Palin is both comfortable and adept at these tabloid squabbles—certainly more than she seems ever likely to be in a substantive environment. Parrying political opponents about policy, or responding to serious queries about the state of the world is just not what Palin does. Even her attacks on President Obama have a canned quality, something along the lines of … “socialism, yadda yadda yadda.” She leaves the details to Romney or Huckabee or perhaps next week’s guest star.
Too good to not be repeated.Technorati Tags: Sarah Palin,
“All politics are local” is never more true than when the topic is Gay Rights it appears. It’s never more personal than when it touches you personally. One of my beautiful, smart, courageous daughters is a Lesbian and I believe she was born as such and is perfect. She is not a freak. She can’t be cured, nor does she have a disease. She is who she is, no better, no worse than anyone else of any sexual orientation.
Let’s end this nonsense about it being a choice or lifestyle. It’s not environment, none of my other children are Gay. It’s not choice, who would choose to subject themselves to such hate? It’s no more of a choice than heterosexuality is a choice. It can’t be cured. It’s not a mental defect. Looking back I thought she was just a tom boy. She stil gives me a hard time because I didn’t let her play hockey. It wasn’t because she was a girl, it was only because I thought she was too little compared to the other kids. Its not unnatural, homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 species. Christians tell me God doesn’t make mistakes.
You likely know someone who is Gay, even if you don’t know it. Yes, there are still plenty of people in the closet because they still fear the repercussions of coming out. As early as grade school, they learn the danger of being different than other students or even their teachers. Some live in fear of their parents because of the hateful things they say about homosexuals. I was guilty of that, before I learned my own child is Gay. If you think there is no need for this ordinance then you are just oblivious to the facts that there is still ignorance and hate directed at Gays in Anchorage.
Homosexuality is not a lifestyle. Homosexuals live in very diverse ways, just the same as heterosexuals. Just because heterosexuals are in the majority doesn’t mean they get to trounce on the rights of the minority.
The days of discrimination are clearly not over since we are having this discussion. This isn’t about feelings or perception. It’s about ensuring that people ofis any sexual orientation are treated without prejudice simply because of their sexual orientation. Our opinion of homosexuality is irrelevant. You don’t get to make the rules simply because you don’t like something. I don’t like broccoli, can I make it illegal to sell it or grow it?
The inequality of the law is that unlike others who are protected by law, homosexuals as a group are not.
Coming from a small business background myself, the arguments against the ordinance on behalf of small businesses are baseless. We know that we have to be careful and document everything when it comes to managing employees. This isn’t going to cause any new problems as long as businesses aren’t discriminating against people based on who they are.
I believe in freedom of religion. However, I also believe in freedom from religion. Most of the arguments that I have heard against the ordinance has been religious in nature. There is no legitimate legal argument for refusing people of all sexual orientations equal protection under the law. The fact that there is so much resistance to this ordinance is evidence of how much it is needed.
If your religious beliefs include that people of color are the spawn of the devil himself, then you should have the right to discriminate against them?
You know who else has that mindset? Islamic Jihadist. Is that really the kind of “freedom of religion” you want to be associated with?
You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to approve of it. You don’t have to endorse it. You don’t have to hold hands and sing Kumbaya with anyone.
Don’t let ignorance, hate and fear rot your soul, fog your mind or chill your heart. It’s time to let our Gay neighbors, friends, family and children know that they will be respected and protected from those that hate and worse than that hide behind religion to rationalize and justify their hate.
Our public discourse on a wide range of topics from local to world wide has been dominated by extremists - at both ends of the political spectrum. Too often we find ourselves talking to people that think and believe like us, share our personal values, instead of reaching out to people we don’t agree with. Not to argue. Not to denigrate and insult. Just to understand. Perhaps with more of us truly trying to understand opposing points of views, we may find that there are some things that we can agree on.
I bring this up because I came across a site through twitter that I expected to disagree with it it’s entirety. I was surprised that I found a lot that I could agree with. Sure there is more that I disagreed with, but I did get a better understanding about at least this one individual.
We often forget that writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution wasn’t without passionate disagreements from the wording to the substance. Instead of vilifying and condemning each other, they found a way to reach compromises that the majority could agree with. I wonder if we could do as well today.
