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Sarah Palin's Alaskonomics (Michael Kinsley: One of Us Has to Be Superior, Condescending)
Time ^ | Tuesday, Sep. 09, 2008 By MICHAEL KINSLEY | Michael Kinsley

Posted on 09/09/2008 12:59:35 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Sarah Palin thinks she is a better American than you because she comes from a small town, and a superior human being because she isn't a journalist and has never lived in Washington and likes to watch her kids play hockey. Although Palin praised John McCain in her acceptance speech as a man who puts the good of his country ahead of partisan politics, McCain pretty much proved the opposite with his selection of a running mate whose main asset is her ability to reignite the culture wars. So maybe Governor Palin does represent everything that is good and fine about America, as she herself maintains. But spare us, please, any talk about how she is a tough fiscal conservative.

Palin has continued to repeat the already exposed lie that she said "No, thanks" to the famous "bridge to nowhere" (McCain's favorite example of wasteful federal spending). In fact, she said "Yes, please" until the project became a symbol and political albatross.

Back to reality. Of the 50 states, Alaska ranks No. 1 in taxes per resident and No. 1 in spending per resident. Its tax burden per resident is 2 1/2 times the national average; its spending, more than double. The trick is that Alaska's government spends money on its own citizens and taxes the rest of us to pay for it. Although Palin, like McCain, talks about liberating ourselves from dependence on foreign oil, there is no evidence that being dependent on Alaskan oil would be any more pleasant to the pocketbook.

Alaska is, in essence, an adjunct member of OPEC. It has four different taxes on oil, which produce more than 89% of the state's unrestricted revenue.

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; democrats; elections; elite; liberalmedia; liberals; mccainpalin; media; mediabias; mediawingofthednc; msm; obamedia; palin; palinattacks; sarahcuda
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1 posted on 09/09/2008 12:59:36 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

He forgot to say that Alaska people make very high wages so they can afford the taxes. With fewer than a million people, and far fewer taxpayers, there wouldn’t be a road or even indoor plumbing without high per capita taxes.

College kids go up to Alaska for a summer of hard work to pay for their entire year of college and a convertible to drive to class. They earn $40-$60K or maybe even more now.


2 posted on 09/09/2008 1:05:02 PM PDT by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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To: nickcarraway
Kinsley can fudge numbers all he wants, but The Tax Foundation rates AK as the fourth best state in the Union overall in terms of tax burden.

AK has no income tax and no sales tax.

3 posted on 09/09/2008 1:05:45 PM PDT by wideawake (Why is it that those who like to be called Constitutionalists know the least about the Constitution?)
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To: nickcarraway
Sarah Palin thinks she is a better American than you because she comes from a small town, and a superior human being because she isn't a journalist and has never lived in Washington and likes to watch her kids play hockey.

Man, it sure gets ugly when projection crossbreeds with elitism. Palin does not consider herself superior. She just mocks the likes of you, Kinsley, when YOU act superior.

4 posted on 09/09/2008 1:06:10 PM PDT by dirtboy
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To: nickcarraway

Pretty much anyone is a better American than Kinsley.


5 posted on 09/09/2008 1:06:13 PM PDT by PsyOp (Put government in charge of tire pressure, and we'll soon have a shortage of air. - PsyOp.)
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To: nickcarraway

Is somebody feeling inadequate, Michael Kinsley?


6 posted on 09/09/2008 1:06:50 PM PDT by TheThinker (It is the natural tendency of government to gravitate towards tyranny.)
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To: nickcarraway

No, Mr. Kinsley. Sarah doesn’t believe she is a better or more superior American than everyone else. But she does believe in that strange idea called “diversity” and that a lot of genuine American voices are not being heard inside the Washington Beltway, including those of Americans from hockey-watching moms from small towns. Get over it.


7 posted on 09/09/2008 1:07:24 PM PDT by caseinpoint (Don't get thickly involved in thin things)
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To: nickcarraway
The trick is that Alaska's government spends money on its own citizens and taxes the rest of us to pay for it.

And this guy writes for a major magazine? Is he telling us that if Alaska lowered the state tax on oil, that BP would sell it to us for LESS than the global spot price for that grade of oil as a result? TELL ME someone can't be this stupid. Please.

