Palin Conclusively BUSTED on ROAD to Nowhere (forget the bridge, if you want)

[Land Shark]

As reported on CNN, even though the bridge to nowhere wasn't built in Alaska, Gov. Palin allowed the "Road to Nowhere" (the road that would connect the island airport to the bridge to Nowhere) to go forward at a cost of $3 million per mile. Nice air shots of perhaps the world's longest cul de sac leading to nowhere -- miles long. Even Palin's local representative, as interviewed on CNN (TV) couldn't deny the road was a waste of money.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/palin.road.to.nowhere/index.html
or, this equivalent tinyurl for the above link: http://tinyurl.com/4sbzyb

So what's Palin's claimed Defense??

It is twofold. First, that a congressional "earmark" left her with "no choice" and a "contract" for the road was "already signed". Neither will fly.

First, as a practical matter, if Congress backed off on the bridge, they will not punish Alaska or insist on a road to nowhere if there's no bridge to nowhere. REGARDLESS of any technicalities of earmark law (if any) -- as a practical matter -- common sense conclusively proves that anyone punishing Alaska for NOT building a "road to nowhere" would be out on something akin to the world's longest limb.

As to contract law, I recall very clearly from first year law school the following:

"Mutual mistake" is a complete defense to any contract. That is, if parties contract and BOTH make a mutual reasonable assumption that a certain fact exists that later turns out NOT to exist, then the contract need not be performed, because the contract legally DOESN'T EXIST. See "mutual mistake" section at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistake_(contract_law) and note that when both parties have a belief as to a "material" (important) fact, it makes the contract VOID, that is, NON-existent. (on edit: See the wikipedia mutual mistake in contract law article at the middle of this link: http://tinyurl.com/48n9uv (above full wikipedia link didn't display properly, so I'm providing the tinyurl as a backup)

Because the road-building contract for the Road to Nowhere would have been signed (they claim it was signed) at a time when it was assumed the bridge to nowhere was going forward, and the road was of course only needed to connect to the bridge to nowhere, when the bridge to nowhere evaporated --- the need to perform the contract evaporated with it. The road building contract was then VOID and non-existent, as a matter of law. And any Assistant Attorney General in Palin's administration would know this from first year law school.

Thus, the ROAD to nowhere is undoubtedly WASTE, PORK and a Palin contradiction -- of the most odious kind.

ON EDIT: The possibilities for truth-telling based on the "Road to Nowhere" frame are abundant. Please suggest your own, I'll start out with

McCain / Palin: Taking America Down the Road to Nowhere

Other Nominations???

(Permission to republish, repost, link or quote with full attribution to Land Shark granted, if desired.)

[SunsetDreams]

1. K&R

I watched that special on CNN too, and I was amazed that the road was still built.

She claims she had to go through with it, because that was what the money was specifically earmarked for.

Maybe this is naive thinking, since I am not in the Law profession, but if she was really against the "Bridge To Nowhere", then why didn't she give the money back for the road and the bridge?

It doesn't make sense to me at all.

[Land Shark]

3. Yes. Typical "earmark" or fed money deal is Accept Fed Money, w/ Strings attached

the alternative is not to accept the fed law/fed money, and then lose the federal money. Example: 55 mph speed limit, was framed as "change your speed limits to 55 or lose fed transportation money". that's a huge hit for most states, so they almost all complied reasonably soon. THis is another part of the context here.

[SunsetDreams]

5. Thank you,

I hope her "Road To Nowhere" will be symbolic for her and McCain's campaign for the Whitehouse.

McCain/Palin: "Road To Nowhere"

Obama/Biden: "Road To The Whitehouse"

[Land Shark]

6. "McCain/Palin: Taking America down the Road to Nowhere"

..and claiming that "we have no choice but to do so!"

What happened to the American can-do attitude, what happened to "fighting government waste, fraud and abuse?"

The possibilities for truth-telling about McCain Palin here using the "Nowhere" frame are indeed productive.

[Historic NY]

2. Interesting we had an earmark for a country road where I live...

it was neither requested or wanted but the Congress critter(R)insisted. They were willing to spend all kinds of money on a road that didn't need it. The money eventually was used to fix several other badly needs road projects that made sense. The former congress critter (R) was defeated by a Deomcrat. The point is she could have used the money for other necessary road projects but she hasn't got squat between her ears. What a waste of oxygen.

