Posted on 09/29/2007 10:37:19 AM PDT by radar101
When Larry Craig brought disrepute onto the Republican house, conservatives did not circle the wagons. They immediately demanded his ouster. Even the party's leadership, normally slow to respond, did the right thing by setting aside Senatorial collegiality and demanding an explanation and eventually his resignation. With the case now a month removed from the headlines, Craig has snuck back in under the wire by delaying his resignation (that's right, after he initially retracted the initial trial balloon earlier this month).
Regardless of its ultimate outcome, the Craig case demonstrates that there is a growing grassroots movement within the Republican Party to clean house before a hostile media and an impatient electorate do it for us. To date, the movement's impact is mostly theoretical. Only 16 House Republicans consistently reject the backscratching earmark gravy train, scoring 100% on the Club for Growth's RePORK Card. And Republicans may be powerless to stop Larry Craig's embarassing flip-flop-flip on resignation.
But there is at least one Republican for whom ethical governance is more than just a theory. Meet Sarah Palin, Alaska's rockstar governor.
The rise of Sarah Palin has been improbable and meteoric. A losing primary candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2002, Palin was eagerly sought out by then Gov. Frank Murkowski for a number of jobs in his new administration. After rejecting every job offer up to that point, she eventually settled on the chairmanship of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Months later, she resigned after blowing the whistle on ethical improprieties within the Commission. Then she took on the Governor's attorney general/campaign manager and forced him to resign. In 2006, the 43-year old mother of four and mayor of Wasilla challenged Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary. In a three way race, Palin emerged victorious with a majority of the primary vote while Murkowski took less than 20% in his race for renomination. In the general election, she defeated popular former Governor Tony Knowles by 8 points.
Most candidates stop playing the part of ethical crusader once they win the election. Not Sarah Palin. She immediately rescinded many of Murkowski's midnight appointments, and pushed some of the largest budget cuts in the state's history. As she put it to Fred Barnes in the Weekly Standard , Alaska should be self-sufficient and not subsist off "federal dollars."
That's why Sarah Palin's crusade for clean, efficient government doesn't stop in Alaska. This week, it was Palin who singlehandedly killed the leading symbol of Republican spending excess in Washington: the Bridge to Nowhere.
The Bridge to Nowhere was actually a state project, to be built with funds earmarked by the state's powerful Congressman Don Young. Last week, Palin killed the $398 million bridge to Gravina Island (pop. 50), directing that the money be spent on more "fiscally responsible" projects.
In a small state that generally votes Republican, the divide between Alaska's Republican elected officials could not be more clear. Palin was elected as a whistleblower, and routinely rails against the state's transactional Republican establishment. Don Young has screamed "It's my money!" when conservative lawmakers challenge his pet projects and blamed the Republican loss of Congress on conservatives who want to cut spending. And Senator Ted Stevens' record as a porker is rivaled only by the patron saint of the West Virginia highway system.
With Palin now in office for the better part of a year, we have some data points to evaluate whose brand of politics works better. A poll out last month put Palin's approval rating at 84%, and Fred Barnes has noted that she probably America's most popular elected official in any party.
Not content with Palin's public approval numbers as vindication for clean, fiscally responsible government, the Club for Growth decided to do some polling of its own. The Club found that Palin would handily beat Stevens, a 40-year Senate veterans, by 56 to 32 percent in a Republican primary, a number certainly helped along the by ongoing FBI bribery investigation that has implicated Stevens and his son. When asked about the Bridge to Nowhere, only 25% of Alaska Republicans approved while 66% disapproved. And when Young's own constituents were asked to evaluate his claim that Republicans can only win by bringing home the bacon, they disagreed by wide margins. 71% said it was more important to cut spending, while just 17% endorsed Congress lavishing billions on home state projects.
The idea that more government spending is in the "interest" of the voters back home is being upended by the voters themselves. Republicans need to ride this wave, not fight it as the majority of them do by voting for earmarks on the House and Senate floor. Sarah Palin could be just the leader we need to convince Republicans to return to their roots.
Palin's devoted fans in the blogosphere aren't waiting for the Governor to be anointed by the powers that be. Barely a year into her term, blogs like Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President and Palintology track the Governor's every move, hoping that the GOP nominee will pluck Alaska's rising reformer for a spot on the ticket.
