Sarah Palin on Jobs Republican Governor (AK); 2008 nominee for Vice President

Alaska Construction Academy: 2,520 students learn skills

This program has been so successful, more will follow elsewhere statewide. Graduates will help fill the 1,000 construction jobs that are needed annually.

Out of the first group of 113 Anchorage adult graduates, 77% were hired and increased their earnings 40% in the two quarters following their training. Adult classes are offered at various times, based on community employer needs, and will be expanded to include weatherization programs.

Leverage job-training dollars thru voc-tech curriculum

Focus Workforce Investment Board on vocational careers

Unions should get member permission for political donations

A: Yes, unions represent their workers and as such, should be accountable to them

Praised the Red Dog zinc mine for bringing rural jobs

Knowles claims strong opposition. At a resource industry forum in Anchorage, Knowles said he finds the Pebble project "terrifying." Knowles said recently, "The scale of it is so enormous. On its merits, (Pebble) is an unacceptable risk."

Palin is reserving judgment on Pebble, for now. On the Pebble project, Palin says she would not put one resource, such as the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, at risk "for another resource."

In recent debates, Palin has rarely commented on individual mines, though she praised the Red Dog zinc mine near Kotzebue for bringing jobs to rural Alaska.

SUMMARY: TONY KNOWLES: Thinks the Pebble mine prospect is "terrifying."

SARAH PALIN: Withholding judgment until she sees Pebble permit applications, but unwilling to risk the region's fisheries.

Department of Fish and Game is under-funded

All the candidates say the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is underfunded, lacking enough people and tools to study and protect the fish and their habitat.

All also promise to appoint people to the state Board of Fisheries and the North Pacific Council who will put the health of fish stocks first and won't let politics interfere.

Knowles vows he won't appoint "lightning rods," but his commercial critics argue he did as governor, naming people with sportfishing or environmental bents such as Kenai River sportfishing kingpin Bob Penney.

"What I was trying to do was bring a real balance," Knowles said. Indeed, the makeup of the board and council have at times tilted heavily toward commercial fishing interests.

Closed last factory in Wasilla in 2007

Unemployment is higher than promised, and growing

Kill the second stimulus bill disguised as a jobs bill

Husband Todd focused on vo-tech ed for workforce development

Some First Spouses maintain an office in their state capitols and often travel with an assistant or staff, but Todd did not. Sure, the critics still accuse him of being "The Shadow Governor," but that's because they couldn't' find anything legitimate to criticize him about

Bailout should be about job creation, not just healthcare

8% unemployment rate doesn't tell the story of the pain

Our president fancies himself as the champion of the Middle Class, yet since he came on scene, even those lucky enough to have a job, they're working more for less. The median income for families has dropped over $5,000.00 since '07, even as we work longer and longer hours. And job creators are being punished. Tell me how does punishing the job creators, create more jobs?

Business advocate but also a union member

Her seeming contradictions hold wider import. She is a big business advocate and a union member. She is a patriotic American and yet is married to a man who once advocated independence for Alaska. She is a Republican and yet helped send corrupt Republicans to prison.

Workers shouldn't be forced to join a union