With Sarah’s resignation, it’s obviously going to be “series” time again… Palin may be stepping away from her gubernatorial duties, but it’s readily apparent no vaccine exists for Palin Derangement. No conservative figure brings out the wrath, disdain, and downright ugly side of liberal progressives (and some GOPers) than the mere mention of the name, Sarah Palin. Downright funny to watch, it is. So I suspect I, and the other authors will be contributing often to a new FA category called the “Trials and Tribulations” of Sarah.
In this segment, I’ll add some data to the first nine of the eighteen complaints that have lodged again Sarah. I’m breaking this down in several posts because there’s lots of links, and there’s just too much to put into one.
And oh… BTW, when we’re done with the ethics complaints and Personnel Board, we can move on to some of the personal lawsuits the progressive assault machine is piling on Sarah as well.
No doubt, about the time I think I’m getting to the end of it all, a new complaint or lawsuit will hit the media.
You’ll find there’s some repetitive names in this cast of characters that are playing the frivolous ethics complaint game. And it’s worthy to start having a look at who’s doing what because… well… Alaskans are, unwittingly, bellying up to the bar to pay for all this. It’s almost another slap in the face not to have a close look. In fact, Alaskans have paid a bundle for the media to provide us with a “how to abuse the system” guidebook…. and here it is. So read and learn how “winning” politics are waged… meaning keep slinging the mud and clogging up the legal and state systems until something sticks. And even if it doesn’t, the public will think there’s something *really* wrong…
Alinsky tactics, gang. Time to learn, and remember them for a new election.
There are 18 ethics complaints on record, per the ADN. As I mentioned, three of these were related to Troopergate, and all but one were brought by Alaskans. They are below, in chronological order.
1: July 28, 2008: The Alaskan legislature launches it’s legislative witchhunt on Troopergate. This is the beginning of the now familiar circus as to whether or not Palin fired Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan because he refused to fire ex-brother in law, Alaskan Trooper Mike Wooten.
If you remember, this entailed dualing investigations… the Alaskan legislation investigation headed up by Dem Sen. Hollis French, and the Personnel Board’s investigation (which is #4 in this chronology).
Not to beat an already dead horse, just refer to the Troopergate series to recap in depth.
It might be interesting to note that French is now broadly hinting he will be tossing his hat into the gubernatorial ring against Sarah’s successor, Sean Parnell. Parnell, BTW, is calling Sarah “Alaska’s greatest gift to the US”.
“I was very surprised at first,” he said of Palin’s decision to resign, which he said she told him Wednesday.
“But then as she began to explain why she was doing it, I began to see it was Sarah Palin, once again, moving to put Alaska’s interest first,” Parnell told CNN.
~~~“She’s accomplished more in these two and a half years than most governors accomplish in one or two terms,” he said. “Our governor has been a great governor. She is going to be Alaska’s and is Alaska’s greatest gift to our country.”
2: Aug. 6, 2008: One of the three [Corrected] FOUR complaints filed by Andree McLeod of Anchorage. Now here’s one piece of work… Ms. McLeod. She was an employee of the Murkowski admin prior to Palin’s admin. While she likes to tout herself as a Republican, she also happens to be the darling of the self-admitted progressives who race to her defense because… rather like the jihad movements… they share a common enemy – Sarah Palin.
Please note, Celtic Diva, an Alaskan progressive blogger who’s defense of M. McLeod is linked above, is also known as Linda Kellen Biegel… and responsible for one of her own laughable ethics complaints (see #16). This stuff is almost like inbreeding… But back to Ms. McLeod.
One needs to remember Alaskan politics. The lines in the sand are not Republican/Democrat when it comes to Palin. She has armies of enemies in both political camps. While Ms. McLeod loves to tout that she is a Republican in order to take a partisan slant off her obsession with Palin, McLeod was a Frank Murkowski Republican…. remember that jet on e-Bay? Another example that there was no lost love between admins was the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission story. It was Gov. Frank Murkowski who appointed Palin to the Commission, and it was Palin who resigned on ethics because Murkowski appointed the chairman of the Alaska Republican Party to a seat on her commission while allowing him to keep his partisan post.
Ms. McLeod was employed by Gov. Murkowski on the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, a department of the Labor & Workforce Development. Palin notes she’s very disgruntled that she didn’t get a job – specifically the head of the Alaska Public Offices Commission — the state campaign finance watchdog agency – with her admin. And considering Palin’s opinion of her boss and his financial and moral ethics, that’s not surprising.