Oh and that site I am talking about can be found here A Bold Step Back
My favorite Steven Covey Quote “Seek first to understand, the to be understood.”
Palin’s written statement to the press said she was vetoing a total of $80 million. But that includes the $28.6 in energy stimulus money as well as $35 million that was really just a transfer between two accounts within the state budget.
What is it with that woman that prevents her from telling the truth? Does she really think Alaskans are that stupid, or does she simply have zero respect for her constituents? Is it only a coincidence that she makes this announcement so close to the first major holiday of the summer? Think maybe she hopes that by Tuesday Alaskans will have forgotten her being a traitor to the State of Alaska?
The operating budget (government) continues to grow. She cuts projects that would have provided much needed private sector jobs. Then has the unmitigated gall and audacity to refuse to accept federal funds because of non-existent “strings”.
Alaskans, we need to ban together, write our representatives and tell them we want them to call themselves into special session and override the Governor’s cuts. We need to let them know, and the Governor know, that we aren’t going to take a back seat to Palin’s political aspirations. We need to let them know that we are fed up with Palin’s lies. They need to know that we expect them to do their jobs and represent their constituents best interests and not allow that megalomaniac continue to ruin our state and our futures. Even if she still refuses to accept the money, put her on record as thinking she knows better than 2/3 of the Legislature and the majority of Alaskans.
Find your representative here and write them today. Don’t let her get away with this. Here is what I sent to my representatives:
I’m a constituent in your district, as my representative in Juneau I want you to work with other legislators to call yourselves into special session to override Palin’s vetoes. To me it is unconscionable to turn down Federal Assistance and cut construction projects that would provide much needed private sector jobs.
Even if she still refuses to accept the federal money, she will be on record as putting her personal ambitions ahead of the citizens of Alaska. Don’t let her get away with this.
Let me point out that the state currently has $6.6 billion in reserve due to the prudent fiscal management of Gov. Palin. She vetoed spending when the state’s coffers were overflowing with money — and the very reason they were flush with money was because of her ACES, which allowed Alaska to receive a fair return on their resources in times of high oil prices.
Imagine what shape Alaska would be in now without her prudent leadership. (But, of course, she wore an Arctic Cat jacket, so she’s evil and must be stopped!)
So much disinformation and ignorance in two short paragraphs.
Palin has nothing to do with the money in Alaska’s Budget Reserve. “Alaska voters created the Constitutional Budget Reserve in 1990, and lawmakers have drawn money from it several times to cover state spending. High oil prices have negated the need to dip into the fund since 2003.” Anchorage Daily News
Palin has increased the operating budget by 20% since taking office. She cut capital projects that would create private sector jobs. Many of her vetoes were made to punish or reward legislators based on their fidelity, or lack of, to Her Highness. “At roughly $3.6 billion, Palin’s proposed operating budget would be an increase of more than $170 million over this year’s budget.” Anchorage Daily News Dec. 15 2006 .”When the smoke cleared after Gov. Sarah Palin’s big cuts to the capital budget in June, one survivor that stood out was a $630,000 appropriation to the Wasilla Sports Complex.” Anchorage Daily News October 7, 2007
It was the Alaska legislature that put aside money. “Lawmakers put an unprecedented $5 billion into two state rainy day accounts. The savings came from billions of surplus dollars the state expects to rake in as a result of high oil prices and last year’s oil tax hike.” Anchorage Daily News.
It was Palin who championed the $1200 for every man, woman and child in Alaska under the guise of “energy relief. “If we walk out of this special session and we spend a billion (dollars) on a Band-Aid without fixing the hole, the boat is going to fill up with water next year,” said Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage. “What are you going to do about the future so you aren’t going to spend a billion next year and the next year?”. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. How prophetic.
Palin was acting in an official capacity to start the Iron Dog race. Co-Governor Todd is a participant who just happens to be sponsored by Arctic Cat. Her appearing in an official capacity wearing clothing provided by her husbands sponsor amounted to free publicity for Arctic Cat. I understand ethics is a difficult concept for some people to understand, but you would think that someone like Palin who campaigned on restoring ethics to government would have at least a rudimentary grasp of the concept.
