Voices from the Flats: Sarah Palin – An American Life or An American Lie?
27 12 2009Today’s Voices from the Flats contributing writer is Richard Fineberg. For three decades he has researched and reported on economic and environmental issues related to Alaska and global petroleum development. Fineberg came to Alaska in 1969 to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in political science at the University of Alaska, leaving that position in 1971 to devote full time to freelance reporting.
He has spent much of the last four decades observing and reporting on Alaska’s North Slope oil development for newspapers, public agencies, environmental and other public interest groups and even occasional developers. He has served three governors – the first as a budget and policy analyst, the second as a senior advisor on oil and gas and the third as a consultant. The third was Sarah Palin.
Reflecting on his time with Governor Palin, Fineberg states:
I joined Palin’s production tax team in August 2007 with high hopes that were gradually but inexorably deflated. My assignment gave me an inside look at Palin World – a frenetic, topsy-turvy bureaucratic universe where slick phrases and inaccurate statements pinch-hit for reality all too often. When I worked for her team, Palin was hardly ever seen. In any event, at contract close early in 2008 I parted with the Palin team on good terms. Later, as fundamental policy differences began to emerge, I found it necessary to speak out. (Palin, a rather secretive person by her own account, had hidden her beliefs during her early months in office and gave voice to her rather extreme personal views only after she ascended the national stage.)
The following piece focuses on Palin’s inaccuracies and distortions in Going Rogue regarding the bill on which I consulted. That production tax measure, which she dubbed “ACES” (Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share) was one of Sarah Palin’s three major pieces of legislation during her first year in office. Based on my first-hand experience, I can tell you that Sarah Palin is misinforming the public on ACES – as she does on so many other issues. At http://www.finebergresearch.com you can find background and documentation, as well as previous posts that will tell you about my gradual disillusionment with this maiden of misinformation.
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ACES in Palin World: Former Governor’s Mistakes on Energy Issues in Going Rogue
Raise Questions About Her Capacity to Govern
By Richard A. Fineberg
As Going Rogue: An American Life sales sail past the million mark and critics cackle over its many mistakes, two unreported misstatements about Alaska petroleum development form book-ends for Sarah Palin’s recently-published autobiography.
This piece focuses on the opening and closing mistakes in Going Rogue. (On my web site [URL below], I discuss and document several of the problems related to Alaska petroleum development that Palin either created or failed to deal with before she resigned as governor.)
Palin’s first mistake occurs at the start, the other at the very end. Together, they add fuel to this question: Is Palin plagued by an astonishing inability to distinguish fact from fiction, an appalling disregard for truth and accuracy, or both? These book-ends further damage Palin’s claim to energy expertise, a pretense she has frequently undermined since she ascending the national stage in 2008. The latest mistakes to surface also open the door to a new closet of energy skeletons from her tenure as governor that she failed to mention in recounting her political life.
In the opening pages Palin tells readers that construction on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline project (TAPS) “began in 1975″ and when oil began flowing in 1977 the “[t]he state raked in more revenue than anyone could have imagined – billions of dollars almost overnight.” Palin got key dates of the centerpiece of recent Alaska history wrong. In fact, TAPS construction project began in 1974. Moreover, state records show that Alaska’s annual revenue from petroleum operations did not exceed a billion dollars until 1980 – six years after TAPS construction began.
Just details? Or could these errors be harbingers of the habitual sloppiness that characterizes Sarah Palin’s public pronouncements. In view of her claim to be “a free-market capitalist . . . (who) understood the bottom line for the oil producers,” Palin’s failure to recognize the time lag between investment in Alaska oil development and first pay-out is surprising. Moreover, her typically sloppy rendition of this piece of history distorts reality, providing a faulty basis for formulating public policy. In this instance, for example, Palin’s inaccurate claim that oil drilling produced billions of dollars for Alaska overnight lends erroneous support to her gung-ho advocacy of petroleum exploration and drilling in remote areas of northern Alaska.
