Running scared?

[BrentAllen 10]

gwd-scouter writes "Pixiewife: she did, in fact, keep the money to be used at the State's discretion for other infrastructure projects. She also was for the bridge project...before she was against it."

 

Yes, when Sarah Palin was running for governor, she was for the bridge. After she was elected governor, she saw the project had grown tremendously in size and cost (as do most projects, the closer they get to final design). When she found out how much it was really going to cost, she decided it was too expensive, that it wasn't a good deal for the taxpayers. She pulled the plug on the project. Yes, she did keep the money for the state and used it for other needed infrastructure projects, and for other alternatives to the bridge.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

When she found out how much it was really going to cost, she decided it was too expensive, that it wasn't a good deal for the taxpayers. She pulled the plug on the project. Yes, she did keep the money for the state and used it for other needed infrastructure projects, and for other alternatives to the bridge.

 

Well, that is one of the interpretations, anyway. Another is that when she saw that the project had become a national joke, and that there was a danger of Alaska losing the project and the money, she decided to drop the project and keep the money for other things. I don't really have a problem with that, and would hope that my own state officials would do so well at recovering from such a debacle. The thing is, some are presenting this as Palin being against pork barrel projects and trying to save the federal taxpayers some money, when the truth is nothing of the sort.

[gwd-scouter 11]

I don't have a problem with Alaska dropping the bridge project and keeping the money for other infrastructure needs - except that earmarks are earmarks. One person's pork is another person's needed funding. I do have a problem with the way in which Palin presents dropping the bridge project since she makes no mention of keeping the money which allows us to infer that she saved taxpayers millions.

 

McCain makes a big deal in his speeches about earmarks and making people famous for requesting them. Will he only make those people famous that propose earmark funding for projects he dislikes? I don't think I've heard Palin say anything similar in her speeches so I don't know where she stands on the issue.

[BrentAllen 10]

I think it is also important to remember she didn't request the earmark for the bridge - that was her predecessor. So, make of it what you will, based on your political leanings.

 

I find it interesting that Newsweek has to publish an article debunking a list of false rumors about Palin, which is spreading around the internet.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/157986

 

FACTCHECK.ORG

Sliming Palin

False Internet claims and rumors fly about McCain's running mate.

 

Summary

We've been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain's running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.

 

Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn't cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years.

 

She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin's first term.

 

She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She's been registered as a Republican since May 1982.

 

Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesty" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.

 

Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. She has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the evolution question, but she also said creationism "doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."

 

A few of these claims were included in a chain e-mail by a woman named Anne Kilkenny. We'll be looking into other charges in that e-mail for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points above, please read the Analysis.

 

See full article for the analysis.

 

 

[Eagledad 2779]

>>I don't have a problem with Alaska dropping the bridge project and keeping the money for other infrastructure needs - except that earmarks are earmarks.

[acco40 95]

Nope, we are not electing a vise president (my vote would go to Tim the tool man). But as for a vice president campaigning with a 72 year old who has dreams of a second term if possible, I most certainly will let his choice of running mate influence my choice for president.

 

Yes, senators earmark funds, not governors. And check out what McCain states about the earmarks that Obama has made while senator and then check out what Obama did earmark and put that in your pipe and smoke it (so to speak). Let the mud flinging begin!

[gwd-scouter 11]

It is true that we do not vote for the Vice President. But, there sure seems to be an awful lot of folks that suddenly are voting McCain because of his pick for VP. I believe he was counting on that.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

What puzzles me is both presidential candidates selection of running mates. Obama, the candidate of change, the guy who is comming to DC to straighten the whole mess out because the government is broke and he aims to fix it, selects Joe Biden, a long term senator that seems to fulfill the description of what Obama says is wrong with Washington. Joe Biden is the consummate in the beltwayer

 

Then McCain, who has hammered Obama on inexperience, who questions Obama's qualifications to be be president selects a Governor who has been on the job about as long as Obama has been Senator and whose previous political experience was as Mayor of a small town to be VP?

 

Are Biden and Palin the best each party has to support their man? Begging the question are McCain and Obama the best each party actually has to be president? I thought 2000 was bad when we had an Ivy League tipsy Texas governor who was an running against a VP who while being "from" Tennessee, has virtually spent his entire life in Washington.

