Sarah Palin

[cloudy]

What do rapes in Fairbanks and Juneau and Nome have to do with police policies in Wasilla? I'm not defending the policy of charging rape victims, and I'm not sure they did. It does say they billed their insurance companies but not that they ever billed the victims.

The dollar amounts given - $5,000 to $13,000 would mean that only a very few victims were involved. DNA testing is expensive, you know, and that's only part of the examination done.

I fully agree that victims should not be billed, nor should their insurance companies. All I am saying is that if this is the worst thing you can try to pin on Sarah Palin, she must be a really outstanding person.

Did you even read what I posted?????

 

[rgraham666]

She did.

But you're a liberal and can't be taken seriously.

 

[SweetPrettyAss]

From the US News:

Quote:
I sat with a rape victim during the "harvesting of evidence". Mascara smeared eyes stared blankly out from a cave of shame. "We've got swimmers," announced the forensic tech in the lab next door. My friend didn't look surprised. In her 60's, she was still asked if she felt the need for emergency contraception. Surviving the process would have only been compounded and made worse with an itemized bill; victimized twice courtesy of Sarah Palin and the city of Wasilla.

Palin supporters ought to be taking a much closer look at her record on these types of issues (charging rape victims for evidentiary examinations so their attackers can be brought to trial) than whether she can juggle five children and the vice presidency. This, more than anything, should push women, pro-life and pro-choice, away from the McCain-Palin ticket. It's one thing to oppose abortion on moral grounds. It's quite another to charge crime victims for their own forensic examinations. Such a policy is nothing short of outrageous.

From the NYT:

Quote:
When news of Wasilla’s practice of billing rape victims got around, Alaska’s State Legislature approved a bill in 2000 to stop it.

“We would never bill the victim of a burglary for fingerprinting and photographing the crime scene, or for the cost of gathering other evidence,” said Alaska’s then-governor, Tony Knowles. “Nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.”

Eric Croft, a former Democratic state lawmaker who sponsored the corrective legislation, believes that Wasilla’s mayor knew what was going on. (She does seem to have paid heed to every other detail of town life, including what books were on the library’s shelves.)

The local hospital did the billing, but it was the town that set the policy, Mr. Croft noted. That policy was reflected in budget documents that Ms. Palin signed.

Mr. Croft further noted that right after his measure became law, Wasilla’s local paper reported that Ms. Palin’s handpicked police chief, Charlie Fannon, acknowledged the practice of billing to collect evidence for sexual-assault cases. He complained that the state was requiring the town to spend $5,000 to $14,000 a year to cover the costs. “I just don’t want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer,” the chief explained.

“I can’t imagine any police chief, big city or small, who would take on the entire State Legislature on a bill that passed unanimously and not mention to their mayor that they’re doing this,” Mr. Croft said. Even if he didn’t inform her, the newspaper article would have been hard for her to miss.

Tell you what: you tell me what news source you won't reject outright (do you realize how absolutely ridiculous it is to believe Faux News, of all things, but reject everything else? Good god....get a clue), and I'll find it for you using that source.

There was this interesting bit in the Washington Independent by well-known conservative columnist Kathleen Parker:


Quote:
As we've seen and heard more from John McCain's running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion...

Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there's not much content there. Here's but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: "Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we're talking about today. And that's something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this."

When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama's numbers, Palin blustered wordily: "I'm not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who's more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who's actually done it?"

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.

If nothing else, you should pay attention to the women that live in the state of Alaska. They've had to deal with her as Governor, and they are in a position to make a decision based on more than the most recent soundbites.

From the Anchorage Daily News:
Quote:
A crowd of anti-Sarah Palin protesters gathered in Midtown Anchorage soon after the Republican nominee for vice president left Alaska to resume campaigning in the Lower 48.

The Saturday protest in front of the Loussac Library appeared bigger than any Anchorage has seen in recent memory. The crowd looked to be in the high hundreds at least, and organizers said they counted 1,500.

"Sarah Palin frightens the hell out of me. I don't want her anywhere near the White House," said Marybeth Holleman of Anchorage.

Protesters had a wide range of beefs with the governor. They included backers of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, abortion rights proponents, advocates for wolves and polar bears, opponents of the Iraq war, and people who said Palin is not ready to be a heartbeat from the presidency.

Alison Till, a geologist in Anchorage with the U.S. Geological Survey, said issues such as energy and global warming require solid and unbiased science to make good decisions. Palin's opposition to listing the polar bear as threatened under the endangered species act and her support of teaching creationism in public schools are not the hallmarks of someone who relies upon solid science, Till argued.

"She is unqualified," Till said.