Four hundred pages after her shaky start, Palin closes Going Rogue with an e-mail note from a misinformed Alaska admirer that tells readers – erroneously – that she “constructed and enacted a new system of splitting the oil profits called ‘ACES,’ which was responsible for Alaskans elevating their economic status “from being merely wealthy to being filthy rich.” While there’s nothing new about misinformation on the Internet, when myth and misinformation start creeping into the psyches of large groups of citizens, it’s time to set the record straight: The most one might credit Palin for in this case is the act of convening a special state legislative session in late 2007 to deal with oil production tax issues. The bill she presented, which she dubbed ACES (”Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share”), was not an “entirely new way of calculating Alaska’s share,” as she would have readers believe. Rather, Palin’s ACES proposal merely fine-tuned the new, cost-based production tax system enacted by her predecessors the year before she arrived on the scene as governor. Nor is the claim that Palin’s work made Alaska “filthy rich” based on facts. According to a detailed analysis of the ACES legislation in the Oil & Gas Journal, as oil prices soared during the first year the ACES legislation was in place, the Palin modifications accounted for less than four percent of the state’s total petroleum revenue. In fact, a much larger share of the gains realized that year resulted from the Legislature’s rejection and reversal of key elements of the Palin’s ACES proposal.
Why would someone choose to end an autobiography with information that simply isn’t true? Here is how Palin introduced the post-script: “A friend forwarded to me a widely circulated e-mail that describes one ordinary citizen’s view of my governorship. It is so Alaska – I had to share. I hope you get a good laugh as well.” While the humor of Palin’s post-script escapes me, the misinformation she presented raises this troubling question: Is Sarah Palin deliberately perpetrating myths about her performance as governor?
December 27th, 2009 at 3:33 PM
The readers of this blog are not surprised that Sarah as a few more loose connections.
But we will certainly help spreading the truth about (or untruths of) Missey Pants on Fire.
I was without computer for a couple of days. So a belated, may your days be merry and bright. And God bless us everyone – even Sarah, also too.
But not Lieberman, he’s smart enough to know better.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:34 PM
She’s another fraud and con artist like Bernie Madoff. Hopefully, she’ll end up where he is today and that’s behind bars. And she is an embarrassment not just to Alaskans but the whole country.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:47 PM
There is always a moment when the true flesh of an individual is revealed.
It is never when anyone think it will be. Actually, it is always something so seemingly innocuous that shines a true light. Palin has had many innocuous damaging moments but because of this time in history when newspapers are failing and the media is fighting tooth and nail to get each and every viewer, listener or reader–she is tabloid gold — she is so dysfunctional.
The anger, fear, stupidity and outright ignorance she engenders in her supporters has been seen before. Bad economy, war, racial hatred. The field is ripe for ugly, no nothing politics, but they will fail. They will fail because their bright shining light (Palin) has so many dark ugly things in her past and unfailingly will shoot herself in the foot even if she has the best handlers in the world. Her supporters pale against people with sense.
She is building up her nest egg before she actually has to go up against any real GOP candidates or the media (outside of FOX). Her supporters will be devastated when she “decides” not to run because the “media” is torturing her family. But we all know ultimately the woman who only reads US and People should never have even been considered for dogcatcher let alone governor of a state.
The moment will come and it will be a hurricane that will even make the sociopathic, narcissist, Sarah go away.
So everyone must keep shining the light on this nightmare. She may play
heroic, but she is truly scared of MANY things.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:39 PM
“What I can’t understand is how her horde of Palinbots refuse to see the forest for the trees.”
