Pinocchio in Drag: Sarah Palin's Latest Lies

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with the inimitable Governor of Alaska these days, as she's Twittering and issuing statements on her official State of Alaska web site, (paid for at taxpayers' expense, of course, including a series of posts about hockey games!). She's also blogging (yes, she's a blogger now, too) on both her Facebook page and her SarahPAC web site, the latter of which is being funded by contributors across the country as Ms. Palin continues to maneuver herself, haphazardly as it may be, into a run for the presidency in 2012.

And through it all she continues to delve in a disturbing duplicity, spewing lies and half-truths as she takes potshots at President Barack Obama, the man she accused of "palling around with terrorists" on the campaign trail last year. As the great Italian-American philosopher Yogi Berra once remarked, "It's deja vu all over again."

Take Palin's most recent pandering to "save face" vis a vis Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, approved overwhelmingly by the Alaska Legislature, a small portion of which she vetoed last week. This in and of itself reflected some serious backpedaling on behalf of Palin, from her initial position opposing the plan carte blanche (she called it "an unsustainable, debt-ridden package of funds" and likened it to "a bribe"), then later declaring that she would only accept about "half" the stimulus, which in turn got revised down to approximately "one third," then down to the teensy-weensy less-than-three-percent rejection of State Energy Program funding.

Palin's argument against the funding was that it "required more 'big brother' government involvement [i.e. federally mandated building codes] than most Alaskans want", a contention refuted by Alaskans on all sides of the political aisle.

"This issue has been researched thoroughly by legislative staff and we couldn't find one string attached to those funds," said Anchorage Republican Rep. Charisse Millett.

In other words, Palin's contention is a lie. And it's a lie not based on the best interests of Alaskans, but on her own political future.

Another Alaska Republican, Anchorage Rep. Mike Hawker, said Palin is wrong about the building codes: "We've researched this thoroughly, and the governor's folks now have received a letter from the (U.S. Department of Energy) basically saying that you don't have to come up with all these building codes."

And from yet another Alaska Republican, Anchorage Senator Lesil McGuire: "When we researched the facts on it, the strings that were discussed were not there."

Palin then taunted the State legislature by noting "lawmakers can always exercise checks and balances by overriding my veto"--knowing that it would take a supermajority of 75 percent in Alaska to override her decision. Time will tell whether Alaska's elected representatives will stand up to Palin on this critical issue. Several lawmakers I spoke to said they are "considering it."

Not to be outdone with her lies regarding the energy stimulus, Palin issued a rather bizarre press release on her SarahPAC web site in which she declared:

We are now witnessing actions that will lead to a monumental shift away from free market capitalism and the strong work ethic that built this great country. 'Change' in this administration has meant rapid movement toward massive government growth, huge tax burdens on future generations, and an unprecedented reliance upon foreign countries.

Today, we learned that Obama's decisions continue to impact Alaskans; while we as taxpayers now own General Motors, Obama closes another dealership - this time in Soldotna, as more of Alaskans' hard-earned money and jobs are lost to big government.

That's right, Palin had the absolute gall to blame Obama for the crisis in the auto industry, one that developed under George Bush and which Obama has been forced to salvage, and she specifically blamed him for the closing a GM dealership on the Kenai Peninsula, not far from Anchorage.

In fact, General Motors, on the verge of bankruptcy, decided to shut down the dealership in Soldotna, not Obama. And it further underscores that it was the private sector's mismanagement, and the Bush Administration's lapsed oversight of the economy, that brought about the closure of the GM dealership in Soldotna.

The owners of the dealership, the Hutchings Family (longtime Republican Party faithful in Alaska), have jumped on the anti-Obama bandwagon. Shawn Hutchings, who obtained his ownership of the GM franchise the good-ol' American way-- by being born into it --had this to say to the right-wing "Texas for Sarah Palin" blog spot:

Dealerships do not cost the manufacturer money, so why would the administration make it a qualification to get loans from the government? Why is the government involved in dictating who will and who will not be in business. Shouldn't the free market be governing society?

Uh, Shawn, if the free market were governing society, GM would have crashed and burned long ago. And there would be no roads, bridges and other infrastructure in Alaska to support the auto industry. Indeed, Shawn, the federal government has long subsidized your family business.

