In 1994 The Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life was set up by the then UK Prime Minister, John Major, as a result of public concern about the financial probity of holders of public office. It was concerned with standards in public life generally and particularly where public funds were involved.
The Committee set out a list of principles that they suggested should apply to all aspects of public life:
THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE
1. Selflessness
Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.
2. Integrity
Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
3. Objectivity
In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
4. Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
5. Openness
Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
6. Honesty
Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
7. Leadership
Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
Although drawn up to inform public office holders in Britain it strikes me that these are universal principles that should apply to office holders and politicians throughout the world. As Cicero, the great defender of Rome’s ancient laws once said “the foundation of justice is good faith” so how can ordinary people have confidence in any political system if they cannot have “good faith” in their leaders. It might therefore be an interesting exercise to pick any politician and measure them against this seven point scale, scoring 1 – 10 for each principle where 10 = excellent and 1 = very poor….one might even find there are one or two politicians who would score zero……
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Saturday, 14 March 2009
OBAMACANOE – AND BIDEN, TOO
Although I am a Brit with little knowledge of American history I have nevertheless been intrigued by the fact that President Obama’s supporters have constantly compared their hero to Abraham Lincoln, a comparison never discouraged by the President himself. That Lincoln was the first Republican President and that the Democrats were the party of slavery has, of course, been carefully airbrushed out of the message. However with the fumbles of the first few weeks raising questions about his abilities I am beginning to wonder if there might be a more appropriate model for Obama’s Presidency – Presidents William Henry “Tippecanoe” Harrison and John Tyler.
Early in 1840, as Andrew Jackson’s successor, there was a general feeling that President Van Buren, a Democrat, would be easily re-elected for a second term. After much internal debate the Whigs chose General Harrison, with Tyler as VP candidate but Van Buren appeared to be the favourite.
Harrison was an American military hero. His major claim to fame was defeating the Indian Chief Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 – hence his nickname, often shortened to Old Tip.
It was a Baltimore newspaper that transformed the campaign. Disparaging Harrison, it suggested that if he was given a barrel of cider and a pension (Harrison was 67) “he will sit for the remainder of his days in a log cabin…and study moral philosophy”
The Whigs seized the initiative – Harrison (despite his aristocratic Virginia ancestry and his substantial country home) became the “log cabin” candidate and Van Buren characterised as dining with golden spoons. The issues were forgotten and the whole campaign was centred around image – there was even a soundbite that could be easily remembered and chanted at every meeting – “Tippecanoe - and Tyler, too”.
The result was a substantial triumph for the Whigs – not only did Harrison and Tyler win but the party swept to victory in both houses of Congress. Alas the victory was hollow – Harrison died within a few weeks of his inauguration and Tyler became one of the most easily forgotten US Presidents – their Presidencies are long forgotten but the electoral campaign of 1840 remains a model of political spin.
To me it seems that much of 1840 can be found in the Obama campaign of 2008. There was the snappy soundbite – “hope and change” – vague and meaningless but impossible to invalidate. Just as the comfortably off Harrison was transformed into the simple soldier/farmer so the well heeled academic Obama became the boy from the ghetto who made good and his million dollar home in a wealthy Chicago suburb conveniently forgotten. However, unlike Harrison’s soldiering and experience of command, Obama’s whole adult life has been talking and writing about things, raising awareness rather than finding and implementing solutions. But now he has to actually run something rather than discourse about it there are those who are beginning to question if he is up to it. How ironic then if, at the beginning of the next century, students of American political history were to be totally familiar with the campaign of 2008 yet struggle to remember anything about the winning candidates except their names – “OBAMACANOE – AND BIDEN, TOO”
Early in 1840, as Andrew Jackson’s successor, there was a general feeling that President Van Buren, a Democrat, would be easily re-elected for a second term. After much internal debate the Whigs chose General Harrison, with Tyler as VP candidate but Van Buren appeared to be the favourite.
Harrison was an American military hero. His major claim to fame was defeating the Indian Chief Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 – hence his nickname, often shortened to Old Tip.
