The New Testament of Sarah Palin: Spring 2010

Writing is hard. I struggle. Being a mom is hard. It's worth the hard work. Being a wife is hard. I wasn't good at it. Being a governor is hard. I've seen few really good at it. Campaigning is hard. As good as you can strategize and frame your message; sometimes you still don't get elected.

Just how competent is Sarah Palin? She hasn't been able to juggle everything to date...and now a new "ball" is up in the air.

Harper Collins just signed the Governor of Alaska to a book deal. In a time tight budgets and economic chaos, they managed to find a great sum to trade for the memoirs of a girl from Wasilla, Alaska. The book is due next spring. It was reported she was getting an $11 million advance. She denied the amount. It flies in the face of having a legal defense fund.

That's fantastic! Great! Get a laptop and a bottle of Adderall...you'll be fine. If you get stuck...well, make it up. It's worked so far.

The governor said about her new book, "There have been so many things written and said through mainstream media that have not been accurate, and it will be nice through an unfiltered forum to get to speak truthfully about who we are and what we stand for and what Alaska is all about." Who is "WE?" How in the ham and cheese can Sarah Palin know what "Alaska is all about?" No one can sum this place up; that's what I love about it. We are too mavericky to have one voice define us.

Palin added, "The idea is to focus on the content of the book and what's coming in terms of me being able to tell my story unrestrained and unfiltered." Well, that's precious! The idea of being governor, traveling around, and making promises for votes, is to FOCUS on the State you were elected to represent.

"It will be nice to put my journalism degree to work on this and get to tell my story, Alaska's story. There have been so many unauthorized books and publications that have spoken to somebody else's opinion of who I am, what my family represents and what Alaska is all about." AGAIN, SARAH, what 41.6% of Alaskans, according to last weeks poll numbers, think Alaska represents, is NOT YOU. Tell your family story, your story, but not ours.

For all the reasons it took her three weeks to sign a bill to support the emergency funding for the Alaska Territorial Guard, Sarah sure found her pen today.

But there is a problem.

Remember all the ethics Palin was touting during her un-holy national tour on the Strait Jacket Express? They include specific statutes:

S 39.52.170. Outside Employment Restricted.
(a) A public employee may not render services to benefit a personal or financial interest or engage in or accept employment outside the agency which the employee serves, if the outside employment or service is incompatible or in conflict with the proper discharge of official duties.
(c) The head of a principal executive department of the state may not accept employment for compensation outside the agency that the executive head serves.

Rest easy, I'm not going to file an ethics complaint over this. The system has been wildly abused, including the one Sarah filed on herself. Ethics are not something you can legislate; either you have them or you don't.

Alaska has a citizen legislature. They are expected to have employment outside of the 90 day session. The governor and her cabinet are considered full time employees. I'm not an attorney, but, after reading the details of the statutes, they seem specific and unambiguous; the governor can't be paid for other employment.

Sarah Palin is living the dream. People want to read about it. Some Alaskans are living a nightmare, and she needs to do her job.

Since the governor's return to Alaska, not much has progressed. Our legislature couldn't even pass the bestiality bill dubbed "Ididadog." Groundhog Day is now Marmot Day. We have a new state dog. Our minimum wage won't be the lowest in the nation. Sarah's pet projects crashed in committee. Her AG and cabinet appointments were rejected by the Republican majority legislature. Some of that I'm good with, I don't want the uterus police in my business or a bigot as Attorney General.

Palin hasn't been able to perform her duties as governor without a book deal. What ever she writes, Rush Limbaugh will consider it a pop-up book. Now that she has a contract, it won't take an ethics board to figure out Alaskans lose again.

Any guesses for a title?

Comments

[5thGenDem]

I have about as low an opinion of Palin as anyone. That said, I don't think that contracting to write one's own biography constitutes "employment."

[roudy]

No, you do it after you leave elected office, on your own time.

[doxpin]

because that's what Obama did right?

[Actongue]

In theory you are right but it has been done multiple times by many politicians (Which in itself does not justify it ) and we can not hold a different candle for one and a different candle for another.

[RobHunt]

Obama was in the Senate for about 15 minutes, and still managed to write not one but TWO books while he was there. Impressive!

[den1953]

Please Mrs Palin write your book you can compare your book with Ann Coulters book then you can recycle it and save a tree.

