The spookiest news I’ve heard so far this Halloween is the report from Politico.com that the seven Republican members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will boycott next Tuesday’s planned markup of the Kerry-Boxer climate legislation. Ah yes, the “screw you guys, I’m going home” tactic. How productive.

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Climate change? Not so much. If Jon Stewart is snoozing, we know that the rest of America - a goodly percentage of which is far across the spectrum from Stewart and outwardly hostile to climate change arguments - is tuned all the way out. That is partly because climate change, energy and the environment still are considered Birkenstock and granola issues. The Obama operatives that are still engaged on climate change have finally started to tweak the message in a way that might help sell a bill even to science skeptics and the generally apathetic.

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…and don’t forget to add a caption to this week’s caption contest! Winner to be announced Monday.

1. Introduction
It’s obvious why Sarah Palin got the VP nod. And Saturday Night Live makes this point most brilliantly: Hillary Clinton.

2. Sarah Palin On The Environment
Just one day before being picked as the GOP vice president, she wrote a letter to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urging him to shoot down policy aimed at pollution.

3. Sarah Palin On Ethics
Palin’s record is already dirty enough to warrant a trip to the free clinic, and that’s just as Governor! What is she capable of if elected as VP?

4. Sarah Palin On Energy and Big Oil
Sarah Palin dismisses alternative energy in favor of a pipeline built by God.

5. Sarah Palin On Foreign Policy
Colin Powell is jumping party lines because of Palin - can we afford her on the job training?

Image Credit: bobster1985 via flickr

<< Previous Post: Big Oil, Part Four

Is it gross - sure. Yet the picture sums up the last eight years of foreign policy quite nicely, don’t ya think? We’ve suffered through too much of this cowboy politics crap (pun intended) to allow it to happen again.

But that’s exactly what we’re getting with Palin - more crap! Hell, even Colin Powell is jumping party lines because of this lady. It’s the same political myopia as George W. but with a nicer rack. For example, how could any politician admit to not focusing on the war in Iraq…much? What has she been doing since 2003? And can we afford another administration who thinks God speaks to them? Seriously, that kinda thing never really works out for the best.

More on Palin >>

From Think Progress

Palin Hasn’t Given The War In Iraq Much Thought. Palin told the Alaska Business Monthly, “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.” [Alaska Business Monthly, 3/1/07]

Palin Has Never Been To Iraq. In her only trip overseas, Palin visited Alaska National Guard troops stationed in Kuwait and Germany in July 2007. [AP, 7/25/07]

Palin Believes That The Iraq War Is A Task ‘From God.’ Speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said that “our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God.” [Huffington Post, 9/2/08]

Palin Believes The Iraq War Was Fought Over Oil. “We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources,” Palin told BusinessWeek in an interview. [BusinessWeek, 8/29/08]

Palin Didn’t Have A Passport Until 2007. Palin first obtained a passport in July 2007 for her trip to Kuwait and Germany to visit Alaska National Guard troops. Her only other trips outside of the United States have been to Canada and Mexico. A Palin spokeswoman had previously said that Palin had also been to Ireland, although it was actually just a “refueling stop” on her Germany/Kuwait trip. [New York Times, 8/29/08; Politico, 9/2/08; ABC News, 9/12/08]

Palin Has Never Issued An Order To The Alaska National Guard. Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the service commander of the Alaska National Guard, has stated that Palin has never personally ordered the National Guard to do anything. [McClatchy, 9/4/08]

Palin Is Unaware Of The Bush Doctrine. During an interview with ABC’s Charlie Gibson, Palin was stumped about the Bush Doctrine, thinking it was the President’s “worldview.” [ABC News, 9/11/08]

Related posts:

Amy Poehler does the ‘Sarah Palin Rap’ on SNL [w/ video]
Palin Protests Federal Listing of Beluga Whales as Endangered
Setting the Record Straight: Sarah Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere

