Is Sarah Palin
qualified to be president?
Part 1 of 2
Thursday, September 11, 2008
By Devvy Kidd
NewsWithViews.com
Bridge to Nowhere
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Juan McCain's choice as his partner for the GOP ticket has, to put it mildly,
created a media firestorm not seen in a long time. The attack on Gov.
Palin has been vicious and relentless. It is both dividing and uniting
Americans at the same time. The frenzy has created a circus atmosphere
with sales of her designer eye glasses ($375.) shooting through the
roof. There are disgusting photo shop (fake) pictures of her in scanty
clothing, nudity, in a bikini holding a rifle, as well as outrageous
claims about her life. In an effort to sort out the dung from documented
truth, I've spent many hours trying to chase down the truth.
Probably the biggest rumor is that she faked her pregnancy and the newest child
to her family really belongs to her daughter. Is there any proof of
such an outlandish allegation? Mrs. Palin did not announce to anyone
that she was pregnant until
she was seven months along. It's rather difficult to hide a seven
month pregnancy and some wonder why she kept it a secret so long? I
would think it might be because she and her husband knew their little
baby was a Down Syndrome child and they just wanted their privacy for
as long as they could have it.
This
is a video titled, 'Hike of the Week Urban Hike with Sarah Palin,'
dated February 20, 2008. Her son was born on April 18, 2008. Several
minutes into the video, it shows the host meeting up with Palin at the
governor's house and walking to her office discussing how she likes
to run and exercise. This
is another photo of Palin, an AP shot dated March 18, 2008,
one month to the day before she gave birth. Then,
this photo, while it indicates undated, I found it at another site
showing her at seven months along with her first son, Track. Quite a
bit of difference from seven months pregnant with first and fifth child;
this photo is from Mrs. Palin's family collection. This
photo was taken on Super Tuesday, which was February 5, 2008. (Larger
shot) According to media reports, this new baby was born two months
later weighing six pounds, two ounces and was one month premature. Three
days after giving birth, Palin brought her new son to the office.
It appears this last pregnancy was quite a journey for Palin. At a speech
in Dallas on April 17, 2008, Palin's water breaks (or leaks depending
on which account you read), but she does stand on stage, gives her speech
and then boards a plane back to Alaska; roughly a ten hour trip with
connections. Having given birth myself, I find this rather risky. Women
who give birth more than once usually deliver more quickly the third,
fourth times; this was her fifth child. Apparently, Palin never informed
the airlines she was in labor with a risky pregnancy: a Down Syndrome
baby coming early. Here's where I cannot find credible reporting: Allegations
are floating around that when Palin got off the plane in Alaska, she
bypassed two excellent hospitals and instead, drove to a rural hospital.
This seems unwise considering she was delivering a premature special
needs baby, but as I said, I could find no hard facts to back it up.
If I were Palin, even though it's a terrible invasion of her privacy, I
would simply provide an original birth certificate for her son along
with the hospital and doctor and be done with it. It's not just her
recent child, but the Internet is full of salacious details about her
first child. Even Alan Colmes (Hannity & Colmes) is
carrying this: Palin and her husband were married August 29, 1988,
their first son, Track, was born April 20, 1989. The implication being
that Palin was pregnant when she eloped with husband, Todd. The
National Enquirer carried
a lead story that Palin had an affair with her husband's business
partner; the McCain camp says legal action is being considered.
As for her pregnant teenage daughter, I agree with most rational people:
leave the kids alone. Palin could have waited until after the pretend
November election to make such an announcement to the world and avoided
the feeding frenzy. It must have been difficult for her daughter to
stand up on the stage at the GOP convention knowing the world was looking
at her, pregnant and unmarried. If I were Palin, I would keep my children
away from the media. A family photo works well.