You have to love all the libertarian/right-wing/secessionist whack jobs in Alaska who are always taking pot shots at the federal government. Let's get real here folks: Alaska is the most federally subsidized state in the union. In fact, it's one big giant subsidy, full of earmarks and special spending programs, all emanating out of Washington D.C. And pushed for by the likes of Sarah Palin, who, when mayor of itsy-bitsy Wasilla, hired the same lobbyist as Ted Stevens, and roped in millions for a town of about 5,000 residents.

They like to talk the talk up there, but walk the walk? Come now.

Which is why when rivers flooded up there this spring as a result of the snow melt, wiping out several rural communities (hello, global warming anyone?), Sarah Palin was sticking her hand out to Barack Obama for federal relief funds.

And therein is Palin's biggest lie: That Alaska should get a free pass when it comes to federal spending; she wants the money, but not the responsibility. She wants to promulgate the illusion of Alaskan 'self-sufficiency' and 'rugged invidualism' when it is anything but.

Then there's the matter of Palin calling upon Obama "to take a firm stand against North Korea and defend the states and territories of the United States of America and American allies on the Korean peninsula. "

That's right, "states and territories." Thank you for the details governor. But one must ask why you never asked the previous administration to take a similar stand, especially in light of Bush and Cheney allowing the North Koreans to continue with nuclear weapon development. What do you think of the Bush Doctrine now, Governor Palin?

Oh, that's right, she didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was.

Worse yet, what Palin was really itching for in her statement about North Korea was federal funding of the missile defense system at Fort Greely. Located where? In Alaska, of course. Palin says funding must be fully restored "to guarantee our protective measures remain the best in the world." That's right, more federal money to the Last Frontier.

With Sarah Palin, hypocrisy truly knows no bounds. Perhaps she can see North Korea from out her kitchen window as well.

Award-winning investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker Geoffrey Dunn is at work on a book about Sarah Palin and her role in American politics, to be published by Macmillan/St. Martin's in 2010.

Comments

[JimmyTee]

She talked about hockey? Why isn't she in Gitmo yet?

[squarebird]

This article is reaching ... these are normal politician compromises, backpedals and partisan word-games. If Palin deserves this column, then so does the President and each and every member of Congress (with the possible exception of Ron Paul).

[Marnie1]

"Then there's the matter of Palin calling upon Obama "to take a firm stand against North Korea and defend the states and territories of the United States of America and American allies on the Korean peninsula. "

Granting that the US does still have "territories" in the Pacific -
They are not likely to be a target. And if they were the response by the US would make hitting those territories definitely not worth the effort.
So, I have to wonder if Sarah thinks Alaska is still a territory, or maybe her secessionists buddies have acted out and the rest of the country doesn't yet know there are only 49 states left in the Union.

Not to mention that Sarah's obsession with enemies across the sea is the obsession of a mad woman.

[squarebird]

Where do you get "obsession"? She has said less about Russia than you have about Sarah Palin. And unlike you, she has never called Russia an "enemy".

[squarebird]

As far as North Korea ... Alaska and part of Hawaii are the only United States that are reachable by their missiles. Why do you not want the governor of Alaska to mention that? She also has not called North Korea our 'enemy' .. she merely called South Korea our "ally". Do you have a problem with that? I am not a big Sarah Palin fan, but I AM a fanatical supporter of uninhibited speech, and I don't want our elected officials censoring themselves due to pressure from the peanut gallery.

[mychagall]

It seems that GeneCar doesn't have any real facts in his defense of Sarah Palin. Poor guy. So gullibe.

[TexasDem0]

I wonder who writes the blog posts for her.

[mychagall]

Palin can see North Korea and all it's territories and states from her front porch.

[mychagall]

I also want to say thank you. Please keep these articles coming. We all need to know the truth about this corrupt human being.

[GeneCar]

Yet another installment in the "Sarah, the Queen of Lies" meme. Getting a bit stale is it not. ZZZZZZ

[feliznavidad]

Keeping track of her lies and distortions will go away -- as soon as she does. She isn't fit to hold office -- let alone a higher one.

[mychagall]

I say we put Palin, Cheney, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and Michelle Bachmann in a room together and tell them to have at it.

[mychagall]

And we keep laughing at her and laughing at her, and it never ends. This is material that can be used for many years to come on SNL. Jon Stewart, Curb Your Enthusiasm, ad nauseum, ad infinitum.

