Open Thread – Bob Bartlett
I had a great evening at the Bartlett Democratic Club Dinner tonight. Honored at the dinner were Pat Abney, and Hal and Barbara Gazaway, all great Democrats who have given back to the community and the party in so many ways.
I thought it might be nice to share a little about Senator Bob Bartlett, for whom the club is named.
Edward Lewis “Bob” Bartlett was an unlikely hero. Yet Bartlett became Alaska’s face in Washington, serving for fourteen years as the state’s Territorial Delegate to Congress and another eight as senior Senator for the state of Alaska, until his death in 1968.
His years in the U.S. Congress between 1945 and 1968 left a legacy matched by few. Bob Bartlett authored or co-authored more than 900 bills with a remarkably high rate of passage, a record of legislative success that alone qualifies him for honor. But Bartlett’s more exclusive distinction is one few members of Congress can claim—his greatest success was the very creation of the State he represented.
Here’s a great site on Bob Bartlett, also known as “Mr. Alaska.” You’ll find archival video footage, photos, and lots of interesting information.
Bartlett possessed the reputation of a quiet man of achievement. The Library of Congress estimates that he had more bills passed into law than any other member in congressional history. Even before statehood he was writing legislation (sponsored by other congressional representatives), such as the Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956. Some of his bills included the Radiation Safety Bill and the Bartlett Act, requiring all federally funded buildings to be accessible to the handicapped.
Bartlett died following heart surgery on December 11, 1968 at Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Ted Stevens was appointed to replace him on December 24, 1968.
In 1971, the state of Alaska donated a bronze statue of Bartlett to the National Statuary Hall Collection at the United States Capitol.
I can’t think of a better representative of Alaska to grace the Capitol.
They have already ruined DWTS!!!!!!!!!!
EEOy, vey!
Part two of my freak-outs for the week:
I have a new job (yea!). As part of the “orientation”, I am handed an employee handbook. I am working part-time so I don’t qualify for any benefits but, just out of curiosity, I checked out what might be available in terms of health insurance. OMG! I am faced with some kind of “Christian” health care co-op. “Christians” put money into it and then the co-op pays the medical bills. And it says that one must have a letter from their “pastor or minister” in order to be considered. Wow, says I. I looked at my new boss (who owns the business) and said “What if one is Jewish? Does that mean I don’t qualify?” To which she responds in the affirmative and says that would mean that I don’t qualify. “How can you do that?” I ask. She says that if it were health “insurance” that it would be considered discrimination but that since it isn’t an “insurance policy” they can get away with it and still be considered an EEO employer. They justify this by saying that it ensures that all of the members are following a “Christian” lifestyle (as in no smoking, no drinking, no dancing, etc). So now I get why a lot of these people don’t want Universal Health Care and hate the new Health Care Reform Act. It is another case of “I’ve got mine” as well as excluding others from “the group of the righteous”. They are “taking care of their own” and to he%# with everyone who doesn’t share their beliefs or lifestyle. What happens to them if the big, bad government says they have to offer some form of health insurance for their employees? Does that mean that they can say they do offer it but no one wants to take advantage of it? WTF?
Now these people are plenty nice and it is a good job but I may have to wear a muzzle for the next 3 years. They are not openly pressing their religion on me but as someone one said “there are strings!!!”
It is the same reason that “faith based initiatives” freak me out—“there are strings!!!”
don’t quit. look for a better job. meanwhile document any ‘pressing of religion’ on you. if they see that you cannot be persuaded to their way of thinking they will probably get rid of you.
before that happens i believe you will find something more to your liking.
p.s. congrats on finding a job but keep looking and keep well….love bubbles
I’d keep looking, LMD. In the meantime, a nice, fuzzy muzzle might might not be so bad.. 🙂
a preacher gets real. the number of recent suicides by gay teens prompts him to take action.
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/14/131312723/out-of-the-closet-in-the-pulpit-of-a-megachurch?ft=1&f=1001
I’m so glad to hear Pat Abney was honored. She is a wonderful person.
I agree with everyone about DWTS. I watched the show until Kurt Warner was voted off. He may not have been the best dancer, but much better than Bristol Palin. Kurt Warner worked his way up the ladder. Went to college here in Iowa—UNI. Worked at a HY Vee grocery store at night. Went on to be one of the best quarterbacks in football. He and his wife have seven children. Some of these are adoped and have special needs. Great GUY!! He will always be winner in my book.