There has been criticism regarding Palin's switching to six
different colleges in six years. On the other hand, Palin has been
hailed as a fiscal conservative for selling the state jet on EBay, saving
the taxpayers money. But, according
to the Daily News:
"The folksy tale of how Gov. Sarah Palin saved Alaska millions by unloading
the state jet on eBay is fast becoming a campaign fish-that-got-away
tale. Sen. John McCain not only repeated that story on the stump
Friday to tout his Republican running mate, but added, "She made
a profit, too." The truth is that Palin couldn't find a buyer
last year when she tried to peddle the plane on eBay - and lost the
state money when she did sell it. Palin's predecessor, Frank Murkowski,
originally bought the 20-year-old Westwing II for the state of Alaska
for $2.7 million. She listed it on eBay for $2.5 million. When no offers
came in, Palin hired a jet broker - Turbo North Aviation in Anchorage
- which sold the jet for $2.1 million to an Alaska businessman. "We
handled the sale for the state of Alaska," jet broker Rob Heckmann
told the Daily News. "The eBay thing didn't work out for
them."
The Internet is awash in columns from feminist organizations to conservative
women's groups. Attack Palin, support Palin. The real question: Is Palin
qualified to be president of these united States of America? That is
the only consideration, because reality is just that: McCain is 72 years
old and despite all efforts to pump him up, he doesn't appear to be
in robust health. If McCain were to pass away while in office, is this
woman qualified to be president? My unequivocal answer is no. This has
nothing to do with her being a pretty lady or not "liking her."
The vice president's real job is to be ready to become president without
warning because a president, just like the rest of us, is one heart
beat away from eternity. This is why the VP slot was created and it
is the number one consideration for that office.
In all the clutter and attacks, how many people have actually read Art.
II, Section II, of the U.S. Constitution? Americans seem to forget
that the president is restricted in what he can and cannot do as president.
Commander in Chief when "when called into the actual service of
the United States." Signing off on treaties. Approve budgets. Nominate
judges and justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, grant pardons, glad hand
with world leaders and be a moral leader for our country.
Sarah Palin has never served in the military. If it's one thing I firmly believe:
a president should serve in the military (voluntary or draft) so he
can experience first hand what it means to serve. You may feel differently,
but if a president is going to commit our military - AFTER a formal
declaration of war by Congress - he should have experience commanding
troops from knowledge and experience gained as part of our active military.
Yes, Palin is governor of a state that is extremely important to our
national defense. Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile
interceptor defense system. Alaska is home to the 49th Missile Defense
Battalion of the Alaska National Guard which remain on permanent active
duty. While Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues regarding
defending the homeland, this doesn't replace actual military experience
in my book. You can disagree and that's your right.
Palin's oldest son is set to deploy to Iraq. As a mother, Mrs. Palin is very
proud of her son. However, Palin is in full lock step with war monger,
McCain, cheering on the clever marketing slogan ("surge")
when nothing could be further from the truth. American forces under
Bush invaded a non-threatening country and destroyed it, killing tens
of thousands of civilians and causing millions to be displaced from
their homes and lives based on lies. These
are facts that cannot be denied.
Sarah Palin's support of our continuing occupation of Iraq in my book makes
her completely unqualified for either VP or president. For her to support
the continuation of our troops in either Afghanistan or Iraq clearly
shows me she's a player on the wrong side. I was appalled when
I read "...said the war in Iraq was ‘a task from God.’
Like US President George W. Bush, Governor Palin attempted to justify
her policies by claiming they were divinely-ordered during a speech
at the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June." This is a short
video of Palin's speech and those statements at her former church;
I believe its called Pentecostal Fundamentalist. Because Mrs. Palin
is deeply religious, I was surprised she
went on a soft-porn channel, MTV. Yes, to the other rumor, Mrs.
Palin, has publicly admitted she
smoked marijuana when it was legal in her state. Kudo's to Palin
for her position on the toxic,
explicit "sex ed" taught in the government's indoctrination
centers.
Where is her experience in treaties? Her knowledge of treaties? Federal jurisdiction?
