Comments on: Fishing unironically

By: JJD

JJD — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:14:02 +0000

I lived in Alaska for about 27 years, retiring last year. I watched Sarah Palin run an outsiders campaign against the professional politicians, first Republicans, then the Democrats, although in Alaska the differences are usually pretty fine; they all want to spend your money for you. I don’t remember religion being an issue. Her message was basically to eliminate the ‘good old boy’ approach to government. She has managed to make a dent in the problem, hence her 80% favorable rating in Alaska. The other 20% were part of the ‘good old boy’ clan. But someone here hit one of my ‘hot buttons’ with the reference to the Alaskan permanent fund being used as a bribe by Palin or politicians in general. It is actually designed to prevent politicians from using it to enrich their friends. The petroleum on State land belongs collectively to the citizens of the state. 25% of the revenue from the sale of oil goes into the Permanent fund bypassing the greasy paws of the political class. 50% of the interest goes back in to inflation proof the fund. The other 50% is paid out directly to each individual citizen. This makes it extremely difficult for politicians to change the original law and raid the fund. It is also probably the only government program in existence that is administered equally and fairly, although I am certain there are some ‘progressives’ who would disagree.

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:06:41 +0000

I don’t have the time to get into the histrionics of the left regarding Palin. It’s obviously they fear her immensely, and that fear has led to a pandemic of foaming mouth desperation groping to find something that will ruin her in the eyes of the public. The more desperate the groping, the more they will turn off the vast majority of voters. But one gem above I cannot allow to pass without comment, from KM:

“Do you know what a hospital birth without complications costs these days? Minimum $25,000.”

I’ve had five kids, and that has not been my experience. I had twins born 6 weeks prematurely, and they spent a week in the NICU. Total charges for that came to around $30,000 before insurance coverage began. I’ve had one daughter in the hospital for up to a week recently receiving extensive pulmonary therapy and numerous tests and procedures, and that cost $14,000, before insurance. During our “normal” childbirths, the charges ran around $5,000-$6,000.

Tossing ecomonics into a decision like child-birth doesn’t happen often, at least not in my universe. I don’t think it happens often in other people’s universes, either, unless they were predisposed to abort their child anyway, and are looking for an excuse to do so.

Just my $.02.

By: daveg

daveg — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:01:44 +0000

If Sarah Palin was a fiscally conservative, very accomplished, challenge the status quo, budget reforming, atheist governor would many Republicans still be supporting her?

Probably not, but if you drop the “fiscally conservative, very accomplished, challenge the status quo, and budget reforming,” Democrats would positively swoon over her.

By: David Curp

David Curp — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:27:04 +0000

Filterman,

A NYT vetting could be of use since Gov. Palin was never a member of the Alaska Independence Party according to the McCain campaign. But then maybe with the help of Canadian intel operatives she has managed to fake being a registered republican since 1982 (or perhaps the vast evangelical Christian conspiracy doctored the records – or, could they be the same thing?). Can’t blame you for making such a mistake but do understand why so many on the right have such a strong (and at times unhealthy) allergic reaction to the MSM.

PS: I guess in addition to this as an egregious, unforgivable error for the “paper of record” there is the question of how Sen. Obama’s ties with Rezko or Bill Ayers don’t merit front page treatment but this morning we have 3 on Gov. Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy. Seems to me a bit of a problem, nicht wahr? (I threw in the last so, uh, Sen. Obama, wouldn’t be ashamed of me). Raises questios of priorities, non?

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:01:09 +0000

Lex — your thoughts bring to mind Richard John Neuhaus’s book “The Naked Public Square”, where he basically lays out the same argument — that it is irrational to say that religiously formed values have no place in the public discourse, only those formed in the absence of religious values. For me, the best example of “injecting” religious values into governmental issues is Dietrich Bonhoffer’s “The Cost of Discipleship” (actually, Bonhoffer’s life is the best example!). There are many who want to put Christianity back in the monastery — sorry, Luther brought it out, never to return. Bonhoffer taught that to truly follow Christ, required a willingness to confront political issues — in his case, and in his time, to speak out against Nazism. This decision led ultimately to his death. He helped raise money for Jews to escape to Switzerland, was discovered, imprisoned, and hanged in 1945. His discussion of “cheap grace” is worth the reading, and helped me form much of my personal belief in this area.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:36:00 +0000

KM — let’s set the record straight here — despite your feigned indignation, no one here wants you silenced, so stop the passive-aggressive behavior, OK? Second, did YOU pay $35K for that birth, or was that your “bill”? And if it was the latter, who paid it? Third, if you have someone who truly needs a low cost vaginal delivery, the The Midwifery Center at DePaul hospital in Norfolk will do them for patient payers for $5K.