But there is more. It seems contributers want to add to the deluge of ignorance.
DB said…Given Alaska’s fiscal situation, it is more than passing strange that the legislature continues to drag its feet on the gas pipelines.
No DB, the legislature is not dragging their feet. In fact, they moved too fast on Palin’s ill-conceived AGIA “process” that will cost Alaskans half a billion dollars and potentially treble damages, without TransCanada ever putting a shovel in the ground. Palin has refused to consider other options and has put Alaskans last by not moving to use our resources in state first.
Greg said…The dems are deliberately trying to force Alaska to become just like the rest of the country, state income tax, state sales tax, debt, the whole works. Dems can’t get enough of taking peoples money from them, and spending it on what they want.
No Greg. In Alaska it’s the Republicans that champion the sales tax. “House Speaker Pete Kott predicts a statewide sales tax proposal will emerge sometime this week in the state Legislature. Kott, an Eagle River Republican, said such as plan has “a good possibility” of success as lawmakers seek new revenues to reduce the state’s budget deficit.” AlaskaLegislature.com
At the very least is it too much to ask that people who want to comment on Alaska put in a little effort to research what the are writing about? It seems that these folks are acting more like members of a cult, refusing to listen to anyone that isn’t a fellow believer. Yes, I know that the same can be said of many Obama supporters, and I would say the same to them. Open your mind, heart and ears to the perspective of others. You never know, you might learn something.
Sarah Palin was arguably the most influential person in 2008, but no one notices because she wasn’t influential enough to overcome the deficits of her running mate and win the election.
Seriously Ms. Coulter you need to step away from the keyboard, you have officially lost your mind. Which is understandable considering the apparent size of your brain it could be easily misplaced.
Governor Palin was successful in bringing out the radical religious right, the homophobes, the closet KKK members, and the “I’m votin’ fer her cuz she’s hot” segment of the do nothing party. But ultimately she hurt more than help. As the campaign wore on and people learned more about Palin, saw her in action, listened to her respond to questions her popularity went on a steady decline. The McCain/Palin ticket lost because they couldn’t separate themselves from the Bush administration. Voting for them was a vote to continue the previous eight years and people had finally had enough of what Bush did to our country.
John McCain was so preposterous a candidate (at least on a Republican ticket) that Palin was responsible for far more votes than the usual vice-presidential candidate.
What is really preposterous is that McCain was forced to accept somebody without ANY credentials to be one heartbeat away from the Oval Office. She was a hail mary pass that was supposed to bring in the supposed “disenfranchised” Hillary Clinton supporters. Guess what, women were insulted by the move, and rightly so.
The biggest red flag proving her popularity with normal Americans is that liberals won’t shut up about her. Palin is a threat to liberals because she believes in God and country and family — all values liberals pretend to believe in but secretly detest.
The reason people don’t stop talking about her is because she doesn’t quit doing and saying stupid things. The reason people don’t stop talking about her is because of empty headed talking heads like Coulter won’t shut up about her. I think most “normal Americans” would be just fine not ever talking about or hearing from Palin ever again.
By the way, I’m curious how Ms. Coulter would define “normal Americans’? I suspect that normal would be just like her, because she is the standard we should all be measured by right? We get a clue with the “God, Country and Family” phrase. That would be her God as she defines it, love it or leave it country, and family of the 1950’s television variety. If we accept her definition of “normal Americans” that means that anyone that doesn’t share her myopic view of the world is “abnormal”. The sad thing is that I fear Palin shares that view.
The American voter can be hornswoggled occasionally, but we can generally spot a real American, and that’s what Sarah Palin is. She really was a housewife who went into politics because she didn’t like the way her taxes were being spent. She really did take on the old-boy network — the oil companies and her own party — and won. And yes, she really did walk the walk on abortion when she found out she was carrying a Down-syndrome baby.
Sure, she’s a genuine American, as is Obama. Obama has spent his life working to improve his community, his state and now our country. Palin on the other hand has been on one long ego trip. She went from second rate Beauty Queen contestant, to failed sportscaster on a local TV channel, then began her political career as a way to feed her insatiable appetite for attention.
