The next time that your conservative relatives start talking about how President Obama destroyed the economy, show them this.

Courtesy of the LA Times:  

Amazingly, there are still some holdouts in the political and economic community who insist that the Obama stimulus failed--that is, failed to arrest a steep fall in economic output and launch a period of growth in gross domestic product, jobs, stock market valuations, and other metrics that continues to this day. 

Menzie Chinn of the University of Wisconsin and Jeffrey Frankel of Harvard (and a former Clinton administration economics advisor) have just ganged up on the stimulus deniers. Their analyses are timely, since the stimulus has just passed its fifth birthday: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009. 

Chinn observes (and shows his work via a series of telling slides) that the launch of ARRA coincides almost exactly with the bottoming out of the stock market, the reversal of a trend of increasing negative GDP growth and an almost unbroken record of positive growth since the end of the first quarter of 2009. 

"The burden of proof," he writes, "lies on those who assert the beginning of the recovery is due to anything, anything (Fed balance sheet expansion, TARP — both implemented six months earlier –, sunspots, or the return of Ancient Aliens) but the policies implemented by the Obama Administration." 

I have heard a number of so-called "economists" on Fox News and CNN claiming that the stimulus did nothing, but all evidence proves their contention incorrect.

History will prove that what President Obama did to save the economy was just this side of miraculous, until then it falls to good liberals to right the good fight of facts against purposeful misinformation.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell rejects federal money to expand medicaid, and by doing so denies health care to ten of thousands of Alaskans, because he claims the government might not keep its promise. No, seriously!

Courtesy of Alaska Dispatch:  

Alaska will align with states declining federal money to expand Medicaid when it becomes available next year, possibly costing the state hundreds of millions in federal funding and denying health-care coverage to tens of thousands of low-income Alaskans. 

The move by Parnell puts Alaska in the company of a shrinking number of states rejecting an expansion of Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor. In the last week, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, both Republicans, have announced support for expanding Medicaid in their states. 

While some legislators called the action "a mistake," they said it was unlikely to be challenged. 

Parnell told reporters Thursday that he met with U.S. of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to voice concerns about the expansion and he said Alaska would not accept the money when it becomes available. 

"I told the secretary that I was very concerned about expanding Medicaid --where the federal government could renege on its promise to fund the lion's share of any Medicaid expansion," Parnell said.

Wait, what? Why would Parnell be concerned that the Federal government, you know the government that essentially has supported the state of Alaska since it first attained statehood, would renege on its promise to provide the funds?  

Parnell said he's concerned that the federal government is careening from crisis to crisis and may not live up to its obligations. Calling the federal government "broken and broke," Parnell said battles over the fiscal cliff, sequestration and budgets cast doubt on its ability to meet its commitments.

Oh, I get it. So since the Republican party is doing everything in their power to disrupt the ability of the government to function, this Republican governor can then reject this money, and keep tens of thousands of Alaskans from receiving health care benefits, while blaming it on the Feds.

Fucking piece of shit!

I would like to remind everybody that Parnell's predecessor did muhc the same kind of thing by rejecting money from the 2009 stimulus bill.

Ultimately of course her veto was overridden.

Mitt Romney, a man who NEVER lets the facts get in the way of a good political attack.

"I'm confused. The chart could not be more clear, and yet this idiot STILL doesn't get it!"

I have the theory that the President's hair did not go grey in response to the tough decisions that he has had to make during his first term, but in reaction to ALL of the insanity and stupidity he keeps having to deal with from the Right Wing.

Republicans constantly claim that President Obama can't run on his record. Somebody forgot to tell him that.

That seems to me to a pretty damn impressive list of accomplishments to me.

No way did Buttercup write this.

Apparently now that Sarah Palin is no longer screwing up Alaska she has decided to become a political pundit.

This article which is purported to have been written by her (Ha! Fat chance!) seems to be an attempt to reinvent her as a thoughtful critic of the Obama administration.

Of course anybody who has had to sit through one of her speeches, or watched her struggle through a television interview, realizes that the words written in this op-ed did not spring forth from the mind of Sarah Palin.

South Carolina Governor goes missing after fighting hard against accepting stimulus money! Is Sarah Palin next?

Where is South Carolina's governor?

The lieutenant governor doesn't know, and neither does a state senator who's a close confidante. Even Gov. Mark Sanford's wife is in the dark.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he's been told the governor's staff is in contact with the second-term Republican, but Sanford's wife said she hasn't heard from him in several days, including Father's Day.

