| Incredibly long article. But very important. I'm actually frightened by the people that believe the crap coming out of Palin's mouth. Then again, they are probably the same people that believed dubya the first and second time.
 Palin v. Reality
Well, that was quick.
The Obama campaign is doing its job.
Now we get to see whether the media will do their job, or whether they will be cowed into submission. I'm not taking bets either way
***********************
PALIN: “Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not
solve all of America's energy problems - as if we all didn't know that
already. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no
excuse to do nothing at all.”
REALITY: PALIN SAID SHE WOULD BEG TO DISAGREE WITH ANY CANDIDATE WHO SAID WE CAN’T DRILL OUR WAY OUT OF OUR PROBLEM
Palin Said She Would Beg to Disagree With Candidate Who Said We
Can’t Drill Our Way Out of Our Problem. Asked by Invester’s Business
Daily “Some politicians and presidential candidates say we can't drill
our way out of our energy problem and that drilling in ANWR will have
no effect. What's your best guess of the impact on prices?” Palin
responded, “I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't
drill our way out of our problem or that more supply won't ultimately
affect prices. Of course it will affect prices. Energy being a global
market, it's impossible to venture a guess on (specific) prices.”
[Investor’s Business Daily, 7/11/08]
PALIN: “In fact, I told Congress -- I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ on that bridge to nowhere.”
REALITY: PALIN WAS FOR THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE BEFORE SHE WAS AGAINST IT.
October 2006” Palin Supported Bridge To Nowhere. In 2006, Palin was
asked, “Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and
Gravina Island bridges?” She responded, “Yes. I would like to see
Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The
window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong
position to assist.” [Anchorage, 10/22/06, republished 08/29/08]
2006: Palin: Don’t Allow “Spinmeisters” To Turn Bridge To Nowhere
Project “Into Something That’s So Negative.” "Part of my agenda is
making sure that Southeast is heard. That your projects are important.
That we go to bat for Southeast when we’re up against federal
influences that aren’t in the best interest of Southeast.' She cited
the widespread negative attention focused on the Gravina Island
crossing project. 'We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska
when proposals are on the table like the bridge and not allow the
spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that’s so negative,' Palin said." [Ketchikan Daily News, 10/2/06]
REALITY: PALIN ONLY ANNOUNCED OPPOSITION TO ONE “BRIDGE TO NOWHERE,” STILL SUPPORTS THE OTHER ONE
Palin Refused to Fund Ketchikan Bridge, But Did Not Stop Funding for
Knik Arm Bridge.“ Among the earmarks: $449 million for what critics
have ridiculed as two ‘bridges to nowhere’ -- one in Ketchikan and one
across Knik Arm in Anchorage formally named Don Young's Way. Alaska
Gov. Sarah Palin, also a Republican, last month refused to use any more
money for the Ketchikan project, redirecting it for other purposes.”
[Anchorage Daily News,11/11/07]
As Recently as June, State Asking for Cost Estimate Proposals for
Knik Arm. “An independent party will be called in to look at one of the
most elusive aspects of a proposed bridge linking Anchorage and Mat-Su:
the price tag. Gordon Keith, regional director for the state Department
of Transportation and Public Facilities, said his office will be
putting the job of estimating the cost of the controversial project out
for bids in coming weeks. He said the task of coming up with a price
could cost up to $200,000 and take up to 3½ months. ‘The issue keeps
swirling around, so we thought it best to go ahead and do an
independent estimate,’ he said. The cost to get the estimate is going
to be high ‘if you want to do it correctly,’ he said. The cost of a
span reaching across Knik Arm from Anchorage to Point MacKenzie has
ranged over the years from $450 million to $1 billion, depending on
what kind of bridge is envisioned and what starting date is plugged
into the formula… Randy Ruaro, a special assistant to Gov. Sarah Palin,
said the administration, even in the face of the recent lengthy report
from the bridge authority, was having trouble getting an accurate
picture of everything that is involved in the project, of the timing of
the phases, and of the costs. He said the independent estimate is
expected to answer those questions. Mary Ann Pease, spokeswoman for the
authority, said she welcomes the effort to get updated costs.”
[Anchorage Daily News, 6/22/08]
PALIN: “Senator McCain also promises to use the power of veto in
defense of the public interest - and as a chief executive, I can assure
you it works.”
REALITY: PALIN OPPOSED CRUCIAL EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND SENIORS FUNDING
EDUCATION/CHILDREN
Total: 396,000.
Anchorage – Fire Lake Elementary School Replacement of Unsafe Sports Equipment. Palin vetoed $10,000. [FY08 Budget]
Tanana City School District – Repair School Bus. Palin vetoed $36,000. [FY08 Budget]
American Lung Association of Alaska – Asthma Control Program and Champ Camp. Palin voted $350,000. [FY08 Budget]
HOSPITALS/HEALTH CARE
Total: $4,527,500.
Ketchikan General Hospital Surgical Suite Expansion/Relocation. Palin vetoed $4,400,000. [FY09 Budget]
Ketchikan General Hospital – Replacement of Outdated Equipment. Palin vetoed $70,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Sitka – Community Hospital – Medical Equipment. Palin vetoed $31,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Kenai Peninsula Borough – Diagnostic Hospital Equipment. Palin vetoed $26,500. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
SENIORS
Total: $600,000.
Ketchikan Senior Citizens, Inc. – Access Road for Pioneer Heights. Palin vetoed $300,000. [FY08 Budget]
AARP Ketchikan – Access Road for Ketchikan Senior Housing Project Palin vetoed $100,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Catholic Community Services – Angoon Senior Center Stove,
Refrigerator and Freezer. Palin vetoed $20,000 twice. [FY08 Budget,
2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Alpha Omega Life Care, Inc. – Delivery Van and Moveable Building. Palin vetoed $20,000. [FY09 Budget]
Older Persons Action Group – Senior Voice Equipment Upgrade. Palin vetoed $20,000. [FY09 Budget]
Statewide Independent Living Centers – Assistive Technology for
Alaska’s Centers for Independent Living. Palin vetoed $125,000. [FY09
Budget]
Kodiak Senior Center – Facilities repair and Equipment. Palin vetoed $15,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
PALIN: “Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.”
REALITY: UNDER PALIN, WASILLA GOVERNMENT SPENDING & DEBT SKYROCKETED.
Total Government Expenditures Increased 63 Percent Under Palin. In
fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget—the total
government expenditures of Wasilla, excluding capital outlays, were
$7,046,325. In fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the
budget—the expenditures were $4,317,947. The increase was 63 percent.
[Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]
Palin Supported Increasing Wasilla Sales Tax From 2 to 2.5 Percent
to Build $14.7 Million Sports Center. “Wasilla residents have given the
go ahead to building a new multiuse sports center in town and to
raising the city sales tax to pay for it. With the final votes counted
Friday, residents voted 306 to 286 in favor of a measure to raise the
city sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent to pay the estimated $14.7
million cost of building the center…Mayor Sarah Palin, who supported
the measure, said the tight vote will motivate city officials to keep a
close eye on the budget for the center.” [Anchorage Daily News, 3/9/02]
Palin Left Behind Almost $19 Million In Long-Term Debt, Compared to
None Before She Was Mayor. In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin
approved the budget—the bonded long-term debt was $18,635,000. In
fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the budget—there was
no general obligation debt. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report 2003, Table 10]
PALIN: “It was the spirit that brought me to the governor’s office,
when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau … when I stood up to
the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the
good-ol’ boys network.”
REALITY: PALIN HAS A LT. GOVERNOR WHO IS A FORMER OIL LOBBYIST,
HIRED WASILLA’S FIRST FEDERAL LOBBYIST (A FORMER STEVENS STAFFER) &
HAD THE SUPPORT OF ENTRENCHED ALASKA POLITICIANS DURING HER 2006 RACE.
Palin’s Oil & Gas Appointee Is Former Lobbyist for TransCanada.
