Palin Takes the Money.
Well, she takes MOST of the money. Still on the reject list is $29 million for state energy programs.
From the Associated Press –
A spokeswoman for Sarah Palin says the Alaska governor is going to accept most federal stimulus funds.
Spokeswoman Sharon Leighow says Palin is only likely to reject nearly $29 million for State Energy Programs funds because she believes it to be tied to developing a statewide energy code.
(Oh, the horror!)
Palin had initially indicated she did not want to accept about a third of the $930 million available to Alaska because of strings attached that would bind the state in the future.
Legislative budget leaders couldn’t find those strings, however.
(Palin’s string theory?)
Lawmakers passed bills accepting nearly all funds available to Alaska. Once the bills reach Palin’s desk, likely by early next week, she has 20 days to accept or veto them.
The stimulus bill requires that within eight years of the act (by February 2017) the state adopt building codes for residential and commercial structures that meet or exceed international energy-efficiency standards. The standards must apply to 90 percent of new or renovated building space; not existing structures. The requirement deals with energy-efficiency standards, not a complete set of building codes. And goodness knows, we don’t want to be worried about energy efficiency…
The official word is HERE.
She is such a jerk (I can’t think of another word) to handle the stimulus money the way she is handling it!! I thought it was ILLEGAL for her to use stimulus funds to replace state spending so they can save more! That is NOT what it is for!
Press release from Sarah Palin on the stimulus.
She is mostly accepting the funds, but made crystal clear that in some cases the stimulus funds will be used to replace state spending so the state can increase its savings.
In other words, in outright defiance of the both the spirit and the letter of the stimulus program.
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1792
AKM, I hope you see this. And other Alaskans.
Please read this article!!!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-sledge/palin-and-perry-skirt-sec_b_191582.html
Do you think she will sign this legislation? This is a pretty big deal.
That’s pretty amusing. You would think in a state with long cold winters and high heating costs, effective energy use would be a no brainer and since Palin doesn’t have any brains, who would have guessed that would be the issue she took a stand on.
Dang – sarah is just just such a nitwit dipstick……….
As Lisabeth points out, Palin is explicitly using Federal funds to replace State spending, which violates the stimulus program guidelines. Here is the quote from the Governor’s press release:
“In evaluating use of federal stimulus funds, the governor placed a priority on protecting the state’s savings accounts so they can be a fiscal stabilizer over several years of revenue shortfalls. To keep the state from using more of its savings, Governor Palin asked the legislature to use federal money to replace state general funds in the FY2009 and FY2010 budgets. More than $130 million of federal economic stimulus funds will be used to replace state general funds in the operating budget, specifically for Medicaid reimbursement and child support enforcement.”
I don’t mind paying the taxes needed to pay for a stimulus plan that produces jobs and helps the U.S. economy recover.
I DO mind paying taxes that go into Alaska’s savings account so that no new jobs are created and no economic activity is generated.
OT Don’t know if mentioned, but Kathleen Sebelius will be sworn in tonight!
You have to make the Washington DC aware of this practice – money from stimulus is intended for the stimulus. Joe Biden is the man, remember he said he would bring to shame those (governors) whom their intention is otherwise.
go for it,
add her latest lie (I was against the $930 million for Alaska’s citizens before I was for $900 million) to the list of today’s reasons why Spector jumped ship. Palin, Perry, Bachmann (swine flu is the fault of the Democrats), Beck, Rush, Steele and O’Reilly.
At the rate they are collapsing, their entire membership might just be those listed above in the not too distant future!
OT—–Gryphen is teasing people! Mom! Mom!
Also, on the IM post about complaint #13, there is information showing that the only complaint Palin has to pay for herself is the Troopergate one (which she, herself, filed). She evidently CHOSE to hire a private attorney instead of just using the AG. The AG would handle the other 12 (so far) complaints, and she would not have any legal fees from them…which kinda’ begs the question, “What is her legal defense fund going to spent on?” (ending sentence with a preposition—bad grammar!! bad grammar!!!)
@ Rob in CA “As Lisabeth points out, Palin is explicitly using Federal funds to replace State spending, which violates the stimulus program guidelines. ”
————————-
Wouldn’t Alaska get in trouble with the feds if they violated the guidelines? It would be interesting to see if Alaskan citizens would file a complaint with the feds. against her if she did violate the guidelines. : )
‘More than $130 million of federal economic stimulus funds will be used to replace state general funds in the operating budget, specifically for Medicaid reimbursement and child support enforcement.”
I don’t think she can legally do this…..but that has never stopped her before.
And, if she signs the secession bill – all Hell will break loose (but she will be the Queen of Alaska, so “no worries’). I was wondering how much damage she could cause in the remainder of her term. Quite a lot, I fear.
