Constitutional Party Presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin's assessment of Sarah Palin brings to light her disinterest in constitutional government.

So, she competently hunts big game, dons designer clothing, has five children with funky names, calls her handsome husband the “First Dude,” wants to "drill, baby, drill," and says she has reformed the state government of Alaska. But is Governor Sarah Palin really a close buddy of Lady Liberty?

Pastor, columnist, and Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin would say, “Nope.” In fact, he is rather underwhelmed by Senator John McCain’s running mate’s conservative bonafides.

In a recent column, Baldwin laments Palin’s inability (or unwillingness?) to articulate the real issues our country should be debating in the current presidential campaign (as opposed to bringing up the National Enquirer soap opera that Palin’s family dramas provoked). To questions by ABC’s Charles Gibson, Palin offers revealing answers.

Palin’s neocon political posturing aligns her with President George W. Bush when it comes to unilateral, pre-emptive military attacks and his complete disregard for fiscally-responsible, constitutional government. Also, she appears to be one with Juan McCain vis-à-vis illegal immigration, considering Alaska’s ‘sanctuary state’ policies. And although the Governor espouses pro-life beliefs, she will not oppose McCain when it comes to embryonic stem cell research and funding for Planned Parenthood.

Baldwin concludes from Palin’s answers and non-answers (although he does praise her for her stand on the Second Amendment) that she will be an advocate for the type of trade deals that have crippled the United States’ economy and stolen some of our sovereignty (NAFTA, GATT, etc.).

Baldwin doesn’t mention this, but ‘separate school and state’ advocates, should also be aware that Palin has received props from the president of the National Education Association, Reg Weaver, who stated, “While she is only in her second year as Alaska’s governor, she has thus far shown herself to be a supporter of children and public education … In her less than two years as the state’s chief executive officer, she was able to increase per-pupil education spending … ”

She also digs the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act (Title IX), the federal legislation which prohibits discrimination in academics or athletics.

Clearly, Sarah Palin is not a Ron Paul Republican –  the sort of maverick who is going to call for a dismantling of the federal department of Homeland Security or Education. The writer Kay S. Hymowitz has dubbed her a “Red State Feminist.” Indeed, Palin, judging from her stump speeches, is more preoccupied with shattering that mythical glass ceiling than with bringing down the New World Order.

Frankly, it all makes perfect sense. Would John McCain, military-industrial complex champion extraordinaire, select any other type of person, except a partisan career politician, for his running mate?

Isabel Lyman holds a doctorate in social science and is the author of The Homeschooling Revolution (2000).