Alaska State Politics.com

A regret and a call for leadership

2009-07-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, Governor Sarah Palin will resign her office, and Lt. Governor Sean Parnell will take her place. We here at ASP are sad to see Governor Palin go. Both Akidis and Jellaby wish her well and encourage her to not be discouraged by the plethora of incompetent, unprincipled and outright jealous voices that seek to destroy her. Check back here for follow up posts on what Conservatives can learn from Palin's time as Governor.

At the same time, ASP calls on Sean Parnell for bold, decisive and directed leadership. We know that he has the ability, the ideas, and what Governor Palin did not have: the right people. Sean Parnell has a circle of people that he can trust. Governor Palin, unfortunately, did not. She was not perfect as Governor, but no one is. What liabilities exist for Parnell?

1. There will be enormous pressure to keep the same department figures that have hampered the advancement of good policy.

2. The gas line which unfortunately does not look as optimistic as it did a year ago (because of the market, not because of AGIA), could eat up too much energy and momentum.

3. The media may try to ignore Parnell (they will try) for the summer and start coverage of the Governor's race a year ahead of time. It will be important to put forth an agenda for the next year, make it easy to communicate, relatively short (3-4 items), and come up with a communications strategy for it.

4. Parnell may be too timid.

All of these liabilities can be overcome. Let's hope they are.

It's a Sad Day

2008-07-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

The tragic news just came out today: Governor Palin has appointed Bill Hogan as Commissioner of the largest (and most ineffective) department in Alaska, the Health and Social Services Department.

This was an incompetent appointment. I'm really disappointed in this selection. Governor Palin has made the wrong decision, and it will be costly to Alaska. HSS needs an executive to focus the mission of the department and reign in the silos that have developed, not another degree in social work. It's as if she doesn't take any state government office seriously, except for that which relates to oil and gas. My support for the Governor on this blog in the past has been strong and vocal. Now, my criticism of her is going to be just as vocal.

Governor Palin, it is not your job to only be focused on oil and gas issues. The job requires multi-tasking. You have pursued reforms in other areas of government, but they have been less than enthusiastic, and the people who oppose you know it. The death of your health bill over the last regular session was a result of your oversight (or lack of it). You were probably sabotaged by some people working for you in the administration, but that is no excuse. You are running a state, not the city of Wasilla.

First, I recommend you get a chief of staff who knows what he is doing from out of state. I am guessing, but there is probably no one in Alaska who would make an effective chief of staff. There may be some bad PR, but it's nothing you can't handle. Second, you need to fire the Commissioner of Transportation, and let the chips fall where they may. Third, you need to find someone understands health and education policy, holds your views on it, and hire that person to work in your office. Fourth, you need to audit (traditional and performance) the department of Health and Social Services. That auditor needs to be accountable to your office alone. You can turn this around, but you need to start now.

Abortion Industry Scores

2007-11-04T01:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Alaska Supreme Court Oligarchy, parents are barred from having a say in whether or not their teenage daughters can have an abortion. I don't own my own business, but this has got to be good news for Big Abortion's tween marketing department.

Check out this ridiculous quote by our esteemed Chief Justice:
"From time to time, we are called upon to decide constitutional cases that touch upon the most contentious moral, ethical, and political issues of our day. In deciding such cases, we are ever mindful of the unique role we play in our democratic system of government. We are not legislators, policy makers, or pundits charged with making law or assessing the wisdom of legislative enactments. We are not philosophers, ethicists, or theologians, and 'cannot aspire to answer' fundamental moral questions or resolve societal debates. We are focused only on upholding the constitution and laws of the State of Alaska," wrote Fabe.

Bullshit. It is difficult to believe that this is what passes for competency in Alaska's highest court. I don't understand how the people could choose such a jud....oh, that's right. We don't get to choose. Read the ADN article here. The article tries to downplay the decision giving the number of teenagers who had abortions in 2006. But for some reason, the question of how such a decision would affect the numbers in the future didn't come up.

What Should Don Young Do?

2007-10-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

Opportunists are piling on Diane Benson in the race against Don Young because of a practice that characterizes the entire house. Earmark kickbacks are rampant, and they are very difficult to track. Did Don Young support an earmark in exchange for something? I don't know. Is Dave Obey making shady deals behind the closed doors of his office while he and his staff sort out the 36000 earmarks that were submitted? I don't know. Did John Murtha do the same? I don't know. Intent is very hard to prove. The problem is with the culture in planet Washington. There have been suggestions on how to change it, but so far Chairman Obey has not heeded the advice. This is not a defense of Don Young. He is going to have to defend himself before I defend him.

What do I think he should do? Right now, I think he should address this directly. He needs to speak more to it. So far, it's only democrats that are mounting against him. Yes, I said only democrats ---LeDoux is just a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He may be able to pull through this, but I hope, for the sake of Alaska, that Don Young is carefully considering more than just his own pride in these events. The only problem with my advice is that the Ethics Committee in the US Congress is going to try to stretch this investigation as close to the election as possible. By speaking to it, he is just giving the number one campaigner for the democrats ---the ADN--- ammo.

The sad thing is that I don't think it would be wise to trust anyone currently running against him to actually do things differently when it comes to earmarks.

Income Tax???

2007-10-04T00:40:00.000-07:00

Tom Brennan writes about how spoiled we are here in Alaska. Read the article here. The article makes a lot of points (too many for one article). Some of them are good points; some of the points i simply disagree with; and one of the points is just plain foolish: He seems to think we should have kept the income tax.

