Missiles Good. Energy Efficiency Bad.
Budget cuts. That’s where the rubber meets the road for fiscal conservatives. Sarah Palin’s been talking a big game about fiscal conservatism. Alaskans adored Ted Stevens and Don Young and re-elected them for term after term after term (etc.) because they could bring home the pork, baby. Don Young’s well-attended annual fundraiser is actually a pig roast. On purpose. And Alaskan pork isn’t all horrible and unfair. We have challenges in transportation, scattered rural populations, and building infrastructure that other states cannot even fathom. And we give a lot back to the nation in terms of mineral resources, awesome fish, and a great place to come for a vacation. So, all that said, we’ve unabashedly and justifiably sought the federal dollar since statehood.
So, when Sarah Palin stepped her red high heels on to the national stage and started talking about how she said “Thanks but no thanks” to that bridge to nowhere (which of course, she didn’t, but that’s another story…) and how she didn’t need no stinking federal money, we all sort of stared with our little chins slack. And this new-found fiscal conservatism played quite well with members of the GOP’s rapidly shrinking “base” who don’t actually live here.
And she kept it up by thumbing her nose at the stimulus money. She rejected 30%, right off the bat – education, weatherization, special needs kids, social programs – they all fell victim to the slashing red pen. “To me, it’s a bribe,” Palin said. You feds can just take your money and stick it. And some of the Republicans in the state actually got on board with this new meme. But most did not.
Had she taken these “dollars,” she reasoned, it would add to the federal budget deficit, it would create “strings” which would require the perception of further commitment from the state, and dang it, it just didn’t square with her new talking points. Keep in mind that the rejected money wouldn’t go back to federal coffers. It would most likely fly south to California, and land in the open and waiting moneybag of Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger. And also keep in mind that the “strings” did not exist according to those in the legislators who actually checked. Sounds like a physics experiment, but Palin’s “string theory” is actually much easier to comprehend. If you create something imaginary and then reject it, it looks like you’re taking a stand. We don’t want to contribute to the deficit! We don’t want strings! Add a couple bullet points to the Palin resume for 2012.
So while the governor is busy tilting at her own windmills of fiscal recklessness, something happened. That something is the proposed federal budget. And some of the things in the proposed federal budget affect…. Alaska. We would assume that this wouldn’t be a problem for the governor. But wait…
The Obama administration … proposes to cut $524 million from the ground-based missile defense program, saying there are problems about the effectiveness of the system. Alaska-based missile interceptors will remain in place, but the program will not expand; no additional missile interceptors will be added.
What does the governor think about this proposed non-expansion of Alaska-based missilie interceptors and its associated cost? Looks like taking federal money is all the rage again. It’s an “outrageous move,” according to Palin to cut these funds. Now mind you, nothing is being removed. It’s just not being added to, or expanded. Cutting money for special needs kids, teachers and schools, the unemployed, energy efficiency….that’s OK. But not building more ineffective missile interceptors? Let the outrage begin.
Still today the governor is refusing $29 million of the stimulus money which would go to weatherization programs. The situation this past winter in which rural Alaskans running out of heating fuel and having to be cold in order to feed their families, or having to be hungry to keep them warm, didn’t seem to penetrate the thinking of the current administration. The concept may have been lost on them, but weatherization and energy efficiency in Alaska is pretty much a no-brainer for residents who aren’t trying to run for president in 2012. And when someone offers to help with this, saying “thank you” would generally be considered an appropriate response. As anyone who’s gone through weatherizing their home knows, it saves money. It’s what they call “an investment.” But Palin’s fears are that if we accept this money, we will actually have to build energy efficient buildings in the future… (Oh, the horror!)
Rep. Les Gara puts it well.
To accept these funds we would have to certify that by 2017 Alaska would have an energy efficiency plan that reduces the amount of energy we use in new buildings and homes. We’d have been asked to join the many states that have adopted an energy efficiency code for new construction. The Governor said that was onerous.