It was a Baltimore newspaper that transformed the campaign. Disparaging Harrison, it suggested that if he was given a barrel of cider and a pension (Harrison was 67) “he will sit for the remainder of his days in a log cabin…and study moral philosophy”
The Whigs seized the initiative – Harrison (despite his aristocratic Virginia ancestry and his substantial country home) became the “log cabin” candidate and Van Buren characterised as dining with golden spoons. The issues were forgotten and the whole campaign was centred around image – there was even a soundbite that could be easily remembered and chanted at every meeting – “Tippecanoe - and Tyler, too”.
The result was a substantial triumph for the Whigs – not only did Harrison and Tyler win but the party swept to victory in both houses of Congress. Alas the victory was hollow – Harrison died within a few weeks of his inauguration and Tyler became one of the most easily forgotten US Presidents – their Presidencies are long forgotten but the electoral campaign of 1840 remains a model of political spin.
To me it seems that much of 1840 can be found in the Obama campaign of 2008. There was the snappy soundbite – “hope and change” – vague and meaningless but impossible to invalidate. Just as the comfortably off Harrison was transformed into the simple soldier/farmer so the well heeled academic Obama became the boy from the ghetto who made good and his million dollar home in a wealthy Chicago suburb conveniently forgotten. However, unlike Harrison’s soldiering and experience of command, Obama’s whole adult life has been talking and writing about things, raising awareness rather than finding and implementing solutions. But now he has to actually run something rather than discourse about it there are those who are beginning to question if he is up to it. How ironic then if, at the beginning of the next century, students of American political history were to be totally familiar with the campaign of 2008 yet struggle to remember anything about the winning candidates except their names – “OBAMACANOE – AND BIDEN, TOO”
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
AND THIS WAS THE MAN WITH A PLAN?
You can't have Palin in Washington - she's a rube who has hardly ever been outside her state Americans were told.......whereas Obama is a sophistictated Ivy League guy who has been all around the world so he will be at ease with all those foreign leaders. Not only that but he also has surrounded himself with the best brains to plan his first 100 days..........he'll hit the ground running.
Well, Sir Gus O'Donnell is a very sophisticated chap - he's the UKs top Civil Servant and normally he is the very epitomy of discretion - but not today. Today he is very angry because he has come up against a wall of incompetence - not from Paraguay, not from Upper Niger but from The Obama White House. Sir Gus is trying to sort out a few things for next month's crucial summit when the G20 meets in London to try to work out a co-ordinated world strategy for dealing with the global recession..............and nobody in the White House is answering the phone!
"He has a reputation for being the archetypal senior civil servant professional, unflappable, and, above all, discreet.But Sir Gus O'Donnell risked sparking a transatlantic tiff today with an imprudent remark about Downing Street's relations with the White House.
The head of the civil service, Sir Gus said the handover to President Barack Obama's administration was severely hindering preparations for next month's G20 summit.
In an extraordinary blunder, the usually-guarded Sir Gus said no-one in the U.S. Treasury department was answering telephone calls.
He said it meant the Government was finding it 'unbelievably difficult' to hold discussions ahead of the meeting of world leaders in London. Even though the world was in the grip of the worst economic crisis in decades - top of the G20 agenda - Number 10 was having trouble getting in touch with key personnel, said the Cabinet Secretary.
'There is nobody there,' he told a civil service conference in Gateshead.'You cannot believe how difficult it is.' "
Sir Gus, welcome to America's new Global Strategy - Cook County style.................
Well, Sir Gus O'Donnell is a very sophisticated chap - he's the UKs top Civil Servant and normally he is the very epitomy of discretion - but not today. Today he is very angry because he has come up against a wall of incompetence - not from Paraguay, not from Upper Niger but from The Obama White House. Sir Gus is trying to sort out a few things for next month's crucial summit when the G20 meets in London to try to work out a co-ordinated world strategy for dealing with the global recession..............and nobody in the White House is answering the phone!
"He has a reputation for being the archetypal senior civil servant professional, unflappable, and, above all, discreet.But Sir Gus O'Donnell risked sparking a transatlantic tiff today with an imprudent remark about Downing Street's relations with the White House.
The head of the civil service, Sir Gus said the handover to President Barack Obama's administration was severely hindering preparations for next month's G20 summit.
In an extraordinary blunder, the usually-guarded Sir Gus said no-one in the U.S. Treasury department was answering telephone calls.
He said it meant the Government was finding it 'unbelievably difficult' to hold discussions ahead of the meeting of world leaders in London. Even though the world was in the grip of the worst economic crisis in decades - top of the G20 agenda - Number 10 was having trouble getting in touch with key personnel, said the Cabinet Secretary.
