McCain Surrenders to Hard-Line Rethug Social Agenda & Sarah Palin Vetted

Imagine my surprise upon learning today that Sarah Palin was vetted by Democrats in the 2006 Alaska Governor's race (and found wanting). A little bit later I learned that the famous maverick McCain had been easily corralled (again) and was now a surrender-monkey to the right-wing, anti-women agenda pushed by Ms. Smiley-Face Cheerleader in bloody hunting clothes. (You'll have to search for those pictures elsewhere as I do not run that sort of blog.) Her vetting showed that she is not only an extremist on social issues (believing that sex education should not be taught in any setting, that birth control methods should be limited to rhythm and that abortion should not be available (even in the case of rape)), that she believes in and promotes increasing taxes for the lower classes while cutting taxes for the upper classes, and that as a general premise, regressive sales taxes are better than progressive income taxes. In addition, she also "has a record of cronyism, shading the truth and outright deception. On top of that . . . is her record as a tax-raising, debt-loving mayor."

In 1997, Palin signed an ordinance appropriating $2,354 in funds to the Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center from the State of Alaska Revenue Sharing fund. The Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center lists itself as an "abortion alternative" in the Yellow Pages. [Ordinance 97-23, 4/14/1997; AlaskaYellowPages.com] • Crisis Pregnancy Centers Are Known To Give Misleading and Often Inaccurate Information. A recent government investigation of pregnancy crisis centers found that "The centers provided false and misleading information about a link between abortion and breast cancer;" "The centers provided false and misleading information about the effect of abortion on future fertility;" "The centers provided false and misleading information about the mental health effects of abortion." Planned Parenthood also says the centers offer free pregnancy tests but give ambiguous answers about the results, show shocking films or slide shows while patients wait for pregnancy results, make exaggerated promises of financial assistance, medical treatment, prenatal and postpartum care and refuse or fail to provide contraceptive information. [Committee on Government Reform, "False And Misleading Health Information Provided By Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers," 7/06; Planned Parenthood] • Valley Hospital Gave Grant to Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center. "Valley Hospital Healthy Communities Program awards grants: Grants totaling more than $ 58,000 were awarded to three local organizations. The committee allocated funds to Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center for the establishment of an abortion hotline, the Mat-Su Alternative School for its Peer Outreach program and to Teen Challenge for an abstinence course." [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 12/28/99] In fiscal 2003 — the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget — the total government debt service was $658,662. In fiscal 1996 — the year before Palin took control of the budget — the debt service was $390,385. The increase was 69 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1] 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] In fiscal 2003 — the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget — the bonded long-term debt per capita was $2,938. 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] In fiscal 2003 — the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget — the ratio of debt service to general government expenditures was 6.24 percent. There was no long-term debt before she took office. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 11] In 2001, Palin signed an ordinance authorizing the city to issue general obligation bonds in the principal amount of $14,700,000 to finance the acquisition and construction of park and recreation capital improvements. The ordinance also increased the sales tax from 2 to 2.5 percent and put the issue on the ballot. After it was adopted by voters, Palin signed an ordinance issuing the bonds. In 2002, Palin signed an ordinance putting the higher sales tax into effect. [Ordinance 01-55 (am), 12/10/2001; Ordinance 02-14 (sub), 4/8/2002; Ordinance 02-49, 8/12/2002] In fiscal 2003 — the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget — the expenditures of the general government of Wasilla were $1,899,275. In fiscal 1996 — the year before Palin took control of the budget — the expenditures were $1,286,594. The increase was 48 percent. "General government expenditures" covers administration, city council, administrative and management systems. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1] • In 1996, the population of Wasilla was 4,635. In 2003 it was 6343, an increase of 37 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 13] 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] In describing why she fired Stambaugh, the Frontiersman wrote, "[Palin] added that when they met in private, Stambaugh tried to intimidate her by giving her short, uncommunicative answers and staring at her ‘with a very stern look.’" [Frontiersman , 2/12/97] After Palin fired Stambaugh, the police chief, he sued the city in part based on gender discrimination. The Frontiersman wrote, 'The gender discrimination issues stem from statements Palin allegedly made to others that she was intimidated by Stambaugh’s size. He stands over 6-feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds, which, the lawsuit said, is attributed to his gender.' [Frontiersman , 2/26/97] In 1997, Frontiersman columnist Paul Stuart wrote, "A couple of weeks ago, Palin sent a memo to her department heads informing them she wanted weekly reports of the good (that’s positive, of course) things going on in their respective departments — and only the good things. Nothing else but the good things." [Frontiersman, 1/22/97] Sarah Palin, a commercial fisherman from Wasilla, told her husband on Tuesday she was driving to Anchorage to shop at Costco. Instead, she headed straight for Ivana. And there, at J.C. Penney’s cosmetic department, was Ivana, the former Mrs. Donald Trump, sitting at a table next to a photograph of herself. She wore a light-colored pantsuit and pink fingernail polish. Her blonde hair was coiffed in a bouffant French twist. ‘We want to see Ivana,’ said Palin, who admittedly smells like salmon for a large part of the summer, ‘because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture.’ [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 4/3/96] A hockey mom and a former standout athlete herself, Palin said she understood her son’s concerns. ‘How could I be the team mom if I was a U.S. senator?’ she said. [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 4/24/04] Frontiersman columnist Paul Stuart wrote, 'Some local political observers in Wasilla are complaining Mayor Sarah Palin’s recent appointment of Cindy Roberts to the $55,000-a-year post of public works director was nothing but a political reward. They maintain Roberts has no engineering training and no work experience to make up for the deficit. Admitting Roberts has no engineering expertise, Palin said the city will contract out engineering services. But the Wasilla mayor says Roberts’ management experience in the public and private sector made her rise above other candidates.' [Frontiersman, 9/24/97] 'The Wasilla City Council replaced Richard Deuser, Wasilla’s attorney for 13 years, with an Anchorage attorney last week. The council voted 5-1 Sept. 8 to award the city’s legal services contract to Ken Jacobus, an attorney specializing in municipal law who also serves as general counsel for the Alaska Republican Party.' [Frontiersman, 9/17/97] At a campaign event, Palin stated, 'I’m running for governor because Alaskans deserve trust and transparency in your state government.' When addressing a group of supporters, she also said, 'Every governor should have been a city mayor. You can’t get away with anything in local government.' A month later, Palin said, 'Regardless of the rules, I will show the leadership to ensure that the rules are followed.' [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 6/22/06; AP, 7/28/06] • As Mayor, Palin Used City Resources For Her 2002 Lt. Governor Campaign. In her 2002 Lt. Governor bid, Mayor Palin used city employees, telephones, computers, fax machines for campaign fundraising and literature. On her candidate registration form, she used her City Hall fax number, and her mayoral e-mail address. Records show that Wasilla city property was used to contact supporters, donors, media contacts, and media purchasing. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/21/06] • Palin Held Campaign Meetings In City Hall. On June 12, 2002, during her failed 2002 Lt. Governor campaign, Palin met with Herold Advertising Products, a political advertising firm, to discuss campaign literature. 'The firm then faxed a draft of artwork for labels with a 'Sarah Palin Lieutenant Governor' logo addressed to then-deputy administrator John Cramer at the city. The following morning, the firm faxed an invoice for the labels to the city.' [Anchorage Daily News, 7/28/06] • Palin Said Accusations Of Unethical Political Action Are Nothing More Than 'Smear' Campaigns From Her Enemies. When questioned why her use of a city computer to run for lieutenant governor in 2002 was different than when Randy Ruedrich using AOGCC computers for party business, Palin said it was different. Though Ruedrich was fined and resigned from office because of Palin’s accusation ethics violations, Palin stated that accusations against her were a 'smear' campaign organized by her 'enemies.' [Anchorage Daily News, 7/14/06] In 1992, Palin said, 'I’m not going to ride the fence on any issue...You ask me my feelings on an issue and I’ll give it to you straight up, because that’s the only way a voter knows where his employee stands. Elected officials are exactly that - employees.' [Frontiersman, 9/30/92] 'Asked about expanding health care coverage and about Wal-Mart’s corporate conduct, she delivered non-answers with a disarming smile.' [Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), 1/30/06] Does that mean she’d vote for it? ‘I still have five more weeks to make up my mind, like everybody’s trying to do,’ Palin said. ‘I wish it were not a statewide issue.’ Palin said she has declined requests by Tax Cap Yes to speak in favor of the initiative. Yet, she said, she doesn’t object to her name’s continuing to be listed on the group’s Web site among 10 current or former government officials - half from Mat-Su – in support of the initiative. Palin acknowledged that she was sounding quite the politician. ‘I am so sorry I’m such a weasel,’ she said. [Anchorage Daily News, 10/8/00]

So, I guess this sorts out the matter pretty well. Suzan