I may look like it, but I'm not stupid. I'm only pressing this point because I think Mr. Brennan needs to have a better explanation for this belief. I would have a tough time arguing that it's a Conservative belief. I realize there are a bunch of quasi Marxist Liberals around blathering away about the state getting its "fair share." But let's not sell out our principles to debate them on this point.

Governor Rolls Out ACES

2007-10-03T01:20:00.000-07:00

Today the Palin administration rolled out ACES, the reform to PPT. You can visit the website here. ACES stands for Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share.

What makes the debate over the tax interesting is the nature of everyone in it, and what they are pushing. There seem to be two kinds of Conservatives and one kind of Liberal (There are Liberals who are inconsistent, but we'll leave that alone for now).

The first kind of Conservative takes the same kind of position that Conservatives would take at the national level. Lower taxes and less government are the better way to go. We here at ASP tend to advocate the free market, but we also think this first kind of Conservative is wrong to use free market justifications to justify a lower PPT tax.

The second kind of Conservative operates from the principle that the resources are owned by the people of Alaska (as it says in the Alaska Constitution), and that it is the duty of elected officials to manage, sell or develop those resources for the best possible profit for the citizens here. The oil, mines and even the large stash of natural gas that the producers have stored up north: it all belongs to the citizens of Alaska. While this kind of Conservative would revolt if the federal government tried set up something similar, he's okay with this situation at the state level. Inconsistent?

I argue no. There is a qualitative difference between the state and federal government. A federal government is a kind of utilitarian construct. The state governements in most cases are bodies where the people have a genuine connection with each other that is more than utilitarian. Because of this qualitative difference, there are things we can do at the state level that we would never do at the federal level.

The Liberal who seeks to raise the PPT tax, does so for Marxian reasons, and would push for a higher tax even if the resources were not owned by the people of Alaska. What the Modern Liberal argues for at the state and federal level is the same, because ideology is not nuanced by context. Blinded by its forward march to whatever utopia it sees, it cannot discriminate between community (state) and construct (federal), and will gladly walk over any tradition, moral, principle or person who stands in the way. And that is what makes it inferior to the other two.

Both kinds of Conservatives need to keep the locus of debate between them and not allow this to become a conversation between Liberals and Conservatives. Ideology has little if anything constructive to contribute to the conversation.

Hot Spots at 37,000 Feet?

2007-09-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

Alaska Airlines is testing in flight Wi-Fi. I have a bet with Akidis about how much it will cost when it first comes out. I predict it will be about as popular as the in flight phones they have available. But, kudos to them for being innovative. Read the article here.

Akidis: Lock Him Up

2007-07-09T23:38:00.000-07:00

It is a great day for Alaska politics. According to this ADN article, former Rep. Tom Anderson was convicted of all 7 charges brought against him. I, for one, will be celebrating when they take him away. Anderson said,

"The prosecution has criminalized being a legislator over this
past year. And I think I fell victim to that," he said.

Lock up the bastard. As a mother, I can't help but think about his wife, Sen. McGuire, and their kid. My advice to Anderson is don't say anything that you wouldn't want your kid to read when a teenager. You know it will happen eventually.

Happy Alaska Flag Day

2007-07-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

According to the Gavel to Gavel website, today is Alaska Flag Day. This comes from 50states.com:

Alaska adopted the flag for official state use in 1959. The blue field represents the sky, the sea, and mountain lakes, as well as Alaska's wildflowers. Emblazoned on the flag are eight gold stars: seven from the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper. The eighth being the North Star, representing the northern most state. Alaska's flag was designed in 1926 by a 13-year-old Native American boy, Bennie Benson, from the village of Chignik. Bennie received a 1,000-dollar scholarship and a watch for his winning entry in the flag design contest.

From ASP

2007-07-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day! What better time to display Old Glory (or at least this early version of it) than today? The webpage from which it is found, has several different early flags of the American Revolution with brief explanations of them below. Read it, and remember. Memory may be the most important part of politics. It's a shame we don't use it properly.

Gara Criticizes House Leadership and, uh, half of the Senate Bipolar Leadership

2007-07-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

In this ADN article, with regard to Governor Palin's budget spending, Representative Gara spins it thus:

Some Democrats, who had urged the governor to veto
some of the projects, hailed Palin’s broad cuts. “The Republican
leadership went on a spending spree,” said Rep. Les Gara, a Democrat from
Anchorage. “The state can’t afford a $1.8 billion pet-project budget.”
Gara said he agreed with Palin’s calls for more public involvement in the
budget-writing process. “Instead of writing the budget in someone’s
office, there should be public testimony to defend what projects are being
requested,” Gara said.

Somebody screwed up. Either Rep. Gara got his talking points mixed up, or Sabra Ayres, the reporter, didn't get the memo. Rep. Gara fails to mention that the number two man in the Senate is a man from his own party, Sen. Hoffman (yes, Hoffman alone is number two. Sen. Stedman, unfortunately, is an empty three-piece suit).

Frankly, I expected more from Rep. Gara. He is usually more on top of things. After all, he was routinely seen meeting last session with fellow Democrats from the House and Senate in the Juneau restaurant The Zephyr, on Seward Street, and no, I don't think it was an open caucus.

It's all a show anyway. Does anyone really think Les Gara is concerned with keeping a Conservative budget? If you do, I have a bridge to sell to you.

ASP Listed on RedState.com

2007-06-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like some folks down in America have noticed ASP. The website has been listed at Red State under their directory of "State Blogs." That sounds great, but I wish they would get the title right.

This turn of events has reminded me to reiterate a point: ASP doesn't attempt to stay within party lines. It strives for the truth, whoever is saying it. I'm not an avid reader of Red State, but a surface observation of the website demonstrates that they are willing to point out the blemishes of someone's policy, no matter what party they are from. And they make no qualms that they affirm at least some of the values of the Republican party platform.

