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Palin: What Do We Know About Her? |
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What does vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have to say on crucial issues that affect real people’s lives?
Remarkably little, as it turns out. Palin, like Sen. John McCain and other politicians, gave a speech at the Republican National Convention that was heavy on biography, filled with vague rhetoric and misleading, easily debunked statements about her public record. What she—and McCain—didn’t offer were any proposals that would help workers and families struggling in the economy.
We’ve done some research and pulled together information on Palin here, as part of our Working Families Vote website.
In her 2006 campaign, Palin supported a controversial earmark project commonly referred to as the “Bridge to Nowhere.” After her nomination for vice president, she has repeatedly claimed she opposed the project. Palin has been an ally of now-indicted Sen. Ted Stevens, serving as the chairman of a campaign organization supporting him and accepting his endorsement in 2006. Palin currently is under investigation into whether she abused her power by firing the state’s public safety commissioner.
But her record on national issues is almost nonexistent, although one thing is clear: Even though Palin’s husband is a member of the United Steelworkers (USW) union, she’s made no statements about McCain’s opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, proposed federal legislation that would ensure workers have the freedom to form a union and bargain.
USW President Leo Gerard wants to know why Palin has not stated her position on the Employee Free Choice Act.
Ms. Palin needs to stop trotting out her husband as an exhibit until she explains her positions on workers’ issues. Just exactly where does she stand on the Employee Free Choice Act?
Her family has benefited from her husband’s ability to be part of a labor union. Workers in labor organizations earn higher wages and are more likely to have pensions and health insurance. Because he works for BP and is a member of the USW, which collectively bargained a good contract for workers at BP, Todd Palin earns a good wage and has good health insurance. The Employee Free Choice Act would make it easier for other Americans to join unions and earn better money and obtain health insurance. Polling shows that 60 percent of Americans support the Employee Free Choice Act.
Inquiring minds want to know, Ms. Palin. Where do you stand on Employee Free Choice? Where do you stand on privatization of Social Security? Where do you stand on job-killing free trade?
Are you with McCain—and against workers—on these issues? If so, you need to stop using your husband’s membership in the USW as a prop, because then his union card cannot possibly cover up your or John McCain’s worker-savaging positions.
These are many other key questions Palin needs to answer.
Does she approve of McCain’s goal to privatize Social Security? Because while McCain doesn’t need his monthly Social Security check to get by, millions of retirees are wondering if the lifeline they depend on will get gambled away.
Does she approve of McCain’s health care plan that would create a new tax on working families? Her limited statements point toward putting the interests of private insurance companies ahead of consumers. Is she following the lead of the McCain adviser who thinks the solution is pretending the problem doesn’t exist?
Does she realize that working families will get a bigger tax cut under Sen. Barack Obama’s plan than McCain’s?
Does she agree with McCain that we need more job-busting bad trade deals?
Does she think, as McCain has said recently, that the economy is “fundamentally strong”?
Does she agree with McCain confidante Phil Gramm that those suffering from foreclosed homes, stagnant wages and lost jobs are “whiners”?
Women of Steel also has written an open letter to McCain and Palin about the issues that affect working women. Does Palin, like McCain, oppose laws to ensure equal pay for women? Does she, like McCain, oppose family and medical leave for workers? Does she, like McCain, oppose the minimum wage?
These unanswered questions aren’t just about Palin. They’re about McCain and his priorities. McCain has picked a running mate for press attention, but America’s working families don’t need hyped-up media coverage focused on personality and gender.
Despite what McCain campaign manager (and job-killing mega-lobbyist) Rick Davis may think, this campaign is about issues. Working families need real change—new policies, not just new faces on the same old anti-worker Bush agenda.
Will we get answers to these questions? There are only 55 days left to find out.
14 Comments
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Of course you will get answers to those questions. Barack has been campaigning for like 2 years already and we still don’t know everything about him. I think the next book to read would be The Obama Nation by Jerome Corsi
A member of the local Republican Party lended me a copy and insisted that I read it. It’s a bunch of garbage. I will never spend money for anything authored by Corsi. Corsi defended his book as being completely factual on CNN, right after the book hit store shelves. He went on to say that he was not supporting McCain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxHngy9Zjpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuRugo010Ic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKBhlUNXn3c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDfxBmHpGk
I almost fell down with laughter when I heard that the 2nd edition contained 11 corrections. After making 11 corrections to his completely factual book for the 2nd edition, I can’t help but to wonder how many more corrections will be in the 3rd. Oh by the way, despite claims of supporting Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party; Corsi has contributed almost $3,000.00 to McCain, already. Corsi is a discredited author and a documentable liar!
I recently came across this on Youtube.
