Sarah Palin (Alaska Gov) McCain's VP

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by ajmccarrell

Being further to the rigth than W isn't a bad thing. I mean look at the Fannie May Freddie Mac mess!

What about it?

[gldstwmn]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/...tor/index.html

Pastor: GOP may be downplaying Palin's religious beliefs

WASILLA, Alaska (CNN) -- For more than two decades, current Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a practicing Pentecostal.


Sarah Palin asked church members to pray for $30 billion natural gas pipeline in Alaska.

She belonged to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. But though she attended the church from her teenage years through to 2002, she hasn't talked much about her religion since joining the Republican ticket.

Palin's former pastor, Tim McGraw, says that like many Pentecostal churches, some members speak in tongues, although he says he's never seen Palin do so. Church member Caroline Spangler told CNN, "When the spirit comes on you, you utter things that nobody else can understand ... only God can understand what is coming out of our mouths."

Some Pentecostals from Assembly of God also believe in "faith healing" and the "end times" -- a violent upheaval that they believe will deliver Jesus Christ's second coming.

"Our basic belief is that God is God and he knows where history is going and he has a purposeful plan and within the middle of that plan we live in an environment in our world where certain events would take place," says McGraw. "Sarah wasn't taught to look for one particular sign -- a cataclysmic sign. She knew as every Christian does ... that God is sovereign and he is in control."

The McCain campaign says the Governor doesn't consider herself Pentecostal. Watch Palin's father talk about her religious upbringing »

McGraw says Palin's Pentecostal roots may be being downplayed for a reason: "I think there may be issues of belief that could be misunderstood or played upon by people that don't know."


When asked by CNN about Palin's beliefs, campaign spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton would only say the Republican vice presidential candidate has "deep religious convictions."

But how might her religious beliefs impact policy in Washington if the Republican ticket is successful?

Palin's former pastor says he has no doubt her religious beliefs will influence her decision making when it comes to government policy. Regarding her desire to build an Alaskan pipeline and explore for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, McGraw told CNN, "Sarah knows that in Genesis, God creates the world and it's very good and that we're supposed to be caretakers in terms of not destroying the environment, so there's no way that Sarah is going to exploit or damage the Alaska tundra in the name of getting gas if she doesn't have to." Palin's neighbors react to her swift rise

Six years ago, Palin left Assembly of God to join the non-denominational Wasilla Bible Church. But the Assembly of God says she still returns for special conferences and events, such as the graduation of ministry students in June. Video of a speech she gave at the church just two months before joining the Republican ticket is making the rounds on the Internet.

Speaking of the troops in Iraq, Palin says on the video, ""Pray for our military men and women who are striving do to what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for -- that there is a plan, and that plan is God's plan." Watch Palin speak at her former church »

Her campaign says she doesn't mix her faith with government business. But Palin did ask her audience to pray for $30 billion natural gas pipeline she is on a mission to build in Alaska. In the video Palin says, "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas pipeline built. So pray for that ... I can do my job there in developing my natural resources. But all of that doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart is not good with God."

McGraw, who was her pastor until 1998 and while she was mayor of Wasilla, says Palin attended discipleship classes to strengthen her Pentecostal faith and that he counseled her on how to become a better leader.

"Everyone has a way of viewing the world and Sarah does too and hers would be shaped by the common sense practicality of how she's been shaped by the Bible -- which is basically the world view that says God loves people, people can access him and he's given us wisdom for living," says McGraw.

He says Alaska has already seen Palin's faith play out. As governor she passed ethics reform and took on what she's referred to as a "good-ol'-boys network." However, she has said she would not seek to impose her religious views on others.

"I think one of the most obvious ways it plays out is what you've seen -- is being courageous enough to deal with deception and corruption," says McGraw.

Palin now attends the Wasilla Bible Church. She was there on August 17, just days before entering the national spotlight. David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus, was a speaker. He told congregants that terrorist attacks on Israel were God's "judgment" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity. Brickner said, "Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. When a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment -- you can't miss it."

The McCain campaign says his comments do not reflect her religious views. Palin's spokeswoman says she is pro-Israel.