I would think even someone who’s not an Alaskan could file a complaint–a federal one. If that’s the case I’ll be more than happy to do it. I’m calling my Senator tomorrow and asking. How dare she thumb her nose at the rules when that wench is taking MY tax money too. Sorry, Sarah but the citizens need that money. It doesn’t go in some Alaskan savings account just so you can try and garner some political capital…will not happen. Now this ticks me off.
Isn’t the acceptance of the stimulus money an ‘all or nothing’ proposition?
And folks……..the idiocy continues
Will she WINK her way through this, too…also…yet
BigPete, the stimulus is not all or nothing. And the legislatures were determined to not have the authority to override the governors on stimulus money. (Both these points were a change from the initial information given out)
However, Governor Sanford was clearly told, at least twice, that stimulus funds could not be used to reduce state spending. I don’t see this situation is any different.
energy-efficiency standards…egads, does she think she’s in Hawaii?
Is this the stimulus check to nowhere?
“Spokeswoman Sharon Leighow says Palin is only likely to reject nearly $29 million for State Energy Programs funds because she believes it to be tied to developing a statewide energy code.”
– wouldn’t this be the weatherization program that could help save fuel for people like the ones who were choosing between heat and food only a few months ago?
Also, on the troopergate attorney expenses… those attorneys were provided (free) by Dobson and others. Well over $180k in legal support was provided to her for all of the troopergate fiasco.. is she now saying that was recinded? So, if troopergate was paid for by others, then where’s the $500k defending administrative complaints comming from?
That’s around $100k/month… Has she hired an attorney to read all her mail or something? If, so, she should consider having Piper read the big words to her and it will be much cheaper.
Let’s keep in mind that she has only acknowledged the action of the legislature. She still has 20 days to veto it.
Don’t blow Sarah in now for violating federal stimulus law. Let her do it. Let her commit the crime; then she can serve hard time in a federal penitentiary.
Sarah does not want to come up with a state-wide energy program because neither she or any of her school classmates are capable of doing something so comprehensive.
In Ohio: I had forgotten all about that free legal support during Troopergate.
You really have to wonder where 500K could have gone! As the latest ethics complaint points out, we need an accounting on that.
I would also be nice if an attorney could pipe in with a clear explanation of what circumstance requires a Gov to pay legal expenses personallyl. As I recall, the attorney was originally working for the state and later it was changed to a personal representation. I never understood exactly why. I think a commenter here suggested that it was because Palin had filed the complaint against herself.
Any experts out there??
@in ohio and Rob in Ca–the free legal support during the Troopergate thing was NOT for GINO, it was for the six legislators who filed some something to try to get the case thrown out. (Geeze, you’d think I’d remember what in the heck it was…) In any case, it wasn’t for her…
Could someone stick a fork in her, and tell her she is done?
nswfm CA, sorry I’m fresh out of forks.. but I have an arsenal of knives, spoons, sporks, and pitchforks that I could arm the masses with.
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
(sung to the Steve Miller song “Take The Money And Run”)
This here’s a story ‘bout Sarah P. or “Caribou”
As for nicknames, ya know, she’s got quite a few
There’s “Failin’ Palin” and the “Pig with Lipstick” too
And here’s what happened up north when she was cut loose
She was the Guv, but spent no time in Juneau
One mean bitch with the temperament of Cujo
She double-crossed just about anyone you know
Sarah P. took the money and run
Sarah took the money and run
Sarah took the money and run
Sarah took the money and run
Sarah took the money and run
Sarah P. said she would not accept federal money
She said Obama was up to something funny
She told the Senate to hop away like a bunny
The legislature said, “Thanks But No Thanks” honey
Sarah P.was pissed she didn’t get her way
T o Indiana she went, the very next day
The House and Senate, hey
Took the funds anyway
Sarah P. was forced to declare the “Big OK”
Singin’ OK let’s take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
OK, take the money and run
(Haroooga!)
OK, take the money and run
And was it just GINO’s word that she owes $500K in legal fees? Any documentation or support of this claim from a more reliable source?
when, oh when will I learn to not read mudflats while eating or drinking?
The arsenal of eating utensils did it this time.
And of course the portion she rejects is that most needed by the folks she let go hungry and cold and then forced to accept aid from religious wingnuts as a way to secure herself another photo op.
I hope to someday own a small lock of her hair.
Yes but no, but yes, but no, but yes, but no.
She was agin’ it before she was fer it.
What’s new!
She has probably been lobbied by many of the slumlords here in Ak. There are some horrible places rented to low income people here. Part of the problem is there are no health and safety codes in many rural areas. They can be full of mold or have dangerous wiring. They get really indignant if someone tries to use the landlord tenant act to get them to fix any of it too. There are tons of them.
