Palin raises objections to stimulus

Posted: Saturday, March 28, 2009 2:00 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Economy, Sarah Palin

From NBC's Mark Murray
In an Anchorage Daily News op-ed this weekend, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin outlines her criticisms of the Obama stimulus -- and why she's raising objections to some of the funds. (Hat tip: Ben Smith.)

Under federal law, I must certify that every stimulus dollar will create new jobs and stimulate the economy. I take that charge seriously. Accordingly, I've requested $514.4 million for capital projects that legitimately create new private sector jobs. Shovel-ready projects are certifiable because they put people to work and grow Alaska's private-sector economy.

Unfortunately, a disproportionate percentage of the federal package available to Alaska would increase government operations. It's a stretch to certify that more spending on more bureaucracy actually grows an economy.

When stimulus money runs out in two years, who will pay for the expanded government programs, when Alaska currently has a budget shortfall of over a billion dollars? My administration will not willingly and knowingly dig a hole for Alaskans to fill under this enormous, debt-ridden, Washington spending plan. That's why public discussion on budget increases must happen through open, transparent legislative hearings so everyone is aware of the cost.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

It is so sad for Alaskans that they have to put up with this crap. Same goes for SC having to put up with Sanders.

rosie (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 2:31 PM)

Unfortunately, a disproportionate percentage of the federal package available to Alaska would increase government operations.
-----------------------------------------------------

Increased government operations to put people back to work immediately. I'm sure alot of these are posted as contract positions that only have a one or two year tenure. (You see that on USAJOBS.com all the time)

Also, if you have Jobs and money put back into the system, wouldn't you have growth and catch up to the shortfall that you speak of??

Lastly...Why don't you take that oil rebate and put it toward your budget shortfall there socialist sarah

GP NW Indiana (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 2:44 PM)

Well, Palin is right. thats exactly what will happen and it has happened before. Look at the DOT, from every state on the mainland. The highway system is so extensive, due to money donated by the federal government, that the only way state highways can have up keep is for more money to be handed by the federal gov.

jeff (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 2:50 PM)

His name is Sanford, by the way.

And would that all states had to "put with this crap" of open, public dialogue about government spending that puts us all in debt.

hrh, Ledyard, CT (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:03 PM)

Alaska is lucky to have Gov. Palin. Too bad every governor doesn't reject the money that is meant only to grow government, and increase dependency.

I like this: Some, enticed with as much Washington money as possible, assume this is free money. It is not. America is $11 trillion in debt.

and this: My job is to help Alaskans count the cost for the long term, not sell our birthright for short-term gain. Alaskans must acknowledge that if we dig a fiscal hole, it will be filled by our families and businesses. Reliance on Washington is not our only option. We could exercise fiscal responsibility and prudent planning, develop our resources, energize Alaskans, and revitalize our spirit. We are up to the challenge. This is the best lesson we can teach our children.

Her's is the kind of fiscal leadership we need in the Cesspool on the Potomac.

greg, apple valley MN (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:08 PM)

Governor Palin is doing what other fiscally conservative Governors are doing about the stimulus and that is taking a good look at the money which will come in that have strings attached, which will only grow government, and will not create jobs. She is being very wise and prudent about this.

Becky Chapman (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:19 PM)

Whatever it takes for this woman to stand out from the crowd, huh? If she'll get more attention being part of the problem, then quite obviously she's going to reject the solution.

Mark, Fort Mill, SC (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:22 PM)

Sarah is the second coming of President Ronald Reagan. Sarah will win in 2012 and I know she will bring our country back to greatness.

Tom (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:22 PM)

enough of federal govt in alaska. throw them out and time to succeed from them.

jerry tok ak. (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:30 PM)

Palin knows more than the liberal whack-jobs that blog on First Read so they can collectively stick in in their ear and push through to the other side..

The illiteracy among them is hard to comprehend. They just hate people for the sake of hating.

Sarah will be around long after the pip-squeaking wannabees on this blog.

