From the Associated Press
A $600 million bridge and highway project to link Alaska's largest city to Palin's town of 7,000 residents is moving full speed ahead, despite concerns the bridge could worsen some commuting and threaten a population of beluga whales.
Local officials already have spent $42 million on plans to route traffic across the Knik Arm inlet, a narrow finger of water extending roughly 25 miles northeast of Anchorage toward Wasilla. The proposal exists thanks to an earmark request by Republican Rep. Don Young, whose son-in-law has a small stake in property near the bridge's proposed western span.
I have a feeling that this one will stick. Not only has Palin not said "Thanks but no thanks" to this earmark, she still supports it. And even worse, McCain specifically spoke out against it in 2005:
He called Young's highway bill a "monstrosity" that was "terrifying in its fiscal consequences.
"I want no part of this," McCain said in a July 2005 statement. "This legislation is not — I emphasize not — my way of legislating."
If it's not McCain's "way of legislating", how can he possibly justify his pick of Palin knowing that she fully supported it? Based on the 2005 statements from McCain, it would appear that he had either had no part in the vetting process, or he was willing to quickly overlook the legislative ethics he once valued.
In addition, here is yet another reason why people who care about the environment should oppose a McCain/Palin administration.
The hypocrisy of the McCain campaign never ceases to amaze me.
I apologize for this (my first) diary lacking much serious analysis or action but I had to make something of my Monday night insomnia, and this breaking story seemed just the thing.
Clarification: The total of $600 million may be misleading. Alaska was awarded $450 million for both this and the "Bridge to Nowhere". The state has spent $42 million on the Wasilla project so far. If someone can figure out the exact figure for the Wasilla bridge I'll edit the total.
Okay, so: $450m in federal funding for both projects minus the proposed $315m for the 99901 bridge leaves $135m in earmarks for the Wasilla project.