As “IndyGirl” suggested today on HuffPo – Why doesn’t Palin choose to be ethical? It would probably be a lot cheaper!
DUH! Isn’t energy efficiency extremely important in 2009?? How stupid is this woman . She is so short sighted!
About her”illegal use” of the stimulus funds, i think she will have to follow the guidelines. Sanford specifically asked if he could use funds for paying state debt down and Obama said no. Maybe this is why Sarah wants sovereignty legislation?
It will be interesting. I just hope someone really is making sure she is using the funds correctly since she is saying she has no intention of doing so. And myself, I think she should be reported and stopped ahead of time.
Does it ever stop???Every day, every day, every day!!!! I can’t take any more!
I ask…why hasn’t she been recalled by now?
I’m going to lay down now and hope tomorrow is a better day.
I already have the needles, bat’s teeth, and toadskins.
I’m sure her move is illegal, but then again it hasn’t stopped her before. Please let her sign the legislation before any formal complaints are filed. Otherwise, I am afraid that she would veto all of the funds just to spite the people of Alaska.
I think everyone should read her press release. I think it says she asked the legislature IF she could use the funds to pay other things to increase state savings but they told her no. So I am not sure she plans on or can misuse the money that way.
But she is being foolish about improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Of course codes have to change! Get with the times. And doesn’t upgrading energy efficiency give jobs to people and save money and energy over the long run???? What am I missing! Why would she turn this down?
Who is advising this woman?! Oh, sorry. Really stupid question.
sharon in canada Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Does it ever stop???Every day, every day, every day!!!! I can’t take any more!
I ask…why hasn’t she been recalled by now?
I’m going to lay down now and hope tomorrow is a better day.
=========================================
I understand your frustration. I ask the same question. When will the majority of Alaskans be fed up enough with Palins BS, that they will ask for a recall?
Any federal dollars that are said to be used to pay down state expenses will be withheld from the state. The government has made that very clear on many occasions. Good luck with that, Sarah.
How can she get away with this? I’m dumbfounded. Did the document she sign state that she can use the money in lieu of state funds?
Because accepting a good idea, that wasn’t yours is less than maverickly?
Get over it GINA, SWWNBN, or whoever you are.
Put on your Acrtic Cat Jacket and get on with your life, following the money, because we know that’s what you are about
Maybe she don’t want to spend the money for energy efficency because if your home is not energy efficient, what do you spend more for?? I think everything that is a deciding factor for her all boils down to oil. Yeah, lets not help the low income or rural Alaska. Repubs become rich on the poor.
Lynnerockets, how do you come up with all that so fast? I love your Juneau and Cujo!
Matha Says:
sharon in canada Says:
Does it ever stop???Every day, every day, every day!!!! I can’t take any more!
I ask…why hasn’t she been recalled by now?
I’m going to lay down now and hope tomorrow is a better day.
=========================================
I understand your frustration. I ask the same question. When will the majority of Alaskans be fed up enough with Palins BS, that they will ask for a recall?
=====================================
I ‘ll say it again as I posted the other night:
It’s not as easy as you think in that you have to submit it but have the support of those in office. Knowing full well how hard it has been to get support for some other things that have appeared so simple, you know it’s not a reality to gain support for a recall. It’s Alaska and the deck has been stacked. Recall is not a reality. It’s not an up and down like Blago. For another example what appeared as simple — look at Senator Burris — he’s still there and that was thought a walk in the park to get it done. It’s not. So before driving our Alaskan friends on here over the edge — give up the recall. Not gonna happen. If it coulda — it already woulda!!!
All i can say is that she is one crazy witch..!!
36 Lisabeth Says: I think it says she asked the legislature if she could use the funds to pay other things to increase state savings but they told her no.
————————
That is true for $120M of proposed funds but there was also an additional $130M of stimulus funds that she is taking to replace general funds. Both are under the heading ‘Protecting Alaska’s Savings’.
From the release:
To keep the state from using more of its savings, Governor Palin asked the legislature to use federal money to replace state general funds in the FY2009 and FY2010 budgets. More than $130 million of federal economic stimulus funds will be used to replace state general funds in the operating budget, specifically for Medicaid reimbursement and child support enforcement.
The governor also proposed redirecting an additional $120 million in stimulus dollars, where appropriate, in order to reduce the draw on the state’s savings accounts. However, the legislature did not accept those recommendations.
BigSlick Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 4:45 PM
I already have the needles, bat’s teeth, and toadskins.