“Marty Rutherford, who leads Gov. Sarah Palin’s gas pipeline team, made
$40,200 in 2003 while consulting in Juneau for a pipeline subsidiary of
TransCanada. TransCanada is one of the companies bidding for a state
license to build a pipeline to carry gas to market from Alaska’s North
Slope. It’s not a disqualifier, but the past connection deserves a
second thought.” [Anchorage Daily News editorial, 12/15/07]
Palin “Counting on Her Lieutenant Governor Candidate… Former Oil
Lobbyist” to Help Win Oil Industry Support. “The defiantly grass-roots
nature of the campaign may have distanced her from certain traditional
centers of power in Alaska. The oil industry is one -- but the campaign
says it is counting on her lieutenant governor candidate, Parnell, a
former oil lobbyist and legislator, to help there.” [Anchorage Daily
News, 10/24/06]
Palin’s Former Chief of Staff is Stevens’ Campaign Manager. “Monegan
says pressure came from those around Palin, including former Palin
chief-of-staff Mike Tibbles, Department of Administration Commissioner
Annette Kreitzer, and director of boards and commissions Frank Bailey.
Tibbles, who is now the campaign manager for Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens,
said Friday he couldn't comment on whether he spoke to Monegan about
Wooten.” [Anchorage Daily, 7/19/08]
As Mayor, Palin Hired a Washington Lobbyist to Help Get Earmarks for
Wasilla – Lobbyist Was Former Chief of Staff for Indicted Senator Ted
Stevens. “And as mayor of the small town of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002,
Palin also hired a Washington lobbying firm that helped secure $8
million in congressionally directed spending projects, known as
earmarks, according to public spending records compiled by the watchdog
group Citizens Against Government Waste and lobbying documents.
Wasilla's lobbying firm was headed by Steven Silver — a former chief of
staff to Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, a key proponent of the bridge
project.” [USA Today, 8/31/08]
The Usual Alaska Suspects - Ted Stevens, Don Young, And Lisa
Murkowski Fundraised For Palin. “Will we see Ted Stevens stumping for
Sarah Palin? Palin said this morning that Stevens appeared at a
fund-raiser for her in Ketchikan and gave a speech about ‘moving Alaska
forward.’ But does that mean he’ll pop up in any advertisements?
(Remember his arguably pivotal role at the end of the Knowles and
Murkowski Senate race?) Palin said she doubts it and hasn’t asked… She
said Don Young came to one of her fund-raisers two days ago, and she
expects Lisa Murkowski at an upcoming event. Tonight she planned to
talk with John Binkley, who she says is writing a letter to his
supporters on her behalf, and she planned to meet with Frank Murkowski
tomorrow morning.” [“The Trail” blog, Anchorage Daily News, 10/13/06]
In Her 2002 Campaign for Lieutenant Governor, Palin Raised ‘About 10
Percent Of Her Campaign Fund’ From Veco, An Oil Company At the Heart of
Federal Investigation. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for
lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 -- or about 10 percent
of her campaign fund -- from Veco officials or their wives along the
way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/06]
PALIN: “I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the
culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.”
REALITY: PALIN SIGNED WEAK ETHICS REFORM BILL & HAS HAD NUMEROUS ETHICAL FLAPS OF HER OWN.
Palin Signed Ethics Reform Legislation That Anchorage Republican Bob
Roses Said Didn’t Go Far Enough. “An ethics reform package for state
officials was signed into law Monday by Gov. Sarah Palin, just minutes
after a former state representative was convicted on seven federal
extortion and bribery counts. Palin said the law will help re-establish
trust between the public and elected officials by improving on existing
statutes. … Ethics reform had been a recurring theme throughout Palin's
election campaign, and she pushed hard for the bill to become a
bipartisan effort in the Legislature this session. She said she remains
determined to clean up Alaska politics. … Rep. Bob Roses, R-Anchorage,
who succeed Anderson in the Legislature when Anderson didn't seek
re-election in 2006, said the law didn't go far enough. Campaign
contributions should be available for immediate public scrutiny, he
said, and all contributions should be reported, even those below the
current $1,000 threshold. ‘Quite frankly, I thought some of the things
should have been a little tighter than what they were, but this is a
first step,’ he said.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire,
7/10/07]
AUGUST 2008: Ethics Complaint Filed Against Gov. Palin Over Alleged
Involvement in Hiring a Campaign Contributor. In August 2008, former
state House member Andree McLeod filed against Gov. Sarah Palin and her
staff today with the Attorney General’s Office. It accuses the
governor’s office of using its pull to get a Palin supporter hired to a
[Department of Transportation] job in Fairbanks.” McLeod said
“‘Executive branch employee shouldn’t be getting involved in the
recruitment process unless it’s based on merit,’ said Andree McLeod,
who wrote the complaint based on a series of e-mails between members of
Palin’s team…The complaint accuses Palin, her acting chief of staff and
others of breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers
on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin
fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks.”
The complaint is available at
http://community.adn.com/sites/community.adn.com/files/McLeod Ethics
Complaint1.pdf [Anchorage Daily News,
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/128527, 8/6/08; Anchorage Daily News,
http://www.adn.com/front/story/486163.html, 8/7/08]
July 2008: Special Counsel Appointed Last Month to Investigate Palin
Abuse of Power Claim. In July 2008, the Alaska State Legislator voted
12-0 to approve $100,000 for a special investigator to begin an
investigation into claims Palin fired a former state official because
he would not fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody
battle with Palin’s sister. The legislator’s intent was to investigate
the events surrounding the termination of former Dept. of Public Safety
Commissioner Walt Monegan and potential abuses of power
and improper action by Palin and her administration. [KTVA 11, 07/28/08]
PALIN: “I suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.”
REALITY: ALASKA HAS REQUESTED $589 MILLION IN PORK SINCE PALIN TOOK
OFFICE & AS MAYOR, SHE HIRED WASILLA’S FIRST FEDERAL LOBBYIST TO
SECURE EARMARKS FOR THE TOWN.
Over $589 Million in Federal Pork Requests During Palin’s Tenure as
Governor. According to Citizens Against Government Waste, www.cagw.org,
under Palin’s tenure as Governor the state of Alaska has asked for
$589,599,715 in pork barrel projects. [2007 and 2008 Pig Book,
www.cagw.org]
Alaska Has Sought 31 Earmarks Worth $197.8 Million in Next Year’s
Federal Budget. “But under her leadership, the state of Alaska has
requested 31 earmarks worth $197.8 million in next year's federal
budget, according to the website of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the
former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.” [LA Times,
9/1/08]
As Mayor, Palin Hired a Washington Lobbyist to Help Get Millions in
Earmarks for Wasilla – Lobbyist Was Former Chief of Staff for Indicted
Senator Ted Stevens. “And as mayor of the small town of Wasilla from
1996 to 2002, Palin also hired a Washington lobbying firm that helped
secure $8 million in congressionally directed spending projects, known
as earmarks, according to public spending records compiled by the
watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste and lobbying
documents. Wasilla's lobbying firm was headed by Steven Silver — a
former chief of staff to Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, a key proponent of
the bridge project.” [USA Today, 8/31/08]
Under Palin, Wasilla Received $26.9 Million in Earmarks. “As mayor
of Wasilla, Palin made regular trips to Washington seeking federal aid.
The city received $26.9 million in earmarks during her tenure from
fiscal year 2000 to 2003, according to the nonpartisan Taxpayers for
Common Sense, which tracks pork barrel spending.” [LA Times, 9/2/08]
McCain Criticized Earmarks that Palin Sought as Mayor. “Three times
in recent years, McCain's catalogs of "objectionable" spending have
included earmarks for this small Alaska town, requested by its mayor at
the time -- Sarah Palin… In 2001, McCain's list of spending that had
been approved without the normal budget scrutiny included a $500,000
earmark for a public transportation project in Wasilla. The Arizona
senator targeted $1 million in a 2002 spending bill for an emergency
communications center in town -- one that local law enforcement has
said is redundant and creates confusion. McCain also criticized
$450,000 set aside for an agricultural processing facility in Wasilla
that was requested during Palin's tenure as mayor and cleared Congress
soon after she left office in 2002. The funding was provided to help
direct locally grown produce to schools, prisons and other government
institutions, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan
watchdog group.” [LA Times, 9/3/08]
PALIN: “But we are expected to govern with integrity, and goodwill, and clear convictions…”
REALITY: PALIN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR ABUSE OF POWER.