[psychologist]

Give it a rest! Every attempt to file ethics complaints only gives Sarah more popularity. At first it brought doubt, but has now been proven to only bring support for Sarah and is seen as an unjustified attack! Sarah is a Teflon personality who energizes every meeting she attends. Nothing you throw at her will ever stick. Sarah drew more crows than Biden, McCain, Hillary, and on many occasion more than Obama, and still the most popular speaker in the US. Despite unethical media attempts to discredit her she continues to grow in popularity worldwide. If the left wing media and other really want to defeat her the sure fire way is to simply keep her out of the media and ignore her totally. Anything else only calls attention to her and helps her politically! A ill refutable fact!

[RobDoub]

Great theory, till you look at her ratings in Alaska and find her approval has dropped like a snowmachine. Fact is, her poor performance has effectively put an end to her career. She will be a pundit someday, that's it.

[Actongue]

She is about as Popular as a Trainwreck. It draws media attention but that is all.

She is the one that complains about how the Media picks on her and is mean to her.

Yet she is the one that is instigating it.

The problem is she is not smart enough to know it.

[SueInCA]

You have statistics to back up your claim? When did she ever draw crowds of over 100,000? Popular speaker for whom? Popularity worldwide? Where is that claim documented? Sure, she is popular she is standing material for SNL

[Actongue]

She recently (yesterday) was in Haines Alaska which has a population of around 2400 for an Event.

She drew a Crowd of 200 Residents of the Area.

that equates to about 12 perecent of the population

At Lookout Park, Palin’s own video crew filmed her on a makeshift stage surrounded by veterans, American flags, and red-white-and-blue banners. About 200 residents crowded around the shelter there.

Taken from Chilkat Valley news.

Wow 12 percent of the population turned out in the State.................Granted it is the SE which really dislikes Sarah for ignoring them for the most part.

[nubret2008]

Facts please, where did she draw more people than Obama?

[SharpDressedMan]

Actually Sarah Palin has been hit very hard at opinion polls. She is in worst shape than ever before and stands to lose the next election. Another poll shows she can't win an election against Lisa Murkowski for her US Senate seat.

During the campaign Barack Obama drew more people at rallies and certainly more votes.

Sarah Palin is the opposite of teflon. She can't shed the stigmas she created for herself even before last year's campaign in the Lower 48. No book will save her.

[ladylove114]

Why on earth would anybody care if she writes a book?? If you don't want to buy it or read it, then don't. The continuous obsession here with everything Palin is so telling.

[loudyk]

And yet, here you are too!

[SueInCA]

BINGO

[PanFx]

So telling of what? Ten dollars says you can't even answer that question without looking foolish.

[JimAK]

I'm confused. The Governor of Alaska shouldn't write a book or run for higher office - so that means that Sarah Palin should be held to higher ethical standards than Obama and Biden?

[SueInCA]

No just one ethical standard if she can

[LMKay66]

Good one. lol

[RobDoub]

I agree with you. Sounds, however, like the Alaska Ethics Law may be unusually restrictive compared to others. If so, I think it should be changed for circumstances like this.

[Cardrvr2002]

This may end up being a complete non-issue. The deal with the publisher is for an advance. If it is like most advances of this size it won't be paid in one lump sum. There will be an initial payment, then she and her ghost writer will have to meet certain deadlines to get further payment. There are many obsticles in the way of this money actually making to Sarah's bank account. And, in the end, if the book does not sell enough to actually generate this much revenue Sarah will owe any unrealized portions of the advance back to the publisher. Seriously, how many people will actually buy this book? My guess is, a few ultra-conservatives, a few curious liberals, but I wouldn't reserve a spot on the New York Times Best Seller list just yet.

[SharpDressedMan]

You may be right but many books are bought because of curiosity.

It's a done deal. Follow the money and you will see that the publisher won't be that influential because Rupert Murdoch owns HarperCollins. He wants to promote Palin no matter what the cost.

[marko77]

VOTERremorse

I will go out on a limb here and say it will be on the NY best seller list, any takers? And to speculate and say she has broken the law is absurd. Where is the facts? I do not want speculation. And it is so funny that liberals call PALIN dumb, but they cannot quit talking about her.
__________________________________________________________

Sarah Palin is dumb and that's a fact. She's supported by "End of Days" Christians and Rush Limbaugh right wing extremists. What she has is a cult following.

[redstateaz]

Why are Democrats afraid of Sarah Palin writing a book?

[SueInCA]

No one is afraid, not sure where you come up with that delusion..................

[VOTERremorse]

They are afraid the MSM will be proven a liar, oops we already knew that sorry.

[SueInCA]

Fake News addicts should know that best

[Actongue]

Who said anything about being Afraid?

