Saturday, October 25, 2008

COAST:  Sarah Palin is the Future of the Party

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

A few weeks ago, COAST sent out a list of endorsements, but the list did not garner media attention.  Among the candidates, COAST said they reluctantly endorsed McCain for president, but then went on to call Sarah Palin “A new principled future for the GOP.” I was surprised by the line, and asked COAST to elaborate on characterizing Sarah Palin as the future of the Republican Party.

Here is the response from COAST’s Chair, Jason Gloyd:

COAST has long been an independent organization.  We’ve been accused of many things, but toeing the party line is not one of them. I think we’ve done a consistently good job of pointing out the errors of the Republicans as well as the Democrats even though the majority of our membership are registered Republicans.  When deciding on our endorsements for the fall election, the main question asked was, “is there a chance this candidate will fight for lower taxes and limited government?” Not everyone agrees that this is the best philosophy for a successful America, but we do, and we are willing to work to get those types of candidates in office.  When deciding on an endorsement for President and Vice-President, none of us cheered for McCain, but his addition of Palin gave us hope for the future.  When McCain voted for the pork laden bail out, he pretty much lost all credibility with the few members of COAST that were supporting him.  How can we believe he will veto pork barrel spending as President when he votes along with it in the Senate.  The only true change we saw in the Presidential Election was Ron Paul and we did endorse him in the primary.  In the general election we chose to focus on the major party candidates and strongly considered not endorsing any candidate.  Now you know a bit about our state of mind and reasoning (although some say COAST has no reasoning!) on to Sarah Palin.

COAST sets very high standards and most politicians fail miserably in trying to reach them, so we do have some knocks on Palin.  We especially like the fact that she was able to stand up to the party establishment in Alaska and not just go along to get along.  She had the courage and conviction to take on a Republican incumbent even though party leaders were telling her to stay out.  As Wasilla Mayor she cut her own salary and cut property taxes by 40%.  As Alaska Governor, she cut state budget by 10% and set objective criteria to choose projects worthy of state financing.  What other candidate in this election has actually cut taxes or budgets?  While she doesn’t have a perfect fiscal record, we believe she will continue to get better on tax and spend issues.  Other tax reductions include: $2 million repeal in tire taxes, $40 million suspension of state fuel tax and 50% cut in the annual business license fee.

In short, COAST supports Sarah Palin because she is a party outsider and has an encouraging record on tax and spend issues.  She has shown the courage to do what she believes is right and we believe she will fight for a smaller government agenda.  Our current growth of government is not a sustainable system and we are falling further and further into Socialism and we don’t believe the average American wants that.

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says:
25 Oct 2008  at  04:09 pm | #

COAST supports Sarah Palin because she is a party outsider and has an encouraging record on tax and spend issues.

Jason, if you’re the candidate for VP, you’re not a party outsider. She was just a nobody (The city of San Francisco has more people than the state of Alaska), but she’s another partisan hack, not an outsider. 

Palin is principled? Golly jeepers, that’s a good one. (Wink!)

Alaskan Ethics Inquiry: Palin Abused Power in Troopergate
In campaign news, a bipartisan Alaskan ethics inquiry has found Republican vice-presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin abused the power of her office by pressuring subordinates to fire her former brother-in-law from his job as an Alaskan state trooper. The report also found that Palin allowed her husband to use the governor’s office and resources to meet and speak to state employees in an effort to find some way to get Michael Wooten fired. Republican Alaska State Senator Lyda Green defended the investigation’s findings.

Lyda Green: “I just think we always have to be very, very, very careful when we’re in a position of power, because that separating ourselves from our personal lives and bringing it into the office is always a temptation. And we need to be very careful that we do not do that.”

Is Palin really lookin out for taxpayers like Joe Six-pack? I betcha she ain’t.

Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports that Governor Palin has billed Alaskan taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first nineteen months in office. Palin has charged “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business. The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife. Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received nearly $17,000 as her allowance. The governor’s daughters and husband charged the state over $43,000 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away. A gubernatorial spokeswoman said Monday that Palin’s expenses are not unusual.

I don’t think COAST knows what their really sayin here. What about her support for the infamous bridge to nowhere that “conservative” crook and porky pig Ted Stevens pushed?

