What Sarah Palin Has Done for Alaska

McCain's unexpected but crafty choice in vice presidential running mate has many Americans unsettled, that is, in the lower portion of the country. The good people up north in Alaska have little reason to doubt Sarah Palin as a magnificent choice for vice president. The said to be "inexperienced", moose hunting, NRA member Palin, has done more for the state of Alaska in a shorter time than any Governor ever has, far beyond simply being the state's first female to hold the position, as well as the youngest person in general.

Palin actually began her changes to Alaska in 1992 as part of Wasilla's (a town in south central Alaska near Anchorage) city council. She pushed a new sales tax for the city, and after two full terms she became mayor of the city of Wasilla in 1996. As Wasilla's mayor Palin made dramatic changes which ushered the city into a new economic high. Sarah served the limit as mayor with two full 4 year terms, and put both of them to good use cutting her own salary to reduce government costs, as well as requesting the resignation of many unnecessary city officials. She then reduced property taxes, and rose sales tax to fund community improvements, placing more of the bill on Alaska's cash cow, tourism.

It's no wonder that ten year's later in 2006 Sarah Palin was elected Governor of the state of Alaska. She started her career as Governor by publicly challenging the obvious corruption in Alaska's legal system, and in turn won the few hearts she hadn't caught in the state. Palin then kept the love running strong with a support of oil and natural gas development to support the growing economy, balanced with an ecological concern to preserve Alaska's untainted environmental beauty. While supporting and passing bills to allow more oil and gas developments, she also passed laws to prevent climate change and green house emissions, and increased the tax said oil companies had to pay to the state.

Even with the income pouring into the states budget Sarah choose to instead cut state spending. She put a stop to more than 300 unnecessary projects, one of the biggest being the "bridge to nowhere" which Palin refused federal funding to build. She kept her cuts precise however, opposing the closing of Alaska's only dairy farm which was state funded, but had low profits. On top of budget cuts she also sold the previous administration's state bought jet on ebay for 2.1 million dollars proving to Alaskan citizen's she really was in support of change no matter what it took. Her efforts have paid off making Alaska one of America's wealthiest states.

As if she didn't have the majority of the states votes hook line and sinker like only an Alaskan fishermen can do, Palin pushed for energy assistance rebates in 2008, which were later approved, awarding all state residents eligible for the states dividend that year an extra $1200.00 in addition to the estimated $2100.00 record breaking result of increased oil sales. This move to share Alaska's new wealth with Alaskans was yet another brilliant, community minded move for Palin.

In this humble American, and Alaskan's opinion, choosing Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate was the first good choice John McCain has made. If Sarah Palin can do that much for the state of Alaska, I only wonder what she could do for our good country which is now facing an economical depression and an all time high deficit. America is unquestionably in need of change, and Sarah Palin does change things. America needs someone who can repair a budget, not attempt to repair America's morals. Sarah Palin's ability to cut spending while retaining the important things should outweigh her more controversial views on subjects only the people can change. We must remember as a country that we are in control of our government, and elected officials should only do the paperwork so to speak, making the ability to run a country the important issue when choosing a candidate for either vice president or president. When it comes to a point that America's freedom is controlled by the personal views of one person, we are no longer a democracy and we have far more to worry about than gay rights and abortion.

Citation:

1. Alaska State web page on Governor Palin
http://gov.state.ak.us/

2.Vote Smart on Sarah Palin
http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=MAK17859

3. Anchorage Daily News biography of Sarah Palin
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510048.html