Former State Official Accused Palin, Palin’s Former Chief of Staff
and Current Ted Stevens Campaign Manager and Palin’s Husband Of
Pressuring Him to Fire Trooper. In July 2008, former state official
Walt Monegan accused Palin, Palin’s former Chief of Staff and current
Stevens’ campaign manager Mike Tibbles and husband Todd Palin of
pressuring him to fire Palin sister’s ex-husband Mike Wooten.
[Anchorage Daily News, 07/18/08]
July 2008: Special Counsel Appointed Last Month to Investigate Palin
Abuse of Power Claim. In July 2008, the Alaska State Legislator voted
12-0 to approve $100,000 for a special investigator to begin an
investigation into claims Palin fired a former state official because
he would not fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody
battle with Palin’s sister. The legislator’s intent was to investigate
the events surrounding the termination of former Dept. of Public Safety
Commissioner Walt Monegan and potential abuses of power and improper
action by Palin and her administration. [KTVA 11, 07/28/08]
PALIN: “As Governor, I have a record of being a strong fiscal
conservative and have vetoed millions in special projects pushed by
legislators.”
Palin Increased Taxes on Oil Companies to Pay for $1,200 Giveaway to
Every Resident in the State. “One of her most significant
accomplishments as governor was passing a major tax increase on state
oil production, angering oil companies but raising billions of dollars
in new revenue. She said the oil companies had previously bribed
legislators to keep the taxes low. She subsequently championed
legislation that would give some of that money back to Alaskans: Soon,
every Alaskan will receive a $1,200 check.” [New York Times, 8/30/08]
PALIN: “I understand that we must reduce our dependence on foreign
energy. I’ve worked with our state’s energy producers to expand our
production so that we can have a safe, reliable supply of energy
produced here in the United States.”
REALITY: PALIN SUPPORTED EXPORTING NATURAL GAS WHILE ALASKA BUSINESSES CLOSED BECAUSE OF SHORTAGES
Palin Backed A Two-Year Extension Of The Export License To Export
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) To Japan And Other Asian Countries—
Criticized Because Alaska’s Gas Reserves Are Declining. “Alaska
producers can continue shipping gas to Asia after DOE last week
approved an extension of the export license for the Kenai liquefied
natural gas plant owned by ConocoPhillips and Marathon. The companies
will be allowed to export up to 98.1 Bcf to Japan and other Pacific Rim
countries over a two-year period through March 31, 2011. […] The
application came under fire from local end-users, including gas
distribution companies Enstar and the Chugach Electric Association, as
well as fertilizer maker Agrium, all of which claimed the exports would
exacerbate the problem of declining gas reserves in south-central
Alaska. Agrium permanently closed its plant near Kenai due to an
inability to find enough local supply for the facility that used 53
Bcf/year. In January, ConocoPhillips and Marathon reached a deal in
which they agreed to step up development in the Cook Inlet region in
return for the state's support of the export license extension. The
producers also agreed to divert gas from the LNG plant as needed to
meet the peak winter supply needs of the local utilities. […] Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin welcomed the DOE approval. "In these times of
economic uncertainty, this is great news for the state and its
residents. This extension will secure a future for the LNG operation
and is another step toward ensuring energy supplies and energy security
for Alaska," the Republican Governor said. [Platts Inside FERC, 6/9/08]
Press Release, 6/26/06]
· Agrium Closed Manufacturing Plant Because Of Gas Shortage.
“Reserves of gas in producing fields in South-central Alaska are
declining, posing concerns for supply to local utilities. A
manufacturing plant on the Kenai Peninsula owned by Agrium
Corp.recently announced it would close because the gas shortage.”
[Alaska Journal Of Commerce, 11/25/07]
· Gov. Palin: Agrium Closure Is Unfortunate. “Agrium announced
yesterday that the plant will close in December due to a shortage in
the supply of Cook Inlet natural gas, leaving about 100 of the 140
employees without employment. ‘It's unfortunate to see the closure of a
facility that has provided so many jobs that support families on the
Peninsula,’ said Governor Palin. ‘I am heartened to hear that Agrium is
willing to keep its options open if sufficient long-term supplies of
gas can be found. We know there is more gas to be found and developed
in Cook Inlet, so I remain hopeful that those jobs can be preserved.’”
[Palin press release, 9/26/07]
PALIN: “And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists,
who kind of liked things the way they were, we broke their monopoly on
power and resources.” This
REALITY: PALIN IS CLOSE TO THE OIL INDUSTRY
Sierra Club Director Carl Pope Said “No One is Closer to the Oil
Industry Than Governor Palin.” "No one is closer to the oil industry
than Governor Palin," said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra
Club in comments reflecting the views of a cross section of
environmental activists. They cite her eagerness to embrace expanded
offshore oil development, her lawsuit against further protection of
polar bears so as not to hinder oil drilling in Alaska's ice-filled
waters and her ardent support to allow oil companies into the Alaska
wildlife refuge. [Associated Press, August 30, 2008]
Palin Took $13,000 from Lobbyists Representing the Oil Industry in
Her2006 Campaign for Governor. The lobbyists who donated to her
campaign represent a range of industries, including oil and gas,
tobacco, education and the Native Alaskan community. "She's fought oil
companies and party bosses and do-nothing bureaucrats and anyone who
puts their interests before the interests of the people she swore an
oath to serve," Mr. McCain said Friday at an Ohio rally to introduce
her as his running mate. But since Mrs. Palin leads a major
oil-producing state, that industry is one of her top donors. She
collected nearly $13,000 from lobbyists who represent oil and gas
industries in her primary and general campaigns, according a review of
her campaign donations and 2006 registered state lobbyists.[Washington
Times, September 1, 2008]
PALIN: “Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re
going to lay more pipelines … build more new-clear [ed: must be nuclear] plants … create jobs with clean coal … and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources.”
REALITY: PALIN CUT FUNDING FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
2007: Palin Vetoed $20 Million Toward A Fire Island Wind Farm
Project.“[Sen. Hollis] French and [Anchorage Mayor Mark] Begich both
lamented the [Palin] veto of $20 million toward a Fire Island wind farm
project and connecting transmission lines. That money was part of
Railbelt Energy Fund cash that Palin said she doesn't want to spend
until a study on energy needs is finished.” [Anchorage Daily News
(Alaska),7/30/07]
2008: Palin Cut $20 Million For Chugach Electric Association
WindFarm. As part of a large package of budget cuts, in June 2007,
Gov.Sarah Palin, R-AK, cut $20 million in funding for a Chugach
Electric Association wind farm. The funding was expected to come from a
fund called the Railbelt Energy Fund. Palin said she cut the $20
million because she wanted more information before dipping into the
Railbelt Energy Fund. [Anchorage Daily News, 6/30/08]
PALIN: “Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them.”
