My panelists this week:

Lennie Moran who was attacked with a machete in 2007 and Alaska State Trooper Alfred Borrego who was the first officer to respond to the attack.
-Senator Hollis French, AK State Senator and 2010 Democratic Candidate for Governor
-Dr. Monique Karaganis, Anchorage Pediatritian
-Vince Beltrami, President of the Alaska AFL-CIO

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5:

Our next live taping will be on January 7, 2010.  We’d love to have you be part of our live audience.  Email us for tickets at mooreupnorth@gmail.com

“Call me, STAT!  This is Dennis”

Well, that’s one way to find out you are on Sarah Palin’s enemies list.  Yesterday morning, while working on my Shanta Claus projects and prepping for my television show, Dennis Zaki called.  He and Jesse Gryphen of the Immoral Minority, had driven to Sarah Palin’s Wasilla book signing.  Why? Well, it’s like storm chasers in Nebraska…only they’re train-wreck chasers.  Me?  Well, I’m busy these days and have had Palin fatigue since before most people have even heard of her.

Don’t get me wrong…Thanks Sarah!  It’s just that I really wasn’t interested. Two weeks ago, I had press privileges at her book signing at Elmendorf AFB that was closed to the public.  On that day, I was busy figuring out if my hair was oily, normal or dry.  Truth be told, I’m just not that into her.

Dennis and I have been friends since the Corrupt Bastards Club Trials.  He’s one of my favorite Hardy Boys. I met Gryph last year; we fight about half the time…the rest we spend laughing.  I’ll ask Sarah Palin to sign my copy of Going Rogue after it wins the National Book Award for best fiction…it’s richly deserving.  Besides, I’m having the “Under the Bus” folks sign it instead; John Bitney, Anne Kilkenny, Andrew Halcro, Lyda Green, Walt Monegan, Trooper Wooten, etc.  It’s just more honest.

Gryphen and Zaki were booted from the event.  My name was on the list to boot if I showed. There’s a fourth unknown and unwelcomed guest..who could it be?  Oh, yeah, fellas…the troops are fighting for Palin’s right to ban us from a public event!

When the Anchorage Daily News reported on the “Homecoming” event for Palin with the “flocking” of 750 people to the “public” event at the publicly funded Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center with the publicly funded Wasilla Police Officers working security, they made a tiny mention of the bumped bloggers.  Nearly 2,000 people showed up for an indoor football game earlier this year at the same complex. Twice as many citizens of Wasilla have become members of the Mat Su Valley Sportsman’s Association as showed up for Sarah Palin’s glorious homecoming.  In “Real America” Palin attracted thousands of teabaggers.  In “Real Alaska,” the tea bagger capitol and Palin’s hometown, there were more people shopping at Wal*Mart.

The ADN also failed to mention that H1N1 virus vaccines were also being administered at the same time as the book signing. Good Lord, if only there were a vaccine for Palin’s word salad.

Whoopie Flippin’ Doooo!  Hell of a homecoming, did she get another crown?

You could find out what Alaskans really think of Sarah coming home judging by the comments on the Anchorage Daily News website…Oh wait…the ADN decided to ban public comments on the article.

Dennis Zaki, Linda Kellen-Biegel, Jeanne Devon and myself all passed the White House Security checks to attend the “closed to the public”troops only speech by President Obama a few weeks ago.  The only threat to Sarah Palin by the Alaska Bloggers is the truth. Yes, it’s scary.

I guess “Real Alaskans” aren’t allowed near an “author” who once asked a librarian if she’d ban books. Oh, the irony…or is it ion-ry…either way, I’ve been Palibanned!

What is it about “not liking drama” and being the biggest drama magnet on the planet? Good Lord, one more week on the “Bigger The Hair The Closer To Gawd” tour…how much more fresh hell will we endure?

The Mall of America’s public relations director apologized Wednesday to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin after internal notes and comments were released to the Associated Press as the mall’s guidelines for covering her book tour stop next week.

Among the supposed guidelines: Reporters would need to address Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, as governor, and foreign reporters would be banned.

Note to the Mall of America and Sarah Palin: YOU AREN’T THE GOVERNOR.  YOU QUIT.  STOP USING A POST YOU WALKED OUT ON TO MAKE YOUR SELF FEEL SHINY.  Oh, did you know foreigners read books? Yes, they do! Maybe even yours…mmm, money!

To make myself feel better about the toe stepping Mall of America, I watched this bit of fun. 

Thanks, Lizz!

I spent a lot of time in a small Alaskan church.  I’m glad I did.  It helps me interpret Palin’s evangelical dog whistles.

The title: “The Pelosi Bill Was Rammed Through on Saturday, But Sunday’s Coming.”

Seems harmless to a casual reader, but to the evangelicals? Instant salivation.  During sermons about the crucifixion, a typical preacher line goes, “Friday was a dark, dark day, but Sunday’s coming.”  Answered with many “Amens.” So, Nancy Pelosi just killed Jesus, and Sarah is going to resurrect him?

