The Poor Palin Record on Issues of Equality

Corrupted by Anti-Equality Special Interests, Sarah Palin Remains a Champion of Radical Groups.

The scant record of Sarah Palin reveals that she is unprepared to lead, but is instead a politician mired in a pattern of discrimination, wasteful spending and personal corruption. A McCain/Palin ticket would further push the Republican Party into the arms of its anti-equality activists.

"I am elated with Senator McCain's choice and applaud his continued commitment to creating a pro-woman, pro-life, pro-family administration." - Connie Mackey, Family Research Council

A PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION

- As Governor, Palin currently supports the efforts of radical activists to strip Alaska residents - specifically state workers - of the most basic domestic partner benefits.

- It was only when the Alaska Attorney General warned Palin that the Republican position of stripping domestic partnership benefits was unconstitutional (in light of a recent Alaska Supreme Court ruling) that Palin reluctantly vetoed legislation that would have defied the court ruling. Palin quickly moved on to support an alternate strategy to strip domestic partner benefits by placing an anti-equality amendment onto the state ballot.

- When Alaska had the opportunity to extend the freedom to marry to all Alaskan couples, Palin joined with radical efforts to scapegoat same-sex couples in order to scare voters on this issue. In 1998, Palin championed a constitutional amendment that deeply discriminated against same-sex couples in the Alaska constitution. The passage of this amendment, with the full support of Palin, kicked-off a wave of discrimination by encouraging Republicans and radical activists in other states to place similar measures on state ballots for the next decade to come.

- Palin is the friend of anti-LGBT special interests. At the Republican National Convention, Palin will be honored by anti-LGBT crusader Phyllis Schlafly at a reception for leading anti-LGBT advocates seeking to further influence the positions of the Republican Party. Palin will share the stage with Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (MN) who is known in the media for her frequent, anti-gay, blathering statements and tirades.

A CORRUPT, WASTEFUL RECORD

An Anti-Equality Advocate from Day One

- The FIRST piece of legislation signed by Governor Palin was done at the request of radical, anti-LGBT groups.

- Palin squandered over $1.2 million of taxpayer money to place an anti-LGBT "vanity" vote before voters at the request of radical anti-LGBT activists - including Focus on the Family, the Concerned Women of America and the Family Research Council. The ballot language asked voters if they supported Republican efforts to strip existing benefits for LGBT state employees. As a non-biding initiative, the measure had no influence on Alaska law. As the only question on the ballot, Palin willingly wasted over $1.2 million in state money to promote the talking points of anti-LGBT activists.

- Palin has shocked Alaska residents with the reckless level of her corruption. The actions of Governor Palin has helped destroy the Alaska Republican Party.

- Voters in Alaska remain angry with Palin over corruption charges that indicate that Palin used the influence of her office and taxpayer money in an attempt to destroy the career of a law enforcement officer over a personal dispute over family matters. Palin has admitted that her administration pressed for the firing of a state trooper who was formerly married to her sister, and for the firing of a superior who would not abide by the request. According to charges, the requests to dismiss the state trooper were solely rooted in personal grudge on behalf of Palin that had nothing to do with the performance of his duties.

- When Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was indicted this year on his own corruption chargers, Palin took her name out of consideration for the Republican nomination for Senate because of her own personal corruption according to Alaska media.

- Corrupt officials like Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Ted Stevens has crippled the Alaska Republican Party under their weight.

EXPERIENCE: IT TAKES MUCH MORE THAN A VILLAGE

- Senator John McCain has selected an astonishingly inexperienced running mate, undermining the security of the United States. When Senators Obama and Biden were leading voices on domestic and foreign policy in the United States Senate, Palin's largest responsibility was volunteering as a part-time mayor of a small, Alaska village.

- Just two years ago, Palin ascended to capture the Republican nomination for Governor due to the blinding corruption of her Republican predecessor which divided the Republican field. Once in office, the inexperience of Palin became evident as her administration quickly buckled under her own corruption charges. Elected on a promise to clean-up corruption, Palin soon broke that promise with her own problems over ethics and inexperience.

- With this selection, Senator McCain is demonstrating that he no longer possesses the sound judgement required of a President. The greates requirement of a Vice President is the ability to lead when called upon, yet Senator McCain has selected a running mate who - only two years ago - had only tackled the responsibilities of a part-time village mayor.

- Senator McCain is demonstrating that he does not approach the weighty issues of war, terrorism and the ecomomy with heavy thought - as demonstrated by selecting a corrupt, first-term governor to be his running mate.

- When Senator Barack Obama, in his nomination speech, asked politicians to stop dividing the American family by attacking same-sex couples, Senator McCain responded the next morning by choosing a champion of anti-LGBT special interests as his running mate.

MCCAIN/PALIN: A TICKET SQUARELY AGAINST EQUALITY

- The McCain/Palin ticket SUPPORTS anti-marriage amendments pending before voters in Arizona, California and Florida. In fact, when asked by the Family Research Council to star in an anti-LGBT ad in 2006, Senator McCain said yes. When Arizona voters rejected his pleas by defeating the initiative, Senator McCain again offered his name to efforts to once again place an initiative on the Arizona ballot in 2008.

- The McCain/Palin ticket OPPOSES the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

- The McCain/Palin ticket OPPOSES federal hate crimes legislation.

- The McCain/Palin ticket OPPOSES the Uniting American Families Act, which would unite families headed by same-sex couples where one spouse is an American citizen.

- The McCain/Palin ticket OPPOSES the repeal of the failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy which has dismissed over 12,500 servicemembers. At a time when our military asks Americans for their service, the McCain/Palin ticket believes that millions of Americans should be barred from offering their patriotism simply because of who they are.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE: SENATORS OBAMA AND BIDEN

- Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden offer a clear contrast to the corrupt, anti-equality records of John McCain and Sarah Palin.

- Senators Obama and Biden offer the change needed from the failed policies of George W. Bush. John McCain and Sarah Palin offer an embrace of even the most disastrous positions of the Bush Administration and would extend to these policies a third term.

- The Obama/Biden ticket OPPOSES anti-marriage amendments pending before voters in Arizona, California and Florida. In fact, Senator Obama has congratulated couples married in California and recently called on Americans to remember the life of Del Martin who, with her wife Phyllis Lyon, became the first same-sex couple married in California after over 50 years together.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS a comprehensive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS federal hate crimes legislation.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS the goals of the Uniting American Families Act, which would unite families headed by same-sex couples where one spouse is an American citizen.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS the repeal of the failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy which has dismissed over 12,500 servicemembers. In fact, Senator Joe Biden has become a leading critic of the failed policy, aggressively defending the patriotism and service of openly-gay personnel while engaging those who seek to uphold the failed ban for political reasons.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS extending federal benefits to same-sex couples.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS extending recognition and protections to same-sex couples in adoption law.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS efforts at the federal, state and local levels to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

- The Obama/Biden ticket OPPOSES the use of taxpayer money to discriminate in government programs.

- The Obama/Biden ticket SUPPORTS the inclusion of all families, including same-sex families, in the life of our nation.

Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden offer an opportunity to move beyond the failed policies of George W. Bush and John McCain. John McCain and Sarah Palin aim to continue these policies and the de politics that they have spawned. Americans are looking for change. John McCain and Sarah Palin will not change he corrupt nature of Washington politics. In contrast, they will enhance it. Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden offer that change.

---

- Compiled by the National Stonewall Democrats