Image source: saintbob on Flickr

More on Palin >>

From Think Progress

Palin’s First Statewide Campaign Was Fueled By Veco. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 — or about 10 percent of her campaign fund — from Veco officials or their wives along the way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/06]

Palin’s Inauguration Was Sponsored By BP. Beyond Petroleum Exploration Inc. is listed by the Alaska Inaugural Committee as a sponsor of Palin’s 2007 Governor’s Balls. [Alaska Inaugural Committee]

Palin Is A Top Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Advocate. Palin said she thinks McCain is “going to evolve into, eventually, supporting ANWR opening also” and “I’d like the opportunity to get to change his mind about ANWR.” [Kudlow & Co., 6/25/08]

Palin Opposes Lieberman’s Bill To Prevent Arctic Refuge Drilling. In a letter to Congress opposing the Arctic Wilderness Act (S. 2316), Palin wrote that “as a citizen of the United States” she believes “development [of the Refuge] should be authorized.” [Letter to Sen. Akaka, 11/9/07]

Palin Dismisses Alternative Energy. Palin said that “Congress needs to lift the ban on drilling” because “alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/16/08]

Palin Believes It Is ‘God’s Will’ To Build A Natural Gas Pipeline. Speaking to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” referring to a $30 billion national gas pipeline project. [Huffington Post, 9/2/08]

Related posts:

Sex, Lies and Oilgate: A Crude Analysis (Part One)
McCain’s 13-Car Footprint
Setting the Record Straight: Sarah Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere

Image source: Chovee on Flickr

<< Previous Post: On Ethics, Part Three | Foreign Policy, Part Five: Next Post >>

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Video source: Ben Craw at TPM

From our friends at ZapRoot this week: Arizona tests artificial CO2 filtering trees. Sarah Palin loves oil. We help you find ways to get rid of your junk mail.

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Can we afford to have our government fornicating with big oil when the integrity of our planet is at stake? Most definitely not. Palin’s record is already dirty enough to warrant a trip to the free clinic, and that’s just as Governor! What is she capable of if elected as VP?

From Think Progress

Palin’s Lobbyist Had ‘Close Ties’ To Don Young, Ted Stevens. “As mayor of Wasilla, however, Palin oversaw the hiring of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh, an Anchorage-based law firm with close ties to Alaska’s most senior Republicans: Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens, who was indicted in July on charges of accepting illegal gifts.” [9/2/08]

Palin’s Lobbyist Was Part Of ‘Team Abramoff.’ Steven Silver, the lobbyist Palin hired as Wasilla Mayor, also listed Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, as a client. Silver lobbied on issues similar to those headed up by Abramoff, including “Indian/Native American policy” and “legislation relating to gaming issues.” [TPMmuckracker, 9/2/08; Washington Post, 9/2/08]

Palin Served As Director Of ‘Ted Stevens Excellence In Public Service’ 527. Palin’s name was listed on 2003 incorporation papers of the “Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.,” a 527 group that could raise unlimited funds from corporate donors. She also “served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings.” [Washington Post, 9/1/08]

State Employee Charged Palin With Ethics Violation. A state employee filed an ethics complaint alleging Palin tried to secure a job for one of her supporters. The complaint accused Palin and her top staffers of “breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/7/08]

Palin Forced Top Wasilla Employees To Resign As Loyalty Test. As Mayor of Wasilla in 1998, “asked all of the city’s top managers to resign in order to test their loyalty to her administration.”[Daily Sitka Sentenial, 10/28/06]

Palin Fired Police Chief For Not Fully Supporting Her. After becoming Mayor of Wasilla, Palin fired the city’s police chief, Irl Stambaugh, writing, “I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment.” Stambaugh charged that Palin fired him “because he stepped on the toes of Palin’s campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/1/97; ABC News, 9/3/08]

Palin Used Mayoral Office Resources For Campaigning. During her 2002 campaign for lieutenant governor, Palin ordered campaign materials from City Hall, had them delivered there, and used city employees on city-aid time to arrange campaign events. According to the Anchorage Daily News, there was “no indication she repaid the city for the incidental expenses the city incurred.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/21/06]

