McCain: Palin leads a 'frugal life'

[bigtree]

10/26/08 10:05 AM EST

John McCain said Sunday that that a third of the $150,000 the Republican National Committee spent on clothes, makeup and accessories for his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and her family has been “given back.”

“She lives a frugal life," McCain said.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14948.html





"Palin charged her state government a “per diem” allowance which is intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business. In essence, she charged the state for being home with her family.

Her governor’s salary is $125,000 per year. In addition, she received a hefty $16,951 for staying home.
"
http://ticoslandcostarica.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/sarah-palin-fiscal-rectitude-crusader-not-so-frugal/


"Their combined income of nearly a quarter-million dollars last year was five times the median household income for Wasilla's 7,000 residents. They own a single-engine plane, two boats, two personal watercraft and a half-million-dollar, custom-built home on a lake that is worth three times the average of other homes in town. For the future, they also have a 401(k) retirement account compliments of Todd Palin's years as an engineer with oil giant BP."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/30/palin-says-shes-everyday_n_130711.html


"The Palins' total income last year was split almost evenly between Sarah Palin's white-collar job and her husband's blue-collar work. Sarah Palin's salary as governor was $125,000; Todd Palin took in $46,790 as a part-time oil production operator for BP Alaska in Prudhoe Bay, plus $46,265 in commercial fishing income and $10,500 in Iron Dog snowmachine race winnings. These figures do not include nearly $17,000 in per diem payments Palin received for 312 nights spent in her own home since she was elected governor; she also has received $43,490 to cover travel costs for her husband and children.

In addition, each member of the Palin family received $1,654 in state oil royalties paid to all Alaskans.

The Palins' assets seem enviable: a half-million-dollar home on a lake with a float-plane at the dock, two vacation retreats, commercial-fishing rights worth an estimated $50,000 or more and an income last year of at least $230,000. That compares to a median income of $64,333 for Alaskans and $50,740 for Americans in 2007, according to the Census Bureau."

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1846372,00.html

[2Design]

1. behavior speaks louder than words n/t

[skooooo]

2. we don't care anymore, john. nt

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Does McSame know what the word "frugal" means???

Maybe he thinks it means that she doesn't pay for anything out of her own money...

[bigtree]

8. she scrimps and saves every bit of that $17,000+ she siphons off of Alaskans

. . . for her family's personal use.

She's frugal, too, with the Alaskan taxpayer's money she uses to shlep her kids around the country.

[begin_within]

4. Meaning they feed their kids slop?

[Why Syzygy]

5. They do an excellent job of taking an axe to a gnat.

Overkill continues to grease the slope.

[NC_Nurse]

6. His frame of reference is warped due to his wife. Out. of. touch.

[Botany]

7. $23,000 on make up in 1 month is frugal?

:rofl:

[Starlight]

9. He means she's stingy with spending her own money. She splurges with taxpayer money.

[gratuitous]

11. Ding, ding, ding, winner!

When it comes to other people's money, heck, it flows like water for the former beauty contestant and famous runner-up. But her own money? The Lincoln on one of her fivers has to blink for 10 seconds when it's finally pried out of her wallet and into the light of day.

[rurallib]

10. less than eight houses and 13 cars is frugal by Mac72 standards

[Ezlivin]

12. Owning an aircraft is an expensive proposition

Often four pilots will "share" an aircraft so as to spread the costs.

Every aircraft needs regular maintenance. For instance the engine requires a complete overhaul after a set number of hours of operation. This overhaul tops $25,000 for an aircraft such as Palin's. And that's only ONE expense.

[ismnotwasm]

13. See ya at the dollar store Sarah! n/t

[mccannmp1]

14. Why haven't we heard this from Obama?

I haven't heard Obama jump all over McCain for these ridiculous comments. WHY NOT??????? He should be blasting away at how out of touch McCain is with us "average Joe's" who do not make $230,000 a year or have a $1,000,000 worth (http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/543404.html).

I think the Obama camp has been weak lately...enough with the "higher road" campaigning...he should be reminding all undecided voters that Palin is a heartbeat away.

[librechik]

15. On a $750 a day per diem?

frugal indeed! For Imelda Marcos....

She could have saved the people of Alaska that money by ACTUALLY living frugally instead of milking every advantage out of her short term as gov.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. 'McMoneybags also believes that if you have $5 Million you are considered middle class.