In Which Sarah Palin says I Agree with Hillary

No do not adjust your screen, it's true. The two most powerful women in US politics have found an issue they can agree 100% on. Well getting there...sort of.




Yesterday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was reported as saying the Koran burning was 'disrespectful' and 'disgraceful'.



Today the former Republican vice-Presidential candidate said it was an 'unnecessary provocation'. See what I mean about sort of agreeing. It's a little diluted but heading in the right direction. Her full comment was:

"People have a constitutional right to burn a Koran if they want to, but doing so is insensitive and an unnecessary provocation - much like building a mosque at Ground Zero."

Forgive the former Alaskan Governor's geography she did seem to think she could see Russia from the Governor's mansion. There is no mosque going to be built at Ground Zero, there is potential for one a few blocks away. Although here's a question. I know some buildings do allow their Muslim staff a prayer room in the building so they can keep up their 5-times-a-day devotion to pray. Are such rooms going to be allowed in any replacement building on Ground Zero are are such employees going to have to trek miles to find a suitable venue for prayer.

She went on:

"It will feed the fire of caustic rhetoric and appear as nothing more than mean-spirited religious intolerance. Don't feed that fire.

"If your ultimate point is to prove that the Christian teachings of mercy, justice, freedom, and equality provide the foundation on which our country stands, then your tactic to prove this point is totally counter-productive."

Wow! Using the same argument is Sarah going to oppose Prop 8? On a positive note though the Republicans are on board with this one, even if somewhat less inclusive than the Democrats and using less powerful language.

Sarah Palin Carry On Delusioned

Sarah Palin is writing in the Guardian today about why the man who kept out of the VP's office should not attend Copenhagen. As you would expect from a climate change denier such as the former Governor of Alaska it is full of holes.

She talks about the 'serious cuts' that America is making, countering it with the increase being allowed by China and India. There is one issue here the cuts that Obama is making is only going to take the US down 3% on 1990 levels, which is actually behind where most of the rest of the developed world already is beyond. The thing is that America wasn't allowed to increase it carbon emissions the way that it did under Bush and republican lead houses that batted away attempts by Clinton to bring about a change. If anything the serious cuts from America are long overdue and too little at this time.

She also goes on to say that carrying out the proposed cuts will put America at an economic and competitive disadvantage. Well she is clearly ignoring the economic and competitive advantage that the USA has benefited from by ignoring the directives of Kyoto while others of us have pushed for reductions. Indeed instead of job losses it has seen more inventiveness and jobs moving in other directions. Indeed when I was studying environmental economics 20 years ago at University it was of the considerations that we addressed. There where several major difference that had to be made.

• The things that were produced
• What they were produced from (i.e. recycling rather than finite raw material)
• How we went about producing them
• How the workers environment changed to meet the challenge (this was mainly the home working model)

So if twenty years ago we were aware of the issue what happened in East Anglia after that is one thing that will have no impact. As someone who isn't a johnny come lately to the argument but spent a good part of my University years studying this and the economic impacts and been a keen follower of developments since I can say that Sarah once again has shown her ignorance of the facts.

However, she does speak a few lines of sense in her Comment is Free piece. One of the them is:

"Our representatives in Copenhagen should remember that good environmental
policymaking is about weighing real-world costs and benefits."

She is right. But from ready her article she makes the very basic economic mistake in thinking that all costs and benefits are measured in GDP. In the real world our social, environmental and sustainability costs and benefits are all to be taken into consideration. If we didn't we'd all be working 25/7/365 because the financial costs are of such a great boon.

The Evolution of the Pope

Bad news for Governor Sarah Palin this early on in her bid for the Presidency in 2012.



Yeah I know it's early to start thinking about the next run at the White House. But the Pope has come out and said that Darwin may have been on the right lines ahead of the 200th anniversary of his birth. Indeed Papal Scholars were falling over themselves yesterday to tell us that creation and evolution were wholly compatible. Even citing St Augustine of Hippo and St Thomas Aquinas as precursors to Darwinian thought.



Personally it is an issue I have not had an issue with since my teenage years. The scientist in me and the poet didn't conflict over the two merely saw the biblical account as a way of explaining the stages of what happened (how else would man end up on the last day, and beasts of the deep before those of land) to people who would not yet be able to grasp the scientific concept. You must not also forget that the Bible mentioned the curvature of the earth long before the church denied the flat earth society.

Socialism 101 Class for Governor Palin

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines socialism as:

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or
governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and
distribution of goods

2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private
property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production
are owned and controlled by the state

3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and
communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according
to work done

However, look what the Governor of one American state has said in the past:

"And Alaska - we're set up, unlike other states in the union, where it's collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs." [parenthesis mine]

Whoops! Looks like is a little socialism on the Republican ticket for the White House as those are the words of Governor Palin. Wonder how Joe the plumber is taking the news.