Back in the Saddle

2007-06-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

(Mat-Su Valley) After a hiatus of several months, ASP is back. Jellaby Baumgartner, editor of ASP, apologized to those who made the effort to check in with the website on a regular basis, only to be left hanging with no explanation. Because of previous travel commitments, Jellaby was unable to continue posting, and Akidis was “unable or unwilling” to manage the website alone in his absence. But, Jellaby is back for good, and says his priorities are now “correctly ranked.”

Jellaby commented on the tidal wave of news that took place in his absence. “There’s a lot that’s been going on, for sure. It’s a hell of a lot of ground covered,” he said. “That’ll teach me to never turn my back on what’s happening in the legislature. Alaska is never a boring place. I did manage to keep up with some of the AGIA issues while I was gone, though I plan to do a thorough review of the bill soon.”

Jellaby says he plans to stay in state indefinitely. “I have no plans to travel over the next year, which is good because the year is turning busy. The PNWER conference, education spending, gas tax this fall: Hold on tight.”

###

Akidis: Unbelievable

2007-03-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

As if it wasn’t bad enough that she is using valuable spots on the US Energy Council as an educational program for underdeveloped and uneducated legislators, Lyda now refuses to pay the way of Senators who plan to travel to the US Energy Council conference in DC this month. Even the Senators from her Bipolar Working Group will be required to pay from their own pocket for this important conference.

"Attending is optional," Green said. "In years past, we had 10 or 12
legislators who went, and the Legislature practically shut down. I would
rather see us continue working."

Unbelievable. It’s not optional for Alaska, Lyda. This isn’t New Jersey. We’re talking about the US Energy Council, not the National Farm Bureau.
The timing of this debacle could not have been worse. Even now, the federal community doubts whether Alaska can pull off a gasline (here, here, and here). According to the Alaska Journal of Commerce, a report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission expressed concern over whether a gasline will be built.
A key state lawmaker, House Majority Leader Ralph Samuels, said he is
concerned that the FERC report to Congress may be paving the way for more
aggressive action by the federal government in pushing the state.
Federal laws enacted by Congress in 2004 require a study of a possible takeover of the
project by the federal government. That study, by the U.S. Department of Energy,
is currently underway.

Maybe Lyda thinks this is one of those evil divisive ideological issues that Sen. Ellis talked about in his creed. While Uncle Fed is salivating over Alaska’s resources, Lyda continues to play games with the future of one of Alaska’s most valuable resources. The only thing worse than poor leadership is incompetent leadership.

Akidis: Gov. Palin vs. Uncle Fed (Ted)

2007-02-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

Look at this article by the Alaska Journal of Commerce featuring Sen. Ted Stevens complaining about funding, next to a very flattering picture. Here's a quote

Federal funding for some special Alaska programs
may be coming to an end over partisan politics, according to Sen. Ted Stevens.
“We are in for a very long, hard intense political year,” Stevens said Feb.
19 at an Anchorage press conference.

Compare that to a quote from Gov. Palin talking about the gasline to FERC officials in DC.

"The state of Alaska is not looking for
handouts," Palin said.
"We want to work with the federal government and the
companies to get this important project built."

Bravo Gov. Palin. Alaska has been a whore of the federal government too long. It's time for a change.

Is Anchorage Daily News Responding to ASP?

2007-02-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

ADN has a political blog which we here at ASP try to frequent as much as possible. Kyle does a pretty good job. On February 3rd, ASP launched its first post. Four days later, ADN launches another political blog on Juneau. No offense to the writer (whoever it is), but I would call it average. Now, ADN has launched a third blog, this time written by the editor. Ironically, the first post (at least the first post I can find), entitled "When We Get It Wrong...," came just five days after Akidis' partially retracted post on Stefan Milikowski's reporting, and just eleven days after Akidis posted on Alaska Public Radio censoring their report on the Tongass. The question is, did ADN start the two later blogs because of this site?

I don't know, nor do I care. I don't think in terms of marketing, so it may be violating savvy business practices to point out their sites, but again, I don't care. Welcome to the conversation, gentlemen.

(By the way, Mr. ADN Editor, Lynn wanted me to say that as a woman she found it offensive that in your bio on the blog, you named your two dogs, but you did not name your kid. Best to get that changed. Also, you need to put your name or pen name somewhere, so people don't call you Mr. Editor.)

Samuels Natural Gas Pipeline Presentation

2007-02-26T21:45:00.000-08:00

Alaska State Journal has made available online a Natural Gas Pipeline presentation by Rep. Ralph Samuels and Sen. Charlie Huggins. Unfortunately, it is merely a powerpoint presentation (I prefer audio lectures). I really wanted to attend this seminar, but couldn't make the drive. Word is Rep. Samuels has some very knowledgeable staffers working for him, so pay attention. All part of a more "open" government.

Akidis: Stefan Replies

2007-02-25T13:33:00.000-08:00

I received an email from Stefan about one of my previous posts entitled "Just the Facts, Stefan, Just the Facts." I am not going to reprint it here, because it was sent to my email address, and I assume it to be a conversation between Mr. Milikowski and me and therefore, I don't think it would be proper to set up his exact quotes for scrutiny.

But, he did dispute my post. My post claimed that Sen. Davis had not been reappointed to the Energy Council. After I checked out some old Senate journals I had printed off BASIS from the last couple years, I confirmed that Mr. Milikowski was right, and I was wrong on this point. My apologies to Stefan, and to Sen. Davis as well.