Palin's boosters aren't wrong, just a bit early. Let Palin get a term or two under her belt as governor. And then: watch out Washington.
Patrick Ruffini is an online strategist dedicated to helping Republicans and conservatives achieve dominance in a networked era. He has seen American politics from every vantagepoint — as a campaign staffer, activist, and analyst.
I like the sound of that!
She’s a credible VP choice even though she won’t bring anything to the table as far as electoral votes. She would do wonders for the party’s image though.
IMO, as long as she remains true to conservatism and clean government, she’l be our nominee for President in either 2012 or 2016. Depends on who becomes President in 2008 and their record while in office.
It's actually the biggest State. If it were split in half to make two States, Texas would move to number three. Also, don't count on the State voting Republican anymore.
Palin for President! While the males running for that office are hindered from attacking Hillary because she’s a woman (no doubt being spread by Hillary’s campaign staff), Palin wouldn’t have that problem and could go after her tooth & nail. None of the current Republican candidates seem to be generating much interest.
Having watched Alaska politics for the past year...I’m shocked at the clean-up going on up there. Ted Stevens is finished...his son who was destined to replace Ted...is finished...and even their lone representative is under some investigation. Sen Murkowski...under investigation for some stupid land deal that was 100 percent corrupt from day one. So here is Palin...who is cleaning up the party, and the state.
I think Thompson might want to take a long look at Gov Palin...she can hold her own in a debate and probably one of the most sensible folks you can find. If she isn’t selected....fine....by 2016....she will be our number one candidate.
Might be a stretch to assign credit or blame for the cleanup to Gov Palin. As to her own record, the first milestone will come in Nov. Up to now she has cut the State budget $250 million, which is a 'good thing,' but the real game is still underway and is in final innings.
Pretty, smart, and honest. Maybe it’s time for some younger blood in politics.
Notice, she’s from the party of “old white men”, the same party that “represses women and minorities”.
In the primaries, she got a majority of ALL votes cast, Republican AND dimocrat.
PS; Forget that WH nonsense, we need her as US Senator from Alaska.
Now, if we can only find another like her.
We need Palin in national politics like we need Chance the Gardner. You guys don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s more to leadership than just “being there.” That is basically what Palin has done so far. It’s easy to say corruption and boondoggles are bad, but it is another thing to actually do something positive. We haven’t seen that yet . . . but we have seen some ominous signs.
Oh yes certainly, I think we all might want to do that ... but I'm not sure if Fred's "trophy wife" would be pleased.
Makes me wish I lived in Moose Pass again.
I totally loooove this Pubbie Guv!!
Ed
Married to the four-time champion of the world's longest snowmachine race (the Iron Dog), Sarah's husband is also a lifelong Alaskan and is a production operator on the North Slope. Todd and Sarah commercial fish together in Bristol Bay, being joined at their sites with their kids: Track, Bristol, Willow, and Piper. The state's Alaska Native heritage plays an important role in the life of this family.
Sarah serves on the Oil and Gas Compact Commission, has served on numerous other boards and commissions throughout the State, and stays active as a marathon runner, sports team mom, hockey manager and school volunteer.
Sarah's a lifetime member of the NRA and enjoys hunting, fishing, Alaska history, and all that Alaska's great outdoors has to offer.
I’ve been watching Palin since I met her in Wasilla in 96. She really is quite impressive, honest, and does the right thing; time after time. People here in Ak watched Murkowski try to set her up for political suicide 5 years back and respected Palin for putting the party before personal grudges; you wouldn’t believe what the repubs up here did to her.
With Palin, you know what ya got; sure hope the system doesn’t corrupt her. Did you all know she once was a democrat? Her husband was a member of the Alaska Independence Party (they make repubs look like liberals).
Palin knows Ak is a conservative/libitarian leaning state. She has a long career ahead of her and Ak is fortunate to have her.
You outsiders (lower 48ers) need to know what you’re talking about before you weigh in on Miss Beauty Queen of Wasilla.
Here’s a hint: she ain’t a conservative.
Here a good read for those willing to look beyond the smile:
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/sept_28_palin_ppt_and_alaskas_economic_future
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