The reason most states are doing this, AND that the Alaska Homebuilders Association supports adopting an energy efficiency code, AND that the state’s housing agency, AHFC, has already adopted it for new construction, AND that the President wants Americans to do this is simple. Energy Efficiency is referred to by experts as “negawatts.” The cheapest way to reduce our reliance on high cost energy and foreign oil isn’t to build renewable energy. It isn’t to build wind and solar farms. It’s to increase the energy efficiency of our homes, buildings and lighting. Smart energy efficiency plans will normally pay themselves off in less than 10 years and vastly reduce our reliance on fossil fuel energy. It will make American less reliant on foreign oil (less of a concern in Alaska, where most of our energy is produced locally). It will SAVE US MONEY. And we can exempt ourselves from those code provisions that don’t make sense under Alaska’s climate conditions.
Remember how the GOP mocked President Obama’s statement about how keeping car tires inflated is the best way to save money, and gas? They were even sending donors to the RNC little tire gauges that said “Obama’s Energy Plan”, as concrete and irrefutable proof that yes, they were mocking energy efficiency. Perhaps we can expect SaraPAC donors to get little “haha” pieces of weather stripping, or “aren’t they idiots?” LED lightbulbs.
There are other budget items that impact Alaska, as well. Some of the proposed $17 billion in budget cuts proposed by the White House would affect residents of rural Alaska, including cuts to the Alaska Native Villages program, and the Denali Commission, which would impact grants to improve drinking water and wastewater facilities in villages, health clinics and other infrastructure projects. The current administration cited management problems, and a desire to use different but more effective programs.
There promises to be much wrangling over this as the weeks go by. The entire Alaskan congressional delegation (Murkowski, Begich and Young) and the governor are protesting these cuts, with Murkowski once more using the now-hackneyed “that’s not change we can believe in,” chant.
[Ted] Stevens is no longer around to influence the budget process as a senior appropriator, but it looks like the delegation will step in to take his place. Thursday evening, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Democratic Sen. Mark Begich and Republican Rep. Don Young chimed in with a joint statement opposing the Alaska cuts.
“I want to reassure Alaskans that these are just proposals and not the law and I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that our great state is taken care of,” Congressman Don Young said. Senator Mark Begich has already inserted an amendment into the budget that reinstitutes the 2006 funding levels.
But Palin and crew are left running in circles crying “fiscal conservatism” one minute, and “show me the money” the next. It’s OK to cut budgets as long as you’re the one doing the cutting, apparently. And of course, it helps if you have your priorities straight. Missiles, good – energy efficiency, bad.
57 Kath the Scrappy from Seattle Says:
May 9th, 2009 at 7:33 PM
“I believe the insulation they used was flame retardant treated and very finely, almost powdery, shredded newspaper (that’s what it looked like to me). So, it was a way to utilize/recycle waste while reducing megawatt usage.”
—————————————
You remember correctly about that. I worked for a summer between college years on an insulation rig for my uncle. The insulation was called “cellulose insulation” and was derived from paper waste.
@56 Kath the Scrappy from Seattle –
Sounds like you got a real weather makeover! How cool – or warm- or whatever makes sense!
I have friends and family here in Juneau who were able to use the existing weatherization plan last year. It was great for them. The way it was set up was completely unworkable for the bush and it sounds like some re-tooling was necessary when it did get carted out to places like Nunam and Emmonak, etc .
I don’t know what the ghastly gov is really up to but I don’t think she has a clue what weatherization help to existing structures means to so many folks nor to the state overall. It’s all talking points or code words for foolish followers or some gobbeldygook with her.
Kath again: “I recall the insulation for the 2 story house took about 4 days (blowing it into plugholes drilled at intervals outside}. ”
I believe the insulation they used was flame retardant treated and very finely, almost powdery, shredded newspaper (that’s what it looked like to me). So, it was a way to utilize/recycle waste while reducing megawatt usage.
@ 54 Alaska Pi, as I recall the insulation for the 2 story house took about 4 days (blowing it into plugholes drilled at intervals outside}. The double paned window replacement (every window) took about 3 days after the precise windows arrived. We didn’t even need to be home, since the contractors were bonded and contracting thru City of Seattle Govt.
I DON’T think it was mere coincidence, back when the Gov sent her 5 bureaucrats to Emmonak and the rural crisis was becoming obvious to the blogs & press – the people of the villages said they had NEVER even heard of the recent state weatherization program! It was heavily used in Anchorage & Fairbanks, as I recall, but not publicized in the rural areas that had the most need.