Palin Billed Taxpayers For Nights Spent At Home. Palin billed the state for “312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.” She also charged for travel expenses to take her children and husband on “official out-of-town missions.” [Washington Post, 9/9/08]

Related posts:

Sex, Lies and Oilgate: A Crude Analysis (Part One)
McCain’s 13-Car Footprint
Setting the Record Straight: Sarah Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere

Image source: Anderson Mancini on Flickr

<< Previous Post: The Environment, Part Two | Big Oil, Part Four : Next Post >>

Okay, that’s not true. However, it summarizes how environmentally out-of-touch I feel the Alaskan Governor is. For example, just one day before being picked as the GOP vice president, she wrote a letter to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urging him to shoot down pollution-reduction efforts aimed at cargo containers. Palin’s concerns were aimed at the Alaskan economy, and well…not the environment. Oh, and it gets better! Check out some of the other things Palin has had to say on the topic.

From Think Progress

Palin Denies Man-Made Global Warming. When asked for her “take on global warming,” Palin replied, “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” [Newsmax, 08/29/08]

Palin Says She’s Not A ‘Doom-And-Gloom Environmentalist’ Who Blames Global Warming On ‘Human Activity.’ “I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity, but I’m not going to put my head in the sand and pretend there aren’t changes.” [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 12/4/07]

Challenging ‘Uncertain Climate Models,’ Palin Is Suing To Lift Protected Status For Polar Bears. After a multi-year court battle, the Bush administration recognized in 2008 that polar bears are threatened with extinction by global warming. Announcing Alaska’s suit to block the listing, Palin said, “We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it’s unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models.” [Reuters, 5/22/08]

Palin Established Illegal Fly-By Wolf Hunting Bounty. In 2007, Palin illegally established “a $150 bounty to the state sanctioned airborne wolf hunters as an added incentive to increase their kills,” soon overturned by the Alaska State Court. [Alaska Wildlife Alliance; Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/07]

Related posts:

Palin Changes Position on Global Warming - Then Denies It
Why Palin is a Bad Choice for the Environment
World Views of Sarah Palin & The Environment

Image source: bobster1985 on Flickr

<< Previous Post: In Her Own Words | Her Ethics, Part Three :Next Post >>

Though I wish the GOP was progressive enough to have a woman on the presidential ticket. That is, based on merit and not merely as a political pawn. Much in the same vein, I would also love for wars to be fought with hugs and Skittles. I really don’t see that one happening either.

Since the announcement of Palin joining the Republican ticket, a lot of buzz has been made about the Alaskan Governor. For example, her limp stance on Global Warming. Then there’s her support of the Bridge to Nowhere. Don’t forget the whole Troopergate fiasco. And sometimes it’s even hard to tell if she is with us or against us; mostly against, by the way.

And the media-machine that gnawed away for eighteen months on the Obama-Clinton flavored primary quickly shifted to the virtual unknown. Heck, I have done so myself! And while I’d like to continue waxing politically about her qualifications for the VP slot, I am stuck - somewhat reluctantly - with only one thing to say: MILF.

Thank you Saturday Night Live!

Yes, Palin was picked because of Clinton. Duh! It’s calculated, shameless and oh so very very smart. But why does it matter? Mostly because McCain is so very very old.

The GOP is no stranger to having a token VP - ahem…Dan Quayle! But with McCain having one foot in the grave, Palin’s political stance matters more than those prior. It matters that the energy-expert-wanna-be doesn’t think man’s had anything to do with the climate crisis. It matters that she backs an offshore drilling solution to our oil crisis. But don’t take my word for it, take hers.

In this series, I will be highlighting some of Sarah Palin’s comments on everything from the environment to foreign policy.