“This is the same Andree McLeod that follows us around at public events and camps herself out in our waiting area and hounds us for a job, asking us if there’s a way she can go around Workplace Alaska and not have to go through the system to get a job with this administration,” Palin said.
To which McLeod said: “The messenger always gets clobbered. I’m not interested in getting into a catfight — the issue at hand is this complaint.”
For a bit more bizarre insight into Ms. McLeod, you should know she’s also appointed herself the “chief of dress code police” for state workers, whining about how there was too much cleavage being shown.
Now that you know a bit about this woman who’s filed three FOUR complaints alone, and backed by a progressive Democrat who filed one herself, we’ve covered some groundwork on a few recurring players here. These two women are responsible for four of the remaining 15 complaints (excluding Troopergate’s three).
In this early August complaint, McLeod’s beef was that Palin’s staffers helped Tom Lamal get a job in the State department as a surveyor, and he also co-hosted a campaign fundraiser for Palin in his past. This complaint, like all the others, was dismissed. However when examining some emails, the Personnel Board did recommend some “ethics training” classes for one of the staffers, based on some email comments. sigh….
3: Aug. 20, 2008: This one is filed by Brian Kraft, founder of Bristol Bay Alliance. For some background, the Bristol Bay Alliance and Mr. Kraft were opposing mine development in the Bristol Bay area for environmental reasons and their perceived risk to fish. Palin, along with a then candidate Obama, desperate for miners’ support in Alaska, wanted the mine developed. Alaskans subsequently voted 57% to 42% to allow the mine development, but that didn’t stop Kraft from lodging an ethics complaint saying Palin violated elections laws by taking a public position on the ballot initiative in the days before the vote.
Interesting concept… no one wants to know where their governor stands on a ballot initiative??
The complaint was rejected by the Alaska Public Offices Commission May of this year.
We’ve now moved into the post campaign era, where the political motivation now has national repercussions … and 15 complaints to go.
4: Sept. 2, 2008: Palin files an ethics complaint request on her Troopergate charges, saying that the legislative investigation has now become too political. This is the first of the three Troopergate related ethics charges, atop the legislative investigation. One day before the election, the Personnel Board dismissed the charges, saying the firing of Monegan violated no ethics laws. As I said… already been there, done that… see the Troopergate series archives.
5: Sept. 3, 2008: The Alaskan State Troopers union, Public Safety Employees Association, joins the Troopergate fray with the second of the three complaints, accusing Palin of having unauthorized access to Wooten’s medical files. It was later amended to include harrassment charges. The PSEA’s allegations were investigated alongside Palin’s filing and also dismissed.
6: Oct. 13, 2008: THe last of the three ethics charges in Troopergate… Walt Monegan requests a Board hearing to “clear his name”. The Board’s attorney, Timothy Petumenos, says there was no legal basis or jurisdiction for such a hearing. History…. live with it, Walt.
7: Oct. 23, 2008: The only ethics charge filed by an entity other than an Alaskan citizen. This was brought by the Federal Election Commission by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics over “the wardrobe”… charging that the GOPs purchase of the clothes violated election laws. The FEC ruled that party money is not covered by the ban.
8: Oct. 24, 2008: “Travelgate”… Anchorage resident, and retired lineman, Frank Gwartney, filed a three page complaint accusing Palin of “Misuse of Official Position” by “securing unwarranted benefits for her daughters.” Meaning, she took her daughters on some campaign trips with McCain and some of it was charged as State expenses.
There were 72 excursions total, and 40 examined. The Board’s attorney, Petumenos again, evaluated them with the ultimate end of whether the personal benefit for Palin outweighed the public benefit. Nine were found to be more in favor of Palin’s personal benefit than the State…. but only portions, as some legs did involve State business. (I guess you just ship the kids home then, and bring ’em back again for the next applicable leg…. huh?).
As both Palin and the Board described the State travel rules for a Governor’s family as “dizzying and circular”, and in serious need of reform thru new and clarified regulations, Palin agreed to reimburse what seemed questionable and not contest findings, and the Board agreed to not file a formal accusation or take the case to a hearing.
It should come as no huge surprise that Frank Gwatney is a registered Democrat, and a contributor to Obama’s campaign. When asked if it was a filing that was politically motivated, he just said:
Sarah had run on this platform of ethics and cleaning up the state,” Gwartney said. “It’s fairly hypocritical. She’s just repeating the same thing everyone else has done.”
~~~But Gwartney said he didn’t time the complaint to hit during the heat of the campaign. He said he filed it after new information about the children’s travel was revealed in news reports.
Palin reimbursed the State an estimated $6,800. Small peanuts when you consider all the crisscrossing of the nation, hotel rooms, food, plus the trips to and from Alaska.