The other minor point and major point still stand: Portia is not indicated as Lyda's chief of staff on the Senate Bipolar Working Group website. If Portia told Stefan that she was the chief of staff (which I have no reason to doubt), the website ought to be changed. I concede this is a minor point, and not a reason to rip Stefan apart.

The final point, that the tone of the article made it sound like the minority was "crying foul" was unjust because of the nature of the press conference still stands. As a citizen, I could only see the press conference as it was shown online. The centrality of the press conference as an indicator of what a group thinks (as a group) should be maintained. When Stefan began to see that the reactions were different, he needed to bring this up with the Senators he talked with, and ask them why. I fully realize this is a judgment call based on a value that most establishment media do not possess. I don't think this is some conspiracy. It is because we as a society have chosen to say that reporters must report objectively. They can't do that any more than they can set aside their own humanity.

Why did it not cross Stefan's mind to call into question the difference between the reaction of the Senators in the press conference and the reaction of the Senators in personal, one-on-one conversation? It is because, Stefan, like all reporters (and blogwriters) have assumptions when they search for information, and those assumptions can be used to interpret things wrongly or not see things which may be at odds with their assumptions. So, are we to give up on finding objective reporting? Are we citizens doomed to sift through the assumptions of reporters to find out the facts of what really happened? Am I saying that Plato's form of objective reporting does not exist here on earth? Yes. This is not something we should try to hide or shun. This is our humanity, and we should embrace it. (I am not talking about relativism, which modern gnostics and college professors embrace, and only Leninists, Nazis, and other nihilists put into practice.)

Stefan did not ask me to do so, but someone else emailed me, and demanded that I either address my posts or take them down. I consider this an insult. Simply pulling a post that has factual problems with it may be good enough for the Associated Press or al Reuters, but not here. The posts stay. The old post disputing Stefan will be amended with a link to this post, and a disclaimer.

2007-02-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

Lynn has alerted me that she will soon be posting an article in which she will have to "eat" some of her words. She didn't say exactly what she meant. Stay tuned; things could get ugly.

Ah, it's always fun to see her with her foot in her mouth.

Urban Sprawl

2007-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

According to the ADN report here, parking is going to be quite a task for commuters in the days to come. It raises the question of urban sprawl. A movement called New Urbanism seeks to change the way communities use space by changing the zoning laws. Everyone I have talked with about New Urbanism finds some good points in it, but stops short of affirming it completely. New Urbanists tend to hold up cities like Portland, Oregon as ideals, and put down Atlanta, Georgia as planning disasters. If Alaska were to consider something like New Urbanism, the only reminder I would raise is that it isn't merely changing the nature of space. It changes your demographic, public consciousness, and therefore society. So, beware.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Juneau

2007-02-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

According to the schedule on Gavel to Gavel, US Senator Lisa Murkowski was in Juneau today to address the legislature. I couldn't listen to it while it was happening, but I plan to listen to it this weekend indepth. It is probably because I am still in my twenties that I have never heard a national politician address a body of state legislators. I am hoping to find some insights in her speech, while I read, for the first time, the Federalist Papers (I am ashamed to say this is the first time). Stay tuned.

Chickaloon Coal Exploration Comment Period Extended

2007-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

In a previous post, we mentioned that a Canadian Company has applied for a coal exploration permit in the Chickaloon area. The DNR has extended the comment period to February 28. You can read the public notice and find related documents here. Well, it appears that some in the Chickaloon area suffer from “Not in my backyard” syndrome. A report from KTVF in Fairbanks reports:

Michael Williams is the president of the Vancouver, British Columbia-based company. He says that any actual mining would largely be underground with little impact on the environment. Any work beyond exploration would need further government authority. Lisa Stevenson -- who heads an opposition group called the Castle Mountain Coalition -- says many residents don't believe their community can coexist with the venture.

For now, coal is here to stay. It is important that Alaska take the initiative now to establish ownership over its resources while the federal community is not seeking them. When the feds call for resources, there is little that can stop them.

For more on coal in Alaska (or lack of it), check out the Energy Information Administration's profile of the state here.

Akidis: Contribute Something Intelligent

2007-02-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

To be honest, I thought twice about linking this article, because of my desire to refrain from perpetuating stupidity. It is an opinion editorial from the Juneau Empire by Soren Wuerth. Wuerth believes we should not harvest in the Tongass because of Global Cooling…er, I mean Warming (It changes every 30-40 years, so its hard to keep track).

Here’s a quotable from the article:

Like a puppy irresistibly humping the leg of its master, the Forest Service allocates its horny impulse to the logging industry.

Brilliant use of simile, Soren. Clearly you are a poet in your own time. Seriously, this is a prime example of someone who cannot make a meaningful contribution to the conversation.

RCA Annual Report is in

2007-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

The Regulatory Commission of Alaska now has their 2006 annual report available here. Even if you don’t pay much attention to the RCA issues, be sure to check out pages 2 and 3, which give an excellent summary of what the RCA is, its authority, structure, process, core services, and means and ends.

2007-02-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

Here again, is the link to the latest Alaska Ear (for all you shameless fans).

Akidis: Lyda's Spin

2007-02-17T20:09:00.000-08:00

We already addressed the problems with the article printed by the Fairbanks Daily News Miner, but let's assume that the quotes of Portia Babcock, Lyda's legislative aide, are accurate. The Daily News Miner asked Portia if the state's interests were served by replaced the most experienced people on the council with those who are underdeveloped and uneducated. The article reads:

Portia Babcock, Green’s chief of staff, said the state’s interests were being served. She said Green appointed the oil and gas point people under the bipartisan majority, including the chair of the Senate Resources Committee, Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla; and the co-chairs of the Senate Finance Committee, Sens. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, and Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, who is also the vice chair of Legislative Budget and Audit.“You need to develop and educate new people,” Babcock said. “That’s a good thing.”If the Legislature just keeps sending the people who already know a lot about oil and gas, it won’t expand the group of knowledgeable legislators, she added.