Pastor Ed Kalnin, the senior pastor of Palin's former Pentecostal church, has also come under fire for his comments. In 2004, he told church members if they voted for John Kerry for president, they wouldn't get into heaven. He told them, "I question your salvation."

Assembly of God issued a statement online in response which said Kalnin was "joking" when he suggested "Kerry supporters would go to hell," and statement went on to say, "We do acknowledge in hindsight that it was careless, and we do apologize for that. This statement is not written as a defense, but as a clarification."


Palin has done little while in office to advance a social conservative agenda. She told the Associated Press in an interview in 2006 that she would not allow her personal beliefs to dictate public policy.

"I've honestly answered the questions on what my personal views are on things like abortion and a lot of controversial issues," Palin told the Associated Press. "I won't hesitate to answer those questions about what my personal views are, but I am not one to be out there preaching and forcing my views on anyone else."

But in the last week, her religious background and outlook has certainly spurred debate far beyond Alaska.

[ajmccarrell]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/...tor/index.html

Pastor: GOP may be downplaying Palin's religious beliefs

WASILLA, Alaska (CNN) -- For more than two decades, current Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a practicing Pentecostal.


Sarah Palin asked church members to pray for $30 billion natural gas pipeline in Alaska.

She belonged to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. But though she attended the church from her teenage years through to 2002, she hasn't talked much about her religion since joining the Republican ticket.

Palin's former pastor, Tim McGraw, says that like many Pentecostal churches, some members speak in tongues, although he says he's never seen Palin do so. Church member Caroline Spangler told CNN, "When the spirit comes on you, you utter things that nobody else can understand ... only God can understand what is coming out of our mouths."

Some Pentecostals from Assembly of God also believe in "faith healing" and the "end times" -- a violent upheaval that they believe will deliver Jesus Christ's second coming.

"Our basic belief is that God is God and he knows where history is going and he has a purposeful plan and within the middle of that plan we live in an environment in our world where certain events would take place," says McGraw. "Sarah wasn't taught to look for one particular sign -- a cataclysmic sign. She knew as every Christian does ... that God is sovereign and he is in control."

The McCain campaign says the Governor doesn't consider herself Pentecostal. Watch Palin's father talk about her religious upbringing »

McGraw says Palin's Pentecostal roots may be being downplayed for a reason: "I think there may be issues of belief that could be misunderstood or played upon by people that don't know."


When asked by CNN about Palin's beliefs, campaign spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton would only say the Republican vice presidential candidate has "deep religious convictions."

But how might her religious beliefs impact policy in Washington if the Republican ticket is successful?

Palin's former pastor says he has no doubt her religious beliefs will influence her decision making when it comes to government policy. Regarding her desire to build an Alaskan pipeline and explore for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, McGraw told CNN, "Sarah knows that in Genesis, God creates the world and it's very good and that we're supposed to be caretakers in terms of not destroying the environment, so there's no way that Sarah is going to exploit or damage the Alaska tundra in the name of getting gas if she doesn't have to." Palin's neighbors react to her swift rise

Six years ago, Palin left Assembly of God to join the non-denominational Wasilla Bible Church. But the Assembly of God says she still returns for special conferences and events, such as the graduation of ministry students in June. Video of a speech she gave at the church just two months before joining the Republican ticket is making the rounds on the Internet.

Speaking of the troops in Iraq, Palin says on the video, ""Pray for our military men and women who are striving do to what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for -- that there is a plan, and that plan is God's plan." Watch Palin speak at her former church »

Her campaign says she doesn't mix her faith with government business. But Palin did ask her audience to pray for $30 billion natural gas pipeline she is on a mission to build in Alaska. In the video Palin says, "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas pipeline built. So pray for that ... I can do my job there in developing my natural resources. But all of that doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart is not good with God."

McGraw, who was her pastor until 1998 and while she was mayor of Wasilla, says Palin attended discipleship classes to strengthen her Pentecostal faith and that he counseled her on how to become a better leader.

"Everyone has a way of viewing the world and Sarah does too and hers would be shaped by the common sense practicality of how she's been shaped by the Bible -- which is basically the world view that says God loves people, people can access him and he's given us wisdom for living," says McGraw.

