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Considering that there a plenty of areas of Alaska where building materials are flown in...I think it's likely she might be right on this.
Considering that Alaska was being offered a pretty paltry share to start with, this seems like a reasonable response. Probably worth rejecting for the "decoupling" mandate alone, which is shameless green-tinted corporate welfare that decreases the financial incentive for consumers to practice conservation. But it is a shame they won't be putting solar panels on the Post Office in Nome now...
Ever notice how whenever Brian Merchant makes mention of any conservative, he always uses the adjective, "notorious"? His undisguised far-left bias is pretty obvious, but you'd think he was talking about Al Capone.
Palin deserves credit for going easy on the bloated federal pork and boondoggles, which are effectively destroying the US economy like it's never been destroyed before. The defecit is already unimaginable, and the (notorious) Democrats are selling the United States into bondage to Chinese bankers forever.
Without knowing all the facts, I do not believe Gov. Palin should be vilified on this. Some points to consider here are: What exactly are the federal mandates? Where I live we take for granted that pipes are buried below the ground. In Alaska those same pipes would freeze solid in the permafrost.Most Alaskans do not live in large cities (if there even is such a thing there) and would not be able to take advantage of the heat retention of concrete. Most Alaskans survive on an income that would make most of us in the lower 48 cringe in fear. Forcing them to shell out the same money for "green" buildings may very well be impossible for them. Something I believe the million dollar home owners in SoCal tend to not consider. Maybe I'm wrong. Now that Obama is president, money might start falling like mana from heaven. I think there are a great many things "green advocates" need to think about.
I have an idea to solve the Palin problem and help reduce the federal debt simultaneously: auction off Alaska to the highest bidder. Maybe Canada or Russia or China will take her off our hands and pay for the privilege.
If she really is going to be that stupid they should give us (Canada) back the pan handle.
Welcome to those astroturfing commenters from Sarah''s PR firm. No seriously, welcome and stay a while you might learn something
Sarah Palin 2012.
No matter what you say, she has always been 10X's the Democratic #1 choice for US President.
Now that we have the PreZ and his goon.. We may be screwed even worst than we could have been with another term of GW... But at least we would be safe under GW...
I don't understand this at all. This is money that could help cash strapped people heat their homes. I see direct effect. I also live in Nome where our building materials are flown in for half the year, and flown and/or barged for the short summer season - June to first of October.
We have a building inspector here and the city follows the 2006 Uniform Building Code. Most people build to Alaska Housing Finance building energy efficiency standards if using that money. The infrastructure is here so it does not grow government - Paliin's excuse. Communities under 2500 are exempted.
It is clear that the Palin administration is not focused on what is best for the state. I have seen no evidence otherwise since and during the presidential election campaign.
Can you even imagine if she was VP of the US...
It's not like an entire village needs to be rebuilt from scratch because it's falling into the ocean. Having $29 million around would pretty much pay for the new town. Then again, Palin is an idiot and even the Republican party in Alaska doesn't want her around anymore.
So many comments about Alaska from folks who, from their coments, have never been to Alaska.
The Gov turned down the funding, the state legislature could have asked and gotten the funds - so 3 bodies have said no thanks to at least part of the pork that will kill America.
As for 'selling Alaska' - why not just ask us to leave - you just might be surprised at the answer you recieve....
Duane-
I think you misunderstand Alaska a bit. Half the population of the entire state lives in the Anchorage bowl, which is the biggest city, a couple bedroom communities, and a couple of military bases. Not a "big city" by any means, but it's a modern city with all the advantages of concrete. Another big portion of the population lives in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, which includes Palin's hometown of Wasilla (as well as mine). People who live here typically commute to Anchorage for work, about an hour each way. These communities are small towns, but they also have concrete. There are other population centers, and they have concrete and buried pipes, as well.
As best I can tell, one of the bigger problems is that many of the State governmental offices are located in Alaska's tallest building, which is not super energy-efficient. It's also a building that the State recently negotiated a long-term lease for, and there may be a fear that all the offices would have to be relocated to a greener building.
The other issue is, of course, Alaskan public opinion. Most people up here do not want to hear the word "sustainable". It's right up there with "socialist". We're also a state which is almost entirely dependent upon oil revenues. There is a strong tendency to cater to the oil companies and a fear that becoming less dependent on fossil fuels will kill the Alaskan economy. There is almost no realization that eventually the oil will be gone, along with the revenues, and all the jobs associated with that industry.
It should also be said that Palin does NOT speak for all Alaskans. There are many of us interested in renewable energy and sustainability and basically not raping and pillaging the natural beauty surrounding us.
Improving energy efficiency is a great investment and good policy.
Three years ago I invested about $5000 into energy efficiency upgrades for my home. I borrowed most of the money.
Since then I've saved $4900 and paid off the loan. This year those changes will make me more than $2000, not bad (unless you're my oil company but they're doing well anyhow).
Three years ago I also put about $4000 into a 401k. Now that's worth about $2500, pretty bad (even if you're my financial advisor).
Thankyouu
Yes, except raising taxes even higher, and bloating the already enormous defecit to pay for it isn't a very good policy. Especially now.
There's the primary difference -- you invested your own money -- not everyone else's.
All Alaskans know that not only is it freakin cold up there, but that Alaskans are meanwhile ripped off by the high price of electricity, heating oil, & gas (produced BY alaskans, but refined & resold for three times more than the price in the lower 48.)
The fact that Sarah Palin obviously doesn't know or care about the high cost of SURVIVAL for Alaskans proves that she's unfit to sit on her office chair in Juneau. Obviously, she's not a true Alaskan, even.
@db
:"Yes, except raising taxes even higher, and bloating the already enormous defecit to pay for it isn't a very good policy.'
