Parnell – Time to End the Hypocrisy
Earlier this month, Governor Giveaway asked for disaster relief funds from the federal government to help Alaskans.
This week he refused to set up a state-run health care exchange, which would have helped tens of thousands of Alaskans buy insurance cheaper on the free market by pooling together.
That’ll teach the federal government!
It reminds me of when I was a teenager. I wanted to go out with my friends. It was a Friday night, and I was 17.
“Be home at 10,” Pop said.
“What? 10?! Are you kidding me?”
“OK, 9:30.”
“But Pop!”
“9 is fine.”
“That doesn’t give me any time to . . .”
“8:30 works better.”
“Are you serious?”
Finally he would look up at me with his “are-you-going-to-figure-out-that-you-need-to-shut-up” look.
I was home at 8:30.
I’m sure Barack Obama doesn’t have a daughter as hard-headed as my dad does but I wish the president would go a bit “Pop Moore” on Alaska.
Gov. Sean Parnell, Lite Gov. Mead Treadwell, Sen. Murkowski and Congressman Don Young act, on our behalf, like spoiled teenagers.
With all the oil company boot-licking, they seem to have forgotten that Alaska has more federal employees than oil company workers. Yes, 35 percent of the jobs in Alaska are federal.
When the federal Recovery Act (the Stimulus) was passed, Alaska wasn’t in a recession. Yet we received more federal stimulus dollars per capita than any other state. Triple your average dividend check — that’s what we got. Hey Mat-Su Borough Tea Partiers, how are those 111 million federal dollars working out for you? Schools and a park-and-ride.
The new hospital in Nome will care for people living in rural Alaska; the old hospital was almost old enough to be on Medicare.
Fairbanks, you did pretty well with $4,000 per capita. That money meant jobs. Private industry jobs.
I must have missed the press releases from Governor Giveaway and our congressional delegation condemning all this federal money coming into Alaska and all the jobs the Stimulus Act created here in Alaska.
While the rest of the Lower 48 has had hundreds of years of federal funding for roads, ports and bridges, we are still a young state and catching up. Alaskans know this — that’s why for decades we re-elected Ted Stevens. He was our Robin Hood! You can’t throw a rock here without hitting a road, airport, school or building he got the federal government to pay for. He was proud of it and we were grateful.
When the Department of the Interior opened up almost 12 million acres to new drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve, Lisa Murkowski called it a bait-and-switch. Why? Because the oil companies can’t drill in the other half of the reserve.
Pop might have asked Lisa: How about 10 million acres? How about 8? 6? Does 6 work for you?
Good grief. It’s embarrassing.
With military spending and federal jobs, Alaska receives $17,762 a year per capita. Think about that. No state in the history of the U.S. has received more per person, ever. Defense spending is $7,337.59 for each of us. No other state comes close.
Federal spending is part of what allows us to not tax ourselves.
But now, with a Democratic president offering to help Alaskans who don’t have insurance (through a bill originally conceived by Republicans) — well, that’s a moose of a different color. Parnell — who is such a statesman that he couldn’t even shake the president’s hand when he visited Alaska — has officially turned down federal money to start an insurance exchange for the more than 118,000 Alaskans who need it. (Next he’ll be trying to shut down the “socialist” V.A. and Native hospitals.)
Of course, Parnell isn’t above taking government-funded health insurance for himself and his family. But he won’t let the state create an exchange to help uninsured Alaskans get coverage? No, he’d rather let the feds be the grown-ups in the room.
DO THEY MAKE A PILL FOR THIS KIND OF DISORDER? Whatever is wrong with the Alaskans who still support Parnell, it’s time to call in the prescription.
What is Parnell’s plan for insuring Alaskans without access to affordable health care, pray tell? If Alaska had crickets, you’d hear them right now.
This week a petition, one of at least 30 from different states, calling for Alaska to secede from the union popped up. (Remember Joe Vogler? This was his dream. He gathered 15,000 signatures the hard way in 1973.)
What if secession actually happened? The way the majority of our delegation talks, you’d think Alaska was Northern Alabama — still fighting the civil war, or trying to start a new one. It’s idiocy — and, in Alaska’s case, the most cynical kind of hypocrisy.
Thank God the federal government isn’t cutting us loose. If it did, we’d be the People’s Republic of ConocoPhillips faster than you could say “Sean Parnell.
