Nice to see the truth about her coming out more and more.

AP INVESTIGATION: Palin pipeline terms curbed bids
By JUSTIN PRITCHARD and GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writers Justin Pritchard And Garance Burke, Associated Press Writers 1 hr 50 mins ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin's signature accomplishment — a contract to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48 — emerged from a flawed bidding process that narrowed the field to a company with ties to her administration, an Associated Press investigation shows.

Beginning at the Republican National Convention in August, the McCain-Palin ticket has touted the pipeline as an example of how it would help America achieve energy independence.

"We're building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline, which is North America's largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever, to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets," Palin said during the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate.

Despite Palin's boast of a smart and fair bidding process, the AP found that her team crafted terms that favored only a few independent pipeline companies and ultimately benefited the winner, TransCanada Corp.

And contrary to the ballyhoo, there's no guarantee the pipeline will ever be built; at a minimum, any project is years away, as TransCanada must first overcome major financial and regulatory hurdles.

In interviews and a review of records, the AP found:

_Instead of creating a process that would attract many potential builders, Palin slanted the terms away from an important group — the global energy giants that own the rights to the gas.

_Despite promises and legal guidance not to talk directly with potential bidders, Palin had meetings or phone calls with nearly every major candidate, including TransCanada.

_The leader of Palin's pipeline team had been a partner at a lobbying firm where she worked on behalf of a TransCanada subsidiary. Also, that woman's former business partner at the lobbying firm was TransCanada's lead private lobbyist on the pipeline deal, interacting with legislators in the weeks before the vote to grant TransCanada the contract. Plus, a former TransCanada executive served as an outside consultant to Palin's pipeline team.

_Under a different set of rules four years earlier, TransCanada had offered to build the pipeline without a state subsidy; under Palin, the company could receive a maximum $500 million.

"Governor Palin held firmly to her fundamental belief that Alaska could best serve Alaskans and the nation's interests by pursuing a competitive approach to building a natural gas pipeline," said McCain-Palin spokesman Taylor Griffin. "There was an open and transparent process that subjected the decision to extensive public scrutiny and due diligence."


Link to full article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081025/ap_on_el_pr/palin_pipeline

-- Modified on 10/25/2008 11:30:10 AM

The true failure would be to sit on my ass and lament the situation. Americans dont do that. Or at least they didnt used to.

We stand up and we fight back. Yes our forefathers victories have made us complacent.

Its more important now than ever to be vigilant and fight back any way possible.

Your demoralizing bullshit is getting on my nerves.

Go the fuck back to Russia or whatever hole you crawled out of.

I've always maintained that Sarah Palin is no Dick Cheney.  

She is a female incarnation of George Bush. From the religious zeal to the pettiness & dictatorial manner they govern, they are cut from the same cloth.

But it's worse.  Beside Bush characteristics, she embodies the craftiness & vilesness of Cheney as well.

McCain would be almost tolerable; the addition of Palin to the ticket makes me puke.

to include what some people consider to be visual appeal. She does, however, polarize the electorate, and cause distraction, which is in the interests of the folks who own this country. They are harvesting millions, if not to be billions of taxpayer dollars right under our noses while we are distracted by the spectacle of an election that poses a choice between the Ass (which they own), or the Elephant (which they own). Have fun!

-- Modified on 10/25/2008 12:41:00 PM

Gregory12's posts are a FUCKING BREATH OF FRESH AIR to the bullshit partisan back and forth and get nowhere posts that make up the majority of the history of this board.  He is pointing out the REAL issues that affect our society, not the "chase the cheese on the habitrail" stuff the media and the real powers keep us chasing...and instead of talking to him like someone trying to understand and communicate, you are acting like so many others on this board and being angry, cynical, crude, and offensive.

If you don't agree with him, fight with reason...not with anger and lowest common denominator bullshit.

Your posts are saying over and over. "Its over they won" now lets go have a beer.

Its not over, not by a longshot. 8 years ago we had a booming economy. Record surplus in the federal budget.

In the next 8 years the pendulum will swing back the other way. Could socialism do that? No way.

America is still the best country on earth and anyone who says different is gonna hear it from me.

BTW these "mysterious owners" were invited to do what they are doing by the elected officals at the time. Our banking system was so fucked up another baseline had to be formed.  

IMO your just another doomsayer conspiricy theorist.

You just cant get anything right.

Palin was a misguided attempt to cature Hillary supporters after the brutal campaign for the DEM nominee.

No one counted on Hillary backing Obama as well as she has. And Palin being such a disappointent. Really the GOP can only blame themselves for not doing simple research.

Yea maybe Palin will have to get Colin Powell to testify and say she has good character like he did for SEN Ted Stevens

Yep Powell has great character he  took care of His BRO

still say I bet you believe in the  Illuminati

Do you think those  that control did 911 and not terrorists ?

Just he cant endorse Palin in any way.

I guess the joke sailed over  your head

What you've described is just another way of saying that the lady was picked for her entertainment value. Electoral politics is nothing but entertainment - with the two party / one owner system

She ran for office to do something about corrupt politicians.  Well she did!  She became the most corrupt politician in Alaska!

But she's got great taste in high heels.  GGrrrr!