Palin spreads the wealth in Alaska, big time

[SOS]

"Palin’s criticisms of Obama’s “spread the wealth” remarks are ironic, as she recently characterized Alaska’s tax code in a very similar way. Just last month, in an interview with Philip Gourevitch of the New Yorker, Palin explained the windfall profits tax that she imposed on the oil industry in Alaska as a mechanism for ensuring that Alaskans “share in the wealth” generated by oil companies.

"Collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs. It’s to maximize benefits for Alaskans, not an individual company, not some multinational somewhere" (said Palin).
In fact, Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES) program, which manages the redistribution of oil wealth in Alaska, brings in so much money that the state needs no income or sales tax. In addition, this year ACES will provide every Alaskan with a check for an estimated $3,200.
As Hendrick Hertzberg notes, “Perhaps there is some meaningful distinction between spreading the wealth and sharing it…but finding it would require the analytic skills of Karl the Marxist.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/27/palin-shares-wealth/

"Over the opposition of oil companies, Republican Gov. Sarah Palin and Alaska's Legislature last year approved a major increase in taxes on the oil industry — a step that has generated stunning new wealth for the state as oil prices soared. Palin's administration last week gained legislative approval for a special $1,200 payment to every Alaskan.
That check will come on top of the annual dividend of about $2,000 that each resident could receive this year from an oil-wealth savings account. "Clearly, from the investor standpoint, Alaska has become a less attractive place to invest exploration and production dollars," said Marilyn Crockett, executive director of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008103325_alaskatax07.html

So sharing the wealth is good for Alaska, but a return to the tax structure that existed under Bill Clinton is "socialism"?
Her criticism of Obama's tax plan is beyond ironic. It's ludicrous.

[Rambis]

1. Funny that

sounds like?

[fob]

2. Hey sarah, while you're trying to explain your way out of this one why

don't you let us take a peek at the receipts for the 1/3rd of the $150,000 worth of "staging" the rnc bought you. I mean they WERE returned right? Show us the receipts, clothesmoose.

[Zenlitened]

3. Palin: "Alaska is a collective...

... where the people own the resources and the wealth is distributed equally to all."

:rofl:

[dynasaw]

4. Sounds like . . .

communism ? :rofl:

[Zenlitened]

5. No, no, no. It's frontier free-market boot-straps real-America mavericky-ness!

You betcha!

:D

Is there anyone -- or anything -- stupider and more gullible than a Republican True Believer?

It's just mind-boggling. I expect blatant hypocrisy and outrageous lies from the Republican inner circle. But these mindless apparatchiks who show up at their rallies... clapping and gurgling and gibbering their approval for the nonsense they're being fed...

... well, wow. :wow:

Just wow.

Even at my ripe old middle-age, I can still be amazed at how utterly stupid some people can be. Scary, amazing, kinda frightening stuff!

[SOS]

6. This was the topic of KOs campaign comment tonight

This story effectively negates all assertions by Palin that Obama's tax plan is "socialist" in nature.
The ACES program in Alaska is the most glaring "tax the rich, give to the poor" wealth redistribution program in America.
Personally I think it's great.
But I'd sure love to hear Palin try to defend it, in light of her recent absurd comments about Obama.
That would be fun.