Posted on 03/30/2011 9:51:40 AM PDT by MaxCUA
Goodness, cleaning up the sloppiness of reporters could be a full time job. In response to The Daily Caller's online inquiry, I gave them a statement that the writer buried on his story’s second page (which most people won’t even notice – I didn’t even notice it) after he spent the first page completely spinning a situation to give the impression that Alaska’s film production tax credit legislation was somehow solely my idea hatched up to benefit the Palins years before I was ever involved in a documentary series on TLC/Discovery Channel. Here’s setting the record straight: As Governor, I signed into law a popular bipartisan bill that was crafted and passed by others and has resulted in numerous Alaska-based productions that are airing today. The only alternative to signing the legislature’s work product would have been for me to veto their legislation, which would have been useless. Besides all that, their legislation worked.
This bill was not some secret big government agenda. These Alaskan legislators just wanted Alaska to be able to compete with the many other states that offer similar incentives. As I noted in my statement (which was curiously buried by The Daily Caller – whose editor-in-chief was recently called on the carpet for publicly using a degrading term to describe women), I can’t speak for the film tax credit programs in other states, but the program in Alaska has been effective. The bipartisan legislation I signed into law in 2008 was borne out of elected lawmakers’ frustration with the fact that shows and films about Alaska were mostly filmed elsewhere. They wanted to incentivize production companies to film in Alaska instead of Canada, Washington state, or Maine. Their bill worked, and as the legislation’s supporters will testify, the state’s economy enjoys the benefits of having this production money circulating right here at home. It was so successful that state lawmakers now want to renew the film production tax credits for another ten years. Keep in mind that we don’t have a state income tax, state sales tax, or state property tax in Alaska. Our state government is predominately funded by oil and gas revenue. Essentially we are using revenue generated from the development of Alaska’s natural resources in order to diversify our economy and create jobs beyond just resource development. Not only does this help promote a new film industry in Alaska, it obviously also has the added benefit of encouraging our tourism industry. These shows and films about Alaska act as perfect tourist advertisements for our state. People come here to experience what they see on the shows filmed here. The dramatic increase in Alaska-based television shows and films are testament to the fact that this legislation worked, and it’s exciting to see our state showcased and appreciated. There has been more film productions here than ever before, and the economic benefit of filming here exceeds the tax credit.
And another point missed by this reporter: apparently The Daily Caller’s conspiracy theory must be that I did all of this not even to benefit myself but Mark Burnett Productions. As I tried to explain to the writer at The Daily Caller, if you believe in this bizarre scenario then why not ask the sponsors, drafters, and supporters of this legislation that would boost job creation if they crafted this bill years ago in order to benefit Sarah Palin. Any suggestion that I somehow did something wrong by signing this legislation is ridiculous. The accusation hinges on the notion that I signed the legislation into law knowing that it would personally benefit me. That’s totally absurd. It wasn’t even my bill, and obviously I had no intention of benefiting from it when I signed it into law in 2008 because I had no idea I would be involved in a documentary series years later. If you’re going to accuse me of benefiting from legislation I signed into law, why stop there? Go ahead and accuse me of “benefiting” from the legislation my administration actually did craft – like for example, our oil and gas evaluation legislation (ACES). You could say I “benefited” from it in the sense that due to ACES the state where I live (Alaska) now enjoys a $12 billion surplus. In fact, you could say that as an Alaskan, I benefited from all of the legislation I championed or signed as governor – just as every Alaskan benefited.
As I also tried to tell the reporter, it’s also a false accusation to suggest that signing this bipartisan bill somehow goes against my position on the proper role of government. I’ve said many times that government can play an appropriate role in incentivizing business, creating infrastructure, and leveling the playing field to foster competition so the market picks winners and losers, instead of bureaucrats burdening businesses and picking winners and losers. Again, I can’t speak for what other states do, but Alaska’s film production tax credit program was an effective way to incentivize a new industry that would diversify our economy. It worked. The lawmakers’ successful legislation fit Alaska’s economy, as our economy is quite unique from other states’ due to our oil and gas revenue. Perhaps it would behoove people to learn much more about the 49th state’s young economy before making broad accusations about the efficacy of business programs. People who live in ivory towers don’t understand the real world where governors and lawmakers actually have to fight to attract business and jobs to their states.
One final thought: having to set the record straight on my Facebook page yet again is further proof that the media can’t be trusted even to print a statement in a manner that people can read. - Sarah Palin
All this responding to the media belittles her, especially on silly issues like this.
I’m glad she called the Daily Caller out.
It was rather slimy of the author to only nominally follow Palin’s request to post her remarks in their entirety.
The spirit of her request was to prevent selective quoting and paraphrasing that can potentially be distorted by having her remarks in their entirety and unfiltered.
The author of the piece went ahead and cut up her remarks on the first page, and only put the full remarks on the second page to follow the “letter” of her request. This was after placing the hitjob in the more prominent beignning of the piece.
Agree and disagree. In this case, I'm with you. Often, she does need to respond. She need to make sure that before responding she considers whether silence is the best response. I suspect she does consider that decision, but I'll agree that she made the wrong call this time.
It’s Facebook, not a press conference.
No, she made the perfect call here.
She gave the reporter to opportunity to let the Daily Caller be the one to publish her response with the request that they publish her reponse unfiltered.
She wants to minimize selective quoting and paraphrasing that can potentially distort her response. The writer of the piece went ahead and did that anyway and only nominally followed her directive.
Trust me. These guys know what they are doing when structuring a published piece. Putting the full response on the second page was a deliberate decision against the spirit of Palin’s request.
I agree with you. The Daily Caller is not worth the time. Politico does hatchet jobs on her all day long with no response and those pieces make it into the mainstream. I still enjoy seeing her take down a hack writer.
So she should ignore the false accusations like George Bush did? How did that strategy work out?
Pray for America
__________________________________
What's your point?
Like it or not, politics is largely propaganda. You never enhance your position by taking fire passively. George W. Bush gave us an eight year lesson in the futility of trying to float above the fray. His experiment with turning the other rhetorical cheek nearly destroyed the conservative movement. Never again.
_______________________________________
I could be wrong and please correct me if I am but I remember Bush winning twice in Texas and then twice as POTUS, so I guess it worked out ok.
It’s an online social site, not a major news outlet. It seems to be the perfect place to dispel rumours.
Have to disagree with Moose and you on this one. This issue goes directly to her record as Governor and the issue was originally raised in National Review Online, a prominent conservative leaning publication and web site. If she has an interest in running for Pres., it is very important that the American people understand her record in Alaska, as well as her current policy positions and her political philosophy. She has been crucified in the media since 2008 on nonsense issues. To rehabilitate herself to the voters, she must make sure that her Alaskan record and current positions are accurately portrayed. She cannot allow them to be misrepresented or falsely stated. It could be argued that responding to something like Bill Maher’s garbage would be belittling. However, defending her record is not.
[All this responding to the media belittles her, especially on silly issues like this.]
Actually, you belittle yourself responding in this fashion.
A great thing about Palin, versus Bush, is she doesn’t take this crap laying down. Bush never responded and tey hounded him out the door.
What were his polling ratings when he left though?
Kick their ass Sea Bass.
[I could be wrong and please correct me if I am but I remember Bush winning twice in Texas and then twice as POTUS, so I guess it worked out ok.]
And he was drummed out of office and replaced by Obama. So what is your point?
_________________________________
You are kidding, aren't you?
___________________________________
Bush was "drummed out of office"?????
That is funny....a bit sad.....but funny.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.