I love it when Sarah Palin makes certain statements. Last night she told Judge Napolitano that all candidates should be vetted on their associations. What a good idea!
If Sarah Palin announces her candidacy, I hope her vetting by the media and the party will be very thorough indeed. They would't want to disappoint her, would they?
Please read all posts about the AIP on Palingates.
Showing posts with label AIP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AIP. Show all posts
Friday, 17 June 2011
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
How patriotic is Sarah Palin?
Patriotic Sarah Palin had strong ties to the secessionist movement in Alaska throughout her political career.
The full article by Max Blumenthal and David Neiwert may be found HERE.
Sarah Palin addressing the AIP in 2008:
Remember that Sarah Palin's inauguration as governor of Alaska took place in the AIP-leaning town of Fairbanks instead of liberal Juneau. She was the only governor in Alaska's history to take the oath of office in another place, away from the state capital.
Real American Sarah Palin resorted to "guilty by association" slurs during the 2008 campaign, accusing Obama of pallin' around with terrorists. Her association with secessionists goes beyond pallin', as she's married to one!
This article, published on September 02, 2008, makes Todd's affiliation to the Alaska Independence Party very clear:
Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, tells ABC News that regardless of the impression given to members of the Alaskan Independence Party, "Gov. Sarah Palin first registered to vote in the state in May 1982 as a Republican, and she has not changed her party affiliate with the Division of Elections since that time."
That said, Fenumiai says that Palin's husband Todd was a member of the AIP from October 1995 through July 2002, except for a few months in 2000. He is currently undeclared.
Sarah Palin tried to lie her way out of her very close secessionist ties, according to this July 2009 article:
Palin blasted out an e-mail with the subject line "Todd" to Schmidt, campaign manager Rick Davis and senior advisor Nicolle Wallace, copying her husband on the message (all of the e-mails are reprinted below as written).
"Pls get in front of that ridiculous issue that's cropped up all day today - two reporters, a protestor's sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd's involvement in an anti-American political party," Palin wrote. "It's bull, and I don't want to have to keep reacting to it ... Pls have statement given on this so it's put to bed."
Schmidt hit "reply to all" less than five minutes after Palin's e-mail was sent. "Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."
This clear cut response from the campaign's top dog carried an air of finality, but it did not satisfy Palin. She responded with another e-mail, adding five more names to the "cc" box, all of whom traveled on her campaign plane. They included her senior political adviser Tucker Eskew, senior aide Jason Recher, the lone traveling aide from her Alaska office Kris Perry, press secretary Tracey Schmitt and personal assistant Bexie Nobles.
Palin's insertion of the five additional staffers in the e-mail chain was an apparent attempt to rally her own troops in the face of a decision from the commanding general with which she disagreed. Her inclusion of her personal assistant was particularly telling about her quest for affirmation and support in numbers, since the young staffer was not in a position to have any input on campaign strategy.
"That's not part of their platform and he was only a 'member' bc independent alaskans too often check that 'Alaska Independent' box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan," Palin wrote. "He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed."
Palin was attempting to bend the facts ever so slightly to fit neatly into her version of events. In truth, the box that Alaskans have the option of checking when registering to vote states the full name of the party, "Alaskan Independence Party," not "Alaska Independent," which would make an error by uncommitted voters more plausible.
Clearly irritated by what he saw as Palin's attempt to mislead her own campaign and apparently determined to demonstrate that the ultimate authority rested with him, Schmidt put the matter to rest once and for all with a longer response to everyone in the e-mail chain.
"Secession," he wrote. "It is their entire reason for existence. A cursory examination of the website shows that the party exists for the purpose of seceding from the union. That is the stated goal on the front page of the web site. Our records indicate that todd was a member for seven years. If this is incorrect then we need to understand the discrepancy. The statement you are suggesting be released would be innaccurate. The innaccuracy would bring greater media attention to this matter and be a distraction. According to your staff there have been no media inquiries into this and you received no questions about it during your interviews. If you are asked about it you should smile and say many alaskans who love their country join the party because it speeks to a tradition of political independence. Todd loves his country.
