Todd Palin, The Former Secessionist, Suggests Alaskans Are Not Americans

[ccharles000]

There’s been a lot of talk about Sarah Palin's ties to the Alaskan Independence Party which the McCain campaign has been trying to minimize. In fact, for seven years, her husband, Todd, was a member of the fringe political party that advocates secession (he left in 2002, which happens to be the year his wife ran for lieutenant governor). But during last night’s (9/16/08) interview with Greta Van Susteren, Palin’s husband Todd explicitly distinguished “Alaskan families” from “American families.” It was a jarring suggestion that they’re not all part of the same country. With video.

In the video below, a segment of Part 2 of her two-part interview with the “First Dude” of Alaska, Van Susteren asked Palin why his wife is so popular. It occurs at about a minute into the video, at the 3:43 mark (the video counts down from the 4:44 total).

Palin responded, “I think they look at us as another Alaska family, that adapts to job situations and enjoys Alaska. So they can relate to us. You know, we’re just another family that, you know, juggles kids’ busy schedules, juggles jobs, and still has fun doing all that stuff. And so, you know, there’s, there’s lots of Alaskan families that do that and then really there’s a lot of American families that do the same." (Note: You really have to see and hear how he says it to get the full effect.)

Van Susteren, of course, let the comment pass without remark.

http://www.newshounds.us/2008/09/17/todd_palin_the_former_secessionist_suggests_alaskans_are_not_americans.php

[Happyhippychick]

1. Well that's interesting. Guess he isn't patriotic - where's the outrage 'pukes?

[eshfemme]

2. If Alaskans aren't Americans then they should stop being on the fucking dole from America.

I'm so pissed off about the Alaskan secessionist movement, which is apparently really popular up there. If you guys hate America that much or have that much scorn for the US, then stop wasting OUR fucking money and give it all back.

If you guys want to secede, secede and stop sponging off of us.

To my Alaskan Democrats and comrades, sorry about my anger but we are all supposed to be Americans despite our differences in culture or language or region. This secessionist crap has no place whatsoever in our UNITED States of America.

[AKR]

10. but we want your money AND our freedom!

The AIP supporters scare me. You probably have no idea how much Christianity is embedded into my (AK) state. It would be a nightmare if non-Christians were no longer protected by the US constitution. Palin herself wants to convert all Alaskans to Christianity and says it's necessary in order for the state to be successful. It's in her crazy "task from God" speech near the end. I am surrounded by fundies in my state and the only thing protecting me from complete madness is the fact that we're part of the US. If the south is America's Bible belt, we are America's Bible...hat.

I'm not sure what exactly that means, but I needed another clothing item for the metaphor.

[wvbygod]

16. All Alaskans are now part of the secessionist movement?

I'd bet that there are just as many people on the dole in the lower 48 that
are believers in some sort of secessionist movement. I also suspect more money is
doled out to non-Alaskans per year directly from our taxes than the Alaskans get
from their oil company incomes.

[eshfemme]

27. Actually, suggesting that the secessionist movement is popular doesn't mean that it's universal

There's a difference there. Just like racism could be popular amongst certain neighborhoods but it doesn't mean that all residents in those neighborhoods are necessarily racists.

Also, there are of course "welfare states" in the lower 48. An interesting note though that most of the states who receive more federal money than they are taxed are red states. The states that are taxed more than they get back tend to be bluer. Also, Alaska actually ranks in the top 3 of states that get way more than they are taxed, at least according to a 2005 ranking. Don't believe me? Look up the Tax Foundation here:

http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/266.html

I will reproduce the ranking for those without a PDF viewer:

List of states by number of federal spending per dollar of federal taxes

1. New Mexico - $2.03
   
2. Mississippi - $2.02
   
3. Alaska - $1.84
   
4. Louisiana - $1.78
   
5. West Virginia - $1.76
   
6. North Dakota - 1.68
   
7. Alabama - $1.66
   
8. South Dakota - $1.53
   
9. Kentucky - $1.51
   
10. Virginia - $1.51
    
11. Montana - $1.47
    
12. Hawaii - $1.44
    
13. Maine - $1.41
    
14. Arkansas - $1.41
    
15. Oklahoma - $1.36
    
16. South Carolina - $1.35
    
17. Missouri - $1.32
    
18. Maryland - $1.30
    
19. Tennessee - $1.27
    
20. Idaho - $1.21
    
21. Arizona - $1.19
    
22. Kansas - $1.12
    
23. Wyoming - $1.11
    
24. Iowa - $1.10
    
25. Nebraska - $1.10
    
26. Vermont - $1.08
    
27. North Carolina - $1.08
    
28. Pennsylvania - $1.07
    
29. Utah - $1.07
    
30. Indiana - $1.05
    
31. Ohio - $1.05
    
32. Georgia - $1.01
    
33. Rhode Island - $1.00
    
34. Florida - $0.97
    
35. Texas - $0.94
    
36. Oregon - $0.93
    
37. Michigan - $0.92
    
38. Washington - $0.88
    
39. Wisconsin - $0.86
    
40. Massachusetts - $0.82
    
41. Colorado - $0.81
    
42. New York - $0.79
    
43. California - $0.78
    
44. Delaware - $0.77
    
45. Illinois - $0.75
    
46. Minnesota - $0.72
    
47. New Hampshire - $0.71
    
48. Connecticut - $0.69
    
49. Nevada - $0.65
    
50. New Jersey - $0.61
    

For those familiar with the electoral college map, please note that the top 10 are red states and the bottom 10 are blue states (with the exception of Colorado, which is battleground).

