By DAVID NORLIN

This is not about Sarah Palin.

Instead, let's talk petro-states. Like Oman. And its sister state, Alaska. In 2007, Alaska produced approximately 719,000 barrels of oil per day. That puts it in the same ballpark as Egypt (710,000), Oman (718,000) and Malaysia (755,000). Its economy parallels Oman's. Its oil revenues account for about 75 percent of export earnings.

Oil rents provide 42 percent of Alaska's annual revenue, more than any other source. Without federal subsidies (the highest per capita in the nation), Alaska's oil rents would account for 53 percent of income.

Alaska is virtually alone in possessing a large (about $5 billion) budget surplus. While other governors and federal officials face massive deficits and citizens furious at proposed budget cuts, Palin remains unchallenged and unqualified to deal with such economic realities.

But this is not about Sarah.

While petro-states thrive, the rest of us are petrified by the need for renewable energy. Subsidies for renewable energy technologies are essential.

At a national governor's conference, however, Palin argued against them. "I just don't want things to get out of hand with incentives for renewables."

But this is not about Sarah.

We depend on government to protect the population from pollution. Birth defects like Down's syndrome, for example, can hit any family. Alaska wanted to protect schoolchildren by giving parents at least 48 hours' notice before schools are sprayed with pesticides or toxic chemicals. Palin's administration opposed it, arguing (untruthfully) that it would force schools to notify parents before cleaning toilets with disinfectant.

Palin also opposed banning polybrominated diphenyl ethers -- a flame retardant that can harm developing brains. Democratic state Rep. Andrea Doll tried to get Palin interested in her flame retardants bill. "She totally was not interested in any way, shape, or form. It was that look on her face -- that 'don't even go there' look."

But this is not about Sarah.

It is about the irremediable harms that ignorance and lax governance inflict on precious resources (the birthright of our children and grandchildren.

Only in Alaska, under Palin, were oil companies allowed to dump toxins in a coastal fishery, Cook Inlet. In addition, mining companies killed Proposition 4 for Clean Water, which would have prevented toxic metal runoff (causing birth and developmental defects) into Bristol Bay, the world's largest commercial wild salmon fishery, for which Palin's oldest daughter was named. It died after Palin said, "Let me take my governor's hat off for just a minute, and tell you personally, Prop 4 -- I vote no on that."

But this is not about Sarah.

It is about localities like Salina, possessed of many normally smart, savvy folks, who go along with media celebrity for short-term profit, while ignoring its long-term harm. Salina is well aware of the challenges of cleaning up pollution left by closed military bases. Worse than Salina's Schilling, Alaska's old Northeast Cape Air Force base on remote St. Lawrence Island was terribly contaminated. Closed in the 1970s, it left thousands of barrels of toxic waste, solvents, fuels, heavy metals, pesticides and PCBs.

Despite pressure, Gov. Palin simply refused to press the military for cleanup. "She doesn't have a good understanding of the science," said Ruth Etzel, former research director at Alaska's Native Medical Program.

But this is not about Sarah.

It is about how we manage to choose such clueless folk as leaders. Partly, it's sheer opportunism, money and timing.

For example, Frank Murkowski, Alaska's locally celebrated 20-year senator, decided in 2002 to become governor. Seeing Frank up close, however, led citizens to trot out "Anyone but Frank" bumper stickers. They named his pricey jet "The Bald Ego." He was wiped out by Palin in the 2006 primary, garnering only 19 percent of the vote.

Alaskans needed -- and got -- a clean slate, but also a blank one. Part of the clueless leader syndrome is that their confidence makes our own cluelessness comfortable.

We have falsely assumed that forests, fish, abundant lands, and wild waters, are our god-given right.

However, we have lost a stable climate and plundered the resources of a mostly untouched continent. With a vastly larger population (300 going on 400 million), we live, as David Orr put it, only on "remainders of once vast natural stores of minerals, soils and forests."

Locally, our agricultural Midwest, without dramatic change, will be unfarmable, perhaps unlivable, in 40 years.

We take great comfort in hearing we don't have to worry about such things -- and pay handsomely for the service.

No, this is not about Sarah Palin. It is about us.

David Norlin, Salina, is a retired English and communications professor from Cloud County Community College, former Kansas House candidate and chairman of the Salina Human Relations Commission.