C'mon, you seem intelligent if totally misguided....do you really want someone who believes dinosaurs and men lived at the same time to be next in line for the presidency? How damn stupid can someone be?

What does Sarah Palin have to do with the fact that the evidence tech is something of a jerk?

I know the NY times is opposed to all conservatives, so I believe very litttle of what they say on the issue. Judging from the US News, they seem to be much the same, unless this is a columnist writing there. It doesn't say if this is an editorial or a syndicarted columnist, such as Maureen Doud.

So far, I haven't seen anything that says the city of Wasilla billed victims. I have seen that they billed their insurance companies. I also see that only political opponents of Sarah Palin are being quoted.

I hope you know that you could dig up a few hundred people to demonstrate for anything or anybody or against anything or anybody. Sarah Palin's winning margin in her gubernatorial election and her approval ratings mean more than what a few hundred Democcratic Party members have to say.

If the Republicans wanted to, they could find a few hunded or fifteen hundred people who believe that Obama is a Muslim, and who would walk around with signs proclaiming that belief as fact. I would not be one of them, but they could find at least that many.

As far as I can see, what Kathleen Parker says is that Palin is not a glib speaker. I tend to distrust glib speakers. All conmen have the gift of gab, and you know how trustworthy they are.

You offered to find a news source that I would trust. How about The Wall Street Journal or Time Magazine or the Christian Science Monitor. I mean news reporting, not columnists or editorials.

Does Sarah Palin actually believe that dinosours were contemporary with humans? Can you show a reliable source quoting her when she voiced that opinion? I know some extreme Evangelicals might believe that but there is a lunatic fringe in any group.

 

[SweetPrettyAss]

Did you even read what I posted?????

I did, and I responded. The news item from the Anchorage Daily News says that one in three Native Alaskan women will be raped in her lifetime, and complained about the rates of response. It also cited Governor Palin as saying she would do someting about it.

I repeat, what does the fact that there are a lot of rapes committed in Alaska have to do with the rate in Wasilla? The total costs of rape kits in that one city was said to be $5,000 to $14,000. I don't know exactly what is included in a rape kit, but if it includes DNA testing, that range would be the costs of one to three rape kits in Wasilla in one year.

I repeat, except for a misquote, I have seen nothing saying that victims were ever billed. I have seen that their insurance companies were, but that is not the same thing.

I have also said that I don't like the idea, and I don't think it should be done. Apparently it is no longer done because of a recent state law.

 

[DeeZire]

For the mayor to be involved in something that limited would be micro-managing.....

Um...I think that's exactly what Sarah Palin was known for back then - micro-managing. She attempted to micro-manage the library, right? Oh wait! That was just a liberal smear campaign. It never happened. The people who were there and saw it happen can't be trusted, because they didn't think to get a Time magazine reporter up there to document it all.

Nevermind.

 

[cloudy]

You offered to find a news source that I would trust. How about The Wall Street Journal or Time Magazine or the Christian Science Monitor. I mean news reporting, not columnists or editorials.

What the hell is the difference between the victim being billed and their insurance being billed? What if they don't have insurance? You can bet whatever amount of money you like that they receive the bill themselves. It only makes sense. But then, I'm beginning to think that's a very foreign concept to you and those like you. After all, to y'all, "foreign policy experience" = "I can see Russia from my house!"

Christian Science Monitor????? Are you fucking kidding? Oh, yeah....that's an "unbiased" source.

For fuck's sake....

Does Sarah Palin actually believe that dinosours were contemporary with humans? Can you show a reliable source quoting her when she voiced that opinion? I know some extreme Evangelicals might believe that but there is a lunatic fringe in any group.

I'll find it.

You really don't get out much, do you?

 

[neonlyte]

I repeat, except for a misquote, I have seen nothing saying that victims were ever billed. I have seen that their insurance companies were, but that is not the same thing.

It is the same... ever made an insurance claim and seen what it does to your premium?

By the way, taking an openly biased attitude to media sources is naive, the best recourse is always to read what ever is a available, digest, ignore... and then make up your own mind.

I don't believe any of the things written about Palin... I do believe it was her speaking in broadcast media interviews, and my really quite irrelevant opinion is I wouldn't want her in a position where she was making decisions on behalf of others - I'd feel exactly the same if she was the Democratic VP candidate.

 

[Safe_Bet]

What the hell is the difference between the victim being billed and their insurance being billed? What if they don't have insurance? You can bet whatever amount of money you like that they receive the bill themselves. It only makes sense. But then, I'm beginning to think that's a very foreign concept to you and those like you. After all, to y'all, "foreign policy experience" = "I can see Russia from my house!"

Christian Science Monitor????? Are you fucking kidding? Oh, yeah....that's an "unbiased" source.

