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Gov. Sarah Palin is putting political ambition above Alaska’s interest by rejecting federal stimulus funds, Democrats said Friday.
Bob Poe, a Democratic candidate for governor, suggested Palin is grandstanding because the legislature can overrule her — and is considered likely to — CNN reported. Poe, in a conference call with reporters, suggested the governor is “narcissistic.”
“It’s outrageous that Palin wants to turn down Alaskans’ fair share of federal stimulus money for education, public safety, unemployment services and health programs,” said State Democratic Party Chair Patti Higgins. “It’s very clear that Palin is sacrificing the needs of Alaskans for her national political ambitions.”
Palin said she is willing to take federal dollars for construction projects but not $288 million for schools, energy assistance and social services, the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News reported…
Anchorage School Superintendent Carol Comeau said she was “shocked and very disappointed” that Palin would reject funds for schools.
The Dems aren’t the only pols in Alaska who thinks Palin is playing this game as part of her future plans.
Alaska doesn’t need any more government welfare it ranks No. 1, year after year, in money it sucks in from Washington. Palin can crawl back into the sewer.
Ranking 18th in federal taxes paid per resident ($5,434) but first in federal spending received per resident ($13,950).
I think the last sentence is pretty telling: “”She’s got the best interests of the state and her career at heart,” said state Sen. Bert Stedman, the Republican leader in the Alaska Senate.” Stedman could have just said “the best interests of the state” but he also said “and her career.”
Two facts:
-Not stated in this article is her own statement, paraphrased: If program does not create jobs and increases tax burden it is not accepted.
-Watch her rating with the citizens who she governs: they are up during the same time when Obama’s ratings are down and country is in trouble. And she was not on J.Leno… Why?
Angry liberal editors can’t even get hits with Palin threads now. This blog really has become irrelevant.
I enjoyed destroying it.
#6 is a bastion of republican consistency. As previous posts have stated, why be a republican unless you can hate school children, unemployed, the local police department and sick people?
I go with #6. You liberal guys can push the BS up as for as you want to, its still sticking to you and any cause you support.
Our Governer, who declined all pay when he was sworn in, has been forced to say no thinks to some items because it was going to end up costing our state a lot of money we didn’t have.
I know this seems like a weird idea to many of you but some people try to balance their budgets and live within their means.
They do this because they see being destitute as being a bad thing and they think they are the ones responsible for seeing that it doesn’t happen to them and theirs.
It is obvious that a few of you think the best thing a government can do is spend everything it can beg, borrow or steal without regard for the tomarrow in order to create the new world order even if it means taxing businesses to the point they all relocate if that is possible.
P.S. Please continue to sock it to the well to do in your communities. Rather than moving to Mexico or other low cost locations some of them are moving to my rural community where the cost of living is still much lower than most location and we would like more of them.
They build real nice homes and pay lots of property taxes besides shopping at local business and we do have some very nice golf courses they can use that provide summer jobs for our college kids. A few of these people have even started businesses because being retired bored them.
I would would like to say on behalf of the people of Lawrence County Tennessee we thank you and if any of you have retired are you are considering retiring you might want to look at our community as a better, safer, and cheaper location to live.
On not accepting school funding: I guess she prefers to keep her taxpayers stupid for the rest of their lives.
This money isn’t for any specific governor. It is for the people of that State. If Palin doesn’t want the money, she doesn’t have to take it. But the American citizens in her State have as much right any any nimrod right wing nut in Lawrence County Tennessee.
Of course, when you play to the press in order to keep your 2012 hopes alive of becoming the first female President you do anything.
There’s a lot of strings involved with taking this money. Gov. Perry of Texas rejected it because it forces the State to pay unemployment insurance to people that have never paid into it. In other words it dilutes an already shrinking pie and will lead to greater taxes. Business in that State will be at a disadvantage and it will only make the job market worse in that State.
The Democrats are just pissed that Palin is calling them on this.
We are all better off with fewer states taking money…who’s going to end up paying for it?
This is just wealth transfer, states that can’t keep their idiot politicians from spending money get bailed out..then we all get higher federal taxes and get to enjoy inflation too in a couple of years.
Nice to see someone who still cares about budget deficits.
I don’t get Gov Sanford though. He asked to use the money to pay down school debt. Couldnt he have just redone the budget so that the debt is paid down and cu whatever the feds want them to spend the money on, then take the stimulus money?
