BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin

Subject: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 11:36 AM

There are Alaskans speaking out about Sarah Palin who have documented her background in you tube videos called the Wasilla Project.

In this video, the third in the series, Alaskans describe what happened in Wasilla when Palin became mayor.

She campaigned saying she would cut the salary for their mayor's position. She reduced the salary from $68,000 to $64,000, but did not have the abilities to manage the city, so she soon hired a city administrator for $50,000.

From using her mayoral administrative assistant to help her campaign for Lt Governor to remodeling her office without approval to building a building on property the city did not own, Palin is not the "fiscal conservative" she claims to be.

Witnesses to what happened under Palin's time as mayor speak out in this video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm6SeDXqd-g The Wasilla Project

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 11:47 AM

The second video in the series:

Her slogan for running for mayor was "The First Christian Mayor" even though the mayors before her were Christian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoErGvHnDqg Religion in Politics


Sarah's campaign for mayor targeted the local hospital and the only doctor locally who could perform safe abortions. The doctor became afraid for her life after the picketing of her office. Palin's church became involved in taking over the local board of the hospital, and after they gained control of the board, they immediately stopped any access to abortion services through that hospital.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: akenaton
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:04 PM

Its called GETTING ELECTED!
I've watched dozens of elections and this is how it works. Politicians tell their supporters what they want to hear and tell lies to their opponents...They are all the same Republicans, Democrats, Labour, Conservative, even Scottish Nationalist(very infrequently).

Don't get excited Alice, I think you will find that when elected these politicians stop lying and continue to behave just as they did before the election, all looking after the interests of the rich(and their own) at the expense of the poor.
It is common for partisan supporters of either of the parties to lose all sense of reason or judgement and start throwing stones and dodgy videos around.

When the disorder reaches this stage, chances of recovery are said to be poor..

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:06 PM

Thanks for the links, Alice. I hope Keith and Rachel publicise this effort by the citizens of Wasilla.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Ron Davies
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:07 PM

Thanks for that information, Alice.   It's harrowing---if not surprising. I had read that the main way she won her race for mayor was by bringing in issues which had nothing directly to do with governing Wasilla, but had people from outside willing to bankroll her--i.e. the "religious Right" and issues like abortion and homosexuality.   This fits that pattern.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Ron Davies
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:16 PM

As usual, Ake oversimplifies.   As I've indicated, the problem is the issues raised had nothing to do directly with governing Wasilla, but deep pockets from outside the area were willing to support her campaign since she was pushing their point of view.

That's different from the narrowly cynical view "that's politics".

She made statewide--or even nationalized--a political process which up to that time had dealt with more parochial issues--issues which were the legitimate concern of Wasilla citizens as being essential to governing the town. Your stand on abortion and homosexuality is not--or should not be-- a determining factor in whether you will be effective as a mayor.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:28 PM

If you watch the Wasilla videos, you will see how much Palin's church has to do with her politics.

Here is an open letter to Sarah Palin from a former Assemblies of God Fundamentalist.

Dear Sarah...http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/An-open-letter-to-Sarah-Pa-by-Marlene-Winell-

"And so, your decisions would not be based on expert advice or even your own reasoning, but on your gut-level, intuitive interpretation of God's will."

"Marlene Winell is a Bay Area psychologist who specializes in recovery from fundamentalist religion. She is author of Leaving the Fold: A guide for former fundamentalists and others leaving their religion. She is the daughter of Assemblies of God missionaries."

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:30 PM

Now that we have the internet to help us get the truth and spread it around, I think it's important for us use to use it, and to start making the politicians stop lying to us and start working for the electorate instead of special interests.

The more the voters do this, the harder it will be for the politicians to continue with business as usual.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:34 PM

By the way, you can raise the visibility of those videos and the open letter by clicking on the "Digg" logo.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Bee
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 12:44 PM

Rick Mercer comes at the importance of the internet in politics from a slightly different direction - what aspiring politicians leave lying scattered in the Google-able past themselves.

The whole article is worth a read. So is the whole blog, IMO. I love Rick Mercer.

"But now I love blogs again. Blogs are serving an exciting new purpose: making politics interesting again. When I turn on the news and hear that another candidate is in trouble because of something they said on their blog I am like a kid at Christmas.

