One of the cool things about Alaska is that we all know each other. Alaska is a very big very small town. I knew Sarah when she was in Wasilla working as a mayor and I was at a local newspaper. Later, when I returned to college for a year to get my teaching certificate, I delivered pizzas to her house. She’s a great tipper.
Sarah Palin is also, by far, one of the most beautiful women you’ll ever meet. (She had to actually “ugly” herself during the election.) She’s also intellectually sharp, morally centered, and tough without being nasty. She’s proving that right now, since our legislature (a real citizen legislature, by the way, not a bunch of lawyers) can be quite ornery. She’s also going up against the oil companies, who basically owned the previous governor, and doing it in a smart and pro-Alaskan manner.
The last time we had a small town mayor as governor his name was Jay Hammond, and he came up with the idea of the permanent fund, the fund which takes oil revenue and uses it as an investment portfolio for the future, including a check for all of us who put up with cold and mosquitoes. The permanent fund is now worth billions. Imagine if Pennsylvania, Texas, or California had done the same with their oil revenue. I expect Sarah Palin to leave that kind of imprint on the future of our state.
By the way - anyone up here who is really popular with everyone is really, really rare. Sniping about politicians and government is the only sport we have in the winter. The fact that she’s so popular says something about her.
Texas, at least, invested a large portion of their oil windfall in the "Permanent Fund" which is used to endow the University of Texas and Texas A&M University. It helped build two academic powerhouse institutions, keep tuition low enough for tens of thousands to attend who might not otherwise have had the means, and turn out several hundred thousand excellent graduates in engineering, business, science, mathematics, medicine, law, agriculture, military science and many other disciplines.
In my opinion, it is far wiser to invest in persons who can build, maintain, grow and defend the stock market than the stock market per se.
But, but, Palin is a “right wing extremist” and Knowles is a “sensible centrist”. Only sensible centrists can win in AK according to the Beltway. Oh never mind.
You aso have the best looking US senator..
During my first visit to Alaska last August, we visited with several Alaskans. Not one had a thing bad to say about the new governor, and at least one spoke in some detail about how diligent and hard-working she is. There was a real sound of appreciation for her efforts and her intellect. So the governor really sounds like she has her head on straight; she wants to do a good job while she’s there - it’s not just about politics. Thanks for your insights, too.