It’s only a matter of days before congress starts legislating what the States can do with the money.
Alaska unemployment, US Bureau of Labor.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/d5zcsq
Nobody actually lives in Alaska, it’s a state of itinerant workers, when the work runs out they leave it.
The entire conservative movement is designed to diminish all faith in government. Grover Norquist said “My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.” The only way to crush government is to persuade the people to lose faith in the government to manage.
It’s pretty hysterical that the govenors of three of the states with the LOWEST literacy and the POOREST schools [South Carolina, Louisiana, Alaska] are the same three govenors who are most hostile to funding their schools with stimulus funding.
What’s funnier is that Palin herself has possibly one of the poorest educations of any governor in US. Thinking things through clearly isn’t one of her strongest positions.
This whole thing is simply political posturing at the expense of the constituents of their states.
This MILF will never be President.
Don’t like Palin. At all. But since when does not taking federal money = not being patriotic?
Each state can decide. Look at how the Feds hang highway funds in front of the states.
Accepting this “bailout” comes with so many long term strings it ain’t funny.
This is a complete power grab/war by Congress and the White House financed by the taxpayers.
Top welfare states in America
1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)
If Palin had an ounce of integrity as a conservative, Alaska would send more than it takes.
http://tinyurl.com/yhxoh5
# 22 Greg Allen – Does #1 D.C. include all of the “earnings” and “bonuses” in Congress? Sure looks like it…
This StimPack Q1’09 is nothing more than Blackmail disguised as a helping hand. If this were a Godfather movie, it would be the same thing as “an offer he can’t refuse.”
The Federal Government no longer cares about “the people.” Individuals may, but the monolithic political engine in Washington does not. It is all about power and who gets to control it.
FYI: I don’t like Palin. I don’t think she made the decision out of patriotism. I think she is trying some political game and will end up with the money anyway. People may think she is small government but she isn’t. She wants the power just like any of the others.
#18, So what’s your point? The government (those elected by the people) has run this country into the ground. The current administration is in the process of covering up the hole.
Maybe it is time for a R3VOLUTION.
#22, ‘If Palin had an ounce of integrity as a conservative, Alaska would send more than it takes.’
yet here she is, being bashed for not taking stimulus funds. Why aren’t you praising her integrity?
This is the game liberals play. You didn’tpraise Bush for his higher spending, you bashed his deficits. Anytime a Republican tries to cut the deficit you whine about being heartless, cutting X,Y,Z.
“This is just wealth transfer…”
Right, pal. I got the real wealth transfer that’s killing the nation right here for ya!
Talk about money for nothin’.
http://www.kyklosproductions.com/articles/wages.html
Alaska gets the most money per capita for any state, but it is WASHINGTON DC that gets way more money per capita than any state. DC is basically it’s own welfare state.
Number two, since only one percent of Alaska is privately owned and the rest is owned by the state and the federal government, it’s kind of a horse of a different color. The fed is essential stimulating itself.
Number three, if the freak extremist environmentalist democrats would get their hands off of Alaska and let them drill for petroleum, Alaska could send stimulus money to the rest of us.
It’s easy to accuse Palin of political grandstanding, but one of the platforms she ran on as governor was to get Alaska off the federal dole and to do so by opening up restrictions on economic development. Unfortunately the dems are too busy “lowering the ocean” of climate change, which is the biggest ruse that has been foisted on the public since telling people the earth was flat.
#22 – The people that we elected to represent us – DO NOT. They represent the money that gave them the megaphone. They are not being held accountable by the people for their actions against the common man. Elected officials have created a system where there is no accountability to anyone but themselves.
#27
I agree that the real wealth transfer is going from the working person to the capitalist.
Listen to the idiotic and short-sighted far right nutjobs in here defending Palin.
Either all of the money is good or none of it is. To neglect education and accept construction money is the height of hypocrisy. I guess the bridge to nowhere needs more roads leading up to it?
Yup, a true republican. Enjoy what you got Alaska, because it’s all downhill from here.
#28, Vicki,
… but it is WASHINGTON DC that gets way more money per capita than any state. DC is basically it’s own welfare state.
Not quite. Bad comparison.
Washington DC is a National Capitol City. They have no industrial base for tax revenues. Federal buildings don’t pay taxes. They must supply policing and support services to all the government entities. So, yup, all the costs normally born by State agencies are now born by the City.