Portia is right to say that Sen. Davis is underdeveloped and uneducated when it comes to oil and gas issues, but fails to justify the use of valuable spots on the Energy Council as a means to "develop" and "educate." Portia, you don't appoint people to make them qualified; you appoint qualified people. Anything else is bass-ackwards and foolhardy.

The article continues

Babcock denied Dyson’s claim that the appointments amounted to “partisan politics” and noted that the majority group was bipartisan — it’s comprised of six Republicans and all nine Democrats in the 20-member Senate...

Pure spin.

Babcock also denied a suggestion by Therriault that the appointments were payback for challenging former Gov. Frank Murkowski’s gas pipeline and oil tax proposals in the last session.“Not everyone gets what they want,” she said, “and that’s just life.”

Excellent advice, Portia. It's too bad you didn't give it to Lyda when she first wanted to be Senate President.

Dyson and Therriault are two very big reasons Alaska did not get screwed over by the contracts that Murkowski was pushing on the state. Even now, their names are found on bills that hold the oil companies accountable. For an example look here.

Finally, I would ask, why didn't Lyda face the music and explain this herself? It is because she cannot lead. She has the authority to do what she did, but authority is a poor excuse for leadership. (This is not the first time Lyda conveniently avoided the firing line of the press. The last Bipolar Working Group press availability found her absent, ironically enough, after she said she signed up to co-sponsor a bill by the minority. Sen. Stevens said nothing more than that she had “another commitment.”)

ASP Technical Difficulties

2007-02-17T15:08:00.000-08:00

Alaska State Politics.com is having difficulties with its domain forwarding. For now, you can visit the site by going directly to the blogspot address found at

www.alaskastatepolitics.blogspot.com

By the end of this weekend, everything should be back to normal.

Akidis: Just the Facts, Stefan, Just the Facts (Please)

2007-02-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

Some or all of this post has been disputed. Please go here for the follow-up post.

CC: smilkowski@newsminer.com

It appears that the only reporter in the state that considered putting unqualified people on the Energy Council newsworthy was Stefan Milkowski of the News Miner out of Fairbanks. I applaud him for picking an issue that really matters more than the media gave to it. But the story was a joke.

It gets its facts wrong:

1. The story says the minority “cried foul.” The minority didn’t bring up the issue in the press conference. A member of the press (Therriault called him “Steve”) did. It is dishonest to say that the minority is whining about this. Did you actually see the press conference, Stefan?
2. Portia Babcock, the primary source for Lyda’s response, isn’t Lyda’s chief of staff. She is a legislative aide.
3. Sen. Bettye Davis was not reappointed to the Council. This is her first time on the council. All you needed to do was pick up the phone and call the Senate Records office.

Stefan, the second and third points demand corrections at least. The first point demands an apology. Print a retraction. I realize you have deadlines and people breathing down your neck to get things done quickly. But, as a reporter, you have a responsibility. The whole story as I found it online on Friday night at 9pm is below. I have a printed copy if anyone wishes to dispute my credibility.

Therriault bypassed for
Energy Council
By Stefan MilkowskiStaff WriterPublished February 16, 2007
JUNEAU
— Republicans in the minority caucus of the state Senate cried foul Thursday
over recent appointments by the Senate president to a national group focused on
energy issues.
On Wednesday, Senate President Lyda Green, a Republican from Wasilla,
appointed five senators to the Energy Council, a group comprised of
representatives from oil- and gas-producing states, Canadian provinces and
Venezuela.
Two of the people she appointed were on the council last year, but
three were new, and Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, and
Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, who is also in the minority, lost their
spots.
“That was disappointing,” Therriault said at the minority caucus’
weekly press conference Thursday. “I hope it’s not indicative of a systematic
moving aside of people that are knowledgeable on the oil and gas front.”
With
the natural gas pipeline a top issue for the state, Therriault said he didn’t
understand why Green wouldn’t want him and Dyson to represent the state at the
council’s meeting next month in Washington, D.C.
Therriault said Dyson
probably knew more than any other senator about negotiating pipeline issues in
Canada, and had the strongest connections to Canadian officials through his work
with the council and the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region, a group focused on
the economic development of Northwest states and provinces.
“I’ve worked on
those relationships for a long time,” Dyson said after the press
conference.
Dyson said he’s been on the council for five years, served as its
president for a brief period, and helped bring the council together with
PNWER.
“I think it’s just partisan politics,” he said of Green’s
appointments. “I hope not, but I honestly can’t, from my perspective, see how
Alaska’s interests are better served by taking me and Therriault out of
it.”
Portia Babcock, Green’s chief of staff, said the state’s interests were
being served. She said Green appointed the oil and gas point people under the
bipartisan majority, including the chair of the Senate Resources Committee, Sen.
Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla; and the co-chairs of the Senate Finance Committee,
Sens. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, and Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, who is also the vice
chair of Legislative Budget and Audit.
“You need to develop and educate new
people,” Babcock said. “That’s a good thing.”
If the Legislature just keeps
sending the people who already know a lot about oil and gas, it won’t expand the
group of knowledgeable legislators, she added.
Green also reappointed Sens.
Bettye Davis, D-Anchorage, and Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai.
Babcock denied Dyson’s
claim that the appointments amounted to “partisan politics” and noted that the
majority group was bipartisan — it’s comprised of six Republicans and all nine
Democrats in the 20-member Senate — and that Green had appointed Wagoner, a
member of the Senate minority.
Babcock also denied a suggestion by Therriault
that the appointments were payback for challenging former Gov. Frank Murkowski’s
gas pipeline and oil tax proposals in the last session.
“Not everyone gets
what they want,” she said, “and that’s just life.”
This year’s conference
starts early next month, and Dyson and Therriault both said they’re still
planning to attend, even if they have to pay their own way. Babcock said the
Senate wasn’t breaking for the conference and anyone who went would essentially
be paying his own way.
Therriault said after the press conference that he has
used the council’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., as an opportunity to meet
with U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, then chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee; Drue Pearce, the federal coordinator for the Alaska gas
pipeline project; and representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
He said he was planning to send a letter to Green expressing his
concerns about the appointments.
“We’re about halfway across this stream,” he
said, referring to the gas pipeline. “Is that the time to change
horses?”
Contact staff writer Stefan Milkowski at 388-6141 or smilkowski@newsminer.com.
Some or all of this post has been disputed. Please go here for the follow-up post.