I think it’s lack of critical thinking skills, fear of the ‘Other’ (i.e., racial in basis), and a desire to be led by the nose so that they don’t have to think for themselves. The adoration in their faces is so scary – they are who I fear, not Sarah, who I hope flames out really soon.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:41 PM
I am sick and tired of Sarah Palin. I have no respect for her.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:44 PM
The thing that scares me to death is that there are a LOT of folks out there that believe that Mr. Fineberg is making all this up about sister and that regardless of what REALITY is, and the FACTS are, sister did exactly what she says in her fiction piece – exactly… How can there be so many stupid people still walking around?? Where did their education go?? Where is their sense of reason?? Where is their ‘gut’ feeling of rational, common-sense reality hiding?? What happened??
Happy..happy on all of you…..
December 27th, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Thanks, Big Slick & MO Inkslinger. Your clarifications hit the nail right on the head for me. I just gotta find a way to sum up SP and her clueless entourage in my bruised brain so I can MOVE ON DOT ORG!!!!!!!!! God help us, every one.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:10 PM
For Palin to assert pipeline construction didn’t begin until 1975 is indeed an attempt to rewrite history for the gullible. In my opinion it is disingenuous to claim pipeline construction began even as late as 1974. Here are the facts:
Prudhoe oil was actually discovered by ARCO in December 1967 although they tried to keep it under their hat as they weren’t certain, so March 1968 is the official.
On Feb. 10, 1969 the three major oil companies announced plans to build a 798 mile line from the slope to Valdez.
In April 1969 they purchased 800 miles of 48 inch diameter pipe from the Japanese and shipped it to Valdez and Deadhorse. Wrapping and coating of the pipe began at Valdez, Fairbanks and Deadhorse.
By the fall of 1968, the three majors had acquired land at Valdez for a terminal and tank farm.
Design as well as construction work, began on pump stations so that by 1971 stations #1 and #2 were complete.
Due to myriad of Prince William Sound fisherman law suits, environmental challenges, and native land claim issues, full blown construction was delayed. However, on July 17, 1973 Congress authorized the pipeline right-of-way. Nixon signed it on Nov. 16th 1973. In September 1973 the special session of the Legislator, Governor Egan had called, passed his oil package, which he signed. Full blown pipeline construction was then a no holds barred go. Oil companies began hiring like mad. The boom was really on.
I was a bush pilot on Prince William Sound in 1971 and 1972. I can tell you that pipe was stacked everywhere in Valdez then. The land was all cleared and terraced at what now is the pipeline terminal. By March 1975 I was sent to Valdez to gain certification of their airport for Alaska Airlines new jet service into their airport as air travel had exploded for that community. Valdez was going crazy and had been for some time. A real Klondike. I’ve never seen anything like it. Don’t anybody try and tell me pipeline construction started in 1975.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Looks like I am not the only one who can’t quite wrap my head around “How can her faithful not see through the cheap facade, read the facts (i.e. FactCheck), and wake up to her true character?”
Here’s one way I am looking at it: There are leaders and there are followers. There are people who see and accept responsibility (who say, “I AM RESPONSIBLE”) – in their own lives, and then for the whole and the world around them. (These people, more often than not, do not belong to groups, with a group philosophy, but create their own ways of taking individual responsibility. (AKM for example.)
Then there are people who need, who so desperately need, a leader. Someone to follow. Someone who will TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM, so they don’t have to think or do anything on their own. “I will follow you anywhere, faithfully serve you forever, just as long as you take individual responsibility so that I don’t have to.” These folks more often band together in groups, safety in numbers, and all that. If I had a teabag icon I would put it >HERE<.
Pretty simply put, not really news.
Problem is, there are true leaders, taking creative action, and there are false leaders, those who pose as a great white leader but are in it for their own good, not the good of the whole.
I firmly believe that the people currently in politics who become examples of either true or false leadership, will help all of us to see this more clearly and will help inspire young people to take the high road of 'individual responsibility.'
December 27th, 2009 at 5:56 PM
To some extent, it depends on your definition of “started.” The discovery of oil didn’t “start” the construction of the pipeline – but the bulldozers released (without legal authority) by Gov. Hickel in 1969 could be viewed as the “start” of the construction process. But I’ll go with Richard’s understanding (1974), when the authorization act was passed and the mobilization to actuall build the line was “started.”
