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- Echota, on 01/05/2009, -9/+60FTA: The Washington Post reports today that, while Mayor of Wasilla, Palin oversaw the hiring of a lobbyist, Steven Silver -- a former chief of staff to now-indicted GOP senator Ted Stevens -- to help win federal earmarks for the city.
But Silver appears to have additional ties that could further undercut Palin's image as a squeaky-clean reformer. According to Senate lobbying disclosure reports examined by TPMmuckraker, from 2002 to 2004 Silver listed as a client Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig. On Greenberg's behalf, Silver lobbied the federal government on "issues relating to Indian/Native American policy," "exploration for oil and gas" and "legislation relating to gaming issues" -- the very issues that Abramoff headed up for Greenberg at the time. In other words, Silver appears to have been a part of "Team Abramoff."
And I understand Senator McCain that Sarah Palin was fully vetted?
Obama/Biden 08! - PinkSlipNation, on 09/05/2008, -8/+39Wow, "I negotiated with them: I told told them thanks, but no thanks, and then they offered to throw in a second bridge and make tax payers of every other state get to pay for it. Deal!"
- stillcool, on 09/05/2008, -5/+34Jeez..no wonder why they've got Sarah muzzled.
- Richandler, on 09/05/2008, -3/+17We so should build a bridge to Hawaii!
- DangerCollie, on 09/05/2008, -1/+15And everyone seems to forget that Alaska still got the Bridge to Nowhere funds to use on other pork barrel projects, just not the bridge.
Alaska is also one of the states that gets far more back in federal taxes than they pay:
http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22685.h ...
Second from the top. Alaska has consistently been in the top 10 for pork barrel politics since the 80's. In '04 and '05 (last years the figures are available) Alaskans got back a $1.84 for every dollar in federal taxes they pay. That money comes out of the pockets of people like you and I. While they're getting all those federal dollars, they have so much cash in the state budget that they give residents a tax rebate. They take money out of your pocket so they can take money out of the state budget and put it in the pockets of their own residents.
Nice. - phatcat77, on 09/05/2008, -7/+18If you actually knew anything about Alaska geography you would see that this bridge is not a "bridge to nowhere" but instead is a way for Anchorage to expand, also the bridge isn't necessarily to Wasilla but to Knik Goose Bay which is about 20 miles away. Wasilla would definitely benefit from the bridge but so would the city of Anchorage (lower congestion and housing prices), Palmer, and most of the rest of the Valley area. I do think however that Alaskans can and should pay for the bridge themselves.
- inactive, on 09/05/2008, -3/+13Isn't that special. Another Republican in the Abramoff crime family.
Heck of a job, Johnnie. - Taiyoryu, on 09/05/2008, -1/+10Either way, why do I, a resident of the "lower 48" have to pay for it? Is this bridge part of the interstate highway system? Why can't Alaska tap its own Alaska Permanent Fund to finance its own improvements? Or heck, this might be a crazy idea, if you're not willing to spend the money you earn from selling your state's resources, then why not enact a tax to raise funds for your improvements? (Alaska has no state-wide sales or income tax.) Or here's an even more radical idea, why not borrow money from a financial institution, and in the case of your bridges and roads, make them toll bridges and toll roads?
Arizona, the second fastest growing state in the nation, will receive just $18.70 per capita in federal earmarks this fiscal year. By comparison, Alaska — with roughly a tenth of Arizona's population — is set to receive $506.34 per capita, the highest in the nation, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group which tracks earmarks.
Alaska 1st, Ariz. last in pork spending
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-03-22 ...
And note that article is from March, LONG before Palin came into the picture.
Talk about getting a free lunch. Alaska residents get a profit sharing dividend of approximately $2000 per eligible person. If dependent children are eligible as well that's like $8000 per household. If earmarks for Alaska amount to only $500 per person, and each Alaskan is bringing home 4 times that simply by being a resident for one year, the state doesn't even NEED earmarks. They can most certainly afford to fund their own improvement projects. - inactive, on 09/05/2008, -1/+9Here's the Washington Post article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic ... - shupy, on 09/05/2008, -0/+8Scared? Sorry, more like stunned. Considering that Republicans ranted and raved about Hillary for years, talking about Palin is hardly having a hissy fit.
But exposing outright lies that are a matter of public record is not having a hissy fit.