He says Alaska has already seen Palin's faith play out. As governor she passed ethics reform and took on what she's referred to as a "good-ol'-boys network." However, she has said she would not seek to impose her religious views on others.

"I think one of the most obvious ways it plays out is what you've seen -- is being courageous enough to deal with deception and corruption," says McGraw.

Palin now attends the Wasilla Bible Church. She was there on August 17, just days before entering the national spotlight. David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus, was a speaker. He told congregants that terrorist attacks on Israel were God's "judgment" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity. Brickner said, "Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. When a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment -- you can't miss it."

The McCain campaign says his comments do not reflect her religious views. Palin's spokeswoman says she is pro-Israel.

Pastor Ed Kalnin, the senior pastor of Palin's former Pentecostal church, has also come under fire for his comments. In 2004, he told church members if they voted for John Kerry for president, they wouldn't get into heaven. He told them, "I question your salvation."

Assembly of God issued a statement online in response which said Kalnin was "joking" when he suggested "Kerry supporters would go to hell," and statement went on to say, "We do acknowledge in hindsight that it was careless, and we do apologize for that. This statement is not written as a defense, but as a clarification."


Palin has done little while in office to advance a social conservative agenda. She told the Associated Press in an interview in 2006 that she would not allow her personal beliefs to dictate public policy.

"I've honestly answered the questions on what my personal views are on things like abortion and a lot of controversial issues," Palin told the Associated Press. "I won't hesitate to answer those questions about what my personal views are, but I am not one to be out there preaching and forcing my views on anyone else."

But in the last week, her religious background and outlook has certainly spurred debate far beyond Alaska.

Well, my aunt went to the same type of church (if not the same church, there aren't a lot of them out there) until she died and my grandmother is a pentacostal minister in Florida. This is a gross mischaracterization and overgeneralization of their faith. Namely the "violent upheaval" is not brought on by the church, it's supposed to be the rise of the antichrist, much like the stupid Left Behind books. They are no more radical than any other church goer, as the denomination is one of the largest in the country. Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Tim Lahaye, etc are all very much in line with this form of doctrine. Painting her as a wacko because she goes here is to paint millions of people who go to similar churches and abide by the law with the same brush. I don't see Pentacostals going around with bombs strapped to them, or throwing bleach or setting fire to things as protesters in St. Paul did. Most of them are very forceful in speaking about their beliefs, which is about the worst thing you can say about them. I left the "Christian" church a while ago and converted to some form of Judaism, but I won't stand for people slandering people over their religion. It's not like her prayers were calling for God to "damn America" or were accusing white people of injecting blacks with AIDS.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by ajmccarrell

but I won't stand for people slandering people over their religion.

You think CNN is slandering Sarah Palin with this article?

[ajmccarrell]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

You think CNN is slandering Sarah Palin with this article?

At the very least, they are using gross generalizations and skin deep analysis to attempt to cause a stir over something that isn't really an issue. I do think the article has a definite slant, as the media is totally divorced from the concept of people going to church on Sundays, as they seem to feel it passe. The article has definite feel like the writer is examining some sort of sub-species on Animal Planet, rather than a member of one of the largest denominations in the country. I don't think that the writer has a clue that he's probably offending millions of people that adhere to the AG church or churches that are similar, or for that matter regular church goers of all stripes. I'm offended by the tone and I haven't gone to church in years.

[ajmccarrell]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

What about it?

Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac were caused by a half-assed hybrid fascist idea of a government run corporation. If it had gone to either total government control or total privatization it wouldn't be in this mess. What happens when you combine private enterprise with government regulation is a lack of oversight and people following directives to the detriment of the solvency of the company. You have a complete imbalance of both the supply and demand curves. The demand curve doesn't change, so the supply curve tends to take advantage of the neverending demand. Hence social security fraud that goes undetected for years and bad loans being lent with huge bonuses for people. It's my basic argument against nationalized health care. You'd end up with drug companies and suppliers ripping off the federal government much worse than they do the public. With the public, they can only get away with so much because our funds are limited and the elasticity of demand is low. With the government, the elasticity of demand is zero, so the companies can charge whatever they want to, like $2,000.00 for a metal cane that costs $5.00 to make.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by ajmccarrell

Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac were caused by a half-assed hybrid fascist idea of a government run corporation. If it had gone to either total government control or total privatization it wouldn't be in this mess. What happens when you combine private enterprise with government regulation is a lack of oversight and people following directives to the detriment of the solvency of the company. You have a complete imbalance of both the supply and demand curves. The demand curve doesn't change, so the supply curve tends to take advantage of the neverending demand. Hence social security fraud that goes undetected for years and bad loans being lent with huge bonuses for people. It's my basic argument against nationalized health care. You'd end up with drug companies and suppliers ripping off the federal government much worse than they do the public. With the public, they can only get away with so much because our funds are limited and the elasticity of demand is low. With the government, the elasticity of demand is zero, so the companies can charge whatever they want to, like $2,000.00 for a metal cane that costs $5.00 to make.

Okay. Now bridge that to your point about being further to the right than W and I think we're finally getting somewhere.

[ajmccarrell]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Okay. Now bridge that to your point about being further to the right than W and I think we're finally getting somewhere.

Um, I did, I just don't think you understood what I said. His position was for a federal takeover of a private company and I just made the argument that governmental takeovers of private companies cause economic imbalances that disrupt market efficiency. Free markets are a right wing position and government controlled necessities (with little to no price elasticity or substitute goods) such as housing would be a left wing position. Given that the takeover was by way of purchasing preferred stock instead of by discounted debt, it was a half-assed attempt at federalizing a partially federalized company. My answer is to let it collapse and let other companies buy out the assets, or have the government assist in starting a new company or hold auctions to sell off the mortgages with strict rules about not changing existing terms. Doing this would be a free market position, which is what I would recommend. Letting the housing market fail would bring home prices down to levels where average people could afford them again, which would result in another boom, only one that is sustainable. Anything short of that is propping up artificially inflated prices, which causes overages and surplus supplies; IE lots of unsold homes. Doing what they are doing is tantamount to a price floor. Price controls are never efficient. You either have surplus supply or shortages, depending on whether you had a price floor or ceiling, respectively. Keeping interest rates low, while propping up high prices is a recipe for disaster. It devalues the dollar and causes excess housing supply.

[TrueFaith77]

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28443

One wonders: What did Sarah Palin ever do to inspire the rage and bile that exploded on her selection by John McCain? What is there either in this woman's record or resume to elicit such feline ferocity?

What did we know of her when she was introduced?

That she was a mother of five who had brought into this world a baby boy with Down syndrome, thus living her Christian beliefs. That she was a small-town conservative who had risen from mayor of Wasilla (Pop. 9,700) to be governor of a state twice the size of Texas.

That she was a reformer who had dethroned an Old Boys' Network by dumping a sitting Republican governor. That she had taken on Big Oil, taxed the companies and returned the money in $1,200 checks to every citizen of Alaska. And that she had cut a deal with Canada to build a pipeline to bring natural gas to her fellow Americans.

And, oh, yes. She was "Sarah Barracuda" -- a fierce high school athlete, a runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, a Feminist for Life and lifetime member of the NRA. Introduced by McCain, she praised Hillary Clinton and pledged to finish her work by smashing through the glass ceiling in which Hillary had made 18 million cracks.

What, in any or all of this, is there to justify the feral attacks within minutes of her introduction? What had she done to cause this outburst? Answer: absolutely nothing.

No. Sarah Palin is not resented for what she has done, but for who she is: a Christian conservative who believes unborn children are gifts of God, even those with birth defects, and have a God-given right to life.

Normally, the press is reluctant to rummage into the private lives of public servants, unless their conduct affects their duties or they preach virtues they hypocritically do not practice.

Yet, no sooner was Palin introduced, than the media went berserk over the news that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. As one in three births in America is out-of-wedlock and Hollywood celebrates this lifestyle, why did The New York Times and The Washington Post splash this "news" on page one above the fold?

How does Bristol Palin's pregnancy disqualify Sarah Palin to be vice president? Why is it even relevant?

They did it because they thought it would damage Sarah Palin in the eyes of a Christian community they do not comprehend.

