Post-Palin Alaska has largest debt burden in US

rawstory.com...

Sarah Palin has long sold herself as a fiscal conservative, arguing against the Democrats' health overhaul on the grounds that the nation simply can't afford it.

But when the former vice presidential candidate resigned as governor of Alaska in the summer of 2009, she left the state with a 70 percent debt-to-GDP ratio -- the highest state debt burden in the United States.

That's according to data compiled by the Washington Independent's Megan Carpentier, who notes that Alaska has a debt burden similar to "that of Jordan and Palin’s favorite health care resource, Canada, and a higher ratio than Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, India, the Philippines or Uruguay."

By comparison, crisis-stricken California has a debt ratio of less than 40 percent. All the more confounding about Alaska's debt is the fact that it is an oil-producing region with a small population to share in that wealth. Oil-rich Alberta, Canada, for example, collects no sales tax and still managed to retire its debt entirely in 2004.

While Alaska's massive debt burden can't be blamed entirely on Palin's two-and-a-half-year stint as governor, she did face similar debt problems while mayor of Wasilla, and those appear to be of her own making.

Perhaps that is the real reason that exgov. Palin bailed on the citizens of Alaska; she knew the truth would come out eventually;
That and to start another career as an author, rep. for Fox.

Fiscal conservative...you betcha!

[edit on 31-3-2010 by whaaa]

reply to post by whaaa


i really hope this sinks her 2012 presidential campaign.

i can't wait for her to fade into obscurity.

i can't think of one single positive thing she did for this state. (and i mean something she did, not something she took credit for doing)

I still think she is the very image of what fiscal conservatism actually is.

Say one thing, do another.

Yes, we need both parties to show their true colors before this coming election.

Remove all incumbents and elect ALL third party candidates.

The two headed snake from HELL must be banished to the place they came from.

reply to post by whaaa


Looks like it was a very wise (personal) decision to quit her job before the feces of her policies really hit the fan in AK. Although, hearing her voice, for me, is comparable to standing in front of a gigantic feces blowing fan. Just my opinion, I know peoples' tastes will vary.

As BM joked:

'How's that hopey-changey thing working out for you?'

'Just fine. How's that hooked on phonics thing working out for you?'

Best,
Skunknuts

excellent, i hate that chic, she is a such a sh*t... nothin but a troublemaker...

I'd check her pockets and mattress for stolen money...I would say a bank...but she is too much of a hillbilly for a high tech thing like a bank account.

I usually attempt to be civil...but it's just something about power hungry hypocrits that whore out their own children in attempt to move up the ladder that really pisses me off.

Hey Sarah...

Hows that fiscally conservativeie thing workin out for ya?

Empty suit...in a skirt.

Originally posted by SaturnFX
Hey Sarah...

Hows that fiscally conservativeie thing workin out for ya?

Empty suit...in a skirt.

Didn't you see that wicked bondage looking leather jacket with the quick nipple access zippers she wore when trying to pump up the campaign of John McCain? She knows how to tailor herself for her fans overriding interests.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f2cfc6840a99.jpg[/atsimg]

Originally posted by skunknuts


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f2cfc6840a99.jpg[/atsimg]

Here's a caption for that picture...


McCain...OMFG, not again!!

People people ... what's with all the Palin hatin'?

You gots to spend other people's money to make money.

[edit on 31 Mar 2010 by schrodingers dog]

Sign me up for Fiscal Conservatism in 2012!!!

I see why Glen Beck has been such a huge supporter of Palin!

It's all coming together folks!!!

The "Two Santa Claus Theory" strikes again!!!

Do a simple google search on it...you'll love the info...

reply to post by whaaa


DId she steal that wardrobe from Michael Jackson's closet?

So That means all the Obama Zombies, should love her. They seem to get turned on by debt and poor leadership.

reply to post by Target Earth

They seem to get turned on by debt and poor leadership.

They must have loved EVERY Republican President since (and including) Reagan, who tripled our national deficit, as well.

They are just debt zombies!

I WISH Reagan was a Zombie we need him now. now all we have is the Anti-Reagan.

reply to post by Target Earth

WISH Reagan was a Zombie we need him now. now all we have is the Anti-Reagan.

Really? What would he do? I'm intrigued.

Very little of it falls on Palin. The vast majority of the debt they are using to paint this picture is presumably unfunded state pension debt. Few of the states publish this debt information, and thus, any figure that was used by this *ahem* "study* was pulled from who knows where. Furthermore, as Palin was only in office for 2 1/2 years, the vast majority of unfunded pension dollars were on the books well before she was even in office. Also, as an aside, a large percentage of the funding sources (though not publicly monetized and reported) is based on oil shares and the permanent fund. Last I saw, the permanent fund was sitting at around $30 Billion.

What's more, Alaska currently has a budget surplus
finance.yahoo.com...

Gov. Sean Parnell included money for them when he submitted his supplemental spending request after a revised revenue forecast projected a $2.2 billion surplus for the current fiscal year ending June 30.

Which they are planning to use to increase K-12 spending, college scholarships, and pay back a chunk of money to the Budget Reserve fund which was "borrowed" by the state some years ago over the course of several 3/4 majority votes by the legislature to dip into the reserve.

Again, Alaska is sitting prettier than that yellow rose in the teenie little state of Texas way down there in the lower 48 as far as the budget goes. This "article" and "study" is simply a demonstration of sour grapes combined with proof that you can twist numbers around to achieve any desired outcome on paper, so long as you don't share the entirety of your assumptions and base data with the reading public, that is.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Sarah Palin is nothing more then George Bush in drag. Think I'm wrong? Look at the history of President's bush political career and Sarah Palin's. You'll be quite surprised that these two lame ducks share the same characteristics.

Zombie Reagan would cut taxes across the Board. he would stimulate the economy.
defend us against the Reds, and star in Bonzo Movies. What else would you want from a reanimated Prez?