Palins received $20,000 from the Alaskan oil windfall program?

[Essene]

Why hasn't the media picked up on this?

Every eligible Alaskan resident got a check for $3269 on Sept 12th.

Why doesn't the media take a close look at how that's being paid for?

The Palins should have received $19,614 under the PFD program, as a family of 6 (Trig wouldn't register yet).

That's just for living in Welfare... I mean Wasilla, Alaska.

The state has no income tax, by the way. They live off corporate energy taxes and federal pork. Alaska has such high taxes/fees on oil that they take in about 75 cents per dollar of AMERICAN oil pumped out of Alaska. It's so costly that oil companies have lost interest in drilling there. Production in Alaska is decreasing.

Meanwhile, Palin jacked up the windfall portion of the taxes to 25%. They brought in $10 billion last year.

[MichaelHarris]

1. My question has always been

is it Alaskan oil or is it American oil? Where's my f%$king check?

[Essene]

3. Apparently America and Alaska have a disagreement on this question...

starting with the alaskans not seeing themselves as america.

[MichaelHarris]

5. and

a Vice Presidential candidate that sees Alaskans as not Americans.

[fed_up_mother]

15. I think that when Alaska became a state, the U.S. gov maintained all mineral rights

It's one of the reasons many Alaskans feel like they weren't treated the same as other states. Anyway, I'm not up on the particulars, and maybe I misunderstood what I read a while back.

[Overseas]

2. But that's Alaskan socialism, doncha know. It's mavericky.

Those independent Alaskans who get those checks think she's the best darned Governor in the whole country.

[Essene]

4. ... and thus why hasnt a single major news source discussed this????

I jsut makes no sense.

[Overseas]

11. The 5 media conglomerates are owned by conservatives. Love Mooselini.

They have probably mentioned it in one or two stories so they've done their duty at reporting all the news. Then they let it drop. Can't say they didn't cover it. They did. Page 97. So they did their duty at pretending to be objective.

Then they can return to their owners' preferences-- flatter their precious little darling of the Religious Right. She's a cute little puppet. They dropped that socialist story (aka bribery will make you popular) because it is not flattering to their gal and McPanic.


http://www.corporations.org/media/

[Essene]

17. i dont buy that line of argument...

at all.

This is a huge, entertaining and powerful story about hypocrisy in the GOP camp.

I understand why OBAMA and the democrats may not want to yell about this, since it is really an attack on the entire state of Alaska along with the democrat's proposals there to increase the windfall taxes, etc.

But im talking about the media simply reporting that the Palins would have received $20,000 in oil revenue royalties.

Explain that.

[Overseas]

18. You may not buy it but I have watched it happen.

The corporate media has worked very hard to promote the McHate campaign.

They've reported some trash on Palin but not as much as they could.

They've reported a bit of negatives on McHate but not nearly as much as they could.

The media have already reported that Alaskans get $3K in oil windfall profits tax every year and isn't that odd.

THEY HAVE DONE THAT. Finished. No need to stir up that bad news any more. Doesn't support McHate.

[Essene]

19. so you honestly think the media has been nice to palin? =D

i thikn you're on the wrong website hehehehe

[Voice for Peace]

21. The media could have rightly ripped her to shreds and they have been very gentle,

with very few exceptions.

[Bad Thoughts]

14. Selling off the public's assets is not socialism

It is neo-conservatism.

[justiceischeap]

6. Makes perfect sense why she WAS America's favorite governor. (eom)

[Essene]

7. (yes, and her raising the windfall tax to 25% was a democrat proposal she jumped onto)

[endthewar]

8. On Hardball a Dem pointed out that Palin is the most socialistic governor in the entire USA

Since they tax the oil companies under the premise that the land is collectively owned by the citizens of Alaska and that's why they should share in the profits.

[Essene]

9. good for whoever that was!

but i mean... her family got a $20,000 oil royalty check in september and nobody mentioned that?

[endthewar]

10. It was kind of understood

Everybody in Alaska gets a check on a per person basis. It's large since her family is so big.

[WinkyDink]

13. Really? And oil revenues are somehow unique because?

[endthewar]

20. Because she's a socialist governor

From a Dem perspective, I kind of like this policy. It's very similar to the windfall profits tax on the oil companies that Obama/Biden proposed. Biden confronted Palin with this at their debate, but Palin just switched topics and didn't answer the question.

Also, kind of interestingly, I think the Alaskan Independence Party espouses that the people of Alaska own the land and resources of Alaska, not the United States.

[Mudoria]

12. Sorry but I don't have a problem with the citizens

of the state sharing in the wealth that their state resources provide. I DO have a problem with the Governor of that state accusing someone else of "socialism" when she and her constituents seem to accept "socialism" as long as it benefits them.

[Essene]

16. Put it in full context, though...

They take 75 cents of every dollar of oil revenue... for themselves, pushing up gas prices for everybody else.

They made a $5 billion dollar SURPLUS in doing this. They dont pay state taxes.

Alaska is #1 in the nation in FEDERAL port-per-person, in spite of their surplus.

1 of 3 jobs in Alaska relies on FEDERAL funds.

Palin has requested $750,000,000 in FEDERAL pork in her 1.5 years as governor.

See the problem here?

Now, im not against states taking a fair share from natural resources, especially if it goes to grow their economy and to make their lives better. I'd be happy to see Louisiana and Mississippi pull this off, albeit not at the same rates of taxation.

[uppityperson]

22. Permanent Fund Dividends are what pushes up gas prices? How much is gas in AK?

Do you know how much gas costs in AK? More than Outside by a long margin. PFd is what pushes up gas prices for everybody else?

Good lord, do some research on the Permanent Fund and the Dividend.