"He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids," Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press while vacationing with the couple's four sons at their Sullivans Island beach house. She said she didn't know where he was, but wasn't concerned.

Sanford, who's also chairman of the Republican Governors Association, earned a reputation as the nation's most vocal anti-bailout governor by refusing $700 million in federal stimulus money for schools until he lost a court battle earlier this month.

His spokesman Joel Sawyer released a statement saying the governor was taking a break after losing the fight.

"Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside," Sawyer said.

Okay I don't really think anything nefarious has happened to Governor Sanford, nor do I really believe that Governor Sarah will disappear anytime soon (Despite all of my prayers). But I did find it kind of a coincidence that after such a public drubbing that Governor Sanford drops off the face of the planet. Hmm interesting.

I am sure that Sanford will arise like the phoenix and return to his office ready to make more bad decisions and spew out Republican talking points along with the best of them.

And I would just like to go on record as saying if anything untoward did happen to the Governor from South Carolina I would follow the story and post any information I learned even if it turned out that Rahm Emmanuel had choked him to death and hidden his body in a swamp somewhere. And if something similar were to happen to our lovely high heeled Governor Sarah I would leave no stone unturned until the culprit was brought to justice.

Despite my criticism of our Governor I certainly do not wish her any harm. However having said that, it WOULD be kind of nice if she disappeared off of the face of the planet for awhile.

I am just saying.

Sarah Palin interviewed by Sean Hannity about stimulus package "We toldja so!"

Those fat strings she keeps mentioning concerning the stimulus money that she is rejecting are not only fat but they are invisible to everybody but her. NOBODY else can seem to find them.

So the fact that we owe billions of dollars to China is Obama's fault? That is one Texas size helping of hypocrisy my friends.

Okay now let me get this straight, Governor Palin feels that she gets to say "I toldja so" about an Obama plan that is still in its infancy, but feels no compunction to lay any blame on the Bush administration which caused this unbelievable disaster in the first place? Okay now THAT is an Alaskan size helping of hypocrisy!

And just what would the McCain administration have done to solve this problem differently? I know for a fact that Sarah Palin has absolutely no fucking idea what to do, but did big John have a clue? I have my doubts since if you remember he paused his campaign to work on the financial crisis, and the only thing he manged to do was piss David Letterman off.

"Maybe we didn’t have a good way of expressing that, or articulating that message of ‘here is what America could potentially become if we grow government to such a degree that we cannot pay for it and we have to borrow money from other countries, some countries that don’t necessarily like America."

Yeah well Governor based on that sentence structure you still don't have a "good way" of making your point.

Can you believe that Sarah Palin used words like "blunt", "candid", and "honest"? I swear my hypocrisy meter simply cannot take anymore of that woman.

Look I have to apologize for subjecting all of you to that horrible interview. To make it up to you I will post this Countdown clip which has Keith Olbermann and Lawrence O'Donnell savaging Governor Palin over her plagiarism of the Newt Gingrich speech.

O'Donnell's line that Sarah Palin is "a bridge to nowhere and every thinking Republican knows that " will give you your biggest smile of the day. I promise.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

David Shuster, standing in for Keith Olbermann, points out how clueless our Governor is concerning the stimulus money.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

How special do we feel that our governor is one of the only TWO governors who have put their own selfish political aspirations ahead of the needs of their constituents?

Shuster cannot even mention Sarah Palin without having to stifle a chuckle.

Simply put she is a national embarrassment.

Sarah Palin's credibility to take another hit as Alaska lawmakers prepare to override her veto of Stimulus money.

Legislative leaders say they appear to have enough votes to override Gov. Sarah Palin's veto of $28.6 million in federal stimulus money for energy cost relief. Alaska is the only state to have rejected these funds, and that's not sitting well.

"I would be surprised if we didn't override her," North Pole Republican Rep. John Coghill said Thursday.

Rep. Mike Hawker, another member of the legislative leadership, said that's his count too.

"This is just one of those cases where there is such a profound difference of opinion between the legislative branch of government and the executive branch," the Anchorage Republican said. "We could have one of those rare and difficult instances where we are actually able to override a governor's veto of an appropriation item." (Thanks again to AKM for the transcript.)

This is very good news for the people of Alaska.

I watched Governor Sarah's speech the other night where she said the following:

Of course there are strings attached, and so there were lots of warnings given to all the states that hey, unless your state is ready to chuck the 10th amendment, and you’re going to hand over willingly more power control to big centralized government and to D.C. politicians who are going to tell you what to do in your state, the warning was, legislatures be careful with the temptation with the stimulus package dollars.