Someone ought to call ol’ Frank up and see if he’s just as bugged about this big taxpayer bill for frivolous crap… In fact, it would be interesting to know if Palin’s reimbursement was enough to cover for the costs of Gwartney’s complaint.
9: Nov. 14, 2008: Zane Henning. A former North Slope worker who’s now an environmental coordinator for Pioneer Natural Resources, an oil and gas firm out of Texas. Mr. Henning calls himself “politically conservative”, and is a member of The Last Frontier Foundation.
Mr. Henning filed a complaint that Palin was, as he put it, engaging in “post-election damage control” from her office, and promoting her career. [Warning… it’s a McClatchy report] He specifically seems to take exception to Greta VanSusten’s interviews.
“These video reports show Sarah Palin speaking to numerous reporters in her Republican vice-presidential candidate capacity defending and still promoting herself and not as the governor of Alaska representing Alaskans,” Henning writes.
The Board’s investigation, Michael Geraghty, dismissed the complaint, saying:
“There was no indication that Governor Palin presented her official position as governor of the State of Alaska for an improper personal or financial purpose.”
Speaking of interviews, Mr. Henning’s given at least one himself… most notably to that braintrust “documentary group” who created a 2-3 minute schpiel dissing Palin, called the Wasilla Project. “Intrigued” by McCain’s choice, they decided to head out to Wasilla to find out how the residents there feel about Sarah.
Here’s who they interviewed, and how they described them:
Anne Kilkenny – longtime Wasilla resident and government observer.
Zane Henning – is a Wasilla resident, politically conservative, and active as a researcher and government watchdog.
Andree McCleod – is a government watchdog who has been investigating Palin’s use of Yahoo email while governor.
Well now, there’s some unbiased opinions for you. Two filed complaints… one of them filed *three FOUR* complaints, PLUS a lawsuit. And Ms. Kilkenny? Her claim to fame was “the letter”… which even the St. Pete Times Politifact needed to clarify with numbers and context. Ms. Kilkenny is a Democrat and, along with the above two, no fan of Palin.
To keep the inbreeding alive, Zane seems to be part of a husband/wife hit team on the file-an-ethics-charge-daily game. Well, almost. The Mrs., Valerie Henning, is quoted as “fearing retaliation” if she files a complaint.
Valerie Henning told the board that fear of a backlash has prevented her from filing a complaint against the governor’s practice of collecting per diem for time spent at her home in Wasilla. Henning’s husband, Zane, earlier had an ethics complaint dismissed by the board. His complaint alleged Palin violated ethics law by holding national television interviews concerning her run for vice president from the governor’s office.
Valerie Henning brought up to the board the statement that Palin’s chief of staff, Mike Nizich, made on April 22 after the filing of an ethics complaint against Palin that was released to the press.
“I hope that the publicity-seekers will face a backlash from Alaskans who have a sense of fair play and proportion. I served six previous governors, and I’ve never seen anything like the attacks against governor Palin,” Nizich said in a press release distributed by the governor’s office.
Valerie Henning tried to get board members to suggest some alternative to making the ethics complaint, saying “I’m afraid of retaliation, basically.”
Palin spokesman Bill McAllister said Nizich was simply asking that Alaskans who have a “sense of fair play and proportion” speak up about what’s going on.
“I don’t know what she means by retaliation, but certainly some people have been raising their voices in protest of this abuse of the ethics act,” McAllister said. “People make these allegations against the governor and they keep getting dismissed and dismissed and dismissed, and some people are saying ‘What’s going on here?’ “
Yup… runs in the family.
Countdown for the last nine complaints that have been dismissed continues next in the series… nuff for now.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
Truly despicable people — sick to the core of their souls. I hope Sarah sues the bejesus out of these creeps.
Sarah Palin has an important role to play in taking America back.
The Chicago Thugocracy, the Alinsky’s, Ayers and other shameless America hating manipulators schooled Obama well. The Press selectively covers his backside and has engaged in an absolutely despicable smear campaign against the Palin Family and now it is clear to me why Sarah resigned. Politics has become a real snake pit. She can be more effective in changing the political landscape without the State of Alaska to steward.
The GOP is so sadly lacking in leadership and direction that it is no longer a player. If she chooses to contribute in a leadership role, that will be a full time job and time is short as 2010 is coming up quickly. She does not need to be a candidate for office necessarily for now. The Old GOP including McCain and others that have been corrupted by too much time spent at Foggy Bottom need to either step aside or be replaced by some new blood. DC insiders don’t live in the real world. Their judgment and integrity has been tainted by their incumbent status and the sense of negotiable values. They honestly live in a separate reality from their constituents.