Replaced by Who???

2007-02-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

Sen. Dyson will not be confirmed for a spot on the Energy Council. This is not a joke: He will be replaced by Sen. Davis. That's Sen. Bettye Davis.

For those who were wondering why Republicans last session wouldn't make Sen. Green the president of the Senate, this is why. She is finding new ways to define the meaning of the word incompetent.

It's found under "unfinished business" in the Senate Journal here.

Power Moves: Extending the Regulatory Commission Sunset

2007-02-14T22:06:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Feb. 15, there will be a hearing before the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee to talk about whether the termination date for the Regulatory Commission of Alaska should be extended. The Commission is set to sunset sometime this year. Here is the announcement for the hearing. Here is the Senate bill, SB 16, which extends the sunset date.

For those who don't know, whenever a company wants to go into the energy business (coal, gas, oil, wind..etc.) there are two regulatory bodies that you have to aim to please. The first is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the second is the state commission where you are doing business. Regulations vary from state to state, and can be extremely burdensome to the point where power becomes unprofitable. California is the best example.

It takes a delicate balance to juggle the relationships when you are the state commissioner. The commissioner is at the forefront of the battle over state sovereignty. The FERC doesn't care about state sovereignty, as long as their requirements are met. But, I would argue that it is impossible for the commissioner to think outside of these terms, given the regulatory morass we live in today. (By the way, I think they should extend the sunset date for at least five years. If they make the extension to small, resources are wasted attempting to extend it again.)

Akidis: Lyda Tightens Leash on Sen. Stedman

2007-02-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

In a press conference yesterday, Sen. Stedman said the following:

It is a new day in the building here. Things are going very smooth. And we’re going to work together with the House and the Governor to get as much of the people’s business done as we can.

Somebody get a shovel.

Sen. Stedman still refuses to hear SB 25 (it’s hung up in his committee), a bill that calls for a long-term financial plan to be made to the legislature each year. There is a comparable idea in the House (HB 125), though it's not the same. The Senate bill went through State Affairs already, getting a nod of approval from Sen. McGuire. Sen. Green, Sen. French, and Sen. Stevens signed no recommendation.

Why would Sen. Stedman hold up this common sense bill? He is on the leash of Sen. Green and her Bipolar Non-Working Group, and SB 25 is sponsored by someone in the minority. So much for the new tone. Sen. Stedman, you know this bill is good for Alaska. Are you so afraid of Lyda that you won’t pass a bill through your own committee that you know is good? Grow a pair.

Kudos to Sen. McGuire for having the balls to do what Sen. Stedman cannot.

Akidis: Sen. Huggins, Acting Senate President

2007-02-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

I normally don’t like to post on Mondays, because I think Monday should be an extension of the weekend. But, I want to break protocol this week to talk again about Sen. Huggins. Something very telling happened in the Feb. 6 Senate Bipolar Working Group press conference. A reporter asked about the problem with the “culture” of receptions and free goodies that elected officials get when they come to Juneau. An awkward silence followed the question.

Two things:

1. Lyda Green should have answered this question. She did not. I did not realize it until I saw this moment, but when I did realize it, I felt stupid for not seeing it before. Lyda Green, president of the Senate, cannot lead. When the chips are down, and casualties are taken, how will she react? It’s a question for a shrink to answer.

2. The second thing I noticed was Charlie Huggins. Some of you were wondering in my last post on Sen. Huggins, why I said he had potential. When this question was asked in the press conference, the silence which followed it was obviously awkward. Sen. Huggins had the balls to break the silence and do what Sen. Green should have done. This is what he said:

I can only speak for myself. What transpires in Juneau is foreign to me and the culture that I am from…and people can make choices. And what I’ve seen as far as going down to the Baranoff and talking to people…the conversation and the people you meet there, the informal business you do: I think is productive in the long run. Is there room for critique? Sure, there’s room for critique! But, by and large it is within the mainstream of the culture that I am from, and the ethical piece of it, is that were not deceiving anyone. It’s open to the public. If you want to be there you can be there. Alaskans should understand that.

Well said, Sen. Huggins. This is why I believe he has potential. And this is why I am so hard on him. I know he is a Conservative, and I think he needs to surround himself with people who don't expect him to leave his personally held beliefs at home while he is in Juneau, no matter how "divisive" they may be. Leaving the philosophical issues, the ideological issues aside for a mainstream agenda is like trying to drive a sail boat without a rudder.