Moonshadow (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:31 PM)

spend the money and stimulate the economy of Alaska-- don't spend the money and don't stimulate the economy of alaska--thats why it is called a stimulus--

MHD, Alaska (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:38 PM)

Good for Governor Palin! I hope she runs for President in 2012, because if she does, she sure has my vote!

Palin 2012!

PH, Fairbanks, AK (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:39 PM)

its actually Sanford from SC but I agree Rosie Palin doesn't have to keep the programs forever they can run as a emergency programs and once the economy starts recovering she can stop funding them. She does realize that a lot of the programs created to solve the Great Depression are now defunct

Palin why do you hate Alaska, Anchorage, AK (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:39 PM)

She had no problem accepting the monies for the bridge to nowhere, or all the other earmark monies that went to Alaska. To deny the monies for education, unemployment and other programs for the Alaskians should have been a no-brainer. It shows that she doesn't care about them.

Hazel Garnett (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:43 PM)

As long as government generates printed dollars people will believe they are getting money. But when it stops it stops, and the issue will be 'what currency'?

Carl S, Santa Barbara, CA (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:57 PM)

I am grateful for those Governors who have had the moxie to say no to the current Administrations efforts to bankrupt our states through "stimulus" We elect our Governors to protect our state interests. Governors like Palin, and our Governor Perry, show they are taking their jobs seriously.

Theresa S, Texas (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:58 PM)

Poor Sarah. Poor Alaska. Poor kid who got the "shout out" for writing her little press release. AmooseVay, AlinPay!

Sheila Bohrt (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:00 PM)

Putting up with this crap? Wouldn't we all be happier if the Big Three, the Banks and AIG would have said no thanks to half of what they were offered? Wish every state would send the money back cause some day our children are going to pay for this. AND how about inflation around the corner that will steal the other half of everyone's savings. The Gov. destroyed half my savings and inflation will eat the other half in about two years.

Ron Carlson (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:16 PM)

All Sarah has to do is turn it down and shut up. It is like a welfare mom complaining about the rules. So it is simple. GOP governors need to stand their ground and say "no". Then if their legislature override them , they will be on record with their opposition.

Taking the money and complaining about it at the same time is the most self-serving hypocritical action that a politician can do. They are promoting division at a time that the nation needs unity.

But again we are talking about the GOP.

Chuck, Easley, SC (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:17 PM)

I can't wait for the first debate between Obama and Palin (really i can), she will shack his hand and ask if she can call him barack and Obama will say no, you can address me as mr. president or president Obama.
game over

nick bartow, lester, pa (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:22 PM)

To: Rosie, I agree with you 100%. I am so happy Gov. Beverly Perdue has our best interests as a priority in N.C.

Tough Lady, N. C. (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:29 PM)

I can tell you that if you take the time to see what id available in the stimulus bill, you will be embarrassed to say any of them voted for it. Transparency is not what we have. I wish more governors would stand up for their states and their citizens and not continue to kiss the ring of the powers that be...

Amy , Bangor, PA (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:31 PM)

Duh, it's called a budget. You know it's limited funding, work with it before it goes away. Don't make Alaskans suffer because of your stupidity.

Rose (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:32 PM)

Sarah, we expect that your family to personally pay the ongoing costs of newer and bigger government from the proceeds of the sales of their stories of teen pregnancy and drug-dealing in-laws to various trashy tabloids and TV reality shows like, "Who Wants to Knock Up a Teen?" You do READ up there in Alaska, don't you? I heard you read EVERYTHING!

The Humanist (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:34 PM)

When is first read going to learn? No one give a rip about Palin, she is a mean, vindictive, and illogical person. Forget about her!

A.Brocco,Albuquerque,NM (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:49 PM)

Sarah oh Sa-rah:
In a depressed economy any government spending that puts money in the pockets of the poor and middle class creates aggregate demand which in turn stimulates the private sector. When these gov't. programs expire the hope is that the private sector will have expanded with the recovery and that people who have worked (at least) temporarily in the public sector, will then move back to the private sector (as the public sector scales back).