Is she equating the health care bill to the crucifixion, and the conservative comeback as the resurrection? Really? Go on, Sister Sarah, tell us how how the GOP is going to forgive us for all our sins and give us eternal life.  The same GOP whose logo has inverted satanic stars.  Anyone with half a wit of faith would call you on your blasphemy.

“We’ve got to hold on to hope, and we’ve got to fight hard because Congressional action tonight just put America on a path toward an unrecognizable country. “

UNRECOGNIZABLE?   From what? A country that lies its way into wars? A country that tortures? A country that transports prisoners to other countries for torture? A country that wiretaps its own citizens? A country that neglects its veterans; poor and sick? A country that sides with corporations over its people? A country that looks away from evidence of environmental decay?

Well, I’m fine with becoming something other than the country you recognize.

”The same government leaders that got us into the mortgage business and the car business are now getting us into the health care business.”

The reason for the bailouts in the first place, Sarah, is because decades of Republican deregulation left no one minding the store.  Former President Bush, by the way, pushed through the first bailout, and it was Bush whose 2004 campaign sought to lower barriers for home ownership!  What about the same government that employs Blackwater XE over our military? What about our justice system being for sale to the highest bidding private prisons?  All your honking about privatizing goods and services is a little late.

”Despite Americans’ decisive message last Tuesday that they reject the troubling path this country has been taking, Speaker Pelosi has broken her own promises of transparency to ram a health “care” bill through the House of Representatives just before midnight. Why did she push the 2,000 page bill this weekend? Was she perhaps afraid to give her peers and the constituents for whom she works the chance to actually read this monstrous bill carefully, if at all? Was she concerned that Americans might really digest the details of a bill that the Wall Street Journal has called “the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced”? “

Oh, yes, last Tuesday’s decisive message that said, “Hey, Bill Owens, you’re in!  First Democrat elected to NY House District#23 since the Civil War!  Now go vote an “Aye” on the health care bill?”  Right, that one.  Betcha wish you had that $25,000 back about now.  And the WSJ? Wow, you mean Rupert Murdoch’s paper? Oh…it’s…getting…clearer.  On another note, the WSJ, last year, said you were a terrible candidate in a piece called, “Palin Failin’”…so I guess they are right some of the time.

”This out-of-control bureaucratic mess will be disastrous for our economy, our small businesses, and our personal liberty. It will slam businesses at a time when we are at double-digit unemployment rates – the highest we’ve seen in a quarter of a century. This massive new bureaucracy will cost us and our children money we don’t have. It will rob Americans of more of our freedom and further hamper the free market.”

Lady, you think the free market is eBay.  Your party deregulated that free market into such a predicament there isn’t a coupon to save it.  Check out the Gramm Leach Bliley Act, also known as the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act.  Gramm, Leach and Bliley were the trio of Republicans back in 1999 that were just swamped with constituent phone calls demanding they do something about those pesky bank regulations that prohibited the merger of investment banks with commercial banks and insurance companies.  You can use the “googles”.  Thank your lucky stars Charlie Gibson didn’t ask you about that!

”Make no mistake: we’re on course to have government commandeer one-sixth of our economy. The people who gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now want to run our health care. Think about that.”

Yes indeed.  The people that gave us Fannie and Freddie; hmmm…that would be your former running mate, John McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis.  Davis headed the Homeownership Alliance, a mortgage industry lobbying group formed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Under Davis, the Alliance’s primary goal was to step-up the number of mortgages granted-setting the table for the the mortgage crisis.  And yes, health care is kind of a big deal.  We get that.

”All of us who value the sanctity of life are grateful for the success of the pro-life majority in the House this evening in its battle against federal funding of abortion in this bill, but it’s ironic because we were promised that abortion wasn’t covered in the bill to begin with. Our healthy distrust of these government leaders made us look deeper into the bill because unfortunately we knew better than to trust what they were saying. The victory tonight to amend the bill and eliminate that federal funding for abortion was great – because abortion is not health care. Now we can only hope that Rep. Stupak’s amendment will hold in the final bill, though the Democratic leadership has already refused to promise that it won’t be scrapped later.”

“…us who value the sanctity of life…” Are you out of your mind?  You don’t even value a wolf running from a plane.  You don’t value a young girl who has been raped.  You want the death penalty and cry for more war.  You wouldn’t know the sanctity of life if it dropped dead in your lap.

”We had been told there were no “death panels” in the bill either. But look closely at the provision mandating bureaucratic panels that will be calling the shots regarding who will receive government health care.”

Alaskans are still waiting for your explanation of the death panels under your aborted watch as governor.  There are still over two-hundred dead who weren’t granted health care they were qualified for because of your negligence.  Your legacy is “death panels” to some Alaskan families, and not because you spouted the phrase a few minutes before Charles Grassley.

”Look closely at provisions addressing illegal aliens’ health care coverage too.”

I wonder where Lazarus lived…

”Those of us who love freedom and believe in open and transparent government can only be dismayed by midnight action on a Saturday. Speaker Pelosi’s promise that Americans would have 72 hours to read the final bill before the vote was just another one of the D.C. establishment’s too-common political ploys. It’s broken promises like this that turn people off to politics and leave them disillusioned about the future of their country.”

