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| 5/24 |
| 2008/9/9-14 [Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51117 Activity:nil |
9/8 What is with PALIN and her BLATANT LIES? wtf
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/09/tpmtv_palin_a_reformer_simply_laughable_--_background.php
\_ Wait, so "politico" is a right-wing rag, and tpm is okay?!?
\_ Do you deny the charges? Even the WSJ is noticing how much of a
liar Palin is.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122090791901411709.html
\_ I'm looking into the bridge issue. It's the only one that may
have merit. However, considering how much mud has been thrown,
I'm not going to accept it unless it's rock-solid. Also, the
Alaskan Dems credited her with killing it, though they've
since scrubbed their site of that. Here's the google cache:
http://tinyurl.com/5cqdw9
\_ Once it became obvious that the Bridge was a national
disgrace AND CONGRESS WASN'T WILLING TO FUND THE ENTIRE
THING, Palin killed the project because she didn't want
to spend state money on it, but happilly kept all the
money the federal government had given her already for
the project. Read that WSJ article, I'm pretty sure WSJ
is ideologically pure enough for you.
\_ "However, Gov. Sarah Palin said the $398 million bridge
was $329 million short of full funding, and only $36
million in federal funds were set aside for it. She
said it was clear Congress had little interest in
spending any more money for it and that the state had
higher priorities."
This hardly sounds like "killing it." Also, there is a
charge that although they stopped the project, AK kept
the money.
\- also WSJ:
...today, Sen. McCain again asserted that
Sen. Obama has requested nearly a billion in
earmarks. In fact, the Illinois senator
requested $311 million last year, according
to the Associated Press, and none this
year. In comparison, Gov. Palin has
requested $750 million in her two years as
governor -- which the AP says is the largest
per-capita request in the nation. |
| 5/24 |
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| talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/09/tpmtv_palin_a_reformer_simply_laughable_--_background.php We've pulled the relevant clips and transcripts so readers can have the exact context in which Palin made her various remarks defending and supporting the Bridge to Nowhere. The first clip in the video comes from Palin speaking at the gubernatorial KTUU Debate on October 29, 2006. About ten minutes into the debate, she and the other candidates are asked about the "Bridge to Nowhere," Palin gives the first response. Question: There are three major bridge and road projects greenlighted by the Murkowski administration the Knik Arm Bridge, the Gravina Island Bridge, and the Juneau Access Project. Now, odds are that after the whole "Bridge to Nowhere" label by the national press and their cronies, there'll be no more federal money coming. So my question for you is which of these projects do you support, and is this the best use of current federal transportation dollars and future state transportation dollars? Sarah Palin: You know, I support these infastructure projects, and will build Alaskans, it's cheeper to do today than it is tomorrow. And I support our congressional delegations, they work very hard strong efforts with the delegation strength that they have today in their positions, especially Don Young and his position on transportation making sure that Alaska and her cities with TEALU funds and other funding sources the ability to start making progress on these projects. We'll also make sure though that those projects are not put in front of the some of the safety measures that have to be taken today with some of our existing projects. But, supporting, defending our congressional delegation, it's now or never for some of these projects. Here Palin appears at a November 2, 2006 round table with the gubernatorial candidates. An hour and three minutes into the debate, she is asked about her stance on the money being spent to build a road to the Ketchikan airport bridge -- also known as the Gravina Island bridge -- also known as the Bridge to Nowhere. Larry Persily: Governor Knowles is pushing hard at his department of transportation to rush and issue a contract for about three miles of gravel road which could someday become an approach to the Ketchikan airport bridge. I'm not gonna stand in the way of progress that our congressional delegation, in the position of strength that they have right now -- they're making those efforts for the state of Alaska to build up our infrastructure. I would not get in the way of progress of this project or other projects that they're working so hard on. So no, not to cancel a contract in the first 72 hours of my administration, that won't be part of my agenda. Here Sarah Palin appears at a breakfast meeting in October 2006 at the Alaska Professional Design Council forum and is asked about funding development of Alaska's infrastructure. In addition to stating her support in expanding Alaska's infrastructure with federal monies, she praises the federal earmarks garnered by Alaska's congressional delegation. Question: Many of Alaska's major mining discoveries are located in remote sites that have neither roads nor electricity. Do you believe that the State of Alaska should assist these developments by subsidizing the development of the basic infrastructure, providing a tax holiday for a period of time, offering state financing of the necessary infrastructure, or perhaps, all of the above, none of the above, or some of the above? Sarah Palin: Uh, well, when I was a municipal mayor and administrator out here in the fastest growing area of Alaska, you know, I'd get real frustrated at times with the state's STIP process and the federal process to produce our road monies. I think it should be all about local control and priorities because people there at the local level their best able to make judgements on the projects that do affect them in our communities. Now, I'm going to fight hard with our federal delegation for the federal financial support of our infrastructure that Alaska deserves. It may have to take, though, minimizing that conventional earmark process, though, in the federal funding, because Alaska, in reality, is we're not always seen in a real favorable light in Congress, and we should find a diplomatic and supportable way to go about requesting those federal funds. And our congressional delegation, God bless them, they do a great job for us. The strength of our delegation there in DC is the envy of all other states. But we have to help them in our efforts by making our wish-lists into target lists. And we can't kid ourselves, Representative Don Young, especially God bless him for transportation. Alaska did so well under the very basic provisions of the transportation act that he wrote just a couple of years ago. We had a nice bump and we are very very fortunate to receive the largess that Don Young was able to put together for Alaska. TEALU will benefit Alaska handsomely, very well for the next five years, before it goes up for renewal again. We can do well getting our infrastructure developed in this time with the combination of annual state and federal highway dollars. As Governor for the entire state, too, remember that my responsibility for transportation projects will include state airports and the marine highway system also. But building transportation infrastructure that leads to good legacy jobs for Alaska's families that we deserve that's what in a resource rich, resource dependent state that's what should be our agenda here for the state of Alaska. |