So out of bounds was the media that Obama, in an act of decency, declared Palin's family off limits and reminded the media that he was himself born to a teenage single mom.

If one would wish to see the famous liberal double standard on naked display, consider.

Palin's daughter was fair game for a media that refused to look into reports that John Edwards, a Democratic candidate for president, was conducting an illicit affair with a woman said to be carrying his child and cheating on his faithful wife Elizabeth, who has incurable cancer. That was not a legitimate story, but Bristol Palin's pregnancy is?

Why did the selection of Sarah Palin cause a suspension of all standards and a near riot among a media that has been so in the tank for Barack even "Saturday Night Live" has satirized the infatuation?

Because she is one of us -- and he is one of them.

Barack and Michelle are affirmative action, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard Law. She is public schools and Idaho State. Barack was a Saul Alinsky social worker who rustled up food stamps. Sarah Palin kills her own food.

Michelle has a $300,000-a-year sinecure doing PR for a Chicago hospital. Todd Palin is a union steelworker who augments his income working vacations on the North Slope. Sarah has always been proud to be an American. Michelle was never proud of America -- until Barack started winning.

Barack has zero experience as an executive. Sarah ran her own fishing fleet, was mayor for six years and runs the largest state in the union. She belongs to a mainstream Christian church. Barack was, for 15 years, a parishioner at Trinity United and had his daughters baptized by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose sermons are saturated in black-power, anti-white racism and anti-Americanism.

Sarah is a rebel. Obama has been a go-along, get-along cog in the Daley Machine. She is Middle America. Barack, behind closed doors in San Francisco, mocked Middle Americans as folks left behind by the global economy who cling bitterly to their Bibles, bigotries and guns.

Barack has zero foreign policy experience. Palin runs a state that is home to anti-missile, missile and air defense bases facing the Far East, commands the Alaska National Guard and has a soldier-son heading for Iraq.

Barack, says the National Journal, has the most left-wing voting record in the Senate, besting Socialist Bernie Sanders. Palin's stances read as though they were lifted from Reagan's 1980 "no pale pastels" platform. And this is what this media firestorm is all about.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

a Christian conservative who believes unborn children are gifts of God

reminds me of what George Carlin once mentioned about the whole Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice yahoo:

"According to the Conservatives in this world, If you're pre-natal you're fine...If you're pre-school, you're f**ked. America is the ONLY country where politicians want the unborn babies to live and grow up to become DEAD soldiers"

[GoS]

I was looking at Cnn.com today and forund this:

King: You recently issued one of your new rules decreeing that Obama must give comedians something to work with. Any suggestions?

Bill Maher: No. It's very difficult. We have been spoiled, first with Bill Clinton and then George Bush. And here's a president now who -- he's not stupid. He's not angry. He's not a phony. He's not fat. He's not cheating on his wife.

Who needs a jerk like that around for the next four years? Come on.

(LAUGHTER)

But look, he's going to be the president and we're going to have to get over our nervousness about making fun of a black person. He's not a black person. He's the president.

King: So then you must want Gov. Palin to stay around, comedically.

Maher: I do and she will. I think what people did not understand about Gov. Palin was that she campaigned for that job. She wanted it. She lobbied for it. She's a very ambitious person. And, of course, she's a super religious person. So she believes that God chose her for this job. I guess -- I guess God had a bad night yesterday, because she didn't get it.

But, you know, the Lord works mysterious ways, as we know. So maybe he's saving her for next election or the next after that.

She's only 44 years old. I mean she could be on the public stage for the next 30 years.

Oh please, no! I don't know if I could stand that, I might just move to New Zealand too! Just this morning when the radio guy said that Palin was back in Alaska, I yelled "And stay there!"

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by GoS

Oh please, no! I don't know if I could stand that, I might just move to New Zealand too! Just this morning when the radio guy said that Palin was back in Alaska, I yelled "And stay there!"

A cheerful thought but I believe that one way or another she will find a way to remain on the national stage.Even if the Republican party isn't stupid enough to choose her as it's new figurehead and nominee for 2012 she will likely emerge as a television show host or some such silliness.Incidentally the McCain campaign is reportedly going to Alaska to repo all the clothes and accesories she bought on their cards.