Check this out from a woman in Anchorage.
Pics of Biggest Rally in AK history... anti-Palin-Alaska Women Reject Palin.
The Alaska Women Reject Palin rally was to be held outside on the lawn in front of the Loussac Library in midtown Anchorage. Homemade signs were encouraged, and the idea was to make a statement that Sarah Palin does not speak for all Alaska women, or men. I had no idea what to expect. The rally was organized by a small group of women, talking over coffee. It made me wonder what other things have started with small groups of women talking over coffee. It's probably an impressive list.
These women hatched the plan, printed up flyers, posted them around town, and sent notices to local media outlets. One of those media outlets was KBYR radio, home of Eddie Burke, a long-time uber-conservative Anchorage talk show host. Turns out that Eddie Burke not only announced the rally, but called the people who planned to attend the rally "a bunch of socialist baby-killing maggots," and read the home phone numbers of the organizers aloud over the air, urging listeners to call and tell them what they thought.
The women, of course, received some nasty, harassing and threatening messages. I felt a bit apprehensive. I'd been disappointed before by the turnout at other rallies. Basically, in Anchorage, if you can get 25 people to show up at an event, it's a success. So, I thought to myself, if we can actually get 100 people there that aren't sent by Eddie Burke, we'll be doing good. A real statement will have been made. I confess, I still had a mental image of 15 demonstrators surrounded by hundreds of menacing "socialist baby-killing maggot" haters.
When I got there, about 20 minutes early, the line of sign wavers stretched the full length of the library grounds, along the edge of the road, 6 or 7 people deep! I could hardly find a place to park. I nabbed one of the last spots in the library lot, and as I got out of the car and started walking, people seemed to join in from every direction, carrying signs. Never have I seen anything like it in my 17 and a half years living in Anchorage. The organizers had someone walk the rally with a counter, and they clicked off well over 1400 people (not including the 90 counter-demonstrators).
This was the biggest political rally ever, in the history of the state. I was absolutely stunned. The second most amazing thing is how many people honked and gave the thumbs up as they drove by. And even those that didn't honk looked wide-eyed and awe-struck at the huge crowd that was growing by the minute. This just doesn't happen here. Then, the infamous Eddie Burke showed up. He tried to talk to the media, and was instantly surrounded by a group of 20 people who started shouting O-BA-MA so loud he couldn't be heard. Then passing cars started honking in a rhythmic pattern of 3, like the Obama chant, while the crowd cheered, hooted and waved their signs high.
So, if you've been doing the math... Yes. The Alaska Women Reject Palin rally was significantly bigger than Palin's rally that got all the national media coverage! So take heart, sit back, and enjoy the photo gallery. Feel free to spread the pictures around to anyone who needs to know that Sarah Palin most definitely does not speak for all Alaskans.
The photos are great. Some of the homemade signs pictured at the rally:
McSAME
Hockey Mama for Obama
Voted For Her Once: NEVER AGAIN
HEY HOCKEY MOM, KEEP THE PUCK OUT OF DC
Bush in a skirt
Alaskans for Obama
Palin is a Northern Extremist
Pro-Woman Anti-Palin
The Alaska Disasta'
Elect Obama-Biden
Keep Palin in AK
Retire McCain
Like the Palin Kool-aid?
Great Performance but we're not that Stupid
We Can't Bear Palin (photo of Polar Bears)
She Doesn't Speak for Me
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thank You Wall Street
Lack of oversight and regulation of the financial markets after 8 years of George Bush has the economy in a tailspin. We are spending money we don't have to the tune of $10 billion a month over in Iraq geting defense contractors rich. Things are going great. Now we have to bail out Freddie and Fannie and AIG.
Market losses are a fact of life but this week underscores why it is so important that we still have Social Security. Thankfully, George Bush and John McCain didn't get their way.
The AFL-CIO earlier this year compiled John McCain's record on privatization of Social Security John McCain Revealed: Retirement Security:
McCain Voted for Bush’s 2006 Social Security Privatization Plan. In 2006, McCain voted for the Social Security Reserve Fund. The proposal would shift Social Security’s annual surpluses into a reserve account that would be converted into risky private accounts. [SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06]
In 2000 McCain Wanted to Divert Social Security Money to Private Accounts. The Wall Street Journal reported that “[a] centerpiece of a McCain presidential bid in 2000 was a plan to divert a portion of Social Security payroll taxes to fund private accounts, much as President Bush proposed unsuccessfully.”
The plan would put workers’ retirement money into the risky market and reduce the amount of Social Security payments they would receive from the government. The plan would undermine the Social Security system. [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]
McCain STILL Proposes Privatizing Social Security—Despite What His Website Says. McCain told the Wall Street Journal he still backs a system of private retirement accounts that he supported in 2000 and President Bush pushed unsuccessfully.