Tongass National Forest Resources

2007-02-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

With regard to Lynn's post yesterday on the Tongass National Forest, some of our readers have asked for a resource post.

USDA Forest Service Links

Tongass National Forest website
The Forest Plan Adjustment page
To comment on the new management plan and its proposals
To read the new Land & Resource and Management Plan go here
Tongass Map Library. Alternative 6 map.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Public Meeting schedule

For the amusing philosophy that drives the Sierra Club types (and apparently some contributors to Alaska Public Radio), go here. Compare the Sierra Club philosophy to the Alaska Forest Association mission statement. (It occurred to me when I was reading the AFA forest facts, that the Sierra Club types like to talk about renewable resources, but balk when it comes to renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable resource, timber. Be sure to read everything under the "Myths and Misconceptions" heading.)

If you plan to attend a public comment meeting, be informed, concise, and bring 10 people with you.

2007-02-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

Here again, for all you shameless fans, here is this week's Alaska Ear: Alaska news with a People Magazine twist...

Akidis: Alaska Public Radio Censors Report

2007-02-10T15:27:00.001-08:00

Lately, I have been doing some more reading on the Tongass National Forest. In my research, I came across a group-effort report by Alaska Public Radio and its KFSK affiliate in Sitka (Matt Lichtenstein).

The problem with this “report” is common to many Public Radio news reports. The spot starts out well with a pretty objective summary, and pulls a sleight-of-hand by censoring some of the reactions to the Revised Tongass Forest Management Plan. Lichtenstein rounds up the usual suspects for an “accurate” portrayal of what folks in SE Alaska really think.

0.00-1:59 Good summary of what you need to know to understand the debate.
2:00-END Focused on reaction to the report. The following players were mentioned:

1. Timber Industry – will comment when they read the report
2. Don Young – hadn’t read the report, but said he supports “timber management”
3. Sierra Club – Called the report “business as usual”
4. Conservation Society of Sitka – alluded to the proposals as not “based on sound science or economic reality”
5. Forest Service – waiting for the public hearings on the proposal (currently being held)

Number Four interview (Corrie Bosman, Conservation Director for Sitka Conservation Society) said the following:

It’s pretty disappointing. You know, for many years now, folks in SE Alaska have been asking the Forest Service to protect pristine areas of the Forest and areas that are important for communities for subsistence, recreation and tourism, and rather than do that and respond to the public desire, what they’ve done is come out with a plan that proposes an action that is not really based on sound science or economic reality.

If any of the local residents of SE Alaska who favored the proposals to harvest the Tongass were interviewed, Mr. Lichtenstein did not report their reactions or even allude to them. It would have been good reporting to at least interview someone from SE Alaska who depends on the harvesting of timber for their means of income. Apparently, Mr. Lichtenstein has no moral qualms with projecting a particular opinion onto the rest of SE Alaska (also known as lying). Sophistry is still alive, Socrates.

Alaska Skyline Friday Afternoon

2007-02-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

What Can a "New Federalism" mean for Alaska? - Part 1

2007-02-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

Back in September, before the election of Governor Palin, a group put together by the Institute of the North, compiled something called The Talkeetna Transition Report. The report served as a compilation of, "the most imaginative ideas proposed" at the Alaska Dialogue of that year for "whomever is elected Governor."

On page 4 of that report, one of the recommendations is as follows:

A Proactive "New Federalism"
strategy

1. The next governor should
institute a coherent strategy in Congress to mitigate the risks anticipated when
Sen. Ted Stevens one day leaves the scene. Education and communication can
diminish the potential backlash affecting Alaska.
2. Engage local communities in a
process of prioritizing federally-supported services in order to maximize local
initiative, to more efficiently allocate resources and anticipate the potential
of reduced funding.

It would be very wise for Alaska to begin to think along these terms. The fear is that when Ted Stevens retires, whoever takes his spot will not have a fraction of the power he does.
So, what is the point of all this? Changing to a "New Federalism" strategy is not just a decision made by bureaucrats. A "New Federalism" strategy will require a cultural change. The essence of our federal strategy seems to be obtaining a bigger piece of pork barrel spending. That's a cultural problem that Alaska has (culture in the broadest sense of the word).

Band-Aid for a Head Wound

2007-02-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

There's a sizeable list of bills slotted for the House Education and Social Services Committee. We here at Alaska State Politics.com plan to go through the list more thoroughly later this week. Here is a sneak preview of one of them. It is presented by freshman Rep. Kawasaki. HB 70, mandates that the student/teacher ratio in Kindergarten-Third grade classrooms be at least one teacher for every 18 students. It sounds fine, and from Rep. Kawasaki's point of view, he may be able to get some NEA union votes or campaign money out of the deal. Okay, I admit that was a bit cynical.

But let's say for a moment that Rep. Kawasaki really wants to help out schools. Is mandating this ratio really going to make a substantive difference? I am skeptical that it will. The problems in education Alaska faces as a state, are not a lack of administrative mandates or top down imposed standards or lack of funding. The problems are institutional and structural. The major players in state politics (unions, administrations, AND parents) have an interest in maintaining these structural and institutional circumstances. That's all fine in theory, you might say. It isn't theory. When I attended First-Third grade, they were joined classes, many times with as many as 25 students. That is, when I was in first grade, the second grade class was in the same room with us, and they were taught by the same teacher. For those three years, I had the grade above me in the same room. There are many reasons and circumstances this was able to work, and few, if any, of those reasons and circumstances can be found in the schools of Alaska.

2007-02-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

If you think I was hard on Sen. Huggins, take heart. I am always the hardest on those who I think have the most potential. For some, the only hope is to understand them better so as to minimize the damage they inflict. For those who have trouble understanding the creed of Senator Ellis, the other side of this Bipolar Working Group, here is a book that will illuminate.

