Matt Zeitlin: Impetuous Young Whippersnapper

Yes, she refused to vetoed a bill that would deny benefits to gay couples and even admitted to smoking pot when it was legal in Alaska, but Sarah Palin is no moderate. Not only is she down the line on core GOP issues (taxes, abortion, guns etc), but she’s also staked out the extreme conservative position on a few issues.

Here, from Ron Bailey of Reason, is Palin’s take on climate change.

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.

And her opinion on teaching evolution 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.”

Evolution and climate change – these aren’t issues that Republicans have to toe the fringe line on to be acceptable candidates for national office. They aren’t abortion, they aren’t taxes, they aren’t guns. But maybe Sarah Palin really believes that climate change isn’t “man-made” and that evolution ought to be taught alongside creationism. That or she felt the need to toe the hard-right line. Either way, it’s not particularly encouraging.