Posted by
Glenn Flowers on Sunday, September 14, 2008 12:41:22 AM
The past couple of weeks have seemed like an eternity in some ways. It was just ten days ago that Sarah Palin accepted the nomination of VP candidate of the Republican party. It has been less than 72 hours since FreddieMac and FannieMay were bailed out by American taxpayers. What with all the attacks on the Palin family, the Obama interview by Bill O’Reilly, McCain’s new policy to change America’s direction, it hardly seems like it’s only been a handful of days. And in that few days there have been many claims made that need to be factualized and the truth be told.
Claim 1. Sarah Palin sought and accepted earmarked funds for a bridge to nowhere.
Truth: The earmark was requested by Republican Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska. The funds were diverted to a more deserving project in Alaska by Gov. Palin. Why did Palin divert the money? Because she thought that Alaska should build their own highway system. The funds were ultimately diverted to rebuilding a bridge in Louisiana damaged by hurricane Katrina due to Palin’s refusal to allow them to be used for the Ketchikan bridge to nowhere, much to the chagrin of Sen. Stevens.
Claim 2. The Bush administration has, again, damaged the American taxpayer by bailing out the failing mortgage entities FreddieMac and FannieMay.
Truth: President Bush had nothing at all to do with the decision to apend over a trillion dollars of taxpayer’s money on the bailout. In fact, President Bush had lobbied Congress for much of his time in office to reform the policies of the two "privately owned" but taxpayer backed debacles that have directly led to the "need" for the government takeover. It was a democratically controlled congress that demanded lax lending practices and who eventually voted for the expensive bailout. The Republicans in Congress believed FannieMay and FreddieMac to be unecessary government intervention in the private mortgage industry and, had they had their way, these two failed examples of the ruling party’s platform would never have been created.
Claim 3. Sarah Palin wrongly fired a state trooper because of personal family affairs and such termination was illegal and unethical.
Truth: Sarah Palin had the legal authority to fire the state trooper for no reason at all if she had so pleased. But, because the trooper was a member of the governor’s extended family she was more aware of his activities than of any other trooper. The fact that the trooper had been verbally repremanded for alcohol use while on duty, had tasered a ten year old, and had been accused of improper conduct in official matters are all reason enough for the governor of any state to terminate the officer. Gov. Palin had every legal right to terminate any officer for any or no reason, personal or otherwise and is totally innocent of any malfeasance in office.
Claim 4. The Bush administration is responsible for the terrible state of the economy.
Truth: How can Bush be reponsible when it has been the Democratically controlled congress that has held the purse strings of the nation for two years? Those two years have seen oil prices skyrocket, and, as a result, prices on everything related to oil have gone through the roof. The Bush taxcuts, argueably the single economic proposal by Bush to be implemented, has served to strengthen the economy in such a way as to be able to weather the failed, disastrous policies forced into being by Pelosi and friends. The single largest cause of the high prices of almost everything is the rise in petroleum products caused by the failure of America to contribute their resources to the world market. This lies directly at the feet of Pelosi and her gang on Capitol Hill. Besides, the economy is not all that bad, all things considered. There have been much rougher periods not even considering the great depression. Had Bush failed in his economic pusrsuit of tax cuts across the board we would be in much worse shape than we are now.
There is a pattern to be recognized here. Democrats tend to deception and a lack of responsibility in order to gain power. Admiitedly the Republican party is not without blame too, but as a matter of policy is realistic, more effective at providing a solution for America’s needs, and generally supports American traditions and values.
And that is not Claim 5, but the truth, proven and undeniable.
Glenn Flowers