Palin was swept into the Governor’s office in a political “perfect storm”. The oil companies are still going forward with their own plan for the gas pipeline. The Alaska GOP leadership hasn’t changed. The old boys network backed her campaign mostly privately because they were toxic in that political climate. She had nothing to do with rooting out corruption. She has failed to live up to her promises of ethics, open and transparent government. She has been guilty of cronyism of the highest order.
Why is it ok to praise Palin for having a Down-syndrom baby, but we’re not allowed to criticize her for the train wreck that is the rest of her children?
The combination of Palin’s attractiveness as a candidate and her ability to expose liberals made her a celebrity among Republicans. The only thing I have against her is that she threatens to surpass me in attracting the left’s hatred.
Expose liberals? As if they weren’t liberals until Palin says so? She’s a celebrity among Republicans because they are so bereft of leadership, intelligence and vision. Seriously, if Palin is the best the GOP has to offer, then put a fork in them, they are done.
Is it because our government is so stupid that our “…Drug Enforcement Administration has grouped all varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant together in spite of the fact that industrial hemp contains only trace amounts of psychotropic THC–a fraction of what’s present in marijuana.”
Perhaps it is because hemp was considered to be competition to captains of industry. “In 1937, DuPont patented the processes to make plastics from oil and coal. DuPont’s Annual Report urged stockholders to invest in its new petrochemical division. Synthetics such as plastics, cellophane, celluloid, methanol, nylon, rayon, Dacron, etc., could now be made from oil.Natural hemp industrialization would have ruined over 80% of DuPont’s business.”
Or is it simply collateral damage in the war against drugs?
What other reasons could there possibly be for outlawing Hemp? For over 5,000 years, hemp has been used for textiles, paper, building materials, fuel, food and personal care products. Hemp can be grown with little or no toxic chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. Today hemp is grown all over the world. The crop is used to make over 25,000 consumer products. From hemp apparel and accessories to housewares and hempseed oil cosmetics, hemp is an eco-shopper’s dream.
How is that we can permit importation of products made from Hemp, but it’s against the law to grow it? Why is it that American farmers are forbidden from growing a cash crop that was grown by American founders? Including George Washington.
We are at a point in history where we are looking for alternative fuels, creating new industry and jobs, becoming more self sufficient and earth friendly. Permitting the cultivation of industrial Hemp addresses all of those priorities. It is irresponsible and unacceptable to continue the irrational prohibition of industrial Hemp. Strange bedfellows indeed, but Ron Paul and Barney Frank introduced Hemp Farming Legislation - HR 1866 . “The DEA has taken the Controlled Substances Act’s antiquated definition of marijuana out of context and used it as an excuse to ban industrial hemp farming. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 will return us to more rational times when the government regulated marijuana, but allowed farmers to continue raising industrial hemp just as they always had.”
Unfortunately, there isn’t any way to have a discussion about Hemp without including it’s cousin Marijuana. Pete Guither writes a good history of Why is Marijuana illegal? But the question is why is it STILL illegal?
Whether the FDA or AMA agrees or not, Marijuana has been used successfully for medicinal purposes for 5000 years. There is an abundance of scientific evidence in support of medicinal marijuana.
So what about just plain old “recreational” use. You know, like how people use other drugs like alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. Well Marijuana doesn’t have any of the side affects or addictive qualities of those other drugs. There’s never been a case of overdose or death related to Marijuana use. I’ve never known a pot smoker to be abusive to their partners or family. Haven’t heard of any pot smokers getting on the road speeding or driving recklessly. Unless of course driving 20 mph on the highway is reckless. So what other reasons could there be for the continued criminalization of marijuana?
If it’s legal, it will send the wrong message to our children that it’s ok.
They seem to get the idea that alcohol and tobacco are NOT ok for them, but ok for adults. In fact, keeping illegal actually makes it easier for our kids to get it, because there isn’t any regulation. It’s easier for kids to get pot than it is alcohol.
Marijuana is a gateway drug.