'There is nobody there,' he told a civil service conference in Gateshead.'You cannot believe how difficult it is.' "
Sir Gus, welcome to America's new Global Strategy - Cook County style.................
THE PALIN SNUB TO THE BRITS THAT WASN'T......
Hot Air picked this up from “This Week”
“Sarah Palin, the Alaskan governor and one-time Republican vice-presidential candidate has delivered a humiliating snub to Tory MP Edward Leigh. Like a number of other misguided souls, the former Tory minister appears to have developed something of a crush on Palin, or the ‘pitbull in lipstick’ as she dubbed herself. Such was his ardour that he took the extraordinary step of asking her to have dinner with him and some chums at the House of Commons.”
As usual with "This Week" it’s a snarky piece aimed at humiliating Edward Leigh and, of course dissing the Governor although it seems that the current order from Axelrod/Emanuel to their media “friends” is now to hit her as a Prima Donna rather than an airhead.
In actual fact Mr Leigh’s invitation was on behalf of the Cornerstone Group, a small right wing posse of Conservative Members of Parliament who attempt to keep the Thatcher flame alive and operate on the margins of the Opposition. It was probably one of hundreds from all over the world that poured into Alaska last autumn. This Week would probably call them all “misguided souls” nevertheless it says something about the lady’s impact that they arrived in such numbers. I would even hazard a guess that, after President Obama and Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin is the only other US politician whose name would be easily remembered by people outside the USA.
It wasn’t a snub – it is obvious from her refusal to attend CPAC and the NGA that her priority for the next few months is the government of Alaska. Unlike former Senators like Obama and Clinton she actually has a day job and decisions to make that will impact upon the people of Alaska so she can’t go swanning around the world pontificating with the great and the good. One day, I expect she will come to the UK and I hope she meets up with Edward Leigh and his colleagues…indeed I would hope even more that she would call at my house near Gatwick Airport for a cup of tea and a cream cake but, meanwhile, give the girl a break!
“Sarah Palin, the Alaskan governor and one-time Republican vice-presidential candidate has delivered a humiliating snub to Tory MP Edward Leigh. Like a number of other misguided souls, the former Tory minister appears to have developed something of a crush on Palin, or the ‘pitbull in lipstick’ as she dubbed herself. Such was his ardour that he took the extraordinary step of asking her to have dinner with him and some chums at the House of Commons.”
As usual with "This Week" it’s a snarky piece aimed at humiliating Edward Leigh and, of course dissing the Governor although it seems that the current order from Axelrod/Emanuel to their media “friends” is now to hit her as a Prima Donna rather than an airhead.
In actual fact Mr Leigh’s invitation was on behalf of the Cornerstone Group, a small right wing posse of Conservative Members of Parliament who attempt to keep the Thatcher flame alive and operate on the margins of the Opposition. It was probably one of hundreds from all over the world that poured into Alaska last autumn. This Week would probably call them all “misguided souls” nevertheless it says something about the lady’s impact that they arrived in such numbers. I would even hazard a guess that, after President Obama and Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin is the only other US politician whose name would be easily remembered by people outside the USA.
It wasn’t a snub – it is obvious from her refusal to attend CPAC and the NGA that her priority for the next few months is the government of Alaska. Unlike former Senators like Obama and Clinton she actually has a day job and decisions to make that will impact upon the people of Alaska so she can’t go swanning around the world pontificating with the great and the good. One day, I expect she will come to the UK and I hope she meets up with Edward Leigh and his colleagues…indeed I would hope even more that she would call at my house near Gatwick Airport for a cup of tea and a cream cake but, meanwhile, give the girl a break!
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
THE OBAMA ECONOMY – FOR WEEKS IT’S BEEN JULIE ANDREWS….IS IT NOW GOING EDWARD G ROBINSON?
“U.S. companies, consumers and communities may grow so addicted to government financial help that cutting them off could trigger another recession soon after the current one ends.
Between the U.S. Federal Reserve's trillions of dollars in lending programs, the $787 billion stimulus package and $700 billion -- and counting -- in bank bailout funds, no one can accuse officials of soft-pedaling their crisis response.