We are in a brave new time. In this election, like all of them before, there are people stepping forward for the first time. Candidates in their 20s and 30s (Reid is 28 years old, Warwa is 32) represent a generation of Canadians who's every movement from the womb to the ballot has been electronically recorded." - Rick Mercer

http://www.rickmercer.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/9/28/Who-can-survive-a-good-googling

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 02:57 PM

if they were dumb enough to vote for 'the first Christian mayor' - they deserved everything they got.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 02:59 PM

There are voters in Wasilla with regrets, ya betcha.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 05:27 PM

"clicking on the "Digg" logo. " - what Digg logo?

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 05:36 PM

Digg logos either say "digg" or are an icon of a square figure holding a shovel.
like thisdigg logo
or this symbol
digg icon

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 07:11 PM

You do realize that there is another side to the story? THere are those who thought she was a wonderful mayor. And the people who made those videos are biased? And that the truth is somewhere in the middle?

I will not vote for her but I am sick of elections based on right vs. wrong and good vs. bad. You can justify anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 07:11 PM

and someone will cheer you as brilliant while someone else condemns you as the anti-Christ.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 07:28 PM

There are two ways of lying - one is to tell falsehoods, the other is to leave out stuff that changes the story. I think it's unlikely that the Wasilla Project are telling falsehoods here, because it'd be too easy to show those up. And they are pretty specific accusations - cutting corners, not getting authorisation for spending, building on land which wasn't owned.

That means there's a prima facie case for believing that they are right in thinking she is a pretty dodgy politician, with a taste for taking advantage of her position. It's possible that there are specific explanations that change the way the story looks - but they'd need to be pretty specific. If so I'd expect other people in Wasilla to come up with them sharpish.

The fact that the people making the accusations might be her political opponents is irrelevant. After all, if they think she's that bad they'd have to be opposed to her.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 07:39 PM

This time in America I do think it is about opposing evil. Obama may not be perfect, but McCain/Palin is as about as dangerous as it gets.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 09:39 PM

Rick Mercer's great. I'm convinced my husband is related to him, although he doesn't agree.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 10:33 PM

Alice, I sent an email of thanks to the folks at the Wasilla Project. I got back a very nice, personal email, and was asked for suggestions on how to reach the undecideds with them. I gave them a couple of ideas, but I think youtube and folks spreading the word is their best bet, as well as letting Olberman and Maddow etc. know about them.

Thanks, again.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 11:49 PM

Speaking of undecideds, there are a lot more, still, than the media is reporting

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Janie
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 12:59 AM

Sins, I concur. While I unequivocally believe Obama/Biden are a much better choice than McCain/Palin, I think it important to recognize campaign propoganda for what it is, no matter which camp generates it. It is incorrect to regard information put out there for the specific purpose of swaying opinion as documentary.

True documentary provides all the known information, points out the pros and cons (or strengths and weaknesses), is balanced, and assumes that people with all the available information are capable of reaching a rational decision or choice.

There are good, thoughtful people who view Obama as the dangerous choice. I believe differently. It is a fact, however, that fact and belief are not synonyms. I resent "spin", regardless of the source, because I dislike attempts to manipulate. I consider it disrespectful and insulting. I also recognize that the politician who doesn't "spin" doesn't get elected.

Accepting reality doesn't mean I have to like it.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Janie
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 01:06 AM

I can't find the thread he posted to now, but Jimmy t. made a couple of very thoughtful, clear posts to one of these election threads within the last day or so.

Jimmy is a Conservative. He is a good, responsible, caring, compassionate man. I inferred from his posts that he will be voting for McCain. That doesn't make him an idiot. That doesn't make him wrong. It just means he and I have different paradigms through which we filter the world. His is as valid as is mine.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 01:48 AM

One of those posts of jimmyt's was in the joe the plumber thread, Janie.

I know each of them will spin, it's the outright lying, even after it's been found out, that bothers me. McCain and Palin seem to have gone overboard on that, almost as though they live in a different reality or are hoping they can "make it so" if they say it enough times.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Big Mick
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 02:07 PM

I would normally agree on that point, Mary, but this simply is not the case in this election. And it isn't confined to one party when it comes to Obama. The use of race code words, guilt by association, and playing to the subconscious fear base on race, have plagued this young man throughout the primaries and into the general election. And it makes me sick. This idea that anything is fair as long as one wins is exactly what is wrong with our system. The Clintons did it, and now McCain/Palin are doing it. But Obama's dedication to rising above it, the way he handles it with grace, these are the reasons I have said before that I believe him to be a transcendent political figure. It is my opinion, at least at this stage, that he has the grace, stature, wisdom, etc. to possibly be one of those Presidents that will go down in history as altering for the better the state of political discourse in this country. When one looks at who he listens to, and who have come to admire him, it is clear that many see the attributes of a history making leader.