[JustAHumanOnEarth]

The river floods were not a result of global warming, very much the opposite.

You see, the winter was so cold that the ice was extra thick and could not break up as easy. When the extra thick ice finally broke(due to the normal increase in melt water from the snow), the ice piled up so high that it blocked the rivers(Mississippi style rivers by the way) and diverted water and ice into small towns that only have water or air access.

I don't mind the rant against Sarah, I just wanted to set the record straight for you(I live in AK).

[mychagall]

Sorry, I don't buy it!

[Marnie1]

The statement is essentially true the ice was unusually thick and the melt came on too fast.
Sarah however waited nearly a month before she was forced by public outrage and national press overage to CHA and "request" federal assistance, AFTER FEMA already had, crews in the flooded areas evaluating the extent of the damage.

[MonaLisa65]

Yes, JustAHuman is right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Alaska_floods

The weather was so harsh this past winter, and came on so suddenly, that many small villages could not receive their final shipments of heating fuel before the rivers froze (parts of AK are so remote, they can only be accessed by boat or plane.

Too many people had to choose between heat and food. But Sarah brought cookies to the photo op, so that was nice....

[Wendy Johnson]

You haven't proven your point. Overall, global warming leads to more extreme weather in different regions, extreme bursts of cold as well as of hot. So your extreme build-up of winter ice could well be, paradoxical as it seems, a result of global warming.

[mychagall]

Wendy,

You are right, with all his words, justahumanonearth has failed to make his point. Sounds like another confused republican.

[LeftRight]

Of course the more proper term is Global Climate Change, which EASILY explains your concerns...

[darker]

Republicans PROVED that they are CROOKS & LIARS.
Palin fits those "qualifications".

[pegaleen78]

Governor Palin is no crook! She got rid of all the crooks in Alaska. They love her there! She gives the people of Alaska 2000 dollars a year out of oil profits. She is a very reputable LADY who you love to condemn.

[newpantaloons]

Lady, you need to do some research! Please don't post if you don't know the facts, it just weakens your arguments and makes you look biased towards someone you obviously like. Why..I don't know.

[Marnie1]

Sarah's popularity ratings have been tanking since last fall, and she cannot even control her own party's legislative body, they are so angry with her.

[MonaLisa65]

Her approval rating in Alaska has dropped 32 points between 5/7/08 and 5/5/09, Mainly because her 'reputation' is such a poorly constructed facade that more and more Alaskans are realizing that they just traded one crook for another at their last election.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

When members of your 'OWN' Party's Legislature calls you a liar ans also can't find the ' strings' attached to the money that you are ALWAYS screaming about... the words of Michael Steele come to mind...

" WE've got NO credibility".... that in a "NUT-shell" describes Sarah Palin.

[floridafun]

sooo tina fey dust off that sarah-mirror! also and therefore!

[GeneCar]

Governor Palin did not "reject " half or one-third of the stimulus money. She set the scene for a public discussion, indicating that she would accept certain portions on condition that they were for short-term or once-off expenditures, and did not lead to ongoing unfunded mandates after the stimulus money runs out. In this effort, she largely got her way and these conditions were built into the relevant legislation. As for the energy conservation funds, because of the nature of Alaska's climate, they have always built to an excessive standard. Nor should we be surprised that many Alaskan Republicans resent Palin. Unlike Barrack Obama in Illinois, she did confront and upend the corrupt establishment of her own party. In addition, the fact that all fourteen ethics compalins files against Governor Palin have been rejected by a Personnel Board appointed by her predecessor tells us a lot about who the real liers are in this situation.

[scooperss]

Bull.

[PepperzMom]

Er, all 14+ not true. TravelGate wound up with a $10k return of funds by SP...

[TruthJusticeForAll]

So, repayment of stolen state funds equates to no violation of the law. Definitely a Rethuglican concept.

[GeneCar]

You are wrong. Because the issue was deemed unclear in law, Governor Palin was not obliged to return any money. She volunteered to do so in anticipation that future clarification of the rules would indicate as much. Nice try.

[tm68]

upended it only to install her own version of corruption and power hungry madness.

[GeneCar]

Evidence please!

[LDS50]

Read her website, do ya?

[jiml1956]

If Alaska builds to an excessive standard, why threaten to not accept the funds because they would have created standards. Sarah had to be told by others I guess that small communities were exempt. Still, your excessive standard makes no sense.