Palin is Stepping Down…

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announces that she will step down as the office and will not seek reelection. Photo by State Of Alaska Gov. Press Office

Alaska Governor and political lighting rod Sarah Palin is stepping down as the Governor and will not seek reelection for that office. In her normal fashion she took no questions.

The timing of this announcement is too early to make a run for President in 2012. This follows the release of several e-mails between her and the McCain campaign about her husband’s, Todd Palin, involvement in an Anti-American group that wanted Alaska to separate from the United States.

The text from Palin’s speech as released by her press relations department:

Governor Palin Announces No 2nd Term

No Lame Duck Session Either

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 09-167

GOVERNOR PALIN ANNOUNCES NO SECOND TERM NO LAME DUCK SESSION EITHER July 3, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin announced today that she will not seek a second term as Governor of the State of Alaska and will relegate the power of governor to Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell in order to serve Alaska’s best interests. Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will move into Parnell’s current role.

“People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing’s more important to me than our beloved Alaska,” said Governor Palin. “Serving her people is the greatest honor I could imagine.”

Standing outside her home in Wasilla, Alaska, Governor Palin reflected upon some of the administration’s accomplishments for Alaska as she approaches her final year in office.

“I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is not the easiest path,” said Governor Palin after the announcement. “Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I campaigned against and will always oppose. It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success. I look forward to helping others – to fight for our state and our country, and campaign for those who believe in smaller government, free enterprise, strong national security, support for our troops, and energy independence.” The transfer of power will occur following the Governor’s picnic in Fairbanks on July 26. At that point in time, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell will be sworn in and Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume his role as Lieutenant Governor. Governor Palin will spend July 4th in Juneau. ### Selected Accomplishments of the Palin Administration

General

* Transferred more control of public issues to the local level Natural Resources
* Created the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to oversee responsible development
* Held the line for Alaskans on Point Thomson that encouraged drilling
* Restructured the state’s oil taxes to create a clear and equitable valuation formula for our oil and gas
* Initiated and implemented the largest energy project in the world through the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act
* Removed government from the dairy business and put it back into private-sector hands

Ethics

* Ushered in ethics reform
* Cleaned up previously accepted unethical actions affecting development

Fiscal Notes

* Slowed the rate of government growth
* Worked with the Legislature to place billions of dollars in savings
* Vetoed hundreds of millions of dollars in capital budget line items
* Reduced Alaska’s dependence on federal earmarks by nearly 85%
* Eliminated state-funded personal luxuries like the jet, the chef, and junkets
* Refused a pay raise, along with the Lieutenant Governor

Education

* Provided unprecedented support for education initiatives Public Safety
* Filled long-vacant public safety positions over the last year Corrections
* Broke ground on the new state prison

Fish and Game

* Maintained biologically-sound wildlife management for abundance Environment
* Established first sub-Cabinet on climate change

Legal

* State’s rights protected in two recent victories handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court

###

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