I have spent my entire life in the fight for the civil rights of women, people of color, working people, and by extension all people. The real lesson of Obama lies in how he has handled all of this, and in the way he confronted John McCain onstage at the last debate, when he looked him in the eye, and with righteous anger yet controlled by respect, pointed out that McCain's supporters referred to him as a "terrorist, and shouted 'Kill him'". To one who reads the emotion in the facial expressions, Obama's face told a complete story that should have dispelled any further doubt to anyone who is not so completed blinded by self interest or partisanship. And McCain's did the same. Go back and view the tape.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 03:14 PM

Well said, Mick, and your other post, too. In fact that one is one of your best, one of those that should be read by all, imo, much like your famous Vietnam one. That is exactly the way I have felt about Obama since I saw him speak at the DNC four years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 04:28 PM

Yes sir, I concur. Yet to not put too fine a point on this controversy, deep inside on a gut level there is an existential stink because
she is full of shit.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Arkie
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 12:59 PM

In the past when I have cast a ballot for President it has most often been for the one I believed to the the best choice of those running for the office. Mick said very well something I also believe. Obama is not the usual candidate for public office. When he criticizes the McCain campaign it is done without malice or derision. He does not attempt to belittle his opponents or their ideas.   When it has been shown that he has misrepresented an idea or fact he has adjusted and does not repeat the error. He has attempted to unite the American people and shows respect for the intelligence of the American people. On the other hand, the McCain camp has attempted to belittle Obama and his experience with glib though often untrue statements. Sarah Palin has attempted to polarize the American people even further through her comments about the "real Americans". The McCain campaign is built around dividing the American people, deception, and seems to assume that if the public can be inflamed the people will not think. Even if the past eight years had been good ones, I would vote against people who campaign as we have seen with McCain and Palin. However, I do not have to vote against McCain or the people who have brought America into a real crisis of debt and war. Obama offers something I can embrace with hope and enthusiasim.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 03:36 PM

A visit to Wasilla, chat at a local bar about church and 9/11, interview the current mayor.... Here's the video.

Understanding Real America in Wasilla

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 08:37 PM

We got a call last night from our friend in Wasilla. She's a liberal Democrat (usually), but she was quite high on Palin when when came to visit in May. She's been hearing a barrage of anti-Obama propaganda, and some of the propaganda was having an effect on her and she had some worries about Obama. Her main question was how Obama could afford to go to those high-class universities if he came from a poor family, but I assured her that Obama was bright enough to get through college on scholarships.
By the end of the phone call, our friend had drifted back to the Democratic side, but I worry about her. She's dating a staunch Republican and living in Wasilla. She says Sarah has an 85% approval rating in Alaska.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 09:00 PM

Joe, that approval rating was immediately after the Republican convention when Alaska was excited about being in the spotlight.

Her approval rating has dropped since then. The Anchorage Daily News reports polls on Palin and other politicians in Alaska. It was at 65% around Oct 1, still a healthy approval, but the more people hear her talk, the lower her rating goes.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 09:16 PM

She probably meant she was the first REAL Christian mayor, like the first REAL American. She might be the first Pro American President.

She is good with that gut level thing.
Deep down on a gut level there is usually shit

More on shit here...http://www.slate.com/id/2202423

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 05:14 PM

Here is the 4th video in the Wasilla Project.
It is about the way Gov. Palin deliberately circumvented the public record of government emails by using her personal yahoo account instead.

Sarah Palin, the email scandal

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: akenaton
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 06:02 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: SINSULL - PM
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 07:11 PM

""You do realize that there is another side to the story? THere are those who thought she was a wonderful mayor. And the people who made those videos are biased? And that the truth is somewhere in the middle?

I will not vote for her but I am sick of elections based on right vs. wrong and good vs. bad. You can justify anything."

