During her campaign for the governorship of Alaska, Sarah Palin projected the image of a maverick, prepared to fight corruption within her own party and take on "Big Oil".
After she was elected, Sarah Palin did indeed raise taxes for the big oil companies in Alaska, swelling the state's coffers in the process. For that she became very popular. Many corrupt individuals were also exposed and she consolidated her reputation as a maverick. Much of the campaign for the vice presidency was based on these claims and reinforced the image she projected in 2006, making her the darling of the far right in the wider national arena.
Since her election, what have been some of the Governor's most high profile initiatives?
- Drilling for oil in the ANWR or, euphemistically, opening up federal lands.
- Starting two lawsuits against the federal government to remove polar bears and white Beluga whales from the endangered species list.
It appears to me that the higher taxes they had to pay amounted to a mere investment in securing the establishment of an individual in a position of power who would, from a seemingly more neutral perspective, champion the interests they were unable to fight for as large corporations. After all, Sarah Palin pursues the drilling for oil in environmentally sensitive areas in the name of Alaska...
In my opinion, taking on the corrupt element within her own party simply removed surplus snouts from the trough. Who would possibly want to spread the spoils too thinly?
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