DEBATE REALITY CHECK: PALIN WRONG ON DARFUR DIVESTMENT
October 02, 2008
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/PALIN TONIGHT: “We have a $40 billion investment fund, a savings fund called the Alaska permanent fund when I and others in the legislature found out that we had hundreds of millions of dollars in Sudan we called for divestment so we wouldn't be doing anything that could be seen as condoning activity in Darfur. That legislature hasn't passed (it) yet but it needs to because all of us as individuals and humanitarians and as elected officials should do all we can to end those atrocities in that side of the world.”
FACTS: PALIN’S ADMINISTRATION WAS COMPLICIT IN KILLING DARFUR DIVESTMENT BILL
Alaska Permanent Fund’s Money Managers Opposed Darfur Divestment Bill. “A bill before the Legislature would force managers of the Alaska Permanent Fund to dump stocks of companies doing business in Sudan, whose government has been blamed for genocidal killings in Darfur. The measure also would apply to state retirement fund investments. Alaska's money managers oppose the bill and say managing money according to a political agenda is a bad bet. Managers of the state savings accounts say House Bill 287 would complicate their work, raise expenses and have little effect in Darfur. Managing money according to a social or political agenda is a bad bet, said Mike Burns, the permanent fund chief executive officer.” [AP, 3/4/08 ]
· Palin Appoints the Board of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation. “A governor-appointed board of six trustees sets APFC policy. Alaska law provides that the APFC Board be comprised of four public members, the Commissioner of Revenue and one additional cabinet member of the governor's choosing. Public members serve staggered four-year terms.” [Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Website ]
Under The Palin Administration, The Department Of Law Issued No Opinions Containing The Words “Divest,” “Sudan,” “Darfur” Or “Genocide.” The Department of Law has issued no opinions containing the word "divest" since 2004. It has never issued an opinion containing the words "Sudan" "Darfur" or "genocide." Searches for opinions on "social and invest" and "sanction and invest" revealed nothing relevant to Sudan or Darfur. [Alaska Department Of Law ]
Sarah Palin’s Administration Was Complicit In Killing Sudan Divestment Bills In Committee. On February 9, 2008, Governor Sarah Palin’s appointed Deputy Commissioner of Revenue spoke to the Alaska House State Affairs Committee on bipartisan HB 287, which would require the state to divest from Sudan. He agreed with another speaker who said divestment was ‘not the right tool.’ On April 1, Commissioner of Revenue paid lip service to SB 227 in the Alaska Senate State Affairs Committee, saying that the bill “should be amended…in the Finance Committee” and said that the Department of Revenue was “working with the Department of Law... to actually take certain actions with regard to divestiture that would still be compliant with the state investment laws.” The Legislature adjourned Sine Die on April 13. [Minutes Of The 25th Alaska Legislature]
Validator: Representative Les Gara
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DEBATE REALITY CHECK: PALIN WRONG ON CLIMATE CHANGE SUB-CABINET POSITION
October 02, 2008
PALIN TONIGHT: “We have got to encourage other nations to come along with us with the impacts of climate change, what we can do about that. As governor I was the first governor to form a climate change subcabinet to start dealing with the impacts.”
FACTS: PALIN WAS NOT THE FIRST GOVERNOR TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE OR REORGANIZE HER CABINET TO DEAL WITH IT
In JANUARY 2007, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick Began Sweeping Cabinet Reorganization to Integrate Energy and Environment to Deal With Climate Change. "The challenge of climate change illustrates vividly the need to integrate energy and environmental policy," added Governor Patrick, who has begun a sweeping Cabinet reorganization that combines energy and environmental affairs agencies into a single secretariat." [Gov. Patrick Press Release, 1/8/07 ]
· Nevada Created Climate Committee in April, 2007. On April 10, 2007, “Governor Jim Gibbons today signed an executive order creating the Nevada Climate Change Advisory Committee and named its 13 members. The Committee is tasked with making recommendations to the Governor on reducing Nevada's greenhouse gas emissions." [State of Nevada Press Release , 4/10/07]
· By May of 2007, 29 States had Taken Action On Climate Change. "Among the 29 states that have taken steps to curb their contributions to global warming, some have been more active than others. Massachusetts sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its refusal to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, and won a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court last month. California, at the urging of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, passed the nation's most stringent emissions control legislation. California also worked with several New England states to set up the carbon registry." [St. Petersburg Times, 5/10/97 ]