Hey, WE ALL LOVE FREEDOM.  Freedom from crazy is what I’d like right now.  Transparent? You couldn’t be transparent in a Saran Wrap bikini. Open? Well, you’re open for business and that’s about it. You are rich to call Pelosi on a broken promise…you said you’d be governor and you quit.  Again, I thank you for breaking a promise.

”But despite this late-night maneuvering, many of us were paying close attention tonight. We’ll keep paying close attention. We need to let our legislators in Washington know that they still represent us, and that the majority of Americans are not in favor of the “reform” they are pushing. After all, this is still a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We will make our voices heard. It’s on to the Senate now. Our legislators can listen now, or they can hear us in 2010. It’s their choice.”

The majority of Americans did not vote for you.  The majority of Americans want reform.  Our voices are being heard.  In 2010, 2012, or any other 20…you will not be our choice.

THIS JUST IN:

The president will stop Wednesday at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage to refuel Air Force One. While in Alaska, he’ll mark the Veterans Day holiday with the military personnel at the base, the White House said.

His stopover in Alaska will come after the White House Veterans Day breakfast and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The White House described the Elmendorf stop as “an event with the men and women of our Armed Forces,” and said that more details would be released in the coming days. It’s not clear whether the event will be open to the public.

Oh, Lord, not sure if I’ll get to go or not…but I’m waiting for Sarah Palin’s facebook comment in…3…2…..1…

There are two reasons to wage war on science.  Faith and Funding.

Dr. Rick Steiner will be my guest today on the Shannyn Moore Show in the second hour.  The outspoken Steiner lost his funding at the University of Alaska, after a long battle over academic freedom and intelligent, science-based discourse when it comes to the realities of climate change and industry.  University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton was invited to appear on the show but has not yet responded.

Professor Steiner will be making an important announcement on my show tonight.

Tune in tonight from 5pm-7pm local/6pm-9pm Pacific/9pm-11pm Eastern.

Catch us on terrestrial radio on Smart Radio AM700 KBYR.

You may stream the show live on the Series of Tubes here.

There is Live Blogging on The Mudflats!

Call the show at 907.274.5297.

Grab a Redbull and strap on your seatbelts…

Here is Dr. Steiner’s appearance on Democracy Now! this week.

With anticipation of Sarah Palin’s memoirs coming to book shelves near you on the 17th of November, a response was created.  Going Rouge, a trade paperback published by O/R Books will be released the same day.

The collection of essays on Palin were written by a collection of contributors including Eve Ensler, Christopher Hayes, Jim Hightower, Naomi Klein, Shannyn Moore, John Nichols, Jeanne Devon, Max Blumenthal, Joe, Conason, Katha Pollitt, Hanna Rosin, Matt Taibbi, Patricia Williams and more.

We’re waiting for the Oprah call…

Publication: November 17th, 2009
Price: $16 paperback; $10 e-book
240 pages with 20 b/w illustrations

Order your copy here:
http://orbooks.com/

After I read Sarah Palin’s Facebook page response to the President’s speech on health care reform, I had to walk away and count to ten-in Russian.  You may say, why bother?  She’s not relevant.  She’s the pin-up girl for crazies.

Last night, a man with a gun attempted entry into the Capital.  Rep. Joe Wilson yells, “You Lie”, and teabaggers think it’s porn.  The radical right, who celebrate the assassination of Dr. Tiller and protest their children hearing the encouraging words of a black president, LOVE Palin.  She does nothing to denounce their idiocy, she revels in it.  I write about her now because of who she represents — very dangerous people.

Here is her statement with my response.

SP–After all the rhetoric is put aside, one principle ran through President Obama’s speech tonight: that increased government involvement in health care can solve its problems.

SM–Nope, not what he said…so, to borrow a line from one of your fans, “You Lie!” Many suspect you did not write your Facebook response, but for argument’s sake, I will assume you did.

SP–Many Americans fundamentally disagree with this idea. We know from long experience that the creation of a massive new bureaucracy will not provide us with “more stability and security,” but just the opposite. It’s hard to believe the President when he says that this time he and his team of bureaucrats have finally figured out how to do things right if only we’ll take them at their word.

SM–Hmmm, reminds me of Homeland Security and cavity searches to get on a plane. Or illegally wiretapping Americans…or, yellow cake uranium and WMD, or…maybe you’re just projecting.

SP–Our objections to the Democrats’ health care proposals are not mere “bickering” or “games.” They are not an attempt to “score short term political points.” And it’s hard to listen to the President lecture us not to use “scare tactics” when in the next breath he says that “more will die” if his proposals do not pass.

SM–It is a sad fact that 14,000 people lose their health insurance every day in this country.  Less coverage means less treatment means more people die…it’s simple math. In fact, an estimated 18,000 Americans die every year because they are uninsured.  Scare tactics? That’s rich…I am a survivor of the Alaska Pageant circuit and if “scaring the be-Jesus out of old people” were a talent, you would’ve worn the crown.  The President (remember, he won the election) basically called YOU a liar last night.