For fuck's sake....




I'll find it.

You really don't get out much, do you?

Good Morning Vietnam!

 

[cloudy]

Good Morning Vietnam!

"I only read that news pamphlet put out by Seventh Day Adventists. They ALWAYS tell the truth."



(Thank you, neon! I read everything I can get my hands on. I'm smart enough to smell bias)

 

[rgraham666]

I remember arguing with Sweet a couple of years ago.

She may not believe the New York Times but she does believe The Weekly Standard when it 'proved' there was a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda.

 

[Guest]

I remember arguing with Sweet a couple of years ago.

She may not believe the New York Times but she does believe The Weekly Standard when it 'proved' there was a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda.

She has her talking points down solid, though.



But it is impossible to argue with someone who has already made up their mind and refuses to read or think about any other information presented.

 

[rgraham666]

Does punctuating each sentence with 'Rawrk! *whistle*' count as talking?

 

[Guest]

Does punctuating each sentence with 'Rawrk! *whistle*' count as talking?

Are you at a football game?

 

[Safe_Bet]

Does punctuating each sentence with 'Rawrk! *whistle*' count as talking?

"Palin excuser wanna cracker?"

 

[Guest]

"Palin excuser wanna cracker?"

Wow, I'm dull.

I thought Rob was whistling at cheerleaders.

Me like the parrot reference, however.

 

[rgraham666]

Nah. Early in the morning, rum last night.

Happens to the best of us. *HUGS*

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I have seen nothing saying that victims were ever billed. I have seen that their insurance companies were, but that is not the same thing.

I have also said that I don't like the idea, and I don't think it should be done. Apparently it is no longer done because of a recent state law.

Yeah, that's what I suspected. This law or regulation was put on the books not so the city could stick it to rape victims, but as a way to shift the cost onto what was perceived as some other deep-pocketed entity. Not good public policy, bass-ackwards criminal justice provision, and terrible politics, but the kind of thing local governments do almost reflexively every chance they get.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

She has her talking points down solid, though.



But it is impossible to argue with someone who has already made up their mind and refuses to read or think about any other information presented.

Are you talking about Sweet... or Sarah Palin?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Sarah Palin was in town last week.

60,000 people turned out to see her (the newspaper says 60,000). The newspaper also says she turns voters off.

Michelle Obama came to town and 8,000 showed up (the newspaper says she took the town by storm).

Barack Obama had 11,000 people at his rally (the newspaper says folks were in line for a mile!).

ROXANNE

Rape Kits are investigative tools. Law enforcement pays for them. Medical care is on the victim's dime, regardless of the injury or circumstances.

 

[Guest]

Are you talking about Sweet... or Sarah Palin?

Sweet, of course.

I mean, surely there is more substance to Palin than just talking points, right?

Right?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The elites are hostile to Palin, but the average woman likes her.

Elites hate her because she graduated Podunk U and was mayor of Pixley-Hooterville....like most of us are. But the average American woman see's Michelle Obama as a pretentious house-nigger Magna Cum Affirmative Action.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

The elites are hostile to Palin, but the average woman likes her.

Yes, see Rolling Stone article, to wit...

 

[Safe_Bet]

Sarah Palin was in town last week.

60,000 people turned out to see her (the newspaper says 60,000). The newspaper also says she turns voters off.

Michelle Obama came to town and 8,000 showed up (the newspaper says she took the town by storm).

Barack Obama had 11,000 people at his rally (the newspaper says folks were in line for a mile!).

ROXANNE

Rape Kits are investigative tools. Law enforcement pays for them. Medical care is on the victim's dime, regardless of the injury or circumstances.

Which proves only that you live in a town with the population of 71,000 people, 85% of which are fucking bigots. What a BIG surprise.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Originally Posted by sweetsubsarahh:
But it is impossible to argue with someone who has already made up their mind and refuses to read or think about any other information presented.

Are you talking about Sweet... or Sarah Palin?

Let's not get all hoity-toity, now: At one time or another, or on some particular subject, that could be about every last person on this board. Especially when the subjects are political issues which are by definition ambiguous.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

SAFE-BET

I was involved in civil rights before you were a stain on the mattress or back seat.

In 1965 I was involved in an election where a black guy was elected to the city council of our small, bigot town. His opponent, white, came across like Boss Hogg. Bill Blackshear, on the other-hand was an army veteran of Korea, college educated engineer, and married w/children.

Blackshear was responsible for important progress in his part of town, and he seemed interested in helping whites with their problems, too. He got elected. He was the first black elected to anything in almost 100 years.

Michelle and Obama have the attitude that most of us are unwashed Palookas, and it comes across.