Sarah Palin’s Per Diem

Ahh, poor politicians and their ongoing frat party in this nation’s capitol. Let’s be clear, both sides are touting change as being the only option to save our nation and yada, yada, yada.

I’m all for change. I think change is good.

But, and this goes for both parties, words are meaningless unless actions accompany those words.

I haven’t been sitting over here at Chez Coma busting out on Sarah Palin, who I still think has little experience to take on what could be the most important office in recent history. (And, of course, hanging out with carnies and cool people, living my life the way I want to.)

No, but I also want to say that that Gov. Palin’s actions aren’t lining up with her words. I realize that every government official gets a per diem. I’ve no problem with that when It’s company business and running a state is a company.

What I do have a problem with is charging the taxpayers of her state for this after only 19 months in office:

She wrote some form of “Lodging — own residence” or “Lodging — Wasilla residence” more than 30 times at the same time she took a per diem, according to the reports. In two dozen undated amendments to the reports, the governor deleted the reference to staying in her home but still charged the per diem.

If you are hanging out at your own house, why in the world would you charge the state you run for per diem?

I realize the first family is going to get some perks as well but the Palins’ charged the state of Alaska more than I make in a year including this:

The family also charged for flights around the state, including trips to Alaska events such as the start of the Iditarod dog-sled race and the Iron Dog snowmobile race, a contest that Todd Palin won.

Granted, Palin has spent less than the governor she replaced but I still can’t help but question $707 per night hotel bills.

I can’t wait for the day I see a politician stay at a Super 8 like the rest of us. Or even a Marriot which is a luxury for many of us.

Politics as usual. We can talk about change all we want but the new school is just the same as the old school, it just has a new coat of paint and that’s about it.

Qualifications To Be Vice President

As many of you know, I ran Mabel for president and then tried to create a variety of political scandals for her as she was clueless to her candidacy, and, well, she eats things she creates.

I thought her character might be attacked, so we let her go back to eating kibble and doing her pub crawl, which she did last night.

But I have to point you to Sparkles Plenty, who has outlined her reasons on why she would make a great vice-president.

Anyway, now that all that has been cleared up, I know that I am supremely qualified to be your Vice President. Here is why I expect your vote in November:

1. I know how to drive a car.
2. I can open jars all by myself.
3. I always never forget to clean out the lint filter on the dryer.
4. My favorite soup is potato.
5. I don’t spit when I talk. Usually.

Mabel endorses Kristina for V.P. enthusiastically.

Carnies, Politics And Rural Conversations

I didn’t see Sarah Palin’s speech last night because I was watching the carnies work, drinking beer and taking pictures at Faith Night at the Tennessee Soybean Festival.

Now before all of this, I had a conversation with my retired alderman friend who I will call Bob because that is his name. He is a devout Republican, and other than tweaking my chains sometimes, we have some pretty good conversations.

We talked about economic development and that rural areas were suffering. He thought Sarah Palin got it, I said I wasn’t so sure about that. He kidded me that at least she wasn’t Muslim. I told him to stop that nonsense and he laughed because he was teasing me. I then asked him how he felt because he’s in his late 60s. He told me he was kinda tired and I came back at him that John McCain was three years older than him.

“Point taken,” he laughed. We do this. It’s fine and it’s between us.

Then we talked about local leadership and I asked him if mayors and reps and the like were being handcuffed to a degree due to the economy.

“They are,” he said. “Money trickles down. It always has. And it goes to where there is already money or a possibility of making money. We don’t have the money we once did. It’s a little bit scary.”

I love talking to people that, although ideologically we are completely different, we are the same in one respect and that is we like Hoots and we want to see it thrive. With the festival going on, there is a little bit of relief and hope of better things although it will be business as usual come Monday. We are anticipating 10,000 people tonight, Friday and Saturday.

This is good.

I wandered off to go see my beloved carnies, one who is apparently named Doorknob, but they were still having no part of me so I bought a polish sausage, took some pics and watched a band sing that was pretty good.

With that all said, I keep going back to my conversation with Bob.

We are all really the same in so many ways.

A List Of Ten

Just a few things about the day, as I would much rather be playing darts and hanging out on an extended staycation instead of coming off steroids from the recent bout of lung crud which has made me cranky.

1. I’m not even getting into the Sarah/Bristol Palin thing. I’m just not. It’s a private thing. I don’t dig her politics but I’m not going to get into that whole drama. Why? Because kids have sex and if you think they don’t, you are honestly not paying attention. No offense. I disagree with the whole abstinence thing because PEOPLE HAVE SEX.  They do. It’s their business, not mine. If I judge them, then I get judged (the little Presbyterian girl who lives inside of me from 1972 is kicking me in my gut about this as it was lesson #1 in my house growing up.) Not into it. Stay out of my bedroom, I’ll stay out of yours. I wasn’t voting for McCain Co. anyway. This makes no difference to me.