SP–In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters. He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” — so much for civility. After all the name-calling, though, what he did not do is respond to the arguments we’ve made, arguments even some of his own supporters have agreed have merit.

SM–First off, who’s “we”?  Do you have a monkey in your pocket or are you referring to your ghostwriter?  I’m quite sure President Obama didn’t respond simply because of you.  Name calling? Like when you said, Obama was “Pallin’ around with terrorists”?  Or, “he’s not like us”?  You are an irresponsible liar and fear monger-President Obama was right.  If you’re going to take credit for changing the conversation, then own the labels that you so richly deserve.

SP–In fact, after promising to “make sure that no government bureaucrat ….gets between you and the health care you need,” the President repeated his call for an Independent Medicare Advisory Council — an unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats charged with containing Medicare costs. He did not disavow his own statement that such a group, working outside of “normal political channels,” should guide decisions regarding that “huge driver of cost … the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives….” He did not disavow the statements of his health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, and continuing to pay his salary with taxpayer dollars proves a commitment to his beliefs. The President can keep making unsupported assertions, but until he directly responds to the arguments I’ve made, I’m going to call him out too.

SM–“Unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats” – like your ethics board? You, Madam, came between adequate care to Alaskans and their doctors with your negligence to those citizens who needed medical care.  On your watch, ALASKANS DIED.  If you want to call the President out on his policies, expect you will be called out as well.  Why the hell should he “respond to the arguments” you’ve made? You’ve become a simple shill for the wealth-care industry.

SP–It was heartening to hear the President finally recognize that tort reform is an important part of any solution. But this concession shouldn’t lead us to take our eye off the ball: the Democrats’ proposals will not reduce costs, and they will not deliver better health care. It’s this kind of “healthy skepticism of government” that truly reflects a “concern and regard for the plight of others.” We can’t wait to hear the details on that; we look forward to working with you on tort reform.

SM–You haven’t come up with one idea on how to help people.  As governor, you signed a bill that allowed the state to monitor and record every pharmaceutical taken by Alaskans.   You, Madam, grew BIG GOVERNMENT and invaded the public’s privacy.   On my radio show, I begged you to veto that bill.  Your party is paid well to grease the wheels for industry…there’s a word for that-the merging of government and corporate interests…it’s called fascism.  I know your supporters won’t understand the word, hell, at least one of them misspelled it on a t-shirt.  Google it.

SP–Finally, President Obama delivered an offhand applause line tonight about the cost of the War on Terror. As we approach the anniversary of the September 11th attacks and honor those who died that day and those who have died since in the War on Terror, in order to secure our freedoms, we need to remember their sacrifices and not demonize them as having had too high a price tag.

SM–You have embarrassed Alaskans long enough.  Stop it.  My pop was moose hunting on 9/11.  He didn’t even know it had happened for several weeks – but he knows Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Even G.W. Bush admitted as much.  Where were all the teabaggers on the Iraq War? Shame on you.  How dare you.  I don’t know what the daily worry of another terrorist attack is for Americans, but there is another terror that keeps at least 40 million minds busy.  The terror that they, or one of their loved ones will become sick and they won’t have the money or insurance to have adequate treatment.  You, Madam, don’t live in this state of fear, but it is real.  Healthcare Reform is another war; a war against the corporations who make a profit from denying services.

SP–Remember, Mr. President, elected officials work for the people. Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country. We hear you say government isn’t always the answer; now hear us — that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

SM–Remember, MRS. Palin, you WERE an elected official.  YOU QUIT!  You’ve been saying the government isn’t always the answer…well, you certainly weren’t the answer.  You proved that the wrong person at the helm is dangerous for the American people as well as the planet.  “Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country.”  NO KIDDING – does the banner “mission accomplished” ring any bells?

SP– Sarah Palin

SM–Thank you for not signing Governor…really, I mean it, thanks.

Healthy Ocean Action  –  Mud Bay

Homer, Alaska, high tide on Sunday, September 6th, 2009.

Over 100 fishing boats, kayaks, skiffs and sail boats participated in spelling out exactly what we don’t want in our oceans. Acidification. I was so happy to be part of the “O” in S.O.S. To those who shared their shrimp kabobs, home made cookies and a glass of wine while we chanted “Blue Sky”, thank you for reminding me of what I love most in my hometown.

World renown aerial artist John Quigley, who has done similar actions on land and ice, but never before at sea, said, “This message from the sea is a call for people around the world to join in a visual declaration to urge leaders to immediately adopt a treaty that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, stabilizes the climate, and protects the oceans.”

Homer, Alaska is a brilliant location to launch the campaign to fight ocean acidification. When nuclear submarines were proposed for safe harbor in Homer, the citizens said no. “Homer, Alaska — Nuclear Free Zone” bumperstickers are still holding together a few Subarus decades after the fight. Oil platforms don’t litter Kachemak Bay…Homeroids said no. Even the McDonalds has the tiniest golden arch of any franchise…Homer again said no. It’s not political to protect the Oceans, it’s the right thing to do, and for some reason, people in this tiny “Hamlet by the Sea” know their voices will be heard.