I think she’s trying to run the First People off their land, myself. Just like back in history when the Army supplied Native Americans with smallpox contaminated blankets.
Lee323 @ 53. Thx for the good giggle! I think you struck paydirt with that post.
Poor ole ghastly gov…I’m beginning to think the term for her is implicit in “nega-neurons’…
When OPEC ratcheted up the price of oil so many years ago I’ve forgotten which year in the 70s it was, we saw it as patriotic and sensible to work on energy efficiency, weatherization, and alternative energy.
We vowed not to allow foreign economic interests to have the effect on us which rippled through our whole economy when oil prices jumped so much…
We did manage to make some headway but it didn’t take too many years before things leveled out, we adjusted, and we forgot.
WE ratcheted up our use of energy all over again and lapsed into near unconsciousness in terms of dealing with how best to supply power needs outside the oil-paradigm… and blam, we got hit last year with powerful incentives to remember our promise to ourselves of so many years ago…
This time it wasn’t foreign economic interests but the need to adjust firmly in favor of reduction- “nega watts”- is just as obvious.
Lee 323- i think your ‘codes” are more fun but don’t think the ghastly gov is capable of that much encoding…
Fussing that the building code requirement is onerous is disingenuous or just plain dumb…
Keeps sounding to me like the gov is playing on the keep-the-gubbamint-outta-my-house-building-code sentiment a lot of folks have here.
If so- fess up gov.
Means you are just playing on the big -government-bad , small-government-good boardgame …
Doesn’t mean you are actually WEIGHING the advantages weatherization and codes which encourage new construction to reach for energy sense might bring to Alaska…
Just means you are running the code-words for the small government-let-them-eat-cake bunch.
Standing up for a poorly-performing missile project money for small government ,big defense reasons is simply foolish. America already did this once in recent memory. Our been-there-done-that thing with Star Wars defense dollars was supposed to have been a call to better monitor actual performance of such projects… short memories again, aided by the sedative the nice dollars provide?
Didn’t vote for the nega neuron queen, never would.
Sure hoping a broader group of my neighbors are doing the nega-math the gov is spouting here and coming up with the same imaginary numbers I see…
We can’t do this foolishness for too much longer.
Too many things need attending to in this state…
And gov-
why in the world send energy audit/weatherization specialists to the bush when it’s cold this winter and folks are ticked at you- and deny funding such programs when folks are warmer and focussed on getting ready to fish and farm ?
Palin assumes, and probably correctly so, that her base will only hear the “code message” that she’s delivering and not dig deeper into the facts on these two issues (missile cuts and energy stim funds):
“Missiles good”…..code message: I’m tough on defense and the security of this great country of ours.
“Energy stimulus allotment bad”…..code message: I’m tough on the Feds and won’t be drawn into their nefarious plans for subverting a state’s sovereignty with enforcement of “their” codes.
On second thought, substitute the word “nefarious” for “evil.” She and her followers wouldn’t have any idea what nefarious means….and “evil” is a good religious code word with scary connotations evocative of hell in a handbasket, the Anti-Christ, and Satan, himself…..signed, sealed, and delivered with abundant fear, paranoia, and outrage towards the Obama administration.
On third thought, just replace the code message with: “I’m not scared of the Feds and I won’t take part in their evil plans to overthrow me as president and religious leader of my flock of musk oxen under the Great North Star. A mighty gaggle of angels with flaming swords guards my back as I stare fearlessly into the jaws of the beast. Pray for me and send money, preferably large bills, to the Alaska Fun Times Trust.”
Yes, energy efficient programs are all bad.
– The programs create jobs installing the equipment.
– Hopefully we make the equipment creating more jobs.
– It reduces the need for oil without big expensive projects..
– The families, schools, hospitals etc. save money on energy bills.
– The technology currently exists.
Wait, that doesn’t sound so bad.
But it may involve those pesky building codes and permits.
There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources. Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. It costs the equivalent of 60 cents per gallon to charge and drive an electric car. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV’s instead had plug-in electric drive trains the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.We have so much available to us such as wind and solar. Let’s spend some of those bail out billions and get busy harnessing this energy. Create cheap clean energy, badly needed new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. What a win-win situation that would be for our nation at large! I just read a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com Investing in energy independence would positively impact our economy and futures.