We will not put out a statement and inflame this and create a situation where john has to adress this."
Schmidt's rebuttal to Palin's suggestion that reporters had asked her about the issue was particularly blunt in that it implicitly questioned her truthfulness. Furthermore, his unwillingness to budge an inch on the matter was a remarkable assertion of his power to pull rank over the candidate herself.
Palin was silent after his second e-mail and the campaign did not issue the statement she demanded.
This is the section of the voter's registration form where people tick their preferences. Please note the absence of the box Sarah Palin mentioned in her e-mail, the one Todd ticked by mistake:
We all know that Sarah Palin is an opportunist who will use whatever helps her forward her own ambitions. She used the AIP and they used her to advance their own agendas. Regardless of her beliefs and allegiances, her association with the AIP was very strong, she was more than pallin' around with them.
I don't think she has any allegiances other than to herself and will gladly leave Alaska behind in favour of Arizona or any other place that will have her. Sarah Palin will continue to rewrite her own (and American) history, lying about anything and everything, distorting the facts and wriggling out of any tight spots, depending on how things are going for her.
Sarah Palin's history and her record as governor of Alaska are very well documented, so she and her minions can rewrite, edit and tweak Wikipedia entries to their hearts' content, but the facts will remain the same...
The full article by Max Blumenthal and David Neiwert may be found HERE.
Sarah Palin addressing the AIP in 2008:
Remember that Sarah Palin's inauguration as governor of Alaska took place in the AIP-leaning town of Fairbanks instead of liberal Juneau. She was the only governor in Alaska's history to take the oath of office in another place, away from the state capital.
Real American Sarah Palin resorted to "guilty by association" slurs during the 2008 campaign, accusing Obama of pallin' around with terrorists. Her association with secessionists goes beyond pallin', as she's married to one!
This article, published on September 02, 2008, makes Todd's affiliation to the Alaska Independence Party very clear:
Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, tells ABC News that regardless of the impression given to members of the Alaskan Independence Party, "Gov. Sarah Palin first registered to vote in the state in May 1982 as a Republican, and she has not changed her party affiliate with the Division of Elections since that time."
That said, Fenumiai says that Palin's husband Todd was a member of the AIP from October 1995 through July 2002, except for a few months in 2000. He is currently undeclared.
Sarah Palin tried to lie her way out of her very close secessionist ties, according to this July 2009 article:
Palin blasted out an e-mail with the subject line "Todd" to Schmidt, campaign manager Rick Davis and senior advisor Nicolle Wallace, copying her husband on the message (all of the e-mails are reprinted below as written).
"Pls get in front of that ridiculous issue that's cropped up all day today - two reporters, a protestor's sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd's involvement in an anti-American political party," Palin wrote. "It's bull, and I don't want to have to keep reacting to it ... Pls have statement given on this so it's put to bed."
Schmidt hit "reply to all" less than five minutes after Palin's e-mail was sent. "Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."
This clear cut response from the campaign's top dog carried an air of finality, but it did not satisfy Palin. She responded with another e-mail, adding five more names to the "cc" box, all of whom traveled on her campaign plane. They included her senior political adviser Tucker Eskew, senior aide Jason Recher, the lone traveling aide from her Alaska office Kris Perry, press secretary Tracey Schmitt and personal assistant Bexie Nobles.
Palin's insertion of the five additional staffers in the e-mail chain was an apparent attempt to rally her own troops in the face of a decision from the commanding general with which she disagreed. Her inclusion of her personal assistant was particularly telling about her quest for affirmation and support in numbers, since the young staffer was not in a position to have any input on campaign strategy.
"That's not part of their platform and he was only a 'member' bc independent alaskans too often check that 'Alaska Independent' box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan," Palin wrote. "He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed."