Complete distortion of facts db, you must be a lobbyist for ExxonMobil judging by your made up 'facts'.
Barack Obama didn not raise taxes, he lowered them. Do you understand lowered? It means the opposite of increasing. Taxes are now lower then over the last 8 years of GW. Secondly, the deficit is financed by us, who buy treasury bonds, we in fact own part of the U.S. govt. Not a dime of the funds going to Alaska is coming from your taxes.
"Palin deserves credit for going easy on the bloated federal pork and boondoggles, which are effectively destroying the US economy like it's never been destroyed"
Your ignorance is baffling ! Palin wastes public funds for her own comfort like no other, in fact she regularly charges the state of Alaska for her kid's airfares, dinner and hotel stays, illegally.
And just for the record, it isn't what you call boondoggles that destroy the American economy, it's the deregulation of the financial sector by the so-called conservative amateurs over the last 8 years, on top of the energy sector (Enron anyone?).
You bible-hugging amateur-conservatives don't conserve anything, you destroy, distort, mislead and ruined America.
@ izzit:
Nonsense. You're just making that up. In actual fact the price of residential heating gas in Alaska is $2.03 less than the US average price.
In fact, pretty much all of the most northern lower 48 states pay more for gas than Alaskans.
Natural Gas Prices (per Thousand Cubic Feet), Feb. '09. Just to be helpful, I've noted the political affiliation of the states with the most expensive natural gas. See if you can find the pattern?
Alaska (R) -- $10.18
Washington (D) -- $14.20
Wisconsin (D) -- $11.68
Vermont (R) -- $16.57
Pennsylvania (D) -- $15.26
Oregon (D) -- $14.58
Ohio (D) -- $12.99
New York (D) -- $14.95
Rhode Island (R) -- $16.03
New Hampshire (D) -- $19.13
Massachusetts (D) -- $18.31
Maine (D) -- $17.68
Florida (R) -- $18.88
Delaware (D) -- $17.72
Connecticut (D) -- $14.72
Arkansas (D) -- $13.71
Arizona (D) -- $16.31
Alabama (R) -- $17.69
US Average -- $12.21
http://tinyurl.com/cu3rrk
@ Nick:
I guess the jig is up, Nick. Yes, I am a lobbyist for Exxon/Mobil. How did you know?
And by that, I mean to say, pot is evidently not your friend.
No. I am very confused by the concept. Would you be so kind as to explain it to me?
Whoa! I'm having trouble with your technical language. Could you put it in layman's terms?
Really? Where do you get that information? The same place you found out I'm a secret agent for Exxon? I guess all those Tea Parties were for nothing!
More precisely, the Chinese own the vast majority of the debt, given that they are the single largest holders of US treasury securities.
Gosh, I should hope not, since I pay my taxes to the Canadian government. And, you'll be interested to note that this Canadian happens to own a modest portfolio of US T-Bills. Pray I don't come by your house to collect on your debt. I might be accompanied by some of my Chinese associates.
@ Max:
Wow, Max, it sounds like you've exposed Palin's crafty larceny at last! And she thought she was so clever! It all makes sense now -- become the Governor of Alaska so she can get free plane rides for her kids. Oh, the diabolical criminality of it!
You should compare notes with Nick, who brilliantly unmasked me as an Exxon super-secret agent. You guys would be like Batman and Robin -- or maybe just a couple of retards?
Hmm, so you are saying Enron caused the federal mortgage crisis, while operating under policies enacted by the Clinton/Gore administration -- which was only (coincidentally) exposed and prosecuted under the Bush administration?
Whatever drugs you are on, I'd like that prescription, too. It sounds like a riot.
Wow. First you crack the Palin caper, and now this. There's not hiding the truth from you, Max!
You forgot to mention we also "cling bitterly" to our guns. America is finally in safe hands, now that people like Joe Biden and Max are on duty.
thanks man
Palin and the Alaska legislature is looking at this with common sense.. The same way the rest of the nation should be looking at it.
If the dangling carrot of Pelosi and her evil crew is taken by the state, they lose state's rights to not participate at the state's cost in doing whatever the Federal Government pukes have to mandate regarding whatever Al Gore says is true about global warming and their solution.
This is a pure bait and comntrol issue and Palin is too smart not to fall for it. Alaska is LEADING these united States in Green Energy Usage.. It may not be wind, but it sure isn't coal.
You silly liberal pukes are so brain dead and so blindly following the Obama-Pelosi crowd that you need to simply curl up and die. You have ruined the future of America in less than 100 days.
I found most of the comments here absolutely hilarious!
There is nothing like a good discussion in the comments section, " the vile underbelly of the internet", seeing as those discussions so very, very often just turn into a beloved (by me) flame war.
Especially the comments by DB Max and Nick were amazing. I havent seen semi-lucid rants such as those in years! Please, continue your distortion of facts, please, dont at all cite any sources for those alleged facts, and please oh please keep up the excellent name-calling and ad hominem arguments. They are so very enjoyable.
Honestly
They are sw33t
"Natural Gas Prices (per Thousand Cubic Feet), Feb. '09. Just to be helpful, I've noted the political affiliation of the states with the most expensive natural gas. See if you can find the pattern?"
That's silly. Natural gas is sold via a deregulated wholesale market. Some areas are effectively cut off or sheltered from the deregulated wholesale market because of a lack of pipeline connections. The price of natural gas in Colorado was lower than elsewhere in the US until new pipelines were installed a couple of years ago to enable more gas exports outside the Rocky Mountain region.
As for energy efficiency, the biggest step a homeowner can do is make sure there is insulation in the walls and attic. Not only does it save on heating bills, it is so much more comfortable. I have experienced the difference between a drafty house and a cozy house after a retrofit. It is worth it.