Just curious, does anyone know what the usual R-factor of insulation is typically used in Alaska?
Last year I had to deal with mold abatement in the house I bought 10 yrs ago. They gutted out the kitchen & downstairs bedroom, stripped down to the studs & outside siding. I researched. Although I believe R-10 is the standard typically used here, I insisted on the higher R-15 insulation (cost about $120 more, but labor costs are the same installing). Thank heavens! That first winter was nasty cold with no insulation, but this last winter was truly ugly cold! It would have been horrific if the insulation hadn’t been installed.
Telling my Big Brother from northern most Colorado and he laughed. When he built his house, he used R-35 I think he said. I would bet AK is even colder than Colorado.
To clarify, they weatherized the whole 2 story house. Landlord lived upstairs and I lived in the bsmt apt. Also shocking was how it cut down on all the spiders crawling in my abode.
But what the nitwit Gov SP can’t wrap her brains around is that, once the house is weatherized, it is DONE! Like in FINISHED! You don’t have to come back and re-weatherize in a couple or even 10 yrs. They weatherized a basement apt I rented (landlord and I agreed to increase my rent $25/mo for 3 yrs to pay, City of Seattle program & we both had to sign the paperwork).
There was a crew of 4-5 people doing the insulation. A second crew of 4-5 people installing all the double-plated windows. A LOT of paychecks going out there. The program included inspectors & planners, we didn’t have to worry about some goofy contractors selling pie-in-the-sky.
End result was that my fall/winter electric bill dropped over 35% each month. Could have been more, except I was happy to start wearing my single layer of pajamas, instead of the 3 layers of clothes I had to wear previously to stay warm.
So what if this stimulus money only goes for 2 yrs? They could put a LOT of people to work and end up with Alaskans not worrying about freezing to death. Please! Will SOMEONE offer Gov SP some sort of “intelligence enhancement” pill? Eventually, people are going to get hurt a lot more than they have this winter. Rant over.
Was this planned by Obama? Or was is it just Karma?
——————–
You can bet that it was planned.
Obama woke up the other morning with the idea. He then called his entire staff togeather in “The Get Sarah War Room” to finalize a plan. I heard they meet first thing every morning in “The Get Sarah War Room”.
This is from a c4per:
technobrain said…
“I think it is time to define for the ever growing audience on C4P certain terms I have used and others have used to describe the world of Sarah Palin as it impacts the world of President Barack Obama.
1)war room: where Obama, Axelrod, Emmanuel and the like meet every day to brainstorm and hatch their nefarious plans and plots to destroy any opponent that threatens the creation and permanence of a statist regime or the Presidency of Barack Obama, with the focus now on destroying the life of Sarah Palin. This is ongoing and virtually every strategy designed to portray Sarah Palin in a negative or unfavorable light originates here and that includes the anklebiting in Alaska and Tina Fey’s lampooning of Sarah Palin on SNL.”
There you have it.
Martha said—What does Alaska do for Alaska though? $2 back for every $1 given to the federal government? Is this a little pot versus kettle? How many states have the luxury of not having a state tax, to pay their bills, while getting a 2 for 1from the feds??
I
How about a nice big can of Whoop-A$$. I just love how this worked out. Palin belly aching about taking the stimulus money because it hurts America. Her rejection of 45% of the funds gets whittled down to $ 17 million of energy efficiency fund, that Alaskans really wants and needs. And then Obama cuts $ 524 million of a failed Alaskan military project and Sarah rants about how she wants the money.
Was this planned by Obama? Or was is it just Karma?
InJuneau Says:
May 8th, 2009 at 3:34 PM
And, please, Lower 48 residents, remember that we’ve been a state a LOT LESS time that the rest of you and have not benefitted from as many years of federal investment in infrastructure. We’re just trying to catch up and have systems, roads, bridges, sewer and water systems, and such as nice as the ones the rest of you already have and have had for generations.
———————–
I’m one of those lower 48 residents from a state that helps support Alaska with federal taxes (we get only $.81 back from every dollar as opposed to Alaska’s $1.82). However, my state’s been around a lot longer than yours and, while we’re suffering from an enormous budget deficit of our own right now, we do have a lot of the infrastructure you’re only beginning to build.