2. If anyone needs any help from Gustav and is around Hoots, let me know. Just send me an email at newscoma at gmail dot com and I’ll see what I can do. I know the natives and the good folks who can make a difference. We need to help each other out.

3. My blind dog is sick. I’m worried but she’s nearly 13-years-old and I’m just trying to scratch her back, as she likes it, love her and make her comfortable. There isn’t much we can do but pet her and hope for the best. Mabel and Duff keep spooning her and making her feel loved. Breaks my heart.

4. Have been investigating Nashville’s rental properties. I realize I need to sell my soul but I think it’ll be all right. Am thinking that if I have a commune here, I can have one in Nashville. What say you?

5. CNN really has a collective orgasm over hurricanes, don’t they?

6. TENNESSEE PLAYS TONIGHT!! Yay! Looking atcha Big Orange Michael.

7. Squirrel Queen is a rock star. I’m just saying.

8. It’s September? When the hell did that happen?

9. I love this post. It’s so real and honest. I just think Samantha is great and you should be reading her too.

10. This picture is still great and although I’ve posted it before, it still rocks ass.

Girl Politics

I’m going to take a moment to talk about VP pick Sarah Palin.

There isn’t any doubt she is a pretty incredible woman (now that I know who she is) with five children, a meteoric rise apparently in Alaska politics and a hard-core conservative.

I’m going to repeat that several times. She is a conservative.

For my right-leaning buddies out there, I realize this is a slam dunk. I’m not a conservative as you know if you read this blog and I’m really not posting this to you guys but more to my brethren who say they will vote for a woman for the sake of that’s she’s female. McCain shrewdly released the information after the eve of an amazing, historic speech from Barack Obama. As a matter of strategy, no one can deny that this was masterful pr move.

It was an amazing display. I’m going to give the McCain camp that one.

On the other hand, why has this entire race become about girl parts?

I wasn’t a Hillary supporter but I respected the experience and the warrior-like strength of Clinton. She honestly set much of the tone for the DNC convention this year and was very much the statesman/woman about the direction of the party. My lack of support for her candidacy had nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. It had to do with how divisive she has been in the America mainstream over the past 16 years.

But I respect the hell out of her.

With Palin in the mix, I have to say that the whole “experience” thing has been thrown out of the political spin. I’m guessing that McCain knew that when his camp made their choice.

She was the mayor just two years ago of a town that is the about the size of Hooterville Central. Let’s think about that. Let’s also look at what has happened. In Palin’s defense, I’m offended by the VPILF (or whatever it’s called ’cause I’m not linking it) which is so sexist it’s not funny. If anything were to happen to McCain, we would be dealing with a woman, who in her own way, is a game-changer or so the MSM reports but she is still very right wing and has little experience in foreign relations which is a big deal. I am ok about this that she did but that’s basically the only thing I see as she did not do it for gay rights but due to the unconstitutional fall out so let’s get that balanced out. There are also some scandals attached to her (but in all fairness, there is always a scandal attached) but there is one thing bothering me more than anything.

It’s about her being a woman and that being the home run out of the park. Not her experience or belief system but the fact that “Hey, look, it’s a girl.” That’s the selling point that McCain banked on but when did it become a gender race and not a presidential race about issues facing this nation? A weakening economy, a war, a global uncertainty about the United States intentions, the rights of individuals … are these not important things to be discussing?

I resent that a woman is, once again, being used as a gimmick. I don’t like that. Palin, however, knew what she was getting into so there’s that.

For my conservative friends, I know this is inspiring. For me, it’s just another objectification at this point of a female but I also know you dig her politics and that’s cool.

But for those left-leaning people who are just voting for McCain because he’s got a woman on the ticket, I can only say, look at her track record and tell me, is this what you want one heartbeat away from the White House?

Going to look at Bigfoot pictures to get the buzzing out of my head.

Go To Joe’s

Just read the whole thing.

The Vetting Of Sarah Palin

Andrea Mitchell reported this evening that John McCain only met Sarah Palin once.

I met Elvis once or so they say. I was three and I don’t remember it.

I’m just saying.

Sarah Palin On Northern Exposure

It took just a matter of hours with a special link to Chez Bez because he brought this up on Twitter today.

H/T to Media Needle and Mock Paper Scissors