Alaska Party's Founder: "I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."

Sarah Palin addressing Alaska Independence Party convention

The words of founder Joe Vogler are proudly displayed on the Alaska Independence Party's website (at least as of this writing): "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America and her damned institutions."

Given that one of America's "damned institutions" is the Department of Defense, this raises a few questions about Gov. Palin's strength on national security issues.

In reporting Sarah Palin's reported membership in this extremist party (see update), Jake Tapper quotes its current leader as saying that Sarah Palin is "a fine individual. She's forthright and she puts Alaska first."

She puts Alaska first. There's an endorsement to remember. And in case we think her past membership in this party was just some youthful indiscretion, she addressed them by video hookup earlier this year. In the video shown above Palin says she is "delighted" to be addressing the group, that the party "plays an important role," and wishes them "good luck on a successful and inspiring convention."

The Alaska Independence Party wants to open all Federal lands (like state parks) to private ownership - presumably by the people who live nearby. It also wants to abolish all property taxes. It has a few other pretty extreme views, too.

"Her damned institutions." Imagine if those out-of-context remarks of Obama's preacher had been codified into a political organization - and that he had joined it. Then imagine he had come back and given a speech there a few months ago.

Joe Vogler asked that he not be buried underneath the American flag. He did, however, deny that he ever said he wanted to "nuke the glaciers."

Vogler's unsourced Wikipedia entry says cryptically that he "had an antipathy towards aspens." Yes, the trees. If true, this would be the second time a Republican VP was linked to someone with strange feelings toward that fir. (Remember Scooter Libby's note to Judy Miller, with its mysterious reference to "aspens turning in clusters"?)

I find myself struggling, Hamlet-like, with an aversion to writing pieces about the Vice Presidential candidate's wacky past. Instead of an inner child, I have an inner civics teacher that keeps saying "Why can't we talk about the issues?" 

Well, this is the issue: Not just the viability of Sarah Palin as a possible President of the United States, but the judgment of John McCain. In his first and only Presidential decision so far, McCain has shown himself to be reckless, careless, and unconcerned about the effective functioning of government. Whether Palin stays or not (which has become a legitimate question) is only half the issue.

The problem with the GOP ticket is the candidate at the top.

__________ 

UPDATE:  The McCain campaign is denying that Palin was a member of the AIP and denying she attended the 1994 convention.  Another AIP leader has come forward to say that Palin was there.  And the authenticity of the video above is not in question.

Comments

[Balakirev]

I only hope that the national media's bloodlust will overwhelm their sense of corporate ownership, and start tearing away at the various lies being swiftly constructed to sanitize Palin. Perhaps McCain's free ticket with the media doesn't extend to his VP presumptive.

[Konrad]

Stop slamming Alaskans. Some of us didn't vote for Palin but find it embarrassing that someone from the Lower 48 would call an Aspen "a fir" An aspen is deciduous and sheds its leaves in the fall. A fir keeps its needles for the most part throughout the winter.
Vogler was shot over money by a young drifter not an "explosive deal"
Don't Californicate Alaska

[RJ Eskow]

Nothing here "slams Alaskans." I challenge you to find anything that does. It slams Vogler and the AIP.

Why? Vogler was an extremist nut. And the "drifter" in question testified that he met Vogler while selling him explosives, and that he killed him in an argument about payment.

As for the aspen being a "fir," you're right. But if you're suggesting that confusing the genus of a tree is somehow as bad or worse than Vogler's behavior - then, with all due respect, that may not be the best way to represent your state.

Thanks for the correction anyway. My first wife used to correct me on things like that all the time. (You're not her under a pseudonym, are you?)