I personally have no problem with Alaska getting extra amounts of my hard-earned money to use for developing infrastructure, education, safety, health care, energy efficiency…all those important programs that GINO seems to be dead set against. I DO, however, object to my federal taxes going to help support an Alaskan weapons progam that even the military admits doesn’t work while she rejects stimulus funds for all those other social programs that can benefit the greatest number of Alaskans, especially those who need help the most. Unfortunately, her political career is clearly a much greater priority than the welfare of Alaskans.
“And we give a lot back to the nation in terms of mineral resources, awesome fish, and a great place to come for a vacation.”
By what difinition do you use the verb “give” when trying to justify the amount of “pork” Alaska recieves compared to other states?
Does Alaska GIVE the Nation oil, fish and vacations like we GIVE boxes of food and money to Native Americans in Alaska?
What do you mean, Give to the Nation?
You may mean SELL to the Nation.
3000 a year, of course…. forgive me, I was typing too fast.
I really do have an awful time of it trying to wrap my head around NOT winterizing and making Alaskan houses of all ilks energy efficient. This seems awfully strange to me, coming from an “energy expert”. You’d think she’d want to save all that energy she’s producin’ up there in Alaska.
I am wondering here if she doesn’t have her hands in someone’s pockets or vice versa. I guess if you all are efficient, then you all wouldn’t need to be spending 3000 bucks a month on her oil…. could it be that transparent?
InJuneau, you make a valid point about playing “catchup”. The problem is that politicians like Sarah Palin and Ted Stevens give Alaska such a black eye with their shenanigans that Washington is loathe to get involved lest the abuses come back to bite them. Electing good people like Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich is a start toward establishing trust.
But the big question is, did she come out and say that the cuts to the Denali Commission and the Village Safe Water Program were an “outrageous move” too or is she just fine with that? You know, all those projects that actually do some good and HELP people?
And, please, Lower 48 residents, remember that we’ve been a state a LOT LESS time that the rest of you and have not benefitted from as many years of federal investment in infrastructure. We’re just trying to catch up and have systems, roads, bridges, sewer and water systems, and such as nice as the ones the rest of you already have and have had for generations.
“Movement” is a good word to describe what is left of the Repugnant party. Only “Conservative” wasn’t the word I had in mind for in front of “Movement”.
Enjay in E.MT Says “Is there a method to her madness? An underlying conspiracy?”
Yup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4iCDBIAde8&feature=related
Two more feathers in her fur hat to pander to the dwindling base of the “Conservative Movement.” Good job GINO! By the time you run in 2012 there will be at least 3 people left–you, the Dud and Rush.
Palin makes me laugh, doesn’t want stimulus money because it’s wasteful spending, but she wants the missle project which is proven wasteful? Dear me, she needs to make up her mind. What a tangled web she weaves.
@CO almost native,
It boggles my mind that she doesn’t have curtains covering those huge windows!!
Just a thought: could GINO be vetoing the energy dollars because she’s planning on building a bigger-but-still-unregulated house?
Regarding the missile defense cuts: my oldest daughter’s boyfriend works on those highly classified projects- and he says they, and other Defense projects, should be cut. Lots of waste in them; he said numbers show the Defense Department is the biggest waster of tax dollars. There is in-military support for Gates’ budget cuts, to get the spending back on what matters: those who serve.
Big Pete @23: He would agree with your list, except to change #3 to “military brass” instead of “armed services”. Something about boys and their toys 🙂
UK Lady, haraS didn’t have the option to refuse Pres. Chavez’ gift – it was given to individual villages.
That said, she did put pressure on to try and stop the villages from getting this free fuel. Then she and Franklin showed up (finally, way after everyone else was already geared up) in Western Alaska with bibles and cookies.
“To me, it’s a bribe,” Palin said.
From the woman who was bribed to go to Indiana with a box of chocolates.
“You people in the cold, I’m turning my back on you, just like my friends at the C4Pee show on their website. I’m going to look at the smog, soot and fumes coming out of the pipes,” says the twittertwit.
She should look up the word BRIBE:
*make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence; “This judge can be bought”
*payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
One of the common signs at the “teabagging” parties was “Cut Taxes Not Defense.” Of course, if we cut taxes we have to cut something, and since war (if you include everything, such as medical care for ex-servicemen and interest on loans for previous wars) now takes up more than half the budget, what can we cut? Oh, that’s right: public education, healthcare, social security, roads, bridges, government regulators and oversight committees. Welcome to the new, heavily armed Third World.