Up next - The Sarah Palin Chronicles: The Environment, Part Two

Image Credit: bobster1985 via flickr

Republicans are hoping to use oil to create a so-called “wedge issue” and divide Democrats, bringing some extra votes to their side on November 4. Despite where your politics lie, you’ve got to tip your cap to GOP cohesiveness on the oil issue - Republican leadership has all of their underlings following in lock-step - but the misdirected focus will be a fatal flaw for the Republicans if they stick to the “oil or nothing” strategy. Here’s why:

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In 2007, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) awarded Gilchrest with a meek environmental score of 60-percent. Low as it may be, consider that most of the GOP fails to even break the 20-percent mark by LCV standards. In fact, Gilchrest - who chairs the House Climate Change Caucus - has been snubbed by the GOP for perpetuating the human impact of climate change. He has also been a strong supporter for clean and renewable energy. So, maybe it comes as no surprise that he has turned and cut this ad for Kratovil:

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While some see the move as partisan-based mutiny, Gilchrest says of his somewhat Lieberman type move, “I love this place we call home,” and “It’s more important to me than partisanship.”

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Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s comments about House Speaker Pelosi brought the issue to the front of the line. In her current bout of political tourettes, she had this to say:

“[Pelosi] is committed to her global warming fanaticism to the point where she has said that she’s just trying to save the planet,” Bachmann told news site OneNewsNow. “We all know that someone did that over 2,000 years ago, they saved the planet — we didn’t need Nancy Pelosi to do that.”

Yes, folks…stop recycling, throwout your reusable bags and just let your cars run all day long. For Jesus, yes the one and only Jesus, has already fixed that whole global warming thingamabob.

Mind you, this lady is notorious for her hair-brained explanations. For example, did you know that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is now 100% wildlife free? Yep, same great taste but less filling. And this is why the Democrats favor high gas prices:

“They want Americans to take transit and move to the inner cities. They want Americans to move to the urban core, live in tenements, [and] take light rail to their government jobs. That’s their vision for America.”

Yes, Al Gore, dressed a la Dr. Evil, is trying to scare us all in to using light rail. Oh the horror of it all! It’s just too convenient. I mean all of it, if the planet is all saved thanks to Super Jesus then why do I keep getting copies of the Watchtower? Just let the guy do his job, already - no one likes to be micromanaged.

But that’s the rub. We’re not saved. He did not save us. None of it is okay. We must stop denying it like that mom in the jaw-dropping Jesus Camp movie?  We cannot lend ourselves to distractions like the plight of the incandescent bulb. There is no time. Accountability is our only salvation, not Jesus.

So I pray. I pray for Congresswoman Bachmann. I also pray for that crazy mom in the movie. I pray that for whatever bulb they choose, they themselves won’t remain perpetually dim.

Related Posts:

Saving More Than Souls: Religious Groups Seek “Renewal” for the Environment
You’re Either with Us, or You’re with the CFLs : Red, Green, and Blue
Jesus Unplugged: Religious Groups Participate in Earth Hour 2008

Image source: Asemta at Flickr

I’m pretty sure whoever shot this was breaking the law, or, at the very least, House Rules — but I’m quite glad they did. I’m always entertained by politics as theater.

More posts on oil, offshore drilling, and gas prices:

• Obama Campaign Seeks to Make Gas Prices Irrelevant
• Poll: Americans Don’t Think More Drilling Will Lower Gas Prices
• Is McCain Serious About Cap-and-Trade? Economic Adviser Forbes Doesn’t Think So
• New McCain Ad Blames Obama for High Gas Prices
• McCain Credits Bush for Drop in Crude Oil Prices, White House Basically Replies: ‘Wasn’t us’

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado in August 2008. The party states:

The DNCC has a tremendous opportunity to educate the public and Convention attendees on making individual life choices that are environmentally sustainable. We intend to lead by example in this effort, with organizers applying green planning principles to every decision made in the lead-up to Convention week.

The Democrats will be offsetting the carbon created by the convention, using B20 biodiesel in all their generators, purchasing renewable energy certificates, using sustainable materials, and planning local river clean-ups and tree planting projects in the area.

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