Palin Forced Staff To Resign In Loyalty Test

Washington Independent:

Earlier today, First Lady Laura Bush urged us to remember Gov. Sarah Palin's record as mayor of her hometown from 1996-2002 when assessing her experience. I agree.

Driving around this city today, I decided it looks more or less like a string of strip malls, 45 minutes northeast of Anchorage. I couldn't help but think that being mayor of a place like this would be something akin to running a large neighborhood watch.

The main highway that runs through town is lined with new big-box stores, including a Target and a Wal-Mart. A handful of fast-food chains as well as some local restaurants also sprinkle the main drag. Breathtaking mountains, the peaks still lightly dusted with snow, create a striking backdrop. Despite the chain stores, this small city feels distant from the rest of the world. I'd have guessed Palin would have run the city with a "we're in this together" theme.

It turns out she had a somewhat different approach. If a small-town mayor ever ruled with an iron fist -- it was Palin. Eleven days after taking office in 1996, she mailed letters to each of the city's top managers requesting that they resign as a test of loyalty.

Read the whole story: Washington Independent

Comments

[barackobama4prez]

The more I learn about this chick the more I'm sure she doesn't represent the values and hard work ethics of TRUE feminists.

[OverIt]

McCain/Palin - The Arrogance Ticket.

[CBS]

The joke ticket....­..

http://www.sfbaysailingpix.com/pez2008p1.htm

[pupbayer]

I always demanded loyalty to me from my employees and my superior always demanded loyalty from me. What's unusual?

It sounds like Palin really IS the candidate of CHANGE.

[teron678]

Rethug spin spin as a washing machime ..... LOL

[sawdustinhershoes]

Pup doesn't even understand have foolish her post is.

[Furby]

What's unusual is firing everybody's a$$ to ensure loyalty. That's borderline paranoia.

[DubiousAtBest]

Instead of "demanding loyalty" maybe you should EARN it!

That is like demanding respect.

[barackobama4prez]

She'd be change alright...­.change from crazy male religious right to a crazy female religious right.

[zurcl]

pup, please you made me shoot my coffee out of my nose. you sound ridiculous. you must be a crappy boss, because having been a boss i know that what i want is intelligence and courage from my employees that if they see something going off the tracks they have to see it and tell me. you should study a little history and see what blind obedience gets you. your guys are going down the tank because of it.... now That's a change i can believe in.

[sawheat1]

http://mysistagirl.com/myalbum.html
GO OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cobobs]

Underestimate her at our peril.

If she is indeed an Alaskan nationalist, it would be instructive to watch her say these words (that the Republicans love so much) with a straight face:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

[GSMRaleigh]

More than that, how about when she is required to take the VP oath of office:

I, [Vice-President Elect's name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

[OfficialA]

She has no qualms with the Pledge of Allegiance, especially the "under God" part.. After all, the founding fathers came up with it.

[uheardme]

This secessionist thing has legs.

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/the_alaska_independence_party.php

She's sounds great. lol

[FututaSumHic]

You know it's funny how impressions can be so different but when I read this it makes me like Gov. Palin even more. A big part of the problem in D.C. is all the entrenched special interests, politicians and bureaucrats, on both the left and right, that prevent anything from getting done.

Just like any new executive in government or at a company, he/she has the right to hire or fire the people working under the new chief. If anything, this story confirms the fact that she does not take B.S. from people and is willing to reform organizations (you can debate weather the reforms are good or bad, but you can't take away the fact she is not only willing to effect change she DOES it.)

Kudos Sara for effecting change.

[Heavenhelpusall]

She would fit right in at the DOJ.

[neo1]

What change? Sounds like the same old washington game to me!

[NicoloM]

Exactly neo1.
Political purges and blind loyalty is how special interests get "entrenched" in Washington. So typical of the Orwellian propaganda you repeat FSH, the assertions you state support the opposite conclusion.
With the challenges we face, we need people willing to address issues sbustantively, not submission to domiinance.
Obama/Biden now more than ever.

[OfficialA]

Yup. Yup. No subversive librarians will be tolerated!

[sawdustinhershoes]

You confuse change with progress. Change for the sake of change is foolish. If you've been paying attention, Obama's version of change is to address issues WE agree need fixing.

You say Sarah is "willing to reform organizations (you can debate weather (sic) the reforms are good or bad,...)"

I think I'd rather have a boss who only changes what needs changing BECAUSE SHE"S ACTUALLY COMPETENT TO MAKE THAT DECISION. To come in and say unless you're loyal to me, you're out, smacks of someone who is so insecure that she can't bare to have anyone around who has sworn an oath of loyality to her.

Sounds like she's paranoid and certainly not a good manager of staff. She is not competent and she is a small town fish who will die in an environment where she has to perform around true professionals.

