Apropos the hullabaloo regarding McCain/Palin's criticism of Obama as a socialist, Matt Yglesias asks:
"[I]sn't the closest thing to socialism on the American policy agenda the status quo situation in...Sarah Palin's Alaska? You have collective ownership of valuable natural resources that generates lots of revenue for the state, and then the government makes "spreading the wealth around" through the Permanent Fund, etc. its main priority. [ellipsis in original]
Of course, given that Gov. Palin has yet to understand that the VP does not run the Senate, it is unlikely she has made the connection between the annual oil check each Alaskan receives and the socialism she reviles in Sen. Obama's remark that "spreading the wealth around" benefits everyone.
Shortly after the oil from Alaska’s North Slope began flowing to market through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the [Alaska] Permanent Fund was created by an amendment to the constitution of the U.S. state of Alaska to be an investment for at least 25% of proceeds from some minerals [such as oil and gas] sale or royalties...The Alaska Permanent Fund sets aside a certain share of oil revenues to continue benefiting current and all future generations of Alaskans.
Can something so quintessentially Alaskan be un-American? Inquiring minds want to know.
So while Gov. Palin continues to criticize Sen. Obama for saying that "spreading the wealth around" helps everyone, the annual oil check paid to every Alaskan appears to do just that:
The PFD payout, which comes in or near October of each year, is acknowledged to have a substantial effect on Alaska's economy, both in total and especially in rural Alaska where unemployment can reach 60% and where cash is scarce.
While I am not against the Alaskan model of natural resource management, I do believe that as she runs around the country disparaging Sen. Obama's economic plan as socialism, Gov. Palin should be challenged to articulate why Alaskan socialism is not a problem for her. Why is spreading the wealth around good for Alaska but not good for the rest of America?
[Update] This year's disbursement to every eligible Alasakan is $3,269. Direct deposit was done on September 12, 2008 with checks going out starting September 30th. (Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery!) h/t Senor Unoball!
[Update 2] Here's a diary about another form of Alaskan welfare via federal largess.