REALITY: PALIN HAS REPEATEDLY SUPPORTED TAX INCREASES
Palin Supported Increasing Wasilla Sales Tax From 2 to 2.5 Percent
to Build $14.7 Million Sports Center. “Wasilla residents have given the
go-ahead to building a new multiuse sports center in town and to
raising the city sales tax to pay for it. With the final votes counted
Friday, residents voted 306 to 286 in favor of a measure to raise
thecity sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent to pay the
estimated$14.7 million cost of building the center…Mayor Sarah Palin,
whosupported the measure, said the tight vote will motivate city
officials to keep a close eye on the budget for the center.” [Anchorage
Daily News, 3/9/02]
Palin Increased Taxes on Oil Companies to Pay for $1,200 Giveaway to
Every Resident in the State. “One of her most significant
accomplishments as governor was passing a major tax increase on state
oil production, angering oil companies but raising billions of dollars
in new revenue. She said the oil companies had previously bribed
legislators to keep the taxes low. She subsequently championed
legislation that would give some of that money back to Alaskans:
Soon,every Alaskan will receive a $1,200 check.” [New York Times,
8/30/08]
PALIN: “It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington
counted out our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to
the security of the country he loves.
With their usual certitude, they told us that all was lost - there
was no hope for this candidate who said that he would rather lose an
election than see his country lose a war.
But the pollsters and pundits overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off.
They overlooked the caliber of the man himself - the
determination,resolve, and sheer guts of Senator John McCain. The
voters knew better.”
REALITY: PALIN COUNTED MCCAIN OUT TWICE
February 2008: Palin Wouldn’t Endorse McCain. “Top Alaska
Republicans were downcast Thursday as Mitt Romney suspended his
presidential campaign just two days after overwhelmingly winning the
state party caucus. Romney’s decision makes it nearly certain Arizona
Sen. John McCain will be the party’s nominee for president. McCain
finished dead last in the Alaska Republican preference poll, behind
Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. McCain opposes drilling in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and has repeatedly battled with Sen.
Ted Stevens over federal spending on Alaska projects… Republican Gov.
Sarah Palin said she won’t make an endorsement until she can speak to
McCain. [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 2/3/08]
July 2007: Palin Was Waiting For A New Player In GOP Primary. ‘A lot
of us are sitting back and waiting to see if there will be new players
in there,’ Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said. ‘That’s probably why that box
that says ‘none of the above’ is so popular right now.’ [The Associated
Press State & Local Wire, 7/23/07]
Palin Couldn’t Support McCain Because Of His Opposition To ANWR.
“Some Alaska Republicans are conflicted over McCain, including Gov.
Sarah Palin. They like his maverick reputation and military background
but not his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge.‘She said she’d like to support McCain but felt she couldn’t at
this particular time because of his stand on ANWR,’ said the governor’s
spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow.” [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 2/3/08]
PALIN: “They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America …who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars.”
Palin Backed A Two-Year Extension Of The Export License To Export
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) To Japan And Other Asian
Countries—Criticized Because Alaska’s Gas Reserves Are Declining.
“Alaska producers can continue shipping gas to Asia after DOE last week
approved an extension of the export license for the Kenai liquefied
natural gas plant owned by ConocoPhillips and Marathon. The companies
will be allowed to export up to 98.1 Bcf to Japan and other Pacific Rim
countries over a two-year period through March 31, 2011. […] The
application came under fire from local end-users, including gas
distribution companies Enstar and the Chugach Electric Association, as
well as fertilizer maker Agrium, all of which claimed the exports would
exacerbate the problem of declining gas reserves in south-central
Alaska. Agrium permanently closed its plant near Kenai due toan
inability to find enough local supply for the facility that used
53Bcf/year. In January, ConocoPhillips and Marathon reached a deal
inwhich they agreed to step up development in the Cook Inlet region in
return for the state's support of the export license extension. The
producers also agreed to divert gas from the LNG plant as needed to
meet the peak winter supply needs of the local utilities. […] Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin welcomed the DOE approval. "In these times of
economic uncertainty, this is great news for the state and its
residents. This extension will secure a future for the LNG operation
and is another step toward ensuring energy supplies and energy security
for Alaska," the Republican governor said. [Platts Inside FERC, 6/9/08]
· Agrium Closed Manufacturing Plant Because Of Gas
Shortage.“Reserves of gas in producing fields in South-central Alaska
are declining, posing concerns for supply to local utilities. A
manufacturing plant on the Kenai Peninsula owned by Agrium
Corp.recently announced it would close because the gas shortage.”
[Alaska Journal Of Commerce, 11/25/07]
· Gov. Palin: Agrium Closure Is Unfortunate. “Agrium announced
yesterday that the plant will close in December due to a shortage inthe
supply of Cook Inlet natural gas, leaving about 100 of the 140employees
without employment. ‘It's unfortunate to see the closure of a facility
that has provided so many jobs that support families on the Peninsula,’
said Governor Palin. ‘I am heartened to hear that Agrium is willing to
keep its options open if sufficient long-term supplies of gas can be
found. We know there is more gas to be found and developed in Cook
Inlet, so I remain hopeful that those jobs can be preserved.’” [Palin
press release, 9/26/07]
PALIN: “As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever
hegoes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man. I’m not
amember of the permanent political establishment.”
1999: Campaigning In San Francisco, CA, McCain Said “I Would Not
Support Repeal Of Roe v. Wade.” In August 1999, the San Francisco
Chronicle reported that McCain said he “would not support repeal of Roe
vs. Wade”: “I'd love to see a point where (Roe vs. Wade) is irrelevant,
and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But
certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support
repeal of Roe vs. Wade, which would then force X number of women in
America to (undergo) illegal and dangerous operations.” [The San
Francisco Chronicle, 8/20/99]
· McCain Said Roe v. Wade Should Be Overturned. McCain said,“I do
not support Roe v. Wade. I think it should be overturned.” [New York
Times, 2/24/07]
At A Private Meeting With Hispanic Community Leaders, McCain
“Assured Leaders He Would Push Through Congress Legislation To Overhaul
Federal Immigration Laws If Elected.” “Republican presidential John
McCain assured Hispanic leaders he would push through Congress
legislation to overhaul federal immigration laws if elected, several
people who attended a private meeting with the candidate said
Thursday.Democrats questioned why the Arizona senator held the meeting
late Wednesday night in Chicago. But supporters who were in the room
denied that McCain held the closed-door session out of fear of
offending conservatives, many of whom want him to take a harder line on
immigration. … ‘He's one John McCain in front of white Republicans.And
he's a different John McCain in front of Hispanics,’ complained Rosanna
Pulido, a Hispanic and conservative Republican who attended the
meeting. Pulido, who heads the Illinois Minuteman Project, which
advocates for restrictive immigration laws, said she thought McCain was
‘pandering to the crowd’ by emphasizing immigration reform in
his15-minute speech. ‘He's having his private meetings to rally
Hispanics and to tell them what they want to hear,’ she said. ‘I'm
outraged that he would reach out to me as a Hispanic but not as a
conservative.’” [AP, 6/20/08]
· During GOP Primary Debate At Reagan Library, McCain Said HeWould
Oppose the Legislation He Authored With Kennedy. McCain co-authored the
McCain-Kennedy comprehensive immigration bill which wasdescribed in
2006 by the Miami Herald as “the most generous of the bills now before
Congress.” The legislation “would legalize as many as11 million
undocumented immigrants” and “grant temporary work permits to illegal
immigrants and then after waiting six years and paying a$2,000 fine, it
would enable them to apply for green cards.” During aRepublican
presidential primary debate held at the Regan Library,McCain was asked
whether he would vote for the this immigration legislation that he
previously sponsored. When pressed, he eventually replied, “No, I would
not.” [Miami Herald, 2/24/06; CNN GOP Presidential Debate, 1/30/08]
PALIN: “But we are expected to govern with integrity, and goodwill,and clear convictions…”
REALITY: PALIN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR ABUSE OF POWER.
Former State Official Accused Palin, Palin’s Former Chief of Staff
andCurrent Ted Stevens Campaign Manager and Palin’s Husband Of
PressuringHim to Fire Trooper. In July 2008, former state official Walt
Monegan accused Palin, Palin’s former Chief of Staff and current
Stevens’campaign manager Mike Tibbles and husband Todd Palin of
pressuring him to fire Palin sister’s ex-husband Mike Wooten.