Video: Palin Supported Alaska’s Bridge to Nowhere in 2006
While the McCain campaign continues to claim Sarah Palin opposed Alaska’s notorious Bridge to Nowhere, more evidence has emerged proving that she once supported the project. On Sunday night, C-SPAN re-aired a 2006 gubernatorial debate in Alaska, when Palin was asked whether she supported a $24 million federal earmark to build a gravel access road to the nonexistent bridge.

Sarah Palin: “I wouldn’t [cancel the project]. I’m not going to stand in the way of progress that our congressional delegation—in the position of strength that they have right now—they’re making those efforts for the state of Alaska to build up our infrastructure. I would not get in the way of progress.”

With Palin as a leader the Grand Old Party will get nowhere fast.
Take a simple google trip on those “series of tubes” called the “internets” and you can find all kinds of unprincipled things Palin’s done.

Palin Relied on Oil Industry for Polar Bear Study
Meanwhile, the environmental group Greenpeace has revealed Palin relied on so-called “experts” funded by the oil industry for an Alaskan state government study denying polar bears are threatened by global warming. The paper, entitled “Polar Bears of Western Hudson Bay and Climate Change,” was widely criticized for using inaccurate data. Two of the co-authors had received funding from the oil giant Exxon Mobil and the American Petroleum Institute.

I’m just sayin Palin totally under cut McCain’s argument about experience.

GOP Concern Growing Over Selection of Palin
The website Politico reports a growing number of Republicans are expressing concern about John McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin’s performance on the campaign trail and her understanding of key issues. National Review columnist Kathleen Parker has called on Palin to step aside. Parker recently wrote, “Quick study or not, she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion.” Criticism of Palin intensified last week after her interview with Katie Couric on CBS. During the interview Couric asked Palin about the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.

Sarah Palin: “But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—oh, it’s got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So, healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we have—we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing, but one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today. We’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.”

On Monday, Palin returned for another interview with Katie Couric, this time with John McCain. Couric questioned McCain about Palin’s interaction with a voter in Philadelphia on Saturday when she contradicted McCain’s stated position on Pakistan by saying that US troops should absolutely go into Pakistan if that’s what needed to stop the terrorists from coming into Afghanistan.

Katie Couric: “Is that something you shouldn’t say out loud, Sen. McCain?”

John McCain: “Of course, not. But, look, I understand this day and age, ‘gotcha’ journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn’t hear the question very well, you don’t know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Governor Palin and I agree that you don’t announce that you’re going to attack another country.”

Couric: “Are you sorry you said it?”

McCain: “And the fact”—

Couric: “Governor?”

McCain: “Wait a minute. Before you say, ‘is she sorry she said it,’ this was a ‘gotcha’ sound bite that—well, she was in a conversation”—

Couric: “It wasn’t a ‘gotcha.’ She was talking to a voter.”

Being able to see Russia doesn’t give Palin foreign policy experience.

Palin Claims US “Victory” in Iraq
In other campaign news, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been caught in an apparent gaffe after claiming the US has achieved “victory” in Iraq. Speaking to CBS News anchor Katie Couric, Palin said, “a surge in Afghanistan also will lead us to victory there, as it has proven to have done in Iraq.” Palin was also asked about her comments that an Israeli attack on Iran shouldn’t ever be “second guessed.”

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: “We don’t have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth. It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That’s not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.”

Even if Palin was a quick study (and I see no indication of this)her “experience” was she recently met with US backed dictators and and war criminals.

Palin Meets Karzai, Uribe, Kissinger
The opening of the General Assembly also saw what’s believed to be Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s first meetings with a foreign leader. Palin held separate talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. She also later met with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Palin has been criticized on the campaign trail for her lack of foreign policy experience.

Palin fibbed (lied) about state findings on endangered polar bears and tried to cover it up.

CHARLIE GIBSON: Do you still believe that global warming is not manmade?

GOV. SARAH PALIN: I believe that man’s activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change. Regardless of that, John McCain and I agree that we’ve got to do something about it, and we have to make sure that we’re doing all we can to cut down on pollution.

