The Sarah Palin String of Lies - And What it Suggests
I ended construction of the "Bridge to Nowhere" by telling Congress thanks, but no thanks. I visited the troops in Iraq. I sold the luxurious plane on eBay for a profit. I am against earmarks and wasteful "pork barrel" spending. I rise to lobbyists.
These are the key points and credentials most often cited by Sarah Palin in her campaign speeches. Sadly, they're all utterly false as well. Let's address them one after the other:
On Stopping the Bridge to Nowhere
If you're not acquainted with it, the therefore-known as "Bridge to Nowhere" was going to be a massive waste of government funds to construct an overpriced bridge in a little city in Alaska. Halting this project is something Sarah Palin frequently claims as a private victory. A minimum of, she used to say it, before ABC's Charles Gibson referred to as her on the falsehood.
In truth, Palin was initially a staunch and vocal supporter of the bridge project. In 2006, she told the local chamber of commerce: "This [bridge] link is a commitment to assist Ketchikan expand its access, to help this community prosper." She pushed for it and pushed for it. Eventually, the project became seen as a national embarrassment -- pork barrel spending at its worst. Therefore the central basically pulled the plug on the financing.
Sarah Palin never told the Congress, "Thanks, however no thanks" on the bridge. It makes a good applause line at speeches, and it makes her come off sort of a caped crusader who stood up in front of bulldozers with hands on hips. But she was staunchly for the project till it became an embarrassment. Ultimately, the bridge idea was scrapped (though Alaska kept the money).
On Visiting the Troops in Iraq
When questioned concerning her foreign policy expertise and travels, Sarah Palin has typically spoken emotionally about "visiting the troops in Iraq." Here once more, we have a tendency to have an entire falsehood. After all, on September thirteen, 2008, her campaign officials were forced to officially and publicly revise her statement. She has been to Kuwait, but not Iraq. They are 2 completely different countries -- one safe, the other a battleground. Once once more, Palin has altered the reality to form herself appear sort of a solid candidate.
On a humorous side note, she additionally frequently mentioned her travels to Ireland. Her plane made a refueling stop there once.
On Selling the Luxury Plane
In any tries to determine her strong character and financial savvy, Palin has usually stated that she sold the Alaska governor's plane on eBay for a profit. This one is sort of true, however not quite. She put the plane on eBay, but it went unsold for months. The plane was sold when it absolutely was aloof from eBay -- and for a loss, not a profit.
On Challenging Earmarks and Wasteful Spending
Sarah Palin often cites how she has stood up against earmarks and wasteful "pork barrel" spending over the years. She even told ABC News that "the abuse of earmarks, it's un-Yankee, it's undemocratic, and it isn't visiting be accepted in an exceedingly McCain-Palin administration. Earmark abuse will stop."
It makes for another sensible applause line, but is it true? Hardly.
Because the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Palin hired lobbyist Steve Silver to secure federal earmarks for the little town. The town was awarded $27 million in earmarked federal funding throughout Palin's 2 terms.
In 2008, Alaska received $a hundred and fifty five million in earmark funding. Alaska incorporates a population of around 670,000 people. That equates to around $231 per person in earmark funding, more than most states.
Per the Wall Street Journal: "In the present fiscal year [as governor], she is seeking $197 million for thirty one projects." The year before that, she sought $256 million. A number of these "necessary" comes embrace the study of harbor seal genetics and also the mating habits of crabs.
When questioned by ABC's Charlie Gibson about all of this earmark spending under her leadership (as both mayor and governor), she admitted to it. Then she went on to elucidate how it will not be tolerated in an exceedingly McCain-Palin administration, adding that "earmark abuse will stop." Will anyone else realize this one-lady performance of fine cop / dangerous cop disturbing?
A Disturbing Psychological Pattern
We have a tendency to all recognize that politicians stretch the truth. Some stretch it additional than others. That is not what I notice shocking. What bewilders me -- and quite frankly, what frightens me -- is the actual fact that most of the statements Governor Palin uses to prove her qualifications can be simply disproved. However she just keeps doing it, like the pathological liar character Jon Lovitz used to play on Saturday Night Live.
Even additional baffling is the explanation why she says these things. It is a disturbing pattern of speaking before thinking, and then backpedaling when the reality comes out -- with larger frequency than any alternative politician I've seen in decades.
Palin said it herself, describing how her husband Todd says she "has no filter" when speaking. Some folks applaud this as meaning Palin is a straight shooter. But when you weigh the evidence, you get the feeling she was concerning a filter between lies and truth. And she clearly lacks one of those. Can you purchase them on eBay?
My question to you is that this: Do we very want a Vice President who says the first thing that pops into her head, irrespective of the accuracy of the statement? Do we would like somebody who positions themselves on a mountain of lies and calls it a platform? I guess we will realize out on November 4.
On the positive aspect, there is one credential Sarah Palin often touts that's fully true. She usually cites the actual fact that she's a "hockey mom." That part, a minimum of, is an indisputable fact.
Author Resource:
Barbara Black has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Speech Pathology, you can also check out latest website about
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