 

This is the best we got?

[Eagledad 2779]

Yes, you are right that Palin is changing the rules, which is precisely my point. Obama and the media started attacking her experience and all that really did was force more discussion toward the Presidental nominees experience. They dont want to go there. If Obama and the media push the Bridge to Nowhere, the discussion will boomerang back at Obamas earmarks. Even though McCain has earmarks as well, he also has the reputation of reducing porkbarrow. Palin appears to be bullet proof, so Obama and the media have to shift the focus away from her if they want a chance. They have to make it an election for president, not vice president. Right now they are loosing that vote.

 

Lets look at this for a moment. There are a lot of folks who are digging hard for a Palin scandal. Palin is popular because she basically is one of us who has made it to the top. How many of our families have that level of a scandal. True, we have divorces, kids who get in trouble and even pregnant teenagers, but how many of us have a scandal in our families that the media is trying to find that would take Palin down? Media and Obaman need to turn the focus back to Obama vs McCain, or they will loose.

 

 

Barry

 

[packsaddle 753]

I'm very disappointed in what I'm seeing on both sides. At the same time I think I understand why they're saying what they're saying. Neither side is addressing the hard issues with realistic, and reasoned policies. They are letting the emotional issues that are really quite shallow create even more polarization than exists already.

I think they are avoiding meaningful policy discussions because they BOTH know that what they are about to inherit is almost without solution. They and the American people are going to be hammered by circumstances that were created by the current administration and have festered until they are almost insoluble...without significant pain to the public. And they're afraid to speak the truth to the public because they'll lose votes if they do. And they're probably right about that.

If the decision is between Bush-warmed-over and Alfred E. Neuman (what me worry?), then I suggest that it could all be academic:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/science/29collider.html

 

If the hadron collider creates a black hole, all of this hand wringing will matter for nothing...or so I'm told by the conspiracy folks around here. I'm laughing, of course. But we're going to find out the ultimate answer to the end of the world question, possibly tomorrow during the first test. Eeee haaa! Think I better sell my stock and go wild for the next few hours...the end is a comin'.

 

But then, people have been saying that often...for a long time...of course until it DID happen in the rapture of 1996. And hardly anyone noticed.

[John-in-KC 311]

Until we the people decide that a 2 year challenge of mortal combat is the best way to elect a President, we deserve the nominees we're stuck with.

 

I've started to decide who I'll vote against by using the "eenie meenie meinie mo" method: He/she who broadcasts the first attack ad that I see or hear about is OUT.

 

It'd be nice if positions on issues actually matter, but I'm well and truly cynical anymore.

[Eagledad 2779]

>>It'd be nice if positions on issues actually matter, but I'm well and truly cynical anymore.

[BrentAllen 10]

"Palin is popular because she basically is one of us who has made it to the top."

 

The Dems just don't get this. When they go after her, much of the public is going to sympathize with her. How would we feel if there were 30 hitmen digging into our past in our hometown? Sure, this is part of the political game, and you probably won't hear Palin or McCain complain about it. That doesn't matter. What does matter is how the public feels about the story, and it is easy for the public to put themselves in her shoes.

 

From the WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122098190668515511.html?mod=opinion_journal_political_diary

 

"Democrats understand Sarah Palin is a formidable political force who has upset the Obama victory plan. The latest Washington Post/ABC Poll shows John McCain taking a 12-point lead over Barack Obama among white women, a reversal of Mr. Obama's eight-point lead last month.

 

It's no surprise, then, that Democrats have airdropped a mini-army of 30 lawyers, investigators and opposition researchers into Anchorage, the state capital Juneau and Mrs. Palin's hometown of Wasilla to dig into her record and background. My sources report the first wave arrived in Anchorage less than 24 hours after John McCain selected her on August 29."

John Fund

[gwd-scouter 11]

Love the last paragraph from the article packsaddle linked:

 

Dr. Arkani-Hamed said concerning worries about the death of the Earth or universe, Neither has any merit. He pointed out that because of the dice-throwing nature of quantum physics, there was some probability of almost anything happening. There is some minuscule probability, he said, the Large Hadron Collider might make dragons that might eat us up.

 

Now THAT'S entertainment!

[packsaddle 753]

I just notified my classes that if the world comes to an end tonight, lecture is cancelled.