Those that have slandered and demeaned the Palins need to be taken down a notch or two as well but that is a matter for the Courts. I look for Sarah to shake up the GOP. At this point neither Party represents my values or views but as usual we are faced with the lesser of two evils. Sarah Palin will have my support in restoring America closer to the one that I defended for the majority of my adult life.
If any Governor of any state resigned before their term was up, without a really good reason… people would be wondering why… why? Was she too fragile? Was the mean ole MSM beating her up to much? Give me a break! What really sucks is that she resigned. Period. She is a quitter and no one will ever forget that. She might be able to deal with some of the bad press, “msm” ass whippin, but no one forced her to quit, and no one will forget that and no amount of (excuse the very bad pun, and intentional inference since it was used over and over and over again…) no amount of lipstick will change this situation. ALL SPIN, ALL DAY is OVER. Glom onto what ever I say, but the gig is up. She is done done done. Too bad, I wanted to see her and magic pants really duke it out with Huck, all losers. The GOP needs a real family man like (fmr) Speaker Newt. Until then… spin baby spin.
I am really waiting until the real story comes out…
Great information. As a former Democrat, Sarah has my support. I have never seen anything like it!
blast, had you been subject to that treatment I think you would have a different view on that.
She can resign from any job in this country without asking your permission so get off that tired quitter crap. I don’t know why you are stuck on that nonsense. How does her resignation impact you? Are you an Alaska Resident? You don’t have a dog in that fight if you are not an Alaska Resident. I’ll bet she can present her Birth Certificate and I can present mine as well as college transcripts. Your juvenile Palin derangement issue seems to be your problem. Your fixation on things that are none of your business just stumps me. If you don’t like her, don’t vote for her.
I don’t think it matters to her.
To be honest with you there are perhaps two or three dozen office holders that I would love to see resign. I do not affiliate with any Party and your Partisan babble does not make any sense to me. Neither Party represents my values, views or my best interests.
blah blah blah blah. She is an elected politician… give me a break… subjected to treatment. Like you have been kind and gentle to the dems… if you play in the big leagues, then you have to swing your bat. If not, get the f- out of the game.
I love how you mix the birth certificate into this argument. I could care less about Gov Sarah Palin, her kids and her husband. They are meaningless to me, and always have been (meaning I neither love or hate them). Not in a disrespectful way, but her tenure or lack of tenure in office means nothing… EXCEPT… when a sitting Governor of a state QUITS… not to take on larger public responsibilities, but for what end? She was being picked on? It is a non story about a non important figure in my opinion, but when folks raise her up as something she is MOST DEFINITELY NOT, sure I chime in. I have not believed Gov Palin deserved the notoriety she has received. Her presence has sucked the oxygen out of real debates and ideas from real conservatives. She had her day in the sun, and I am looking to see what skulduggery will come of her untimely resignation. SNL could not have made up this story line.
Old Trooper, blast has BDS issues and seems to be carrying it over to Sara now.
She is resigning because of the monetary cost’s of defending all the complaints against her. She is doing what is best for her family, I don’t not blame her. I actually think this is a great political move for her. I don’t think we have heard the last of Sarah Palin.
This is what we need! Leadership that has ordered correct priorities!
She is demonstrating right stewardship of the monies of the Alaskan people. She is demonstrating the importance of family.
She is doing a right thing in a right way, and what may be a step down is actually genuine humility that prepares her for the tasks ahead.
She has my vote for 2012. 🙂
When criminal democrats appoint criminal hacks as judges there is no justice system. If these phony complaints ever come before a real ‘judge’ (i don’t know that there’s one left) the filers would be paying damages the rest of their criminal lives. The only good thing about this is it will come back and bit the America hating democrats in the a** soon.
I understand the knee-jerk labeling as a “quitter”, complaining that she had a responsibility to those who elected her to complete her term. However, if the comment from her brother is correct that she has spent ~80% of her time on defending herself against these bogus ethics complaints (I suspect the number is inflated, but his point is still valid), then she had already become nearly ineffective as Governor. Upon her announcement that she was not going to run for re-election, she would become a lame duck as well. Looked at from one perspective, resigning now allows her Lt. Governor to step up and continue the fight on the issues she (and he) were elected for, and positions him for a run at the Governorship. Isn’t this actually a better result for the people of Alaska? In the meantime, in true “Maverick” fashion, she has changed the game and taken the initiative. If her goal is national politics or possibly a Presidential run, she is now free to get heavily involved in the 2010 congressional elections by speaking on issues and supporting candidates. she now has the time to involve herself in national and international issues and build up that experience and knowledge base that she was lacking last year. It is truly a risky strategy, but by no means will I count her out.
