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By Cassandra Effect, July 11, 2009 4:02 am

As she prepares to leave office, yet ANOTHER ethics complaint is filed against her. (Letter is HERE)  This time the complaint alleges that she should not have been paid a per diem for living at home in Wasilla when the Governors Mansion in Juneau is supposed to be her home and already “paid for” by the state.   The letter is worth reading so you can see how a letter from a single concerned citizen becomes national news WITHOUT ANY LEGAL OPINION.   It is very interesting to note that ethics complaints in Alaska are supposed to be filed confidentially, but this complaint was announced to the press.  Surely you can understand why the law should require an ethics complaint would be treated confidentially, right?  Its so that if the compliant is found to be untrue, the person’s would not have had their name dragged through the mud.  But wait – that’s the strategy here – the politics of personal destruction.

Gov’s Chief of Staff Releases Statement 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-174

Governor’s Chief of Staff Releases Statement

July 10, 2009 Fairbanks, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin’s chief of staff, Mike Nizich, issued the following statement today on the occasion of the 19th ethics complaint being filed against the governor or a member of her staff:

“A week ago today, the governor told Alaskans that she was about to step down as governor in large part because of the campaign of harassment against this office, in which the Executive Branch Ethics Act has been repeatedly abused. Incredibly, since then two more ethics complaints have been filed against the governor, including one today.

“Typically, the first action by these complainants has been an illegal one – to announce the filing of the complaints to the news media, in clear violation of the mandatory confidentiality in the law. Unfortunately, unlike the legislative ethics act, there is no provision in the executive ethics act for a complaint to be automatically dismissed when it is publicized prematurely. Regardless of that, it is breathtakingly hypocritical for anyone to violate the ethics law in the very act of making an allegation against the governor.”

“Although the governor would not have thought it possible, the latest complaint rises to a new level of absurdity in alleging that she has been paid for interviews that she has given to the news media. It is amazing to me that anyone could think that, let alone put their name behind it and once again seek to distract state officials and needlessly increase their work load. The state is losing the value of some of its expenditures when public servants are pulled away from important assignments to deal with far-fetched and mean-spirited allegations.”

Governor Palin issued the following statement:

“The only saving grace in this recent episode is that it proves beyond any doubt the significance of the problem Alaska faces in the ‘new normal’ of political discourse. I hope this will be a wake-up call – to legislators, to commentators and to citizens generally – that we need a much more civil and respectful dialogue that focuses on the best interests of the state, rather than the petty resentments of a few.”

Of the ethics complaints against the governor or her staff, 15 have been resolved without any finding of wrongdoing, and four are now pending.

SOURCE

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By Cassandra Effect, July 9, 2009 7:06 pm

Lets use a little game theory to analyze Sarah Palin’s political options:

Option 1 Stay in Office as Governor and make a Presidential run for 2012

Pro’s: 

Retains Governor Title, and prestige associated with such

Con’s:

Subject to continued ethics attacks, which draw down her energy and personal financial resources

Difficulty in campaigning the Lower 48 from Alaska

Weak National Exposure – will again face the “Sarah is stupid” argument of the Left

Option 2 Exit office now and prepare for 2012 and support 2010 candidates

Pros: 

Write book – generate revenue to eliminate personal expenses and generate national PR

Will Campaign for 2010 Congressional Candidates – generate more PR and political capital

Will gain true National Exposure if she desires to run for President

Cons:

Will be named  ”quitter”

Option 2 makes complete sense once you think about it – the Left will be calling her names regardless of the scenario.  Might as well make money on her book and public speaking while she is bankable and make a difference in the mid term elections.  Between now and 2012, she has a lot of time to make a national impact and deny the “quitter” name.

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By Cassandra Effect, July 7, 2009 1:00 am

Forget the pundits – She’s not running for President  – She’s Going Galt.  John Galt.

Could there be a Palin Gulch somewhere in Alaska?

UPDATE: 7/13/2009

Cassandra Effect and Sarah Palin mocked in Village Voice

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By Cassandra Effect, July 4, 2009 9:43 pm

Maureen Dowd unleashed a double barrelled attack on Sarah Palin in her op-ed in  todays Sunday New York Times.

The viciousness and nastiness of this op-ed speak for volumes about Ms. Dowd.  Its hard to imagine if the vitriol from the left could get any worse, but they’re reached close to bottom here.  You have to admire the left in one way - they stick to their playbook -Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals  – Riducle your Opponent. 

Names Maureen Calls Sarah: Nutty puppy, erratic behavior, narcissistic personality disorder, solipsistic meltdown, incoherent, prickly, reckless

In three words I can sum up the article:  ”Maureen hates Sarah”

A more complex analysis would suggest that the Left is going to miss having Sarah Palin to kick around for a while.  It’s tough to ridicule a private figure.

Trust me, we have plenty more Sarah Palin coming our way in the future – stay tuned for the 2010 Mid Term Elections – shes gonna rock the house!

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By Cassandra Effect, July 3, 2009 2:56 pm

Sarah Palin has announced she will resign as Governor of Alaska.   This is huge folks!  She will now be heading into the campaign breach, unfettered, and unassailable as a public servant.  This will empower her to be the chief campaigner for the 2010 midterm elections, as well as give her plenty of street cred and time for the American people to get used to seeing routinely before the 2012 Presidential Election.  Good luck to the MSM in trying to tear her down – she is a force of nature!  Go Sarah go!

Her official remarks are HERE, but be sure to read this part below - inspiring!  (Emphasis mine)

Life is too short to compromise time and resources… it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: “Sit down and shut up”, but that’s the worthless, easy path; that’s a quitter’s way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and “go with the flow”.

Nah, only dead fish “go with the flow”.

No. Productive, fulfilled people determine where to put their efforts, choosing to wisely utilize precious time… to BUILD UP.

And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it! And I’ll work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and LIFE… I’ll work for and campaign for those PROUD to be American, and those who are INSPIRED by our ideals and won’t deride them.

I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don’t care what party they’re in or no party at all. Inside Alaska – or Outside Alaska.

But I won’t do it from the Governor’s desk.

I’ve never believed that I, nor anyone else, needs a title to do this – to make a difference… to HELP people. So I choose, for my State and my family, more “freedom” to progress, all the way around… so that Alaska may progress… I will not seek re-election as Governor.

And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks… travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade – as so many politicians do. And then I thought – that’s what’s wrong – many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and “milk it”. I’m not putting Alaska through that – I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago – and I meant it.

It’s not what is best for Alaska.

I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is unconventional and not so comfortable.