I actually think that it would be great if Bristol stays on. I agree with you all that she doesn’t deserve to be there….but the fallout over this will be huge…..the Palin’s will have ruined DWTS. 🙂
I know, I have a sick mind.
The last four weeks in a row the people that have been sent home have had better scores than Palin. There is no doubt that she should not have made it this far, and it certainly doesn’t say much for the credibility of the show or her personal integrity that she is still on.
I would not watch the Sarah’s Alaska show if you paid me. She has ruined what I see as the REAL Alaska. The people that are paying her $1 million a show for 8 shows, are off their rocker.
I hear that some of the scenes in the show are clips from other shows about Alaska. Wonder if she will pay her taxes? That screechy voice of hers, would turn anyone off.
DWTS is on Monday night, I pray the judges will be fair and give the scores according to the dance and how it was preformed not based on WHO YOU ARE OR RELATED TO.
This has been on of the worst Seasons 11 which has been rigged with phoney votes, DWTS needs to change the voting rules, Dancers are judged by the judges only, no more of this popularity crap based on who you are, they forgot to look at how the dance was done.
Heck Bristol came out in monkey suit, suited her,
then they had chair so Bristol could climb on it get on Mark Bales back, what a joke, All she needs to do is go home .
The other dancers have worked hard on their dance but Bristol playing the shy and modest person no real practice but she has that DAM SMUG LOOK I DO NOT NEED TO AS i KNOW mOMMIE dEAREST HAS IT ALL WORKED OUT WITH dwts
Rigged and jamped is not a competition, its political
Sarah Palin made is so. Wake up ABC
My daughter and I are avid watchers of DWTS and couldn’t agree with you more. We were just discussing it, once again, and came to the conclusion that if Bristol doesn’t get kicked off this week, we really won’t watch again, ever. And we will be writing to ABC to let them know what we thought of Bristol’s appearances on this season. There are three dancers who went home who should have at least had one more week each, but Bristol is still there. Her partner is really good and I like him, but it’s clear that he even thinks she should be gone. All you have to do is look at his reaction when it’s announced that she’s still there for another week.
What really gets me is that Bristol, who is not used to being a celebrity, has heard some harsh criticism from the judges, but their scores don’t match what they’ve said. They’ve scored her much higher than she deserves and they need to stop it.
I was willing to give her a chance and she was better than some of those who went off at the beginning, but she’s gotta go. Enough is enough.
I agree – I watch with my elderly mother, who was quite a dancer in her day, still has great legs – she’s even snarking, knows who the Palin daughter is, says she’s “about five months.”
So we’re watching Miss Piggy, fat or fetus?
Rob: “I pray the judges will be fair…”
If you are distressed to the extent that you are praying over the judges, may I humbly offer the following Irish blessing:
“May those who love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts,
And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we may know them by their limping.”
The judges’ hearts or the dancers’ ankles……it pretty much covers the bases for a desirable outcome. :>)
Rob, the show’s producers have you right where they want you…..engaged and emotionally involved with their production…..outrage or love…..both make a profit. My (admittedly unsolicited) advice? Vote with your feet. Just walk away. Hit ’em in the wallet. That usually gets their attention faster than prayers.
You betcha, Lee…
and may I offer up my frequent prayer for all things Paylin…as the rabbi did for the tsar:
God bless them and keep them…
far away from us!
Definitely a good all-purpose prayer, crowwoman, especially during the reign of the Tea Baggers.
Actually, Palin has proven to be heavy on her feet instead of graceful, she has uninspired, easy routines, and still misses steps, so I stopped watching and started just picking up the scores off Wiki. If there are dancers I want to see (like Jennifer Grey), I pull up videos of them, only. So, advertisers, if you are listening, I’m not seeing your ads. I’ll watch the whole show, and the ads, when Palin’s gone.
I have but one wish, Expose Sarah Palin for all her
mind blowing speeches of hate, racists, and lack of ability to acknowledge that she is in complete denial of her own ability, which is at the bottom of the pig slop she throws out.
The Tea Party has become a household world, but I use to enjoy a nice cup of tea which was soothing and made relax and enjoy the momement.
Sarah Palin has destroyed the base of our country, John McCain needs to taken to the woodshed for bring forth such a self ego, arogent and self servering as Sarah Palin.
She has done nothing but exploit her family, even has reached into the TV programs to further her selfish desire to be noticed. She has no solutions, but she loves to create the picture that she is for you America.
