This is another in our Daily Dose of Sarah Palin, because even if John McCain didn't think it was that important to learn a lot about the person who might be the next President should some medical event befall the 72 year old cancer survivor should he be elected, most people want more information. Previous installments here.
In answering a questionnaire for gubernatorial candidates in 2006, here's how she answered a question, about civil rights for people of different sexual orientations:
Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court's ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?Answer: No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution. (Eagle Forum)
Once Governor, here's what she did:
Sarah Palin, the newly elected Republican Governor of Alaska, has issued her first veto one month into her term. She vetoed a bill that would have blocked gays and lesbians from health and other benefits provided to state workers's domestic partners.
The Alaska Supreme Court issued a ruling last year requiring that the state offer benefits to all state workers. The previous Governor called the legislature to a special session to approve a plan his administration had worked out.
The legislature, however, had other ideas. Instead of easily passing the benefits plan, they instead passed two (unconstitutional) bills. HB 4001 would have prohibited the state commissioner from taking action by the court's deadline. HB 4002 would have set up a nonbinding vote on whether citizens believe the state should put a constitutional amendment to thwart the court's ruling on the 2008 ballot. One legislator, Representative Mike Coghill, is such a bigot that he's proposing that all state employees should lose their benefits so those benefits don't have to be extended to domestic partners.
Palin vetoed HB 4001. Before you get too excited, she signed HB 4002 - to put benefits up to a non-binding vote of the people. Palin also stated that while she believed in HB 4001, her advisors had told her it was unconstitutional. Rather than go through the court costs, she vetoed the bill. Yeah, she's no ally. (Bilerico project [Alaska])
As the Bilerico project points out, the cost of the referendum was $1.2 million. The cost of the benefits: $313,562. This was about ideology, not fiscal conservatism.
And the ideology is that of the Religious Far Right.
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Revere the more you write about Gov. Palin the more I like her. Thanks!
I don't know what's more crazy: the idea of Palin as VP and maybe as President, or the people who support her in the face of her corrupt history and soap-opera family life? I wonder why people like this are reading a blog about science and public health, since they probably believe in neither.
pauls: So what you are saying is that you like her because I don't. How very intelligent and just what I would expect. Of course you loved her before this, I'm sure.
you'd be right revere with your last thought.
She scares me more and more...in an upcoming issue of TIME, when mayor Palin tried to get certain books banned from the library because they had 'inappropriate language'..
source:http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html
Banned books? abstinence only sex ed?
What is this, 1938 Germany?
Where's Randy?
revere you delete comments???
Thanks Grace. Considering the way that the repubs are gushing over the "babe" (as both Cindy and John McCain have called her, IIRC), now they'll be seeing her in an SS outfit, whip in hand....
I can hear the "fapping" already.
Yech.
She's way ahead on that salute thing too:
http://www.dependablerenegade.com/dependable_renegade/2008/09/the-camer…
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=EC289A06698C7130F…
So what you are saying is that you like her because I don't.
Why worry your pretty little head over civics, ethics, or law? If it makes lefties mad, it's automatically good policy!
Ultimately, McCain / Palin isn't going to get them much closer to what they want than Bush / Cheney did; they'll end up with porous borders, taxpayer-funded corporate welfare, legal abortion, predatory lending, high gas prices, and the ongoing erosion of legal obstacles to equal rights for gay citizens.
It's amazing to watch the social conservatives lining up to get suckered again. But hey, at least liberals will be angry!
Aww come on Phila. Even Revere didn't believe that when he wrote it.
The point is Phila, even if what you say comes to pass, we will still keep trying.
pauls: I didn't believe it or disbelieve it. I just quoted you. And I think there is much more truth to it than you are willing to admit. I think Phila is right. Things that piss off the anti-right are things that you approve of.
And that comment Phila is the usual lib elitist answer to everything.... Always better if you are a lib huh? Tell that to the public who has watched this leftist/lib Democrat Congress sit on their asses and do nothing in response to the shit you tout. Screw me but I think the silly bastards have been there for pushing on two years and they have done WHAT about the issues you suggest. Its really more amazing that people are dumb enough to vote those socialists in.
And now you and they dog her because she is firm in her beliefs, unlike libs who would go Neville Chamberlain in a fight. Thats what its really going to get down to here folks. Is she manned up? I think more than most of you here.
I want you to remember that in 20 days the Russians are expected to take action against NATO ships in the Black Sea. What that action is I have only a moderate clue. We have a little over two months to the election so all I really need to know is whether any of these candidates have the nutz to keep the Russians from doing another Afghanistan.
Shooting war? All that is folks is truly retroactive abortion.......It costs more too.