These "strings" she speaks of are apparently visible only to her. The Alaska Legislators found few, if any strings.

The idea of rejecting money to improve energy efficiency in a place that is subjected to sub-zero temperatures for much of the year seems crazy on the face of it.

And crazy, may just be exactly what we are dealing with here. The more I learn about our Governor the harder it is for me to find her mentally competent.

Thankfully we have legislators in this state who still cling to their sanity. Though if they are forced to continue working with this Governor that sanity may soon be nothing more than a fond memory.

We are the last state to finally decide to take all of the stimulus money, every other state is laughing at us, and our crazy ass Governor.

Even that stubborn bastard, South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford finally had to take ALL of the stimulus money for his state. Of course it took the bravery of a pair of South Carolina high school students to finally stand up to him.

Hopefully it will not come to that up here in Alaska, but if it does I have a few teenagers in mind who would be perfect for the job.

Sarah Palin writes news opinion columns! (Well somebody may have written it for her, but she totally signed it.)

Here is the column in its entirety:

In response to your May 27 editorial, let me explain why I vetoed $28.6 million of federal stimulus funds tied to adoption of universal energy building codes.

The feds required me to certify these codes "will be implemented" or pushed on local communities. My record is clear. I support conserving energy through weatherization and I'm an advocate for harnessing renewable sources of energy. But conditions here required more "big brother" government involvement than most Alaskans want and the new codes could cost Alaskans thousands of dollars per new home and renovation.

Alaskans have a strong history of independence and opposition to Washington, D.C., meddling in local issues. Our constitution ensures "maximum local self-government." Our communities have had the option to adopt building codes for decades. Most have not done so.

I've served as a city councilman and city mayor/manager. I've participated firsthand in the mandated building code debate. Anyone serving in local office knows strong deference to local communities leads to the best policies. That policy holds true with building codes.

My community went through a battle over building codes when our booming city desired more growth opportunities to allow job creation. The last thing we needed was a bureaucrat from Washington, D.C., telling us what the best policy was to adopt.

Strings were definitely attached to federal energy dollars. The stimulus law in section 410(a) (2), along with the Department of Energy's (DOE) official guidance, required certifying one of two options before Alaska could receive the energy conservation funds.

One option said the state "will implement" the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code for new homes and renovations; adopt a "building energy code [that meets or exceeds Standard 90.1-2007] for commercial buildings throughout the State"; and adopt and pay for a plan of "active" enforcement.

I could not certify this. The Legislature did not pass a bill adopting a statewide energy building code. In addition, the federal residential building code does not allow exemptions, such as we use in Alaska. When Alaska Housing Finance Corporation funds are used, building and energy codes can be waived due to the "high cost of implementation" in different areas of Alaska. One size does not fit all in Alaska.

The second option for Alaska was to certify that all "applicable units of local government that have authority to adopt building codes, will implement" the necessary energy codes and enforce them.

I could not certify this either. Alaska communities have the right to determine for themselves whether to adopt building codes.

I asked the feds to clarify their position. The Department of Energy finally admitted section 410 and their previous statements were "inappropriate" for some states but still wanted an agreement to push model codes on all Alaskan communities. I said no.

Beware of Washington, D.C., trying to cajole local community leaders to eliminate the choices Alaskans have when building or renovating homes and businesses. These new codes are so detailed they would dictate the kinds of lights that can be installed in a home in Akutan, and how thick window panes must be in Chignik.

We have hundreds of millions of dollars already budgeted for conservation, weatherization and renewable energy development. My administration will remain vigilant for Alaskans and oppose mandates or pressure to conform from Washington, D.C., bureaucrats.

I tell you what. For once I am going to leave off the snark. This is the letter as it appeared in the Anchorage Daily News, unsullied by negative blogger comments.

However if any of you would like to weigh in on why you think this is;
A) the dumbest thing you have ever read, or
B) a wonderful clarification that explains succinctly why Governor Palin rejected that 28.6 million dollars, I will happily publish your comments.

Have at it.

Sarah Palin vetoes State Legislators acceptance of Federal Stimulus money.

Gov. Sarah Palin announced today she is vetoing the state Legislature's decision to accept $28.6 million in federal economic stimulus money for energy relief.

Palin also vetoed nearly $12 million from the state budget for construction projects. The biggest project she targeted was the improvement of the Anchorage courthouse. She also cut Southeast Alaska projects funded with cruise ship tax money.

