Sarah Palin - Fiscal Conservative?

The Republicans are pinning their hopes and dreams this November on Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, a fresh new face and Washington outsider, who has reportedly re-energized the party. Much is yet unknown about this former small town mayor who claims to be a maverick, a reformer and a fiscal conservative. However, a closer look shows that her characterization as a tough fiscal conservative is not supported by her record or the facts:

Palin has repeatedly stated in speeches that she said, "No, thanks" to the infamous "bridge to nowhere" and that is, in part, the truth. The rest of the story is that she first said "yes, thank you!" to that earmark and actively pursued the federal funds until it turned into a national joke and an embarrassment.

Much has been made of Palin's "executive" experience as the governor of a state. Alaska's state constitution gives its governor unusual influence over the state budget, and she has bragged that she cut "nearly $500 million" in state spending during her tenure as Alaska's governor. In reality, $500 million represents less than 2% of the proposed budget, hardly an earth-shaking amount

And then there are Alaska's taxes....

Alaska is number one in taxes per resident and also number one in spending per resident of all fifty states with a tax burden per resident of two-and-a-half times the national average according to Michael Kinsley's Essay in the September 22, 2008, issue of Time magazine. These are figures that fairly scream (oh, the horror!) "liberal".

Alaska again has a number one ranking in money received from Washington ($13,950 per person) but comes in at number eighteen for federal taxes paid per resident.

Sarah Palin also stands on the side of the liberals when it comes to windfall-profits taxes for oil companies. As governor of Alaska, she changed their windfall-profits tax to increase the state government's share of oil revenues. She and her running mate are definitely not on the same page on this issue. Her state's oil policy, which is her major legislative accomplishment to date, taxes oil companies at such a high rate that any oil obtained from new drilling in Alaska is very likely to maintain current price levels (or even higher prices) at the pump.

Then there's the way this supposed fiscal conservative takes advantage of the perks of her office. (Yes, she sold the private jet purchased by the last governor of Alaska, but she did not, as stated by John McCain, sell it on eBay. The jet was listed on eBay but didn't sell and was later sold to a businessman - at a loss. He may even come after the state for compensation for some unexpected expenses incurred for the jet.) She charged her state a per diem for 312 nights that she spent, not traveling on state business, but in her own home. I guess that makes her a fiscal conservative when it comes to her family's budget, but certainly not as a legislator.

Every citizen who hopes to elect a fiscal conservative in November owes it to him or herself to check out Sarah Palin's brand of "Alaskanomics". Despite the effort of her party to put her in a conservative light, the truth is one of those "things that make you go hmmm...".

Source: Essay by Michael Kinsley, Time magazine, September 22, 2008, issue