Just look at the money she has exploited, from the party, the followers who are to stupid to see they only support Sarah for a reason that does not exist with Sarah. Its the attention MONEY MONEY when will everyone wake up.
I myself have been so sick of Sarah Palin since the day John McCain brought her on stage.
Sick of the way she has allowed deceit to even reach into DWTS to keep Bristol Palin on for the sake of her own ego building agenda. Its so she can get into the media to sell her phoney once again book she did not write, nor does she even write her facebook, Bristol has learned to deceive and mislead the facts.
Anyone that has contact with Palin clan are certainly in for a ride of hell.
Bristol cannot dance and and she lacks the skills of even begin to dance. She has gained weight and looks terrible on the dance floor, her shy and modesty makes me want to barf, she is none of these things she claims, Just Google go to any site and type in Palins by individual name god gosh, the sites are filled with them. Read the history of Sarah, Bristol. all this is for money and deceit That has grown into a national JOKE OF THE WORLD.
I have to ask is America that desperate as to be willing to follow Tea Party with Sarah Palin and more of her BS with no solutions. She is a quiter and hides the truth with more outbursts that she is the victim , She creates herself.
Wake up America, stop filling Palin wallets. Its time to regrain your sanity as this is insane to think Sarah Palin is worthy to be leader of any office.
Please wake up Palin is unfit along with Bristol who is unfit to be a mother of children.
Grumpy Crankypants McCain cannot be taken to the woodshed because he already has a permanent placement in “the home”! The man is senile and incompetent. He couldn’t even remember whether he was for or against taxes during campaign appearances here in Arizona. He led the cheering for tax increases until he was reminded that he was supposed to be against them by one of his “handlers”.
Someone I know called me last night and told me about a “Christmas” ornament that she got an e-mail about. Don’t know if it was intended to be a right wing hate “joke” or if this is really out there. It is a picture of PO in a frame and something to the effect of “Now you can hang a black man on your tree”. I was appalled! She is a conservative and kept saying how funny she thought it was and I had to inform her that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING funny about even the suggestion of lynching. In fact, I ripped into her pretty hard until there was nothing but silence on the other end of the phone. The blatant racism is really starting to get to me. If this is for real, I lose hope that we shall ever move past this horror. Talk about hate. And they try to convince me that they are not racist???? Bull $%#t!!!
Oh, you must live somewhere where you don’t hear this kinda “joke” at every baseball game, etc. And of course, they all have the “fish” on the back of their SUV’s, a huge crucifix around their necks, and talk about their Bible study groups as well. If there is a Jesus, son of God, these folks are in for a huge surprise.
Actually, sad to say, I do live in a place like that (unfortunately it’s called Alasssska). I just never had anyone think that they could include me in the “joke”. It’s such a shock when it comes from someone whom I considered a “friend”, who has previously seemed to be a tolerant and compassionate person.
I guess I am naive.
LoveMD what really gets to me is that this person thought that she could bring that e-mail to your attention and that you would find it amusing. that is to my mind the greater insult. i am glad you let her have it and i hope you got her good. the nerve.
I don’t get it either. It is a complete lack of consciousness.
She knows my political opinions and we have laughed about our differences in the past. We share a complete disgust with you know who.
But this just hit a big nerve. It seems to be that we have lifted all of the sense of decorum from conversation. Perhaps it is a good thing, because the people who have this deep seated sense that it is OK to laugh at things like this (because we are both white?????) can get the backlash from people like me. Sometimes I think that people just throw this crap out there and somehow think that no one will say anything. It is easier to fight this when it is on the surface (as disgusting and ugly as it is) than when it is hidden under innuendo and a veneer that this is all in the past.
I asked her if she had any idea of what she was laughing at. If she knew what the word ‘lynching’ means. If she had lived somewhere where this was somehow considered to be OK. She had no answers. Perhaps because I was so angry that it took her by surprise. I can guarantee she won’t be sharing anything like that with me again.
I almost feel like I cannot talk to people anymore. The ugly and stupid just hurts so much….it is time that this country faced what we have been and (in so many cases) still are. I hope that I live to see the day when white people will be the minority. God help those of us who have not fought back against this attitude when that day comes.
And this woman claims to be “a christian”. She is also a lesbian who is denying her sexuality because her religion won’t accept her. She should know a little something about hate and discrimination… the more I see of this kind of “christianity” the more I despise the whole lot of them. Sorry to the mudpup believers, I know that not all Christians are the same.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Many “christians” throughout history have easily treated others as less than human. So many days I am ashamed of the people with whom I share a melatonin deficit.
