As for the fiscal conservatism thing...look, here's a smattering of headlines:
July 1st, 2007 - Massive line item vetoes (lopping almost a quarter-billion dollars off of a $1.8 billion capital budget).
Dec. 11th, 2007 - Palin’s proposed budget slashes earmark requests, and dramatically slows growth of government.
March 23rd, 2008 – More vetoes in the “supplemental budget”. Palin also demands that legislators explain their pork projects to her personally before she signs off on any of them. This issue was particularly hilarious because the budget was for “emergency spending” and it included (among other things) the construction of batting cages and gun ranges.
May 24th, 2008 – Second consecutive year of huge line-item vetoes in the state’s capital budget (over a quarter-billion dollars this time, 10% of the total capital budget).
“Republican primary voters in Alaska are ready for a change and are rallying to the fiscally responsible leadership embodied by Governor Palin.” - Pat Toomey, 9/24/2007
“Palin’s veto ax lops $268 million from budget” - Achorage Daily News Headline, 5/24/2008
“(Palin) has come out and told her own congressional delegation, all Republicans, ‘Stop with the earmarks! It’s wrong, it’s wrong! Even when it benefits us in Alaska.’” - Michael Medved, 12/21/2007
“Palin’s tough spending cuts drew criticism from Republican legislators whose pet projects were vetoed.” - Fred Barnes, 7/16/2007
“This week, it was Palin who single handedly killed the leading symbol of Republican spending excess in Washington: the Bridge to Nowhere.” - Patrick Ruffini, 9/29/2007
Palin’s record speaks for itself. She is a proven fiscal conservative. Take a look at this if you don’t believe me.
And if you still have a problem with her record than you really ought to listen to her explain it in detail in this interview where she was grilled about the specifics of her record and made to defend her fiscal conservative creds.
As for her not being a defense conservative, gimme a friggin' break! You're joking, right?
Without supporting the mainstream Pro-Life position, which she does not, she will not bring home the Christian Right. Any other thing she may be to the Judeo-Christian community pales in comparison to this sole, non-negotiable issue. They have never compromised here, and they never will. There are other things, but this one is the non-starter.
As for the fiscal conservatism thing...look, here's a smattering of headlines:
Then please explain a 28% increase in the fiscal budget in AK this year. And while you're at it, her windfall profit tax (oops, I guess it's a fee) on oil companies in AK (which she and McDingbat railed ()bama for on the national scene, and her support of the bailout.
As for her not being a defense conservative, gimme a friggin' break! You're joking, right?
As for defense, it is her weakest suit. Her son being overseas is in her favor, but she has no real military experience. That is not insurmountable, but if faced with a military man in the primaries, she could well lose the DEFCONS in the very same way that they stuck so hard to MccAin't- Even though the rest of the Conservative world could not stand the man. Her foreign policy experience is legitimately stated to be abysmal.
Bear in mind, please, that I mean no offense- I rise to defend Reagan Conservatism, just as I always do. It is these kinds of problems in a candidate which cause schisms and eventual fractures. No conservative faction should be expected to compromise. That is the first rule that we should follow. Palin is all about compromise.