Palin Created Subcabinet on Climate Change In SEPTEMBER 2007. According to a press release, “Governor Sarah Palin today signed Administrative Order 238 establishing a sub-cabinet to prepare a climate change strategy. ‘Many scientists note that Alaska’s climate is changing,’ Governor Palin said. ‘We are already seeing the effects. Coastal erosion, thawing permafrost, retreating sea ice and record forest fires affect our communities and our infrastructure. Some scientists tell us to expect more changes in the future. We must begin to prepare for those changes now.’” She also said that the sub-cabinet would look at ways to develop the state’s renewable energy sources. [Palin press release, 9/14/07]
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DEBATE REALITY CHECK: BUSH AND MCCAIN BUDGETS
October 02, 2008
Tonight, Joe Biden said: “[McCain] voted 4 out of 5 times on George Bush's budget.” [Vice Presidential Debate, 10/2/08]
FACT: MCCAIN SUPPORTED 4 OF 5 BUSH BUDGETS
· McCain Voted for 4 of 5 Bush Budgets Adding Up To $9.8 Trillion In Spending. McCain supported four of the five Bush budgets that the Senate voted on from 2001-2006. McCain voted for the FY 2002 budget, the FY 2005 budget, the FY 2006 budget and the FY 2007 budget. The budgets added up to $9.8 Trillion in spending. [2001 Senate Vote #98; 2004 Senate Vote #58; 2005 Senate Vote #114; 2006 Senate Vote #74]
FACT: MCCAIN’S SPENDING PROPOSALS DON’T ADD UP AND ARE FAR MORE COSTLY THEN OBAMA’S PLANS
· McCain Offers Four More Years Of Soaring Deficits. Just like George Bush, McCain budget plan offers four more years of soaring deficits. The non-partisan Tax Policy Center said McCain’s tax plan would add $3.4 trillion to the debt over the next decade, and cuts for the wealthy instead of middle class families. [Tax Policy Center, 7/23/08, p. 42]
· New York Times: McCain’s Budget Will Add $200 Or $300 Billion To The Deficit Per Year. “The Obama campaign claims it can pay for all this, and even reduce the deficit, through tax increases and spending cuts. I think a more skeptical look at its budget leaves you worried it may add something like $50 billion a year to the deficit. But applying the same arched brow to Mr. McCain’s stated plans leaves you worried that he will add $200 billion or $300 billion or, depending on his voluntary tax system, even more.” [New York Times, 6/18/08 ]
· McCain Has No Plan To Pay For His Tax Cuts For The Wealthy And Corporations. McCain’s promise to continue George Bush’s tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and give big corporate interests a tax cut would cost $340 billion a year, according to the Tax Policy Center. The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and New York Times have all raised questions about whether McCain can pay for these tax breaks. In fact, a Washington Post editorial even said that his budget plan is “not credible” [Editorial, Washington Post, 7/14/08 ; Editorial, New York Times, 7/12/08 ; Wall Street Journal, 4/16/08]
· Washington Post: McCain’s Approach To Taxes Is Far More Costly Than Obama’s. “There is a serious debate to be had in this presidential campaign about the fundamentally different tax policies of Barack Obama and John McCain. Then there is the phony, misleading and at times outright dishonest debate that the McCain campaign has been waging -- most recently with a television ad. The two candidates have very different positions on taxes. Mr. Obama wants to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and cut them substantially for low- and middle-income taxpayers. He would cut taxes for more households, and by a larger amount, than Mr. McCain, who would give the greatest benefits to wealthy households and corporations. … The McCain campaign insists on completely misrepresenting Mr. Obama's plan. … The country can't afford the tax cuts either man is promising, although Mr. McCain's approach is by far the more costly. We don't expect either side to admit that. But neither side should get to outright lie about its opponent's positions, either.” [Editorial, Washington Post, 8/31/08 ]
· Washington Post: McCain’s Plan To Balance The Budget By 2013 “Is Not Credible.” “McCain says that President McCain would balance the federal budget by 2013. The plan is not credible. … Mr. McCain sells American voters short -- and he does himself a disservice -- with his implausible claim.” [Editorial, Washington Post, 7/14/08 ]
· New York Times: McCain Cannot Balance The Budget On A Crusade Against Pork And A One-Year Sliver Of Federal Spending And He Either Has A “Secret Plan To Balance The Budget Or He’s Blowing Smoke.” “Mr. McCain’s main campaign promises, if fulfilled, would lead to huge budget deficits. Extending the Bush tax cuts, enacting more tax cuts of his own and staying the course in Iraq would cost hundreds of billions of dollars more, every year, than the small bore spending cuts he has specified. Mr. McCain cannot balance the budget on a crusade against pork and a one-year freeze in a sliver of federal spending. Either he has a secret plan to balance the budget or he’s blowing smoke.” [Editorial, New York Times, 7/12/08 ]