Sinsull....I will be looking at you with a lot more respect after that post....Ake

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 10:43 PM

"...but I assured her that Obama was bright enough to get through college on scholarships."


                      Do we know that for sure?

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Greg F.
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 08:03 AM

get a life

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 02:14 PM

No, Riginslinger....he received all the funding for his schooling from the Russian government because of his socialist ties.....and he also received schooling funds from muslim terrorists, the black panthers, the uvf, and the ira.

I know all this because I looked out of my window and I saw it in the clouds....I can see russia from my house in Oregon too....

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Alice
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 02:28 PM

I thought the funding came from the planet Krypton. lol

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 02:31 PM

That's good. I was afraid it might come through some avenue of affirmative action or Tony Rezko.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Amos
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 02:43 PM

IF you do not know that yet, Mr. Riginslimer, you have definitely not been paying attention.

And in not doing so, you are being untrue to the deepest ideals of the American republic, because you are leaving yourself ill-informed in spite of every opportunity and invitation to inform yourself of what is true and real out there. You are resorting instead to brute responses, of which a thinking citizen should, by rights, be ashamed.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:18 PM

Well, there's this from the "Obama File."



Even though Obama's Columbia grades fall below the Harvard norm, likely even below the affirmative action-adjusted black norm at Harvard, Obama began Harvard Law School in 1988.

Friends say he did not want anyone to assume they knew his mind and because of that, even those close to him did not always know exactly where he stood.

"He then and now is very hard to pin down," said Kenneth Mack, a classmate and now a professor at the law school, referring to the senator's on-the-one-hand, on-the-other-hand style.

Mack added, "Obama stood out from the beginning. He seemed more mature. Everyone understood he was a liberal. He didn't hide that."

Harvard
Law
Benefactor How exactly did Barack Obama pay for his Harvard Law School education?

The way the Obama campaign has answered the question was simply hard work and student loans, even though Obama's financial disclosures found no trace of any outstanding college loans, going back to 2000. Michelle Obama contradicted this claim by saying that the couple had "only just" paid off their student loans after receiving book royalties paid out in 2005 and 2006.

But new questions have been raised about Obama's student loans and Obama's ties to a radical Muslim activist who reportedly was raising money for Obama's Harvard studies during the years 1988 to 1991.

The allegations first surfaced in late March, when former Manhattan Borough president Percy Sutton told a New York cable channel that a former business partner who was "raising money" for Obama had approached him in 1988 to help Obama get into Harvard Law School.

In this video interview, Sutton says he first heard of Obama about twenty years ago from Khalid Al-Mansour, who Sutton described as advisor to "one of the world's richest men," Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: MaineDog
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:38 PM

Donuel is right: REAL CHRISTIANS don't think that Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, etc are "real". To be REAL you must not belong to a denominational church, and you must take direction directly from God and His prophets. Sorry, democracy is not scriptural, theocracy is. We get the leaders we deserve, by God's grace, whether we like them or not.
Been there, done that. I'm seeing things differently nowadays.
MD

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Barry Finn
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:42 PM

You are unbeliveable Rig, that's the worst piece of shit I've read so far about Obama. Where do you get this & what planet are yu from?
It seems that you don't have a self thing cell in your head, think that whole thing through. And please don't pollute the internet with such trash, there's more than enough bad trash being floated about without adding this vile to it.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:55 PM

Simply type in "Obama Education," and it just pops up.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Barry Finn
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:00 PM

You need to stop believing in the pop ups that you'd like to be true & start using your brain or what's left of it

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: MaineDog
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:10 PM

Well, actually, I do think that Obama is bright enough to earn a Harvard Scholarship. Besides he is "diverse" , meaning not your average Massachusetts smart guy or NYC Jewish liberal, which would have given him an advantage.
MD

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:18 PM

Yeah, but, people happily print stuff like that about Sarah Palin all the time. Why should only thinking people have to think?

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Barry Finn
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 05:51 PM

I haven't seen any thing in print that claims Sara Palin is intelligent or well educated written by an intelligent person.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 06:13 PM

Maybe your problem is in identifying intelligent persons. A lot of Obama supporters seem to be afflicted that way.

Subject: RE: BS: Wasilla, Alaska speaks about Palin
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 06:43 PM

Yeah I would like to think of myself as afflicted with intelligence....better than some mouthpiece voting against his own best interest.