Please watch this music video that couldn’t be a better anthem endorsing Barack Obama.
I feel that it completely sums up our concerns and hopes for a brighter future.
link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLgJVBoR_zs
Let’s get it out there to help make the change!
Thank you for your time
Sincerely,
Darryl Smithburg
I think what we need to look at is not some book that is slanted, but look at the state of our country. When in recent history have we seen so many people with foreclosed homes; unable to afford gas for their vehicles to even get to work; and look at the REAL unemployment figures. And today on 9/11, we have to look at the billions of dollars our government has spent in Iraq, when Bin Laden is still somewhere hanging out between Afganistan and Pakistan. And if nothing else, let’s all look at the type of campaign of lies that John McCain is running. Karl Rove is still alive and well; and I am so sorry to say, that I never would have believed that John McCain would resort to these tactics. I always thought he was, if nothing else, an honest person. I have lost any degree of respect I ever had for him. Please people, take a realistic look at what is going on around you. Politicians pay zillions of dollars on these misleading campaign ads, but only the average citizen in this country knows how things really are. Ask yourself the age-old question, are you better off than you were eight years ago? Can you afford four more years of the same?
Very good article. We will find out the answers to these issues when she debates vice president Biden.
So far, I don’t see any substance to her. Nice personality, but that’s it.
I don’t believe she has any intention of supporting middle class America in any issues.
Pres. McCain Felled By (heart attack, stroke, fell in bath tub?): Palin President!
I just read that North Korea’s dictator has had a stroke. This reminds me of a seriously neglected implication of the Palin pick: McCain is 70 and could easily be incapacitated by any number of old age misfortunes. Meaning that in Palin we could more likely than the usual vice-presidential candidate be looking at our future president.
Palin will make Biden look like a fool. His only hope is to have the other VP candidates included in the ‘debates’ which are rigged to exclude alternatives to the corporate war machine duopoly. Palin’s politics are horrible but that won’t matter to a lot of people who will vote for her because she is a hockey mom who can trick people into voting against their own interests. Obama needs to step up and offer some real progressive policies instead of more republican-lite BS like offshore oil drilling. How is he going to fund social programs when he wants to keep wasting taxpayers’ money propping up the puppet regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and sending more troops to defend the corrupt Karzai in Kabul?
It appears to me that the far left liberalism is showing again with the one-sidedness of this type of blog. Trying to use psychology on each of the Union Members shows concern as to what is in it for the Union Bosses.
I feel that the AFL-CIO should be here to give a fair and non-bias opinion into the matters that are at stake here and let the American people do the diciding and not be influenced by this type of one-sided journalism that does not tell the whole story about each candidate.
The Last time I checked, Obama and Biden have an extremely dark side that the Union Bosses do not want you to hear about. Over $900,000,000 for the state of Illinois seems a little obsurd to me but I do not see this bipartisan reporting in any of the liberal blogs here.
Makes me wonder what is in it for the Heads of the Union. It appears that they are afraid that the good boy network that controls the Unions might just come to an end.
I strongly believe that each individual has the right to choose if they want to be a Union member but they also have the right to fair and non-biased reporting that should be provided in each and every article that is provided to them from the AFL-CIO, and let the people choose what they feel is right for them and not be persuaded by your own political beliefs.
To achieve change, first you have to accept change.
I like your perspective, it demonstrates that you are a thinker and can be more objective to the overall picture than the average person.
I was very fortunate to be living here in Denver and had the opportunity to partake in some of the events during the DNC. I was specifically looking for the presents of organized labor and how they were involved in the whole convention process. I was surprised to see that besides a labor rally on Sunday the only other event that was publicized was an economic forum on Tuesday. Yes Sweeny made a speech at the podium during the convention but what about the rank and file that were in town for the convention.
The Progressive Democrats of America had 5 days of discussion groups with many politicians stopping by or taking part in the events and they have only been organized since 2004. The AFL-CIO had nothing close to that unless there were private meeting during the week. Don’t get me wrong, the PDA are so far left in my opinion that they are upside down. It is the fact that they have this much attention from the Democratic party that concerns me after 4 years of work. The AFL-CIO does not seem to carry that much weight within the party is what concerns me. The AFL-CIO is the political arm of organized labor and I don’t see the clout or long term effectiveness of labor best represented here.
I am a dues paying Union member. I expect the Union leadership at the AFL-CIO to provide me with the information I need to make sound political decisions. The Congressional Voting Record is as unbiased as it gets. Because they are still compiling votes for 2008, 2007 is the last year the following record will reflect: McCain 16% lifetime favorable; Obama 98% lifetime favorable. McCain opposes the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act. McCain actually wants to tax the value of my health care benefits. Get Real! The AFL-CIO has a duty bound obligation to inform me who my political friends are.