It is laughable to think that most people will read it for its Educational Value. The only people being fooled by her words are her supporters. they are her words so they will only show her in a good light not the real light of who Sarah palin is

this is the real Sarah
Six minutes of pure entertainment..........It also shows her lack of Common Sense and the ability to think on her feet.............Bothj are requirements to hold a position of President.

AVENGERS: Yes, yes, I understand we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France. It's called Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit.

PALIN: Right, that's what it's all about, the middle class and government needing to work for them. You're a very good example for us here.

AVENGERS: I see a bit about NBC, even Fox News wasn't an ally as much as usual.

PALIN: Yeah, that's what we're up against.

AVENGERS: Gov. Palin, I love the documentary they made on your life. You know Hustler's Nailin' Paylin?

PALIN: Ohh, good, thank you, yes.

AVENGERS: That was really edgy.

PALIN: Well, good.

They felt sorry for her so had to tell her it was a Prank call since she was clueless

[RRG64]

Better yet....how can Sarah Palin write a book when she can`t even complete a coherent sentence?

also, too.

[RobDoub]

Notwithstanding the Alaska Ethics Law, which sounds like it would preclude Sarah from writing a book (but what do I know, I am not a lawyer...), I think the most important thing is how she does her job - not what she does after dinner at home.

I would say she has failed at her job, miserably, since she was chosen last August. Her performance before that was quite weak, in my opinion, but it didn't seem to bother Alaskans that much.

The important question is how well she performs her job. If she does not do that well, she will not be reelected. We really should keep the focus on her job performance - including her ethical issues. Troopergate is still not resolved by the legislature despite the strong finding of abuse of power. Her travel expense issue showed a clear lack of ethical compass, though she largely dodged the issue by paying up after the independent counsel found issues and was prepared to take the matter to the Personnel Board. Her per diem was found to be taxable (funny how WE knew that all along) when she was at home. That is three significant issues right there. And the clear tendency to mix the personal and professional is a thread that goes back to her days as Wasilla Mayor. Sarah needs to return to the bipartisan, positive approach that worked in the past if she is to have any success in the remainder of her term.

[JimAK]

RouDoub, you write that Palin has failed as Governor - what part of Alaska are you from that allows you to form this opinion? I'm from Anchorage - beautiful day here, by the way - and I disagree.

[SueInCA]

It is a beautiful day here in CA as well, and it sure is not the Governator's doing.

[RobDoub]

Not Alaskan, Jim (I miss seeing your comments at Halcro - always interesting). But I don't see any accomplishments since the VP run, her approval has dropped like a stone, and the Legislature seems to seriously wonder where she has been - on both sides of the aisle. She can write the book, though, and it won't bother me at all - whether it is 'ethical' or not.

[Martha12]

Well put, well put!

I might add that Alaskans are not blind to this. Palins' poll numbers have plummeted so fast over the last year , they need a parachute.........or the tantalization of a "book" , as some fools are prone to think!

[CML96]

Trust Documentation cont.

"2. Trust Purpose. The sole and exclusive purpose of this Trust is to provide a proper means for the acceptance of money, property, and services, including, if necessary, pro bono legal services, to provide for all reasonable, necessary, and appropriate fees or charges incurred by (i) SARAH PALIN as a result of the fact that she is Governor of the State of Alaska or as a result of the performance of her duties as Governor of the State of Alaska; and (ii) Covered Individuals, that may be selected or designated by the Trustee as provided herein, as a result of or arising out of their association or relationship with or employment by SARAH PALIN, in her capacity as Governor of the State of Alaska..."
"4. Beneficiary. The beneficiaries of this Trust shall be SARAH PALIN. In addition, the class of potential beneficiaries shall include any "Covered Individual." For purposes hereof, a "Covered Individual" shall be any other person determined by the Trustee, in the Trustee's sole and absolute discretion, to (i) hold a "covered staff' position within SARAH PALIN's administration and/or an employee in the office of the Governor ofthe State of Alaska; and (ii) hold a covered relationship with SARAH PALIN, including without limitation, a family member, such as a parent, spouse, child, grandchild, sibling and other close family relationship......"

Why a legal defense fund for family and friends of a politician? How slanderous is this book going to be?

[VOTERremorse]

The fund is because of frivolous complaints that keep her occupied. Bill Clinton had one, wait now liberals are going to say it was different. No it was to defend his extramarital affairs and whitewater. Palin has had nothing on the level clinton had, but the attacks keep coming. If I were Palin I would say bring it on liberals.

http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Law/Friends-of-Bill-shell-out-lawyers-contribute-to-Clinton-legal-fund-for-Paula-Jones-Whitewater-probes.html

[Actongue]

The difference is its is called the Alaska Trust Fund not the Governor Palin trust fun or Governor of Alaska Trust Fund.

