I've read a bit about the AIP when I was reading up on Palin. I've gotten the impression that it's not really a "fringe" group at all, but a
party with some pretty sound arguments.
And just to clear something up about them, they're main goal isn't secession, the goal is to get the vote they were entitled to in the 50s before
they became a state. This vote would determine if they would become their own nation, become a commonwealth, remain a territory, or become a
state.
Big reasoning for this is that the only vote they had was "Alaska a state? yes or no." Not the full range of options they were entitled to.
Another point I came across is that they state around 40,000 US servicemen were stationed in Alaska along with 36,000 of their dependents. As long
as they were at least 19 they were given a vote. With a vote that was about 40,000 for statehood and 8,000 i think it was against, you can see how
this would be a concern.
Straight from the horse's mouth.
For her political affiliations regarding which parties she belonged to (which I could honestly care less about),
here is the Wiki article on her. While I'm not using the wiki itself as
"evidence," I'm suggesting you follow their sources as well.
Side note: I personally don't like to see blogs used as "credible sources" because a blog is just one's own opinion put to the web. A lot like
an opinion section in a newspaper. One person's opinion. All it is.
Another side note... I do think Palin is quite good lookin too
[edit on 2-9-2008 by Shaker]