ANCHORAGE, AK -- A key witness in the Alaska State Senate Ethics investigation of Gov. Palin has backed out of testifying today, the state senator in charge of the investigation tells NBC News. The senator -- Democrat Hollis French -- says Frank Bailey's decision not to testify will slow down the "Troopergate" investigation into the current candidate.

The investigation centers on whether Gov. Palin abused her power when firing her commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan in July 2008. Monegan maintains he was fired, for not firing another man in his command -- Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten -- Gov. Palin's ex-brother in law who, years earlier, went through a messy divorce with her sister.

Frank Bailey, a member of Palin's administration, was caught on tape in August 2008 on a phone call with another trooper in which he questioned why Wooten was still on staff, seemingly speaking on behalf of Palin. The release of this tape proved embarrassing for Palin, who was forced to backtrack on her earlier statements, in which she had maintained neither she, nor her family, nor staff, ever pressured Monegan or anyone else to fire Wooten.

Bailey was put on paid leave from the administration following the release of that tape.

Since becoming the VP nominee, Palin has challenged jurisdiction of the ethics investigation. Bailey cites that jurisdictional uncertainty as his reason for not testifying.

State Sen. French says no one in the investigation, including Bailey and Gov. Palin, was subpoenaed to testify because all had previously agreed to cooperate voluntarily.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/03/1334385.aspx

" jurisdictional uncertainty."

Uh huh.

The longer they fight it, the harder it will be to tell the truth. It's up to them. Whatever.

McCain wants to freeze the federal budget until it is balance per Economic Advisor Dr. Tim Kane.

When asked if included Social Security he said yes.

As a budgeted line item it would then become a cut. The baby boomers are starting to retire, therefore more people will be enrolling in Social Security with the same number of dollars for the participants.

Therefore the only way to stay within budget is to cut how much everybody gets per month.

Maybe McCain could lead by example and give up his monthly Social Security Check, NOW!

That's just a way to starve the programs to the point where people would consider other options.

Shock doctrine, applied across the board.

No thanks.