State legislators and U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, immediately criticized Palin for turning down the federal stimulus money. The money could have been used for weatherization and renewable energy projects

Palin argued that taking the stimulus money would require the state to entice local communities to adopt building codes. "There isn't a lot of support for the federal government to coerce Alaska communities to adopt building codes, but lawmakers can always exercise checks and balances by overriding my veto," Palin said in a written statement.

Anchorage Republican Rep. Mike Hawker said Palin is wrong about the building code requirement.

"We've researched this thoroughly, the governor's folks now have received a letter from the (U.S. Department of Energy) basically saying you don't have to come up with all these building codes," said Hawker, co-chairman of the House Finance committee.

Okay to all of the people who say that I am a "Palin-hater" or that I am being unfair to her highness, let me ask you what would you do if your Governor was this unbelievably stupid?

She is keeping MY state from receiving much needed funds to help people around Alaska save money on their heating bills and move us toward being more energy efficient overall.

And the reason she is doing it is because she is too fucking stupid to realize that she is working under a flawed assumption. Where are her advisers? Can't they read that letter to her from the US Department of Energy?

I am so frustrated I could just spit. I have been busting my ass to get the information to finally get her out of office and I have hit this damn wall. In the meantime she just keeps screwing my fellow Alaskans out of the financial support that they desperately need.

Not a good day for blogging in the Last Frontier, that is for damn sure.

(Here is Shannyn Moore's take on this ignorant move by Governor Sarah. And if you read Les Gara's follow up you will see it is even worse than we thought.)

My message to Sarah Palin. TAKE THE DAMN STIMULUS MONEY!!!!!

Here is a letter written by Senators Bill Wielechowski and Lesil McGuire and delivered to Governor Palin yesterday:

May 11, 2009

The Honorable Sarah Palin
Governor
State of Alaska
Capitol Building
Juneau, Alaska 99801

Dear Governor Palin,

Late last Friday, the legislature received new information from the U.S. Department of Energy
(USDOE) confirming that Alaska can meet the requirements for receipt of $28.6 million in State

Energy Program stimulus funds through adoption of local energy standards, rather than a statewide energy code. Attached is the letter Missouri sent to USDOE accepting the funds based on local codes as well as USDOE's confirmation that this approach is acceptable. Alaska could craft a similar letter and receive our share of these funds, without adopting a statewide code.

We also received new data last week from municipalities and other communities indicating that Alaska is most likely already meeting the State Energy Program funding requirement. Ninety two percent of Alaskans live in larger communities with populations of 2,500 or more. Of those,52% live in communities which already have energy codes in place, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome, Petersburg, Palmer, Seward, Valdez and Skagway. Ketchikan, Soldotna and Wrangell are in the process of adopting energy codes. Petersburg adopted the code specifically because of the number of structures funded by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation in that community.

Of those living in larger communities, 68% live in communities with building codes in place, which means that they have the mechanism in place for monitoring and enforcing an energy code should they choose to do so.

The above figures do not include structures funded by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation,which are built throughout Alaska. These structures plus any funded by the Denali Commission all meet energy standards.

This combined information leads us to believe that we are already likely compliant with the energy efficiency standards required by the State Energy Program funding guidelines.

Commercial buildings in the larger urban centers alone will get us very close to meeting
Senator Lesil McGuire
Co-Chair, Senate Resources
State Capitol Building, Room 125
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Phone (907) 465-2995
Fax (907) 465-6592
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Co-Chair, Senate Resources
State Capitol Building, Room 115
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Phone (907) 465-2435
Fax (907) 465-6615
compliance with 90% of new and renovated square footage. If we are not already meeting the requirements today, we are so close that we could easily meet them within the required
time frame.

The $28.6 million in State Energy Program funds will stimulate Alaska’s economy on multiple levels: reducing energy costs through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects; providing jobs and promoting energy efficient construction and renovation; and allowing for grant and incentive programs related to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

We have received letters from the Alaska Municipal League, AARP, Ketchikan, Anchorage, and Juneau encouraging acceptance of these funds.

It is very exciting to realize that Alaska likely already meets or is very close to meeting the requirements of the State Energy Program. Based on this new information, we respectfully ask that you accept these needed funds so that Alaska can use them to address our energy needs rather than sending them to another state.

Sincerely,
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator Bill Wielechowski

Okay Governor is that clear enough for you?

