By Jake Walker – The major issue prompting Palin to endorse the Walker-Mallot ticket is incumbent Republican Sean Parnell’s dismantling of her oil tax regime, known as Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share, or ACES. As Palin sees it, that program was one of her finest achievements while in office. As the National Journal explains it:
Palin backed an initiative to repeal the new law, SB 21, when it appeared on the August primary ballot, which put her at odds with Parnell. (Palin accused Parnell of being “suckered” by “crony capitalists” at the time.) The referendum narrowly failed, garnering 47 percent of the vote as the state’s Republican U.S. Senate primary attracted conservative voters to the polls.
So in essence, Palin is endorsing the Unity ticket because she wants higher taxes on oil companies. There are very few Republicans one write about openly doing that.
When Parnell dismantled ACES, he was standing up for common sense conservative free market principles. Predictably, he was called a “cronyist” for making this principled stand, but one is used to Democrats making this charge, not purported conservative icons and former Republican vice presidential nominees. As he explained while pushing his reforms:
One group holds that Alaska’s economic pie is about as big as its going to get, and it’s shrinking. This group says that because Alaska’s economic pie is as big as it’s going to get, the government has to grasp more, to get all the money it can now. You know the senators I’m talking about: Senators French, Wielechowski, Paskavan and others like-minded senators, with just a different view of how it works.
Another group of legislators and I hold that Alaskans can grow our economy. That more capital will flow here from other areas, more oil production will result, and more jobs will be created for Alaska residents. We believe in growing the economic pie for all Alaskans.
The notion that tax reform is a “giveaway” is classic “tax more, spend more” government thinking. It’s that Obama-like thought process that the pie is as big as it’s going to get and the government has to grasp everything it can.
Well, I say we need a different vision for Alaska’s future, one where we can grow this opportunity for Alaskans. We don’t need decline. We need increased production. We need a vision from our Legislature that unlocks Alaskans’ oil for Alaskans.
Until recently a socially conservative Republican, Walker flipped to independent and flopped to undeclared to hook up with a liberal, traditional Democrat to challenge Republican incumbent Sean Parnell for the state’s top executive post. Just think of Walker’s gyrations and contortions in climbing to the tippy top of that ticket as part of a political game of “Twister.”
When he last ran for governor, Walker was not so wishy-washy when it came to core Republican principles. In a 2010 survey by Alaska Family Action, the lobbying arm of the conservative Alaska Family Council, Walker displayed strong views when it came to abortion.
Sean Parnell needs our help. Alaska should send him back for a second term.