IMHO, the “rest of the story” won’t unfold for a few weeks. Will Sarah become a new (or another) Newt, speaking on behalf of conservative causes across the country? Will she head the formation of a viable third party, one with true differences from the Democans and the Republicrats?
This move, like many in her past, required far more guts and integrity to DO than to NOT DO. Stay tuned, folks, it may get interesting.
I would say that we need to “get just used to this crap” of the democrats and media destroying anyone who gets in their way or that they are afraid will throw them out of power.
But instead of that, we should start fighting back on the internet and in conversations with anyone who attempts to further their deranged and dangerous quest to destroy this Republic. This silent majority crap just ain’t cutting it anymore.
How many of you have stood toe to toe (in real life) and had it out with your progressive nutty friends? How many of you have stood up in local meetings and told the truth as you see it and defended conservative values and beliefs.
Not many I can almost assume with complete confidence. Why? because that is not what conservatives have done or will do. Well, if you continue that way, this country will be not only socialist, but could wind up being either a communist nation state or even worse an Islamic state.
Think I’m nuts or just kidding? How many of you have taken the time and trouble to see what your kids are learning. What your older kids are thinking and what their political views are? What your money is being spent on by your local educational dept. What your kids are learning in the universities?
It is a full all out war in America’s Education system to turn all our kids into progressive nanny state victims who want nanny to take care of them and to shun personal responsibilities and conservative thought or actions.
This Republic is just now beginning to see that the real enemies are within, not without (including the millions of Muslims in the U.S. that are not Americans but only here to promote and assure that America is taken over and converted to Islam) No, not all of them but millions of them are. That number may include our present President. I’m not sure about that at this point but it is beginning to look like it could be possible.
Oh well, enough of my rambling. Just be aware that Palin is not going to be the exception to the rule, but will be what anyone who opposes the progressives, democrats and Obama will go through and have to deal with.
Palin is not finished by any means, but it is up to her to determine what she does and how she does it. Alaskans are like Texans, they will do whatever they want to do, even if it is not the right thing.
Papa Ray
West Texas
How can she ever be credible as a presidential candidate? If you think she’s catching flak and is under pressure as a Governor, what do you think she would be under as POTUS? And there, the stakes would be monumental.
She can no longer be trusted.
She no longer has anything to say.
I can’t speak to the reality of the embezzlement accusations, while yesterday an FBI official said the governor is not a target of a public corruption investigation, that does not include the IRS. That said, the threatening legal letter Palin’s attorney sent to the MSM seems quite an odd way for the governor’s attorney to calm the stirred waters. First, it’s awfully difficult to win a defamation of character case against a news outlet covering public officials– it’s actually next to impossible when you are a public/political figure. Second, there’s no better way to stir up a reporter’s interest in the truth of these allegations by demanding that major outlets not ignore the allegations.
“I can’t speak….”…. nd yet you do. Pathetic and desperate. Still waiting, herman… where’s your outrage about a real scandal with William Jefferson? How about Pelosi protecting Murtha and his shady connections? Real scandals don’t interest you as much as fantasy?
A “threatening” legal letter. Yet not a word about Obama’s Knee”cap” and Trade tactics. Typical hypocrite.
Yes, I agree… instead of a threatening letter, I wish the Palin’s just filed a lawsuit. Those busybodies like who, who love to spread rumours, don’t deserve a warning shot over the bow.
Blast #3, #6 Dennis # 14 Great example of students of Alinsky.
Same vitriol as Moureen Doud, Paul Kkrugman, David Lettermen, Bill Marr. The list of leftest sewer rats is endless. Having discussions with them is fruitless, soon they will all be able to collect SSI for their affliction with a catchy acronym, maybe like IAHS. (I am Hopelessly Stupid).
Enemy number one of the libertarian and conservative movements are public employee unions and their ilk.
They have a vested interest in the growth of government and feeding off the taxpayer tit.
They are a self perpetuating cancer that grow in power each and everyday. They will be in the vanguard destroying any threat to their power base and utilizing public funds to re-elect those those who advance their agenda and to discredit those who are a threat to their money pipeline.
Look behind any of these complaints and I would bet a some individual with connections to a taxpayer funded entity is behind them.
Sarah has only hinted at the reasons for resigning and her future plans. She did say on Twitter that more information will be attached in the coming days, which could be weeks or months.
