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I have been specific, while you are all over the board.
Palin supported it even after McCain denounced it, then blamed "inaccurate portrayals" when she canceled it for lack of money. Obama and Biden voted for the big transportation bill that contained it. McCain's vote was one of four against. Our time line gives full details.
NBC News, Sept. 13: Palin has come under fire in recent days for misleadingly saying she told Congress “thanks but no thanks,” refusing an earmark for a bridge to a sparsely inhabited island in her home state. Independent groups and media fact-checkers have said Palin advocated for the federal earmark before opposing it, only ended after Congress had essentially killed it, and kept the $223 million for the appropriation after the project was killed.
Palin had cut the refrain from her speech during her three-day visit to Alaska. But she came back to it today, citing it as an example of earmark reform she and McCain would push for in the White House.
“I told Congress thanks but no thanks to that Bridge to Nowhere – that if our state wanted to build that bridge, we would build it ourselves," she said.
The digested version of the time line:
* Palin expressed support for the bridge while running for office.
* Congress removed earmarks for both bridges long before Palin was elected.
* While campaigning, Palin still made statements supporting the Gravina bridge, which had no earmarks at that time.
* Palin chose not to use the money for the Gravina bridge but kept it for other projects, including the Knik Arm bridge.
* Biden and Obama voted for the authorization bill, which included the earmarks, and the final appropriations bill, which didn't. McCain voted against the authorization but was not present for the vote on the appropriations bill.
* Biden and Obama voted against redirecting the money intended for Alaska to Louisiana. McCain did not vote.
On Friday, when McCain introduced her as his running mate, she said she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending," the legislative technique used to slip projects into appropriations bills without rigorous congressional review.
But under her leadership, the state of Alaska has requested 31 earmarks worth $197.8 million in next year's federal budget, according to the website of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Palin has recently been publicly critical of requests made in past years by Stevens and others for $223 million in federal funds for a bridge from Ketchikan, Alaska, to Gravina Island, calling it "the Bridge to Nowhere," a derogatory label critics attached to the project.
As a candidate for governor in 2006, she backed funding for the bridge.
After her election, however, she killed the project, saying she would use the federal funds for other purposes.
Originally posted by poet1b
reply to post by Sublime620
I repeat. No one should have to feel guilty for not supporting Obama.
Long before Palin killed the project, Congress washed its hands of the bridge.
Originally posted by dunwichwitch
Oh and by the way... have a drink on me. Let's all quit our jobs and get #faced drunk and beg the puppets tp beg their masters to push the big red button and end this stupid experiment so we can all move onto better illusions.
Originally posted by poet1b
reply to post by Buck Division
The op expresses guilt for voting for McCain, and that is straight up wrong. This is very clear.
Originally posted by poet1b
reply to post by Buck Division
What part of "regretting" my vote don't you get? I got a right to express my opinion, just like everyone else. It is wrong for anyone to regret voting for McCain. That is my opinion.
Originally posted by die_another_day
I was going to vote for Obama almost tentatively, but when I was choosing, I mindlessly voted for McCain instead.
Originally posted by poet1b
As far as foriegn affairs, lets say, that if Palin was in charge, I think our enemies would tread very lightly.
She is a real enigma.