It’s a gateway drug because it is being sold by illegal drug dealers who happen to be selling other drugs. Regulate it, get it off the streets and into licensed and approved businesses like we do with tobacco and alcohol and people aren’t exposed to those other drugs.
So who benefits from marijuana being illegal? Street drug dealers and Gangs. Pharmaceutical companies. The alcohol industry. The law enforcement and justice industries. The medical industry. Read “When Weed is Legal“.
Legalization of marijuana would increase tax revenues and eliminate the cost of investigating, prosecuting and jailing marijuana growers, dealers and users. It would get marijuana off the streets and out of our schools. It would lessen the violence between competing criminal entities in our neighborhoods and at our borders. When was the last time you heard of a bootlegger selling booze on the street or in our schools? It’s not worth doing it because they can’t compete with the legal outlets and the risk and penalties are too great.
Now is the time to allow common sense to rule the day, rather than continue a course of prohibition that only benefits the rich and powerful who profit from it being illegal.
“Alaskans deserve to have a fair election not tainted by some announcement that one of the candidates was convicted fairly of seven felonies, when in fact it wasn’t a fair conviction,” Palin said in a Thursday interview with the Daily News
They didn’t say he was innocent, they said he was treated unfairly. He’s getting off on a technicality basically. If his trial was under a Democratic administration, I could understand the feeling, and may be a little more sympathetic to their position. But this wasn’t a case of a politically motivated prosecution.
Our legal system makes mistakes all the time. Yet, there are no “do overs” for the victims of false accusations and erroneous convictions. People don’t get their lives back when accusations of abuse, rape or even fraud. People lose their jobs, families, home, business and the list goes on and on. As tragic as it is, Senator Stevens or even the people of Alaska can’t rewrite history.
Let’s also not forget that Senator Stevens pushed for and received an expedited trial schedule. Had he just accepted the regular trial schedule there is a chance the information from the informant would have come out during the trial and he may or may not have been convicted. So the Senator and his legal team have to accept a bit of responsibility for this sad state of affairs.
Senator Stevens you have served the State of Alaska well for many years. I think it’s time for you to step down with dignity. Don’t get caught up with the likes of Palin with her total lack of ethics or integrity. You have so much to offer with your experience and contacts, you can still get much done as Alaska’s “Ambassador Emeritus” to the world.
“Some question my decision to accept job-ready stimulus funds, while leaving on the table for discussion other funds that grow government”
For the first two years of her term, Governor Palin ‘grew’ the Alaska operating budget by 20%. Apparently she only became concerned about the growth of government once she was tapped by fellow maverick John McCain to be his running mate.
Shovel-ready projects are certifiable because they put people to work and grow Alaska’s private-sector economy.
So how does that fit with Governor Palin cutting capital projects all around the state in Alaskan communities in the last two budgets? 231 Million in 2007 and 268 million in 2008. So does that mean creating private sector jobs wasn’t important before, but it is now?
When stimulus money runs out in two years, who will pay for the expanded government programs, when Alaska currently has a budget shortfall of over a billion dollars?
Governments receive time limited funding all the time. When the federal money runs out the program is dropped, cut back, or additional funding is requested. This happens at every level of government, it’s nothing new. Everyone knows what temporary means, or at least everyone not named Palin. The idea is to provide additional funding in areas that are going to be most impacted by the economic crisis. Things like additional funds for school lunch programs and extended unemployment benefits. There aren’t any federal mandates that these additional programs or funding must continue beyond the two years of funding.
That billion dollar budget shortfall is one manufactured by Palin. She submitted a budget based on oil prices being $74 per barrel, nearly double what they were at the time. Nearly double what real oil industry experts predicted, and still well over the current $49 per barrel price today. It’s not like she wasn’t warned either. Legislators were very skeptical about her basing the budget on such a ridiculously inflated oil price. Representative Mike Hawker went on record writing to Governor Palin imploring her to re-evaluate her oil price predictions. Read the letter here and you will see that he was spot on his predictions that Governor Palin ignored. Just one example of her arrogance. Had she heeded that advice, there would be no budget shortfall.
Remember, these dollars aren’t “replacement dollars,” they are “additional dollars,” and obviously increase budgets.