So don't go all Ayn Rand on me and stop singing that old Republican song because, in a downturn economy, the lyrics just doesn't make sense. The trick, of course, is to turn off the government spigot once the economy has recovered. That is the time when the deficit hawks should come out in force. Now the key is to spend, spend, spend. I seem to remember GWB encouraging the populace to spend during the psychological recession after 9/11 but, at that time people had jobs and could do that. Now the private sector is crippled and only the government can stimulate aggregate demand. If this doesn't happen the entire economy, all means of production, will collapse and we will have a depression that will rival that of the thirties.

Thank God, Obama has learned the lessons of history.

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:51 PM)

Reply to Rosie....Spending tax payer's money that will not stimulate the economy or create jobs.. is "crap" to you??? Hmmmm...been drinking too much of that Kool Aid again....or is it that you don't have to work to pay the taxes this will be increasing in the years to come?

JBrit (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:51 PM)

Good for you, Gov. Palin!
As a Democrat who voted for Mr Obama, I find your points to be well made. I also worry about what happens after the money runs out in 2 years.
Is anybody looking behind that "closed door"?
Maybe Democrats need to stop "drinking the kool-aid" and start thinking independently.

Sharon Young. Portland, Oregon (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:51 PM)

This is hope and change, this is real talk, this is openness and transparency, this is fiscal responsibility. Obama can learn a lot from Sarah- as can congress before we bankrupt our grandchildren with boondoggles we cant afford and which have no relationship to economic stimulus

lancaster (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 4:58 PM)

This lady is a nut case! Old woman shouting at the clouds!!

Tommy, Roanoke, VA (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:01 PM)

Well, let's see: Gov. Palin makes absolute, perfect sense. She tells the truth, demonstrates that she actually cares about people, and - at the same time - reminds us of how untrustworthy, selfish, and destructive Obama is. Is there any question why people who care about the truth love Sarah and those who are more concerned with power and greed try to destroy her?

Michael, Denver, CO (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:21 PM)

Not one thing sad about it! It's common sense. Let's not spend and spend and spend without reviewing the costs and the ramifications of the spending. Do you personally spend without evaluating your personal financial situation and the ramifications of that spending? If you don't you are irresponsible! Oh why isn't Sarah Palin President now! What a better place we would be in!

anka (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:35 PM)

You can't tell me Silly Sarah thought this up on her own. Sure would like to hear from some Alaskans about their take on their Governor. She's pandering to the right like the party of "NO" likes to do.

cindy, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:40 PM)

Her comments sound reasonable at first glance but then you realize that she is simply agreeing with the intent of the stimulus money for infrastructure which was to use the money for shovel-ready jobs; the infrastructure money was not intended for projects still on the drawing board. Palin isn't the first republican to imply that goverment jobs are not real jobs; well, those folks get a paychecks so they are jobs. I do not understand her logic for turning down additional unemployment money, money for keeping teachers on the job and for special needs education assistance. And why would you turn down money for winterizing homes in the coldest state in our nation? The broader point of the stimulus is to help states through the crisis, buy time while states evaluate costs and benefits for budget reduction, and after two years, the states should be in a better position for increased state tax revenues. Obviously, Sanford, Jindal and Palin have self-serving interests rather than interest in the well-being of their citizens.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:44 PM)

Palin knows best?... NOT !!!

Liberal4Obama (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:09 PM)

the best governor in the nation is saying no to items costing more in the long run--she is real --one of us

eric probert (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:09 PM)

Perhaps if she had stayed in her state and governed instead of making a fool of herself on the campaign trail, her state wouldn't have a billion dollar shortfall.

Also, her Republican colleagues don't seem to share her opinion, and they're fighting her on this one.

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie Philadelphia, PA (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:17 PM)

Does anyone actually believe that she wrote this? Or that she could even pronounce the words in this statement, much less spell them?