[Anchorage DailyNews, 07/18/08]
July 2008: Special Counsel Appointed Last Month to Investigate
PalinAbuse of Power Claim. In July 2008, the Alaska State Legislator
voted12-0 to approve $100,000 for a special investigator to begin an
investigation into claims Palin fired a former state official because
he would not fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody
battle with Palin’s sister. The legislator’s intent was to investigate
the events surrounding the termination of former Dept. of Public Safety
Commissioner Walt Monegan and potential abuses of power and improper
action by Palin and her administration. [KTVA 11,07/28/08]
PALIN: “We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.”
Palin Responded Favorably to Obama’s Energy Plan. According to a
news release from her office, Gov. Sarah Palin, R-AK, said she
was“pleased” by Obama’s energy plan. “I am pleased to see Senator Obama
acknowledge the huge potential Alaska’s natural gas reserves represent
in terms of clean energy and sound jobs,” she said. “The steps takenby
the Alaska State Legislature this past week demonstrate that we
areready, willing and able to supply the energy our nation needs.” The
press release said that “in a speech given in Lansing, Michigan,Senator
Obama called for the completion of the Alaska natural gaspipeline,
stating, ‘Over the next five years, we should also leasemore of the
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for oil and gas production. And we
should also tap more of our substantial natural gas reserves and work
with the Canadian government to finally build the Alaska natural gas
pipeline, delivering clean natural gas and creating good jobs in the
process.’” [Palin press release, 8/4/08]
PALIN: “ But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this
is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or
reform - not even in the state senate.”
REALITY: OBAMA PASSED THE MOST SWEEPING REFORMS SINCE WATERGATEIN
BOTH THE ILLINOIS AND US SENATES, AMONG OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Obama Helped Pass The 2007 Ethics Reform Law, Which Curbed The
Influence Of Lobbyists And Was Described As The “Most Sweeping Since
Watergate.” In the first week of the 110th Congress, Obama joined with
Senator Feingold to introduce a “Gold Standard” ethics package. Many of
the Obama/Feingold bill’s most important provisions were included in
the final ethics reform package passed by the Senate in late January: a
full ban on gifts and meals from lobbyists including those paid by the
firms that employ lobbyists; an end to subsidized travelon corporate
jets; full disclosure of who's sponsoring earmarks and for what
purpose; additional restrictions to close the revolving door between
public service and lobbying to ensure that public service isn't all
about lining up a high-paying lobbying job; and requiring lobbyists to
disclose the contributions that they "bundle" - that is, collect or
arrange - for members of Congress, candidates, and partycommittees. In
January 2007, the Washington Post wrote in aneditorial that “…Mr. Reid,
along with Sens. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.),
deserves credit for assembling and passing this package.” In September
2007, the AP reported, “President Bushsigned a bill Friday that will
require lawmakers to disclose more about their efforts to fund pet
projects and raise money from lobbyists, a measure that backers call
the biggest ethics reform in decades…Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. who had
pushed for the bundlingprovisions and was one of four lawmakers who
participated in a Democratic conference call to reporters said the
measure marks "themost sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.” [S.
230, 110thCongress; S.1, Became Public Law 109-110-81, 9/14/07; AP,
9/15/07;TheWashington Post, Editorial, 1/21/07]
Obama Passed Illinois State Gift Ban Act “Heralded As the
MostSweeping Good-Government Legislation in Decades.” In 1998, Obama
passed the Illinois Gift Ban that prohibited legislators, state
officers and employees, and judges from soliciting or receiving gifts
from a person or entity with interests affected by government. The
Chicago Tribune wrote, “Gov. Jim Edgar signed into law Wednesday
anethics and campaign finance package heralded as the most sweeping
good-government legislation in decades.” The law also required greater
campaign finance disclosure and limited the uses for which raisedmoney
could be spent. Obama said, “I have seen a general cynicism from
taxpayers about government. They believe they have no influence on the
process since they don't have the money of special interest groups.
With the gift ban and the ban on Springfield fund-raisers that are
contained in this legislation, I think at least some of thisconfidence
will be restored.” [HB672, 3R P 52-4-1, 5/22/98; PA90-0737, 8/12/98;
Chicago Tribune, 8/13/98; Chicago Independent Bulletin, 6/4/98]
Ø Illinois Ethics Bill Most Far Reaching Since Watergate,Product Of
Bipartisan Work. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote ofObama’s bill, “The
ethics restrictions would be the most far-reaching since the
Watergate-era campaign financial disclosure law. They are the product
of months of negotiations among two lawmakers of each party, other
state officials and Mike Lawrence. He is an aide toformer Sen. Paul
Simon, a Democrat, and used to be an aide to Edgar, a Republican.” [St.
Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/24/98]
Obama And Lugar Passed Law Boosting U.S. Efforts To Keep WMDs
AndOther Dangerous Weapons Out Of The Hands Of Terrorists. In
2006,Obama and Lugar introduced The Cooperative Proliferation
DetectionAct, which was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committeeunanimously on May 26, 2006 and was eventually incorporated
into the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 and signed into
law onJanuary 11, 2007. According to a Senate Foreign Relations
Committeereport on its legislative activity in the 109th Congress, “The
committee passed S. 2566, The Cooperative Proliferation
Detection,Interdiction Assistance, and Conventional Threat Reduction
Act of 2006by unanimous consent on May 26, 2006. The legislation
authored by Chairman Lugar and Senator Obama enhances: (1) U.S.
cooperation with foreign governments to destroy conventional weapons
stockpiles aroundthe world; and (2) the United States' ability to
provide assistance to foreign governments aimed at helping them detect
and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction. The
legislation, which garnered 26 co-sponsors (including 8 committee
members), sought to energize U.S.programs to secure lightweight
anti-aircraft missiles…The initiative was modeled after the Nunn-Lugar
program that focuses on weapons of mass destruction in the former
Soviet Union. The legislation was signed into law on January 11, 2007,
as a part of H.R. 6060, theDepartment of State Authorities Act of
2006.” [P.L. 109-472, 1/11/07;House Report 109-706, 9/3/06; S. 2566,
109th Congress; S.1949, 109th Congress; Senate Report 110-40, 3/29/07]
Ø Lugar Said It Was Accurate That Said Obama Reached Out To HimAnd
They Passed Legislation To Lock Down Loose Nuclear Weapons.“Republican
Sen. Dick Lugar (IN) today said an Obama campaign ad which features him
is ‘accurate.’ The ad makes the point the Obama previously ‘reached
out’ to Lugar to ‘help lock down loose nuclear weapons.’ Lugar is
widely considered one of the most knowledgeable in the area of nuclear
weapons proliferation and the coauthored of the1991 Nunn-Lugar Act on
cooperative threat reduction. ‘He did’ reachout, Lugar said. He
explained that in 2005, Obama asked if he couldjoin Lugar on a trip to
Russia and other countries to visit sitesunder the Nunn-Lugar program.
‘After that, we had legislation that we cosponsored together which
passed’ dealing with dangerous missiles.‘So I am pleased we had that
opportunity to work together,’ Lugarsaid. ‘I'm pleased we had the
association Sen. Obama describes.’ But Lugar made clear up front that
while the ad was accurate, and he's comfortable with the association,
‘There is no chance I will consider running with Barack Obama.’”