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DEBATE REALITY CHECK: APPOINTEES
October 02, 2008
Tonight, Sarah Palin said: “You do what I did as governor. And you appoint people regardless of party affiliation. Democrats, independents, Republicans, you walk the walk, don't just talk the talk.” [Vice Presidential Debate, 10/2/08]
FACT: PALIN HIRED HER FRIENDS TO KEY ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS
· Palin Hired Friends for Key Administration Positions. “Other friends and allies have gotten good jobs. Palin appointed close friend and political fund-raiser Deborah Richter as director of the Permanent Fund Dividend Division—the state agency that hands out yearly oil-dividend checks to Alaskans. As her attorney general, Palin chose Talis Colberg, a friend who specializes in insurance law. Some legal experts warned that Palin would do better to select someone with more experience in the oil and gas field—a big part of the Alaska attorney general's caseload—but ‘she chose someone she trusted,’ says Dave Dittmer, her pollster.” [Newsweek, 9/6/08 ]
· Palin Hired a High School Friend With No Experience to Head the State Division of Agriculture – a $95,000 Per Year Job. “So when there was a vacancy at the top of the State Division of Agriculture, she appointed a high school classmate, Franci Havemeister, to the $95,000-a-year directorship. A former real estate agent, Ms. Havemeister cited her childhood love of cows as one of her qualifications for running the roughly $2 million agency.” [New York Times, 9/14/08 ]
· Palin Hired a High School Friend Who Had Established an Alaska Franchise of Mailboxes Etc. to Head the Economic Development Office, Paying Him $83,000 Per Year. “The Wasilla High School yearbook archive now doubles as a veritable directory of state government. Ms. Palin appointed Mr. Bitney, her former junior high school band-mate, as her legislative director and chose another classmate, Joe Austerman, to manage the economic development office for $82,908 a year. Mr. Austerman had established an Alaska franchise for Mailboxes Etc.” [New York Times, 9/14/08 ]
· Palin Hired One of Todd Palin’s Fellow Bristol Bay Setnetters to Serve on the State Fisheries Board. “Gov. Palin also appointed one of her husband's fellow Bristol Bay setnetters to the state Fisheries Board.” [Washington Post, 9/22/08 ]
· Palin Hired Childhood Friend John Bitney, a Registered Lobbyist, to Work on Her Gubernatorial Campaign – Later Became Her Legislative Director. In 2006, according to the Associated Press, "Bitney terminated his lobbying contracts when he joined the [Palin] campaign" and wrote "position papers, speeches, talking points, letters and messages for the campaign." The AP reported, however, that Bitney remained registered as a lobbyist while working with Palin, though "state law prohibits a registered lobbyist from serving as a campaign's director or treasurer, participate in fundraising or exercise any decision making authority or control over the campaign." [Associated Press, 9/21/06, Anchorage Daily News, 7/10/07]
o Bitney Served as Palin’s Legislative Director Once She Took Office. According to the Anchorage Daily News in 2007, John Bitney served as “Gov. Palin’s legislative director.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/10/2007]
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DEBATE REALITY CHECK: MCCAIN VS SCHIP EXPANSION
October 02, 2008
Tonight, Joe Biden said of McCain: “He voted against including 3.6 million children in coverage of an existing healthcare plan when he voted in the Senate.” [Vice Presidential Debate, 10/2/08]
The Facts: McCain Opposed SCHIP Expansion
MCCAIN SUPPORTED BUSH VETO OF SCHIP EXPANSION
McCain Supported Bush's Veto of SCHIP And Voted Against Providing Insurance For Millions of Uninsured Because It Raised Taxes On Tobacco. McCain voted against reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program for five years, expanding the program by $35.2 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, it would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. McCain told CNN that Bush’s subsequent veto of the legislation was the “right call by the president” because the legislation offered a “phony smoke and mirrors way of paying for it.” According to the New York Times, “what really sets [McCain] off is the way Congress proposes to finance the measure, which President Bush vetoed and is facing a veto override vote: an added tax on cigarettes.” [2007 Senate Vote #307, 8/2/2007; 2007 Senate Vote #306, 8/2/2007; 2007 Senate Vote #401 , 10/31/07; CNN, 10/3/2007 ]
The SCHIP Bill Would Have Expanded Health Coverage To 5.8 Million Children. Accord to the CBO, the SCHIP bill would expand coverage to 5.8 million children, 3.8 million of whom are uninsured and 2 million of whom have or have access to private health insurance. [Congressional Budget Office, 9/25/07 ]