Pam, CA (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:18 PM)

I can not believe she would turn down money for education when Alaska has one of the highest (if not the highest) high school drop out rates in the country to include her own daughter. She needs to think about something other than her personal ambitions.

Suzanne, Bethesda, Maryland (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:18 PM)

Hey, this is stupid. I worked several years on a board created to review requests for grants to be given to charitable organizations. We had two types of grants. 1. the one-time offer grant for a one time project. 2. grants that required specific details of how the project would continue after the grant money expired, how the project would eventually generate its own income or at least a significant percentage. Without that the grant was not given. We also asked for a detailed report on previsous grants to the same organization. This sparked great programs that created their own income little as that sometimes is for a charitable institution.
Sarah has a problem spending finding programs that can't continue once having some start-up money? That girl is not a very good capitalist. She must have been sucking off that federal t.. for a long time to get that uncreative. She is just full of baloney and I can't believe how dumb people are who buy her baloney.!

mexed, san antonio, texas (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:24 PM)

Look I am from Alaska, the crap we are having to put up with is the liberal, democrats who continue to wear blinders, they would rather see this country destroyed keeping with party lines then do it for the people of america.

Cheryl Brooks,Wasilla, AK (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:25 PM)

Alaskans are blessed to have a governor who keeps Alaska's best interest at heart. It is sad to see them backbite her because of political interests.

Fay, Snellville, Georgia (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:32 PM)

As Arnold Schwarzenegger said....send any they don't want to California. So, sinister sister Sarah please send what you don't want directly to Gov. Schwarzenegger, Sacramento, Ca.

eagle1776 (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:33 PM)

Gov Palin Madam - why the heck are we made pawns to your thoughts in not accepting the stimulus money from the Federal government? Are you sure that with your political ambition, firstly your reelection for the 2010 governorship; then another political thought in having the Palin/Steele duo for 2012?
Times are rough for us Alaskans now that for the first time, rotten roads abound the City of Ketchikan, the monopoly of the KPU in the communication systems that we seniors are bound by it, like it or not; the countless drug menace now that is transforming not only the kids in Ketchikan, but the diverse working class that fish processing companies are hiring out of state workers that are not being investigated and having their own drug selling forte open even in the eyes of our law enforcers?
This kind of siege that even carrier companies do not have the stringent measures to inspect incoming parcel boxes mailed to pesons pushing the drug trade in Ketchikan right now.
Do we have to succumb to the law just because we just could not expand our drug enforcers to make arrests because some of the users and pushers are protected by law enforcers themselves?
Such a pity Madam Governor.

Erwin (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:51 PM)

I note she didn't have any trouble adding to Alaska's budget shortfall when she handed out $740 million to voters last year. But that was before she saw the advantages in pandering to the right wing.

Luckily for Alaska, their state legislature will certainly accept the stimulus money, and the people of the state will get the help they need.

Paul (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:51 PM)

WILL YOU STOP REPORTING WHAT THIS PERSON SAYS!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS OLD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sandy ct (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:53 PM)

Never pay attention to Sarah and Retodd. They are bald faced liars bent on getting rich and famous. Results: Broke and infamous. Palin girls need to keep their panties on and legs closed. Retodd is a sissy stay at home dad and a dreamboat to all queer men.

arnie Wasilla Ak (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 7:15 PM)

Good for Sara!

Brenda Smith, Nome, AK (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 7:17 PM)

This will be a problem for the states that take this money. Bigger Govt is never been the answer.Good now, but paying higher state taxes in 2 years to go along with higher Fed taxes is not good.

Jeff, Lebanon, Oregon (Sent Saturday, March 28, 2009 7:18 PM)

"strings attached". Just look at AIG and GM to see those strings attached to every federal spending bill.
Does anyone think that these companies may have rejected federal spending if they knew of these strings?

Wildman Bill Gainesville Georgia (Sent Tuesday, March 31, 2009 3:38 PM)

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