Recent research confirms that acidification is caused by billions of tons of carbon dioxide that rise from smokestacks and tailpipes every year and mix into the sea. In seawater, the gas forms an acid that attacks the foundation of marine food webs. The same pollution that drives climate change also undercuts fisheries around the world, especially in the vulnerable North Pacific off Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, which produce more than two thirds of the U.S. seafood harvest. The North Pacific is a global repository for carbon dioxide in the oceans.

The Process of Ocean Acidification
In the past 200 years the oceans have absorbed about one fourth of the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by human activities like fossil fuel burning. As CO2 mixes into seawater, it forms carbonic acid. Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuel emissions have increased the acidity of the surface oceans—the upper few hundred meters where nearly all fish and marine mammals live— by an average of 30% worldwide. If emissions continue to increase on current trends, the oceans will become more acidic than at any time in the past 20 million years.

More on the issue of acidification, thoughts on the day and many pictures coming soon.

For more of John Quigley’s work go here or to watch the film clip on Homer’s S.O.S.

Many scratched their heads when it was announced Sarah Palin had been invited to speak in Honk Kong at an investment broker’s conference. Huh? As mayor, Palin left her hometown of Wasilla $20 million dollars in debt. Her mastery of finance wasn’t tested as governor; during her aborted term, the state was flush with cash.

Finally, the Business Insider explained it: “Hong Kong Broker Pulling a “Borat” on Sarah Palin”

Her invitation as keynote speaker in Hong Kong is so ridiculous that its absurdity can’t be accidental.

CLSA, the Asia-focused broker who invited Mrs. Palin as keynote speaker for an Asian investment conference, is well known for their cheeky takes on investment research.

In the past, they’ve polled Asian fortune tellers for index targets, hired anime cartoonists to draw Japanese research, and generally love to push the boundaries between entertainment and analysis. They are a real research firm, it’s just that they love to sprinkle in some hilarity every now and then as a smart marketing gimmick.

Palin probably doesn’t know what she’s in for. If you will, she’s being “Borat’ed” and doesn’t have the Asia knowledge to realize it.

Sarah Palin has a history of pulling a series of “Lucy with the football” for different organizers who have scheduled her to speak.  If CLSA’s purpose in hiring her is comic relief, they may get their moneys worth…that’s if she shows up. The CLSA may want to hire William Shatner as a translator. Asian word salad, anyone?

The Anchorage Press Picks for 2009 were just released.  Thanks for voting me 2nd favorite radio personality!

Two years ago you might have said “Shannyn Who?” but this year, Shannyn “Girl from Homer” Moore is in the No. 2 spot for favorite radio personality. Maybe it shows that raw talent (talking for hours without stopping is a talent, right?) can make up for lack of radio experience, at least if you’ve got something to say. Moore’s popularity is remarkable not just because she’s a relative newbie on the radio dial. She also pushes listeners to the left in a state where the push to the right can sometime feel overwhelming. The votes might also surprise radio listeners because at the moment Moore is a little hard to find (She’s Saturday only, 5 to 7 p.m. on AM 700 KBYR).

Voters also expressed a surprising affinity for public radio, and while your number one pick for Best Radio Personality was unchanged from last year (as seen above), this year KFQD’s Dan Fagan didn’t make second place; a liberal did. Which shouldn’t surprise us, given our voters preference for one particular primary color over another (but then again, since our online voting system allowed you to “write in” your vote, the smart alec who submitted “purple” when asked “blue or red?” actually garnered more votes than “red” did).

Really?  Yep.

Wow, thanks! Maybe I’ll be able to get more than 2 hours a week now! Senator Begich is still the favorite politician.  Representative Les Gara is a favorite legislator.  And the Great Alaska Bush Company is still the favorite strip club.  Check out the categories.  They should add favorite local blog as a catagory next year.

Thank you for your votes and for listening.  Back to work, painting a RED state BLUE!

I woke up to AKM making me a cup of coffee…it just doesn’t get better than that…oh, wait it did.

The available classes are daunting, it’s hard to choose. The 9am session I watched Richard Smith, Anne Richard, Robert Greenwald and Spencer Ackerman discuss all things Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was really difficult to hear how Obama’s administration is running a “Bush Light” policy. The consensus seemed to be a need to shift the conflict from military to social need.

10:30 session “Staying On Top of Congress’ Shenanigans.” Oh, yes, brace yourselves.

I’ll update as the day goes on.

In the world of Palin Wack-a-Mole, you need steroids to win. Facebook press releases seem to come on Fridays. Yesterday was no different. This week’s word salad had the crazy dressing on the side; a link to Michele Bachmann’s health care rant.  The crap croutons had quote marks around them; “death panel”, and “level of productivity in society.”

If you ever needed proof our current health care is deficient, or for that matter, our education system, try to make sense out of either woman’s position.  For all the fear mongering and “bearing false witness” as this is:

“The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.”

As weirdly elitist as this:

“I commend her for being a voice for the most precious members of our society, our children and our seniors.”

And as “grab your torches and pitch forks” this is:

“Let’s stop and think and make our voices heard before it’s too late.”

there is a much bigger problem.  Sarah Palin has a history of fudging about health care.