The problems in Washington will not be solved by the minds that created them. McSame is not Change!
I am a full blooded Democrat, but i take offense on people picking on John McCain because he is 70, the possible health risks and grouping him in with every other 70 yr old in the country. It is true as one gets older, more chances of health problems arise, but today’s 70 yr old health is different from those who turned 70 in the 1990’s, 1980’s, 1970’s, 1960’s, and before due to overall better medicine, overall better eating habits and overall better living. The only health issue the Republicans and the American people should have with McCain is not that he is 70, but what long term health issues will arise due to his imprisonment during the VietNam war.
Look at John Kennedy. If the American people knew of all of the health issues he had after the war leading up to the 1960 presidency including his back pain and medicines he was taking, who knows if he would have been elected.
Is it just me or do you also feel John McCain’s VP pick of Governor Palin is condesending to women voters? Has McCain under-estimated the 18 million supporters of Hillary Clinton? Is it sexist to assume that women will vote for just “ANY” woman based solely on an ill-conceived gender requirement; not using their minds and beliefs to guide their decision? Has McCain compartmentalized the female voting demographic supportive of Hillary as having no concern for her policies, beliefs, or ability to lead? For McCain to belittle the 18 million Hillary supporters, and all women, by saying and doing anything to win is a slap to the face of all Americans. Is McCain assuming Americans are not smart enough to make a wise decision; but rather, blindly follow because of race, creed, gender, or religion? By adopting such political tactics, McCain will set America back about 40 years of political progress to win this Presidency. Just 4 more years can reverse at least 40. Palin’s posistion against “Choice” even in cases of rape will FORCE women to bear the children of their rapists, should they become so victimized.
For more insight on this very important issue, allow me to direct you to just how laughable McCain’s choice of Palin really is:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184097&title=Bristol-Palin’s-Choice
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card
http://www.thedailyshow.com:80/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184087&title=newt-gingrich
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184095&title=sarah-palin-vet-this
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184098&title=mike-huckabee
I can’t help but to wonder if Sarah Palin ever considered that with a little more parental involvement combined with sex education; she might could have helped reduce unplanned teen pregnancy in America. Does anyone know what the legal age of consent to avoid statutory rape charges is in Alaska?
Here is what I know about Palin,next to nothing other than she is a first term Governor and an Ex-Mayor, those are her only qualifications for the job of Vice-President.The fact that John McCain is 70 some odd years old with documented health problems scares me.Talk about inexperience in the White House in a what if situation.It makes little difference what she says as she will not have any imput into what the President does.Tell me some great thing Dick Cheney has done as Vice-President and he’s been there for 8 years.Unless the the President has some miss fortune the Vice-President matters very little.Don’t get me wrong on this because I do not support Obama either, but it seems to me if he is inexperienced,Palin is also a poor choice.
I’m just looking at the bigger picture. You have McCain, who thinks like Bush, wants the war in Iraq to continue, is willing to invade Iran, out of some kind of fear that he thinks might happen, he does not believe in unions, does not understand the economy of this country and thinks everything is just fine, appears to have memory lapses (don’t think I’m joking; I’m not), has absolutely no platform or plans for the recovery of this nation, has voted against the bill for our veterans, wants to privatize social security, which in reality means to end it completely, wants to increase the retirement age, wants to implement the draft…
Then McCain picks Palin, who thinks like Bush, does not believe in a woman’s right to chose or to have control over her own body, believes that rape victims must live with their ’shame’, does not believe in sex education, wants creationism taught in public schools, does not believe that man is at least partially responsible for global warming; in fact doesn’t even believe it is happening, is currently being investigated on ethics violations in the illegal firing of several people who did not support her during her mayoral campaign, including her ex brother in law, knows nothing of what is happening internationally, has no real platform for moving this country in a better direction, just like McCain,…
Then there’s Obama and Biden. What I do know about them both is that they are straightforward about what they propose for this country, what they believe in, what they want to do to help the American people, which includes getting us out of Iraq as soon as possible, and they are willing to listen to the American people. Obama did not pick Biden as a sounding board, but rather as one who brings into his administration a lot of knowledge and experience which is different from his own from which he could gain perspective and be a better leader. Listen to them speak, then listen to McCain and Palin speak. Why would anyone in their right mind ever vote for McCain and Palin? You might as well kiss this country good-bye, because any hope for a better future will be gone, our constitution will sliced and diced to allow for more government control over our personal lives, the line between church and state will be blurred, the bill of rights will no longer matter, and the new age of imperialism will begin. Peace and diplomacy will be only words in the history books.
Yes, it is THAT important to choose wisely in this next election.