CHARLIE GIBSON: But it’s a critical point, as to whether or not this is manmade. He says it is; you have said in the past it’s not.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: The debate on that even really has evolved into, OK, here’s where we are now. Scientists do show us that there are changes in climate. Things are getting warmer. Now what do we do about it?

CHARLIE GIBSON: Yes, but isn’t it critical as to whether or not it’s manmade, because what you do about it depends on whether it’s manmade?

GOV. SARAH PALIN: That’s why I’m attributing some of man’s activities to potentially causing some of the changes in the climate right now. So—

CHARLIE GIBSON: But I—you know, color me a cynic, but I hear a little bit of change in your policy there, when you say, yes, now you’re beginning to say it is manmade. It sounds to me like you’re adapting your position to Senator McCain’s.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: I think you are a cynic, because—show me where I have ever said that there’s absolute proof that nothing that man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any effect or no effect on climate change. I have not said that. I have said that my belief is there is a cyclical nature of our planet, warming trends, cooling trends.

CHARLIE GIBSON: That’s false. According to a Fairbanks, Alaska newspaper, less than a year ago, Palin did disagree, saying, quote, “I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity.”

Believing that Palin is a principled leader is like believing in fairy tales. If she becomes VP, God help us all.

New revelations about Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin continue to raise questions about how her religious views might affect her decisions on public policy. Much of the scrutiny has focused on Palin’s church, the Wasilla Assembly of God. This past week, a video emerged of Palin telling students there that the US invasion of Iraq is a task from God.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan. So bless them with your prayers, your prayers of protection over our soldiers.

AMY GOODMAN: Governor Palin was speaking in June. During the same address, she said the construction of a new oil pipeline in Alaska is God’s will.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: I can do my part in doing things like working really, really hard to get a natural gas pipeline, about a $30 billion project that’s going to create a lot of jobs for Alaskans, and we’ll have a lot of energy flowing through here. And pray about that also. I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that.

I can and will go on, but please tell us why COAST wouldn’t just endorse a Libertarian or Constitution Party candidate instead of this losin ticket? You guys are lookin pretty silly right now.

cincysuz says:
25 Oct 2008  at  04:25 pm | #

More Palin scandal here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081025/ap_on_el_pr/palin_pipeline

Palin spent between $9,000 and $28,000, depending on the source, on keeping up her face in September. Her judgment is seriously flawed. Her intellect is suspect and her experience is non-existent. She still doesn’t know the job description for the office of vice president as of a few days ago.  She counts a family vacation in Cabo as foreign relations experience. She proudly parades her unwed, pregnant teenage daughter before the media as an example that other young women should follow. She’s an embarrassment. So naturally COAST would endorse her. It’s a match made in heaven.

anon says:
25 Oct 2008  at  07:12 pm | #

Jason Gloyd: COAST sets very high standards...

Not high enough to disclose its funding sources.

COAST=right wing nuts says:
26 Oct 2008  at  01:43 pm | #

Exhibit A: shameless homophobic/gaybaiting in numerous newsletters

Exhibit B: Palin-supporting (even most Republicans have given up on her thanks to her divisive/shameful rhetoric)

Exhibit C: openly support predatory lending (running around state campaigning against Ohio Issue 5-probably paid to do so)

Exhibit D: opposed funding cancer screening for poor women (would have had commission recently refuse to fund health services at a clinic in Springdale)

says:
27 Oct 2008  at  08:04 pm | #

Justin,
That’s quite an impressive list of Palin-bashing points you’ve assembled; but I’m still a little fuzzy on your thesis. Are you saying COAST should have ignored the scoreboard and endorsed Barr on principal alone? Or that Palin is not the future of the Republican Party? Or that she’s a poor choice for the party’s future?

I think we can still steer the party in our direction. In fact, the Palin pick is pretty good evidence that conservatives wield a massive, although not quite decisive, role in Republican politics. McCain would be totally dead and buried without her. We need to stay in the game while we deepen our bench, and she’s a decent star player that can help attract other top talent. I can see why Liberals would love to see us sideline her, but from a coaching standpoint it would be a monumentally stupid move.

says:
27 Oct 2008  at  10:15 pm | #

Mark, thanks, but there’s actually more if you’re interested.