While being vetted by the McCain camp:

At one point, trying out a debating point that she believed showed she could empathize with uninsured Americans, Palin told McCain aides that she and Todd in the early years of their marriage had been unable to afford health insurance of any kind, and had gone without it until he got his union card and went to work for British Petroleum on the North Slope of Alaska. Checking with Todd Palin himself revealed that, no, they had had catastrophic coverage all along. She insisted that catastrophic insurance didn’t really count and need not be revealed. This sort of slipperiness—about both what the truth was and whether the truth even mattered—persisted on questions great and small.

During the vice-presidential debate, Palin stated:

About times and Todd and our marriage in our past where we didn’t have health insurance and we know what other Americans are going through as they sit around the kitchen table and try to figure out how are they going to pay out-of-pocket for health care? We’ve been there also so that connection was important.

WHAT? There are 228 federally recognized tribes in Alaska.  According to the Indian Health Services website:

IHS-funded, tribally-managed hospitals are located in Anchorage, Barrow, Bethel, Dillingham, Kotzebue, Nome and Sitka. There are 37 tribal health centers, 166 tribal community health aide clinics and five residential substance abuse treatment centers. The Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage is the state-wide referral center and gatekeeper for specialty care. Other health promotion/disease prevention programs that are state-wide in scope are operated by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), which is managed by representatives of all Alaska tribes.

Todd Palin’s heritage as an Alaskan Native was a curiosity to many during the 2008 campaign.

According to public disclosure forms that Sarah Palin filed with the state of Alaska, her husband and their children are BBNC (Bristol Bay Native Corporation) shareholders, meaning they would likely qualify for the health service program.

So between Todd’s union job insurance, the governor’s state coverage and the FEDERALLY FUNDED health care through Native blood, when did the Palins ever sit around the kitchen table and discuss their “out-of-pocket” health care costs?   There are millions of people who don’t have ANY options to provide for the health care needs of themselves or their children, let alone THREE!

And that’s just the personal hypocrisy.

While under contract to govern the state of Alaska, Palin’s administration failed to keep up on the state’s Medicaid obligations and were ordered to cease signing up new patients. No other state in the country had been put under such a moratorium, according to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

July 14, 2009 ADN:

A particularly alarming finding concerns deaths of adults in the programs. In one 2 1/2 year stretch, 227 adults already getting services died while waiting for a nurse to reassess their needs. Another 27 died waiting for their initial assessment, to see if they qualified for help.

Doctors and other health care providers wrote to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid with concerns that the state wasn’t responsive. Some alleged that the lack of state controls “has resulted in the death(s) of the active clients,” the federal review said.

While the people served are frail and suffer from chronic health issues, the state never investigated to determine if any failure in service contributed to the deaths, the federal review found.

Seriously, when are we going to stop electing people who say “the government is bad”? Once elected, they do everything they can to prove it.  It can only be one of two things; incompetency or sabotage.  Either way, Alaskans have died due to a lack of health care.

The point of this post is not to point out the never ending hypocrisy of Sarah Palin.  Nor is it to point out the blatant lies of one person — but how the intention, manipulation and lies of one person can affect the lives ordinary people.

Perhaps Citizen Palin should take her own advice, “honor the American soldier”, “quit makin’ things up” and “leave the kids alone.”

Alaskan cartoonist Peter Dunlap Shohl.

What happens when you cross Just a Girl from Homer, Mudflats, and a trip to Netroots Nation?  A “Just-A-Mud PAC” pledge drive!

Well, it’s not exactly public radio, but we do have very public blogs, and they’re commercial free!  No pop-up ads!

Today, Mudflats and Just a Girl From Homer, are announcing the beginning of our first ever pledge drive which will feature a “Just-a-Mud Party” fundraising shindig on Saturday night,  complete with live blogging immediately following The Shannyn Moore Show on KBYR from 5-7pm Alaska time!  We are posting the adult beverage selections we’ll be enjoying, so you can prepare in advance, and sip along with us.  Anyone who donates will have their name put in a hat, and virtual door prizes will be awarded and posted Saturday night. Don’t you want your very own Brian the Moose, some Alaskan smoked salmon, or a chance to be a guest on an  upcoming radio show?

This is all to support out trip to Netroots Nation next week in Pittsburgh!

Netroots Nation amplifies progressive voices by providing an online and in-person campus for exchanging ideas and learning how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. Within that campus, we strengthen community, inspire action and serve as an incubator for progressive ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.

Netroots Nation 2009 will include panels led by national and international experts; identity, issue and regional caucuses; prominent political, issue and policy-oriented speakers; a progressive film screening series; and the most concentrated gathering of progressive bloggers to date.

Through your amazing support by voting for us, we’ve both received scholarships that cover the registration fee and hotel stay.  But Alaska is a long way from everywhere, and we’ve got some other plans that we are really excited about.

After Netroots Nation and the big Mudstock Meetup in Pittsburgh, we will be traveling to Cambridge,  for, “An Evening with Shannyn Moore and AKM” at Harvard.  After that, it’s off to New York City where we’ll visit our friends at the MSNBC Studios at 30 Rock, and The Huffington Post.  And, since we don’t have our very own ShannynPAC, MudPac or the Justa-Mud Fund Trust, we are reaching out to you, our naughty little liberals, conservatives and everything in between!