Years ago, when I worked in the Capitol, the saying was along the lines of “Don’t cut you, don’t cut me… cut the other guy!”
Still holds true today, i see.
What strings did GINO think came with the heating fuel from Hugo Chavez then? It was Hugo Chavez wasn’t it or am I getting mixed up?
Don’t forget, Alaska is the only safe refuge when the rapture comes, duh…that’s why you need missiles. Who cares if people starve and freeze to death?Sarah’s home is nice and warm with big, fat snowflakes you can view outside form industrial (ie hockey rink) grade windows, which I’m sure are energy efficient.
Look, you can’t have it both ways…why do Republicans love defense spending so much? We already have enough missiles to wipe out the planet, enough already…
Robert Gates’ budget proposal has gathered all the right opponents.
1.The defense contractors, worried that decades of fraudulent accounting are coming to a halt.
2.The Beltway consultants for whom the war on terror has been a bonanza. 3.The armed services, used to having every fantasy funded.
4.The hysterical politicians who protect all this institutionalized corruption just to make sure they keep jobs in their state.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/193487
Gramiam, don’t fret..we all make mistakes with URLs. I didn’t click onto that site…but it is kinda funny! 🙂
*But Palin’s fears are that if we accept this money, we will actually have to build energy efficient buildings in the future… (Oh, the horror!)*
——————————————————————-
This is her big problem. She doesn’t look to the future. She is totally wrapped up in the “here and now.” And all of the “here and now” is about Sarah, and not about the future of Alaskans. Doesn’t she believe in the end of times – hence she doesn’t have to worry about *that stuff.*
I mean how could the Governor of Alaska refuse money that would keep Alaskans warm, and yet want to spend more on defence?
What a gobsh*te!
they are hopping mad over at adn in the comment section regarding the cut backs. They seem to want all the pork and rant at Pres Obama at the same time. But then again Palin is doing the same thing. She will have to figure out what to do without the money, she is the governor afterall.
Why in the heck would be want to invest millions on a defense system that doesn’t work Alaskans? I know the money coming in is nice, but seems a bit useless and wasteful, but seems as though whatever Lola (Palin) wants, Lola gets.
Mudpuppies, I am sooooo embarrassed!! I got the URL wrong! My BAD!
http://www.kissmybigbluebutt.com/
Ahhhh…. Thanks for the correction! 🙂 AKM
Already some persons ae spinning Obama’s budget decrease as false because they say most of the 17 billion saved is being ‘redirected’ to other projects.
Huh?
I could follow the thread only as far as the Heritage Foundation before becoming utterly disgusted. Where I found no explanation in everyday English to explain that positon (but did find one nifty but utterly unintelligible graphic that everyone will probably point to as ‘proof’ of this assertion, probably only because the result was that it was shaped more or less in the form of pig, albiet perhaps a slightly Picasso-esque one).
I don’t have the stomach to persue this any further right now. Any Mudpups feel feisty and want to try to track this down and report back? We’ll need the ammunition apparently.
Because they are not saying “Missiles Good, Energy Efficiancy Bad”, they are saying “Reducing Missile Spending Not Budget Reduction In First Place”.
Wondering…
Is SP refusing the Weatherization & Energy Efficiency, which will further hurt lower income families and those in Rural AK, is this possibly an attempt to get “them” ( out of AK and off “ancestral lands” ?
Is there a method to her madness? An underlying conspiracy?
Gramiam Says:
May 8th, 2009 at 12:34 PM
OT but Hey, Austintx. Did you know about [link removed] Sort of mudflats for Texas.
This not like Mudflats,its a bunch of links to adult sites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Alaska’s current missile defense is inadequate, I would have to agree with Palin (ugh). My guess and hope is that Alaska’s current missile system is sufficient and anything additional would be overkill. After all, aren’t we trying to put money into a real economy (like alternative energy) and get away from unnecessary expansion of the military industrial comples?