************************************************************
I have lived in New Orleans before and this might be helpful in the gris gris you want to make.
http://www.erzulies.com/site/catalog/category/64#product_4548
OT Folks but about time!
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/apr/28/oil-be-removed-tank-farm-near-alaska-volcano/
@ nswfm CA: Thanks. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if the “Juneau” “Cujo” thing was a bit of a stretch. I couldn’t think of too may things that rhymed with Juneau.
On top of that, I think I’m running out of songs that I know.
WASILLA HIGHWAY
(sung to the Gordon Lightfoot song “Carefree Highway”)
Pickin’ up the pieces of my sweet Alaskan dream
I wonder how “Joe Sixpack” is tonight
Her name was Sarah, she wore rimless glasses on her face
She was Guv and she was quite uptight
Wasilla Highway, let me slip away on you
Wasilla Highway, she’s seen better days
The Sarah Palin blues from her beehive to her shoes
Wasilla Highway, please take her away
Her away on you.
Turnin’ back the pages to the good Ol’ Palinfest
I wonder if she’ll ever be the same
During interviews she only stumbled and then lied
Now all she has is Levi left to blame
Wasilla Highway, must see Sarah my old flame
Wasilla Highway, she’s seen better days
The Sarah Palin blues induced by mainstream nightly news
Wasilla Highway, just take her away
Her away on you
Searchin’ through the fragments of a career that once was
I wonder if “Joe the Plumber” is still kind
Was it Ross, Levi, Wooten or Diana Palin’s bust
Or some other secret she wants left behind
Wasilla Highway, did she sneak away on you
Wasilla Highway, she’s seen better days
The mornin’ after blues caused by meth and cheap-ass booze
Wasilla Highway, did she sneak away
Sneak away on you
Do we believe Spokeswoman Sharon Leighow that Palin’s going to sign the bill?
There’s still time to change her mind. She’s busy reading the C4P comments trying to reconcile to her earlier “No Stimulus’ stance.
According to the map on the barackobama.com page, Alaska already has put some dollars to use. I’m confused.
And apologies to all AK mudpuppies but I hope Palin and your legislature won’t get away with using $130M to ‘protect savings’, undermining the whole purpose of the Recovery Act. Imagine if every state did the same thing. I’m hoppin’ mad but will wait ’til Palin signs before making waves.
Thank you again Canadian Neighbour!
OK, here’s the big Energy Expert Palin who can’t seem to understand this part of the stimulus. Well, heck – does she understand any of it? I can’t even imagine the chaos that goes on inside her head! She needs a brain stimulus so she can understand the one everyone else seems to get.
Have you noticed how she’s kind of dumped the “energy queen” thing since returning? Missing important meetings (one was international folks here in AK) except the Salazar visit, blowing the gas pipe dream by completely dropping the ball, looking like a moron about the energy portion of the stimulus? She’s going to have a hard time flyin’ with that title anymore – all she seems to care about is: 1) clothes 2) being snarky 3) lipstick 4) bashing everyone 5) pro life 6) trying to find someone to pray with 7) making really bad appointments, and
turning the Gov State of Alaska website into a personal blog w/ advertisements.
My recollection is that there was sufficient support in both houses to accept all stim funds so that they could override any GINO veto. Anyone else remember that?
I agree with MinNJ- the feds have been very clear that stimulus monies are not replacements for state spending. Palin is either playing games, or is ignorant about the federal stimulus rules. Perhaps both. too. also.
Martha Unalaska Yard Sign Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 6:00 PM
She needs a brain stimulus so she can understand the one everyone else seems to get.
______
Martha UYS, I just don’t know if there is enough stimulus in the WORLD to get GINO’s brain running.
Talk about an unfunded mandate!
Lynnrockets – THINK – Plenty more songs, how about the Beatles “Hey Jude?’
If/when you are “songed out,” PLEASE publish your songbook and become a vendor on this site. I bet you will be a mudflats best seller! I am a songwriter/lyricist too – but I do not think nearly as fast, nor as cleverly as you. I love the sing-alongs to break up all the outrageous GINO news.
“Wasilla Highway, I wanna ride it, all night long…”
“Spank me baby, one more time…”
“Skink, skank, skunk…”
“Pretty woman, come on walk on by…”
(hints to lynnrockets if you are running out of ideas)
Jon Muller, rural advisor, has a job fair video made this April on the ak web.
http://gov.state.ak.us/index.html
Job fair in Emmonak
She is turning down the state energy program because she doesn’t want HER HOUSE to be investigated.
Everything revolves around Sarah. That is how her mind works.
lynnrockets Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
Heh!
