Our Lip-Service Democracy

On August 30, 2006, Senator John McCain co-signed a letter to "Ms. Sarah H. Palin" of 245 West 5th Avenue #28, Anchorage, AK, 99501. He, along with his co-signers former Governor Michael Dukakis, former US Rep. Bill Frenzel, and former US Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, were acting in their role as members of the board of Project Vote Smart, a nonpartisan citizen group. They were asking Palin, who was then one of several candidates for Governor of Alaska, to agree to take the "National Political Awareness Test" and tell citizens her positions on issues of concern to voters in her state.

The letter noted that her answers would be reported as verbatim and distributed through PVS's website, which at the time was receiving upwards of 16 million hits a day, along with its printed "Voter's Self-Defense Manuals," its 1-800-Vote-Smart hotline, and thousands of libraries and community centers.

Palin never answered the letter from McCain and crew. Of course, she was not alone.

Our Lip-Service Democracy

On August 30, 2006, Senator John McCain co-signed a letter to "Ms. Sarah H. Palin" of 245 West 5th Avenue #28, Anchorage, AK, 99501. He, along with his co-signers former Governor Michael Dukakis, former US Rep. Bill Frenzel, and former US Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, were acting in their role as members of the board of Project Vote Smart, a nonpartisan citizen group. They were asking Palin, who was then one of several candidates for Governor of Alaska, to agree to take the "National Political Awareness Test" and tell citizens her positions on issues of concern to voters in her state.

The letter noted that her answers would be reported as verbatim and distributed through PVS's website, which at the time was receiving upwards of 16 million hits a day, along with its printed "Voter's Self-Defense Manuals," its 1-800-Vote-Smart hotline, and thousands of libraries and community centers.

Palin never answered the letter from McCain and crew. Of course, she was not alone.