Oooops. Or is it melanin? can never remember.
Melanin….skin pigmentation (melanocytes)
Melatonin…..hormone secreted by the pineal gland to maintain circadian rhythm
Think of “melanoma” (skin cancer) to help with the differentiation next time.
Thanks Lee
Sad to say, I think I have a deficit in both(yawn).
I. too, am horrified at the blatant rasicm and hate that has been PROUDLY displayed, and even celebrated, during the past 3 years. My only comfort is that perhaps now that it is out in the open, we may finally begin to heal.
There will always be people who are filled with hate and who will never embrace those who are different, and those people will never change. But perhaps those who have gone along just to follow the crowd will begin to understand how destructive and divisive that hate can be. I sincerely hope that the religious leaders who truly care about compassion and love will finally decide to stand up and denounce the intolerance that has become all too commonplace among those who profess to follow a Christian faith.
Here in NY our Republican candidate for governor freely admitted to sending racist and pornographic emails to hundreds of people. When questioned about them he said he thought they were funny. I saw some of them (including some about the President) and was disgusted. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of NYers rejected him.
I work very hard to teach my elementary level students about tolerance and acceptance of those who are different, and I truly believe that the generations to come will be more compassionate and open-minded.
I live in Tennessee and I also find myself saying that I despise the whole lot of them. It’s just that the hypocrisy blows me away. If they fail at the love part what part do they get?
{{{{{LoveMyDogs}}}}}… just reading about this makes me shiver! I am repeating your last word and silently adding a string of terms that would make others blush!
{{{{{LoveMyDogs}}}}}
Thank you for speaking up and speaking out! You are strong and brave. You are my hero!
If we just let these racist “jokes” go unanswered, we are as culpable as the jokers themselves.
When we tolerate a wrong, then we are wrong, too.
This isn’t funny. It’s sick. It’s chilling. Where’s homeland security when we need them?
oops
http://i.imgur.com/egrs0.jpg
Do you know why the states were chosen as they were? Was in based on population related to area?
bubbles, dear, care to share some of what you’ve been drinking/smoking? 🙂
That’ll be the Baileys!
LOL. yep.
yummy
I’ll have to settle for some dark chocolates with mint truffle filling…but I bet I can find a bottle o wine around here somewhere. 🙂
No, no, no, no, no! New York does not wish to occupy the territory of California!! It’s they who wish they were we, not the other way ’round!!
Bartlett sounds like a gem. So that strong, tall, young, amiable statesman from Sitka, Scott McAdams, is a throwback to Alaska’s political heritage, not a departure from its business-as-usual corruptness and nepotism.
imagine…..http://i.imgur.com/egrs0.jpg
Timely and wonderful tribute – thank you.
Advertisers take a wait and see on Palin’s show:
http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3ic1904d9b2e94022a87f4f70bf8d3bd27
I, for one will not tune in, I’m simply not that curious and her voice gives me a headache. Besides, I’m a Desperate Housewives addict.
oh, tonight is the 14th…gee, I think I have to…
well, ANYthing except watch granny feckin’ fraud
…got no cable, no satellite teevee, and I’m OK with that! I’ll get the high, er, low-lights from the interwebz soon enough, eh?
Spent my weekend reading…finished 6 young adult novels under consideration for next year’s Florida Teens Read award. A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn was this weekend’s favorite…love a fairy tale with a happy ending!
I’m ironing, doing dishes, scrubbing the kitchen floor, and paying some bills – all more interesting and constructive than bothering to watch the Alaskan banshee griping about her neighbor and pretending she knows what she’s doing in the great outdoors. She’s not on the list of people I’d want to have around if something went wrong in the back country or I got weathered in somewhere. Why didn’t they pick a host or hosts that we might actually have learned something interesting or useful from? TLC, indeed.
I remember meeting Sen. Bartlett the day after the 1964 earthquake. Seward had been devastated by 4 tsunamis and the town was in shock. The landing strip was finally cleared of enough boats and debris that the Navy transport planes could land, and evidently, he caught a ride on one of them. My parents and I were in the car looking at the damage and checking on people and supplies when they spotted him with talking to folks beside the road. I remember him as caring and concerned as he listened to the experiences and explained the disaster relief that was on the way. We came away with a little less of shock and a little more of hope.