"If you look at spreading the wealth, that's honestly right out of Karl Marx's
mouth," Joe said yesterday, "No one can debate that. That's not my
opinion. That's fact."

Wow! I don't remember Marx having a $150,000 allowance to clothe himself, do up his hair and his lips. Obviously it's spread somewhat differently these days.

Hat tip to Andrew Ducker via Jennie Rigg

Alaska's Top Paper for Obama

The Anchorage Daily News has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for the US presidency and not the ticket included the states own Governor Sarah Palin.

While they point out the significance of the first ever Alaskan seeking high national office, they realise:

"The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our
sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for
president at this critical time for our nation. "

They see the Democratic nominee as the 'steady hand' that the country needs, displaying 'thoughtful analysis' and enlisting 'wise counsel'. All of which point to the rash decisions and promises made that Sen. John McCain took recently over banking issues.

Hockey Mom has Done a U-Turn

Hat tip to Concerned08 who posted this comment.

It appears that Governor Lipsticked Pitbull doesn't quite know whether she supports of disagrees with Sen. Barak Obama's energy policy. On September 3 while accepting the Republican nomination for Vice President she said:

"...we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas.

"And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska: we've got lots of both.

"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."

Nothing she says it what her opponents are going to do yet from the State of Alaska archive less than a month before on August 4, she said:

"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,”
Governor Palin said. “The steps taken by the Alaska State Legislature this
past week demonstrate that we are ready, willing and able to supply the
energy our nation needs."

In a speech given in Lansing, Michigan, Senator Obama called
for the completion of the Alaska natural gas pipeline, stating, "Over the next
five years, we should also lease more 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."

Governor Palin also acknowledged the Senator’s proposal to offer $1,000
rebates to those struggling with the high cost of energy.

"We in Alaska feel that crunch and are taking steps to address it right here
at home," Governor Palin said. "This is a tool that must be on the table to buy
us time until our long-term energy plans can be put into place. We have already
enjoyed the support of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, and it is gratifying to see
Senator Obama get on board."

The Governor did question the means to pay for Obama’s proposed rebate —
a windfall profits tax on oil companies. In Alaska, the state’s resource
valuation system, ACES, provides strong incentives for companies to re-invest
their profits in new production.

"Windfall profits taxes alone prevent additional investment in domestic
production. Without new supplies from American reserves, our dependency and
addiction to foreign sources of oil will continue," Governor Palin said.

Of course the Governor doesn't suggest any other way to pay for these rebates, but seeing as she has been slashing state spending no doubt she'd expect Obama to find this from Federal funds so she can blame it on Washington when she has to seek re-election as Governor or when she may challenge for the Presidency in 2012.

If you ask me the only one who's prepared to do nothing about this herself is the Governor of Alaska not the Democratic Nominee for President.

Draft Lipstick's Step-Mother-In-Law for VP

If running for Mayor of Wallisa is enough experience to become a Vice Presidential nominee and if John McCain really wanted to be seen as bi-partisan maybe he chose the wrong Palin for his ticket.

Yeah Faye Palin the step-mom of First Dude in waiting Todd Palin stood for mayor of Wallisa in 2002 when Sarah maxed out on term limits in 2002. She didn't get the nepotistic endorsement of the outgoing Mayor whether it was because she supported a women's right to chose or whether she was a Democrat it's not clear which was the greater sin.

However, when Time magazine were researching that article they found out that Iris Robinson would probably scarily fit in with the Palin's at their church, Wallisa Baptist Church. There was an insert in the order of service advertising Love Won Out a conference being held in nearby Anchorage the aim of this conference on homosexuality was to teach attendees how to "respond to misinformation in our culture" and help them "overcome" homosexuality.

Judging by the fact that the Governor and the High School in Wallisa both think that Abstinence-only is the only form of sex education it's not misinformation but lack of information that is the issue. This is a state which as Ed Pilkington points out in today's Grauniad "has the highest per capita incidence of chlamydia in the country". There is, and indeed, should always be more to sex education than merely how to prevent pregnancy but the abstinence only gospel that the Republicans seem to be preaching does more harm than good as the "mistakes" (their quote not mine) that invariably happen to teenagers lead to all sorts of questions that should already have been answered and discussed.

Causing a Stir Stateside

Well little old me has caused a little stir when I posted this little bit of research into Sarah Palin's vetoes. Of course a nice little push by Peter Black AM from what is currently the top outgoing link from Lib Dem blogs surely helps. Even so there is sharp spike in my web stats for the last 24 hours.

So I'll indulge myself in a little stat porn which I don't normally do. 70% of my hits overnight where from the USA. By writing my little bit on one attribute of Governor Lipsticked Pitbull's acceptance speech has thus far been read in (not that I've been keeping tabs obviously):

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. I may have to add Kuwait and Puerto Rico to that list of potential American voters.

