Sure, the governor and legislators approved more state funding for schools, but does the governor have a plan, even a notion of what really should or could be done to reduce Alaska's embarrassingly high dropout rate?

Alaska's minimum wage will fall below the federal minimum wage next summer, and already is below the minimum wage in several states. A bill to boost Alaska's minimum wage failed to win approval from the state Legislature or the governor's support this past session. Where does the governor stand on the minimum wage? Members of Congress and other governors have had to state their position, so how about Governor Palin?

Palin's takes credit for winning legislative approval to suspend Alaska's state tax on motor fuel this year. Her bill saves motorists 8 cents a gallon, or about 2 percent. Great politics, small dollars, but popular. But what about a real plan to repair state highways and roads in communities statewide? If Alaska is not going to ask for congressional appropriations to fix our roads, and if the state is not going to tax Alaskans to fix them, just how do we repair the roads on a consistent basis?

And how are the other 49 states to pay for road work? Does Governor Palin support a suspension of the federal motor fuel tax, too?

Are others embarrassed as I that a state as rich as Alaska has such problems with homelessness in our cities, neighborhood health clinics unable to keep up with demand from uninsured patients, and parents who want to work but can't find affordable daycare?

The state reports that there are almost 32,000 children under 6 years old who need child care while their parents work. There are almost 10,000 children 4 and younger living below the federal poverty level. Yet the state contributes just a few million dollars a year for child care assistance - this out of billions of dollars of revenue at a time of record oil prices. The governor's office spent more of its time this past legislative session working on passage of tax credits to spur filmmakers to shoot movies in Alaska than on child-care assistance.

Yes, Palin has done some good for Alaska. But what does she plan to do tomorrow, assuming she returns to work as governor? Or what will she do for the nation if elected?

I believe Alaskans - and now Americans, by virtue of her vice presidential candidacy - deserve to hear from the governor on the real economic and social issues of the day such as education, working wages, homelessness, child care and medical care.

We already know that Russia is close to Alaska, as is Canada.

We already know that an Alaska natural-gas pipeline is good for the state; higher oil taxes good for the treasury; ethics good for government; and that good old-boys are bad.

We already know that Senator John McCain and Governor Palin would be tough on terrorists, as if anyone would do so differently.

Tell us something we don't know. Tell us something about making the state and the country a better place for everyone.

Give us something more than pep rallies.

Please fill in the blank pages of the governor's record.

Larry Persily is a former Alaska journalist, including stints as editorial-page editor of the Anchorage Daily News, managing editor of the Juneau Empire, and twice editor of his own weekly newspaper. He also served in the administrations of Alaska's past three governors, most recently as oil and gas, transportation and Arctic issues staffer for Governor Sarah Palin in the state's Washington, D.C., office (he left the office in June). He plans to return to Alaska later this year.