As for Alinski and his rules… people, firemen fight fire with fire by setting backfires. Alinski’s rules are no left than they are right, they just are. The effectivness depends totally on who is using them. Go to http://www.alibris.com and buy a copy for less than a Starbucks coffee or gallon of gas. Read the book, get comfortable with the rules, then USE them. Stop whining about the other guys using the rules. Like it or not, the Alinski Rules for Radicals are the new rules of the game; take them to heart, own them, and only then can the politics of personal detruction be destroyed.
http://www.ktva.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?articleId=12755107&siteId=163
Translation: ‘Bring it on!’
ahhhhh….Herman…..you know she submitted her IRS forms in 2008…..if there was something, the DNC and MSM would had brought it up back then.
this is like Cobra Commander saying “Curses, the G.I. JOES have foiled me again. I’ll get them next time!!!!”
nice try….been having fun when the FBI released its statment last night and the anklebiters are backtracking (and moving the goalposts).
she’s free and not playing your game any more. congrats on make her the monster of your dreams. Enjoy 🙂
Great Job! The article and explanations are very well done. Part 1 and 2 need to both be read. I’ve followed some of the ethic complaints and they’re so ridiculous that it is amazing grown up people actually filed them. Yet, it costs our state thousands of dollars. The libs and dems don’t care about Alaska. They just want to get the governor, ruin her. And, the dumber the complaint or argument against Palin, the smarter the libs think they look. Some people will never “get it” as far as the attacks and pure hatred for Governor Palin – how plainly stupid those complaints are.
Governor Palin is a remarkable person and whatever she decides in her future (not living by the constraints of the beltway, demos or MSM), I wish her continued and great success. The lieutenant governor will do just fine.
As I read over the part 1, the names were quite familiar. You have to think — what is wrong with these people? Whatever their motivation, the governor will be just fine and so will Alaska.
Sarah is the modern day Joseph. Keep your head up Sarah we’re praying for you. Psalm 119.
Palin is using Alinski’s rules. The entire Republican Party and Conservative Movement will not be far behind. Under slander and libel laws, Democrats and Liberals are vulnerable in the courts and at the bank.
From her own words, Sara Palin seems to be quitting a position that hamstrings her fight, to become an unfettered US-wide “Community Organizer.”
I say more power to her.
Conservatives & Constitutionalists need to start organizing and using the radical’s own activist tactics against them. This has become more than just politics. This is becoming a war of social ideologies and the Conservatives Moderates and Constitutionalists have become far too complacent. Will Sara Palin become a MLK type figure? I think this may be what she has in mind.
Sarah quit. Again, I might add.
She brought all her problems on herself.
I love the comment that she will now become a Community Organizer. Ironic, isn’t it?
@Rob in Ca:
Elucidate and expound please.
Really?
How, exactly, did she do that?
By daring to take on the political machine, becoming a successful, overwhelmingly popular governor of the largest and sixth wealthiest state in America?
By daring to take on the political machine of both parties in the process?
Yeah, she brought all her problems on herself by doing all of the right things in an arena where the right thing is not the popular, easy way to go.
Thanks for stopping by.
Great work as always Mata. The amount of information that you can accumulate never ceases to amaze me.
@Aye
“Frustrated, Palin to quit oil panel job”
http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/513761.html
@Rob in Ca
Community Organizer – lol I know. Here’s her mocking Obama…
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/palin-to-zing-o.html
Well now she has going to get rid of her current responsibilities by quitting
@GaffaUK: I’m still waiting for someone to show me an accomplishment by BO other than “community organizing”.
You can bash Palin for her decisions all you want, but you say nothing to address the issues that Mata raises outlining the blatant attacks on her. Do you think that it is okay that she has been the target of a massive character assassination campaign, locally and nationally. Do you think that it is okay that the state has had to pay out millions defending her against these bogus allegations? Do you think that it is okay that her family has had to run up a half million in legal bills to defend against these same allegations?
Is this the hope and change that we have to look forward to in America, where if you don’t like a particular candidate or official, you just sue them into political oblivion? It is hard enough to find good people willing to serve in public office, with their lives being put under a microscope, but this new way of destroying their ability to serve is disturbing, and will hurt us all in the long run. It might be the preferred political tactic in your mother country, but it isn’t welcome here.
@Wordsmith
Well on his resume – he has successfully been elected three times to the Illinois Senate, has been a US Senator for Illinois and made history as the first black man to become President. I think that dwarves any of our achievements and certainly Palin’s. Now – it also depends on what he did as senator – and like most, I haven’t been following his career before he appeared on the scene when he campaigned to become Democrat Presidential nominee. Judging by the responses on here – it’s just voting present – although I suspect it’s probably more than that. I tried reading one of his books but gave up as it was dull and most of his rhetoric when running as President didn’t have much substance. I’m not overly convinced whether the bail-outs will prove to work in the mid to long term. Judging by the Dow-Jones – things have got better – although it’s still turbulent.
