This is Scary

Did you watch Sarah Palin's speech last night? If you didn't, you probably saw parts of it online.

As I said in my previous post, she twisted the truth, distorted facts, and to me, it's just plain lying. She was condescending and dismissive about the work Barack Obama did helping real people on the South Side of Chicago. And of course, she lied about Democratic tax cuts—even though Obama's plan would give Americans a bigger break than McCain's.

But the speech—written by one of President Bush's speechwriters—didn't tell us the truth about Sarah Palin's extremist positions. And THAT is something everyone should know.

I've been saying for some time that the Mc Cain who is running for president isn't the same McCain who came home from the war. At least, he's certainly changed his views in a radical way. He came home as someone who opposed torture, and now he approves of it? Anyway... knowing who he chose for VP makes it even more clear to me that Mc Cain is just as if not more scary than our current president. I mean, he's in his 70's and if Mc Cain dies, his choice for VP is our new President. Here's what Mc Cain's choice for Vice President believes, and some of my own comments in parenthesis:

- Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task." She's even admitted she hasn't thought about the war much—just last year she was quoted saying, "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq." 1, 2

(This is even more terrifying considering her son is enlisted and going off to war. You'd think that would make her reconsider or at least give it some thought.)

- Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence Party. Six months ago, Palin told members of the group—who advocate for a vote on secession from the union—to "keep up the good work" and "wished the party luck on what she called its 'inspiring convention.'" 3

- Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools. She hasn't made clear whether she thinks evolution is a fact.4

- Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming. Speaking about climate change, she said, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being manmade." 5

- Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP. 6

(Come now haven't we had enough people in office who are OIL supporters?)

- Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the case of rape or incest. 7

- Palin supports the death penalty

(A friend asked me how could someone claim she was anti-choice because it would be wrong to kill and then say she has the right to decide who lives or dies? My response, "Because either way she is taking away others right to choose.")

- Palin opposes comprehensive sex-ed in public schools. She's said she will only support abstinence-only approaches. 8

(Even tho time and research has proven abstinence-only sex ed DOES NOT WORK!)

- As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time, "news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor." 9

(So much for the land of the free and the brave)

- Despite her claims otherwise, She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere (before she opposed it). Palin claimed that she said "thanks, but no thanks" to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. But in 2006, Palin supported the project repeatedly, saying that Alaska should take advantage of earmarks "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." 10

1. "Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'," Associated Press, September 3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24701&id=13709-5769906-4SPHKOx&t=6
2. "Palin wasn't 'really focused much' on the Iraq war," ThinkProgress, August 30, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24702&id=13709-5769906-4SPHKOx&t=7
3. "The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
4. "McCain and Palin differ on issues," Associated Press, September 3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24703&id=13709-5769906-4SPHKOx&t=8
5. Ibid
6. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
7. Ibid
8. Ibid.
9. "Mayor Palin: A Rough Record," Time, September 2, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24704&id=13709-5769906-4SPHKOx&t=9
10. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/