Anchorage Daily News

Palin is too conservative, unready

Sarah Palin is a terrifying and dangerous choice for McCain's vice president. Her views are even more conservative than George Bush's. It is insulting and offensive -- especially to women -- that McCain thinks we are so stupid as to think he did this for anything but political purposes.

Sarah has grit, but a lot of us have grit. It doesn't mean she is qualified for the vice presidency, or more importantly, the presidency.

-- Mary Thompson

Seward

Palin should debate with Obama

Republicans should insist that John McCain debate Joe Biden and Gov. Palin debate Barack Obama. I mean, it's only fair, given Gov. Palin's inexperience and all.

-- Dale Gerboth

Anchorage

Not everyone has Palin's options

Gov. Palin has the best health insurance plan available as a State of Alaska employee. Her husband Todd likely has very good health insurance as an employee of BP. This fact gives the Palin family a wide range of choices when it comes to aborting Down syndrome or out-of-wedlock babies. Unfortunately very few Alaskans or other Americans have that choice when it comes to the monetary impact of a decision on this issue. I wonder what decision she would have made as a single mom on a limited income for herself or her daughter. The new future son-in-law doesn't sound like he had any intention of being a dad, and would have a hard time providing for a new family as an amateur hockey player or dirt bike rider. What choice then?

-- Bruce Hedlund

Sitka

Criticism wasn't well thought out

Dana Diehl's letter criticizing Gov. Palin (Sept. 5th) is shockingly unreasonable. She raises concerns about the living conditions in remote villages. Problems of this magnitude cannot be solved in a two-year period. If Ms. Diehl has proof Gov. Palin is ignoring and refusing to address these issues, I would be interested to know.

These "third world conditions" didn't just occur over the last two years. The water and sewage problems did not just mysteriously and negligently appear when Sarah Palin took her oath of office. So Sarah Palin was to achieve in two years time what had not been accomplished in 50?

These remote areas are sparsely populated for obvious reasons. These unique problems would now be resolved if any Alaskan governor, Democrat or Republican (throughout the state's history) could quickly and easily solve complex geographical, geological, logistical and financial realities of living in harshly remote bush communities.

-- Connie Laws Anchorage

Calling for prayer isn't a crime

Palin tells "students to pray for pipeline" according to your Sept. 8 story. Is that all you've got? My God, there's a capital crime been committed here! Call out the National Guard! Impeach her!

I thought you were going to tell us that she was taped taking money from an oil lobbyist, having her home expanded, or maybe that she bought us a new jet. Instead, she is telling students to pray for the success of "our" state. Wow, what a novel idea, praying for success.

Taxpayer monies? So what. It's not like she is pulling a Rev. Wright, Vic Kohring, or Ted Stevens while on the state's time clock. She is trying to further our business interests. Whether you agree or disagree with her policies, she is still working for us. Do you take offense with politicians saying "God Bless America?" I bet not. So level the playing field and admit that you (and the Daily News) hate her. Be honest with everyone. If Gov. Palin had told them to "hope" instead of "pray" would you still take issue? Remember, "hoping" is just another word for "praying."

-- Marcus Isbill

Wasilla

Community organizers shaped US

As a social worker, I was deeply offended by Gov. Palin's remark about community organizing in her speech this week. As an Alaskan, I was shamed. Clearly, Gov. Palin is ignorant of how social change, the bedrock of this country, takes place. She is also ignorant of history and, yes, religion. Does she not know Susan B. Anthony? Clara Barton? Mother Theresa? Sarah Palin seems to be standing on the shoulders of women whom she thinks undertook no responsibilities. What I call this: hypocrisy.

-- Meg Loomis

Anchorage

America deserves a better VP

With all the waves of Sarah-gushing and "you go girl" sweeping through Alaska these days, let's look at a few things. She's not a typical hockey mom. She is an ambitious and ruthless politician. Despite all her earlier statements it did not take her long to abandon Alaska for the big time.

Her speeches have been laden with half truths and outright lies. I'm still looking for the gas pipeline she said she got us. She wants to contribute to the dumbing of America by equating the fiction of intelligent design with hard science. Her view of Iraq and the gas line as "God's will" is almost comical. Wake up. This is not the person we want a heartbeat away from the presidency.

They say we get the leaders we deserve, but I'd like to think we deserve a heck of a lot better than her.

-- D. H. Miller

Anchorage

Palin is admirable, but no vote

I'm not voting McCain/Palin. That said: Palin is a top-notch multi-tasker who does it with style. Love that about her!

It has been suggested that if Sarah was more attentive, her daughter wouldn't be pregnant. Kids don't have unprotected sex in the kitchen while mom is home baking cookies.

-- Katie Pekkonen

Anchorage

Focus on faith was underhanded

Sarah Palin's spiritual beliefs have never been a secret. Yet, despite her deep-rooted beliefs, Gov. Palin has not attempted to implement her faith through legislation. Why then did the Daily News feel the need to write an article about Palin's former and current churches, her former and current pastors, and certain remarks made by those pastors (regardless of whether or not Palin was in attendance). Did the Daily News feel that their readers might need an extra dose of Sunday-spirituality? Perhaps our local newspaper wanted to give church-seeking Alaskans a snapshot of various Valley churches? Or perhaps -- just perhaps -- the Daily News descended to a new low.

Perhaps the Daily News presented the most flagrant sermon quotes they could find in a clumsy attempt to undermine Ms. Palin's vice presidential campaign.

Perhaps the Daily News is trying to use Sarah's deep-rooted faith against her.

-- Darin Markwardt

Palmer

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