(now quit your whining)

Akidis: Huggins Rehab Seems To Be Working

2007-02-06T21:03:00.000-08:00

It's week three of the "Senate Bipolar Working Group," and here is an update for those of you who fell asleep when Lyda Green started talking in the first press conference and have been asleep since that time. The most noticeable progress in this week's press conference was the actions of Senator Charlie Huggins, or lack of certain actions. The first two press conferences that Sen. Huggins attended found him saying the following:

January 16th
"(referring to Lyda Green) Well, first of all, Id just like to say to Alaskans, in my experience in dealing with any sort of challenges it takes great leadership. And I invite you to look to once again at my senate president Lyda Green who is my neighbor, we live in Mat-Su, and we’ve shared a lot of experiences together. Most important in the Senate for those who have been around awhile, she has carried the heavy loads for the state for our community, she has delivered on those. And now she has ridden to the pinnacle, the leadership in the Senate."

January 30th
(referring to the Governor's ball in Mat-Su) there were a lot of people outside the state, well outside Mat-Su wanting to pose with Senator Green as the president of the Senate. Quite frankly there is a positive expectation out of the senate house legislature and the governor this year getting things done….I’ve only been here two years; I used to be the number 20 guy, I’m now number 18 guy in the senate, but in those two years, my experiences this year, we have the most positive attitude, and cooperative attitude, if you will, among senate members that I’ve seen. And that’s a congratulations to Sen. Green and her
leadership.

What a pawn.

In the February 6th press conference, he didn't brown-nose at all.

Apparently, either Sen. Huggins is in therapy (and it seems to be working well) or someone told him that he couldn't fulfill his duties as a senator with his lips firmly planted on Lyda's ass. I vote for the former, primarily because it's probably something he can't help. Remind me to send Sen. Huggins some lip balm and a copy of Winston Churchill's memoirs.

Seriously, I don't hate Sen. Huggins; it's just good to see him finally act like a man.

"Not in my backyard" (and other ways you've been brainwashed)

2007-02-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

The Mat-Su Frontiersman in an article reports the desire of Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) to build a coal burning plant in the valley. One of the straightest responses was, “Not in my backyard.”

Is it needed? Well, if you read the Small Business Survival Index put out by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, you find (on page 34) that Alaska is in 45th place of the 50 states when it comes to affordable electric utility costs. Furthermore, Mat-Su valley is the fastest growing area in Alaska, and MEA is thinking ahead to its own future needs. Currently, MEA has to buy power to serve its customers. If the coal plant is successful MEA could export power instead of importing it into the valley. (FERC and RCA permitting).

Will it be cheaper? ADN reports that a Canadian company is seeking to drill for coal in the Chickaloon area (map above and linked here). This would certainly be an important source for MEA.

Why change? I realize that there are people who do not wish the area to change. But, remember this, if we are going to make an Alaska in which the next generation can raise their own children, the area must be able to sustain the growth. Power generation capabilities are an important component to that. If an area cannot sustain, you get negative growth. Negative growth really sucks. It is much worse than having to look at a power plant while you drive down to the coffee shop to get a latte. So, get over it.

2007-02-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

For you shameless fans, here's the latest "Alaska Ear" from ADN.

Oil Price Ticker

2007-02-04T16:05:00.000-08:00

To make your life easier, Alaska State Politics.com now has a constantly updated ticker that shows the price of oil. It is located at the bottom of the page. Given that the price of oil is so important to the state budget, we think it's more than justified.

Senator Green and her "Screw d'etat"

2007-02-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

For those of you who haven't kept up, here is a summary: Republicans won a slim majority in the Senate. Lyda Green wanted to be president but the majority of Republicans would not give it to her. Green went to the Democrats with some of her Republican followers and made them an offer they couldn't refuse: to join together to create a majority in the Senate.

Of course, Lyda had to pay for her power move. As a result, five chairs of standing committees in the state senate (Health, Education and Social Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee, Labor and Commerce, Community and Regional Affairs, and Transportation) were bargained away. While there were five Republicans that refused to join Lyda's power grab (ironically five Conservative senators), all Democrats joined the Coalition. Surprise, Surpise.

The five Conservative (and highly competent) Republican senators that refused to play Lyda's game were stripped of their committee chairmanships....making the Lyda's Coup d'etat into a Screw d'etat. Senator Green comes from a Conservative district. She will have to answer why the HESS committee and the Judiciary committee are chaired by "less-than-Conservative" Democrats.

You can find a list of the Senate Committee Assignments here, the new Senate Majority website here.

Kumbaya Coalition

2007-02-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

On January 16 in the first press conference, of the "Bipartisan Working Group," Senator Ellis chants the creed of the new Senate "coalition,"

We're de-emphasizing a lot of the ideological issues, the more extreme issues, the philosophical things, to put forward a very straight-forward, aggressive, mainstream agenda that involves moving the gas line forward, education funding, the PERS/TRS issue...You can see that those things are not a Democrat agenda, not a Republican agenda; it's an Alaskan Agenda. Nothing too radical...

Translation: YOU'RE SCREWED.

Before you think me too hasty, I would remind you that two of the three issues that Sen. Ellis mentions tend to divide rather than unite. How should we fix the PERS/TRS problem? Are schools generally underfunded? How you answer these questions depends on your philosophical/ideological assumptions. Please take your heads out of the sand, Senators.

Do the Math:
Liberal ideology = spend
Conservative philosophy = balance the budget
Nine Democrats + Six Republicans x Nothing Radical = Straightforward