Palin's Address to the Alaskan Independence Party Convention

OK. First we'll do the sensationalist part. Here is the address Alaska's Gov. Sarah Palin made to the Alaskan Independence Party:


(Clarification: I am not responsible for the annotations (blurbs) in the video. I do not necessarily agree or disagree with them.)

Now. To be fair. The current platform of the Alaskan Independence Party does not call for independence:

Platform

We pledge to exert our best efforts to accomplish the following:

1. To effect full compliance with the constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Alaska.
   
2. To support and defend States' Rights, Individual Rights, Property Rights, and the Equal Footing Doctrine as guaranteed by the constitutions of the United States of America and the state of Alaska.
   
3. To advocate the convening of a State Constitutional Convention at the constitutionally designated 10 year interval.
   
4. To reinforce the unalienable rights endowed by our Creator to Alaska law, by eliminating the use of the word "privilege" in the Alaska statutes.
   
5. To amend the Constitution of the State of Alaska so as to re-establish the rights of all Alaskan residents to entry upon all public lands within the state, and to acquire private property interest there in, under fair and reasonable conditions. Such property interest shall include surface and sub-surface patent.
   
6. To foster a constitutional amendment abolishing and prohibiting all property taxes.
   
7. To seek the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska in conformance with Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, of the federal constitution.
   
8. To prohibit all bureaucratic regulations and judicial rulings purporting to have the effect of law, except that which shall be approved by the elected legislature.
   
9. To preserve and protect the Alaska Permanent Fund, Permanent fund earnings, earnings reserve fund and individual Permanent Fund Dividends.
   
10. To provide for the direct popular election of the attorney general, all judges, and magistrates.
    
11. To provide for the development of unrestricted, statewide, surface transportation and utility corridors as needed by the public or any individual.
    
12. To affirm and assert every possible right-of-way established under R.S. 2477 of July 26, 1866, before its repeal by the Federal Land Management Policy Act of October 21, 1976.
    
13. To support the right of the individual to keep and bear arms.
    
14. To support the complete abolition of the concept of sovereign or governmental immunity, so as to restore accountability for public servants.
    
15. To support the rights of parents to privately or home school their children.
    
16. To support the privatization of government services.
    
17. To oppose the borrowing of money by government for any purposes other than for capital improvements.
    
18. To strengthen the traditional family and support individual accountability without government interference or regulation.
    
19. To support the right of jurors to judge the law as well as the facts, according to their conscience.
    
20. To support "Jobs for Alaskans...First!"
    

Here's a link to their "Issues". The items in red did not make the platform.

On the other hand. The stated goal of Alaskan Independence Party is:

The Alaskan Independence Party's goal is the vote we were entitled to in 1958, one choice from among the following four alternatives:

1. Remain a Territory.
   
2. Become a separate and Independent Nation.
   
3. Accept Commonwealth status.
   
4. Become a State.
   

The call for this vote is in furtherance of the dream of the Alaskan Independence Party's founding father, Joe Vogler, that Alaskans achieve independence under a minimal government, fully responsive to the people, and promoting a peaceful and lawful means of resolving differences.

Again, to be fair, this is not an out and out call for Independence, although that is the philosophy under which the party was founded. It is really a call for the ability to vote on one of the four options. And, no, the option for Alaskans to vote to become a separate nation in 1958 was not on the ballot.

Still, for John McCain, a person running with a "Country First" theme, it seems very odd that the vetting team would let this pass muster. At the very least they should have had some counterattack at the ready. I have seen no such effective counter as of yet. Of course, this also assumes that she was vetted. That, apparently, depends on what your idea of vetting for the next in command of the free world entails.

I am getting to the point where I think that the "Oops, we didn't really vet her properly!" strategy may cause less damage here for McCain. If you did vet her, and you knew all of this stuff, and you still picked her, then everyone has to start wondering about your ability to make decisions Senator McCain.

Comments welcome,

Pat McGovern

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