Had to Jump In
It would do the villages to start looking at sustainable projects that create long term jobs and not just a budget by budget block of monies to keep people dependant on federal funded jobs. The need here is to do ECONOMIC development.============
I understand what you’re saying, I’ve seen it first hand where I live. It makes for racial resentment, which is very unfortunate. A few bad apples are in EVERY box. I know that Ann Strongheart is asking folks to please send their ideas, for self sustainability to her site. The villages really would like to know what they can do.
What does Alaska do for Alaska though? $2 back for every $1 given to the federal government? Is this a little pot versus kettle? How many states have the luxury of not having a state tax, to pay their bills, while getting a 2 for 1from the feds??
I’m starting to see resentment from many in the lower 48. It’s showing up in the comments on various blogs, about Alaskas’ situation, since the topic of these cutbacks came up. When states like California are going broke, it is predictable that they would not appreciate Palin complaining about missile defense or even needed programs being funded by the feds, when they can’t survive themselves.
Trying to make sense of the Palin admin and it’s pronouncements is to step through the looking glass. Sorry, but I’m just not gonna go there. Really, the other remaining branches of state government (thank you founding fathers and mothers) are going to have to step up big time, including the fourth branch of which the bloggers are now a member of, and make up the deficit left by the failure of our Executive Branch, which has “Gone Fish’n” or simply, “Out to Lunch”.
The energy efficiency thing just boggles my mind. I can’t even attempt to come up with any kind of thought process that thinks it makes sense.
Hey, if you all don’t want it (yeah, right), I’d take a little of that energy efficiency upgrade stuff… in a heartbeat.
Gobsmacked. Such a lovely word, and utterly expressive!
gobsmacked.
if governor palin has a cell left in her brain, she would stay the hell out of d.c. and far, far away from barack obama.
Where is our songstress today? I thought for sure I”d see some new lyrics for “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and “Take the Money and Run” , maybe “Sky Pilot” , for her “fly over”” I’ve been down so GD long, that it looks like up to me” for her poll #’s… hint…hint….please….;)
Palin is being hammered in the lower 48 over her refusal on the energy part of the stimulus that she is refusing. I’m still not clear about her wanting to spend stimulus monies instead of state funds, anyone know? Today Obama is threatening California Gov Arnold baby, to revoke stimulus monies, if the gov is cutting back wages! Yikes!
Palin is in for a rude awakening if she does not use or have a concrete plan to properly utilize these monies.
Word salad and all the winking in the world won’t help. I think that is precisely why she is avoiding Washington. Palin actually thinks that the powers that be will talk to Todd, I’m sure.
Palin and supporters remain to cling to the delusion that she actually has a chance at POTUS in 2012!
Don’t forget to keep your eye on the open thread for off-topic creative goodness! 🙂 AKM
Good grief Charlie Brown!
Will windmills work? They can be bought for as little as $3,500 and generate enough power to run a small village.
Just goes to show you where she thinks her support in the state is from, not the villages!
As they say, conserve is the cheapest investment and so badly needed, BUT better to turn that away.
Hate to see any cuts in Denali funding, overall a good program. That is community development that needs to happen overall.
The other one ??? LOTS of abuse in SOME villages. As BO admin says– ‘administrative issues with them.’ YUP!!
It would do the villages to start looking at sustainable projects that create long term jobs and not just a budget by budget block of monies to keep people dependant on federal funded jobs. The need here is to do ECONOMIC development.
Wish we could get some more creative thinking out here in Western Ak
She was before it and now is against it, or vice versa.
Cover and shake well.
Missiles Good. Guess that fits in with sarah’s end times beliefs.
Energy Efficiency Bad. As long as sarah’s warm and dry what does she care?
OT but Hey, Austintx. Did you know about [link removed] Sort of mudflats for Texas.
Be sure to post this in the Open Thread! Just scroll down until you see it. Remember that’s where OT posts go now. No need to type OT, and people check the open thread throughout the day. 🙂 Oh, and the link you had was removed. It wasn’t the one you thought it was….linked to inappropriate content. Please check links before posting. Thanks! AKM
Rugged Alaskan Myth is powerful and useful during election cycles but its a corrupt socialized state. Elitist liberals and far right “conservatives” profit equally off the status quo in Alaska
Keep talking Sarah!! The sooner you are gone, the better for all Alaska!!
Yup – same problem here.
Palin has no idea what to do. It is good that you do have some good people looking after Alaska.