Alaska: Hand Out, Finger Up
The State of Alaska has one hand out palm up, and the other raised with one finger prominently extended — again. The upcoming “Federal Overreach Summit” to be held at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage seemed like a tea party function. I don’t have a yellow flag with a snake on it or a three-cornered hat, so I didn’t pay much mind. Until this week. An email found its way to me from a Department of Natural Resources employee. Karrie Improte signed an email announcing the “very interesting news; on page 1 there is an announcement on the Commission sponsored…
What are Republicans Doing to Themselves?!
The Republican Party, after crushing defeats in the last two Presidential elections, and seeing newly elected members of Congress display racial intolerance, homophobia, and misogyny the likes of which have not been seen in recent history, has had to really sit down and do some soul searching. To their credit, Republican voters seem to have given some real thought to the condition of the not-so-Grand Old Party, and how it might be changed as they move forward to remain relevant, and serve the will of the majority in an evolving America. src=”http://ap.lijit.com///www/delivery/fpi.js#?z=186829&u=themudflats&width=300&height=250″> In that spirit, they’ve decided that Republicans simply…
Sarah Palin Top Choice for Senate?!
Stay calm. Just sit for a minute. If you’re an Alaskan, do not start loading up the motorhome for your political asylum road trip to Canada. If you are from the Lower 48, do not stop reading here and put a big red Sharpied ‘X’ over Alaska on your desktop globe. Let me explain. A few weeks ago, the ex-half-governor unhinged her maw, and some words fell out. Seemingly, she is considering a run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Democrat Mark Begich. Pollsters tilted their heads to the side like a dog who hears a whistle. Then they got…
WE DID IT, ALASKA! Oil Giveaway on the Ballot.
Moments ago, the Alaska Division of Elections announced that they had received enough valid voter signatures to put the question of repealing SB21, the massive giveaway of state money to oil companies, on the primary ballot in August of 2014. After achieving his stated goal of a Republican majority in the State House and Senate (albeit using redistricting lines later found to be unconstitutional), Governor Sean Parnell got the vote he wanted in the 2013 legislative session. The vote in the Senate was made possible by two legislators who are literally employed by ConocoPhillips. Last month, Parnell signed into…
And Now, a Message from Gov. Sean Parnell
Governor Parnell and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, headed up by Daniel Sullivan, rejected a petition on Friday filed by local citizens seeking to protect wild Alaska salmon streams from coal strip mining in Upper Cook Inlet. And by Upper Cook Inlet, I mean directly across from Anchorage in the villages of Tyonek and Beluga. The massive Chuitna Coal project would need to drain wetlands, and completely remove productive salmon streams which are home to all five species of Alaskan salmon in a totally unprecedented act that would make all salmon streams in the state vulnerable to the bulldozer…
“Second Battle for Statehood” A Mudflats Video Report
Senator Bill Wielechowski called the effort to repeal Gov. Sean Parnell’s massive giveaway to oil companies “the second battle for statehood.” Alaska navigated its first battle over fish, and now must again rise to assert primacy over the rights to its resources. This time, it’s Alaska’s oil and gas wealth at stake. The Mudflats was there on the historic day that more than 50,000 signatures were submitted to put the repeal on the ballot. Here’s our report.
Mudflats Chats: Paul Begala on Pebble & Democrats
I sat down with Presidential adviser Paul Begala, and asked him his thoughts about the proposed Pebble Mine project, Senator Mark Begich, blue lawmakers in red states, and what it really means to be a Democrat. One of the lead advisers to President Clinton, Begala and James Carville shaped a moderate campaign agenda that focused on balancing the budget and creating 22 million new jobs. I’d been told that Begala is an avid hunter and fisherman, and has been fishing near Bristol Bay. So, I knew where I wanted our conversation to begin – with an issue that is of…
Good News out of Detroit
Good local news is hard to come by. Well produced local news is nearly impossible to find. We’re lucky here in Anchorage to have some great local journalists at the ADN, KTUU, The Alaska Dispatch, and AlaskaCommons.com. In Detroit they’ve got Pulitzer Prize winning Charlie LeDuff. He’s the classic local TV news investigative reporter – just funnier. I have to admit am completely addicted to Charlie LeDuff’s journalism. It’s sensationalist, it’s absurd – but in a real way it does what top notch local journalism does – speaks truth to power. Please check out this story on police wait times in…
Why Big Oil Fears This Man (EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW)
More than 50,000 signatures were gathered in the effort to put the question of repealing SB21 on the ballot in August of 2014. The massive no-strings-attached giveaway to big oil companies will drain Alaska’s coffers into the bank accounts of the wealthiest multinational corporations in the history of the world. Alaska gets nothing – no commitment to exploration, production increases, or jobs. We do get to sacrifice the future of education, infrastructure projects, parks, public safety, and other critical needs. It’s not much of a deal. And yet, the Parnell administration and most Republicans in the legislature voted for it,…
Palin for Senate? Buckle up, Alaska.
A friend of mine answered his phone this week with, “Palin for Senate.” I gasped before I laughed. Oh, it’s easy to make jokes about the former half-term governor’s announcement that she’s considering running against Senator Mark Begich in 2014. “Senator Palin 2014 – 2015 ½!” I’d guess the late night joke writers have already contributed to her PAC. Christine Pelosi (yes, her mom is famous) tweeted, “With Palin exploring a Senate run, It’s Christmas in July for @shannynmoore.” It’s true. If it weren’t for Sarah Palin, you probably wouldn’t be reading my column. I wouldn’t have met a long-lost…