Post Scripts

by Jack Lee

You may have to go to the ends of the earth (aka Alaska) these days to find a relatively untainted, un-bought politician but I think McCain did it. She is the Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. This lady’s resume’ looks almost too good, she’s a self described Hockey mom, a devout Christian and she lives in a little town of about 7,000. Her husband is a rugged outdoorsman and blue collar oil worker. To the dismay of many democrats her surprise nomination as McCain’s running mate has totally cut short the ga-ga, idol worshiping by the media following B.O.’s big speech.

Pundits had long been considering that a woman running mate for Barrack Obama would be the clincher for winning the presidency. Now McCain has that advantage and it makes Obama’s choice of Joe Biden look dull, uninspired and worse, as something done to shore up Obama’s obvious lack of experience. B.O. needs the women’s vote desperately and women just aren’t warming up to him like they did for Clinton. Old Joe Biden has
Continue reading “Meet Sarah Palin – All American Housewife & Your New Vice President?” »

Posted by Tina

The 44-year-old Republican, Alaska’s first female governor, arrived at the Capitol in 2006 on an ethics reform platform after defeating two former governors in the primary and general elections. Today, she was ready to leap to the national stage as GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s surprise choice for running mate, according to two senior campaign officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement was pending. *** She already has a national reputation for bucking her party’s establishment and Alaska’s powerful oil industry back home. *** With ethics the centerpiece of her campaign, Palin defeated incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski, who served 22 years in the U.S. Senate before winning the governor’s seat in 2002. *** Her task didn’t seem any easier in the general election, but she handily beat Tony Knowles, a popular Democrat who already served two terms as governor. *** During her first year in office, Palin distanced herself from the powerful old guard of the state Republican Party, even calling on Sen. Ted Stevens to explain to Alaskans why federal authorities were investigating him. *** Palin describes herself as a “hockey mom” and an occasional commercial fisherwoman. She lives in Wasilla, a town of 6,500 about 30 miles north of Anchorage, with her husband, Todd, a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who competes in the Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. He is part Yup’ik Eskimo. Houston Chronicle

Posted by Tina

Ex-Marine Acquitted in Iraq Killings, by Chelsea J. Carter, AP

RIVERSIDE, Calif. A former Marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqi detainees was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter Thursday in a first-of-its-kind federal trial. *** The jury took six hours to find Jose Luis Nazario Jr. not guilty of charges that he killed or caused others to kill four unarmed detainees on Nov. 9, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war. *** Thursday’s verdict marks the first time a civilian jury has determined whether the alleged actions of a former military service member in combat violated the law of war. *** Wicken said the panel acquitted Nazario because there was not enough evidence against him. “I think you don’t know what goes on in combat until you are in combat,” she said. *** Prosecutors alleged that Nazario either killed or caused others to kill four unarmed Iraqi detainees in Fallujah during “Operation Phantom Fury,” which resulted in house-to-house fighting. *** Nazario’s attorney, Kevin McDermott, told jurors they could not convict the former Marine sergeant of an alleged crime in which there were no bodies, no identities and no forensics. He also argued that a guilty verdict would only make service members second-guess their actions in combat.

Posted by Tina

GOP lawmakers put ‘no new taxes’ pledge in writing, by Jim Sanders Sacramento Bee

Don’t read their lips when California’s Republican lawmakers say ‘no new taxes’ they’ve put it in writing, signed their names, essentially inviting their own party to oust them if they renege. *** Every GOP lawmaker except Fair Oaks Assemblyman Roger Niello has signed the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” this year, casting a shadow on budget talks by making any vote to raise taxes a potential career killer. *** “If you break the pledge, the people who voted for you will say, ‘Excuse me, not only did you raise my taxes but you lied to me,’ ” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, in Washington, D.C., which conducts the pledge drive nationwide. *** The tax pledge, whose signers are publicized on the group’s Web site, is a written promise to voters that “I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” *** Opponents argue that such vows can torpedo budget talks by making the outcome intensely personal and hamper efforts to find tradeoffs in bridging the state’s $15.2 billion deficit. (added link mine)

Personal? Trade offs? I don’t know how a pledge to voters can make anything “personal” in debates or negotiations but as for the “tradeoff” remark…Republicans have learned that when dems ask for tradeoffs they expect Republicans to just give up and give in…Dems don’t give an inch. I support the Republicans completely in being as stubborn as possible…we’re talking gravity!

From the Americans for Tax Reform webpage (link above):

Since its rollout with the endorsement of President Reagan in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts. Numbers in Congress are approaching 50% in each house. *** Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,200 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge. Statehouse tax-and-spend interests have to contend with Pledge signers in every state.

WOW…50% in each house. That will throw a wrench in the works…we need more of this to press lawmakers toward more responsible oversight and management of out tax dollars.

On the site you will also find links to lists of those who broke the pledge, those who are big tax increasers, and pledge takers by state and at the federal level.