Posted on 10/11/2009 12:18:45 AM PDT by Neil E. Wright
Facts about Sarah Palin
by Dewie Whetsell, Alaskan Fisherman
The last 45 of my 66 years I've spent in a commercial fishing town in Alaska. I understand Alaska politics but never understood national politics well until this last year. Here's the breaking point: Neither side of the Palin controversy gets it. It's not about persona, style, rhetoric, it's about doing things. Even Palin supporters never mention the things that I'm about to mention here.
1 - Democrats forget when Palin was the Darling of the Democrats, because as soon as Palin took the Governor's office away from a fellow Republican and tough SOB, Frank Murkowski, she tore into the Republican's "Corrupt Bastards Club" (CBC) and sent them packing. Many of them are now residing in State housing and wearing orange jump suits. The Democrats reacted by skipping around the yard, throwing confetti and singing "la la la la" (well, you know how they are). Name another governor in this country that has ever done anything similar. But while you're thinking, I'll continue.
2 - Now with the CBC gone, there were fewer Alaskan politicians to protect the huge, giant oil companies here. So, she constructed and enacted a new system of splitting the oil profits called "ACES". Exxon (the biggest corporation in the world) protested and Sarah told them "don't let the door hit you in the stern on your way out." They stayed, and Alaska residents went from being merely wealthy to being filthy rich. Of course the other huge international oil companies meekly fell in line. Again, give me the name of any other governor in the country that has done anything similar.
3 - The other thing she did when she walked into the governor's office is she got the list of State requests for federal funding for projects, known as "pork". She went through the list, took 85% of them and placed them in the "when-hell-freezes-over" stack. She let locals know that if we need something built, we'll pay for it ourselves. Maybe she figured she could use the money she got from selling the previous governor's jet because it was extravagant. Maybe she could use the money she saved by dismissing the governor's cook (remarking that she could cook for her own family), giving back the State vehicle issued to her, maintaining that she already had a car, and dismissing her State provided security force (never mentioning - I imagine - that she's packing heat herself). I'm still waiting to hear the names of those other governors.
4 - Now, even with her much-ridiculed "gosh and golly" mannerism, she also managed to put together a totally new approach to getting a natural gas pipeline built which will be the biggest private construction project in the history of North America. No one else could do it although they tried. If that doesn't impress you, then you're trying too hard to be unimpressed while watching her do things like this while baking up a batch of brownies with her other hand.
5 - For 30 years, Exxon held a lease to do exploratory drilling at a place called Point Thompson. They made excuses the entire time why they couldn't start drilling. In truth they were holding it like an investment. No governor for 30 years could make them get started. This summer, she told them she was revoking their lease and kicking them out. They protested and threatened court action. She shrugged and reminded them that she knew the way to the court house. Alaska won again.
6 - President Obama wants the nation to be on 25% renewable resources for electricity by 2025. Sarah went to the legislature and submitted her plan for Alaska to be at 50% renewables by 2025. We are already at 25%. I can give you more specifics about things done, as opposed to style and persona. Everybody wants to be cool, sound cool, look cool. But that's just a cover-up. I'm still waiting to hear from liberals the names of other governors who can match what mine has done in two and a half years. I won't be holding my breath.
By the way, she was content to return to AK after the national election and go to work, but the haters wouldn't let her. Now these adolescent screechers are obviously not scuba divers. And no one ever told them what happens when you continually jab and pester a barracuda. Without warning, it will spin around and tear your face off. Shoulda known better.
Thanks, deport. The speech makes a general statement about ethic reform but no example is given stating she is the one who created the ethics system that was used to harass her out of office.
Do you think from this speech that it was Palin who put the ethic rules into place that permitted the Democrats to harass her family into poverty and freeze the Gov. office in a cycle of answering endless and baseless ethics charges?
From what I can gather, this huge harassment campaign carried on by her political enemies is what forced her to resign. It was as if she had no power to stop it. Is this understanding correct?
Shows you what a barren wasteland conservatism is. Where are the leaders? Name 2 more capable leaders. Name one currently holding office. It's a desert.
I know the reasons she gave. I've read her resignation speech. She didn't HAVE to resign early. In her own words, she chose to resign early. If she runs for prez, I hope she has a good VP pick, just in case she bails out again when things get tough.
I’ll take a stab.
1)Jim DeMint
2)Michelle Bachmann
3)Mike Pence
I thought of Pence. I think that guy truly is a leader. DeMint’s cool, but does anyone follow him? Is he a leader, or just a Senator saying the right things? Bachmann? She’s an interesting one. Outspoken. But again, does anyone see her as a leader? I’m not so sure about that. And notice none of them has held executive office. Notice also the GOPers who HAVE held executive office, and are pursuing leadership, don’t make your list—Romney, Pawlenty, Guiliani, Jindal, Palin.
Gee, you sound like you get your talking points straight from a PDS blog. Nicely done, Romneybot.
I think she promoted ethics reform and signed the bill that the leg. passed. She could have vetoed it but didn’t. So I place the blame at her feet if she’s going to claim that it was she that got ethics reformed passed.
Right now, conservatives are frustrated and tired of “reaching across the aisle”. They want someone who vocally opposes Obama’s policies. Pence, DeMint, and Bachmann have vocal in opposing Obama’s policies. Also I might add Joe Wilson to the list. His “You Lie!” outburst made him into a conservative rock star and succesful fundraiser, much to the embarassment of the DC GOP Beltway crowd.
Palwenty Steele, and Romney, strike me, as panderers. They will say anthing to please the immediate audience. Giuliani seems more interested in maintaining his “9-11 Hero” image than running for any office. Similar thing with Palin. It appears at this time that she’s prefers in being the Right’s cheerleader.
I agree with you, and I’m not knocking the people you mention. Just saying, there’s perhaps a difference between good conservative legislators, and good conservative leaders. All three may be the former, but are they the latter? They lead by example perhaps, in that they don’t kiss liberal ass, etc. But I’m talking about actual leadership—a clear vision for the future, a strategy for getting there, able to get good talent to work for you, able to sell your ideas persuasively, able to inspire,able to handle pressure, etc.
Bite me, I live in Alaska and have to put up with the failures of the Governement at all levels.
I have nevr cared for a populists either.
As far as the Mitts-ster, the Msssholes can have ‘em, I got no use for liberals. And Huckerster fans or Paulites can leave me alone as well.
OF everyone the MSM has pimped as a GOP ‘frontrunner’, nobody has shown me anything worth voting for....
“One of the better jobs I had in the army was to develop a staff ride about Patton in the breakout in France. It was a great two weeks we had retracing his movements, decisions, and steps. In more than a few ways Sarah has some of his better traits.”
Good post.
Thank you for posting this.
You’re right, Palin gets things done in ways superior to any other current political leaders, and people don’t mention it enough.
You haven’t looked at Palin.
You listed good conservative leaders to address that question.
Will you please go back to the thread and answer my question on ethics reform? Thanks.
Those ethics charges being filed against Palin started when she was picked as McCain’s Veep and keep continuing after the 2008 election. Interestingly, Palin’s successor, Sean Parnell, who as conservative as Palin, has had no ethics charges filed against him.
The polite response should have been -
You have your opinion, I have mine. I watch the outcome and actions, not the words of politicians. And for the record, I am not a Mitt supporter.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Nothing brings out the rinos, moles and trolls better than a favorable article about Sarah Palin!!!
Please take this off the banglist. Thanks.
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.