(sung to the Steve Miller song “Take The Money And Run”)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Lynnrockets: CUJO!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BigSlick-every night I visualize her in matching “bracelets” err “handcuffs”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob in Ca—-Hey since we are soooo tight with Axelrod and Co. it should be no problem for one of us “Paid” blogger/commenter s to drop a line, or maybe tweet him? Just a thought! (this is according to current thinking @ ceeforpee)
Karin in CT, Not that the energy program would result in a house inspection, unless she wanted to take advantage of it. WHAT? Todd didn’t use the most energy-efficient materials? Was relying on the Alaska PDFs to see them through any energy crisis?
With all the pressure put on her thru well-aimed ridicule, this outcome is not surprising.
Keep up the good work. A little more heat to her tootsies might wake her up.
Then again, maybe not.
Palin is NOT going to be there in the future, so why the sudden concern and turning down nearly $29 million for State Energy Programs funds? because she believes it to be tied to developing a statewide energy code. Yet, Legislative budget leaders couldn’t find those strings.
She’s hallucinating and seeing strings, people! All Aboard The Crazy Train! lol.
I’m with #58 Karin in CT, her house isn’t up to code. Did Levi learn his electricians chops as jr. apprentice there? Hmmmm? lol.
It’s all too much, eh?
My husband who is a civil engineer licensed in Alaska explained to me that there is plenty of Uniform Building Code that already exists for efficiency and that it would be a simple matter of tweaking it some for the state.There are just some things that would be difficult to work with but could be modified to work for most Alaska and easier for Urban Alaska. But the real deal would be creating the regulatory overseers. Developing a permitting process and staff to regulate and inspect would be the challenge Coordination state, borough, and city code alignment and the difficulty and expenses of rural travel. Would make it a somewhat difficult program to implement. Not that it could not be done he explaned but that one of the biggest difficulties would be to control graft.
He feels that if certain standards were in place now there would be a lot less houses that burn down in Alaska.
He feels that it could be done but in no way shape or form could this administration pull it off.
about #63 Really bad editing (sorry)
I am still ticked off (12 years later) about where the windows are in the house we (ok he did the hard stuff) built in rural Alaska, but what I wanted wasn’t code.
I am out here in the middle of nowhere there is no inspector for 180 miles. No permits but by golly my house is code…….. : )
36 Lisabeth Says
46 curiouser Says
Rereading the press release, Lisabeth may have a point on the stimulus funds replacing state funds. It is confusing. I believe that the press release is saying that stimulus funds DO replace state funds for $130 million of Medicaid replacement and child support enforcement.
It is possible that the press release is poorly worded, and that the legislature refused to do that. I don’t think the press release is entirely clear on this. Does anyone know how to see what the legislature actually proposed on this point?
HELLO GINO!!
It is known that in 3 (THREE) years there will be a CRITICAL natural gas shortage on the Kenai Peninsula.
You know, Sarah, where your friend Bob Penney has his other home on the Kenai River, also, too.
Now is the time to get our homes, offices and businesses energy efficient.
Flailin’ Palin, you betcha.
This is my first comment, although I am a long-time reader.
AKM, you make me proud to be an Alaskan.
Love love love the comments too, and Lynnerocket’s songs.
Did you ever write for a great satirical magazine with a nifty back-page fold?
@ Rob in Ca
“It is possible that the press release is poorly worded…”
Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!! What else is new?!
OT: On Diva’s site:
Tati Broadcasting change direction for KUDO 1080 — Cary and CC cut from lineup
http://divasblueoasis.com/diary/570/#1763
I wonder if this could be politically motivated? As in censorship????
Let’s keep the record straight. Palin said she was accepting only 55% of stimulus money on March 19th.
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/139409
Well, she had to find the opportunity for some cheap political point-scoring, didn’t she?
I don’t believe the tyranny of distance is any excuse for not having a sensible environmental building code in Alaska. Every environmentally-aware country in the world has isolated places with rundown shacks. I live in the most sparsely populated continent in the world – and environmental standards are enforced where they can *reasonably* be applied.
TO: Wildlife Avenger: Hug
http://co2hog.com/hug.bmp
I won’t be able to afford to heat my house next winter if I can’t find a job. Energy efficiency money? Nah. Bah humbug. Who needs energy efficiency when it only costs $5000 a year to heat an Interior Alaska 1400 SF home?
@ Here in PA – thanks mucho for the Job Fair in Emmonak link. Have I been on another planet? Has Ann Strongheart mentioned this? My husband was FAA Air Traffic chief in Bethel, and it was great seeing the scenery and faces again.
My daughter was just down in New Orleans and bough back a voodoo doll.Top bad I don’t have a piece of hair and a look alike so pins could be stuck in LOL. I was hoping for gris gris but they did not get any
Geez huh? she isnt very bright. IF anything, we need those funds to improve on it. WOW.
lynnrockets
Do you know “50 ways to leave your lover”? You could do “50 ethics violations!”