December 27th, 2009 at 6:03 PM
“What I can’t understand is how her horde of Palinbots refuse to see the forest for the trees.”
I think it’s like a brainwashing (almost a cult). They (Palinbots) are told not to believe anything anyone else says. That WE are the ones who are lying. So when the rest of us can plainly see by “factcheck dot org” that SHE is the one who is lying, they refuse to believe it. Back in the 70s they actually had to have deprogramers for cult members who were rescued. Maybe that will have to happen to these people if they ever leave the palincult.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Have been reading your blog for months and never knew how to sign-in. My grand daughter helped me with Gryph’s site, but not sure about yours. Will try this and see if it goes thru. Feel like I have known you all for ‘IONS”! Hope I have this right. Starting out at 70 is difficult for this old warhorse…. technically challenged at times…..but at least I don’t lie like someone we all know. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from cold and snowy Colorado!
December 27th, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Sarah Palin lies? In other news, water is wet.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Great write up , but no surprise…Glad more people are coming forward..
She is sick…jmho
December 27th, 2009 at 7:04 PM
Watches @ 52 – I may be no s’error palin fan but to equate her self-aggrandizing stupidity with Madoff’s criminality is not fair. Not even close. While palin may make people groan with disbelief at the word salad from a supposed college graduate, Madoff created real negative and irreverseable changes to people’s lives. Yes, I know palin did nothing for Ann and her neighbors and about as little for people along the yukon and delta, but Madoff is a few levels below her on the ladder of lowlifes.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:11 PM
As for s’error palin making Alaskans “filthy rich,” why don’t we ask Ann Strongheart to chime in on how well it’s going up where s’error palin refuses to visit… do you live in a mcmansion, Ann? Drive a Mercedes-Benz? Eat caviar every day… or native salmon? How about your neighbors?
December 27th, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Why did she have this ghostwritten book written in the first place? She’s popular for all the wrong reasons, and unpopular for all the right ones. To me, this book did more harm than good, and has nothing whatsoever to do with true “reality”, She comes across as a biitter, vindictive and emotionally fragile person with a warped world view and a very thin skin.
Facts mean nothing in her world.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:19 PM
SMR @31 – good points. and I wonder if the parts she suggested but which were removed from the final bill are available on the internet. let’s take a look at the entire package she proposed and let’s see what might be had those removed parts stayed within what was finally passed.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:33 PM
I think she must be hoping that no one will look into the myths, so why not go on lying? I have not heard any reaction to her about all of the lies that have thus far been exposed in her book. Has she addressed these criticisms at all? Made any sort of retaliatory comment about them? If she has, I have not seen them. If she hasn’t, well, that is telling. Not defending what is in her book?
She certainly reacted to being called the biggest liar of ‘09- or whatever that award was- she didn’t like that at all! But nothing in regard to people coming out of the woodwork to expose the lies she put in her book?
Someone help me reason this, cuz I don’t get it.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Picked up the Rogue to look at the pictures while standing in line at FM. A picture of her and five other girls…they liked to call themselves the elite six. Hmm, so Palin is an elitist wannabe after all, but shh don’t tell anybody.
December 27th, 2009 at 10:26 PM
“Is Sarah Palin deliberately perpetrating myths about her performance as governor?”
Mr. Fineberg, that is not a “troubling question,” because for anything to be a “troubling question,” it has to be a question, and this isn’t — unless you want to make a case that she can’t be deliberate because she is delusional. I find it troubling that someone in your position even pretends it’s a question.