Hey Kid – did you see the Frontiersman “the FBI and the Milkman – got Fraud?” sounds like another lawsuit come to pass… Sean Parnell can have fun defending that “focking lap dog” of Sarah…oh wait that is Bill McCallister’s job..or was!
Parnell has REALLY tuned into a clown…. Anything to get on Rupert’s good side and fall right in line with the hard right nut bags… amazing…
Parnell – how’s that proctologist exam going concerning HEATHCARE I mean healthcare???
When I am done with ALL in USA courts, UK courts, and UN courts…about that HUGE trust fund account???
I will personally buy you an ointment, and you can rub it on the hole that hurts the most…smile…
Could be worse for Alaskans,I think. http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/capitol-report/walker-goes-against-tea-party-nine-says-no-to-arresting/article_88c675b4-2f46-11e2-bbe1-0019bb2963f4.html Teabagger legislators in Wisconsin signed a pledge to arrest federal workers charged with implementing ACA. In a brief nano-second of lucidity,Guv Walker apparently said he wouldn’t take the pledge.
Had to laugh at that article. Mr Walker is about to find out what it means to be squeezed by your supporters. He’s going to end up with sour tea all over his silly obnoxious self. 🙂
Maybe I’ve missed something, but why “disaster relief funds” for Alaska right now? I know that New Jersey and New York need help because of Hurricane Sandy but did it also hit Alaska? Or does Gov. Parnell think that, if such aid is forthcoming for some states, it stands to reason that Alaska should get a cut? I really do not understand. Besides I thought that Republicans in Alaska are against federal dollars.
Alaska’s disaster declaration and request for relief is for a fisheries disaster- actually the way the law is it for a series of fisheries disasters.
it is an economic disaster as opposed to a natural disaster.
http://www.adn.com/2012/11/13/2691384/alaska-increases-estimate-of-salmon.html#storylink=misearch
Alaskans, thinking ones, know they are part of the Union and appreciate the Fed.
Alaskans, with the phony states-rights axe to grind, like the current Gov, are happy to lap up the dollars federal employment and infrastructure bring us but don’t want the Fed to ever, ever say what we should do -about anything or tell us what they are going to do with Federal land, yours and mine,
Thanks for the explanation. I guess Gov. Parnell could always donate cookies if the federal money does not come through.
Mr Parnell is probably already planning how to refudiate the very real concerns expressed here:
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/group-raises-new-concerns-about-threats-cook-inlet-salmon-habitat
The state, from Mr Murkowski’s administration forward, has been acting like nothing which happens in salmon habitat could possibly affect salmon runs. Like salmon declines elsewhere aren’t at the feet of hoo bobby policies like mixing zones, pollution, and so on. Pffft!
Oh jeez- I hope we don’t have a cookie redux! Would just about be the last slap.
If people had gotten with the program and elected Rmoney,this wouldn’t be an issue. Regulations get in the way of progress-theirs not yours.
(Sub)Parnell is a Dicktator.
Shannyn Moore for Governor!!!!
Wow. 900 different species worldwide, and Alaska has no crickets? I guess all that federal money fills that particular gap.
The W.H. has the “We The People” website where you can start an on-line petition and if you gather 25000 signatures,the good guys will give it due consideration. I suggest having the fed reclassify rwnj as noxious weeds so they can be disposed of. In all seriousness,I hope someone will start a petition so I can sign the damn thing.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/deport-everyone-signed-petition-withdraw-their-state-united-states-america/dmQl1bXL
There ya go…. as of about 5:30pm Central Time, November 18, 2012:
“We the People” petition the Obama administration to:
Deport Everyone That Signed A Petition To Withdraw Their State From The United States Of America.
Created: Nov 12, 2012
Signatures needed by December 12, 2012 to reach goal of 25,000
917
Total signatures on this petition
24,083
Deport them to WHERE, exactly??
Yeah, who would take them?
Mars!
Wasilla !
Oh I am likely to sign that to help them all on their way…OUT…DON”T care where. Would be good to just put them on a boat and let them find a port of their own or better yet figure out how to even keep the boat afloat!!
Jim Wright, my other favorite site, did a piece on this also. http://www.stonekettle.com/2012/11/the-weakest-link.html#comment-form
Pre-existing conditions are, however, covered with ACA. (not an original observation, but apt nonetheless.) n
It is definitely time for a change. Gov. Parnell, it is time for you shape up or ship out. You will NOT get my vote next time.
Do you mean to say, he got your vote once?