Palin Drone

By now, we've heard endless news about Gov. Sarah Palin. Some seems petty and some seems worthy. Lately, there's been a lot of talk about the per diem stuff. Here's why I think it's important:

Sarah Palin and the McCain Palin campaign have gone to great lengths to present Gov. Palin as a reformer and as a fiscal conservative. She was elected Governor in part by promising to cut wasteful spending. In her speeches, she's often tooting the horn of "I sold the jet, I fired the chef" but then there's this stuff about how she charged a per diem for the times she spent at home.

I take offense to this. The citizens of Alaska have hired Sarah Palin and have agreed to pay her about $150,000/year. They've also given her a house in their capital city. Governor Palin apparently prefers her private residence and I don't begrudge her that choice. However, that residence is in Wasilla, not in Juneau. She's charged the tax-payers of Alaska $60/day for the time she spent in her own home when they've provided her a home in Juneau. In effect, the tax-payers are being held responsible for two houses. Furthermore, a per diem is appropriate when an employee travels to do work for their employer. She had no work to do in Wasilla, it was just that she wanted to be there. All this from a woman who touts the ways she has cut wasteful spending. When it's all said and done, I'd like to see how much those per diems and unnecessary travel expenses add up to. Why should the people of Alaska have to pay for Sarah Palin to commute between Juneau and Wasilla when they've provided her a residence in Juneau?

Beyond that, I take umbridge with the claim that she "fired the chef." Lets say that the per diem she's been charging is not for lodging but is instead to cover meal expenses that the governor has incurred. Has firing the governor's chef really had an effect then? Has she done anything except transfer the money that would have been paid to a chef to herself?

I think this is completely outrageous and could so easily seem trivial to many people. Check her out, America! This is the woman John McCain has chosen for his ticket; a woman who promises to clean up Washington and cut fiscal waste. If she cuts fiscal waste like she has in the past, we'll all be paying more and Sarah Palin will continue to pocket the difference.

Umm...nice to meet you...

I'm sitting backstage at the theater. There's a concert on the terrace. I have to be here to supervise since the artists are using our dressing rooms. So, I'm sitting here, doing nothing and some people walk in behind a volunteer. I pay little attention until I hear Ralph, the organizer, say something like, "Let me go find Jason and he can open up a dressing room for you." I had JUST stuffed cracker and cheese into my face. I got up and headed toward the voice, thinking I could swallow before I got there. Not so much. I got to the group of people with chipmunk cheeks and Ralph says, "This is Jason, he's our technician tonight....looks like he's got a mouth full of warm nuts."
...

Pleasure to meet you.

this is just too....

I don't even have words...it's like...wow

Yes We Can!!