You can take ALL of the money and still keep your reputation as a hard line conservative so that those simple minded followers of yours will vote for you in the highly unlikely case that you ever do run for President.

If Missouri can do it than there is absolutely NO reason that Alaskans cannot. The very idea that we are not as innovative as the people of Missouri is an insult to every man, woman, and child in our state. After all we are the people who flew twin engine planes, equipped with wings held on with rusty bolts and duct tape, through the harshest weather on the the freaking planet!

So Governor stop screwing around and just take ALL of the money. Remember we are Alaskans, we never turn down federal funds. It is just not who we are.

Is Governor Palin rejecting part of the Stimulus money for political reasons, or because she is simply too ignorant to do her job?

The co-chairs of the state Senate Resources Committee sent Palin a letter Monday urging her to accept the funds, which could go for uses including energy efficiency grants, retrofitting buildings for less energy use and replacing streetlights with LED bulbs that use less electricity and last longer.

It's the only piece of the $931 million federal stimulus package Palin is turning down, saying she doesn't want the money because it requires a state energy code.

Anchorage Republican Sen. Lesil McGuire, one of the lawmakers who wrote the governor, said in an interview that Palin herself set a goal of Alaska receiving 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2025.

"And then to come back and reject the implementation of an energy saving code the building community hasn't rejected and that other states are readily adopting, I think it sends a hypocritical message," McGuire said.

Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said the governor's primary concern with the funds is that she believes energy codes should be a local government decision that considers local needs -- not a state mandate.

"We shouldn't have to change our local laws to accept more of this federal package, as the feds already control much of our young state, thus prohibiting our opportunities to responsibly develop," Palin said in an e-mail.

As I read this my first instinct is that Palin is refusing this portion of the money to suck up to the oil companies and to the core Republican base that relies on money from the fossil fuel pimps.

But that really does not seem to make too much sense either. Because though this money is to help our state develop more alternative sources of energy, and to become more energy efficient, it will have no real impact on the ability of the oil companies to drill for oil and continue to make money.

Here let Senator Bill Wielechowski explain it further:

Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski, the other co-chair of the Resources Committee, said in a written statement that "it makes no sense to turn these funds away when they will just be given to other states. Alaskans need this money far more than residents of many other states with milder climates and substantially lower energy costs."

Wielechowski and McGuire said the state would have eight years to meet the efficiency standards and that much of Alaska already has the energy codes, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Palmer, Juneau and Skagway. Ketchikan, Soldotna and Wrangell are in the process of introducing codes. Many of the structures built in rural communities are built with public funds through agencies like the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., they said, which also already has the energy code requirement.

They said the code would need to apply only to communities with more than 2,500 people, and structures without plumbing or central heating would be exempt. The senators said the Alaska State Home Building Association presented them with a resolution supporting a statewide building code that would include an energy code. It could be tailored to the different needs of various parts of the state, the two legislators said.

Well that seems pretty straightforward doesn't it? Many of our communities are already in the process of applying new energy codes and with this Stimulus money we will have the funds to do it faster and more efficiently.  Where is the bad?

Palin's spokeswoman said the governor recognizes some Alaska communities already have energy codes and that many buildings meet the standards.

"However, this does not resolve the issue of local control versus a state mandate and enforcement of energy codes," Leighow said in an e-mail. "The fact that Alaska does not currently have a state energy code indicates that there has not been a statewide consensus for imposing such a code on local communities and Alaska residents."

Palin doesn't think it is worth accepting the federal demand that Alaska impose a statewide energy code just to keep Alaska's share of the energy money from being sent to other states, Leighow said.

So it looks like this is really a battle for control.  Palin simply does not want anybody else to have a say in how Alaska moves toward a more energy efficient lifestyle, even if they pay for the privilege.

Well if this were up to me, I would much rather have the Federal Government determining our energy policies rather than, self described "expert on energy", Sarah Palin.  The Governor has shown herself to be much too uneducated and simple minded to manage such important policies.

And the question is still out there as to whether or not it is too late to accept ANY of the Federal funds.

McGuire said Alaska was the only state to miss the initial deadline to apply for the energy money. But the U.S. Department of Energy is still holding Alaska's place open -- at least for now -- so long as the state does not officially notify the department that it is rejecting the funds. Federal energy officials aren't saying when a drop-dead date might be.

McGuire said a Palin veto of the Legislature's appropriation of the money might not even be the end of it, if the governor doesn't also write a letter to the federal government spelling out the rejection.