The Journal reported he “disowned” details of a proposal on his 2008 campaign website that says he would “supplement” the existing Social Security system with personally managed accounts. But when asked about the position change he denied it and promised to change the website to reflect his true position. “I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts… As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that President Bush proposed,” McCain told the Journal.[Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Campaign Website, accessed 3/3/08]
McCain Might Raise the Retirement Age and Reduce Cost-of-Living Adjustments. “[T]he McCain campaign says the candidate intends to keep Social Security solvent by reducing the growth in benefits over the coming decades to match projected growth in payroll tax revenues.
Among the options are extending the retirement age to 68 and reducing cost-of-living adjustments, but the campaign hasn’t made any final decisions. ‘You can’t keep promises made to retirees,’ said Mr. Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief economic aide.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]
McCain Supported Deep Cuts That Put Social Security Benefits at Risk. In 2005, McCain supported a Social Security plan that would require deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt. That same year, McCain voted against prioritizing Social Security solvency over tax cuts for the wealthy. [SCR 18, Vote #49, 3/15/05; S. Amdt. 144 to SCR 18, Vote #47, 3/15/05]
McCain Voted to Use Social Security Money to Pay Off National Debt. In 2003, McCain voted to use Social Security funds to pay off federal debt. [HJR 51, Vote #201, 5/23/03]
McCain Voted Against Protecting Social Security Solvency with a Strategic Reserve. In 2001, McCain opposed reducing tax cuts for the wealthy to create a strategic reserve for Social Security. In the same year, McCain voted against a proposal to create “lockboxes” to protect Social Security and Medicare. [H.R. 1836, Senate RPC, Vote #145, 5/22/01; S. Amdt. 29, Vote #22, 3/13/01]
McCain Voted to Replace Social Security with Risk-Based Investments. In 1998, McCain voted twice to replace Social Security’s guaranteed benefits with income from risk-based private investments. [SCR 86, Vote #56, 4/1/98; SCR 86, Vote #77, 4/1/98]
Market losses are a fact of life but this week underscores why it is so important that we still have Social Security. Thankfully, George Bush and John McCain didn't get their way.
The AFL-CIO earlier this year compiled John McCain's record on privatization of Social Security John McCain Revealed: Retirement Security:
McCain Voted for Bush’s 2006 Social Security Privatization Plan. In 2006, McCain voted for the Social Security Reserve Fund. The proposal would shift Social Security’s annual surpluses into a reserve account that would be converted into risky private accounts. [SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06]
In 2000 McCain Wanted to Divert Social Security Money to Private Accounts. The Wall Street Journal reported that “[a] centerpiece of a McCain presidential bid in 2000 was a plan to divert a portion of Social Security payroll taxes to fund private accounts, much as President Bush proposed unsuccessfully.”
The plan would put workers’ retirement money into the risky market and reduce the amount of Social Security payments they would receive from the government. The plan would undermine the Social Security system. [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]
McCain STILL Proposes Privatizing Social Security—Despite What His Website Says. McCain told the Wall Street Journal he still backs a system of private retirement accounts that he supported in 2000 and President Bush pushed unsuccessfully.
The Journal reported he “disowned” details of a proposal on his 2008 campaign website that says he would “supplement” the existing Social Security system with personally managed accounts. But when asked about the position change he denied it and promised to change the website to reflect his true position. “I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts… As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that President Bush proposed,” McCain told the Journal.[Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Campaign Website, accessed 3/3/08]
McCain Might Raise the Retirement Age and Reduce Cost-of-Living Adjustments. “[T]he McCain campaign says the candidate intends to keep Social Security solvent by reducing the growth in benefits over the coming decades to match projected growth in payroll tax revenues.
Among the options are extending the retirement age to 68 and reducing cost-of-living adjustments, but the campaign hasn’t made any final decisions. ‘You can’t keep promises made to retirees,’ said Mr. Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief economic aide.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]
McCain Supported Deep Cuts That Put Social Security Benefits at Risk. In 2005, McCain supported a Social Security plan that would require deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt. That same year, McCain voted against prioritizing Social Security solvency over tax cuts for the wealthy. [SCR 18, Vote #49, 3/15/05; S. Amdt. 144 to SCR 18, Vote #47, 3/15/05]
McCain Voted to Use Social Security Money to Pay Off National Debt. In 2003, McCain voted to use Social Security funds to pay off federal debt. [HJR 51, Vote #201, 5/23/03]
McCain Voted Against Protecting Social Security Solvency with a Strategic Reserve. In 2001, McCain opposed reducing tax cuts for the wealthy to create a strategic reserve for Social Security. In the same year, McCain voted against a proposal to create “lockboxes” to protect Social Security and Medicare. [H.R. 1836, Senate RPC, Vote #145, 5/22/01; S. Amdt. 29, Vote #22, 3/13/01]
McCain Voted to Replace Social Security with Risk-Based Investments. In 1998, McCain voted twice to replace Social Security’s guaranteed benefits with income from risk-based private investments. [SCR 86, Vote #56, 4/1/98; SCR 86, Vote #77, 4/1/98]
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Drill Baby Drill
Gas prices will get the attention of any hockey mom. But will off-shore drilling help lower prices at the pump?