Country first, we don't need a ruthless competitive unqualified liar in a position to take over the White House. We all should be scared at that prospect. - VitriolAndAngst, on 09/05/2008, -1/+9Palin "may" be a nice lady. But she is politically niave. To expect that these things wouldn't come out -- I bet she wishes she had other things to say in that 15 minute interview with McCain, like, right after he might have asked; "are there any skeletons in your closet?"
But she seems to me to be the typical, use government for Plunder, and then BS the public with your churchy image Republican. Too many of those these days. She RAISED taxes on the poor and lowered taxes on corporations. - gsadamb, on 09/05/2008, -0/+7Kinda sounds like what's happening in Iraq.
So she DOES have some foreign policy experience.
Also interesting to note that both Arizona and Alaska get back more than they put in, versus, say, California where I am. I guess John McCain is a Welfare Queen. - wendelgee2, on 09/05/2008, -2/+9We've lost 605,000 jobs in the last 8 months. Good governing, Republicans.
- HolmesSPH, on 09/05/2008, -3/+10wow.. there are no words... to think she could be our VP lol
- Syrisgone, on 09/05/2008, -0/+7Don't forget the fact that at least 70% of the residents of Wasilla work in Anchorage and have to make the hour and a half drive twice a day just to get to work and back.
This bridge is not a fair comparison to the bridge to nowhere. That being said, I in no way support Palin, and McCain can suck my balls. - Wynner3, on 09/06/2008, -0/+6Whatever dirt we find about her seems to make the Republicans happier with their choice.
- trogdor282, on 09/05/2008, -0/+6The point being that people have been shooting each other in Chicago since the city was founded. Americans have only been dieing in Iraq since Bushes started sending them there. Therefore your comparison is misleading at best.
- trogdor282, on 09/05/2008, -2/+8American troop deaths in Iraq the year before Bush took office: 0
That's an increase of infinity percent. Any more statistics you'd like me to help you abuse? - amoirae, on 09/05/2008, -0/+6The desperation in the lies from McCain and Palin is obvious and disgusting.
- inactive, on 09/05/2008, -3/+8You haven't heard of the Washington Post?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic ... - Superflks, on 09/05/2008, -7/+12Breaking: BlueIdaho's head over my kneecap for the incorrect usage of "Breaking."
- chrisrnps, on 09/05/2008, -5/+10"Buried"? The link is to a true news story.
It's pretty sad that you Republicans are so blatant about knowing that the only way you can win is to BURY THE TRUTH about your candidates.
Pathetic. - jerbaker, on 09/06/2008, -0/+5Republicans view graft and corruption as something to celebrate as long as they are the beneficiaries.
- levelred, on 09/05/2008, -3/+8Ok she said she is agains't wasteful spending but supported the bridge to nowhere, and then when they were short over $300,000,000 so decided to give Alaskans money.
And now a lobbyist that she hired is not working on another bridge to nowhere/somewhere.
am i right? - LeggNet, on 09/05/2008, -1/+6Yup, nice clarification on where this proposed bridge would go and who it would affect.
- shupy, on 09/05/2008, -2/+7Sorry dude, you got nothin.
- themonkman, on 09/05/2008, -0/+5Obama hasn't been an organizer in Chicago, much less South Chicago for what....14 years? How exactly is he supposed to be responsible for all of those shooting deaths? If anything, it's the Mayor's fault for not providing more police to crackdown on gangs and illegal firearms control.
Community organizers and neighborhoods have a great direct impact on the daily lives of Americans, especially ones that are in troubled areas. I think it's insulting as hell that the McCain/Palin campaign and their cronies have chosen to ***** all over community organizers all over our country and dismiss them as having no effect or responsibilities. If that isn't elitist, out of touch, and out right insulting to those Americans who donate their time and efforts to making our communities safer and stronger, I really don't know what is. - shupy, on 09/05/2008, -2/+7Yes, but why should I have to pay for it?
- DD2CC2U, on 09/06/2008, -0/+4Boy - that little gal sure is corrupt!
- Laminarcissus, on 09/05/2008, -1/+5I said I think she's corrupt, it's not a claim. That's my opinion in advance of the investigation as to whether she used the influence of her office and friends to have her ex-brother-in-law fired from his job. I believe she did.
- LilRabbitFooFoo, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3Greenberg Traurig is a "law firm" that represents a LOT of scumbags like Abramoff. Where's the investigation of them?
- Meadow113, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3Let's wait on the baby thing and see when she delivers before we make up our minds on that. Nothing has been proven, all we have been told is that she is about 5 months along, which is very vague by today's standards. Pregnancies are measured in weeks now, not months. When I see a full term baby born in late December, then you can gloat about that.
