TPM: What is it about Alaskan politicians?

[dkf]

Chilly Up There

From TPM Reader TJ ...

What is it about Alaskan politicians? Palin is given a $150,000 wardrobe, which she wears, but doesn't own it. Stevens was given furniture, but he doesn't own it, yet it still sits in his home. Stuff is given to them, but they don't own it? Steven and Palin must attend the same seminars on electoral ethics, or is this just an Alaska thing?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/240103.php

[Cleita]

1. It's a Republican thing that works in backwater rural places.

Most of the politicians in those places are pretty much like carpet baggers. They really don't have the deep rooted connections to the places that the real locals do but recognize their distrust of government and play to it effectively. I kind of notice that those politicians are losing in favor these days in those places.

[dkf]

3. Backwater rural places like to gift their politicians with fancy stuff?

So the Palin house fits right into that then.

[Cleita]

4. They must because they like to elect those people into office and turn

a blind eye to the fancy residences, cars, boats and expensive clothing and jewelry that the politicians and their families have. I also noticed that the owners of the businesses that hire the locals are equally as opulent in displaying their wealth while they pay their workers so poorly that the only way they can feed their families is to bag a couple of deer or elk every year to feed them with. I noticed most of the women shopped with food stamps too, the only welfare that they would take because they are too proud and suspicious of the government to do otherwise. Many of those families live in shacks with no utilities as well. When I worked as a campground host in the north woods, I had families who used to come down to use the picnic ground toilets because they were flush toilets and it was a luxury for them to be able to do that. Every single one of those families had employed adults who didn't earn enough to pay for what we take for granted in the city. These families are mostly white too, not the usual stereotype of minorities that Republicans look down upon as welfare queens. Yet to a one they will always vote for the person who says what they like to hear even though their actions are opposite of what those people need and that person is usually a Republican politician who gets their funding from the wealthy business owners and ranchers.

[uppityperson]

2. I agree that it is a rural backwater republican thing. Not just an AK thing as I know good politicia

good AK politicians.