But there is increasing concern that when the flow of public money subsides -- beginning next year when much of that stimulus package is spent -- the economy still won't be strong enough to stand on its own.”
mmmmmmmmmmmm………..if Reuters are saying this it could be the first crack in the Styrofoam temple. The story was that all that was needed was a few trillion here, another trillion there and hey presto by the middle of 2010 the glory days would be back, folk would be borrowing to buy houses, cars, holidays and hamburgers and everyone would be back in work and earning so much they wouldn’t notice the tax increases needed to bail out the bailouts – but if nobody’s spending then hopenchange will be looking a little careworn….but then the Chicago Gang can always blame it on W….except, as the WSJ points out
“As 2009 opened, three weeks before Barack Obama took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 9034 on January 2, its highest level since the autumn panic. Yesterday the Dow fell another 4.24% to 6763, for an overall decline of 25% in two months and to its lowest level since 1997. The dismaying message here is that President Obama's policies have become part of the economy's problem.
Americans have welcomed the Obama era in the same spirit of hope the President campaigned on. But after five weeks in office, it's become clear that Mr. Obama's policies are slowing, if not stopping, what would otherwise be the normal process of economic recovery. From punishing business to squandering scarce national public resources, Team Obama is creating more uncertainty and less confidence -- and thus a longer period of recession or subpar growth.”
Now Pelosi/Reid and the MSM are still gambolling on the sunlit uplands of Obamaland, promising everyone that it’s all Julie Andrews now that W has slunk back to his ranch but the stock market is where people have to put their money where their mouth is and in that real world it’s looking a little more Edward G Robinson – which is why Governor Palin’s housewifely approach seems increasingly sensible…
“Sarah took a wise and reasoned approach to the stimulus bill, taking only money for infrastructure projects and eschewing funds that came with strings attached -- those being mandates that the state would be left to fund. She did not use this bill as an opportunity to grandstand, nor did she capitulate and try to milk everything out of the bill and then some.
Sarah's Budget Director delineated how non-state entities were to apply for funds through competitive grant processes. Since these funds do not go the state, they do not result in future unfunded mandates.”
(Hat tip http://sarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com/)
Now the big question – if you were making your will and you needed to appoint someone to manage a trust fund for your kids, who would you choose – Sarah Palin or Barney Frank…….now, take some time to consider
Between the U.S. Federal Reserve's trillions of dollars in lending programs, the $787 billion stimulus package and $700 billion -- and counting -- in bank bailout funds, no one can accuse officials of soft-pedaling their crisis response.
But there is increasing concern that when the flow of public money subsides -- beginning next year when much of that stimulus package is spent -- the economy still won't be strong enough to stand on its own.”
mmmmmmmmmmmm………..if Reuters are saying this it could be the first crack in the Styrofoam temple. The story was that all that was needed was a few trillion here, another trillion there and hey presto by the middle of 2010 the glory days would be back, folk would be borrowing to buy houses, cars, holidays and hamburgers and everyone would be back in work and earning so much they wouldn’t notice the tax increases needed to bail out the bailouts – but if nobody’s spending then hopenchange will be looking a little careworn….but then the Chicago Gang can always blame it on W….except, as the WSJ points out
“As 2009 opened, three weeks before Barack Obama took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 9034 on January 2, its highest level since the autumn panic. Yesterday the Dow fell another 4.24% to 6763, for an overall decline of 25% in two months and to its lowest level since 1997. The dismaying message here is that President Obama's policies have become part of the economy's problem.
Americans have welcomed the Obama era in the same spirit of hope the President campaigned on. But after five weeks in office, it's become clear that Mr. Obama's policies are slowing, if not stopping, what would otherwise be the normal process of economic recovery. From punishing business to squandering scarce national public resources, Team Obama is creating more uncertainty and less confidence -- and thus a longer period of recession or subpar growth.”
Now Pelosi/Reid and the MSM are still gambolling on the sunlit uplands of Obamaland, promising everyone that it’s all Julie Andrews now that W has slunk back to his ranch but the stock market is where people have to put their money where their mouth is and in that real world it’s looking a little more Edward G Robinson – which is why Governor Palin’s housewifely approach seems increasingly sensible…
“Sarah took a wise and reasoned approach to the stimulus bill, taking only money for infrastructure projects and eschewing funds that came with strings attached -- those being mandates that the state would be left to fund. She did not use this bill as an opportunity to grandstand, nor did she capitulate and try to milk everything out of the bill and then some.
