Risky Business

Sarah Palin: Just How Pro-Small Business Is She?

August 29, 2008 RSS Feed Print

Comment (12)
Tweet

After expressing some skepticism of Joe Biden earlier this week, let me demonstrate this blog's nonpartisanship and cast the same suspicious light on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The fact that she's not very well known, was announced as John McCain's pick just today, and has been governor of Alaska for not even two years means there's a vacuum of information around her, especially regarding her stances on business and entrepreneurship.

But maybe that makes it all the more distressing for people who like pro-entrepreneur policies that one of Palin's most significant acts as governor seems to have been propping up a failing state-owned enterprise that had lost over $700,000 in two years. I am sure this part of her record will be highly scrutinized in coming weeks, but at first glance it looks like typical special-interest politics. There's no doubt that state-run companies are not very good for your average entrepreneur, because they crowd out room in the market that could be going to more innovative and competitive players. Enterprises run by the state are not exactly known for their innovation and competition, but if you've read about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the newspaper recently, you know that.

I'll admit that Alaska is a unique state with notoriously weird politics. So this might not reflect what Palin would do should she find herself in the Oval Office (a very real possibility given Senator McCain's age). But the problem is that because McCain has selected someone with such relatively limited experience, we only have so much to go on when judging her record. When I look at that record and compare it with what she would have to deal with as president, I think that this system she supports of paying dairy farmers to produce sounds a heck of a lot like our federal farm subsidy programs. Those are policies that have been disastrous for entrepreneurs the world over.

I'm sure we will be able to make more definitive conclusions about Palin as more facts come in.

Tags:: running mates,; small business,; 2008 presidential election,; Sarah Palin

« Previous Post Next Post »

Reader Comments Read all comments (12)

Add Your Thoughts Comment Name State Email

Please enter the two words below into the text field underneath the image.

Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

You know at this point me being DEMOCRAT my thoughts are!!!
McCain is pushing war hero thing too much, this does not make him a approved president. WAR is a bed news for any country and it does not make difference small or the most powerful. We have been doing it with Afghanistan, Iraq and possible Iran and Russia now - to achieve what? In my opinion we are in the recession because of that, every time Bush's took over we had same economy & recessions. Same fear I have with McCain. What public needs to understand is McCain has experience for long time. Palin is not a best VP when she is making a choice of white house instead of taking care of her young children. She can not be responsible & conservative Mom, choice is clear. She should have sacrificed her personal life in order to serve our country, I would (no 5 kids). I think McCain is
good & experienced candidate as long as he does not keep talking about his braveness & heroism all the time and as long as he does what he says in the white house with the plan laid out from now for our economy, banking, employment, deficit and terrorism - who cares about Sarah Palin, she is going to have to do things with congress approval anyways.
In other hand I don't feel comfortable with Obama at all and how in the hell he became presidential candidate, especially over Hilary is still a question in my mind. Who is he? Where was he couple years ago? Why we never heard his name before like McCain? Does our public know the history of Obama that he has Muslim blood? Does anyone know history of Muslims thoroughly? Do we need a a president who is going to start practicing (internship) in white house from day one? Do we have time to take chances for 4 more years? Speaking and doing is a two separate things, convincing is easier then getting it done.
Even though I am Democrat and like Obama in the white house I am not supportive to him and specially after not picking Hilary as VP who has experience and free advice from the experienced president himself over Joe Biden. Biggest mistake Democrats made by doing this - They have lost a election already.
When you have all the answers after reading above you will know that choice is clear.

K Makati of FL 2:03PM September 07, 2008

Can you be pro life and prophylactic?

HillbillyBill of TN 7:58AM September 02, 2008

This campaign is the most average ever.
Remember, an average is just the center of the extremes.
Like, you know? If you are standing with one foot in a bucket of ice water and the other in a bucket of hot coals--on average you are perfectly comfortable.
On the Dem side we have a young inexperienced candidate for president with an old over experienced candidate for VP balancing the ticket perfectly--on average!
Conversely, on the GOP side we have an old over experienced candidate for president with a young inexperienced candidate for VP balancing the ticket perfectly--on average!
So, the average American voter has a choice between the perfect average on the one hand and the perfect average on the other hand.
This campaign is the most average ever.

HillbillyBill of TN 10:02AM September 01, 2008

Sarah Palin: Just How Pro-Small Business Is She?

Related Articles

Reader Comments Read all comments (12)

Risky Business

Follow U.S. News Money

Like Us On Facebook

Subscribe

Editor's Picks