"The surge worked beyond our wildest dreams", Barack Obama
More like it worked beyond our wildest desires. We wanted it to fail so we could take the White House.
Grace-No its not 1938 and there is no book burning going on. Those books that were to be banned was due to inappropriate language being used in books that fourth graders had access to. Now I personally dont want any banning of any information but thats the diversity of the party. McCain doesnt agree with her total abortion ban thoughts. But even if Roe V. Wade was overturned the Congress would act and that would be that. Abortion isnt going anywhere with or without her in the White House. It would fall to the states to decide and that would mean that the one thing that I demand for it if its going to be available and that is that it be safe for the woman in question. Yep, you are a woman if you are carrying a child IMO. Be it Bristol Palin or younger.
Revere... Pauls Lane is an idiot as an address is a personal attack... I would expect you to address that. Its ISP automatic termination action by all standards. Everyone can make their points but personal attacks are not allowed by any ISP. We are a lot more lax about it here because we are political bloggers but that is outta line.
Revere, it is that old zero-sum thinking. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban and al Qaeda were Soviet enemies and so they were our friends and so the US (under Reagan and Bush 1) funded the bejesus out of them.
Same with Iraq. When Saddam was fighting Iran, he got all sorts of US aid because Iran was our enemy. He got military intelligence from US satellites of an impending attack when the US knew that he would respond with chemical weapons.
Thinking about ways that make everyone better off and what are our real best interests is too complicated for people so they revert to zero-sum thinking and let themselves get led around like sheep.
Randy: It seems to me that your answer to everthing is some random combination of the words "lib" or "socialist" or something like that. So I'm curious. Exactly what is your definition of a socialist? Just so I know what you are saying. Because I am a socialist, at least of a particular kind, and I don't think I have much in common with most liberals. Something in common, perhaps. Just as I have something in common with libertarians. If you are able, however, think through a concise answer so we can communicate.
As for calling pauls an idiot in an address, while I am not in favor of it, if I took action on everything like this pauls himself wouldn't be posting here and many of your comments are also personal attacks by inference. For example, saying "you are a lib" and "libs are idiots" could well be called a personal attack, but I let it go. You know I am pretty lenient here. I take liberties myself and I allow others to do so, too, as a point of fairness. I have limits but I continue to be pretty, well, if you'll excuse the word, liberal on the matter.
there is no truth to it revere...by the way you lied about Convent House, the increase was lessened it wasn't 'slashed' completely as the article you quoted implied..and i think you are smart enough to know that before you posted, therefore you lied..typical liberal/progressive trick by the way...also I noticed my squirm worm squirm comment was removed..that was directed at 'pauls lane is an idiot'....
pauls: No truth in what? NB: Most community colleges have classes in reading and writing. Check it out. BTW, with many people posting here, you need to direct your comments. It's just a matter of a little discipline and anger control. Now to matters of fact. So here's the question: monies were allocated. Did she slash the allocated monies? You are now claiming something I am not aware of: that the teen pregnancy program was an increase in funding and she just restored the previous levels. Is that what you are saying? Do you have some back up for that? Because although you are a mind reader and can tell that I knew it, I didn't and don't automatically believe it's true just because you assert it. I'm not sure it changes anything, but I like to know the facts. So please tell me where I can verify this.
Randy: Note I am not dumping pauls because he called me a liar without any foundation. He has anger problems, so I make allowances. Of course he could still step over the very broad line I am allowing in his case. I do have limits.
Doesnt matter Revere. If Pauls Lane pushes that particular part especially as part of an address, it would be removed by the ISP. I dont make personal attacks except by reference to a group as you say. This is a direct attack on a fellow blogger and well you know me and the rules.... If you got them you have to abide by them.
There is a difference between what we do here and what is said directly as part of an address. It turns it into a smear everytime that someone is allowed to do it. Its up to you to ask for a name change or Pauls would be totally within his rights to go to the ISP and ask for a removal. It would be IMO an automatic.
That "lie" thing is a direct and personal attack by Pauls.. PULL IT TOO!
Listen Revere.... I am getting lots of emails from all over that say that things are degradating here. Its taken a long time (what 5 years?) and it has been a very good ride. Every now and then someone needs to pop up and say exactly what every other blog has out there and its not a police force but a policing policy. Calling someone a lib isnt going to get things rolling. You call them a liar then the line is crossed. whomever the ISP is thats holding this is under the generally accepted policies and I havent seen anyone who doesnt have something up there about it. This is a little different because its the left/right pulling against the middle. I think that things could take a step up and I would hope you would understand that.
Pauls... that WAS out of line too. You can call him a lib, socialist, demented follower of the incredible order of the libertarian teapot but bud come on there is a lot of diff between that and liar. Whats good for the goose is good for the ganders.
