Posted on 09/07/2008 6:06:24 AM PDT by nikos1121
My cousin Elaine lives in Anchorage. This is an excerpt from the letter she wrote to me:
Dear Cousin Nikos,
As an Alaskan, I’m writing to give you some information on Sarah Palin, Senator McCain's choice for VP. As an Alaska voter, I know more than most Americans about her and, frankly, I along with countless others up here are happy as a bear at the beginning of spawning season.
We're ecstatic that he picked her!
We’re hearing that a lot of people in the media think she’s a “redneck” because she hunts and fishes and runs three miles a day in a snowmobile outfit. She’s a life long member of the NRA, and I guess city folk don’t like that, but up here it’s quite normal. In fact, it’s the preferred ID card over a driver’s license. Haha.
About the only thing redneck that I know she’s done was when she drove to work one day in a Zamboni.
But seriously, Nikos, the most accurate description of her is that she's a down to earth “real” person. Isn't that refreshing for Washington?
Her husband works in the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. She’s worked tirelessly to preserve our natural wildlife here.
Which reminds me, thanks for forwarding me that article posted in the NY TImes about some doctor, who says he works on one of the Eskimo reservations outside of Juneau.
I don't know where they found him, but all I can say is that his idea of what is fact up here sucks wet dog fur.
He says that the state is ten times worse since Sarah came in office. Among his beefs is that Sarah signed a bill that allows aerial hunting of wolves and other predatory animals and that our education system up here is the worst in the United States.
He must be one of those doctors whose medical education was paid for by the state of Alaska, in turn for him agreeing to work in some of the more remote areas for a year or more. There are quite a few docs up here, and they’re all mostly here because they want to be, and they love it. A few others, like the one in the article, can’t wait until their contracts are up so they can move back to New York or San Francisco and get a hot bath. Haha!
Aerial hunting? Yeah, she was for it along with just about everyone else up here. When the caribou and even domestic wildlife, like dogs and farm animals were being ravaged by packs of wolves, she supported a bill that allowed aerial hunting of them.
Aerial hunting of these predators from helicopters and airplanes I know, sounds like an inhumane way to kill them, but up here it's the most cost effective and safest way, for hunters, to do this.
These predators were so over populated they were threatening children and people working up here. I'll be happy to send you some information on this subject.
Before Sarah came into office, we had the lowest rate of high school graduation in the country, but she's improved that already. Sarah got the oil companies to kick in more to our state treasury. They didn't like the idea of paying more taxes, but on the other hand, Sarah streamlined the process so that they're now able to access oil and gas fields formerly not available to them. They're making more money than ever and sending oil and natural gas to Americans.
The increased revenues for the state are being used to improve our schools. And by the way, she even gave each of us $1800 when her budget was in the black at the end of the year.
In a time when our nation needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, she not only talks, but she takes action. She has been a strong supporter of increased drilling for oil and natural gas, but she's a strong advocate for other forms of renewable sources to. She's for wind, solar and geothermal. She's also for building more nuclear plants. She's shown that you can do this and still be environmentally sound.
Do you people in the lower 48 think we'd let someone run this state who was not a good custodian of our land and waters? If anyone tried to do that, we’d lassoo them right from their office chair and throw them in the brink for king salmon bait.
Okgottogoluvubye,
Elaine
There has always been a law in Alaska providng for the aerial taking of wolves and other overpopulated predators from the air, by special permit only. The permittees are usually ADF&G approved management specialists. To the best of my knowledge, sport hunters must wait 24 hours between their arrival at the hunt and their actual hunting if they fly in. I don't believe sport hunters may take animals from a flying plane or helicopter.
Thanks for sharing...bfl
1) Nobody here uses "snowmobile". The word is "snowmachine". 2) As a couple of other posters have pointed out, there are no "Eskimo reservations" outside of Juneau, let alone where they actually live. Any Alaskan knows that. 3) The energy rebate from surplus taxes this year is not $1800. Every Alaskan knows exactly how much it is. If you want to put together some things about Sarah you think are great, go ahead. Just don't say it's from an Alaskan when it has glaring errors about Alaska in it.
Vlachos?
really the name?
do you know what that means in greek?
Yes, literally a sheepherder...but it’s evolved over time into a slang term for hick, or farmer...
In my case though, it means someone who is “smart and a hunk...” :-)
I’m sure you’re right. I can’t imagine letting your average hunter, let alone those idiots that come up to Idaho and Alaska from California shoot from the air. They’re notorious for shooting their partners out of trees and kids waiting at bus stops...
Sorry, I thought it was obvious to everyone that it was a joke...I was countering a post earlier in the day from someone who had posted a letter from their friend from Alaska who thought Sarah was terrible for the state.
Sorry, I guess I was sarcasm impaired yesterday. I missed the other post you mentioned (although I think I know which letter you are talking about, just didn’t see it on FR).
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.