There is further breakdown of the spending on a state by state basis done by the Tax Foundation available at their site.

So yeah, in addition to being amongst the top 3 welfare states, Alaskans also get their cut from the oil companies and the Alaska Independence Party is a huge mover and shaker on their political scene to the point where (regardless of whether or not she was a member or not) the fucking GOVERNOR OF THE STATE feels it necessary to pander to them. And you don't see why I'm pissed off at the hypocrisy of such thinking?

PS It is arguable that Alaska slipped from the top 3 (but this is unverifiable until the Tax Foundation does another ranking) after Palin took over as governor as she apparently did veto some earmarks but do note that this ranking most likely takes into account the earmarks Palin got for Wasila through the lobbyist she hired for a small town of 6,000.

[wvbygod]

28. Color me red and blushing

Seeing my state in the red through a blue haze has left me thinking I should redouble
my efforts but my job has done that for me and the deductions on my paycheck are not
shrinking as well as my spare cash is.

I see you point and have no excuse and nothing else to add except a headache.

[faithfulcitizen]

3. wow, my IQ dropped 20 points listening to him. Greta really dumbed it down for him. Stunning.

[carpediem]

4. I was struck by his basically treating the campaign as travel

She asked him about going on the campaign trail and he said something along the lines of - who would turn down this opportunity, we get to travel to lots of states we've never been to before.

I agree with you though that he did seem to suggest that Alaskan families are different than American families. And boy, did Greta have to help him out with that interview.

[WinkyDink]

5. He sounds uneducated, uncultured, and puerile. An older Levi.

[grantcart]

6. I'm not sure we should let him take the WH tour let alone live in the WH

[Gin]

7. she asked why is Sarah so popular...and he answered using " WE"...

this guy is the shadow Governor...and he will be in on the decisions if they get in office...he needs to remember that she is running...not both of them....we need to watch this guy.

[wvbygod]

15. we need to watch this guy

Oh the irony.

[ccharles000]

8. I agree

[Obamarulz11]

9. I listened to that Dude for 2 minutes

Maybe it's just me..He's a dumbass. My IQ dropped about 20-30 points

[Riddler]

11. "You know" "you know" "you know" What is he, a 16 year old high school student?

[BlooInBloo]

12. He's the average American.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Bull

Since when does the average American make a six figure income and still take thousands of dollars of state assistance, ie welfare? Since when is the Average American joining radical seperatist parties?

[BlooInBloo]

25. Heh. I meant in terms of intellect, you know - like the post I responded to was talking about.

[uponit7771]

13. If Michelle was a part of a seperatist group there be NO DOUBT she'd be in jail

[codjh9]

19. Amen. They bashed her about her supposed lack of patriotism, while Paliin's hubby

looks like a freakin' Timothy McVea (OK, I'm exaggerating, but not by a ton)

[symbolman]

14. K & R

and sent out to as many people as I know..

Please do the same, get this message out there in BlogoLand.. we need more people to meet their Potential FUTURE SHADOW PRESIDENT.

According to their Religion, the MAN is the Ultimate decision maker, by God's LAW.

THAT is REALLY Scary, ya'll.

[Neecy]

17. putrid

First of all, what in the hell is going on with Van Susteren? She was fucking swooning over this nitwit.

You can see why they don't put this guy behind a microphone - inarticulate, dumb, prone to putting his foot in his mouth.

If Alaskans aren't Americans, why wouldn't he object to her being part of the Federal government? He can't even think straight.

[dgibby]

20. This needs to go VIRAL. K&R

Digg it, digg it, digg it! These people are very dangerous, imo. No White House, no White House Tour, no, no, no!

[Aloha Spirit]

21. I just exceeded my entertainment quota for the day.

[Nikki Stone1]

22. It's about the oil.

They don't like the benefits going to the mainland.

[mitchum]

23. He's learning disabled

[comanche12]

24. Greta on her knees w/Todd's buddy, who said....

"Sarah's just like you and me"; no follow-up questions, such as "Are you suggesting I endorse the aerial hunting of wolves?"

[samuraiguppy]

26. isn't he part native Alaskan?

if he is it may be like the American Indians here--natives have not always been treated that great by the USofA why should they feel like they are part of the family? just thinking here...