Politics | 03/23/2009 8:35 am
Sarah Palin Under Fire for Stimulus Rejection
© AP
Sarah Palin received an earful from constituents this weekend when dozens of Alaska voters gathered to protest the governor’s rejection of education-related stimulus dough.
Palin must have sensed this protest coming, for last week the Democratic National Committee made headlines when they came out against Palin’s decision, which would leave about $170 million in education assistance in Washington. The furor, however, may have been larger than she anticipated.
The protesters gathered outside of an Anchorage library where lawmakers were meeting to hear complaints, but many of the messages were written on placards, including one that read "We need a governor, not a presidential candidate," reports the Miami Herald. There has also been a series of articles and op-eds taking aim at Palin’s decision.
One local journalist, Ethan Berkowitz, blasted Palin for not only refusing the education money, but also money that would help victims of domestic violence and $2 million to feed the hungry. She wrote:
The reality of governing means that the governor and her administration have the responsibility to make informed decisions before acting. The evidence here is that the governor failed to consult with would-be beneficiaries of the stimulus, a failure of process that belies her promises of open and transparent governance.
…
As for the education funds — it doesn’t make sense that zero funds to teach kids for the next two years is better than $170 million for that time frame, that special-education students should forego $34 million and that declining $50,000 of emergency school lunch money does any good.
So governor, do the right thing. Take the stimulus. Make sure Alaskans know that you truly have our interests at heart.
Palin has described the stimulus package as nothing more than a bribe. We wonder if the public outrage will change her mind.
Read more about: Alaska, Democratic National Committee, Domestic Violence, Education, News, Sarah Palin, Stimulus
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Again the editors throw out a cut and past article on the issue…failing to inform people that she has asked for further review on the monies she has questions on!
Palin wants discussion on stimulus fundsSTIMULUS FUNDS: $288 million that Palin said she wouldn’t ask for is still open for discussion.
Palin wants discussion on stimulus fundsSTIMULUS FUNDS: $288 million that Palin said she wouldn’t ask for is still open for discussion.
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/730545.html
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/139467
"“What we think we need is kind of a time-out where we back up and pause, and we really think about what we’re doing here, and we work with the lawmakers and their priorities, and we think about what we’re spending, why we’re spending it. We have to be real about this. And we’re going to invite Alaska’s discussion via our lawmakers on this issue.“I will not request stimulus package funds that subject Alaska to more federal control and ever-increasing federal mandates. And that’s why we’re seeking more information on every line item that we’d have to include if we were to request more from the feds. That’s what the open, legislative, public process will provide – more opportunity for more information.”
Regarding the education funds in the stimulus, the governor wrote to a concerned parent Thursday: “I have to certify that every dollar we apply for will legitimately create new jobs and stimulate the economy. I can’t certify that fact until the Legislature is comfortable with what education’s fiscal landscape will look like if we apply for the funds, grow more programs, hire teachers but then have to lay them off if the Legislature isn’t willing to continue funding.
“We’ve increased education funding in Alaska at historical levels during my administration because it is our priority. We want to make sure any new dollars complement what we’ve already grown.”
I am totally mystified by the argument that we will be saddling future generations with debt if we accept the stimulus money. Stimulus implies to stimulate. Yes the economy, a hopefully short term strategy that will dig us out of the mess we are in economicaly. Why would we punish this generation by not taking money for education? How in the world does that make sense. If these children are not educated how are they going to have a future?
I keep seeing talk of strings. What strings? The only argument I see is that possible programs could be cut in two years if the money runs out. Well here is a news flash schools are already cutting programs to the bone and laying off teachers because of a lack of funding.
From what I have been reading Alaska has one of the highest drop out rates in the country. They have one school that is already 200 thousand dollars over budget and will have to close if she does not take the money. They also have many schools in desperate need of repair. What is gained by not taking stimulus money?
I was raised in the 70’s and remember that recession and others. I have worked my whole life to help pay for budget deficits why is now so different? Is it because of this President? Is obstruction helping anyone? I have no problem with analyzing and questioning but I do have a problem with hurting people who are already in need because of this economy.
I personaly think it is irresponsible to keep denying the children that are already here.
LynnDee..this stimulus bill does little to stimulate the economy for at least two years ( they have admitted to that). It also multiplys ( along with TARP, and the upcoming budget) any debt we may have expereienced in the past 10 fold!
What we have to do to possibly ever recover is reduce SPENDING like any family would do when incomes are not there to support our wants!
The "Strings" are in the terms of the money….they are all grants that have to meet certian criteria, require wide spread changes in existing building codes, must be spent quickly to have any kind of stimulating effect. Would you give money to your kids and say spend it as fast as you can on anything that fits the criteria even if it is wrong, wasteful and not consistant wit our already set goals?
Aslo spend it on things that you do not want to get used to in the future as the money oit has a bottom..but remember that it will still have to be paid back no matter.
Alaska has a unique problem with highschool drop outs in the rural villages. If you have never done any research or been there you have no clue. It is almost like a foreign country where different languages are spoken. The villages can no longer survive economically due to hunting restrictions, and severe weather so they are suffering from gentrification. The subsist on government subsidies almost entirely. The school districts are suffering because there is no industry to tax or support it.
