For some unknown reason, McCain's choice for Vice-President seems to have struck fear into the hearts of some Obama supporters and we've been inundated with scurrilous attacks upon his choice and as I've said in other posts or comments, I've seen a lot of very unhelpful propaganda. In the past few days, as part of the effort to combat an unreasonable fear of an opposing candidate, I've seen attacks on the media; rural people; forty-four year-olds without passports; those who attended multiple colleges and state schools; people who shop at Walmart, hunters and westerners just to name a few.

Therefore as part of my continuing effort to help tamp-down some of the things which may be harmful to the Democratic effort and quite frankly, the American system, I'd  like to play a little game.

Bonds: As I've said before and will keep repeating until I'm blue in the face, bonds are how every state, county, school system and municipality funds their improvements. Technically they are debt, but they're the only option that a public entity can use and it's how we pay for our schools, libraries, roads, utilities, parks, civic and performing arts centers. If it weren't for bonds, no modern government would be able to build anything and our old folks would have fewer choices for "safe" investments.

Would you rather not have any schools, roads or any of the other things built in your community? The next time your local government wants to issue a few, are you going to vote against them because it's a "crushing debt"?

The people of Wasilla voted by a slim margin, but still a majority to issue bonds to build their sports arena. These bonds are partially funded by user fees and the rest of the payments come from an increased sales tax, which not only is paid by local residents, but their box stores draw from a much larger area. According to media reports, there was a $180k shortfall last year for the arena after factoring-in the user fees, but sales tax revenue exceeded expectations by $300k and reportedly, the town is not hurting for cash.

Earmarks (Wasilla): Again, I don't live there, but from the outset, we've known that $15m of Wasilla's $27m in earmarks were for a commuter rail line improvement. As this article points out, Wasilla doesn't own or run a railroad and the improvements were part of a much larger package which totaled $300m in federal outlays over five years.

The $15m was to improve the line between Wasilla and Girdwood, where reportedly both Alaska Senators have a vacation home and it is his Girdwood home that's at the center of Ted Srevens' VECO troubles. Heck, according to Google Maps, the rail line runs past Anchorage from a northern suburb to one in the south, but for some reason Sarah Palin is the catching the political brunt of this earmark.

Would you rather that the Anchorage metropolitan area have unsafe commuter rail or none at all? Are you willing to forego any federal subsidies for any future mass transit projects in your town because suddenly, Democrats oppose such things? And, if you are going to hold it against them, why is Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski getting away scot-free?

Earmarks (Alaska): According to data archived by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, 89.22% of Alaska is owned by the state or federal government. It's for this reason that some in the AIP have called for the federal government to give back their land; The feds control more than 60%.

If you look at a map from the Public Lands Information Center, once you enlarge it, you can see that the areas in white are privately owned and I just happen to know that because this is an online map, you can't see some of the smaller areas, but the 89% figure is not in question.

Also, if you look at the map, you'll probably notice that there's no roads to the left of Anchorage. That's not an oversight; There aren't any roads and the only way in and out of those villages is by air, which is why the post office subsidizes flights to keep the costs down. There just aren't any roads in that part of the state and we the taxpayers, also underwrite all of their airports through a federal program.

Would you rather that more Alaskan wilderness be turned over to private interests, so that we won't be paying for roads over federal land and where they can better fund their own infrastructure? Should those in the furthest reaches have a substandard airport and non-subsidized flights? Zoom-in on Google Maps and you'll see that the vast majority of these villages are thirty houses built near a landing strip; Should we just kick those folks (including the Native Americans) out and make them all live in town?

She's a Monster: Recent polls showed Ms. Palin with a better than 80% approval rate among her constituents and a poll done after she was named to the Republican ticket, Obama had gone from a seven point lead to a fifteen point deficit. Clearly, Alaskans like their Governor and she hasn't struck very many of those who know her best as a monster.


Don't get me wrong and as I've said before, there's a multitude of political beliefs, ethics questions and things she says now, which differ from what she has said in the past that can be used against her. Personally, I like the way the Obama campaign has been treating her and what causes me concern is the over-reaction in the blogosphere.

Why exactly are so many people afraid of Sarah Palin? I don't mean, why do you oppose her, but why have so many people started mimicking Chicken Little? Is it because she's a woman or a religious person? I just don't understand it and more importantly, if you react this way to a neophyte Governor and a social conservative, how would you have reacted to one of the other possible choices?

Would you rather McCain had named Tom Ridge, a moderate who'd bring more electoral votes?