That's 22 States of the Union plus DC though not Alaska sadly but I reckon they already know what she's vetoed although I did find some further details of just what that entails. It includes chalkboards, wireless internet access and library book protection projects from schools. A few fire trucks one for the University fire service.

There was also a 50% reduction in a Catholic counselling and adoption service which considering both the Governor and the service, I assume, are pro-life and giving women the support they would need to go full term with what may be an unwanted pregnancy seems a bizarre line veto for her to make.

Update: Add Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Caroline to make it 31 States. Actually I've noticed people are starting to link direct from email addresses so I may be on some email list doing the rounds now. Ooh the excitement. Even more excitement checking on some of the web searches that have surfed my I'm ahead of a story in the Washington Post regarding her line-item veto gulp.

What is a Necessary Veto Governor Palin?

Early this morning one phrase bugged me out of Sarah Palin's speech accepting the GOP nomination for Vice President:

"I came to office promising to control spending - by request if possible and by
veto if necessary. "

Now I admit I'm not an ardent following of the minutiae of Alaska state politics so I decided to google it and find out just what Governor Palin felt her veto was necessary and while I was at it discovered some other scary possibilities this woman might stretch to.

Well she used it earlier this year to she sued it to veto funding to allow funding for teenage mothers a place to live for up to 18 months while they gained the necessary skills and resources to change their life. So faced with a tough choice that unmarried teenage mums who don't have the supportive family of say the First family of the state, some Alaskan teenagers may face financial issues if they find themselves pregnant that may result in their choice of whether to keep or terminate their unborn child as a result of that veto.

In 2007 she vetoed $231 million off the Republican Legislature's capital budget that was about 13% of the proposed spending. Last night she boasted that amongst other things the McCain-Palin administration was going to create jobs with clean coal. Yet part of those cuts she made was for a 50 megawatt Fire Island wind project and funds to restart the 50 megawatt Healy Clean Coal Project. Oops! She also vetoed $10 million expansion of the Port of Anchorage. $58 million of these were attempted to be reintroduced this year only to face the Palin veto pen once more.

At the end of 2006 her first veto less than a month into her Governorship was a bill to give public employee benefits such as health insurance to same-sex couples. It was a bill sponsored by Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole, I guess he's more Santa Claus than she was. This is one veto that recently people have been trying to spin counterclockwise saying that she is actually in favour of sax-sex couple having such benefits. But at the time of the veto Palin claimed that allowing health care for same-sex partners was "unconstitutional".

She claims to uphold the American constitution but while Mayor of Wallisa she didn't seek to uphold the Freedom of Speech part when seeking to ban books from the local library. she then threatened to get the librarian Mary Ellen Baker fired when she refused to co-operate with the request.

Facebook Seeking Experience

Well it hasn't taken long there is a Facebook group started for those who have more experience than Sarah Palin, John McCains running mate for Vice President. Whether that is being 6 years a counillors, one of which Mayor of a poulation that at the time had less than 6,000 people and 18 months as governor of the only US state with two international borders (one of them maritime with Russia) population less than 700,000 i'm not quite sure.

Though as someone who's had an used a passport for over 20 years I certainly have more foreign policy experience than Mrs Palin who acquired hers in 2007 to visit troops overseas. Heck I've even been behind the Iron current once before it rusted away and once after the holes appears but before it was totally torn down. More people also voted for me in 2005 than she governed as Mayor of Wallisa, where she was once pagaent Queen of, but I'll give her credit more people must have voted for her in the 2006 Alaskan Gubernatorial contest that have done for me at any stage.

Well Team McCain are certainly losing the opening rounds over Mrs Palin on the internet find out mre on LibDem Voice.

Which Slice of History for America?

Well one way or another this year's US Presidential Election is going to go down in history. Either we're going to see the first African-American occupant of the Oval Office in Barak Obama or we're going to have the first lady elected Vice President as John McCain has unveiled Alaska Governor Mrs Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Palin is only the second woman to feature on the big two parties tickets since Geraldine Ferraro was named as Walter Mondale's Democratic running mate in 1984, the same year the then Miss Sarah Heath was runner up in the Miss Alaska pageant. Alaska has been in the Red Republican came at every Presidential election since 1964 so he state, although being contested by Obama is no the reason for he presence. However, it is a cunning ploy to reach out to disheartened women voters after Hillary Clinton failed to secure the Democratic nomination. Also seen as a attempt to steal a little of Obama's thunder for a place in history.

She also has relative youth when compared with Senator McCain she 44 to him celebrating his 72nd birthday today, also making her three years younger than the Democratic Presidential nominee. However, seeing as McCain is attacking the inexperience of his opponent, is leaving someone with 4 years (1992-96) of service on Wasilla, City Council (population 5,470 in 2000), the last as mayor, and 2 years of Gubernatorial experience one heartbeat away from the Presidency going to cut his attacks on that tack? That will be interesting to see over the weeks ahead.