The issues Alaskans face with Pebble Mine, the environmental impact on the arctic, failing fisheries, energy needs, the gas line, social issues, discrimination, jobs, and health care have not been solved with the resignation of the governor. We have a lot of work to do.  The purpose for this trip for us is to network, make connections,  and continue with our mission; to make Alaska better.

We also want to share our experience with you, whether you are in Alaska or Outside!  Our blogging community knows no geographical boundaries.  You were all here, supporting us and supporting each other throughout the last year, and we want to be able to share what we learn, and give you ideas and inspiration….and heck, a virtual vacation with two enthusiastic progressives!

If you would like to help us, please click the donation button in the upper right corner.  We plan to “split the pot,” so a donation to one of us is a donation to both of us.  Your generous support is very much appreciated.

Now, on to the fun!  You can stock up on the ingredients and sip along with us on Saturday night.  Click the links to whip up your very own batch of

Mudflat Slides or  Shantinis (Brian will have a Moosehead Beer!)

or pop some sparkling cider, or raise a mug of tea.

Our excellent adventure begins one week from today!

Several days have passed since Sarah Palin’s final stop on the “Quitstock” Tour.  I feel like I’ve awoken from a strange, surreal dream. I can’t yet tell if it was real or not.

I listened closely to Palin’s final speech as governor.  Her classic “word salad” style is no less confusing in print.  What Palin was supposed to read off the teleprompter—what was released as the transcript, and what she actually said, are two different things.  AKM at The Mudflats blog transcribed the actual speech and deserves the “Golden Comma Award” for her efforts.

Palin’s politicization of the troops was vulgar.  Her right-wing claim to the second amendment was offensive.  Her verbal spanking of the “media” was laughable–the same media she was so grateful for covering her “exit strategy” from the governorship of Alaska.

With such a large national audience, Palin didn’t talk about the plethora of issues facing Alaska. Why would she?  She has much bigger fish to fry. She decided to slam Ashley Judd instead.  Yes, really.

I don’t know Ashley Judd,  but I like her.  I know this must shock the Palinistas; they think I dislike Sarah because she’s pretty.  According to Palin, she is some sort of Hollywood pixie; a “delicate, tiny, very talented celebrity starlet.”  I don’t judge Ms. Judd on her stunning appearance; but on the criteria of her politics…just like Palin.

“…you’re going to see anti-hunting, anti-second amendment circuses from Hollywood and here’s how they do it.  They use these delicate, tiny, very talented celebrity starlets, they use Alaska as a fundraising tool for their anti-second amendment causes.  Stand strong, and remind them patriots will protect our guaranteed, individual right to bear arms, and by the way, Hollywood needs to know, we eat, therefore we hunt.”

The second amendment doesn’t afford citizens the right to shoot wolves and bears out of airplanes.  I know. Why the founding fathers didn’t think of that is puzzling…oh, wait, the Wright Brothers weren’t born yet.   I don’t remember Palin mentioning that the only president to suspend the right to bear arms was George W. Bush during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Sarah brought up a fight she lost.  Ashley Judd’s ads fighting Palin’s policy on aerial hunting and the gassing of wolf pups still in their den, were effective.  While governor, Palin dedicated $400,000 to fight against the citizen initiative to ban the practice.  Her faith based science included bear in the aerial program.  As incendiary as the topic is, bringing it up in her final speech was more telling.  Mean-girl, high school, vindictive Palin had to get another shot across the bow of the SS Ashley Judd.

The late Charlton Heston, president of the NRA, was from Hollywood.  The lionized President Reagan was from Hollywood.

As an Alaskan who has trapped and hunted, the aerial killing of animals is to hunting what hiring a hooker is to dating.  A sure thing, with no work.  No wonder it appealed to former governor Palin.

Just this week, Congressman George Miller and Senator Dianne Feinstein have introduced the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, federal legislation to end the controversial practice of using aircraft and gunmen to chase and kill wolves in Alaska.   Please contact your legislators and tell them to support the PAW Act.

When it comes to taking responsibility for her failures, Sarah Palin is completely unaccountable. Her finger is always pointed at the most convenient scapegoat. Last fall, I said she was George W. Bush with lipstick; nothing is EVER her fault. With her resignation, she has set a new bar for blame.

A 10 Month Accounting of Blame…

Troopergate was her brother-in-law’s fault.

Walt Monegan was a rogue commissioner.

Neglecting a vetting of Palin’s appointed replacement of Commissioner Monegan wasn’t her fault, she didn’t know Chuck Kopp had a sexual harassment charge. His 14 day employment was rewarded with a $10,000 severance package.

Her public press conference, pro-Pebble Mine stance during a contentious election was the fault of a “Governor’s hat” wardrobe malfunction and possibly Tim Griffin.

The legislative investigation wasn’t her doing. It was a “Democratic driven, partisan witch hunt” voted on by 10 Republicans and 4 Democrats after Sarah Palin challenged them with Bush-like bravado “Bring it on!”