Alaska Trust fund Implies that it is for All Alaskans. The others that have had such trust funds had their name or atleast positon on it.

It shows how Narcisstic and egomaniacal she is.

Is it in itself a Ethics violatiuon no but it is what I dewcribed above.

[RobDoub]

Frivolous?
The Legislative Investigation found she had abused the power of her office
The Personnel Board complaint on travel expenses was found to have merit, so she
agreed to pay back about $10,000 in exchange for stopping the investigation
Her per diem for staying at home was found to be taxable income

Hardly frivolous. Not all the complaints were found to have merit, but that is not the same as being frivolous. And none of the ones that were denied by the independent counsel cost Sarah anything to defend, as there was no investigation other than that of the counse.

Her expenses were brought on by her own actions - particularly in filing the Troopergate complaint against herself.

[Actongue]

My typing sucks and i do not always proofread so my fault there.

[Martha12]

Frivolous? Palin filed 30........30.........complaints against trooper Wooten.

She has had 13 filed against her INCLUDING THE ONE SHE FILED AGAINST HERSELF, to her hand picked personnel board. Of course they found nothing she did wrong

ALL of the complaints against Palin have been investigated. Palin was found guilty of "abuse of power", by the state legislative,instigated investigation.
When your own legislature, dominated by republicans, instigates an investigation, that's about as bad as it gets. Even the majority of republicans have no faith in her.

Out of the 30 complaints, .....10.......were investigated, only 10.
Out of the 30 complaints only 3................3.........resulted in reprimands, NOT dismissal.

PALIN IS THE ALASKAN QUEEN OF FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS!!

[CML96]

I'm just wondering why the Alaska Trust Fund was set up just a few weeks ago and now this announcement about the book deal.

If one reads the Trust documentation, you find:

"A. SARAH PALIN, who is the current Governor of the State of Alaska, has incurred
and is responsible for various expenses in connection with or otherwise as a result of SARAH
PALIN's service as Governor of the State of Alaska including without limitation, various
investigations of her conduct as Governor of Alaska.
B. It is the desire of the Settlor to provide the legal and proper means to accept transfers of money, property, and services (including pro bono legal services) for the purpose of defraying, paying, or satisfying the fees and costs that have been and will be incurred by SARAH PALIN and others (hereinafter "Covered Individuals") in connection with or otherwise as a result of SARAH PALIN's service as Governor of the State of Alaska, all in a manner consistent with and in compliance with the laws of the United States and the State of Alaska."

[k1k2legend]

No problem here. Now the library systems in the town of Wasilla and in the state of Alaska can simply exercise their rights of censorship and ban Palin's ridiculous written effort to emulate a human being with a brain.
This incorrigible woman's negative zero IQ continues to amaze even the least educated in our country and yet she has signed a book deal....amazing!
Hopefully, Alaska's constituents will finally, with this latest "slap in the face" determine that this governor has unleased enough animosity on their state between displaying total political ignorance during the campaign and then compounding this disbelief by horrifying the entire free world with her crusade of hatred for all animals. Her slaughter of innocent wildlife is an abomination. This woman is the epitome of a demented duo-personality. Her professed beliefs are in direct juxtaposition to her actions. With any luck, Dude Palin will determine that his life is terribly boring and is much more interesting with his new companion with whom he represented Sarah at the awards last weekend. Good luck, Sarah.....

[BradHart]

"What ever she writes, Rush Limbaugh will consider it a pop-up book. "

Does this mean he is getting an erection over the advance amount?

[puffthedragon]

LOL good one

[Leah Burton]

It is being CO-published with Christian publishing house Zondervan.

New title, "I Learned All I Need to Know @ Jesus Camp...there, also..." by Sarah, the Prophetess Warrior

[VOTERremorse]

Insults? Is that all you got?

[SueInCA]

Says the insulter........................

[buddiecat2]

The benefit of Palin writing a book is that when she is caught in a lie, she won't be able to blame anyone else.
Not the mainstream media, not mean Katie Couric who asked such tough questions, not the bloggers..

[brt929]

The problem is- you can't fact check any of her claims. After all, it's not what she says, it's what she means. We are supposed to know the difference between the two.

[indy girl]

She can always blame Piper the ghost writer.