MSNBC Senior Producer John Schoen: With oil prices showing no signs of easing, the White House has proposed increased oil drilling in the U.S. Increasing oil production is a great idea. Unfortunately, it won’t provide any relief at the pump for millions of Americans trying to stretch their budgets so they can top off their gas tanks. There’s little evidence that there’s enough untapped oil within U.S. federal waters to make much of a difference in oil prices. Even if the oil is there, it would take a decade or longer until it can be tapped — offering little relief from the recent surge in oil prices.
The biggest known, untapped reserves are in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Even if Congress approved drilling in ANWR today, production would not begin for at least a decade, according to Energy Department estimates.
The eventual impact on prices depends on exactly how much oil is under ANWR. Answering that question is an inexact science — you can’t stick a dipstick in the ground and determine how many barrels you’re dealing with.
But even in the best case, the price impact — decades from now — would amount to about 1 percent of current market prices. If work started today, production would peak in 2027 — when increased production would have the biggest impact on prices. According to Department of Energy projections, that impact would cut the prices of light sweet crude (in 2006 dollars) by 41 cents per barrel in 2026 for the low estimate, 75 cents per barrel in 2025 for the mean oil resource case, and $1.44 per barrel in 2027 for the high estimate --MSNBC Answer Desk June 22, 2008
MSNBC Senior Producer John Schoen: With oil prices showing no signs of easing, the White House has proposed increased oil drilling in the U.S. Increasing oil production is a great idea. Unfortunately, it won’t provide any relief at the pump for millions of Americans trying to stretch their budgets so they can top off their gas tanks. There’s little evidence that there’s enough untapped oil within U.S. federal waters to make much of a difference in oil prices. Even if the oil is there, it would take a decade or longer until it can be tapped — offering little relief from the recent surge in oil prices.
The biggest known, untapped reserves are in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Even if Congress approved drilling in ANWR today, production would not begin for at least a decade, according to Energy Department estimates.
The eventual impact on prices depends on exactly how much oil is under ANWR. Answering that question is an inexact science — you can’t stick a dipstick in the ground and determine how many barrels you’re dealing with.
But even in the best case, the price impact — decades from now — would amount to about 1 percent of current market prices. If work started today, production would peak in 2027 — when increased production would have the biggest impact on prices. According to Department of Energy projections, that impact would cut the prices of light sweet crude (in 2006 dollars) by 41 cents per barrel in 2026 for the low estimate, 75 cents per barrel in 2025 for the mean oil resource case, and $1.44 per barrel in 2027 for the high estimate --MSNBC Answer Desk June 22, 2008
It's the economy, stupid!
As much as some of us hockey moms are confounded by Sarah Palin's lack of experience, arrogance, religous extremism and myopic worldview (I can see Alaska from my HOUSE! Thank you, Tina Fey.) , this election is really about John McCain.
John McCain believes the economy is on sound footing. Sarah Palin should hip-check him into the boards for that one.
Don't forget, John McCain was experience to Barack Obama's change until a few weeks ago. He openly admitted the economy was not his "strong suit." Now it turns out, experience isn't his strong suit either.
You may have heard Carly Fiorna, a first-stringer on the McCain economic team has been taken off the media circuit. This is not a routine line change. The former Hewlitt-Packard CEO was asked Tuesday on KTRS Radio in St. Louis if Senator McCain and Governor Palin would be fit to run Hewlitt-Packard. It should be noted that Ms. Fiorna herself advanced from an entry-level secretary to the top job. In responding to the question "McCain thinks [Palin] has the experience to be president, but does she have the experience to run a major company like Hewlett-Packard?"
Wait for it.
No, I don't," Ms. Fiorna Said.
But, added Ms. Fiorna, "that's not what she is running for." Appearing later on MSNBC Fiorna did not retract her remark but defended it and added that she thought McCain was not fit to run the company either.
I think we can all agree with Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor "If John McCain's top economic advisor doesn't think he can run a corporation, how on Earth can he run the largest economy in the world in the midst of a financial crisis?"