Anyone else who feels like I do should pipe up now. I have listened to it for a long time and mostly the libs are respectful of us conservatives. I think that if you are going to comment you should ALWAYS be respectful of other peoples opinions. But I for one never sit back for a personal attack. Attack my position if you want but dont attack me or anyone else personally. This doesnt of course include public figures such as McCain/Palin, Clinton, Hilary, Joe B. They sign on for this stuff. We dont. Feel free to call them whatever names you want because in many cases you will be right and in some, wrong.
But it is Reveres blog. How he handles it and how other people who are attacked handle theirs is up to them.
Randy: I don't think an ISP will take action on this (esp. as it is unlikely that is his real name) and calling someone an idiot is neither polite nor very effective, but it isn't that big a deal. You are entitled to your sensitivities on what is offensive. I certainly have mine and you have said many things I considered very offensive on almost every level: personally, morally, politically. Obviously telling you to "man up" hit a nerve with you, although I didn't do it for that purpose and wouldn't do it again once I saw your reaction. It was a casual shorthand for, "Admit he nailed you." I was not intentionally trying to be offensive to you personally any more than you are trying to offend me. But it happens because we are very different people concerning what we hold as fundamental values. The encouraging thing is that can be true and there can still be mutual respect.
This blog has remained consistent throughout its history. The only thing that is different now is that we are in the final phases of a historic election campaign that both sides feel is vital and urgent so things that are said take on a different meaning. We recognize that but we do what we do. If we have the stamina, at our age, we will continue to do it after the election. If McCain is elected he will be the target. If Obama is elected he will be the target. We prefer Obama but disagree with him on many issues and if he is the guy on the spot we will go after him tooth and nail.
So if pauls wants to complain to his ISP he is free to do so. If he gets out of hand here we'll deal with it. But right now we aren't inclined to. There is a national conversation going on and it will no doubt get testy. Holding our ears or putting a gag over someone's mouth won't change that. I would prefer pauls control his anger because it provokes other people to behave likewise. I'm not going to punish those people, either.
Ok, ok, I apoligize revere. You did not lie but you were misled. See http://24ahead.com/blog/archives/007978.html.
And MRK thank you for coming to my defense, but I don't let stuff like that bother me. I just wished revere would have kept my squirm comment up.
I draw everyones attention to the following.....
http://scienceblogs.com/main/terms/
I am just as guilty as anyone else here and there for that matter. So read up folks under "Submissions" and everyone please be respectful, tactful, and above all give everyone the benefit of the doubt when commenting. Its Revere's blog and we have all gotten carried away a bit. Just watch those personal attacks and I am not so much in favor of not being able to use an nasty now and then, but thems the rules. Cant bend them to either/or's wind.
From the F-bomb king of Memphis.....
R.
If this Palin ploy works in November, the political/cultural heart of this country has been gamed one to many times for my taste.
Regardless of the outcome I suspect that McCain will have the burden of knowing he introduced this strain of fascism into the American mainstream political waters.
You need look no further than the comments thread on this excellent blog post to see the results of his VP pick. Acrimony. Heck of a job Johnny... heck of a job.
Max if revere decided to post threads singing the praises of Obama or Biden, don't you think I for one would take umbrage and comment on things I don't like about Obama or Biden? I could say the same thing about the entire Democratic party. The Democrats choice of presidential and vice presidential nominee has caused acrimony throughtout the country. Heck of a job Dems, heck of a job. Regardless of the outcome I suspect that the Dems will have the burden of knowing they introduced this strain of socialism/communism into the American mainstream political waters.
And that comment Phila is the usual lib elitist answer to everything.... Always better if you are a lib huh?
I'm not a liberal, and I'm certainly not an elitist by outlook or by personal history. And I don't think that it's indefensible to say that social conservatives keep getting suckered by plutocrats, any more than it's indefensible to claim that people on the left keep getting suckered by people who don't deliver on their promises.
There's a basic ideological conflict on the right between libertarian laissez-faire types and authoritarian panty-sniffers, and painting tepid moderates like Obama and Biden as America-hating "communists" doesn't make that conflict go away, or change which faction of the party has most of the clout.
I'm sure pauls lane is right when he says that people who want to deny, say, marriage rights to their fellow Americans will keep trying, whether McCain / Palin turns out to be as cynical a ticket on these issues as Bush / Cheney was. What's interesting to speculate about is what other types of progress they'll forfeit in the process of trying to control people's sexuality.
The Democrats choice of presidential and vice presidential nominee has caused acrimony throughtout the country.
I agree. They should've chosen someone everyone could agree on, like a Republican.