[MSNBC, 7/15/08]
Obama and Coburn Passed A Bill Creating A “Google-like” Database
ForThe Public To Search Details About Federal Funding Awards. In
2006,Obama and Coburn co-authored a bill to create a “Google-like”
database of information on federal spending. The bill requires the OMB
byJanuary 1, 2008, to make available to the public a searchable,
freewebsite that includes the (1) amount; (2) transaction type;
(3)funding agency; (4) North American Industry Classification
Systemcode or Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number; (5)
programsource; (6) an award title descriptive of the purpose of each
fundingaction; (7) the name and location of the recipient and the
primary location of performance; and (8) a unique identifier of the
recipient and any parent entity. The site must allow users to conduct
separate searches that distinguish between awards that are grants,
sub-grants,loans, cooperative agreements, and other forms of financial
assistance and awards that are contracts, subcontracts, purchase
orders, task orders, and delivery orders. [S. 2590, Passed by Unanimous
Consent,9/7/06; Became PL 109-282, 9/26/06]
Obama Passed Law Ensuring That Wounded Veterans Recovering In
Military Hospitals Do Not Have To Pay For Their Meals Or Phone Calls To
FamilyMembers. In 2005, Obama sponsored and passed an amendment that to
the2005 emergency supplemental appropriations act ensuring that wounded
veterans recovering in military hospitals do not have to pay for
theirown meals or phone calls to family members. The amendment was then
passed in each of the following Congresses. Prior to passage of the
amendment, service members receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation
services in a medical hospital for more than 90 days were required to
pay for their meals. Obama’s amendment required the military to provide
free meals for service members in militaryhospitals undergoing
recuperation or therapy as a result of wounds sustained in Iraq or
Afghanistan. The amendment was retroactive toJanuary 1, 2005 in an
effort to provide those injured service memberswho received bills for
their meals with some relief from those costs.The amendment became law.
[S. Amdt. 390, Passed by unanimous consent,4/14/05 to H.R.1268, Signed
by the President, 5/11/05, Became PublicLaw No: 109-013; Obama Press
Release, 5/11/05]
Obama Proposals Providing Improvements In Health Care For
RecoveringSoldiers Were Passed Into Law, Including Requirements For
Post-Deployment Mental Health Screenings And National Study On The
Needs OfIraq War Veterans. H.R. 976, passed by the Senate on August 2,
2007,includes several provisions from bills originally sponsored by
Senators Obama and McCaskill. The provisions would improve healthcare
services and health care tracking for service members, and would
require post-deployment, face to face mental health screenings for
returning service members within 30 days. The bill also adopts other
Obama-McCaskill legislation, the HERO Act, which would launch a major
national research endeavor into the readjustment needs of
returningservice members, veterans and their families. The bill also
included measures to improve and reform the disability rating process.
[Vote307, H.R. 976, Passed, 68-31, 8/2/07; S. 713, 110th Congress; S.
1271,110th Congress; Obama Press Release, 7/25/07; H.R. 4986, Became
PublicLaw No: 110-181, 1/28/08]
Obama Worked With Republicans To Pass Legislation, Which Became Law,
Improving And Increasing Services For Homeless Veterans. In
2006,Congress passed a Veterans Affairs Committee bill which
includedseveral provisions originating in Obama’s SAVE Act (S. 1180)
and Homesfor Heroes Act (S. 3475). “The legislation…includes a number
of proposals from legislation Senator Obama had previously introduced
(S.1180, the SAVE Act and S.3475 the Homes for Heroes Act) to expand
and improve services for homeless veterans. The bill permanently
authorizes and increases funding to $130 million per year for a
competitive grant program to provide homeless services to veterans. It
greatly increases a successful program to provide rental vouchers
tohomeless veterans. The legislation extends programs to providing
treatment for veterans with mental illnesses and other special
needs.And it permanently extends VA's ability to transfer property it
owns to homeless shelters.” Obama worked with VA Committee
RepublicansCraig and Burr on the committee legislation that eventually
became law. [S. 3421/P.L. 109-461; S. 1180, 109th Congress; S. 3475,
109thCongress; Obama Press Release, 6/26/06]
Obama Passed Bipartisan Legislation That Expanded Health Care
CoverageTo 154,000 Residents, Including 70,000 Children. As a state
senator,Barack Obama sponsored and helped pass legislation that
expanded andmade permanent Illinois’ KidCare program by raising
eligibility from 185% to 200% of the federal poverty level. The
legislation provided coverage for an additional 20,000 children and
65,000 more Illinois adults in the first year, and by 2007 had expanded
health care to70,000 kids and 84,000 adults. In its endorsement for his
Senate race,the State Journal-Register wrote, “Obama brings similar
common-senseviews to improving health care in America - for example, as
a state senator he championed the successful KidCare program that
assiststhousands of children of the working poor.” The bill was
sponsored inthe state House by Sandra Pihos, a Republican and passed
42-13. [93rdGA, SB 130, 3R P 42-13-2; Signed into law 6/30/03, PA
93-0063; ChicagoDaily Herald, 7/2/03; Blagojevich release, 1/9/07;
Blagojevich release, 4/13/07; Kaiser family report, 5/07; State
Journal-Register,10/29/04]
Obama Passed A Bill Creating $100 Million Earned Income Tax Credit
AsA Member Of The Minority Party In The Illinois Senate. In 1999,
Obamawas the lead sponsor of a bill making Illinois the 11th state to
adoptan earned income-tax credit. The bill provided that each
individualtaxpayer is entitled to a credit against the tax imposed by
the Act inan amount equal to 5% of the federal earned income tax credit
allowed.Then-Gov. George Ryan opposed the move, but an unlikely
politicalalliance – including Republicans and Democrats – formed to
reduce thetax burden on working poor families. The AP wrote, “The new
law, whichoffers about $105 million in tax breaks over the next three
years,gives a state income tax credit equal to 5 percent of a
similarfederal tax credit. For the average working family making less
than$30,580, that amounts to about $55 a year, or 15 cents a day.
Themaximum credit for families with two or more children is $191
ayear.” [91st GA, HB 3939; 4/14/00, 3R P; 59-0-0; P.A. 91-0700,5/11/00;
Chicago Tribune, 4/10/99]
Obama Passed Near-Unanimous Death Penalty Overhaul Package. Obama
wasthe chief co-sponsor and voted for bill creating the
CapitalPunishment Reform Study Committee Act. The proposal, which
wasapproved on a 57-1 vote, was virtually identical to reforms pushed
in2002 by then-Gov. George Ryan. If passed by the House and signed
intolaw by the governor, the bill would let judges rule out a
deathsentence for someone convicted solely on the testimony of a
jailhouseinformant, accomplice or single witness; let the state Supreme
Courtoverturn a death sentence that was “fundamentally unjust.; Reduce
thecrimes eligible for the death penalty by focusing on
“inherentlyviolent” offenses; Expand defendants’ access to genetic
evidence usedagainst them; Ban police officers from the police force if
theycommitted perjury in a murder case; and Require juries to consider
adefendant’s history of abuse or mental illness when deciding whether
to impose the death sentence. Obama said, “As far as the Bill goes, it
doesn't address whether the death penalty is applied fairly to allraces
and in all regions of the state. And it doesn't appease those who want
capital punishment eliminated.” [93rd GA, SB 0472; 4/3/03,3R P; 57-1-0;
5/29/03, HA1 SC; 56-3-0; 11/5/03, OAV P; 58-0-0; P.A.93-0605, 11/25/03;
Pantagraph, 4/4/03; Associated Press, 4/24/03]
PALIN: “America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it.”
REALITY: Obama has expressed support for a bipartisan compromisethat
would cut tax breaks for oil companies, invest in alternative energies,
and allow for limited new offshore drilling
Obama Said He Would Be Open To Offshore Drilling If We Come Up With
“AGenuine Bipartisan Compromise” To Get To Energy Independence.“Senator
Barack Obama said Saturday that he would reluctantly consider accepting
some new offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in exchange for
stripping oil companies of tax breaks and extending several tax credits
to spur the search for alternative fuels. At the same time, Senate
Republicans appear to have dropped their insistence on opening the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Mr. Obamahas until now
opposed any offshore drilling. But in a news conferencehere, he noted
that there had been ‘very constructive’ talks between Senate
Republicans and Democrats on this issue in recent days,applauding a
plan unveiled by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to
permit drilling while supporting an effort to convert most vehicles to
using alternative fuels in 20 years. ‘If we come up with a genuine
bipartisan compromise, where I have to accept some things thatI don’t
like in order to get energy independence,’ Mr. Obama said,‘that’s
something I will have to consider.’ Still, he cautioned thathe was not
yet ‘ready to sign off on any approach.’” [New York Times,8/3/08]
Ø Tapper: “This Strikes Me As Not A Complete And Utter Reversal“But
Rather “A Recognition That Energy Legislation RequiresCompromise.”
“Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, now says he'd be willing to consider
legislation including expanded off-shore drilling if part of a larger
package, despite his long-time opposition to the idea. I'mwith my
friend Marc Ambinder -- this strikes me as not quite a complete and
utter reversal, but certainly a shift in tone andlanguage, indicating a
softening of his opposition and a recognition that energy legislation
requires compromise. Not unlike Sen. JohnMcCain's statement that when
it comes to Social Security reform, everything must be on the table,
even though he personally opposes tax increases. (Though the
back-peddling on that was confounding.).” [ABCNews, 8/2/08]
Ø Ambinder: “This Strikes Me As Less Of A Shift And More As AGesture
Of Sorts To The Reality That The Major Cap And TradeLegislation Next
Year…Requires The Participation Of And CompromiseFrom The Industry.”
Marc Ambinder wrote, “In an interview yesterday, Obama said that he'd
be willing to accept additional domestic oil exploration as part of a
bipartisan compromise on energy reform. Thisstrikes me as less of a
shift and more as a gesture of sorts to the reality that the major cap
and trade legislation next year thatCongress will mark up --
legislation that will be introduced regardless of who's president --
requires the participation of and compromise from the industry. The oil
industry has two cards, basically, in the negotiations. One: that
windfall profits taxes would disincentivize further exploration
somehow... two: that, as the staple source of energy, oil companies
ought to have more land/water to figure out where oil is and then tap
those pools. Democrats are more likely to compromise on the second,
rather than the first. Notethat Obama is still opposed to expanded
drilling off the coasts of Florida.” [The Atlantic, 8/2/08]
Ø Stoller: Obama Supported A “Real Compromise” On Energy. Obama’s
position on drilling is “actually a real compromise…the compromise put
forward by Obama would in fact move us forward onsustainable energy
while raising taxes on the oil companies. Sinceopening up new areas to
oil companies is more about financial manipulation of oil leases than
actually drilling, this is calling the oil company's bluff.” [Open
Left, 8/5/08]
Ø Pelosi: Obama Position On Gang Of Ten Compromise WasPresidential.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, “What SenatorObama said is what
we want a president to say…Let's look at all of the options. Let's
compare them. And let's see what really does increase our supply,
protect our environment, save our economy, protect the consumer,
instead of a single-shot thing that does none of the above.”
[Washington Times, 8/4/08]
PALIN: “Victory in Iraq is finally in sight … he wants to forfeit.”
REALITY: BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND INDEPENDENT MILITARY EXPERTSAGREE
THAT DRAWING DOWN ONE TO TWO BRIGADES A MONTH IS NOT ONLYPOSSIBLE BUT
SAFE
McCain Said He Thought 16 Months Is A Pretty Good Timetable
ForWithdrawal >From Iraq. McCain was asked, “So why do you think he
said that 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?” McCainr
esponded, “He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on
the ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable, as we should --or
horizons for withdrawal. But they have to be based on conditions onthe
ground.” [CNN, 7/25/08]
Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki: “Obama Is Right When He Talks About 16Months.” “Asked in an interview with German news magazine Der Spiegel
of when he would like to see American forces leave Iraq, Maliki
said:‘As soon as possible, as far as we’re concerned.’ He then added
that‘Obama is right when he talks about 16 months. Assuming that
positive developments continue, this is about the same time period that
corresponds to our wishes.’” [The Hill, 7/19/08]
Maj. Gen. Anderson Said Current Capacity to Remove 2 ½ Brigade
CombatTeams a Month. “The military has been redeploying troops for
years,and Maj. Gen. Charles Anderson, who would help with the
withdrawal, told us as we toured Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, ‘We have the
capacity to do a minimum of two-and-a-half brigade combat teams a month
-- can we expand that capacity? Sure. Can we accelerate? It depends. It
depends on the amount of equipment that we bring back. And it's going
to depend on how fast we bring them out.’" [ABC News, 7/11/08]
4/8/08: Petraeus, Asked By a McCain Ally Whether A Brigade a
MonthCould Be With Drawn From Iraq, Said It Could Be “Doable.” In a
Senate Hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, Sen. Lindsey
Graham (R-S.C.), asked General Petraeus what would happen if one
brigade per month was withdrawn beginning in January 2009. Petraeus
responded, “It clearly would depend on the conditions of that time. If
conditions were good, quite good, that might be doable.” [Senate
Hearing before Senate Committee on Armed Services, 4/8/08]
9/07: Larry Korb Wrote “A Phased Military Redeployment From Iraq
OverThe Next 10 To 12 Months Would Begin Extracting U.S. Troops
FromIraq’s Internal Conflicts Immediately And Would Be Completed By
TheEnd Of 2008.” Lawrence J. Korb, former Assistant Secretary of
Defense in the Reagan Administration, along with Max A. Bergmann, Sean
E.Duggen, Peter M. Juul, wrote for a Center for American Progress
Report, “A phased military redeployment from Iraq over the next 10 to12
months would begin extracting U.S. troops from Iraq’s internal
conflicts immediately and would be completed by the end of 2008.During
this timeframe, the military will not replace outgoing troops as they
rotate home at the end of their tours and will draw down force and
equipment levels gradually, at a pace similar to previous rotations
conducted by our military over the past four years. According to a U.S.
military official in Baghdad involved in planning,a withdrawal could
take place safely in this time period.” [“How to Redeploy: Implementing
a Responsible Drawdown of U.S. Forces fromIraq” September 2007, Center
for American Progress]
7/13/07: Pace Said US Forces Were “Designed Right Now To Be Able
ToIncrease Or Decrease About One Brigade Per Month.” General Peter
Pace, former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “On the logistics
side,the system itself is designed right now to be able to increase or
decrease about one brigade per month. Can you surge U.S. military
andcommercial capacity beyond those numbers? Sure. But for a normal
planning factor, we’re looking at either adding or subtracting about
one brigade a month.” [DoD Media Roundtable with Secretary Gates
andGen. Pace, 7/13/07]
12/6/06: Iraq Study Group Report Said “All Combat Brigades
NotNecessary For Force Protection Could Be Out Of Iraq” By the
FirstQuarter of 2008—15 Months. The Iraq Study Group’s independent
assessment, released Dec. 6, 2006, found that, “By the first quarterof
2008, subject to unexpected developments in the security situation on
the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for force protection
could be out of Iraq.” [Iraq Study Group Report]
PALIN: “Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay… he wants to meet them without preconditions.”
REALITY: REPUBLICANS AGREE WITH DIRECT TALKS WITH IRAN
Defense Secretary Gates: We Need To “Sit Down And Talk” With
Iran.“The United States should construct a combination of incentives
and pressure to engage Iran, and may have missed earlier opportunities
to begin a useful dialogue with Tehran, Defense Secretary Robert M.
Gatessaid yesterday. ‘We need to figure out a way to develop some
leverage . . . and then sit down and talk with them," Gates said. "If
there is going to be a discussion, then they need something, too.
Wecan't go to a discussion and be completely the demander, with them
not feeling that they need anything from us.’” [Washington Post,
5/15/08]
Henry Kissinger Said That The U.S. Should Negotiate Directly
WithIran. “Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said the U.S.
should negotiate directly with Iran over its nuclear program and other
bilateral issues. ‘One should be prepared to negotiate, and I think we
should be prepared to negotiate about Iran,’ Kissinger, who brokered
the end of the 1973 Yom Kippur war and peace talks with the North
Vietnamese, said yesterday in an interview with Bloomberg Television.