Palin was attempting to bend the facts ever so slightly to fit neatly into her version of events. In truth, the box that Alaskans have the option of checking when registering to vote states the full name of the party, "Alaskan Independence Party," not "Alaska Independent," which would make an error by uncommitted voters more plausible.
Clearly irritated by what he saw as Palin's attempt to mislead her own campaign and apparently determined to demonstrate that the ultimate authority rested with him, Schmidt put the matter to rest once and for all with a longer response to everyone in the e-mail chain.
"Secession," he wrote. "It is their entire reason for existence. A cursory examination of the website shows that the party exists for the purpose of seceding from the union. That is the stated goal on the front page of the web site. Our records indicate that todd was a member for seven years. If this is incorrect then we need to understand the discrepancy. The statement you are suggesting be released would be innaccurate. The innaccuracy would bring greater media attention to this matter and be a distraction. According to your staff there have been no media inquiries into this and you received no questions about it during your interviews. If you are asked about it you should smile and say many alaskans who love their country join the party because it speeks to a tradition of political independence. Todd loves his country.
We will not put out a statement and inflame this and create a situation where john has to adress this."
Schmidt's rebuttal to Palin's suggestion that reporters had asked her about the issue was particularly blunt in that it implicitly questioned her truthfulness. Furthermore, his unwillingness to budge an inch on the matter was a remarkable assertion of his power to pull rank over the candidate herself.
Palin was silent after his second e-mail and the campaign did not issue the statement she demanded.
This is the section of the voter's registration form where people tick their preferences. Please note the absence of the box Sarah Palin mentioned in her e-mail, the one Todd ticked by mistake:
We all know that Sarah Palin is an opportunist who will use whatever helps her forward her own ambitions. She used the AIP and they used her to advance their own agendas. Regardless of her beliefs and allegiances, her association with the AIP was very strong, she was more than pallin' around with them.
I don't think she has any allegiances other than to herself and will gladly leave Alaska behind in favour of Arizona or any other place that will have her. Sarah Palin will continue to rewrite her own (and American) history, lying about anything and everything, distorting the facts and wriggling out of any tight spots, depending on how things are going for her.
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| It snows in Arizona also, too... |
Sarah Palin's history and her record as governor of Alaska are very well documented, so she and her minions can rewrite, edit and tweak Wikipedia entries to their hearts' content, but the facts will remain the same...
Monday, 11 January 2010
Sarah Palin, vetting, AIP... (videos)
Whoever searched YouTube looking for a hot candidate to run with John McCain must have seen this video as well as the one with Janet Napolitano.
I love the way she explains how babysitting and waitressing gave her a good grounding on how to conduct herself in the world of politics. Her choice of books is fascinating... But hey, she jumps off the screen!
Did the internet search miss this video?
Sarah failed to say that the "couple" of legislators who were targetting her consisted of ten Republicans and four Democrats. They chose a VP candidate who didn't know what the VP does all day!
How did they miss this one? Or didn't it worry them enough?
Frightening...
Is being a member of the AIP a good or a bad thing?
This one is hilarious! ( H/T to Barb Dwyer). Please pay attention to the AIP guy towards the end. What did he say about Todd? OK, this one wasn't available during the vetting, but it's too good, a pleasure to watch.
During the campaign, Sarah Palin must have decided that the AIP was bad news after all.
Palin blasted out an e-mail with the subject line "Todd" to Schmidt, campaign manager Rick Davis and senior advisor Nicolle Wallace, copying her husband on the message.
Schmidt hit "reply to all" less than five minutes after Palin's e-mail was sent. "Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."
She responded with another e-mail, adding five more names to the "cc" box, all of whom traveled on her campaign plane.
Clearly irritated by what he saw as Palin's attempt to mislead her own campaign and apparently determined to demonstrate that the ultimate authority rested with him, Schmidt put the matter to rest once and for all with a longer response to everyone in the e-mail chain.
