Monday, March 23, 2009

Palin Rejects Stimulus.



Palin seems determined not to anger the right wing base ahead of 2012 so she is rejecting some 30% of the stimulus plan being offered to Alaska.

The $290 million she is rejecting would help the unemployed, the aged, help to immunise the populace, and includes $171 million for education.

And her stance strikes me as especially odd considering the fact that Alaska already takes more money from the federal government, per capita, than any other state in the US.

"After soliciting and accepting more federal dollars per capita than any other governor in the union, Sarah Palin's decision today to deny the state of Alaska over half a billion dollars in recovery and reinvestment funds - including millions for schools, energy and public safety - appears to be nothing more than political posturing,'' said Brad Woodhouse, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.

"At a time when her state is suffering, Alaska's working families cannot afford a governor that puts her political future ahead of the needs of the state and its families."
It does strike me as political posturing and it says to me that Palin still has her eyes firmly fixed on the 2012 ticket.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh no, she doesn't mind taking as much as she can when the spotlight is off. But given the chance to look tough and "conservative," well, those dollars suddenly become untrustworthy.

Perhaps these GOP governors are playing with fire, denying these dollars. But then again, their base is one that simply doesn't pay attention to egghead shit like the "news." In all likelihood, most of these governors' base players won't even know the dipshits turned down billions for their state.

Besides, don't need no stinkin' ejukashun in 'Laska! Huntin', fishin', hockey! Woot!


cheers,

ken

Anonymous said...

There are some valid reasons for rejecting some of that. I haven't looked into all of it, but I know that at least the unemployment has enough future federal strings attached that I wouldn't likely have accepted it.

Kel said...

SP, There might very well be reasons not to take the unemployment part of the package, but I still feel that Palin is shamelessly playing to the right wing crowd here, with her eye firmly fixed on 2012.

This is not a decision based on principle, no matter what she says. This is politics, pure and simple.