Free Republic

After being offered an opportunity to sing the national anthem before a Nevada minor league baseball game, a woman has decided to turn it down after learning that she can’t bring her gun to the stadium. Alishia Wolcott was picked by the Reno Aces to sing after she submitted an audition tape in March, she told Fox News. But after she and her husband went to the stadium on Saturday to attend a game as spectators, they saw security included metal detector wands, which she claimed was a new measure this year. "Upon walking up to the stadium we saw...

The New York Times reported what US for Palin has been reporting for months: prominent Alaska Democrats have been clamoring to restore Gov. Palin’s taxation system: Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES). Both AK Backbone and Vote Yes! Repeal the Giveaway are run and staffed predominantly by Democrats – many of whom are otherwise Gov. Palin’s sworn enemies. US for Palin supports AK Backbone‘s and Vote Yes‘ goal of repealing SB-21, which supplanted ACES.

Great piece by Whitney Pitcher today, outlining the current debate in Alaska to overturn one of Governor Palin’s greatest achievements in office, ACES (Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share): During her CPAC speech last Saturday, Governor Palin included some Alaskan constitutional populism (emphasis added): If Mrs. Thatcher were with us here today, she would remind us that there is a big difference between being pro-business and being pro-free market. On this there can be no mistake where conservatives stand. It’s time for “We the People” to break up the cronyism and put a stake through the heart of “too big to...

During her CPAC speech last Saturday, Governor Palin included some Alaskan constitutional populism (emphasis added): If Mrs. Thatcher were with us here today, she would remind us that there is a big difference between being pro-business and being pro-free market. On this there can be no mistake where conservatives stand. It's time for “We the People” to break up the cronyism and put a stake through the heart of "too big to fail" once and for all. That includes these resource-rich states like Alaska, my home state. Read your constitution, Alaskans. Realize that the natural resources that God has created...

http://www.rgj.com/article/20121021/NEWS/310210048/1459/news?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"Sarah Palin was presiding over a legislature in open warfare in 2007 over what would become her singular lawmaking legacy - a substantial boost in the petroleum profits tax that would force oil companies to share billions of dollars more of their profits with the state. Palin had initially proposed a modest hike, coupled with a crucial new "progressivity" component that jacked up the rate when oil prices rose above normal market levels. But her Democratic allies in the Legislature saw the chance to do more and raised it to 25%, with Palin's enthusiastic support."

I'm glad Andrew Sullivan has responded to my Sarah Palin piece. You'd hate to write as much about her as I did and not have it register on the Dish. That would be like if you were a large white whale and Ahab just ignored you. Andrew's response covers a lot of terrain, and I agree with his point that Alaska is essentially a socialist state, or more accurately, a ward of the federal government (for more on that, see this excellent Charles Homans piece in the Washington Monthly). In fact, its perverse tax structure is one reason why Alaska...

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, is defending Alaska’s oil and gas jobs as being on the rise, while the governor states this is not the case.

Sarah Palin's record as governor of Alaska has largely gone unchallenged by conservatives, despite the fact that one of her signature legacies was imposing an oil profits tax -- a distinctly liberal idea. Now, Republicans in the state Legislature and Palin's own Republican replacement, Gov. Sean Parnell, have scored a victory in an attempt to reverse her tax hike. Democrats, though, stood strong with Palin in opposing any rollback on the tax hike.

The New York Times just can’t seem to get much of anything right lately. No wonder they’re facing economic and reputation woes. Their article today falsely reporting on my record as governor is full of spin, and I shall call them out on it. Regardless of the recent political posturing, ACES (Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share) is a success for all stakeholders who want more domestic energy supplies for our great country. The Alaskan people (who collectively own the natural resources, via our state constitution), the resource producers who bid on the right to develop our oil and gas, and...

ACES: "Tweaks" possible, but only if they yield more jobs, revenue for state. Gov. Sean Parnell is reviewing whether to change state oil tax laws implemented under Sarah Palin, as oil companies blame the taxes for driving investment dollars from Alaska to other parts of the world. The governor said Wednesday that he has asked the state Department of Revenue to evaluate whether any "tweaks" should be made to the tax system that could lead directly to more jobs for Alaskans. He said he's also spoken with oil companies. "My bottom line, if they need tax changes, and it will...

Thank you for contacting me to express your views about emissions trading. Emissions trading, also known as "cap and trade," is an effort to address global climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. An upper limit is placed on the total allowable emissions, and that limit decreases through time. Any company or group that holds an emissions permit will be limited to the amount of greenhouse gas it can emit, which is represented as an amount of credits. Over time, this cap will gradually decrease and allow less and less pollution. For those who stay below the cap,...

I have been venting a bit lately on the ACES and particularly in our 10th district congressman's support of which I completely disagree with. Hindsight proves that this was the one last thing that Congress could have done to stop the Obama agenda, while the senate was still up in the air. With the installation of the crackpot senator, Stuart Smalley, the demonRats now have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and Congress is surely going to fall into a more lock-step attitude with the rest. Everything from hear on out should not have the faintest touch or smell...

alibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} "The worse, the better," Vladimir Lenin is said to have observed. What Lenin meant was that the worse social conditions became in Russia, the more likely he and the Bolsheviks could foment a communist revolution. President Barack Obama's White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel recently updated Lenin's maxim, saying, "Never allow a crisis to go to waste." Last Friday, the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives took those maxims to heart when they pushed through their 1,200-page American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act by a vote 219 to 212. The bill is supposed to address...

Well before Barack Obama brought hope to the White House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was adamant that something new and different and wonderful had arrived. In 2006, the incoming Speaker pledged that hers would be the "most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history." At the time, we were skeptical -- to say the least. Our refusal to accept her rhetoric was roundly vindicated last week. That was when Madam-Speaker used every dirty trick at her disposal to coldly ram a 1,500 page global warming bill through the House of Representatives. The Speaker chose to stifle the usual observances...

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) had a few choice words about Speaker Nancy Pelosi's landmark climate-change bill after its passage Friday. When asked why he read portions of the cap-and-trade bill on the floor Friday night, Boehner told The Hill, "Hey, people deserve to know what's in this pile of s--t." Using his privilege as leader to speak for an unlimited time on the House floor, Boehner spent an hour reading from the 1200-plus page bill that was amended 20 hours before the lower chamber voted 219-212 to approve it. Eight Republicans voted with Democrats to pass the bill; 44...

A dangerous fatalism has gripped too many people with regard to the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear weapons program. America holds much better cards than the mullahs. We have let ourselves be spooked for far too long. History is full of instances that instruct us in the dangers of wallowing in pessimism. General Abel D. Streight plumbed the low point of his life in the spring of 1863. His cavalry raid into Alabama got off to a good start, but then he came to the attention of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a nightmare situation for anyUnion horseman. A four-day series of...

<p>COLUMBUS - Geraldine Jensen, the head of a national child support organization that was founded in Toledo, is stepping down amid fraud allegations against her and theft charges against a former top assistant. Ms. Jensen, who founded the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support in 1984, has turned over the director's reins to Debbie Kline of Cleveland. Ms. Jensen, who founded the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support in 1984, has turned over the director's reins to Debbie Kline of Cleveland. ACES's home office quietly moved from Toledo to Fredericksburg, Va., last year.</p>

<p>Rob McGarvey is, in the lingo of the blackjack world, an advantage player. A card counter. To maximize his take, he keeps track of the cards as they're dealt, and tailors his bets based on the cards his system predicts will hit the felt next.</p>