[Vision2020] Fw: (Fwd) Fw: A voice from Alaska

[lfalen]

I think that you will be amazed.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: keely emerinemix kjajmix1 at msn.com
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:44:13 -0700
To: deb debismith at moscow.com,  Sue Hovey suehovey at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Fw: (Fwd) Fw: A voice from Alaska

> 
> I'm gonna go with "running out of smarts" here, Deb.  In the same way that Bush, Sr., thought we'd all swoon over Dan Quayle.
>  
> I'll be amazed if she lasts through the month; every day seems to reveal something both dumb and dishonest.  And it's sexist to not take her on . . . Keelyhttp://keely-prevailingwinds.blogspot.com/> From: debismith at moscow.com> To: suehovey at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:16:38 -0800> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Fw: (Fwd) Fw: A voice from Alaska> > Wow! thanks, Sue. I am printing this and passing it on to the College > Democrats, the Pro-Choice groups, and the Coalition for Women Students.> > My question is: How did the Republican Machine not vet this person more > thouroughly? They usually cover (or cover up) every base. Are they suicidal? > Just running out of smarts? The democrats generally have difficulty getting > together on anything (not just herding cats, they have been herding canaries > until this political cycle), but the Republicans usually march in lockstep. > What happened? Sarah Palin is a liability, and Republicans usually don't > !
 have
those until say, maybe, 8 years later....Can only hope the electorate > "gets it", but with the dumbing down of the US populace, who the heck knows?> > The more things change....> > Debi R-S> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>> Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 8:32 AM> Subject: [Vision2020] Fw: (Fwd) Fw: A voice from Alaska> > > >> I received this last night. It does speak to her attempted banning of> >> library books, but does not mention the books in the email.> >> > Sue Hovey> >> >> >> Sent: Saturday, September 6, 2008 12:26:06 PM> >> Subject: A voice from Alaska> >>> >>>> >>> http://www.andrys.com/palin-kilkenny.html> >>>> >>> ( Updates on general history are below Anne Kilkenny's letter. )> >>>> >>> A note to all by Anne Kilkenny> >>>> >>> Dear friends,> >>>> >>> So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in> >>> the last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .> >>>> >>> Bas!
 ically,
Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in> >>> common: their gender and their good looks. :)> >>>> >>> You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email> >>> contacts with my name and email address attached, but please do not> >>> post it on any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .> >>>> >>> Thanks,> >>> Anne> >>>> >>> [ Note by webadmin: This was already posted on Washington> >>> Independent comments area and was meant by the author to be read by> >>> many, but readers need sourcing. The NY Times has talked with Anne> >>> since. ]> >>>> >>> ABOUT SARAH PALIN> >>>> >>> I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.> >>> Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on> >>> a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her> >>> father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a> >>> first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more> >>> City Cou!
 ncil
meetings during her administration than about 99% of> >>> the residents of the city.> >>>> >>> She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular> >>> girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and> >>> won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because> >>> she is a 'babe'.> >>>> >>> It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret.> >>> She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and> >>> parents for seven months.> >>>> >>> She is 'pro-life'. She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome> >>> baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.> >>>> >>> She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the> >>> gym.> >>>> >>> She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just 'puts things out> >>> there' and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.> >>>> >>> Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a> >>> champion snowmobile racer. !
 Todd
Palin's kind of job is highly> >>> sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his> >>> work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month> >>> or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing> >>> their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been> >>> anything like that of native Alaskans.> >>>> >>> Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.> >>>> >>> She's smart.> >>>> >>> Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about> >>> 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state> >>> with about 670,000 residents.> >>>> >>> During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running> >>> this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been> >>> pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she> >>> had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which> >>> had given rise to a recall campaign.> >>>> >>> Sarah campaigned in Wasilla !
 as a
'fiscal conservative'. During her 6> >>> years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by> >>> over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by> >>> the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation> >>> (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a> >>> regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she> >>> promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than> >>> they benefited residents.> >>>> >>> The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration> >>> weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed> >>> money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left> >>> it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin> >>> encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure> >>> that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the> >>> city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a par!
 k.
$15m-plus for> >>> construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through> >>> to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear> >>> title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight> >>> of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice> >>> addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the> >>> profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds> >>> for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs> >>> without any borrowing.> >>>> >>> While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office> >>> redecorated more than once.> >>>> >>> These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.> >>>> >>> As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget> >>> surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology> >>> that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as> >>> Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every> >>>
individual in the state.> >>>> >>> In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she> >>> recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while> >>> she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's> >>> surplus, borrow for needs.> >>>> >>> She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside> >>> ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't> >>> generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their> >>> merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.> >>>> >>> While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly> >>> respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider> >>> removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City> >>> residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against> >>> Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and> >>> withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to> >>> oust the Li!
 brarian
are on her enemies list to this day.> >>>> >>> Sarah complained about the 'old boy's club' when she first ran for> >>> Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of 'old boys'. Palin> >>> fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and> >>> as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure> >>> people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and> >>> eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing> >>> their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged> >>> happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).> >>>> >>> As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he> >>> 'intimidated' her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent> >>> firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He> >>> served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him,> >>> but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to> >>> fire him was b!
 ecause he
wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a> >>> State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had> >>> to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff> >>> and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to> >>> fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired> >>> with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment;> >>> when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.> >>>> >>> She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her> >>> in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around> >>> town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City> >>> Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected> >>> Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people> >>> who didn't like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.> >>>> >>> Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying> >>> anything publicl!
 y about
her.> >>>> >>> When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah> >>> got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation> >>> Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best> >>> paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of> >>> scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining> >>> in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that> >>> job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware> >>> that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of> >>> the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a> >>> gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political> >>> suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of> >>> the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron> >>> saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the 'old boys' club'> >>> when she dramatically quit, exposing th!
 is man's
ethics violations> >>> (for which he was fined).> >>>> >>> As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from> >>> Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel> >>> politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the 'bridge> >>> to nowhere' after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.> >>>> >>> As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget> >>> guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing> >>> projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative> >>> action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply> >>> because she was not aware of their importance--but with the> >>> unobservant she had gained a reputation as 'anti-pork'.> >>>> >>> She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party> >>> leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated> >>> them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a> >>> fisc!
 al
conservative.> >>>> >>> Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.> >>> They call her 'Sarah Barracuda' because of her unbridled ambition> >>> and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly> >>> stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be> >>> made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's> >>> mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and> >>> experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.> >>>> >>> As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of> >>> package of legislation known as 'AGIA' that forced the oil companies> >>> to march to the beat of her drum.> >>>> >>> Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National> >>> Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked> >>> to global warming. She campaigned 'as a private citizen' against a> >>> state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon !
 streams>
>>> from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in> >>> the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the> >>> State's lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list> >>> polar bears as threatened species.> >>>> >>> McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be> >>> a heartbeat away from being President.> >>>> >>> There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more> >>> knowledgeable and experienced than she.> >>>> >>> However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are> >>> regretting it.> >>>> >>>> >>> CLAIM VS FACT> >>> *'Hockey mom': true for a few years> >>> *'PTA mom': true years ago when her first-born was in elementary> >>> school, not since *'NRA supporter': absolutely true *social> >>> conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that> >>> would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships> >>> (said she did this because it was unconsitut!
 ional).>
>>> *pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to> >>> promote it. *'Pro-life': mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's> >>> syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on> >>> some pro-life legislation *'Experienced': Some high schools have> >>> more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more> >>> residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other> >>> than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial> >>> experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about> >>> 5,000. *political maverick: not at all *gutsy: absolutely! *open &> >>> transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining> >>> actions. *has a developed philosophy of public policy: no *'a> >>> Greenie': no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and> >>> disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.> >>> *fiscal conservative: not by my definition! *pro-infrastructure!
 : No.>
>>> Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage> >>> treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early> >>> 20th century standards. *pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for> >>> businesses, increased tax burden on residents *pro-small government:> >>> No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's> >>> history. *pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works> >>> union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any> >>> claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.> >>>> >>> WHY AM I WRITING THIS?> >>>> >>> First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed> >>> voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting> >>> programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +> >>> Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local> >>> government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.> >>>> >>> Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that 'Bad things happen> !
 >>> when
good people stay silent'. Few people know as much as I do> >>> because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.> >>>> >>> Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out> >>> of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am> >>> no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this> >>> will cost me somehow in the future: that's life.> >>>> >>> Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the> >>> 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against> >>> Sarah's attempt at censorship.> >>>> >>> Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid> >>> to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.> >>>> >>> CAVEATS> >>> I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in> >>> spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for> >>> Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of> >>> the City of Wasilla, and I can't re!
 call
exactly what I adjusted for:> >>> did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it> >>> is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City> >>> Hall--they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.> >>>> >>> You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for> >>> the population of Wasilla, ranging from my 'about 5,000', up to> >>> 9,000. The day Palin's selection was announced a city official told> >>> me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000> >>> census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was> >>> Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the> >>> mid-90's.> >>>> >>> Anne Kilkenny> >>> August 31, 2008> >>>> >>> =======> >>>> >>> UPDATES (relevant articles):> >>> Palin's Start in Alaska: Not Politics as Usual - NY Times, 9/3/08.> >>> Documents detail Palin's political life - Politico, 9/2/08. The> >>> Unusual Challenges Palin Faced in Alaska - NY Times, 9/4/08> >>>> !
 >>>
REFERENCE:> >>> On the Issues - with quotes> >>> Books and videos> >>>> >>> ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:> >>> Palin's Hometown Friends Enjoy the Show - NY Times 9/4/08 - a fun> >>> read. A funny send-up of convention speeches - NY Times 9/4/08, Gail> >>> Collins> >>>> >>>> >>> To Home page> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> ________________________________> >> Stay up to date on your PC, the Web, and your mobile phone with> >> Windows Live. See Now> >> ------- End of forwarded message -------> >>> >> > =======================================================> > List services made available by First Step Internet,> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.> > http://www.fsr.net> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> > =======================================================> > > > =======================================================> List services made available by First Step Internet, > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. > http://www.fsr.net > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com>
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