Palins return to Alaska

[RK77]

She’s Baa-aack! Palin in Alaska. What She Didn’t Say.

11 09 2008

Sarah Palin returned to Alaska yesterday, and was greeted in Fairbanks by a crowd of 3,000 cheering fans.

She said a lot of what you’d expect. She giddily told the crowd about everyone in the Lower 48 chanting “Drill Baby Drill!” everywhere she went.

Remember that Alaska is a pro-drilling crowd of the highest order. One of the reasons John McCain came in dead last in the Republican primary, after Ron Paul, is his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He also didn’t wow evangelical voters either. But he seems to be tip-toeing his way in the “pro-life”, pro-drilling direction lately. Go figure.

Palin also made reference to the $1200 energy rebate that’s about to land in the bank account of every Alaskan man, woman and child. This amount is in addition to the $2069 permanent fund dividend check from oil profits in the state that also goes in to the bank account of every man woman and child. As you can imagine, handing out wads of cash to people doesn’t hurt your approval ratings. The Permanent Fund Dividend (pfd) is something Alaskans have gotten every year since 1980, and has ranged from a few hundred dollars to this years biggest check ever. The energy rebate, though, is something new. Energy prices in Alaska are outrageously high. Despite our proximity to all this fossil fuel, we have the highest gas prices in the nation, and rural communities out in bush Alaska can be paying $6-$8 a gallon for gas. Winter is just around the corner here, and people are justifiably nervous about staying warm.

She talked about how this type of energy rebate is “unheard of in other states”. That one had to be for the national media, because, of course it’s unheard of in other states… the only reason we’re getting it is because the price of oil is so high, and as the oil companies make more money, so does our permanent fund, and so do we. We all know that. It got applause anyway - it’s cash. She went on to say:

“But we believed that you believed you could spend that money better than government could spend it for you.”

Also a bit strange, because Palin’s original idea was to give Alaskans an energy debit card that would have a certain amount each month and had to be used for energy expenses. Eventually, she was talked out of it, and just decided to stick with cold hard cash… which means many Alaskans are probably going to be getting big screen TVs and freezing their butts off this winter. But that’s another story.

So what didn’t she say? She didn’t use her famous, “commyuunity orrrganizer” line, and pulled back on the snarky comments about Obama. Obama won 75% of the caucus votes in Alaska, and turned the state (until recently) into an actual ’swing state’ for the first time in memory. Don’t underestimate Obama’s support in Alaska.

She also didn’t say, “And I said ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ on that Bridge to Nowhere.” It’s tough to lie to the home town crowd. Besides, it wasn’t on the teleprompter.

Another thing that wasn’t seen was the crowd of Obama supporters that showed up at the rally. One Mudflats reader in Fairbanks estimated the Obama crowd at 70 or more. The Anchorage Daily News said it was more than two dozen. I guess 70 is more than two dozen. Either way it’s a good turnout considering only Palin supporters were encouraged to attend. One rally-goer, who made it into the hangar where Palin was about to speak, held up a sign that said “Palin: per diem fraud.”

Alaska State Troopers subdued him and escorted him outside at the request of the rally’s hosts, the state Republican Party.

“Subdued” him? I don’t have any details on that, but it doesn’t sound like, “politely asked him to leave.”
So, fellow Alaskan Republicans must have been really excited to see one of their own become such a rising star, and the darling of the Republican Party, right? Let’s hear from Fairbanks Republican Representative Jay Ramras who was at the event. What do you think about our Sarah, Jay?

“It’s dangerous up here to do any truth telling — we all want to have a future and she’s going to control the state for the next four years whether she’s vice president or governor or senator or turning the wheels from home in Wasilla. I mean she’s a powerful woman.”

Hmmmm.

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That's one way to get the public to vote for a plan to drill oil-----split the money with them! Pay them!

I am just LOVING how Palin's rebate to the citizen's of Alaska has come directly out of my pocket!

Are you?

[Heretic]

This just tells me what a bunch of fcukin' pussies Alaskans are if they're unwilling to tell the truth for fear of losing their oil free lunch.

Those Alaskans here who are critical of her need to lead by example and raise the bar for the rest. That means publically in your communities get others to speak honestly and to the cameras.

[RK77]

This just tells me what a bunch of fcukin' pussies Alaskans are if they're unwilling to tell the truth for fear of losing their oil free lunch.

Those Alaskans here who are critical of her need to lead by example and raise the bar for the rest. That means publically in your communities get others to speak honestly and to the cameras.

The fact that the Pit Pig rose to the governor slot tells me all I need to know about Alaskans!

The fact that they will be buying Christmas gifts for their kids from money they screwed the rest of us out of makes me hope they do secede!

[Heretic]

The fact that the Pit Pig rose to the governor slot tells me all I need to know about Alaskans!

The fact that they will be buying Christmas gifts for their kids from money they screwed the rest of us out of makes me hope they do secede!

It'd amuse me to no end when they come whining about being invaded by the Russians.

"Ohh! You're a sovereign nation now... never mind that you denied soveriegnty to the Indigenous peoples up there. Well, anyway. You made your coffin now you'll have to lay in it."