ADN has an opinion piece titled, “Comment was Fair”. This was in regard to Measure 4 and they stuck-up for her saying she had a right to her opinion. Following is what I posted….
“Someone asked Palin during a press conference for her opinion on Measure 4.”
Who asked her this question? Was it a set-up to get her answer out and to use it against the measure?
That’s where the mystery lies…who asked the question and did that person have any connection to the opponents of Measure 4?
***************************************************************
I’ll bet the farm someone purposely asked this question and she was all ready with the “let me take my Governor’s hat off” B.S.
I’m not buying it.
atha Says:
sharon in canada Says:
Does it ever stop???Every day, every day, every day!!!! I can’t take any more!
I ask…why hasn’t she been recalled by now?
I’m going to lay down now and hope tomorrow is a better day.
=========================================
I understand your frustration. I ask the same question. When will the majority of Alaskans be fed up enough with Palins BS, that they will ask for a recall?
=====================================
I ‘ll say it again as I posted the other night:
It’s not as easy as you think in that you have to submit it but have the support of those in office. Knowing full well how hard it has been to get support for some other things that have appeared so simple, you know it’s not a reality to gain support for a recall. It’s Alaska and the deck has been stacked. Recall is not a reality. It’s not an up and down like Blago. For another example what appeared as simple — look at Senator Burris — he’s still there and that was thought a walk in the park to get it done. It’s not. So before driving our Alaskan friends on here over the edge — give up the recall. Not gonna happen. If it coulda — it already woulda!!!
============================================
Like I said, “majority of Alaskans”. I’ve said before that, obviously, I make no reference to this blog or the good folks that post on it. The thinking folks that come here must be just as frustrated. Since Alaska has only voted for the Democrats once since 1959, it is considered a solid republican state. The defection today of Arlan Spector and the very good possibility of Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe following his lead, may change the minds of moderate republicans in Alaska. Snowe said today “Specter’s switch to the Democratic Party “underscores the blunt reality” that the GOP is not a welcome place for moderates, she said.” I’ve always thought of Alaskans (generally speaking) as a “no nonsense” people. I can understand that no nonsense folks might turn a blind eye to Ted Stevens, but I can’t understand how they can tolerate the embarrassment that Sarah Palin has become. I can’t understand their patience for her constant dog and pony show, pandering to the national spotlight.
I realize that a recall effort is not “simple”. My elderly optometrist (brave, but diminutive and unassuming in appearance) initiated, organized and ran a recall campaign against the MLA in my riding. I know just how much work there is, what risk you take as a business person in your community, (I am one too) what ridicule you face and even danger to yourself, your family property. I have been there.
It reminds me of the folks in Alaska that have filed ethics complaints, they go through the same thing. The folks in Alaska that speak out in public against Palin take their chances every time they do. AKM risked herself and her family, I’m sure, taking the chance of being “outed”. It happened, but it did not stop her.
I wish that the Democratic opposition were stronger in Alaska.
Billboards that say “impeach Palin” are the start of a promise in the direction of recall or maybe impeachment. I believe in the old saying ” if you don’t stand for SOMETHING, you’ll fall for ANYTHING”
It just might be that prevailing minds will not be able to tolerate 20 some more months of Palin atrocities.
For all those who are saying that the Palin house isn’t up to code, that is why she is refusing to do this, think again. Even if she accepted the money and new stricter codes were implemented, I believe it was confirmed previously that they would not be retroactive, so it would not affect her house at all.
As for the Press Conference she was at when she was asked about Measure/Prop 4, if I recall correctly it was a last minute press conference that she herself called for one reason or another and it was a reporter who asked what her opinion was on it. I will look and see if I can’t find the information.
71 crystalwolf aka caligrl Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 7:46 PM
TO: Wildlife Avenger: Hug
_______________________________________
Thank you for the picture and thought. It brings to mind this song. Please read the third paragraph as you listen to the song. Truer words have never been spoken.
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=7610
EyeOnYou Says:
April 29th, 2009 at 12:03 AM
For all those who are saying that the Palin house isn’t up to code, that is why she is refusing to do this, think again. Even if she accepted the money and new stricter codes were implemented, I believe it was confirmed previously that they would not be retroactive, so it would not affect her house at all.
As for the Press Conference she was at when she was asked about Measure/Prop 4, if I recall correctly it was a last minute press conference that she herself called for one reason or another and it was a reporter who asked what her opinion was on it. I will look and see if I can’t find the information.