When her church was burned, Palin blamed it on the attention she was receiving from people who didn’t like her.

The Branchflower Report’s “guilty of abuse of power” findings weren’t her fault; she filed her own ethics complaint and would release those favorable findings the day before the election.

When an Anchorage based right wing radio host disagreed with her policies, in an email she blamed it on, “…some evil stuff going on with him.”

Her criticisms when her witch hunting, governor-anointing pastor, Pastor Muthee, was exposed, were the fault of people who hate Jesus.

Her failed interviews were Katie Couric’s and Charlie Gibson’s fault.  She called them “Gotcha questions.”

The interview complete with compliments about the porno “Nailin’ Pailin’” with “Sarkozy” poser shock jocks was the fault of McCain Campaign staffers.

Her exorbitant wardrobe was the RNC’s fault.

Her charging the state per diem to sleep in her own bed and flying her family around the country at state expense were nothing more than petty ethics complaints from whiny constituents.

Her daughter’s problems are Levi’s fault.

Her VP political loss was John McCain’s fault.

Her image problems are Tina Fey’s fault.

Turkeygate was the cameraman’s fault.

Her policy on aerial wolf hunting was Ashley Judd’s and other Outsiders’ fault.

Alaskans damn near starved in Western Alaska last winter because they didn’t have enough cookies or Jesus.

The resignation of Attorney General Talis Colberg had nothing to do with the advice he gave Todd Palin and aides to ignore subpoenas. She blamed it on the “harsh political environment”created by lawmakers.

Palin thought Ted Stevens should “step aside” when convicted last fall. When Eric Holder overturned Steven’s conviction, Palin thought Begich should resign.

When 6 million gallons of stored oil sat at the base of an erupting Mt. Redoubt, it was Homeland Security’s issue, not her fault.

The empty Juneau Senate seat wasn’t on her; it was the Senate Democrats’ fault.

When Palin blew off a meeting with lawmakers in Juneau to have a press conference with Wayne Anthony Ross, the legislative leadership called a  heated press conference of their own.  Palin blamed them for not having the meeting “telephonically”…then it got messy.

Her failed appointment of a “if you can’t rape your wife, who can you rape?”, secessionist, gun toting attorney general, Wayne Anthony Ross, was the fault of the Alaska bloggers.

The failure of Palin’s bills last session were the fault of partisan legislators.

In March, the governor said she wasn’t “rejecting” the stimulus money, she just wasn’t “accepting” it.  It was Obama’s fault for the national debt.

The inability to follow through with multiple speaking engagements had nothing to do with Palin’s commitment phobia,. It was a misunderstanding with scheduling.

When a legislative aid made copies of an article Palin didn’t like, she went to his office and blamed him for letting his boss know she wouldn’t be in town for the last days of the session.    Really

After making a speech, Palin was accused of lifting words from Newt Gingrich and Craig Shirley in 2005.  Palin’s attorney said it wasn’t her fault, she said Newt’s name twice.

The ethics complaints against the governor were “unscrupulous” and Obama driven.

No one believes the governor’s “word salad” as an explanation for her resignation, but that’s the fault of an Alaskan blogger-me.

She blamed the ethics complaints for costing Alaska “millions of dollars”, except they weren’t. It was less than $300,000 and of that, $187,000 was from her own politically motivated complaint, filed on herself to distract an interested public from the damning Branchflower report.

Sarah didn’t want the travel costs of a “lame duck governor” to be billed to the state, and blamed her resignation on it in part…but she flew, on state dime, the equivalent of Miami to LA in the seven days since resigning.

She has half a million dollars in personal legal bills and must resign, blaming ethics complainers for her expense…but those legal bills will be paid in full, courtesy of her massive legal defense fund.

Levi says she’s out for the money…but his opinion doesn’t matter. She blames his opinion on having a movie deal in the works.

It’s Rahm Emmanuel and President Obama’s fault that Sarah Palin has constituents who think she sucks at her job.

Under the Palin Administration, the Department of Health & Social Services has been so poorly managed the federal government has forbidden the state to sign up new people until they get their act together.  So, I guess that would be the fault of people who are both poor and sick and old.

The Constitutional crisis created by Palin’s resignation isn’t her fault, the legislature should have seen this coming years ago.

No, Governor Palin, your losses are your fault.

Sell crazy somewhere else, we’re all full here.

.

Tuesday, I will be a guest on Talk of Alaska with radio guru,  Steve Heimel and Peter Dunlap-Shohl, former cartoonist, Anchorage Daily News, and blogger.  Here’s the topic…

Talk of Alaska: What’s Alaskan?   Alaska depends on tourists, and most Alaskans are happy to help visitors enjoy our state. But some things are easier to explain than others – for instance those Blazo boxes, or waiting for the mail plane. Or the difference between a skiff and a boat. Can you think of more? Let’s hear what they are! “What’s Alaskan?” is the subject on the next Talk of Alaska. Audio Will Be Posted After the Show.

Any ideas? Thoughts? Musings? I’d love to get your thoughts and am looking forward to the lighter side of radio!

Oooh, do you have pictures?