Sarah's Budget Director delineated how non-state entities were to apply for funds through competitive grant processes. Since these funds do not go the state, they do not result in future unfunded mandates.”
(Hat tip http://sarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com/)
Now the big question – if you were making your will and you needed to appoint someone to manage a trust fund for your kids, who would you choose – Sarah Palin or Barney Frank…….now, take some time to consider
Monday, 2 March 2009
Governor Palin - going de Gaulle?
The one thing that Gov Palin has not been short of since the election has been advice from Republicans and the media – stand for governor again in 2010, go for the Senate, go for POTUS 2012, wait until 2016, write a book, go into the media, give up politics and concentrate on her family – the options are endless.As an outside observer, however, it strikes me that she is intelligent enough and shrewd enough to make up her own mind. I think that maybe she has already decided on a course – I believe she is going de Gaulle.
General de Gaulle entered France alongside the Allies at the head of his Free French army after years of exile in London. Initially greeted as a returning hero by the French he served as the President of the Provisional Government but within two years he had resigned, disillusioned by the re-emergence of the old inter party squabbles that had characterised the pre-war regime.For the next few years he led his own political party but, tiring of the political rat race in 1953 he withdrew from public life and retired in self imposed internal exile to his home in the village of Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises to write his war memoirs, and many pundits wrote him off as a man whose time had passed.
His followers, however, retained their cohesion because they saw de Gaulle as a man of destiny who one day would be called forth from his exile by the people of France to rescue them at a time of great danger – which is exactly what happened in 1958 when France was torn apart by the Algerian crisis. The General returned to office but this time on his own terms and remained in power for the next decade.
Since the Alfalfa Dinner Gov Palin appears to have chosen Alaska as her own Colombey-les- Deux-Eglises, far enough away from the mainstream of US politics, concerning herself with her responsibilities as Governor and keeping a distance between herself and the spotlight, just as de Gaulle did in the 1950s. She has stayed away from CPAC, she did not attend the NGA, causing some irritation amongst some elements who would prefer her to act as some Joan of Arc type figure scorching across the lower 48 thrusting and slashing at the President and Congress. Staying out of the spotlight is not an option for some of these folk who often see politics as showbiz where your PR people will tell you that you have to be forever working on your next film or album to remain in the public eye.But the Governor does not need any of that – like de Gaulle she is so deeply impressed upon the public’s imagination that she needs no PR, she is simply there.
De Gaulle was relatively unknown to the French people in 1940 but millions of them heard his broadcast from London at the moment of their deepest despair and in those few minutes he became the inspiration and hope for so many. Governor Palin walked onto the stage at the Republican Convention, electrified millions and stole their hearts forever with her grace, her honesty and her love of life sealing there and then a contract and covenant of support through fire and flood whatever may happen. Camille Paglia called her an immensely talented politician whose time had not yet come. But perhaps, one day, just as in 1958 with de Gaulle, a message will go across Canada to the north saying her time has come – and then the banners must unfurl…..
General de Gaulle entered France alongside the Allies at the head of his Free French army after years of exile in London. Initially greeted as a returning hero by the French he served as the President of the Provisional Government but within two years he had resigned, disillusioned by the re-emergence of the old inter party squabbles that had characterised the pre-war regime.For the next few years he led his own political party but, tiring of the political rat race in 1953 he withdrew from public life and retired in self imposed internal exile to his home in the village of Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises to write his war memoirs, and many pundits wrote him off as a man whose time had passed.
His followers, however, retained their cohesion because they saw de Gaulle as a man of destiny who one day would be called forth from his exile by the people of France to rescue them at a time of great danger – which is exactly what happened in 1958 when France was torn apart by the Algerian crisis. The General returned to office but this time on his own terms and remained in power for the next decade.
Since the Alfalfa Dinner Gov Palin appears to have chosen Alaska as her own Colombey-les- Deux-Eglises, far enough away from the mainstream of US politics, concerning herself with her responsibilities as Governor and keeping a distance between herself and the spotlight, just as de Gaulle did in the 1950s. She has stayed away from CPAC, she did not attend the NGA, causing some irritation amongst some elements who would prefer her to act as some Joan of Arc type figure scorching across the lower 48 thrusting and slashing at the President and Congress. Staying out of the spotlight is not an option for some of these folk who often see politics as showbiz where your PR people will tell you that you have to be forever working on your next film or album to remain in the public eye.But the Governor does not need any of that – like de Gaulle she is so deeply impressed upon the public’s imagination that she needs no PR, she is simply there.