================================================
I’ll save you the “trouble”. She asked her the question as Gov, then responded as private citizen. As usual Palin loves to have it both ways. There continued to be a $7,000,000 ad campaign against prop 4, using Palins picture AND quoting her “statement! Palins remarks were indeed worth much to the mining companies that used her in their advertising. Did Palin complain? Nope! Just happy to help out!
From the ADN;
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/mining/story/772198.html
Ballot Measure 4, the “Clean Water” initiative, failed at the polls in August after one of the most expensive campaign advertising battles in Alaska history, costing more than $7 million total. The measure was sponsored by Alaskans who oppose developing the massive copper and gold Pebble prospect in Southwest Alaska. Its biggest opponent was the state’s mining companies, which collectively spent more $6 million fighting it.
Six days before the election last August, someone asked Palin during a press conference for her opinion on Measure 4. She responded: “Let me take my governor’s hat off just for a minute here and tell you, personally Prop 4, I vote no on that.”
Palin went on to say that she trusts state regulators to make sure that Alaska mines operate safely.
The supporters of Measure 4 said they were outraged. A governor can’t just take her hat off during an official state event and take a private position on a ballot measure, they said. Her comments violated state law and may have been a decisive blow that killed the initiative’s chances, according to Brian Kraft, a sport lodge owner and Pebble opponent. He raised the issue against Palin in a more wide-ranging complaint about the state’s taking sides on Measure 4.
On Friday, the Alaska Public Offices Commission held a hearing on the Palin issue. The five-member commission has 11 days to issue a decision in writing.
APOC needs to consider whether it even has the authority to regulate statements made by public officials regarding ballot measures in their personal time or while doing state work, said Mary Ann Lundquist, the state’s senior assistant attorney general, in her brief defending the governor.
State law says that a governor cannot spend money or “provide anything of value” to influence the outcome of a ballot measure unless the Legislature has appropriated money for that purpose.
Palin’s one minute of sharing her opinion on Measure 4 after someone asked her what she thought about it does not meet that criteria; also, Palin’s right to express her own opinion is enshrined in the state’s Constitution, Lundquist said.
Kraft’s attorney, Scott Kendall, disagreed, saying that Palin’s statements provided Measure 4 opponents with “valuable aid” — free publicity — just before the vote, prompting a flurry of ads featuring her picture and saying “Gov. Sarah Palin Personally Opposes Measure 4.”
There wouldn’t have been anything wrong with Palin expressing her views on Measure 4 if she had done it on her own time, Kraft said Friday.
If Palin had come out in favor of Measure 4, the mining industry would have cried foul just like its supporters have, he said.
To this day, local pollsters and groups who lobbied for and against Measure 4 disagree about whether Palin’s comments had a significant impact on the election’s outcome.
David Dittman, an Anchorage pollster, said Friday that he ran a poll about 10 days before the election — before Palin made her comments — that showed the initiative would fail by a margin of 8 to 13 percentage points.
But one of the initiative’s sponsors, Art Hackney, an Anchorage political consultant, said the sponsors’ Cromer Group poll that ended six days before the election showed that the ballot measure would pass by 20 percentage points.
He said he believes Palin’s comments swung the election. The proposed law lost by 13 percentage points.
Thanks Martha, but what I am looking for is the original article that talked about this, or should I say one that showed up prior to the election. I remember having a discussion with someone at the time and I was quite perturbed to think that the Governor called a press conference very suddenly and then was asked this question (at the time I was certain that the press conference was staged) and I was and still am bothered by the fact that a Governor can “take of their hat’ in the middle of a press conference they called to offer an opinion as to the yes or no on a ballot measure. It seemed to me that it was just plain wrong.
I am going through the forum that I was on at the time and looking through the old posts/topics to see if I can find it because I know that I had a link to the article there that explained what I was talking about. The problem is that I am going back through 800 pages of topics.
CO Almost Native, I’ll bet on ignorant.
taupe in Fargo-don’t forget that “old guy” in AZ.
HA! FOUND IT! (went through 628 pages of topics, looking at everything regarding Palin I had posted in to find this sucker)
Palin’s Stand on Mining Initiative Leaves Many Feeling Burned
**Then, six days before the Aug. 26 vote, with the race looking close, Palin broke her silence. Asked about the initiative at a news conference, she invoked “personal privilege” to give an opinion. “Let me take my governor’s hat off for just a minute here and tell you, personally, Prop. 4 — I vote no on that,” she said. “I have all the confidence in the world that [the Department of Environmental Conservation] and our [Department of Natural Resources] have great, very stringent regulations and policies already in place. We’re going to make sure that mines operate only safely, soundly.”