Besides what children are there have left to go to the cities where they have chance for a job and do not return. The drop out rates are indicitive of the problems. They are dying and throwing more public money at them is not the solution.
Before you even try to compare theior situation to that of 99% of the lower 48’s ..you can’t! It is apple and oranges.
Why would people object to not wasting tax payer monies?
The point here is the DNC wants to put any bad light they can on Palin as they see her as a REAL threat in 2012 if Obama continues to flounder!
I have followed the Alaska natives and the issues they face. I have donated money to help with the crisis they are in this winter. Nowhere in your post do you say how Gov. Palin is meeting these challenges in her state and how she will solve these problems. I also know that you cannot blame the drop out rate on the Rural villages. The cities are having the same problems.
I have gone back and re read about the great depression. If we don’t inject money into our economy and get people working we will be in another great depression for this generation.
President Obama has had 60 days to straighten out the huge issues in this country. Some of you may believe that rhetoric about the Messiah garbage, but I don’t he is a man trying to get his feet under him and fix the problems.
I see where this is going more inflammatory talking points. Sad.
Lynne..this is just one article. YOu can find others on the same site. Do try to remember Sarah has only been in office 2.5 years and has a state legislature who makes the final decisions on funds!
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/541120.html
EducationAs governor, Palin pushed for increased school funding
LynnDee, please allow me, the States that make up the United States of America have separate sovereigns from the Federal Govt. No State is under obligation to accept anything from the Federal Govt. States by right can reject and grow and produces what’s needed in there State to become self-substanting. The citizens of that State has the right to fix or repair anything they want without the help or assists from the Federal Govt.!
The laws and bylaws of the U. S. Constitution give the States the rights!
So if you have a strong smart governor of that state, he or she would not just run to accept money from the Federal Govt. with all the strings attach but would be wise enough to know when and how much they could afford!
Its called running a State!
Unlike what Obama and the Congress is doing!
FEDERAL CONTROL over the masses & separate states/communities in America by creating MASSIVE Federal DEBT that we had no control or power over as a people- but have been FORCED INTO without our vote-under our noses -to pay for their wealthy games-this is their trick. Bush, Obama- are both a part of this. We’ve GOT TO WAKE UP!
That is the issue here.
Some can be bought. Maybe many can be bought. What kind of people are we? Whenever a country has gone the way of animal farm and the ignorance of the diaper baby doper mentality allows for Uncle Sam’s Plantation to rule the slave masses from the federal top-we’ve lost AMERICA-AND ALL THAT IT HAS STOOD for from our days of controlling our own communities. All of us-LEFT and RIGHT are looking at a tiny peek of Communism coming, running amuck with the swoop of a pen and big bucks to big boys -AIG. This is not the HOPE we waited for-this is death. We have to see that we are not each other’s enemies as Americans. We have to fight our true enemy-Massive Govt control over our lives at the top by the cons. It’s BOSTON TEA PARTY TIME W/LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE AMERICANS STANDING AS ONE TO SAVE AMERICA AGAINST OUR REAL ENEMY THAT HAS DECEIVED FROM BOTH PARTIES AT THE TOP. Govt. by the people-for the people-one state at a time. No taxation without representation. We had better wake up quick and stand as one for FREEDOM. Like in Russia-a despot at the top rewards the big boys their buckos-pretends to "not know what’s going on" (liar, liar, pants on fire) and American’s lose control of their states as silly laden individuals taking the bait. Don’t be fools. Sarah is stepping back as she has in the past even with conservative dupes that tried to manipulate her. This education deal is bigger than it appears on the front end. HE WHO CAN BE BOUGHT WILL SOON BE SLAUGHTERED for DINNER-says the sly WOLF.
Imagine if a rich uncle made a down payment on an Escalade for you, but you had to buy the gas and insurance, and make the payments.
You might decide to keep driving the car you have the pink slip on, iff you are intelligent enough to think ahead.
Palin and Rice for Pres & VP !
This is just another ball tossed in the air by the Democratic sooth sayers so we do not pay attention to what is not going on in the White House. Short term solutions are just that. If you needed money and I gave you some to cover the immediate need yet you do not have the ability to pay it back - what do you do when it arises again? I might lend you more but not with out strings. It is a stop gap solution that emasses huge debt and is a circle we end up in and often cannot get out of in our personal lives. So times this by the trillions that it is costing us on the federal level. It would not make sense to run your house this way so why would they thnk running the country this way is a smart thing to do?
Sarah Palin is just a target they want people to throw garbage at. Go ahead and waste your time doing it folks instead of paying attention to the real problems.
One more thing - according to the Alaskan newspaper there MAY have been fifty people at that protest …. Even they did not appear to know what it was she was actually doing.
Hello friends, I haven’t wrote in a while but I I have to point out that our governor, Phil Bredesen, a DEMOCRAT was concerned with the same thing Sarah Palin was—that he would have to fund programs that he could could not fund when the fed’s money was gone. He is a past smart businessman, and an extremely smart guy. So for all of those who love Phil Bredesen, Sarah Palin did the same thing. Just had to point that out.
Is there anything at all that Sarah Palin could do that you wouldn’t ascribe to some sort of self-serving, ulterior motive? Seriously, if she asks for money, she’s evil, dishonest, etc; if she refuses money, she’s dishonest, posturing, etc. That poor woman is damned if she does, and damned if she doesn’t!