Sarah was telling porkers... independent voters don't have box for "independent" to tick!
The Alaska Independence Party website have changed some of their rhetoric since I last visited. On their homepage and introduction, they now put less emphasis on secession than they did before... but they have an interesting Q & A section. Many questions reflect concerns regarding the loss of Federal money, loss of social security, federal pensions, etc. They seem to want the best of both worlds, but the answer to the question about citizenship is quite clear:
Q: Would I lose my U.S. citizenship?
A: Depending on the form of independence, several forms of citizenship would be possible, including the retention of U.S. citizenship or dual citizenship. However, considering the moral, educational, and economic decay of the U.S., Alaskans' who hold themselves to a higher standard might very well decide to at least maintain an arm's length distance from a country in decline.
Independent or not independent? They seem to want to keep all the balls in the air, but they lean towards secession...
And Sarah Palin is hopefully heading to the political scrapheap!
More posts about Sarah Palin and the AIP on palingates.
Phil Munger of Progressive Alaska also thinks it's scandalous that Sarah Palin was considered vice presidential material.
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I love the way she explains how babysitting and waitressing gave her a good grounding on how to conduct herself in the world of politics. Her choice of books is fascinating... But hey, she jumps off the screen!
Did the internet search miss this video?
Sarah failed to say that the "couple" of legislators who were targetting her consisted of ten Republicans and four Democrats. They chose a VP candidate who didn't know what the VP does all day!
How did they miss this one? Or didn't it worry them enough?
Frightening...
Is being a member of the AIP a good or a bad thing?
This one is hilarious! ( H/T to Barb Dwyer). Please pay attention to the AIP guy towards the end. What did he say about Todd? OK, this one wasn't available during the vetting, but it's too good, a pleasure to watch.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Understanding Real America in Wasilla | ||||
| ||||
During the campaign, Sarah Palin must have decided that the AIP was bad news after all.
Palin blasted out an e-mail with the subject line "Todd" to Schmidt, campaign manager Rick Davis and senior advisor Nicolle Wallace, copying her husband on the message.
"Pls get in front of that ridiculous issue that's cropped up all day today - two reporters, a protestor's sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd's involvement in an anti-American political party," Palin wrote. "It's bull, and I don't want to have to keep reacting to it ... Pls have statement given on this so it's put to bed."
Schmidt hit "reply to all" less than five minutes after Palin's e-mail was sent. "Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."
She responded with another e-mail, adding five more names to the "cc" box, all of whom traveled on her campaign plane.
"That's not part of their platform and he was only a 'member' bc independent alaskans too often check that 'Alaska Independent' box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan," Palin wrote. "He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed."
Clearly irritated by what he saw as Palin's attempt to mislead her own campaign and apparently determined to demonstrate that the ultimate authority rested with him, Schmidt put the matter to rest once and for all with a longer response to everyone in the e-mail chain.
"Secession," he wrote. "It is their entire reason for existence. A cursory examination of the website shows that the party exists for the purpose of seceding from the union. That is the stated goal on the front page of the web site. Our records indicate that todd was a member for seven years. If this is incorrect then we need to understand the discrepancy. The statement you are suggesting be released would be innaccurate. The innaccuracy would bring greater media attention to this matter and be a distraction. According to your staff there have been no media inquiries into this and you received no questions about it during your interviews. If you are asked about it you should smile and say many alaskans who love their country join the party because it speeks to a tradition of political independence. Todd loves his country
We will not put out a statement and inflame this and create a situation where john has to adress this."I made a screenshot of the Alaska voter registration form:
Sarah was telling porkers... independent voters don't have box for "independent" to tick!The Alaska Independence Party website have changed some of their rhetoric since I last visited. On their homepage and introduction, they now put less emphasis on secession than they did before... but they have an interesting Q & A section. Many questions reflect concerns regarding the loss of Federal money, loss of social security, federal pensions, etc. They seem to want the best of both worlds, but the answer to the question about citizenship is quite clear:
Q: Would I lose my U.S. citizenship?
