALL VOTE 768". Retrieved 2008-07-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
38. "Gov. Sarah Palin speaks out". Goliath. The Gale Group. 2007-03-01. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
39. Sullivan, Andrew (2008-08-29). "Palin On Iraq". The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
40. Bartiromo, Maria (August 29, 2008), "Bartiromo Talks with Sarah Palin", Business Week{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
41. 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.
42. 'Palin told AIPAC she wants stronger Israel ties'
43. Sarah Palin tells AIPAC she’s pro-Israel

External links

• On the Issues - Sarah Palin's issue positions and quotes
• 64-page annotated and referenced document of positions Palin has taken during her political career

• Political positions of United States governors
• Sarah Palin