THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS ON FIRE
Sep 15, 2008 1:16:38 PM ET
I find myself in agreement with the letter to the editor written by Gary Kenny of Seatonville, Illinois, that was published in the Bureau County Republican. Democrats do not wish to compete with Governor Palin's record. Far from it.
Palin who spent 5 years pursuing a degree in journalism, does possess a stage presence. Palin can smile, look straight into the camera and reel off a whopper without shame. That much can not be denied. Palin has mastered style and delivery. Substance? Not so much.
Palin continues to claim credit for killing the Bridge to Nowhere, when its been conclusively established that she was for it before she was against it. Palin is under investigation for lying about her role in the firing of Alaska's Safety Commissioner. Her testimony in this matter has slowly evolved as evidence has been uncovered.
As mayor, Palin demanded personal loyalty oaths be signed by city employees of Wasilla. She had to reinstate the town librarian to head off a recall effort, and was forced by Republican operatives to hire an administrator to run Wasilla after her power grabs outraged the village citizens.
When Palin was elected mayor of Wasilla the village had no long term debt. Palin hired a Washington DC lobbyist, connected to felon Jack Abramoff and indicted Senator Ted Stephens �® AK, who helped Palin suck $27,000,000.00 of pork from the Federal trough. In-spite of this, Palin still managed to leave the village over $19,000,000.00 in debt after 6 years in office.
Alaska has the highest incidence of rape and incest in the nation. Senator Barbara Murkowski ® AK said, "Our statistics are almost unimaginabl... more adult women have been raped than wear glasses or contacts." Yet as mayor, Palin's administration charged victims of rape and incest for their own rape kits, ($230.00) an action so outrageous that it was cited as the reason that the Alaskan State legislature passed a law forbidding the practice.
Alaska leads the nation in other shameful statistics. It has the highest per capita taxes, and spending and is the highest per capita recipient of Federal earmarks, (10x that of Illinois).
Alaska's lack of state income tax and yearly rebate checks to its citizens are luxuries that are financed by the taxes it imposes on the oil exported to the lower 48 states. Not bad work if you can get it. But not exactly self reliance either. High taxes, high spending, and income redistribution are Republican self described abominations. It is ironic that the red state of Alaska is the biggest single violator of these sins and the leading example of the nation-wide phenomenon of red states being net takers from the federal slop-pile while blue states, like Illinois, are net givers to the federal treasury.
Hypocrisy, extremist views, fiscal irresponsibility, abuse of power and dishonesty are tendencies that have not served George W. Bush well as president. These shared traits will wear thin on, Alaskan Governor, VP candidate, Sarah Palin as well.
http://my.democrats.org/page/community/post/mikekohr/CgGGmike kohr
Bureau County Democrats
http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com