A: Depending on the form of independence, several forms of citizenship would be possible, including the retention of U.S. citizenship or dual citizenship. However, considering the moral, educational, and economic decay of the U.S., Alaskans' who hold themselves to a higher standard might very well decide to at least maintain an arm's length distance from a country in decline.
Independent or not independent? They seem to want to keep all the balls in the air, but they lean towards secession...
And Sarah Palin is hopefully heading to the political scrapheap!
More posts about Sarah Palin and the AIP on palingates.
Phil Munger of Progressive Alaska also thinks it's scandalous that Sarah Palin was considered vice presidential material.
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Sunday, 31 May 2009
Sarah Palin, governor, journalist...
"Being a voracious reader, I read a lot today and have read a lot growing up. And having that journalism degree, all of that, will be a great assistance for me in writing this book, talking about the challenges and the joys, balancing the work and parenting, and, in my case, work means running the state." (Fox News)
Sarah Palin wrote an op-ed explaining her reasons for rejecting nearly $30 million in stimulus money for energy projects. I'm going to comment on some passages:
The feds required me to certify these codes "will be implemented" or pushed on local communities... But conditions here required more "big brother" government involvement.
These are the words of a state governor and journalist. Unprofessional and disrespectful in either capacity.
Alaskans have a strong history of independence and opposition to Washington, D.C., meddling in local issues.
A journalist would know that one doesn't separate the subject from the verb by placing a comma between them. Sarah Palin sounds like a mouthpiece for the AIP.
I've served as a city councilman and city mayor/manager.
No, she hired a manager to run the city.
My community went through a battle over building codes when our booming city desired more growth opportunities to allow job creation.
Sarah Palin as mayor went through battle over building codes when her house was built by Todd and his buddies at the same time as the sports complex.
The last thing we needed was a bureaucrat from Washington, D.C., telling us what the best policy was to adopt.
Subject, comma, verb is a no-no. Word salad. AIP?
I asked the feds to clarify their position.
More disrespect from the governor.
Beware of Washington, D.C., trying to cajole local community leaders to eliminate the choices Alaskans have when building or renovating homes and businesses.
Word salad. AIP.
The governor uses Washington D.C. and feds as interchangeable terms in a very derogatory tone throughtout her piece. The journalist separates the subject from the verb at least three times, not to mention the usual word salad.
I haven't discussed the contents of her op-ed because we know very well that there are no strings attached to the money for energy projects.
The tone and the language used by the journalist/governor proves that she's not qualified for either position.
Sarah Palin's unprofessional and misguided op-eds, speeches, press releases and twits together with inappropriate choice of clothing on various occasions lead me to the conclusion that she would be more successful in a very different occupation.
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Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Sarah Palin for president?
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin plans to work with a new Republican group, the National Council for a New America, a spokeswoman said.
Palin "looks forward to doing all she can to bring about positive change many desire and deserve, across Alaska and our great nation, through this National Council for a New America and others," Meghan Stapleton, a spokeswoman for SarahPAC, said in an e-mail.
Stapleton said Palin plans to be involved with the group "as long as everyone knows that Alaska always comes first."
Palin "is focused on moving Alaska forward and pushing for her goals which include providing energy independence and security for Alaskans and Americans," she said.
I find it very funny when Sarah Palin tries really hard to pretend she's doing her best for Alaska so she comes across as a dedicated governor to her adoring fans in the Lower 48.
What she achieves in these efforts is to sound more and more like the leader of the Alaska Independence Party. It makes her a very good candidate for president... of Alaska.
Hey you folks in the Lower 48 who worship Sarah, if you want her as your president, you'd better move to Alaska.
I'm so sorry Alaskans, it was a bad suggestion. As if you didn't have enough problems already!