What are Palin accomplishments?
Yep bashing is fine – same as you guys bash Obama. It’s debate…and as I say she is happy to roll her sleeves up and make distorting comments/smear herself.
Not quite true – I even defended her recently on here when Ghost criticised her over the fact that her daughter got pregnant. I didn’t think that should reflect badly on her because teenagers will rebel.
I think that is somewhat of an exaggeration as the things that have been flung at her contain a mixture of legit criticism as well as unfair below the belt stuff. Again look at the stuff the guys on here say about Obama. Apparently he’s the Anti-Christ. Doesn’t matter if FA isn’t the MSM – why complain about how public figures are treated when that same respect isn’t shown by ‘some’ of those on here.
2 million is a small drop in Alaska’s revenues. However of course it could be better spent. The US is the land of the lawyers. Dare I suggest that the US have ‘federal’ regulations covering what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable for the behaviour of and towards public figures – in regards to privacy etc? Or at least improve current laws? Palin wanted ethic reforms and wanted to be accountable and maybe some of those who complained, however partisan, believe they have legit complaints. However why does it take 2 million? I don’t know how it works but I don’t see why a judge can’t look at these things at a preliminary stage and whittle it down to what should be investigated and what’s just fluff – before the lawyers get their teeth into it.
No – it’s not okay. But again I think the whole ethic complaints along with suing someone is a particular american disease which just goes too far. Unfortunately more countries like the UK have also started to go down this route. It’s shame the GOP couldn’t bankroll her to defend her. Are they prohibited from doing this? However the 7 million or so she will get from her book will help her pay her half million legal fees. I also wonder how much the Clintons (and the US taxpayer) have paid in legal fees and whether back in the late 90s how the President of US got distracted and bogged down for about a year by a partisan investigation (sound familar) into the Whitewater affair which somehow meandered into his affair with Lewinsky. He might have been guilty of the affair but the tremendous cost of such moralising when your’s and other countries have a history of leaders having affairs – it simply ridiculous.
No it’s not. But quitting makes it only worst – like when countries pay ransom to terrorists. Again most of these complaints were dismissed. As a fighter, Palin should of fought, reorganised herself so she was able to do her job. However I believe, although irritating – she bailed as she could see staying wasn’t in her best interest. She already quit once so it’s her MO. How very maverick. Still she moans about the intrusion – but watch how she will be crying all the way to the bank as she does TV, books etc. Sorry but I don’t have much sympathy for those like Princess Diana and Jacko who complained about the spotlight but were happy to get it’s massive benefits as well – or even abuse it themselves. Washing your dirty laundry in interviews, dangling babies from balconies and saying the President ‘pals around with terrorists’ is playing with fire. Don’t cry when you get burnt. If she doesn’t like the spotlight then don’t play in it.
I agree – hence let’s have a code of conduct. MPs in the UK have recently been put under the microscope with their expenses. Some of the complaints is petty but they were caught – not really doing anything illegal in most cases – but they were milking the system. So in that case – things need to be laid out – as to what’s a reasonable expense and what is not. Same with Palin and any other US politician about their travel expenses with and without family etc etc.
No – I would say the British tabloids are worst than the US but the whole suing thing is far worst in the US than probably any country in the world – and it’s been that way for decades – even if it’s getting even worst over there.
@GaffaUK:
Ah yes, I figured that our resident Palin hater would dredge up some article from 2004 so that he could point to it and say “See, she’s a quitter.”
Well, gaffe, let’s look at the content of the article shall we?
Hmmmm….. a political appointee with personal ethics and standards who is not afraid to speak out when those personal ethics and standards are being infringed upon.
Imagine that.
I’d prefer to have politicians who are willing to give up the $122K a year job and speak out when things are going south rather than stay in the position and continue to collect the checks.
YMMV
@Aye
Maybe so – but it’s still quitting. Resigning didn’t enable her to speak out as she was still gagged by the law apparently. Imagine if we all quit when we got frustrated at our jobs? I’m sure the POTUS has lots of frustrating issues. You stay in the game and resolve those issues as best you can out until your time is up.
@Wordsmith
Oh check this out…
– the most per capita in the world
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_country_in_the_world_has_most_lawyers_per_capita
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform
@GaffaUK:
Have you ever quit a job because you were being asked to do things that violated your personal principles?
I have.