[Land Shark]

4. Exactly -- the KEY is the politician's INSISTENCE on the wasteful project going forward.... nt

[RichGirl]

7. You are right...

She has no defense. She said she STOPPED the bridge to nowhere, said "thanks, but no thanks". So if she stopped it, why would it go through. Then, obviously, any contract can be broken and this one that would have no purpose and cost the taxpayers money would most certainly have been broken.

Everything is documented and most likely on You Tube. She needs to be asked for one shred of evidence that she was EVER against this progect before being asked to be VP. Evidence that she tried to stop the bridge and the road. I'm sure she knows that's one of the first questions she'll be asked by the media so it's understandable why she's stirring clear. There just is no way in heaven to answer it except...I LIED.

[Land Shark]

8. RichGirl, would be interesting to check which construction companies benefitted from Road to Nowhere

as that is one "constituency" that WOULD want the Road to Nowhere still built. Connections to Palin?

Would also be fascinating to see if any shortcuts were taken on the engineering or building of the road -- pretty much KNOWING it was not to be truly used (this is possible for extra profits for the construction company). Though on TeeVee, the road at least looks nice from the air -- no traffic to give it any potholes, etc....

[merh]

11. Oh, there is no doubt in my mind some croney profitted.

The cow loving high school buddy that was named as director of the Agriculture Division is a prime example of how things work in Palinworld.

That cow lover's FIL is the owner/operator of one of the few dairy farms that shows a profit in Alaska. He formed/joined a co-op that just so happened to have bought the equipment from the state owned/operated dairy that failed during Palin's admin. The dairy was failing and the Dairy Commissioners (experts in their field) wanted to close it before it cost the state more money. Palin fired all them and put non-experts on the Commission, poured more money into the dairy and then it failed any way.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/merh/138

[Land Shark]

9. to tune of Palin & "Alice in Wonderland": (sing) ...how do you get to Nowhereland....

PALIN: She's going Nowhere, so ANY ROAD will take her There.

As Lewis Carroll wrote in Alice in Wonderland:

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there."

To the tune of "Alice in Wonderland":

(sing)
Palin, in Wonder-land
How do you get to Nowhere-land...
Over a Bridge or over Land?
Just beside the Sea?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. I would love to know who got the contract for the road and what did Palin receive in

return. I recall reading a post that said her house went up from $150,000 in assessed value to $500,000.

[Erin Elizabeth]

14. In the CNN piece, a spokesperson for her campaign

claims she couldn't stop construction once it started, but that's being disputed. She probably could have.

[Land Shark]

17. That's being disputed in the OP, mutual mistake (as to the bridge) makes the road contract VOID

on edit: So, REGARDLESS OF CONGRESSIONAL "EARMARK" considerations, there's no CONTRACT to build the road, so the earmark money SITS IN THE BANK, exactly where it SHOULD BE, unspent.

[Erin Elizabeth]

18. Yep, I agree.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. And I still wonder who benefited from an unnecessary contract.

[2 Much Tribulation]

12. some of the CNN video and commentary posted in political videos on this link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x196955

[Erin Elizabeth]

13. Actually according to the video, it cost EIGHT MILLION PER MILE.

That's a huge and important difference.

Watch the video if you haven't, everyone. It's pretty damning.

[2 Much Tribulation]

15. Wow, even worse than the OP says. Will have to check out video again....

[Erin Elizabeth]

16. Yep, I rewound and listened to it twice just to make sure

but she very clearly says eight million PER mile.

Edit: she says it at the 1:02 mark. It's three miles long and cost $24 million.

[Land Shark]

19. I wonder what the average cost per mile is for similar sized highways?

[GuvWurld]

20. Hartmann's recent Blazing Saddles reference

I think it was yesterday I heard Thom Hartmann referring to a scene in the movie Blazing Saddles. He was talking about the Wall St. bailout but it applies here too. The scene was a man pointing a gun to his own head while saying "stop or I'll shoot."

[bleever]

21. Where's her leadership now? She can break valid laws, but not invalid contracts?

Great points, Paul!

Stories like this will keep them on defense all the way through the election.

:hi:

[Land Shark]

22. And now McCain wants to cancel the first debate! (to study economy?) nt

[Disturbed]

24. A person is on salary as Toll Taker, still.

This is yet another example of Pit Bull Palin's many frauds.

Gov. Palin needs to be Impeached or at the very least Recalled as Gov.!

[2 Much Tribulation]

25. Right now she's trying to avoid debates, it seems.... nt