December 27th, 2009 at 10:41 PM
This is great stuff… and it won’t make one bit of a difference to the palinistas.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:46 AM
Completely OT (but there’s no open thread) — Gryphen at IM has posted that Bristol filed for full custody of Tripp (apparently on Nov 4th). Someone commented on this earlier at Bree P’s site with this link:
http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/pa/pa.urd/pamw2000.docket_lst?79282054
The whole thing looks very nasty. Apparently they filed motions for closed proceedings as well as a protective order. God know what they’ve accused Levi of. Sounds like Trooper Wooten all over again.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Sorry ’bout that – there is an open thread, right under this one. And I read it earlier too. (I’ll do better next time…)
December 28th, 2009 at 1:11 AM
Welcome Mrs Gunka – thanks goodness for grandkids, huh?
December 28th, 2009 at 7:02 AM
I think Ms. Palin suffers from a “close enough” syndrome. She is not exactly lying, but summarizing. i.e. The drilling started in 1974 not 1975. She was close enough for most people, just not the “nitpickers”.
The money started rolling in immediately. Well 6 years leater could seem awfully fast if you compared it to say the timeline of human history. It would seem to be overnight in fact.
As for AK being filthy rich, again it could be argued that it is semantics and she is “close enough” for most people. I mean AK would be viewed as rich by most states in that it doesn’t have to tax it’s own residents to gain funds.
December 28th, 2009 at 7:52 AM
If $arah starts her own third party, it should be
“The Know Nothings.” for morons just like her.
December 28th, 2009 at 8:04 AM
mrs. gunka!! a very warm welcome to the flats.
you are going to learn so much here. in no time you will be e-mailing and
phoning politicians with the rest of us ‘flatters’ and calling yourself a mudpup.
you are going to enjoy yourself. believe me.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:48 AM
This story, in particular, is very damming of Palin because it is written by a non-partisian person who was actually there working on the subject itself, not a blogger, a reporter, a member of the “opposition”. If Sarah is stupid enough to actually try for another public office, it will be reports such as this one that will bring her down. While her followers refuse to see the truth, the rest of America will have no such problem and if Sarah thinks the media was after her during the VP run, she has NO IDEA of the amount of karma that will fall on her head in the future if she keeps on pushing her luck.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:10 PM
MacAndCheeseWiz
Sarah had a difficult decision to make this year. She needed to write the book while she was still a hot commodity to maximize her revenue. The book advance was a lot of money to a little lady from Alaska who was facing $500,000 in legal bills and who had made over $100,000 in salary in just a couple of years of her earning career. If she waited to write the book, her popularity might have dried up and she would have sold only 250,000 copies of her drivel. She knew other authors were crafting books and might uncover some of her secrets.
Her book and the success of her book have forced her to take a different fork in the road. Her initial claims in 2008 of being just like every other American are no longer valid. She is not like everyone else….she doesn’t punch the time clock…her husband does have a job…..she flies in private jets, vacations in Hawaii, buys new Escalades, builds another house next to her existing house, has an offer to buy another house next to the house she is building, has plastic surgery, stalked by TMZ, on the cover of tabloids and gets big dollars for speeches. She is no longer like us, but she is now like every other rich Republican politician.
She can never return to being one of us. She violated the trust of her minions when she allowed for the established of the ATF only a couple of weeks before the announcement of the large book advance. She is a predator, preying on the poor souls who haven’t realized their leader no longer walks with them but has gone to roost high above them and will only honor them only with her droppings.
December 31st, 2009 at 7:56 AM
Complain all you want, without the discovery of Oil and its many uses 100 years ago. There would be no trees left in America from people heating homes and the skys would be blackened from the coal used.
I have done the figures, Solar, wind and other sources are not yet cheap enough to heat my home. I have tried, bought solar panels, windmills and even looked at a biodiesel generator.
I am from Louisiana, where our oil and gas was taken from us by democrat governments, not giving any compensation to its citizentry like Alaskans have managed. So kudos to Palin and her predcessors, wither in 1975 or 1974. They did it right. History? I would rather read about a persons faults and learn about their history then someone who will not even discuss their history when question.