My point is that Palin doesn’t seem to be principled and she certainly doesn’t seem qualified. I’m really just sayin that she’s a terrible candidate. She has no real experience and that undercuts McCain’s whole argument in the first place. When a grade schooler asked palin what the VP does she got it wrong. Do you know what she said?

Yes, I think you should’ve endorsed somebody that represents small government, low taxes or whatever your thing is instead of a ticket that supports the bail out, the Patriot Act, and corprate welfare. Ron Paul looked at the score board and endorsing McCain/Palin didn’t add up to him.

I have no idea what the future of the Republican Party is. I hope the Grand Old Party sees it final days ASAP and the same goes for the other side of the big business party, the Corporate Democrats. Neither one passes the gigle test when it comes to supporting the things they pretend to support.

The idea that either party is reformable is just silly. Is it working on a local level? 

Palin is star material for maybe the Gong show or somethin. Maybe if you like SNL or American Idol, but if she’s the future of the GOP, then you guys are in trouble.

COAST/Palin: Keep up the great work! says:
28 Oct 2008  at  09:30 am | #

Sarah Palin is the symbol of why the Republican Party is failing so miserably, and losing all but a far right group of nutballs.

Out of touch.  Anti-intellectual.  Divisive/nondiverse.  Gay-baiting.  Fear-mongering.  Quick to mislead and attack, but with such easily proven lies.

It’s the same formula that led to COAST/Finney/Heimlich losing control of County government for the first time in 40 years is leading to the tanking of the Rep. ticket nationally as citizens have gotten to see what Sarah Palin is all about.

Not a surprise at all that COAST likes her so much.  And not a suprise that she is pulling down the entire party, just as COAST pulled down the Hamilton County GOP in 2006.

Keep up the good work, COAST.  At least we agree on one thing-let’s all hope COAST and Palin are the future of the GOP.

says:
28 Oct 2008  at  09:53 am | #

In response to COAST=right wing nuts posting:

Exhibit A: If the newsletters offend you, then unsubscribe

Exhibit B: Classic case of someone whining that everyone has the right to their own opinion until they disagree with yours.

Exhibit C: If there wasn’t a market for payday lending, then it wouldn’t exist. They’re not forcing it upon people. You may not agree with what they do, but they have the right to do it.

Exhibit D: The problem with Planned Parenthood is that it promotes abortion as a method of birth control and making other methods way to available to teenagers. It’s basically doing the parenting behind parents’ backs in some cases. No one is wishing cancer upon poor women, it’s the overall picture.

COAST=right wing nuts says:
28 Oct 2008  at  12:10 pm | #

Ex A:  I would never cancel my subscribtion.  It makes my month.

As commenter #7 said, every month I get to be reminded by that rag, and all it’s gay-baiting and other nonsense, of just why Democrats are winning so much more at every level.  From Palin to George Allen to Mark Miller to Chris Finney, people are fed up with right wing nuts, and rejecting them everywhere.

The more COAST continues to represent the Republican party, and drive its agenda, the better.  The more I read the newsletter, the more optimistic I become that the right will never figure out why they’re losing again and again.

Ex B: Of course COAST has a right to their opinion.  When they are enthusiastically embracing a woman who is simultaneously plummeting in the polls-being rejected by so many Dems, Inds, and Reps as completely unfit for the job-it says a lot.  It’d be like coming out for Howard Dean AFTER “the scream.”

Ex C: admit it, you’re being paid to run the campaign.

Ex D: the location in question does not provide any abortion services, and has no capacity to do such work.  It only helps poor women get screened and served for things like cancer and other illnesses.

cincysuz says:
28 Oct 2008  at  05:07 pm | #

It seems like COAST would take issue with Palin’s morals since they want to dictate everyone else’s. After all she’s sending a terrible message to teenagers. That is, it’s okay to have unprotected sex out of wedlock. In fact you’ll be rewarded by appearing before throngs of cheering supporters. That’s not a message that I believe young people should get. There’s been criticism blaming music (especially rap), movies, videos for promoting casual sex by teens. And some of it is deserved. AIDS is a life sentence and unprepared teen parents are usually a burden on the taxpayer. It’s a no win situation. It’s only fair that the Republican Vice Presidential candidate should feel the heat for her irresponsible handling of what should be a sensitive, private family issue, not the circus sideshow she’s created. Where is the outrage?

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