Dear Governor Palin...

Dear Governor Palin,

During your debate with Senator Biden you said you welcomed the opportunity to speak directly with the American people, "uncensored" by the media. That sounds great. In fact, I'd like to challenge you to a debate: one regular American, me, versus you, the Governor of Alaska.

I mean a genuine debate, where we exchange ideas back and forth, and we are each expected to actually answer the questions asked by the moderator. Not like anyone would want to know what I have to say, but this would give you a real chance to talk directly to the American people (instead of being badgered by pesky reporters like Katie Couric!).

Since you are the candidate, I think it would only be fair to begin in your area of self-proclaimed expertise. Energy policy. Which, if I understand correctly, boils down to "drill baby, drill". I guess I just don't understand how drilling in Anwar and off America's coastline would stop rising oil prices, or make America energy independent. Oil is a global market, and the U.S. produces only 3% of the world's supply. This means that even doubling U.S. oil production would have a negligible impact on world oil supplies, and no effect on the prices Americans pay at the pump. Plus, it will take at least ten years for any newly developed oil production facilities to come on line, so drilling is no solution to rising gas prices today. On a related note, since the big oil companies that would be doing the drilling are multinational corporations, how does giving big oil more opportunities to profit make America more energy independent? If the goal is to increase America's energy independence and lower the price of gas, wouldn't it make sense to invest in domestic resources that we have in much greater supply, like wind, solar, and methane?

This leads into the second issue I would like to discuss. Climate change. You said during your debate with Joe Biden that "I'm not one to attribute every activity of man to the changes in the climate". Huh? Well I would certainly agree. Not sure how this is relevant, but I do agree. You emphasized that "We have got to clean up this planet. We have got to encourage other nations also to come along with us with the impacts of climate change". I guess I am confused again. The U.S. has only 5% of the world's population, but we consume 25% of the world's fossil fuels. This doesn't seem to me like leadership in cleaning up the planet. As I'm sure you know, President Bush refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol - the comprehensive global agreement aimed at limiting carbon emissions - much to the chagrin of other nations who were trying to do their part. Would you and Senator McCain support the global climate treaty that is currently being negotiated under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change , which would establish emissions caps for the United States? It seems like drilling for oil instead of developing alternative energy will worsen climate change. How does "drill baby, drill" square with your call for the U.S. to be an international leader in cleaning up the planet?

I also must admit, I am a bit worried about your cavalier attitude towards the U.S. Constitution. Articles I and II are pretty explicit about enumerating and limiting the powers of the Executive, including the Vice President. I think the founding fathers feared the president could become too powerful - like a king - so they established three separate branches of government in order to create check and balances. The American freedom you keep talking about is grounded in and safeguarded by this very Constitution, which you appear willing to modify a bit impetuously.

You seem less excited to discuss foreign policy, so perhaps we can leave that for a later debate. (Although, I am a bit curious to know how the "Castro brothers" made it into your pantheon of evil dictators alongside Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong Il.)

So, what do you think? If you are serious about speaking directly to the American people, please drop me an email. Here's your golden opportunity.

Comments

[afwifey00]

Why are liberals SOOOOOO one sided?
Climate change very well MAY NOT be ALL man-made. SO why should you be so adamant that it ALL is. This site is based on liberal fear that others out there have an opinion... Guess what liberals? Others out there have an opinion...
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070228-mars-warming.html
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=927b9303-802a-23ad-494b-dccb00b51a12

[XME]

Funny...since we all know she couldn't hold her own with ANYONE who's been paying attention to national and world events for more than the last month!

[adeas1132]

Unbelievable! Sarah Palin kicked Biden in the teeth in that debate & people like you won't admit it for anything. She had him so off balance he was stuttering & blowing and looked like a deer in the headlights numerous times he was so stunned. She came in both barrels loaded. He just knew she was going to be an easy KO, & he was NOT prepared for what he got! I guess you didn't hear the LONG LIST of LIES Joe Biden said during the debate, huh? He is actually the one that got the Article about the VP's duties/responsibilities WRONG! Why don't you debate him and get him to lie to you? Or were you only focusing on Governor Palin, as did the BIASED MEDIA, who AGAIN let HIS crap slide, but focused in on the FEW mistakes Governor Palin made. Biden made far more than she did! Unless you have forgotten, Governor Palin is running for VICE PRESIDENT, as is Joe put my foot in my mouth Biden, NOT President. It just astounds me when people like you get on the internet and spew your one sided crap. What makes Joe Biden's LIES even worse is he is supposed to be this Foreign Policy GENIUS, and MOST of the lies he told were about Foreign Policy. Sarah Palin has far more executive experience than Nobama! The only thing he is going to do if elected is tax the small business owner like me out of business! Change?

[Terra Lawson-Remer - Huffpost Blogger]

Joe Biden did not get the Constitution wrong.

Article I states: "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." Article I, which describes the Legislative Branch, has no other mention of the VP, precisely because the VP is not part of the Legislative Branch.

Biden's statement was:

"Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history. The idea he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that's the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that.

And the primary role of the vice president of the United States of America is to support the president of the United States of America, give that president his or her best judgment when sought, and as vice president, to preside over the Senate, only in a time when in fact there's a tie vote. The Constitution is explicit.

The only authority the vice president has from the legislative standpoint is the vote, only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea he's part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous."

The facts speak for themselves.