De Gaulle was relatively unknown to the French people in 1940 but millions of them heard his broadcast from London at the moment of their deepest despair and in those few minutes he became the inspiration and hope for so many. Governor Palin walked onto the stage at the Republican Convention, electrified millions and stole their hearts forever with her grace, her honesty and her love of life sealing there and then a contract and covenant of support through fire and flood whatever may happen. Camille Paglia called her an immensely talented politician whose time had not yet come. But perhaps, one day, just as in 1958 with de Gaulle, a message will go across Canada to the north saying her time has come – and then the banners must unfurl…..
Monday, 29 December 2008
Prudent Palin
"We of course are going to be prudent,we're going to live within our means. We don't want any Alaskans to assume that government is the answer to all of the challenges and issues and problems that any individual faces."
Who said this? It was, of course, Alaska’s governor Sarah Palin earlier this month when she put forward her proposals for the state’s 2009 budget.
“As Alaska's coffers are filled mostly by oil revenues, the recent drop in prices has caused revenues to slow” reports David Karki. “In response, Governor Sarah Palin's $4.9 billion budget calls for a 7 percent cut in overall state spending, mostly in capital projects. Combined with a modest 2 percent increase in the operating budget for state agencies, the budget outline would result in a $388 million surplus in 2010 if projections hold.”
Sounds like a sensible, conservative move – and it seems to have the support of outgoing Anchorage mayor Mark Begich who in a few days time will be sitting amongst fellow Democrats when he becomes Senator Begich. Of course you probably won’t hear anything about it at ConservativeHome or Iain Dale and certainly not from self proclaimed US political expert James Forsyth at Coffee House. Forsyth’s focus on US politics rarely reaches beyond Washington or NewYork and his take on Palin tends to be referenced by Tina Fey and Andrew Sullivan so the idea of her actually framing a multi billion dollar budget is a little outside his payscale.
The same about refusing a $25,000 pay rise – “Imagine that – keeping spending to less than available revenues and refusing a pay raise. Politicians across the nation are scratching their heads, asking themselves: ‘You mean you can really do that?’ “ Well, as a certain President –Elect might say “Yes we can”……..but Forsyth and Co. won’t be interested as it doesn’t quite fit into their image of Palin as a shopaholic airhead who never reads anything more complex than a spupermarket receipt……
Hat Tip – North Star Writers Group
Who said this? It was, of course, Alaska’s governor Sarah Palin earlier this month when she put forward her proposals for the state’s 2009 budget.
“As Alaska's coffers are filled mostly by oil revenues, the recent drop in prices has caused revenues to slow” reports David Karki. “In response, Governor Sarah Palin's $4.9 billion budget calls for a 7 percent cut in overall state spending, mostly in capital projects. Combined with a modest 2 percent increase in the operating budget for state agencies, the budget outline would result in a $388 million surplus in 2010 if projections hold.”
Sounds like a sensible, conservative move – and it seems to have the support of outgoing Anchorage mayor Mark Begich who in a few days time will be sitting amongst fellow Democrats when he becomes Senator Begich. Of course you probably won’t hear anything about it at ConservativeHome or Iain Dale and certainly not from self proclaimed US political expert James Forsyth at Coffee House. Forsyth’s focus on US politics rarely reaches beyond Washington or NewYork and his take on Palin tends to be referenced by Tina Fey and Andrew Sullivan so the idea of her actually framing a multi billion dollar budget is a little outside his payscale.
The same about refusing a $25,000 pay rise – “Imagine that – keeping spending to less than available revenues and refusing a pay raise. Politicians across the nation are scratching their heads, asking themselves: ‘You mean you can really do that?’ “ Well, as a certain President –Elect might say “Yes we can”……..but Forsyth and Co. won’t be interested as it doesn’t quite fit into their image of Palin as a shopaholic airhead who never reads anything more complex than a spupermarket receipt……
Hat Tip – North Star Writers Group
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