How "Green" is Sarah Palin? Not very (unless you count her experience).

Before women get too excited about the nomination of Sarah Palin to the GOP Presidential ticket, they should pause long enough to take a look at her record. Political pundits have focused on her cred as a social conservative. But where does she stand on the environment? This summary compiled by Grist.org tells all:

* She favors oil drilling on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the calving ground for thousands of migratory caribou. The Refuge is considered sacred wilderness by environmentalists, biologists and millions of Americans. Even McCain opposes drilling here. Her response? Bring on the derricks!

* She opposed a statewide ballot initiative to prohibit or restrict new mining operations that could affect salmon in the state's streams and rivers.

* She sued the Interior Department over its decision to try to protect the polar bear by listing it as a threatned species. 

* She opposes a windfall profits tax on oil companies, even though most of their profits come from drilling on public land that you and I and every American citizen own.

* She faces an immediate conflict of interest in developing national energy policy: her husband is an oil production operator for BP on Alaska's North Slope.

* She believes intelligent design should be taught along with evolution in science classes.

Says Carl Pope of the Sierra Club, "Senator McCain has lost any chance of having a balanced or moderate ticket with this choice and has instead opted for the same, business-as-usual reliance on the outdated oil companies that has been the hallmark of the Bush-Cheney administration. On the third anniversary of the hurricane that knocked loose oil rigs and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf Coast that is bracing for another hit, McCain is sending a terribly indifferent message by selecting a candidate who only repeats Big Oil's talking points."

The only thing "green" about Palin is her level of national and foreign policy experience.

Comments

[Trisha]

At first I was upset about this whole palin thing - but now I'm starting to feel good about it. I think that choosing her is just really going to help Obama more.

Unless we all make fun of her even more - McCain may change his mind and pick someone else!

[Laura]

This is a great run down of Sarah Palin's environmental stance. Thank you for sharing!

I think she's a frightening choice with some amazingly divisive rhetoric -- and it's a little disconcerting how many people were thrilled by her speech last night.

[Carmen]

Thank you for this comprehensive list. I am stunned at how WRONG this woman would be for our country -- she has no respect for the environment or international relations. As a woman, I am offended that McCain would assume that women would vote for Palin just because of her gender. We are smarter than that!

[Diane MacEachern]

Palin's answers during her ABC interview just reinforce what's been obvious to those of us outside the McCain "bubble." She's not competent enough to be vice-president. Honestly, a foreign policy based on the fact that she can see Russia from Alaska? I don't think so!

[Miley]

Palin does not believe the quack theory should be taught in school. She does believe it should be discussed if brought up. There's a difference between that and what's stated here. When we're loose with the facts on Palin, McCain supporters are able to dismiss all of our criticism of her.

[Diane MacEachern]

Hmmm. My understanding is that she does believe that intelligent design should be taught along with evolution.

As reported in the Anchorage Daily News (and re-reported in http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/08/29/palin-creationist/) "during her race for the governorship of Alaska, Sarah Palin offered up a classic anti-evolution answer when asked during a televised debate whether creationism should be taught with evolution in the public schools:

“Teach both,” Palin said. “You know, don’t be afraid of information… I am a proponent of teaching both.”

[Carla]

She is frightening. I was hoping McCain would change his mind, but I don’t think that would happen. I sure hope that she would help Obama’s chances, but I have a pessimistic feeling about all of this. I hope I am wrong.

[Diane MacEachern]

Carla,

Thanks for writing. You know, I think all of us need to change our tune a bit. We need to start saying something like, "Palin is SO bad, her selection really highlights why McCain is the wrong choice." We can't admit defeat this early in the game! Let's support each other in a vision for a better future.