If you expect no more from your VP, then I can't help you. But, personally, I perfer people who don't have so much baggage after short term stints in small jobs.

[KiwisCanFly]

I take yr point

FututaSumHic.

However, after Palin fired Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan she replaced him with
Chuck Kopp, the former Kenai police chief.

11 days later he had to resign amid allegations Kopp sexually harassed a female assistant.
Palin unaware, apparently, of a letter of reprimand in the chief's file,
To be fair, it would be removed in two years if no subsequent complaints were filed.

Kopp was given a $10,000 severance pay for 11 days work.

My point is, that what u posted is of merit.

But, do not confuse ideal as being part of a bigger picture of good judgement calls made by Palin.

Palin likes people who will capitulate with her. Monegan did not. Kopp was not vetted sufficiently by Palin, but maybe passed the capitulation test. It cost the taxpayers $10,000 for this lack of judgement call by Palin.

Palin is accountable for a waste of taxpayers money.

[demfriend]

Like the Chief of Police and the librarian she fired as mayor when she felt in her "heart" that they didn't support her and then she went after the boss of the ex bro-in-law and fired him when he didn't do her bidding it reminds me of Bush and the "eyes of Putin" and "seeing into his soul" and we all know the ending of that story. Is this a way to look at qualifications of those who work for you? This is as misuse of power as Bush/Cheney has done but we have paid again and again for the cronies and their ignorance of their jobs. Palin said in an interview she didn't even know what a VP does so doesn't that equal out to be "crony-like" as the main reason McCain picked her was shock effect and to boost his chances? there is no reason that McCain's camp should be blocking the research into her misuse and her being truly vetted by thos who are qualified. No one really did the job for Mccain and now they are actively going for a cover-up to prevent anyone finding out the truth.

[nerakami]

Sounds like a serious ego-tripping going on here. The kind that creates war and anaarchy.

Dis some serious shiggidy

[Kwaayesnama]

I GUESS SARAH PAHIN WENT TO THE CARL ROVE SCHOOL OF POLITICS.

[walk0nwalls]

Huh...

huh....

Speaks for itself dunnit.

[AdultFilmLegend]

She could force me to do a lot of things. I wouldn't mind. I'd volunteer. I'd even pay.

[neo1]

I hope you don't vote by those hormones :)

[OfficialA]

And pay you would, sir, pay you would.

[BluesDogLefty]

So, I wonder about the librarian who saved her job by being made to knuckle under to Pailn.

Wonder how many "controversial" books the library now has.

Catcher in the Rye?

Huckleberry Finn?

Slaughterhouse Five?

[Liberal2]

Betcha Mein Kampf is there, but not Communist Manifesto.

[nutty4tahoe]

EVERYBODY needs to go to this original article in the "Independent", there's much more there. Read some of the comments from Alaska commenters. VERY interesting stuff including wanting to fire the librarian because she wouldn't ban books Palin seemed inappropriate, another firing of an aide who was dating the ex-wife of Palin's husband's good friend, association with a radical religious group, and more.....

[SirReal1]

As with so many stories of the past few weeks, this one has left me wondering if there is a limit to what the "Republican Faithful" would be willing to overlook in the people they WILL vote for.

With W's approval rating inexplicably hovering around 25%, recent polls still showing McCain as "competitive" in the General Election, and now Palin garnering significant support amongst Republican Voters in light of all the recent news, one has to wonder if the ENTIRE PARTY suffers from COPROPHAGIA!

They simply seem to "eat this Sh*t up"!

[KBAR]

As opposed to the Messiah cult syndrome?

[herhonor]

We need nothing less after this last eight years of despair

[SirReal1]

Yes!

It might be worth noting that those who would perceive someone as a "Messiah" would first have to possess a perception that they are truly "in NEED of SAVING".

It certainly appears, by virtue of where we are as a Nation, and what lengths the right is willing to go to in order to maintain the status quo, that WE ARE IN NEED of a SAVIOR.

I personally do not prescribe to the notion of Obama as a savior, but I can certainly understand how a large number of people would.

[zurcl]

kbar, you're cracking me up. you guys apparently are just dumb! i really can't think of anything else to explain the republican faithful. at a time like this we need the Smart republicans, if they haven't been run out of town on a rail yet by the rest of you characters, to hellp put this country back on track. the rest of you, including ms palin, need not apply. dumb is not a quality we need in the white house.... especially after the last 8 years... i bet you voted for "he-who-sh­all-not-be­-named" twice!
have a nice day.

[honeydiva]

I hope those of sound mind that vote really get off their behinds and turn out if force for 0. This woman is akin to Napoleon in a dress. From the comments that I’ve read on some pape sites and right winged blogs those people are nutjobs to the max!