Questions for Sarah Palin from Women Across America

Dear Gwen Ifill,

It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, the national media were fixated on lipstick. What a difference a Wall Street crash makes. It's been remarkable to hear conservatives on the Sunday talk shows discuss the growing income gap, stagnant wages, and job losses. If it weren't for the economic crisis, who knows what the inane topic of the day would be.

It's a good time to be the moderator of such an important debate. If the lead story were lipstick, you'd probably be criticized for asking "gotcha" questions, but because this country is on a downward spiral, I'd be willing to bet that most people expect you to ask tough questions about issues that actually matter.

The women I've interviewed over the past few months are tired of questions about flag lapel pins and the petty back and forth. They're also tired of being ignored. Other than polls, it's all too rare to hear from actual voters.

Over the past few days, I've asked women, both in person and over the phone, what question they would like you to ask Sarah Palin at tonight's debate. These women have dedicated their lives to fighting for the poor, affordable housing, abused and neglected children, the constitution, social justice, equal pay, veterans, equal rights for all, the uninsured, reproductive rights, civil rights, and innocent civilians whose lives have been forever changed by U.S. sanctions and bombs.

When I tell women about this article, they first chuckle, then take a deep breath, and say, "Where do I begin?" You're probably experiencing similar feelings. I would love to know what your preparation process has been like.

Here are the questions the women I interviewed would like you to ask Sarah Palin:

"Could you please describe your understanding of the obligations and authority assigned to the three branches of U.S. government as set forth in the Constitution?" -Elizabeth de la Vega, former federal prosecutor, Los Gatos, CA

"Governor Palin, 248,000 children in Ohio are without health insurance. How do you stand on funding programs to help our poor and disadvantaged children? Senator McCain supported President Bush when he vetoed SCHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Where do you stand on SCHIP? -Marian Hann, Receptionist, Children's Defense Fund-Ohio, Columbus, OH -- Senator John McCain received a 10 percent rating from the Defense Fund -- Alaska ranks near the bottom for providing children's health care

"John Mccain's voting record on veterans does not reflect what comes out of his mouth. How will you improve care for veterans' families left hanging? What will you do to ensure the VA hospitals give the vets the treatment they deserve so they don't have to jump through hoops to get it? The VA didn't treat our son. The number of veterans committing suicide is on the rise. A lot more needs to be done." -Joyce Lucey is the mother of Jeffrey Lucey, who committed suicide after being in Iraq for five months in 2004, Western Massachusetts

"If you were to become Commander-in-Chief, would you require military women who've been raped to pay for their own rape investigation kits as the constituents of Wasilla do? Nearly all soldiers found guilty of raping a fellow soldier do no jail/brig time. What would you do to change this policy to serve justice? Do you think this is justice? There are reports of female soldiers dying of dehydration due to fear of being raped on the way to the porta-johns. Would you appoint an independent investigator to look into both this and the claims that women servicemembers who are murdered in country are being wrongly classified as suicides? Why did you delete rape kit funding from the budget when you were mayor? Alaska's rape rate is 2.5 times the national average." -Wendy Barranco, 22, President, Los Angeles Chapter of Iraq Vets Against the War, Los Angeles, CA -- Wendy Barranco served as an anesthesia technician at a Tikrit field hospital from October 2005 to July 2006