<![CDATA[Sarah Palin: Competition’s Good! Joe Miller for Alaska]]>

Contested primaries are so good for America’s political process! Competition makes everyone work harder, be more efficient, debate clearer, and produce more. So, Alaskans should be thrilled that Joe Miller jumped in the GOP race and is ready, willing, and able to serve us as our next United States Senator.

I’m proud to join so many other long-time Alaskans in supporting Joe Miller in the upcoming Alaska Republican Primary. Joe is a true Commonsense Constitutional Conservative, and we’re thankful he and his family are willing to offer us a choice in Alaskan leadership.

I share Joe’s belief that we are at a critical time in our nation’s history and the status quo will no longer do. Unfortunately, Lisa Murkowski and much of the political establishment have recently evolved into being a bigger part of the big government problem in Washington, and they’ve strayed from the principles upon which they had espoused. They ushered in the largest increase in federal domestic spending since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society; it’s an increase in government that political machines may embrace, but “we the people” reject because we know it’s unsustainable and immorally burdensome to future generations.

Over a year ago, upon kicking off our Political Action Committee to assist candidates and promote competition in the nation’s electoral system, with no one willing to challenge the political machine at the time, and amid rumors that I would challenge Lisa Murkowski for the U.S. Senate, SarahPAC contributed to Lisa’s campaign. As she and I discussed, this was an attempt to reassure the Senator that I, as Alaska’s governor, had no intention of jumping into the race. Though the media has tried to portray some sort of feud or bad blood between Lisa and myself, such is not the case. I’ve always wished her well, but it is my firm belief that we need a bold reformer who is not afraid to stand up to special interests and take on the tough challenges of our time. Joe Miller has stepped forward. I am thankful for his willingness to serve. He has fought alongside me and others to help clean up the Republican Party here in Alaska by bringing in new leadership, new ideas, and commitment to putting government back on the side of the people, not any political machine.

Joe is a man of true integrity. He will never be bought off; he knows what a solemn trust it is to be given the responsibility of spending other people’s money prudently and wisely.

Joe also more closely shares so many of Alaskans’ values. He believes the greatness of our country is grounded in the founding principles of limited constitutional government and individual freedom.

Joe believes that we must repeal the new Obamacare health care mandate and seek true market-based reform to allow competition, control costs, increase access, and give Americans more freedom in health care; Lisa opposes repealing the law.

Joe is unashamedly and unequivocally pro-life; Lisa is not and has voted to use taxpayer funds to support abortions and embryonic stem cell research.

Joe is against granting amnesty to illegal immigrants; Lisa has voted for it.

Joe is against cap and trade (Obama’s new job-killing energy scheme that I call cap and tax); Lisa believes Al Gore’s insistence that man-made global warming is fact, so she’s on record as being open to cap and trade legislation to address weather changes.

These are just some of the major differences between these two candidates. I believe Joe is the better choice for Alaskans.

Joe worked commendably through West Point, the University of Alaska, and Yale Law School. He has shown courage under fire in service of his country, earning a Bronze Star to prove his commitment to freedom. He has demonstrated his abilities in our courtrooms as a state magistrate and later a federal judge, has established a successful business with his own law practice, and has served as a volunteer and leader throughout his community and our state. Joe has the right values; he is ready to help lead the greatest state in our exceptional nation; he is Alaska’s true Commonsense Conservative choice, and I’ll be proud to vote for him for the United States Senate.

Please join my family and me in supporting Joe Miller, and please donate to his campaign so a contested primary can do what it does best: produce the best candidate in the name of public service.

You can visit Joe’s website at www.joemiller.us and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

– Sarah Palin