Asked whether he meant the U.S. should hold direct talks, Kissinger,84,
responded: ‘Yes, I think we should.’” [Bloomberg, 3/14/08]
Hagel: The United States Should Actively Pursue Direct,
Unconditional,And Comprehensive Talks With Iran. Hagel said, “Now is
the time for the United States to actively pursue an offer of direct,
unconditional, and comprehensive talks with Iran. We cannot afford to
refuse to consider this strategic choice any longer. We should make
clear that everything is on the table, our issues and Iran'sissues.”
[CNN, 11/8/07]
Lugar: Direct Talks With Iran “Would Be Useful.” “The United
Statesneeds to pursue direct talks and other diplomatic avenues with
Iran about its disputed nuclear program before considering a military
option, lawmakers from both parties said yesterday. ‘I think that would
be useful,’ said Richard Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, when asked on ABC's ‘This Week’ about having
direct talks. ‘The Iranians are a part of the energy picture,’
saidLugar, a Republican from Indiana. ‘We need to talk about that.’”
[AP,4/17/06]
Former H.W. Bush Secretary of State James Baker: “It's Not
Appeasementto Talk to Your Enemies.” James Baker said, “I can't make
that judgment here this morning because I don't know what other
elements are involved in it. I will say just generally as I've been
saying since I've been on this book tour that I believe in talking to
your enemies. I don't think you restrict your conversations to
yourfriends. At the same time, it's got to be hard-nosed. It's got to
be determined. You don't give away anything, but in my view, it's not
appeasement to talk to your enemies. There ought to be some way. I
mean, I point out the fact that I made 15 trips to Damascus back in
1991 when they were on our list of countries of state-sponsored
terrorism and they changed 25 years…”[“This Week,” ABC NewsTranscripts,
10/8/06]
Arlen Specter: It Seems Unrealistic That We Say To The Opposite
PartyThat As A Precondition To Discussions We Want The Principal
Concession We’re After. Republican Senator Arlen Specter said in a
hearing of the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations
Committee, “Now, the position taken by the Secretary of State has been
we won't talk to Iran unless, as a precondition, they stop enriching
uranium. It seems to me that it is unrealistic to try to have
discussions but to say to the opposite party, as a precondition to
discussions, we want the principal concession that we're after. Do you
think it makes sense to insist on a concession like stopping enriching
uranium, which is what our ultimate objective is, before we even sit
down and talk to them on a broader range of issues?” [Hearing of the
Defense Subcommittee ofthe Senate Appropriations Committee, 5/20/08]
Rice: I Am Prepared To Meet My Counterpart At Any Time If Iran
Suspends Its Enrichment and Processing Activities. Condoleezza Rice
said, “I am prepared to meet my counterpart or an Iranian
representative at any time if Iran will suspend its enrichment and
reprocessing activities. That should be a clear signal.” [AP, 2/25/07]
PALIN: “Government is too big … he wants to grow it. Congress spends too much … he promises more.”
REALITY: IT IS MCCAIN’S BUDGET PLAN THAT WILL BREAK THE BANK
Analysts Say McCain’s Plan Would Increase The Deficit More
ThanObama’s. “Experts say that both the McCain plan and the Obama plan
would increase the deficit, and that neither man has adequately
explained how his proposals would be paid for. But several analysts
have said they believe that Mr. McCain’s plan would increase the
deficit more, because of the size of the tax cuts he is seeking.”
[NewYork Times, 6/11/08]
McCain’s Tax Cuts Will Either Explode The Federal Deficit Or Require
“Unprecedented Cuts” In Federal Spending On Domestic Programs.
“Sen.John McCain is proposing tax cuts that would either cause the
federal deficit to explode or would require unprecedented spending cuts
equal to one-third of federal spending on domestic programs. Once
thought ofas a deficit hawk, the near-certain Republican presidential
nominee is now putting more stress on the traditional Republican
orthodoxy of taxcuts.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/22/08]
New York Times: McCain’s Budget Will Add $200 Or $300 Billion To
TheDeficit Per Year. “The Obama campaign claims it can pay for all
this,and even reduce the deficit, through tax increases and spending
cuts. I think a more skeptical look at its budget leaves you worried it
may add something like $50 billion a year to the deficit. But applying
the same arched brow to Mr. McCain’s stated plans leaves you worried
that he will add $200 billion or $300 billion or, depending on his
voluntary tax system, even more.” [New York Times, 6/18/08]
Tax Policy Center Report Said That McCain’s Budget Plan Would Add
$5Trillion To The Debt Over The Next Decade. “Obama's plan -- cuts
targeted to middle- and low-income Americans and increases for the
wealthy -- would increase the national debt by an estimated $3.4
trillion in the next decade, the center said. Under a similar analysis,
McCain's plan -- largely a continuation of Bush's tax reductions --
would add $5 trillion.” [Los Angeles Times, 7/24/08]
· Ten Percent Corporate Tax Rate Cut Would Cost $100 Billion AYear.
“The proposal to lower the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%would cost
about $100 billion a year.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/16/08]
· Full Repeal Of The AMT Would Cost Over $150 Billion A
Year.According to the Wall Street Journal, altering the Alternative
Minimum Tax for middle class families at $91 billion annually.
Eliminating the AMT for up-incomer earners would be an additional $60
billion per year. [Wall Street Journal, 4/16/08]
· Gas Tax Holiday Would Cost $10 Billion. An Arizona Republic
editorial questions McCain’s summer gas tax holiday proposal, asking
“do we really want to extract $10 billion from the nation’s woefully
underfunded transportation infrastructure?” [Arizona Republic,
Editorial, 4/16/08]
Doubling The Dependent Tax Exemption Would Cost $65 Billion A
Year.“Doubling the dependent exemption would cost $65 billion a year.”
[Wall Street Journal, 4/16/08]
April 2008: McCain “Changed His Position” On Balancing The
Budget,Said Economic Conditions Made It Unrealistic. John McCain had
previously said he would balance the budget in four years, but changed
his position in April saying that “economic conditions are reversed”
and it would instead take eight years. [New York Times, 4/16/08]
PALIN: “Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them. His tax
increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be
specific. The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise
income taxes … raise payroll taxes … raise investment income taxes …
raise the death tax … raise business taxes … and increase the tax
burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars.”
REALITY: OBAMA TAX PROPOSAL WILL NOT RAISE TAXES AND WILLPROVIDE A
BIGGER BREAK FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES THAN MCCAIN’S PLAN
Annenberg Political Fact Check: McCain’s Ad Attacking Obama’s
PlansThat Would Increase Taxes And Bring On “Years Of Deficits” And
“Billions In New Government Spending” “Puts Another Stitch In WhatWe’ve
Call His Pattern Of Deceit On Obama’s Tax Plan.” “McCain's new ad puts
another stitch in what we've called his pattern of deceit on Obama's
tax plan. This one claims Obama and congressional Democrats plan to
push forward ‘painful tax increases on working American families’ and
that they will bring about ‘years of deficits,’ ‘no balanced budgets’
and ‘billions in new government spending.’ The ad is plain wrong about
higher taxes on working families. In fact, Obama'seconomic plan would
produce a tax cut for the majority of American households, with
middle-income earners benefiting most. As for ‘years of deficits,’
exactly the same claim could be made about McCain's program. It's
unlikely either Obama or McCain would balance the budget, and both are
projected to increase the debt bytrillions.” [FactCheck.org, 9/2/08]
Washington Post Editorial: “McCain Campaign Insists on Completely
Misrepresenting Mr. Obama’s Plan” on Taxes – Under McCain’s
Plan,“Wealthiest Taxpayers Make Out Terrifically.” “Instead, the McCain
campaign insists on completely misrepresenting Mr. Obama's plan. Thead
opens with the Obama-as-celebrity theme – ‘Celebrities don't have to
worry about family budgets, but we sure do,’ says the female announcer.
‘We're paying more for food and gas, making it harder to save for
college, retirement.’ Then she sticks it to
|