Story: Politico.com
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Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Sarah Palin, WAR and the AIP
Todd Palin, the power behind the throne?
Sarah Palin with Walt Hickel and with W.A.R.
I found a very well researched article about Sarah Palin's connections with the Alaska Independence Party, in particular with Mark Chryson. Below are some excerpts, with some words highlighted by me:
In 1994, Sarah Palin attended the AIP's statewide convention. In 1995, her husband, Todd, changed his voter registration to AIP. Except for an interruption of a few months, he would remain registered as an AIP member until 2002, when he changed his registration to undeclared.
Mark Chryson became the AIP's vice chairman in 1996 and its chairman in 1997, a position he held until 2003.
Chryson pursued a dual policy of cozying up to secessionist and right-wing groups in Alaska and elsewhere while also attempting to replicate the AIP's success with Walt Hickel in infiltrating the mainstream political parties. (Hickel was elected governor as a Republican in 1966 and again in 1990 as the AIP candidate)
In 1996, Palin decided to run against John Stein for mayor of Wasilla. While Palin pushed back against Stein's policies, particularly those related to funding public works, Chryson said he and Steve Stoll prepared the groundwork for her mayoral campaign.
Once elected, Palin backed Chryson as he successfully advanced a host of anti-tax, pro-gun initiatives.
Sarah Palin endorsed Chryson's unsuccessful initiative to move the state Legislature from Juneau to Wasilla. She also lent her support to Chryson's crusade to alter the Alaska Constitution's language to better facilitate the formation of anti-government militias. "It took over 10 years to get that language written in," Chryson said. "But Sarah was there supporting it."
She joined in their vendetta against several local officials they disliked, and listened to their advice about hiring. She attempted to name Stoll, a John Birch Society activist known in the Mat-Su Valley as "Black Helicopter Steve," to an empty Wasilla City Council seat. Palin was blocked by the single vote of then-Councilman Nick Carney, who had endured countless rancorous confrontations with Stoll and considered him a "violent" influence on local politics. Though Palin considered consulting attorneys about finding another means of placing Stoll on the council, she was ultimately forced to back down and accept a compromise candidate.
Emboldened by his nomination by Mayor Palin, Stoll later demanded she fire Wasilla's museum director, John Cooper, a personal enemy he longed to sabotage. Palin obliged, eliminating Cooper's position in short order.
"Gotcha, Cooper!" Stoll told the deposed museum director after his termination, as Cooper told a reporter for the New York Times. "And it only cost me a campaign contribution." Stoll had donated $1,000 to Palin's mayoral campaign.
Nick Carney later proposed an ordinance that would have prohibited residents from carrying guns into schools, bars, hospitals, government offices and playgrounds. Infuriated by the proposal that Carney viewed as a common-sense public-safety measure, Chryson and seven allies stormed a July 1997 council meeting.
With the bill still in its formative stages, Carney was not even ready to present it to the council, let alone conduct public hearings on it. He and other council members objected to the ad-hoc hearing as "a waste of time." But Palin -- in plain violation of council rules and norms -- insisted that Chryson testify, stating, according to the minutes, that "she invites the public to speak on any issue at any time."
When Carney tried later in the meeting to have the ordinance discussed officially at the following regular council meeting, he couldn't even get a second. His proposal died that night, thanks to Palin and her extremist allies.
"Every time I showed up her door was open," said Chryson. "And that policy continued when she became governor."
When Palin ran for governor in 2006, marketing herself as a fresh-faced reformer determined to crush the GOP's ossified power structure, she made certain to appear at the AIP's state convention. To burnish her maverick image, she also tapped one-time AIP member and former governor Walter Hickel as her campaign co-chair. (The other was Wayne Anthony Ross)
When Palin delivered her victory speech on election night, Hickel stood beaming by her side. "I made her governor," he boasted afterward. Two years later, Hickel endorsed Palin's bid for vice president.
