Our view: Help for Alaska

[spindrifter]

Published: February 19th, 2009 11:22 PM
Last Modified: February 19th, 2009 11:23 PM

Gov. Sarah Palin appears to be focusing on the negative in the just-passed federal stimulus law, and that could hurt Alaskans suffering from the effects of the national recession. Rather than embrace the economic benefits that the $787 billion package is expected to bring, Palin embraced wholesale the congressional Republicans' criticism of the law.

<snip>

Palin said in a press release that she's concerned about "integrating" federal stimulus money in the state operating budget -- and increasing programs that might have to be cut when the federal spending boost ends.

It sounds as if she's hyping a hypothetical problem to burnish her conservative national credentials. She governs a state where one-third of the entire economy depends on federal spending. This year's state budget is already bolstered with $2.6 billion of federal money. Tough talk about spurning federal aid is just that -- talk.

<snip>

Instead of casting such a wary eye on the federal help, Gov. Palin would serve the state better by figuring out how to make the federal stimulus funds deliver the maximum possible benefit for Alaskans.

http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/696294.html

[bertman]

1. Uhhh, since when did Gov. Palin do anything to serve the state better than serving her

personal ambition?

She's just girding her loins for the 2012 campaign.