Do we need any more proof that our Governor is an incompetent fool who is playing fast and loose with the future of Alaskans, in deference to her own ignorance and political aspirations?

Palin to accept most, but not all, of the Federal Stimulus funds.

A spokeswoman for Sarah Palin says the Alaska governor is going to accept most federal stimulus funds.

Spokeswoman Sharon Leighow says Palin is only likely to reject nearly $29 million for State Energy Programs funds because she believes it to be tied to developing a statewide energy code.

Palin had initially indicated she did not want to accept about a third of the $930 million available to Alaska because of strings attached that would bind the state in the future.
Legislative budget leaders couldn't find those strings, however.

Lawmakers passed bills accepting nearly all funds available to Alaska. Once the bills reach Palin's desk, likely by early next week, she has 20 days to accept or veto them.

Well it looks like the Governor is taking the money for education and that is a good thing, but rejecting the funds for the State Energy Project is Sarah pandering to the oil companies.

These funds are directed to provide grants to the states to design and carry out their own renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. In other words this is money to help our state to stop sucking at the teat of big oil and develop alternate, renewable energy sources, and our Governor is standing in the way of that progress.

That is the trouble with these evangelical idiots, they think they are about to get Raptured and therefore don't believe the planet needs to be protected. That is exactly the kind of thinking that has resulted in the overcrowding of our planet and climate crisis we face today.

Our state desperately needs to move toward clean burning alternative fuel sources and our Governor is too ignorant and self involved to give a shit about it.

Showdown at the Juneau corral featuring Sarah "Sidewinder" Palin vs The Hole in the Mountain Gang.

State lawmakers are preparing to reject Gov. Sarah Palin's plan to cut state spending, including $93 million for schools, and replace it with federal economic stimulus money. That would set up a showdown between the Legislature and the governor, a relationship already fouled by lots of bad blood.

Sitka Republican Sen. Bert Stedman, who leads the state Senate effort on the stimulus, said today the "likelihood is not high" that the Senate will agree to the plan. Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, said he thinks the Senate majority is in agreement that Palin's proposal is not a good idea.

"At this point (the plan) doesn't make any sense to me," Stevens said today.

The governor has balked at accepting nearly a third of the $930.7 million economic stimulus money that Alaska is eligible to get. She has heavily criticized the stimulus but said she'll take the money if the Legislature agreed to cut state spending -- mostly for education -- and use the federal money instead.

But that's not likely to happen. Legislators said they want to use the stimulus money as an opportunity to improve schools as well as share with cities, including $8 million for Anchorage. Using it just to save state money holds little interest.

"It seems to me that is not the point of the stimulus. The point of the stimulus is new jobs and to encourage the economy, and it is not to replace monies you were going to spend anyway," said Stevens, the president of the Senate.

Now usually this kind of rootin tootin showdown would feature one varmint in the traditional black hat (Sarah Palin in this case) and the other side bedecked in brilliant white hats (The Alaska Legislators). However I am not quite ready to credit the Alaska legislators with being completely worthy of wearing the ivory chapeau's.

However I will say that they have done quite a lot lately to earn the right to wear the aforementioned adornment. They have been kicking back Palin appointees like so many errant soccer balls.

And they are definitely on the side of the angels with this particular topic. It is absolutely a misuse of the stimulus to use it to replace state spending, It is supposed to be ADDITIONAL funds that can be used to stimulate the economy and pay for things that the state cannot afford to finance on its own, and every rational person knows that. Sadly that seems to leave out our own Governor Sarah.

So there they stand. The Governor fingering her six shooter and waiting to shoot down a portion of the stimulus package if the legislators do not let her use it to replace state money on one side, and the unarmed legislators trying to decide whether to stand their ground in defiance of the Governor's bullying tactics or to turn tail and run back to the bunkhouse and let the Governor have her victory. Eye to eyes they stand, the only question remaining is "who will blink first?

Personally I hope the legislators hold their ground and force the Governor to personally refuse this money and let that be the story that the liberal media and blogs get to use as ammunition to define the Governor for weeks to come. Make her show her true visage to the citizens of Alaska, let's see how attractive they find Sarah Palin then.

This is OUR money that OUR government is giving us to help OUR people. Will OUR Governor refuse it on OUR behalf? And if she does how long before the Alaskan people decide that maybe a recall is not such a bad idea?

Alaska legislators frustrated with Palin over Federal stimulus money and her desire to flee the scene of her crimes before the session is over.