It's still an awfully fishy tale. - mcquitty, on 09/05/2008, -1/+4It's not just Wasilla that would benefit, as well. Palmer and other Matnuska-Susitna boroughs would benefit.
I am not saying it is right, but just about every governor lobbies for projects. This happens to be a project worthwhile. - darkciti2, on 09/05/2008, -3/+6Earlier in the I told you guys this was going to break big...
Here we go! I love it...!
It's almost like the Republicans are intentionally scuttling the Party. - Bluemanz, on 09/06/2008, -1/+4That's a very unfair comparison Tai. First off, cost of living in Arizona is almost negligible compared to Alaska, where fuel, heating, and land/road development costs are higher than anywhere in the nation. In addition, we have a comparatively high poverty rate, especially in the Alaska Native villages. This is due to a lack of unskilled labor jobs in the state, since most positions, even in basic construction, require specialized (and expensive) certifications to deal with Unique Alaskan conditions. A significant percentage of Alaska natives ultimately have to resort to a sustenance lifestyle (i.e: hunting for food) because they simply cannot afford to eat.
Alaska NEEDS federal earmarking for it's residents to live a life that is roughly on par with the rest of the nation. Most of our dividend checks go straight back to paying bills or taxes. We can't afford state income or sales taxes.
The Wasilla bridge is a very necessary construction project that will give thousands of people a safe and reliable commute to their jobs. It has a big price tag, but so does just about anything in Alaska for obvious reasons, and while it does not help as many folks as the multibillion dollar transportation infrastructures in the Lower 48, that is simply because Alaska is mostly rural, so the population is very spread out.
So yes, we need federal money, it isn't corruption or stupidity, it's necessity. - inactive, on 09/05/2008, -1/+4Deny! Deny! Avert thine eyes! There's nothing to see here, move along.
I don't envy your position right now. I almost feel bad for you or I would if you weren't a condescending ass. But as it stands, it's fun to hear each new revelation about the pit bull with lipstick. Now she's connected to Team Abramoff.
What could possibly be next? - evilbob333, on 09/05/2008, -4/+7Agreed. Alaskans should pay for that bridge themselves. And the Federal Government ought to allow Alaskans to develop their natural resources to pay for those bridges.
- shupy, on 09/05/2008, -1/+4The issue here is not the bridge. The issue is why did Palin lie about it? Pretending to be a "reformer" by saying "no thanks" when in reality she took the money anyway.
Another Palin tall tale is the "I sold the jet on ebay". Also not true, she sold the jet at a loss to one of her big contributers. So the people took a loss on a piece of state property and one of her big contributers got a nice jet at a steep discount.
Why so much effort to lie about the little things that make cute stories but are easlily disproven. It does nothing for her credibility. If she lies so easily when it isn't necessary can she be trusted at all?
I don't think so. - DD2CC2U, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3That Baby thing is still strange. What about the Birth records? No one has seen them yet. Plus a DNA test?
- DrewTheITGuy, on 09/05/2008, -1/+4This is a good example of why you don't blindly believe everything you read on the internet. Use your brain and get the info for yourselves.
- Meadow113, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3They get back 1.84 for every dollar they send.
- heystoopid, on 09/05/2008, -3/+6The wicked white witch of the north strikes out again .
- biotch, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3It may be a bitch... but McCain himself made it a symbol of pork barrel spending.
- byronm, on 09/05/2008, -1/+4About dumping some of the oil profits into roads?
- DD2CC2U, on 09/06/2008, -0/+3Palin = Corruption!
- levelred, on 09/05/2008, -1/+3so my plan worked..
- jerbaker, on 09/06/2008, -0/+2"When you can look two miles across the bay to where you want to go and it is a 50 mile drive to get there a bridge sounds pretty dang good"
Especially if you can figure out a way to use government handouts to build it without having to pay for it yourself. I mean, in a free market, why should the people who benefit from the bridge actually pay for it when you can increase the national debt and let the rest of the country foot the bill? When we talk about states' rights, we don't mean states should be independent from the Federal government, we just mean they should be independent from all the parts they don't like (like stupid laws about how you can spend taxpayer dollars) and still dependent on all the good parts (like free money). - Meadow113, on 09/06/2008, -0/+2Maybe when she sold the Jet, she could have bought a ferry
- DD2CC2U, on 09/06/2008, -0/+2http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.as ...
- inactive, on 09/05/2008, -4/+6He already won.
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