Yes Governor we remember. We also remember that these are “temporary dollars” to face a “temporary crisis”. Once the temporary crisis has ended there will be no need for those temporary dollars. Is that simple and succinct enough for even you Governor?
I’m approaching federal funds and mandates with caution, but won’t stand in the way of organizations or communities applying to the feds for funding their own expansions.
Deftly done Governor, congratulations, or is it the brand managers who should be congratulated? She can claim that she rejected those hated stimulus dollars, but she won’t “stand in the way” of other Alaskans getting them. That way she’ll remain a conservative favorite all the while those she was elected to serve can still get what is their fair share of the stimulus package.
Some, enticed with as much Washington money as possible, assume this is free money. It is not. America is $11 trillion in debt.
Of course it’s not “free”. Those are taxpayer dollars, including Alaskans, including nearly 30% of PFD’s and that extra $1200 bribe the Governor handed out last year. We are going to be 11 trillion in debt regardless what Governor Palin takes or not. Clearly this is a statement meant for her lower 48 constituency, because it certainly doesn’t apply to those she has sworn to serve.
For example, Alaska’s communities would have to adopt building energy codes that compliment the most recent International Codes. These standards should be locally determined, not federally mandated.
The code would only apply to communities with more than 2,500 people. Structures without plumbing or central heating would be exempt.
Anchorage already has an energy code that would meet the requirements of the bill and Fairbanks does for residential structures, according to Wielechowski’s office. Ketchikan is also planning to adopt a code. Structures built by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation meet the energy efficiency requirements as well.
Anchorage Republican Sen. McGuire said that “over time, any additional costs of building energy efficient homes are recouped, and exceeded, by energy savings.
The state would have eight years to adopt such codes.
Palin goes on to write
And, if we take additional unemployment compensation funds, Alaska would have to extend eligibility guidelines.
Yes, for the period of time that the federal funds cover. This has been done before during rough economic times. When the situation gets better, the need for extended benefits and funds are no longer required. In fact the legislature can write that into the law.
This federal involvement locks us into government dependency for longer periods.
Federal dependency? As if we are independent now? Should we reject any federal funds of any type so that we are independent? Like our own country? What dependency is she referring to and why is that bad?
Alaskans must read the fine print on these federal mandates, because certain allocations also require state-matching funds.
Governor, why not just tell us. Quote from the documents and tell us what mandates require matching funds and how much. Is this new money, for new programs, or is this increased funding for existing programs?
When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government. Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem.
Well now, that’s quite inspiring, however one thing. How does accepting the stimulus funds make us more dependent? If that is truly how she feels, then why didn’t she reject ALL of the stimulus money? This is how we know that this is mainly just for show.
And now for the big finish:
My job is to help Alaskans count the cost for the long term, not sell our birthright for short-term gain. Alaskans must acknowledge that if we dig a fiscal hole, it will be filled by our families and businesses. Reliance on Washington is not our only option. We could exercise fiscal responsibility and prudent planning, develop our resources, energize Alaskans, and revitalize our spirit. We are up to the challenge. This is the best lesson we can teach our children.
Replace Alaskans with Americans above and you have her Presidential campaign stump speech.
You see this is simply about her philosophy. She doesn’t like the feds meddling in what she believes is none of their business. That includes education, health care, public assistance and now apparently safe and energy efficient buildings. She is using the economic crisis, and stimulus package to further her personal ambitions at the national level. I find this insulting and disgusting.
She offers nothing in the way of alternatives, but at least that is consistent in her two years as Governor. She ignored the plight of Alaskans in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta until public outrage forced her to act. Even now she has done little to help. Mostly giving lip service and a quick photo op with demigods Prevo and Graham. It was private Alaskan citizens that came to their aid. Now they, and other Alaska Bush Communities will be receiving heating oil from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez How sad is that? The richest state in the union and our fellow citizens are reduced to taking hand outs from a foreign Socialist country.
Governor Palin has abandoned the people she has sworn to serve. She is a disgrace to the office she abused. This last act of arrogance and hubris should ensure that she will never win an election in Alaska again. She better hope her national ambitions pans out, because she’s done in Alaska.
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