I couldn't find any direct links between W.A.R. and the AIP, but I found an article he wrote in 1990 which includes these words:
"We still have strong leaders in State government in Alaska of the likes of Walter Hickel."
Sarah Palin appears to have strong ties to AIP members to this day. In WAR's own words to the Legislature in recent days, he clearly stated that he sees the federal government as the enemy. Todd Palin's last known party affiliation was to the AIP and he is extremely influential in Sarah Palin's administration.
From another article:
In the Palin administration, Todd appears to have had an unusually strong role, the extent of which remains unclear. He is not on the state payroll and was never elected -- but the First Dude has crossed over from the standard-issue supportive political spouse to something far more influential, weighing in on policy and political matters in ways that few observers seem to understand.
Considering all these factors together, we have to ask this question:
Who's behind W.A.R.'s appointment for Attorney General of Alaska?
Links
AIP article
Todd Palin article
WAR's article about Hickel
AIP platform
WAR's "Soldier of Fortune" article, including interesting critique which challenges WAR's legal credentials...
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Thursday, 9 April 2009
Sarah Palin at W.A.R. with the US
Wayne Anthony Ross, Sarah Palin's appointment to the position of Alaska Attorney General, made some disturbing statements to the Alaska Legislature.
Senator Donny Olson challenged some of WAR's positions regarding subsistence and rural Alaska. Some snippets:
Olson: ...they’ve (rural Alaskans, i.e. natives) had to go to Washington D.C. to get some type of arrangement to continue to do what they’ve done for years? What do I say to them?
WAR: You don’t go to Washington D.C. anymore. Washington D.C. is not friends with Alaska. The General’s job is not to cause casualties with its own people. The General’s job is to win the war against the enemy. Alaskans should be working together.
Instead some people went off to Washington to try to get rights over others which was violative (sic) of our constitution. It wasn’t willing to handle it, in my opinion. And now we’ve got the federal government sticking its nose in the state of Alaska, and we need to realize that we’ve invited a giant to our state and that we need to work together to protect all of us from the giant.
But, you don’t invite the giant into your house, or the bear (if you want to say that) invite the bear in your house and expect not to get eaten up. We’re being eaten up and we need to get together.
Sarah Palin is in the habit of challenging the federal government over endangered species and subsistence matters through costly lawsuits. She also seeks to open up federal lands for oil drilling and resents the fact that there are vast tracts of land under federal control.
She talks a lot about the independent spirit of Alaskans. From a recent speech:
"When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government."
"Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem."
"We are up to the challenge. This is the best lesson we can teach our children."
When reacting to president Obama's call for cuts to nuclear programs, Sarah Palin referred to Alaska as "a sovereign state".
Sarah Palin and Wayne Anthony Ross appear to have BIG issues with the US government.
Do they sound a tad secessionist or what? Is Sarah Palin an AIP Trojan horse?
Fuller account about WAR at the Legislature.
Previous AIP posts. Previous WAR post.
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Thursday, 2 April 2009
Sarah first, Sarah always (updated)
The first video shows the vice chairman of the Alaska Independence Party, Dexter Clark, addressing a meeting of party members. It's interesting to note what he says about Sarah Palin six minutes into the video.
In this one, Sarah Palin addresses the 2008 AIP Convention.
UPDATE: In this next video, Sarah Palin makes a speech to mark the 50th Anniversary of Alaska Statehood. The speech is somewhat boring, but @8:18 she mentions "independence" for Alaska in the future. What could she mean by that? (hat-tip to an alert reader)
Sarah Palin wants to be the President of the United States. She has upset the RNC, NRCC and NRSC on a few occasions recently. In fact, she's doing her best to alienate the whole GOP.
It goes without saying that she can't stand the present federal government.
In her op-ed for the ADN, she wrote:
"This federal involvement locks us into government dependency for longer periods. Alaskans must read the fine print on these federal mandates."