With just one week left before the Alaska Legislature adjourns for the year, the conflict between Gov. Sarah Palin and lawmakers over taking federal economic stimulus money is the dominant issue left.

Palin herself will be leaving Alaska this week to attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville, Ind. on Thursday, as well as an event for special-needs children. Fairbanks Republican Rep. Jay Ramras questioned her leaving town right at the end of the session, when critical decisions are being made.

"There are some concerns (in the Capitol) about the focus of our chief executive because she's taken a speaking engagement in Indiana for a 36-hour period with only 72 hours left in the legislative session," Ramras said.

Palin, who has barely left Alaska during the legislative session, is clearly irritated.

"I'll be gone for one day. I already have been on record with lawmakers on this. I told lawmakers, you know what, 'Please, don't make me feel that I have to ask you permission, lawmakers, to leave the capital city,' " Palin said.

So let me get this straight. Palin did not want to commit to speaking at the GOP fundraiser in July because "her responsibilities in Alaska prevented her from committing to the speech until the end of the legislative session", even though the session is over this week, but she sees no problem with attending a "right to life" dinner at what is the most crucial time of the legislative session?

Does that make ANY sense to anybody?

Palin now says she'll accept the federal money if the Legislature agrees to use some of it to replace state spending. For example, she wants to cut 93 million state dollars that would go to schools -- and then award the schools that same amount in federal stimulus money to make up the difference.

That could be a tough sell with legislators. School districts are pushing hard to get the stimulus money on top of what they'd otherwise get from the state -- not instead of.

There are questions about whether Palin's plan is legal under the federal stimulus law as well. Anchorage Democratic Rep. Mike Doogan said using the dollars just to replace state spending goes against the purpose of Congress.

"The idea is putting more money into the economy," Doogan said.

I hate to agree with Doogan on anything since he is still on my shit list, but he is absolutely correct about this.

The money from the Federal government is supposed to STIMULATE the economy, not replace state expenditures while we squirrel away the difference for future pet projects of the Governor.

And playing hard and fast with money for the school district is a particularly disgusting political tactic. The last election voted down over 97 million dollars in much needed bonds for improvements to our children's schools. To take away the state money for schools and simply replace it with with these new federal dollars is to short change our children's future.

How can a decision like this come from a woman who has four children of her own?

Regardless of the picture our governor tries to paint of herself, THIS is the real face of the Sarah Palin.

Governor Palin responds to criticism of her rejection of Federal stimulus dollars.

“Shovel ready or digging a hole?”
By Gov. Sarah Palin

Some question my decision to accept job-ready stimulus funds, while leaving on the table for discussion other funds that grow government. Washington dollars are tempting, but we must consider whether they create sustainability, help develop our resources, reduce dependency on Washington, and all without mortgaging our kids’ futures.

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.

I am deeply committed to quality public education, so I appreciate questions concerning my $20 million dollar request for certifiable funds. Regarding other available funds, I have sought public discussion on school district spending plans. Alaska’s children are my priority, as proven by my unprecedented increases to K-12 funding, including intensive needs programs, which we currently fund at historic levels.

I moved the education discussion to the legislative arena because the public, lawmakers, and our schools must consider what will happen in 24 months. The districts should present spending plans that don’t dig huge fiscal holes when temporary federal funds disappear. Will they wisely and prudently fund training for existing positions, or just create new positions, leaving Alaskans to foot the increased bills? When one-time funding ends, will they lay-off all those new teachers? Are Alaskans willing to shoulder the expanding programs in the education bucket, including questionable priorities, like proposed increases to the National Endowment for the Arts? Alaskans must have confidence the additional funds will produce actual results for our children and not simply increase bureaucracy. Remember, these dollars aren’t “replacement dollars,” they are “additional dollars,” and obviously increase budgets.

I’m approaching federal funds and mandates with caution, but won’t stand in the way of organizations or communities applying to the feds for funding their own expansions.

Some, enticed with as much Washington money as possible, assume this is free money. It is not. America is $11 trillion in debt. They also may fail to consider the level of federal intrusion. For example, Alaska’s communities would have to adopt building energy codes that compliment the most recent International Codes. These standards should be locally determined, not federally mandated. And, if we take additional unemployment compensation funds, Alaska would have to extend eligibility guidelines. This federal involvement locks us into government dependency for longer periods. Alaskans must read the fine print on these federal mandates, because certain allocations also require state-matching funds.

When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government. Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem.

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.