So, what IS McCain's strong suit? Diplomacy it is not.
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine," Republican Senator Thad Cochran said to the Boston Globe in January. "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me. "
Jonathan Alter reports in Time Magazine that he's spoken to four senators and two former senators in recent weeks who believe Cochran's concerns are widely shared in the senate. Five of the six think McCain is temperamentally unsuited to the presidency.
John McCain believes the economy is on sound footing. Sarah Palin should hip-check him into the boards for that one.
Don't forget, John McCain was experience to Barack Obama's change until a few weeks ago. He openly admitted the economy was not his "strong suit." Now it turns out, experience isn't his strong suit either.
You may have heard Carly Fiorna, a first-stringer on the McCain economic team has been taken off the media circuit. This is not a routine line change. The former Hewlitt-Packard CEO was asked Tuesday on KTRS Radio in St. Louis if Senator McCain and Governor Palin would be fit to run Hewlitt-Packard. It should be noted that Ms. Fiorna herself advanced from an entry-level secretary to the top job. In responding to the question "McCain thinks [Palin] has the experience to be president, but does she have the experience to run a major company like Hewlett-Packard?"
Wait for it.
No, I don't," Ms. Fiorna Said.
But, added Ms. Fiorna, "that's not what she is running for." Appearing later on MSNBC Fiorna did not retract her remark but defended it and added that she thought McCain was not fit to run the company either.
I think we can all agree with Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor "If John McCain's top economic advisor doesn't think he can run a corporation, how on Earth can he run the largest economy in the world in the midst of a financial crisis?"
So, what IS McCain's strong suit? Diplomacy it is not.
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine," Republican Senator Thad Cochran said to the Boston Globe in January. "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me. "
Jonathan Alter reports in Time Magazine that he's spoken to four senators and two former senators in recent weeks who believe Cochran's concerns are widely shared in the senate. Five of the six think McCain is temperamentally unsuited to the presidency.
Monday, September 15, 2008
With all Due Respect
Sarah Palin cannot take the Hockey Mom vote!
I grew-up in an environment similar to Sarah Palin. Winter lasted forever. The warming shack served free hot cocoa. My sister, neighbors and later my brother skated the rink every night. We all felt at home on the ice. Growing-up in the tundra of northeastern Minnesota, skates were a birthright. Not to be too one-dimensional, we were also given cross-country skis!
Hockey, hunting, fishing, flannel, beer and red meat. All part of the deal.
I am sure Sarah Palin would be inclined think I'd to support her and John McCain. Afterall we identify with a similar life experience.
But why can't we inquire about her credentials and experience? She is running for office on her own free will. What part of this honest exercise is offensive? Why is she off limits?
It looks like Sarah Palin would like women to vote for her just because she is a woman?
What about banning books in Alaska?
What about cronyism in government? Sarah lined the highest paid government positions with high school classmates and people from her church (which I am personally not against but then don't make your platform ethics reform and shrinking government).
What about trying to fire museum employee because they were considered liberal?
What about firing the scientist who reported research linking melting ice caps to diminishing polar bear population?
If we want a bridge, we'll build it ourselves - Sarah Palin... What about keeping the bridge to nowhere money and spending it on other state projects?
Taxes too high? What about the State of Alaska receiving the most federal aide of any state?
Hockey moms need to know! Hockey moms are NOT soccer moms!!!
I grew-up in an environment similar to Sarah Palin. Winter lasted forever. The warming shack served free hot cocoa. My sister, neighbors and later my brother skated the rink every night. We all felt at home on the ice. Growing-up in the tundra of northeastern Minnesota, skates were a birthright. Not to be too one-dimensional, we were also given cross-country skis!
Hockey, hunting, fishing, flannel, beer and red meat. All part of the deal.
I am sure Sarah Palin would be inclined think I'd to support her and John McCain. Afterall we identify with a similar life experience.
But why can't we inquire about her credentials and experience? She is running for office on her own free will. What part of this honest exercise is offensive? Why is she off limits?
It looks like Sarah Palin would like women to vote for her just because she is a woman?
What about banning books in Alaska?
What about cronyism in government? Sarah lined the highest paid government positions with high school classmates and people from her church (which I am personally not against but then don't make your platform ethics reform and shrinking government).
What about trying to fire museum employee because they were considered liberal?
What about firing the scientist who reported research linking melting ice caps to diminishing polar bear population?
If we want a bridge, we'll build it ourselves - Sarah Palin... What about keeping the bridge to nowhere money and spending it on other state projects?
Taxes too high? What about the State of Alaska receiving the most federal aide of any state?
Hockey moms need to know! Hockey moms are NOT soccer moms!!!
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