"When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government."
"Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem."
"We are up to the challenge. This is the best lesson we can teach our children."
Is Sarah Palin going to run as an independent? Of course she can't run for the AIP, but wouldn't it be fun if she made it to the White House and finally seceded Alaska from the US?
Maybe Sarah really does believe in Alaska first, Alaska always!
Previous post about the AIP
Sarah Palin's op-ed
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In this one, Sarah Palin addresses the 2008 AIP Convention.
UPDATE: In this next video, Sarah Palin makes a speech to mark the 50th Anniversary of Alaska Statehood. The speech is somewhat boring, but @8:18 she mentions "independence" for Alaska in the future. What could she mean by that? (hat-tip to an alert reader)
Sarah Palin wants to be the President of the United States. She has upset the RNC, NRCC and NRSC on a few occasions recently. In fact, she's doing her best to alienate the whole GOP.
It goes without saying that she can't stand the present federal government.
In her op-ed for the ADN, she wrote:
"This federal involvement locks us into government dependency for longer periods. Alaskans must read the fine print on these federal mandates."
"When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government."
"Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem."
"We are up to the challenge. This is the best lesson we can teach our children."
Is Sarah Palin going to run as an independent? Of course she can't run for the AIP, but wouldn't it be fun if she made it to the White House and finally seceded Alaska from the US?
Maybe Sarah really does believe in Alaska first, Alaska always!
Previous post about the AIP
Sarah Palin's op-ed
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Thursday, 19 February 2009
"Alaska First - Alaska Always."
The title of this post is the motto of the Alaskan Independence Party. What does the party stand for and what role does it play in Sarah Palin's political career?
Here's what we know as facts: Todd Palin was a member of the AIP from 1995 until 2002. Sarah Palin sent a video message of support to the AIP for its annual convention in 2008.
So to what extent do Sarah Palin's policies and initiatives reflect the AIP's agenda?
Let's look at some of the positions held by the party:
- To seek the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska.
- The AIP supports the development of Alaska's natural resources. It supports mining operations in Alaska.
- The AIP remains steadfastly opposed to environmental regulations and actively promotes the private ownership and widespread development of Alaskan land.
- Joe Vogler, a vocal former chairman, criticized how Alaska had to pay claims to native peoples who were resettled as part of the oil-inspired Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). He also argued that the lands set aside for native tribes or wildlife preserves are unfair deprivations constituting "discrimination" against Alaska by the federal government.
These are some of the issues the AIP is passionate about.
What is Sarah Palin passionate about?
- She may not seek the complete repatriation of federal lands, but she definitely wants to open them up (ANWR) to develop the natural resourses.
- Her position on the environment is well known as she's in the habit of challenging the federal government over endangered species through costly lawsuits. Also not averse to dumping toxic waste in Alaska's waterways if it benefits private industries, such as the oil and mining companies.
- Sarah Palin's attitudes towards Alaska Natives range from indifference to outright contempt, as discussed in an earlier post.
These are the points where Sarah Palin and the AIP agree. There are disagreements, big ones!
- The AIP supports the complete abolition of the concept of sovereign or governmental immunity, so as to restore accountability for public servants. When a bureaucrat, government employee or elected official does you harm there is no recourse for the individual because they hide behind the concept of "sovereign immunity." The AIP abhors this concept and believes that all are responsible for their actions. If they are acting as a government official they can't act without taking responsibility.
- The AIP supports the direct popular election of the attorney general, all judges, and magistrates. Alaska's constitution calls for the apointment of judges, magistrates and the attorney general. If the AG was elected he would be responsible to the people. An elected AG would have no choice but to stand up for Alaska or answer to the people of the state.
- An open book is what the AIP wants the government to be.
There we have it. Agreements and disgreements. Does Sarah Palin lean one way or the other?
What do you think?
Source: AIP
Image: Suzzanne Bennett-Sempers
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