Should Libertarians be happy with Palin? ( Archived) (44)

Should Libertarians be happy with Sarah Palin, the current Alaskan governor and now Sen. John McCain's running mate in his presidential bid? The gut reaction is yes, Libertarians should be excited about Palin. Palin has a reputation for fighting government corruption, wears fur, shoots guns, eats moose and has earned the respect of our state affiliate in Alaska.

Palin's reputation as a reformer—standing up to politicians in one of the most corrupt states in the nation—appeals strongly to the anti-establishment tendencies of Libertarians. Additionally, she was one of the leading figures in stopping the infamous Sen. Ted Stevens' "Bridge to Nowhere."

On the surface, Palin looks like she could be the future of the GOP, especially where McCain fails to live up to the image Republicans hoped to recreate following an embarrassing self-defeat in the 2006 election. Her appeal to the religious right for her strong pro-life stance, and her appeal to fiscal conservatives for taking down the Alaska-regime brighten McCain's prospects in winning the hearts of the GOP base.

But like the permafrost that lies a few inches beneath Alaska's soil, is there a troubling layer to Palin that has yet to be exposed? Palin isn't exactly the fiscal-warrior that many make her out to be.

In less than two years as governor, she managed a 6 percent increase in part of the state's budget, as well as being responsible for a windfall tax on oil companies—much like that proposed by Democrats and opposed by people like John McCain. And, according to CNN, "Alaska now has some of the highest resource taxes in the world."

This, of course, has disastrous consequences to development in the area. "BP Alaska, which runs Prudhoe Bay, said earlier this year that it had delayed the development in the western region of the North Slope as a result of the tax," the Seattle Times reported earlier this month. "ConocoPhillips cited the same reason for scrapping a $300 million refinery project."

Palin also was responsible for using $500 million in taxpayer money to help build a pipeline in Alaska, without the support of Alaskan oil companies. Without their support, CNN says many in the Alaskan government feel the pipeline will never be constructed, though the state will still be on the hook for half-a-billion dollars.

Is this Palin's "Pipeline to Nowhere"?

The calculated decision to pick Palin certainly flies in the face of most everything John McCain has claimed to be this election cycle. For a supposed "maverick" that cares little for the political games of the establishment, his move to pick an untested candidate who fails to line up with him on a number of issues stinks highly of a cheap political ploy to pick up support from disenchanted voting blocks.

One fantasy conservatives in the GOP are deluding themselves with is that somehow Palin will stem the leftward drift of their disorientated party. Should Palin be the fiscal stalwart that conservatives hope her to be, she's still playing second fiddle to the progressive John McCain.

Palin was picked for what she represents and not for what she believes. Where she stands on the issues is irrelevant to the campaign. It's a matter of how many voters she can pull in by simply having her name on the ticket.

In brief, Palin is a calculated risk that will in the end make or break the McCain campaign. It all depends on what is living in the unseen layers of Palin's unexplored past. While the "Troopergate" scandal and some of the questionable policy moves during her short term as Governor may be overlooked or completely forgiven, "new dirt" is often amplified and exploited by a shameless media. Be it a silly helmet, electroshock therapy, or scandalous photos taken in the carefree days of youth—all possible unknowns will keep GOP strategists from getting a full night of sleep until Nov. 5.

As for Libertarians, Palin is certainly a breath of fresh air from the typical establishment candidates. However, Palin is also more of a political chess piece than a real sign of reform within the GOP. Her backseat in the "Straight Talk Express" makes her a passenger, not a driver, in the campaign.

While the base of the GOP may be more prone to rallying behind Palin than McCain, it's still McCain that is heading the ticket, and it will be McCain that would be making the policy decisions in a McCain administration. Though Palin herself may not know it, and though newly excited conservatives may not be willing to believe it, Palin's role (and her views) will most likely be marginal at best.

Voting for McCain because of Palin is like buying a jalopy with a fresh paint job, and hoping it will perform like a car right out of the factory doors. The GOP is still heading down a bumpy path, and even a reformer like Palin isn't enough to get it back on the pavement.

No candidate is perfect. One thing I'll say is that we need someone in the White House who will shake things up and make changes. I think that the McCain/Palin team is the one to do it. I also believe that with them we won't lose our gun rights (unlike Biden as VP), which means we still have our freedom. As long as we still have our freedom, we can make any other changes to things we don't like.

True, we do not want anyone in the Whitehouse who would take our Freedoms away!!!

But I can not help but wonder if she is being used as a pawn, to bring in votes??

Afterall, her job as VP will be to oversee the Senate and break ties in the votes. Where does her reformation get to go to work???

No one should be happy with Palin. She must have blonde roots if she can't see she is being used by Mccain as a pawn to gather votes.

I agree with you Shippy!!!

But can't we leave the blonde roots part out of it???!!!

I think McCain may have to modify some of his views and adapt to some of hers. I think she'll carry the ticket.