| online.wsj.com/article/SB122090791901411709.html MORE Record Contradicts Palin's 'Bridge' Claims By ELIZABETH HOLMES and LAURA MECKLER September 9, 2008 The Bridge to Nowhere argument isn't going much of anywhere. Despite significant evidence to the contrary, the McCain campaign continues to assert that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told the federal government "thanks but no thanks" to the now-famous bridge to an island in her home state. a television advertisement Monday morning titled "Original Mavericks." The narrator of the 30-second spot boasts about the pair: "He fights pork-barrel spending. Palin, who John McCain named as his running mate less than two weeks ago, quickly adopted a stump line bragging about her opposition to the pork-barrel project Sen. See a video gallery of television ads run by the candidates and outside groups. She endorsed the multimillion dollar project during her gubernatorial race in 2006. And while she did take part in stopping the project after it became a national scandal, she did not return the federal money. "We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge," Gov. Palin said in August 2006, according to the local newspaper, "and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that's so negative." The bridge would have linked Ketchikan to the airport on Gravina Island. issued a press release that the money for the project was being "redirected." "Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer," she said. "Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened." Palin put it this way: "I told Congress thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere. If the state wanted to build a bridge we would built it ourselves." Senior adviser Mark Salter pointed to her role in killing the project while in office and allocating the money elsewhere. When pressed further that it was actually Congress that stopped the earmark, Mr Salter said: "She stopped it, too. Mr Salter added that he welcomed a fight over earmarks with the Obama campaign. Republican presidential candidate John McCain (right) and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, at a campaign rally in Lee's Summit, Mo Getty Images Republican presidential candidate John McCain (right) and his running mate, Alaska Gov. He accused the vice presidential nominee of lobbying for the bridge and then hiding her initial position when she ran for governor and the project became unpopular. It's like "being for it before you were against it," Sen. Obama said, a reference to a damaging statement John Kerry made in 2004. McCain's anti-earmarks stance has been paramount to his campaign. The Arizona senator has blamed everything from the Minneapolis bridge collapse to Hurricane Katrina on Congress's willingness to stuff bills full of pork barrel spending. Palin's image as a "reformer" is part of the storyline the McCain campaign needs to complement the top of its ticket. Her quip about passing on the bridge and "building it ourselves" has been a staple of her stump. released an advertisement pointing out her original support of the bridge. Palin holding up a T-shirt that was made shortly after the bridge caught national attention. It reads "NOWHERE ALASKA" and "99901," the zip code of Ketchikan. The McCain campaign jumped back with spokesman Brian Rogers calling the attacks "hysterical." "The only people 'lying' about spending are the Obama campaign. The only explanation for their hysterical attacks is that they're afraid that when John McCain and Sarah Palin are in the White House, Barack Obama's nearly $1 billion in earmark spending will stop dead in its tracks," Mr Rogers said. In fact, the Illinois senator requested $311 million last year, according to the Associated Press, and none this year. Palin has requested $750 million in her two years as governor -- which the AP says is the largest per-capita request in the nation. |
| tinyurl.com/5cqdw9 -> 64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:szpJxaSZwiMJ:www.retireted.com/real-estate/gravina-bridge/ted-earmarked-funds-for-bridge-that-goes-nowhere/+ Ted Earmarked Funds for Bridge that Goes Nowhere * Stevens championed proposed bridge near Ketchikan that became national symbol of wasteful spending * Sen. Murkowski's family would benefit personally from the bridge * State of Alaska killed bridge The proposed Gravina Island Bridge, also known as the "Bridge to Nowhere," became a national symbol of wasteful congressional spending and driver of earmark reform. State of Alaska officially abandoned the controversial project. The Gravina Island Bridge initially received $223 million in 2005 via earmarks by Alaska Senators Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski. The bridge would have connected Ketchikan, Alaska with its local airport on nearby Gravina Island (population 50). Congress stripped the earmark after a national uproar about it but appropriated the money anyway for unspecified transportation uses. Frank Murkowski's administration set aside about $113 million of the appropriation for the Ketchikan bridge. Sarah Palin said the $398 million bridge was $329 million short of full funding, and only $36 million in federal funds were set aside for it. She said it was clear Congress had little interest in spending any more money for it and that the state had higher priorities. The attempt to redirect the bridge money was defeated, but Congress later removed the earmarks after intense public criticism. Frank Murkowski, is co-owner with her three siblings of a 35-acre parcel of land on Gravina Island. The plot is valued at $245,000 and is within a mile of the bridge's western end. the Murkowski family has taken umbrage at any suggestion of impropriety. Murkowski called her family's undeveloped Gravina parcel "a worthless piece of property." |