What caliber of judges would she appoint if McCain were to pass away
and she assumed the presidency? I haven't heard one word from her about
abolishing the central bank, getting us out of the communist UN or stopping
the rape and pillage of the people's purse via transfer payments. Palin
is getting a crash course in geopolitics, but it takes years to understand
and learn the history behind the march for one world government.
Palin has done several things to her credit and she's is no political neophyte
by any stretch of the imagination. Palin has been building her political
base for years. Alaska has about 700,000 people which isn't a large
voting block when you eliminate voters under age 18. Palin moved from
serving two terms on the Wasilla City Council, two terms as Wasilla's
mayor, chairmanship on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (She
resigned this $122,400 per year job over ethics violations she found
unacceptable), an unsuccessful run for Lt. Governor and then elected
to governor. Twenty months later, she's on a presidential ticket.
Some call that naked ambition. Now, she could be one heart beat away from
the presidency. New world order advocate, adulterer and failed former
Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, was already greasing the wheels
for Palin on cable news networks last April. There's a reason the shadow
government wants her on the ticket if she's being pushed by one world
government advocates like the Newt. This is an accurate description
of the Council for National Policy; vetting
Sarah Palin.
Alaska is an oil rich state and Gov. Palin deserves credit for seeing to it
that the
citizens of that state this year will receive "$3,269, a record
share of the state's oil wealth combined with a special cash payout
to help with stratospheric energy prices. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell announced
Friday that every eligible man, woman and child will receive $2,069,
thanks to dividend payments from the state's oil royalty investment
program distributed annually. On top of that, the checks will include
another $1,200 from the state treasury to help offset soaring fuel prices."
Alaska has a surplus, so budget cuts don't appear to have been a big
problem for the governor. On the other hand, in an article titled, 'Alaska:
bloated state budget, fiscal disaster waiting to happen -- Bradner
Report on Palin candidacy,' according to the authors, one a former Speaker
of the House in the Alaska State Legislature, "While Gov. Palin
talked the talk, her effort in fiscal policy was markedly lacking."
Palin had no problem endorsing the "bridge to nowhere" but due to
heat, changed
her position:
"In the city Ketchikan, the planned site of the so-called "Bridge to
Nowhere," political leaders of both parties said the claim was
false and a betrayal of their community, because she had supported the
bridge and the earmark for it secured by Alaska's Congressional delegation
during her run for governor.
"The bridge, a span from the city to Gravina Island, home to only a few dozen
people, secured a $223 million earmark in 2005. The pricey designation
raised a furor and critics, including McCain, used the bridge as an
example of wasteful federal spending on politicians' pet projects.
"When she was running for governor in 2006, Palin said she was insulted by
the term "bridge to nowhere," according to Ketchikan Mayor
Bob Weinstein, a Democrat, and Mike Elerding, a Republican who was Palin's
campaign coordinator in the southeast Alaska city.
"People are learning that she pandered to us by saying, I'm for this' ... and
then when she found it was politically advantageous for her nationally,
abruptly she starts using the very term that she said was insulting,"
Weinstein said.
There's also the small matter of a sports arena that is still in litigation:
Palin's
Hockey Rink Leads To Legal Trouble in Town She Led
September 6, 2008
"The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town
was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and
basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.
"The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities
for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep
led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs
for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's
legacy has turned into a financial mess that continues to plague Wasilla.
"It's too bad that the city of Wasilla didn't do their homework and secure
the land before they began construction," said Kathy Wells, a longtime
activist here. "She was not your ceremonial mayor; she was in charge
of running the city. So it was her job to make sure things were done
correctly."
I hope you'll read the rest of the article dealing with how the land was
eventually taken under eminent domain. For part two click below.
Click here for part -----> 1, 2
Devvy left the Republican
Party in 1996 and has been an independent voter ever since. She isn't
left, right or in the middle; she is a constitutionalist who believes
in the supreme law of the land, not some political party. Her web site
(www.devvy.com) contains a tremendous
amount of information, solutions and a vast Reading Room.
Devvy's website: www.devvy.com
E-mail is: devvyk@earthlink.net
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For further information please refer to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
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