January 17, 2007

On August 7, 2009 Palin released a statement on her Facebook page in which she said, "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care." The Associated Press reported: "Palin and other critics are wrong." The provision of the health care bill to which Palin referred (on page 425) merely authorizes Medicare reimbursement for physicians who provide voluntary counseling about such subjects as living wills. Howard Dean, the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee, said that Palin "just made that up. Just like the 'Bridge to Nowhere' that she supposedly didn't support." Republicans were divided. Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Newt Gingrich agreed with Palin, saying that "there are clearly people in America who believe in establishing euthanasia, including selective standards." Republican Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia, however, had sponsored a similar amendment during the committee markup, and called Palin's interpretation "nuts." Palin's "death panels" comment was selected as the "Lie of the Year" by PolitiFact.com, the fact-checking website of the St. Petersburg Times. Palin was also criticized for having invoked her infant for political purposes.

The ideas for Palin's death panel meme were from the editorial Deadly Doctors, which was written by Betsy McCaughey and published by the New York Post. Palin cited a speech Michele Bachmann gave about the editorial regarding President Barack Obama's health care advisor Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, which contained what TIME called "selective and misleading quotes" from Emanuel's writings. TIME and ABC described her remarks as false euthanasia claims. However, Rush Limbaugh called death panels "the reality of what's going to happen."

Palin said recommendations that women wait longer to be screened for breast and cervical cancer indicate "rationed care." The guideline from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on pap smears was begun before Obama was elected. The change in guidelines for mammograms was suggested by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which, according to Kathleen Sebelius, does not set government policy. It also is not related to cost controls, according to members of the task force.

Palin has said this about teaching intelligent design as part of the public school curriculum: "I am a proponent of teaching both", but subsequently "It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum." She has also stated, "I won't have religion as a litmus test, or anybody's personal opinion on evolution or creationism."

In October 2007, she signed the "Christian Heritage Week" Proclamation which "reminds Alaskans of the role Christianity has played in our rich heritage." She also declared the week of November 18-25, 2007 as Bible Week in Alaska, stating that "the Bible has profoundly influenced art, literature, music, and codes of law."

After the 2008 Republican National Convention, Palin's religious views came under increasing scrutiny in the media. Palin spoke to a group of graduating ministry students at her former church, where she urged them to "Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [US soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan." Within the same remarks, Palin asserted that "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built", in reference to the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline project. In her talk at the Assembly of God Church, she stated, "God has sent me, from underneath the umbrella of this church, throughout the state."

Palin stated that she would not allow her personal beliefs to dictate public policy.