The Alaskans Are Getting Restless....

this just in: Governor Palin Neglects Alaska Duties for Partisan Stumping on Campaign Trail in Georgia.

Alaska faces challenges that need attention now.

Anchorage - While Gov. Sarah Palin is out of state again, this time in Georgia campaigning for incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on the eve of the runoff election, Alaska faces challenges including a lack of leadership from the Governor.

Palin will stump for Chambliss, the draft-evading incumbent Republican who waged a notoriously misleading campaign against a decorated war hero, at rallies Monday in Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah and Perry, Georgia. Palin has been back in Alaska at work for only a few days since running for vice president.

"Alaskans need our Governor here earning her salary and working on key problems facing Alaska families," said Alaska Democratic Party Chair Patti Higgins.

Alaska is facing significant challenges, Higgins said, including:

* Oil prices have dropped dramatically to about $45/bbl from the peak of $144/bbl in July, which threatens the state budget.
* Alaskans are paying some of the highest prices for gas in the nation, averaging $2.87 per gallon, while the national average is $1.91.
* The state's oil production continues to decline, due to falling prices and mature fields.
* The global credit crunch and falling natural gas prices threaten the Alaska gas line.
* The State is failing to meet its constitutional obligation to take care of public education as shown by the high drop out rates and the low graduation rates.
* Many Medicare patients cannot find doctors.
* There is continued flight from rural villages.
* Alaska faces the prospect of reduced federal dollars from Washington, D.C.

"Alaska's challenges are significant, and there is much that needs to be done right now. Our Governor should remember that her primary job is to work on behalf of the citizens of Alaska, not engage in partisan politics in other states," Higgins said. "Governing is more than creating photo ops. We'd like a commitment that the Governor is working, not just scheduling media appearances."

Enough is Enough! Someone needs to tell Sarah that SHE DIDN'T WIN. She has been paid for her governor job for months during a campaign. Show up or shut up.

Follow Shannyn Moore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/shannynmoore

Comments

[aweissnet]

Did she ever do her job, or did they just stop to notice not much gets done? I mean, all this did not happen overnight, now, did it?

Can't the first dude step in?

[wagthedog1001]

She did her job when the price of oil was high and she got the oil companies to give some of that back to the people of Alaska. Big Whoop. I could have done that. ANYONE could have done that. Now there's leadership to be done and she's in Georgia pushing a ridiculous future.

What a big huge joke.

[jazzycafe]

Right - she's a hit with Alaskans because she mails checks to them. I got so tired during the election of hearing how popular she was as governor. Any governor would be just as popular if they could give everyone in their state some money.

[RLM2008]

Well said!

Palin needs to stop the attention-wh0ring, and all the self-serving crap and go do her job. Or step down and give back the money she's basically stolen by collecting a salary while not performing her duties.

[aaguilar27]

Not to mention the money she "stole" from the citizens of Alaska by taking her family on trips, staying in 4-star hotels and taking per diem so she can work out of her home instead of going "into the office"! Sorry Palin lovers...she is not "every woman" - she is not "just like me" - she does not represent the average American!

[itisover]

if she can stay out of trouble, she will be running for white house in 4 years.
i am sure she will have a very strong support of christians, conservatives, right wingers etc.

this year's election was actually very close 52-48%. considering how bad republicans did,
it is actually pretty bad win for obama.

i am guessing if obama does bad next for 4 years, she can close the gap and win.

[ajpor]

The Palin Problem is easy to fix. The Alaskans need to install a live-streaming Sarah-Cam in her office. She will not be able to resist the lure of film.... If they install a laugh/applause track, she'll probably get some work done between preening!

[LightningJoe]

I don't think it really matters to Sarah if she won or not. She said herself (before she denied it) that she didn't know what a VP does -- except attack the other side wearing lipstick (sue me), and bring home the goodies for Alaska.

She's no longer "just a Governor," you see. In her own mind and legend, she's been catapulted onto the national stage, as the heiress-apparent for the 2012 presidential run. So she'll now have a bag packed in the closet, for little trouble-shooting parachute drops into troubled local campaigns wherever they may lie -- just to keep that door cracked open for 2012, you understand. Never mind that the media is starting to draw straws, to see who has to cover her recycled 2008 campaign speech this time.

And true, she's not doing the people's business -- but that would only be a problem for her if she cared about the people's business.

[tsand19151]

Agreed....Alaska is so "yesterday" for Palin. It's much more fun (and profitable) being in the National spot light than a Governor from a state that nobody cares about.

