For Government Before She Was Against It

The hypocrisy just keeps coming.

At an appearance today in Colorado, Governor Earmark of Alaska appeared to channel Ronald Reagan:

We became part of the fastest growing area of the state because businesses wanted to be there. They also knew that they would have elected leaders knowing that government isn't always the answer. In fact, too often government is the problem.

The vice-presidential nominee neglected to mention her recent lust for big government: the $450,000 set aside for an agricultural processing facility in Wasilla that was requested during Palin's tenure as mayor and was approved by Congress soon after she left office in 2002; or the $500,000 for a community transit center in Wasilla; or the $1 million for a communications center in town.

Nor did Mrs. Palin remember any of the $256 million in earmarks she requested in 2008. She didn't mention the $1 million (which was refused by Congress) which she requested to investigate rockfish fisheries or the $3.2 million requested in part for researching the “genetics of harbor seals.” Or any of these projects noted by Politico:

• $400,000: Alaska Invasive Species Program: Continues to comprehensively prevent, identify, and respond to the threat of invasive species on the Alaska environment.

• $494,900: Assessment of Recreational Halibut Harvest in Alaska: This is an ongoing effort to collect data on the recreational halibut fishery that is conducted by federal agencies though relying on the state for data.

•$2 million: Bering Sea Crab Research and Management: Researches Bering Sea crab productivity and sustainability as necessary to restore crab stocks.

• 3.2 million: Seal and Steller Sea Lion Biological Research: Funds monitoring of ice seal populations in Native villages, research on the species delineation and genetics of harbor seals to understand the declines in population and provide for population restoration, and continues research into Steller Sea Lion population decline.

And then there is the infamous $223 million Governor Earmark supported for a bridge linking Ketchikan to Gravina Island with its airport and 50 residents. She continues to lie about it-today for the tenth time.

As mayor, Sarah Palin was all for big government. As governor, she was all for big government. And now as candidate for national office, Sarah Palin tells her adoring right wing audiences that she's against big government. Sarah Palin is a champion- a champion hypocrite.