I got this off of the ADN but I have decided not to link to them since they have made the choice to support Mike Doogan in his cowardly act of revealing the identity of AKM. And since Sarah Palin, for better or worse, is still MY Governor I don't feel guilty bringing her words to a wider audience since that was clearly her intent by writing this and asking that it be published.

And I will not even pick it apart as I usually do. Though there are a number of portions of this article that I take umbrage with I will simply allow you, my gentle readers, to form your own opinions as to its honesty and effectiveness.

The only thing I will ask is why does this Republican Governor suddenly decide that THIS federal money is somehow more tainted then the money Alaska has received by the truckload form the efforts of Ted Stevens, Frank Murkowski, and Don Young over the years? Is it because Obama is a Democrat?

We greedily took federal money when both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton were the President, why is this any different? And as for those government jobs that will be created but that may have to be trimmed later when the money runs out? How is THAT any different then the way government has conducted itself up here for the last fifty years?

Everybody knows that different administrations either increase or decrease the number of government jobs as determined by the funds available. Or is she simply insinuating that Alaska may have to start taxing its citizens to pay for the jobs once the stimulus money dries up? Well anyway I will let you all decide for yourselves.

President Obama's Second news conference.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I have only recently recovered from my conditioning by the Bush administration to cringe at the very thought of a Presidential news conference. After so many years of seeing one of the most inarticulate men in history fumbling around like a fifth grader trying to talk a bout a topic that he does not understand it is incredibly refreshing to listen to a man with such obvious command of his subject matter.

The President is the very epitome of cool. He clearly and carefully answers the questions posed to him, and does so without resorting to adolescent teasing or sophomoric joke telling. You know like a President is supposed to.

And the one time that somebody tried to stick a pin in the President's cushion of confidence resulted in this exchange.

The only time he seemed irritated came when he was asked why the attorney general of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo, seemed to have more success getting A.I.G. executives to return some bonuses than his own administration. Pressed on why he did not express outrage immediately upon learning of the bonuses, Mr. Obama said sharply, “Well, it took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak.”

Now that is the kind of response I have been looking forward to for over eight long years.

KTUU has a report on today's rally up on its site!

In the video you can see many more signs then the few that I posted earlier and get a fair idea of what happened inside with the legislators.

If you are anxious to learn more then I happily direct you to Mudflats, where AKM has lots of information and many wonderful pictures to share.

The gathering today at the Loussac library was yet another successful progressive rally for Anchorage!

For a rally that did not even have a day to prepare, I was astounded at the number of people who attended. There are no official estimates so far, but we tried to come up with an unofficial number and tentatively agreed that there were probably around 500 or so participants.(Update: After examining more photos and talking to a few other people I am going to modify my estimate to somewhere between 200 to 300, and that includes the people who did not actively protest outside but did come in to testify.)

Considering how bitterly cold it was, that is just this side of amazing!

And the signs were absolutely incredible! they ranged from the informative, to the hysterical, to the downright fed up. Here are just a few of the ones I was able to photograph.



(This was off of my friend's facebook page because I did not think to get a picture when I was standing next to him.)

Don't you think it captures Sarah Palin's inner beauty?

And not only were hundreds of civilians there but the legislators were not exactly shy about showing their support as well.

Hollis French was one of the first to walk up and interact with the crowd, followed by both Les Gara and Harry Crawford.

But that was not all.

Walt Monegan was also on hand and seemed completely at home among the angry anti-Palin crowd.

Acting mayor Matt Claman also came by to shake a few hands, as did Ethan Berkowtiz, and even ex-Governor Bill Sheffield could not resist coming up and visiting with the feisty group.

You could not turn around without bumping into at least one notable Alaskan politician.

Right before we all went inside Les Gara made the startling announcement that we had won. "She is a backtracking like crazy, and we are confident we can at least get the education money". This was greeted with cheers and incredulous looks.

One protester said "Is it really that easy to beat Sarah these days"? It sure looks like it.

All in all it was a very gratifying experience. And Alaskans, once again, demonstrated that they cannot be bullied and pushed around by ANYBODY. Not anymore.

I will try to post a more expansive piece on what went on INSIDE the committee room, but first I have to talk my friend AKM out of some of the awesome photographs that my blogger buddy took.

However I will leave you with this.

When School Superintendent Carol Comeau stepped up to testify in front of the legislators she addressed the concern that this one time influx of money would not be used wisely, and she said: "Believe me, we KNOW how to utilize short term funds!" To say the least the crowd went wild.