[ebbtide]

Alaskans are getting restless? News to me.

[ebbtide]

Alaskans are getting restless? Really? Heh.

[vet64]

The Neo Con Republican mantra.. Compassionate Conservatism.. Truthiness.. Rightousness..
The lies bankrupted us to the tune of 53 Trillion American Taxpayer dollars, in direct and indirect costs.. The Neo Con Parasites infesting the executive and their equally Conflict of Interest and Collusion challenged Republican, Democrat and independent Legislative Branch. "The Uniter" ran on uniting the country.. And instead ran it into the ground and the United States Treasury in the Neo Cons offshore accounts in countries with no extradition treaties with the USA.
Truthiness.. Rightousness, Religiosity.. Coming from the Neo Con Parasites, Republican Mushrooms and the Religious Idiots who are complicit in the Gutting, Usurping and Crapping on the United States Constitution.
And the Congress that, because of their many investments, bribes in the form of "campaign contributions"... prostituted and continue to prostitute their votes, to pass laws, deregulations and regulations, financially benefitting their Corporate Pimps, their family. and cronies. Along with legally shielding theirselves.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Treason is Treason!!!

[zenaby56]

Palin does not and probably never had Alaska's best interests at heart. She is a complete opportunist (look at her political career and how she gets where she gets). She is trying to take the next leap in politics and it is to the national level. As for Alaska, there are a ton of things needing attention. As someone from the lower 48, I don't envy your oll checks. Alsaka's infrastructure is so minimal and with the long focus on ear marks, I wonder how Alaska will fair in the long haul. Particularly with a Governor who is physicall and mentally absent from the work.

Good luck Alaska. I hope you can real in your governor and possibly give her the boot so you can get somone who will really work for Alaska.

[lavisiter]

Nice......zenaby56 - BUT you fail to see that Obama is a BIGGER opportunist and this is ALL about DOUBLE STANDARDS for women! He was elected in 2006 as Senator for Illinois and within weeks he was "one the road" campaigning for President! He was hardly EVER at his desk as Senator. What the hell did Illinois do?

[eggman]

Where would you rather be in December, Georgia or Alaska?

[heather65]

she's on a mission. a mission from god.

[eggman]

Would that be the same mission God sent GWB on? 'Cuz the GOP is pretty much destroyed already.

[jjjyyy]

You Betcha

[Norak]

A door must have opened.

[jdwoman]

I hope that Alaskans are beginning to wake up and realize that their governor's ambitions know no bounds. She is more interested in the cameras and the attention than serving the people of Alaska.

[SammyGone]

I wonder why the people of Illinois didn't miss their senator for two years.....full pay while roaming the 57 staes for votes. Oh, well you can vote "present" from anywhere.

[heather65]

awww, i hear a tiny violin playing.
she lost. she should get back to work. if the tables were turned, obama wouldn't be avoiding his job.

[eggman]

Funny you don't ask the same question about Arizona. Maybe the reasons McCain wouldn't missed are obvious.

Speaking of the obvious, to vote 'present' you have to be...wait for it...present. For the bazillionth time, 'present' is the logical vote when a good law has bad earmarks or riders attached--you can't legitimately vote for it, but you don't want to appear to be against a good law either. Obama voted present about 3.5% of the time.

[rf-hawaii]

A vote of 'present' is a no vote, with the suggestion that a change will be entertained
if the bill is improved.

It's the thinking man's no vote. What did you think it meant?

[postman606]

What's sooooo silly about you're comment is the fact that any intelligent person know's he mispoke as opposed to not knowing.

[WowJones]

We were so proud of him and knew he was going on to do a greater good. However, I was wondering what you thought about Hillary and McCain during the campaign, or are you clueless (which I suspect) how Presidential campaigns work.

[munki]

Perhaps Ms. Palin should resign from Governorship...
or else... she needs to do her job...

[Burkelbile]

Sarah Palin neither has nor wants a future in Alaska.
She's had a taste of diva-fame and she is hooked. It reminds me of that old WWI-era cornball ditty:
"How ya' gonna' keep 'em down on the farm - after they seen Pareeeee?" It's a total joke.
Ask Sarah: "Would you rather be Gov. of Alaska, or have a daytime talk show?"
What do you think her true answer would be? (the question is rhetorical)
You're screwed, Alaska. I honestly hope you've got somebody in the wings that actually cares about what happens to your citizens and your state, because Dame Sarah has bigger salmon to fry.
Can you spell "recall?"