@Aye
I have quit a political party because I considered they broke a manifesto promise.
And I quit a job after 11 years to go to Australia.
But I feel if I was elected by the public for a role then I would keep to that term limit irrespective of political alignment. I know I have felt annoyed when politicians do this and hand over to someone else who was not directly elected to that role. With Palin I don’t get the lame duck excuse either –
Should all officials step down immediately when they decide they aren’t or can’t contest the next term? If Palin stayed on and finished her term – she didn’t believe she was ethical enough not to milk the system? What an odd binary choice.
The above sentence explains the problem. Dwelling on her remarks about other governors, to me, is a red herring.
Her governance became stymied by “no end in sight” ethics complaints. As long as she remained in office the State of Alaska’s business would take a back seat to the work and cost it was taking to answer the never ending game being played by her opponents. She removed herself thus allowing Alaska to have a government they deserve, her promise was to be fiscally conservative, not waste taxpayer’s money and work hard for the state. As long as she remained in office that was not going to be possible.
Alaska has already spent over $2 million, there still over 150 FOIA’s left to be responded to and her legal fees have topped $500,000. How anyone can not understand this waste of time and money hasn’t affected her ability to govern is beyond my comprehension. She did the right thing and has since said if it harms her politically, “so be it.”
@GaffaUK:
The political landscape is littered with the brittle sun dried bones of those who have chosen to underestimate Sarah Palin.
Just because you don’t understand what Sarah Palin is doing doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know what she is doing.
Palin isn’t the first American politician to be written off as “done”. That happened in 1962 as well. Those of us who know history know how those predictions turned out.
The People are awakening to the nightmare that is Obie and the Dim controlled Congress.
Trillions of dollars have been thrown down a rat hole never to be seen again. The Gov’t has seized control of banks and auto companies. We currently have 28 unaccountable czars – soon to be more I’m sure. The IGs, the watchdogs of the People’s money, are being fired for daring to speak out. Unemployment is higher now than it has been in a quarter century.
There is a palpable feeling in the air that things are going the wrong way.
People are looking for someone who will emerge as a leader with answers to lead us out of this mess. A leader who can connect with them on a basic down to earth level. A leader who is able to articulate the views of the common American rather than just the political elite of the DC beltway class.
With all due respect Gaffe, you’re not here.
You’re there.
You’re not living here. You’re not working here. You’re not paying taxes here. You’re not walking the streets of America. You’re not walking to the bank or to the Post Office here. You’re not running a business here. You’re not talking to people on the phone from all around the United States.
You’re not listening to the People as they discuss what is going on.
You only get what you can dig up on the Internet or what the MSM is willing to feed you in the brief, tasty soundbytes which are clumsily wedged between Brittney Spears’ latest rehab and Michael Jackson’s cold, still dead corpse.
You’re not involved. You’re disconnected. You have no skin in the game.
So, please, spare us your armchair pontifications about subjects which you have no personal knowledge, involvement, or experience.
Finally, I’m going back to scrolling past your comments because I find them unworthy of my time. Do us both a favor and only address me on the rare occasion that I choose to address you.
@Aye
Last thing first. Er…are there two Aye’s? The last Aye directed to me a perfectly polite question which I answered politely. The lastest Aye seems to have thrown his teddies out the pram. Fortunately you will have scrolled past this comment.
Pssst btw – *newflash* this credit crunch and bailout – is global. It effects all – and I’m not just talking about the US bailouts – but many other countries are acting like headless chickens also. So if you spent longer than a second thinking about that you would know the ‘disconnected’ line isn’t true at all.
If just one ethics complaint like these had been brought against Obama, he’d go postal and throw a major temper tantrum, screaming, “I won! I won! I won!”
The State-Run Media surround him like celebrity bodyguards, making sure that no one actually gets to ask Obama something of substance, something that’s off-the-cuff but on the minds of millions of Americans, something for which he has not planted a stooge in the audience to answer, and something that’s not already written on the TOTUS.
But, like Nicholson in a “Few Good Men” Obama can’t handle the truth,” No, and he can’t handle ANY kind of criticism either.
The hypocrisy in the Democratic Party is so thick, that you need a chain saw to cut through it. There could not be a starker contrast between these two political figures.
In Sarah, we have a strong, independent, moral, dedicated, God-fearing woman, mother, and wife.
In Obama, we have a Marxist Muslim anti-Semitic Socialist, weak-minded, undependable, unqualified, unprofessional, narcissistic, egotistic, and given to flights of fancy and delusions of grandeur.
Sarah will be the candidate in 2012 against Biden or an opponent unknown (Obama will have been impeached before then)