That’s an awesome story! And here’s where I get to put my two cents in after residing in Seward (which I loved in spite of it being a very weird little town at the time) – this is when the populace should have decided to rebuild the town on the Spring Creek side of Resurrection Bay. I lived on both sides of the bay and why the town was built under the shadow of Mt Marathon is beyond me.
There is a great little historical black and white movie describing & photographing this event in Seward – Valdez at the time thought Seward was just gone. My aunt in the Mat Valley rented this from the local library when I was visiting her from Seward and we were just stunned at destruction and drama. You were right in the middle of it – wow!
The prison is built in the Spring Creek side – guess that means all the convicts will survive even if the town doesn’t, should there be another event (heaven forbid).
Exactly! It’s a maximum security prison which is set in a stunningly gorgeous location (lovely creek and all) and they have the best weather on the northern bay. It’s all backwards (my favorite teasing of Sewardites).
Seward has some very interesting political history and rebuilding after the earthquake is just a small part. The short version is, before 3/27/64, the railroad and steamship traffic was our entire economy, with a few canneries on the side. Pretty much all of the freight into or out of the railbelt went thru’ the port of Seward. After that, since Wally Hickel and all of his money were in Whittier, the railroad used the damaged infrastructure to move ALL of their operations out of here. So, not only were we damaged from the earthquake/tsunami, we had to deal with no jobs, no tax base, no nuthin’! Even tho the city managed to get some Fed $$ to build the new railroad dock, the ARR still declined to put any operations in here until MUCH later in response to the tourism and the occasional pipe ships for the pipeline construction.
We couldn’t have moved the town across the bay if we’d wanted to during that phase–there was just no $$$. Never mind that all of our history and property infrastucture was on this side of the bay, and intact. The first real sign of a turnaround was when they got the prison construction in the “’80’s. We still struggle with 26% unemployment in the winter and the sidewalks roll up after labor day, sigh. Still, it’s been fascinating to grow up with this town.
ccr
“a quiet man of achievement” – what a wonderful legacy. Let’s try it again. “a quiet (wo)man of achievement” – Sarah Palin ………why are you all laughing?
*snort*
I’d support the ‘quiet woman’ part.
$arah Palin, Vegetarian: Ancient Tribal Slang for the Village Idiot who cannot hunt or fish.
{stolen from badiedatshirts.com, with modification}
…a QUIT woman of no-chievement, you say….
heh heh heh
*snicker*
Mush!
Sarah Palin takes us for a ride.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2010/11/15/101115crte_television_franklin?currentPage=1
Best quote:
“”I know that some Americans think Palin is stupid, but I never realized that she thinks we’re stupid.””
Glad someone in the media gets it, finally.
Although this one is pretty good too:
When Palin talks, my whole being wails, like Nancy Kerrigan after Tonya Harding’s ex-husband kneecapped her: “Why? Why? Why?”
I liked this gem, too: ‘She says that she’d “rather be doing this than in some stuffy old political office” and “a poor day of fishin’ beats even a great day of work.” ‘
That, and the money, pretty well sums up why she has a track record of quitting her jobs, e.g. at the Alaska Oil & Gas Commission, and as governor. It also underscores the fact that she lacks the gravitas and work ethic required to be anything other than what she is – a pretty face and a low-ranking reality show celebrity that more than half the country has an unfavorable opinion of.
What a great article. I linked it to facebook and also wish her many happy days and years of fishing. I really want this woman to get out and stay out of politics. I don’t want her to run for anything and I want her to quit flitting around the country inflicting her stupidity on the rest of us.
Was Bartlett HS named after him?
When the National Archives opens thier Alaska branch, so to speak, the Bob Barlett documents/papers will be more available. This is a good thing.
Our state is young, yes. Couple the young state with several boom and bust decades and you have a population unaware of the history beneath thier feet.
The work of Bob Barlett is massive, if one was to judge the amount of documents produced.
When the Alaska National Archive building is complete, a majority of the Barlett documents will be here, in Alaska. Open to our eyes for reading.
I bite my lip when thinking such things will be more available.
I think we already have a National Archives in downtown Anchorage – ?
(AKM: I sent you an email on Nov 12th!)
Not sure what I’m doing awake at 4AM on a Sunday but am appreciating the reminder that we got our start here with those such as Mr Bartlett
and hoping we can add to this open letter to our current Congress:
Try Something Hard: Governing
“Now is no time for myriad searches for sensational distractions when the nation’s voters cry out for solid progress. ”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/opinion/14sun1.html?hp