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I Love the Smell of Fiscal Conservatism In the Morning
Balloon Juice —
From the liberal Wall Street Journal:
The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.
The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin’s legacy ...
Except you have actual responsibilities
Rising Hegemon —
How'd Ol' Nanook of the North do on that front? The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters. The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. ...
Real Vetting Roundup
Daily Kos —
... Palin's administration isn't shying away from that earmark, which may cost taxpayers between $450 million to $1.5 billion. Speaking of earmarks, McCain can't be too happy that his choice for VP was so earmark-eager that, in reaction to getting federal money for a earmarks that McCain himself opposed , she wrote: "We did well!" Wasilla is the "meth capital of Alaska." Does "executive experience" as the mayor of Wasilla include royally screwing up a building project at the taxpayer's expense?: WASILLA, ...
Palin's Hockey Rink Leads To Legal Trouble in Town She Led
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News —
... ceremonial mayor; she was in charge of running the city. So it was her job to make sure things were done correctly." Ms. Palin, now Alaska's governor and Republican Sen. John McCain's running mate, has pointed to her two terms as Wasilla's mayor, from 1996 to 2002, as evidence that she has enough executive experience to take on the presidency, should the need arise -- more than Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who touts his own background as a community organizer in Chicago. Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122065537792905483.html... I found this to be an interesting ...
More Of The Same
Obsidian Wings —
... by hilzoy
From the WSJ:
"The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.
The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned ...
She's ready on day one
Speak On Topics —
... costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned into a financial mess that continues to plague Wasilla. "It's too bad that the city of Wasilla didn't do their homework and secure the land before they began construction," said Kathy Wells, a longtime activist here. "She was not your ceremonial mayor; she was in charge of running the city. So it was her job to make sure things were done correctly." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122065537792905483.html?mod=special_page_campaign2008_topbox ...
More Of The Same
Political Animal —
More Of The Same From the WSJ : "The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters. The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned into a financial mess that ...
Oops ...
Talking Points Memo —
From the WSJ ...
The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.
The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the ...
Palin’s Sports Complex Boondoggle - Conservative Leadership?
The Moderate Voice —
Sarah Palin cites not only her 18 months as Governor of Alaska to defend her conservative, reformist record, but also her 6-year stint as Mayor of Wasilla.
According to the Wall Street Journal, however, her signature accomplishment as Mayor was not exactly an example of conservative leadership or executive competence.
Under her guidance the city pushed for an expensive indoor sports complex to be paid for by city taxpayers and financed through bonds. After much local discussion of the complex, it passed a citywide referendum by 306-286. Yes, that was the TOTAL vote in the referendum, suggesting just how small the electorate is in Wasilla and how ...
Mean Girls
The Mahablog —
Last week I questioned whether Sarah Palin would appeal to small-town women as much as the GOP assumes she will. This was a criticism coming from my own small-town roots.
Although I realize anecdotal evidence needs to be taken with a big grain of salt, I call your attention to “Sarah Palin’s appeal to working-class women may be limited” in today’s Los Angeles Times. The reporters, Faye Fiore and Peter Wallsten, interviewed women in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and found them to be, um, underwhelmed by Sarah Palin. Many were turned off by Palin’s meanness and sarcasm.
When Palin belittled Obama’s ...
On Palin's Executive Skills
TalkLeft —
Via Mahablog, the Wall St. Journal reports on one of Gov. Sarah Palin's projects as Mayor of Wasilia, Alaska. The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters. The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin’s legacy has turned ...
A Disastrous Mayor
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan —
Are we allowed to ask questions about her tenure as mayor of Wasilla? Here's a story from the Wall Street Journal, exposing just how fiscally and operationally reckless Palin's mayorship of Wasilla was: The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook
as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played
hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan
winters.
The only catch was that the city began building roads and
installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the
land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra
costs for a small ...
Sunday reading: Hockey what?
Ben Smith's Blog —
Chile sauce!
Nate Silver, on his home sports turf, Sean Quinn has an inspired Palin argument: She's not a hockey mom, but a "hockey agitator."
McCain says he'll appoint Democrats. (Lieberman will need somewhere to go, too.)
Inhofe questions Obama's patriotism.
Obama will lunch will Bill.