Palin’s comments rocked the contest. Within a day, the pro-mining coalition fighting the referendum had placed full-page ads with a picture of the governor and the word “NO.” The initiative went down to defeat, with 57 percent of voters rejecting it. **
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092702834.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2008092702850
Some of the key things for me on this were:
**The state ethics panel is examining whether her comments violated the law against state advocacy on ballot measures; it had already ruled that a state Web site was improperly slanted toward mining interests. **
**Most irksome to initiative proponents was Palin’s effort to cast her intervention as “personal.” “We were just like, ‘When does she have her hat on and when does she have it off?’ ” Bristol said. Former governor Tony Knowles, a Democrat who lost to Palin in 2006, went further and said she may have violated the law against using state resources to advocate on initiatives.**
**”She says, ‘I’m going to take off my governor’s hat,’ but the only reason the press was there was that they were called to a press conference by the governor,” he said. “Being governor is not a costume — you either are the governor or not.” **
**A week before the vote, Palin spoke with initiative opponent Mead Treadwell, the chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. He sensed that the governor was seeing things his way. “Palin said, ‘I can’t take a position, but if anyone asks me what I think, I’d say that I don’t like it,’ ” Treadwell recalled. “And about an hour later, someone asked her.”
She stated her opposition without warning Rick Halford, a conservative Republican and former state senator. A main initiative supporter, he had worked hard for Palin’s election. The two had talked during the summer about Pebble, and “she was cautious and trying to figure it out at that point,” he said.
Art Hackney, a political consultant and director of Alaskans for Clean Water, speculated that Palin may have been irked by complaints about the biased language on the state Web site. “It was her way of waving her wand, as she is wont to do,” he said, “. . . and poof, undercut this effort with one fell swoop.” **
It is a good article if anyone feels like reading it.
I’m quite sure the other side won’t be thrilled with this news. They are most likely butting head right now, trying to figure out a good enough excuse for yet another chapter in the sadsarahsaga.
GINO as quoted by Dermot Cole in todays Fairbanks Daily News-Miner :
“Essentially to me it’s (the $29 million) a bribe. It’s here, ‘Take these dollars, but you gotta grow your government. You’re going to have to police this new program, even enforcement of building codes if you take these dollars.’ ”
Dermot points out that the “Alaska Housing Finance Corporation already requires that buildings be built to energy standards before it loans money on a project.”
If the codes are not appropriate for rural alaska, which they may not be, then the thing to do is come up with some appropriate codes. Gee, that might even create a few jobs ! We have a solar lean-to type greenhouse on our home in Fairbanks and it is the BEST. We LOVE IT and it heats the house from early spring to fall. It cost about $2,000 dollars. Wow. Think of all the solar heat collectors you could buy for $29 million ! And they would be such a blessing in rural areas.
If ever there were a state that needed energy efficiency in their new construction, it would be…. oh, never mind.
On one hand, the legislators go begging to the feds for federal money for renewable energy for hydro-projects “without restriction”. On the other hand, the guv says “No, we aren’t going to have energy-efficient construction in this state.”
I’d be guessing that if the feds have half-a-brain (We know Obama has a brain-and-a- half himself at the very least), they’ll send their energy money elsewhere. So this is going to cost Alaska a lot more than $29 million.
It’s going to cost Alaska funding for other energy projects and its going to cost Alaskans in energy costs (taxes for heating energy unefficient public buildings) for lack of a plan or code. It’s going to put Alaska in real sinkhole.
“Drill, baby, drill,” just ain’t gonna fly when the state can’t even consider an energy code for new construction. (Maybe we should be grateful???)
Legislators, can you say “special session”?!
Look out Sarah Palin…you are going to be replaced by a younger model and with bigger boobs and longer legs. Miss California-Carrie Prejeans is waiting in the wings.
Check out…http://babyboomeradvisorclub.com/san-diegos-carrie-prejean-miss-californiais-she-the-next-sarah-palin/ ifyou don’t believe me…
I can’t see Sarah Palin resisting any moneys. She sure didn’t pass up any republican funds.
What is she going to do when the world goes green?
Talk is cheap Sarah Palin and you have proved that more than once.
Thanks for the air time MudFlats…love the blog!
~The Baby Boomer Queen~
I sit here, not in a basement nor in pajama’s, and quietly wait the storm that’s blowing in. I wait for it every day, hoping someone from DC takes Palin to task for her plans on using the Stimulus money.
I wait for yet another ethics violation to be filed (safe bet… It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Big enough gun an the concussion takes em all out), and more media spotlight on the Wailin failin palin… The poor world is out to get her, or at least those darn bloggers in PJ’s.
So let the underground network of basement dwelling, pajama clad bloggers keep track of this. I need my daily laugh at Palin’s expense.