8 posted on 09/09/2008 1:07:56 PM PDT by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy

Take away a liberal’s condescending arrogant elitism and all you’re left with is ignorance.

liberal = arrogance + ignorance


9 posted on 09/09/2008 1:09:21 PM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: nickcarraway

Awww, mikey’s po’d because she is not groveling at his journalists penstroke. She already said she wasn’t going to seek his “good” opinion. He must really hate that she dissed him in a most personal Washington way.


10 posted on 09/09/2008 1:10:28 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: caseinpoint

“diversity” of ideas is TRUE diversity.

“diversity” in the leftist sense is basically the bar scene in Star Wars.


11 posted on 09/09/2008 1:10:31 PM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Veto!

Tell me more about this possible job opportunity in Alaska please.

Hahahah.


12 posted on 09/09/2008 1:12:00 PM PDT by LiberalsSpendYourMoney (Barry, you're more racist than 99% of Americans. And you're ugly.)
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To: nickcarraway

Wassamatta-U, Mikey? Upset because Sarah has “re-ignited the culture wars?” Those were the wars you on the left declared over years ago...according to the terms of surrender, leftist elites are superior in every way and it is the lot of we flyover country mouthbreathers to follow your every rule in the living of our pathetic, unimportant little lives. You would let us know what is best for us, mainly so we didn’t annoy you or upset your perfect existence. But here comes some silly broad from Alaska, of all places, who actually considers herself worthy of public office! Who does she think she is? More importantly, did she somehow missread the agreement to worship her betters!


13 posted on 09/09/2008 1:12:31 PM PDT by Oldpuppymax (AGENDA OF THE LEFT EXPOSED)
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To: nickcarraway
Sounds like a grumpy old man with a severe case of Palin envy...


14 posted on 09/09/2008 1:12:38 PM PDT by GalaxieFiveHundred
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To: nickcarraway

The msm tried to throw mud on her, she smacked them down. Now they are squealing like spoiled junior high school girls who are told they can’t go to the Hannah Montana concert. It’s both disgusting and amusing at the same time.


15 posted on 09/09/2008 1:12:44 PM PDT by henkster (Sarah Palin; the 2nd coming of Teddy Roosevelt)
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To: wideawake

CNN said Alaska had the lowest tax burden a couple years ago. So what is this guy talking about?


16 posted on 09/09/2008 1:13:15 PM PDT by LiberalsSpendYourMoney (Barry, you're more racist than 99% of Americans. And you're ugly.)
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To: nickcarraway
Michael Kinsley has a small weenie and feels sexually inadequate when confronted by a real woman.

Even a Corvette wouldn't help him.


17 posted on 09/09/2008 1:13:53 PM PDT by Condor51 (I have guns in my nightstand because a Cop won't fit)
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To: nickcarraway
Sarah Palin thinks she is a better American than you because she comes from a small town, and a superior human being because she isn't a journalist and has never lived in Washington and likes to watch her kids play hockey.

As they say, "we suspect about others what we know about ourselves."

18 posted on 09/09/2008 1:14:22 PM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: nickcarraway

I thought Sarah was a gap-toothed redneck. Or she burned books. Or wanted to kill all of God’s creatures. Or hid her daughter’s pregnancy. Or didn’t care about her Down’s syndrome child. Or was Dan Quayle. Or was Dick Cheney. Or wanted to rape the environment. Or didn’t care if her daughter was raped. Or didn’t want anyone to have an abortion. Or stopped her daughter from having an abortion. Or was a mean-spirited, gun-toting, Christian fanatic.

Now we know. She’s Scrooge McDuck on the tundra.

This election has certainly done one thing to me personally. I’ll never look at a leftist again without a combination of pity and disdain.


19 posted on 09/09/2008 1:15:05 PM PDT by redpoll
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To: dirtboy

Hell, I live in Alaska...I pay no income tax to the state and no sales tax...I make over $70,000 a year and still get over $3,000 back in taxes each year. This state is actually doing quite well. In fact I will get a check from the state for over $3,300 just for living here later this week (no, I am not a native). With my wife and children I will get almost $20,000. One of the reasons for the large amount of fed spending in Alaska is because of the large native population and the fact that about 80% of the state is owned by the feds anyway. Kinsley is an elitist snob who hates to see small town and small state people one-up him. Palin will be a great Vp.


20 posted on 09/09/2008 1:15:32 PM PDT by danmyte (dana)
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