Palin avoids questions for a ninth day, which sort of encourages those of us in the press to raise them.
Gibson will, at some point, get the first interview.
David Wade is amused.
The WSJ adds to the list of questions, with a story about the planning for Palin's ...
Separating Palin Fact From Palin Fiction
Pajamas Media —
The complete (but still growing) list of Palin rumors: good, bad, and fishy. [image] Whether it’s really a Chinese curse or not, you can’t say we don’t live in interesting times. Two weeks ago, I was reporting from the Democratic National Convention; the Obama bounce looked solid, and on Thursday night, following the Mile High Annunciation, things were looking pretty grim for the Grumpy Old Man and the GOP. Of course, by Friday morning, things were looking rather different — Sarah Palin was announced as the vice presidential choice, political junkies were seeing their chiropractors about their whiplash injuries, and suddenly a new fresh face was in a free-fire zone. Now, make no ...
What's the Difference Between a Pit Bull and a Hockey Rink?
Hit & Run —
Pit bulls don't arrive 10 years late and for more than a million dollars that you budgeted. Michael Phillips has the whole gruesome story of how plucky small town Mayor Sarah Palin botched up her biggest development project. Hockey is much loved in Wasilla, and Ms. Palin, whose son was a star player, wanted to build an indoor rink, with a track, basketball courts and soccer field. In the late 1990s, the city sought a 145-acre parcel owned by the Nature Conservancy, which wanted to sell the land to buy more environmentally sensitive property elsewhere. City officials negotiated a price of $126,000. Months passed without the city's securing a signed purchase ...
The US Magazine Article: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Palin Bandwagon
Debbie Schlussel —
By Debbie Schlussel
I will never vote for Obama/Biden. And I plan to hold my nose and vote for McCain/Palin in November. And while I like Sarah Palin and initially cheered the pick, I'm not the over-the-top "St. Sarah the Messiah" type so many in the lumpenconservatariat seem to be. It's the same halo the left and the media are giving the other Messiah, Barack Obama--and which the St. Sarah the Messiah crowd rightfully complains about. I'm always skeptical of hype and extreme gushing, even when it's by those on my side. And that's the case here.
Why? Well, when you closely examine her record, she ain't the conservative she's ...
Musings Over Morning Coffee
Daily Kos —
Why is Sarah Palin labeled a reformer? Palin, more "cable catnip" than the latest poll, turns out to be just another ethically-challenged Republican, as ordinary as a Jack Abramoff indictment. Alaska is smaller scale, but what's the difference? In her run as small town mayor, the "hockey mom" screwed the town over a hockey arena. The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters. The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it ...
Wasilla Charged Victims for Rape Kits
Shakesville —
While Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the police department was charging rape victims for their own rape kits: While the Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies have covered the cost of exams, which cost between $300 to $1,200 apiece, the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests. Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon does not agree with the new legislation, saying the law will require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams. "In the past weve charged the cost of exams to the victims insurance company when possible. I just dont want ...
(Updated) Sarah Palin’s Incredible Lightness Of Being: The Revelations Continue To Roll In
The Moderate Voice —
In Part One, we learned that Sarah Palin has taken stands opposite John McCain on open government and sex education, feuds with members of her extended family, lies about little things as well as big things, has never expressed a conviction on a major issue, there is a concerted effort to quash an investigation in which she is accused of firing a political enemy, she attends a church where some pretty weird stuff gets preached and, as a true-blue Christianist, effortlessly mixes religion and politics.
On to Part Deux:
Palin billed taxpayers for over 300 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, ...
Palin Has a Track Record of Managerial Malfeasance: She'd Drill the U.S. Economy into the Ground, Given the Chance
BuzzFlash.org - Progressive News and Commentary with an Attitude | Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash —
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS by Meg White With economic news on the front page these days, there's no shortage of claims about what each presidential candidate will do for our country's financial problems. After looking over the evidence, we at BuzzFlash have determined that the McCain/Palin ticket will drill our economy into the ground. As the evidence of economic incompetence mounts, we realized that, in order to tell this story, we'd have to split McCain and Palin up in order to fully cover the issue. So, today we're tackling the financial record of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but stay tuned for our analysis of Sen. John McCain coming soon. Obviously, Palin has less of a record to ...
