Gov. Sarah Palin on Scitech Issues
Just a quick round up of what I could find about Gov. Sarah Palin's take on various scitech issues.
On teaching evolutionary biology in schools:
"Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information….Healthy debate is so important and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject—creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides."
Q. What is your take on global warming and how is it affecting our country?
A. A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.
On endangered species (polar bears):
I am disappointed with U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's decision to list polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Measures are already in place to protect the polar bear.
On abortion (and perhaps by extension human embryonic stem cell research):
I'm pro-life. I'll do all I can to see every baby is created with a future and potential. The legislature should do all it can to protect human life.
On energy policy:
Favors opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas production. "I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't drill our way out of our problem or that more supply won't ultimately affect prices. Of course it will affect prices."
On access to health care:
Against the Certificate of Need (CON) program which is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded services. "As I said recently in my State of the State Address to the Legislature, 'Under our present Certificate of Need process, costs and needs don't drive health-care choices—bureaucracy does. Our system is broken and expensive.' Eliminating the CON program, with certain exceptions, will allow free-market competition and reduce onerous government regulation."
More later.