M*U*S*H on PBS in Alaska This Week
There are a few people I count as “honorary Alaskans.” You know the type. They come for a visit and fall in love with the mountains, the ocean, the seafood, the wildness, and most of all the people. The unpretentious, just-a-little-different breed that decides they’d like to do things their own way. They’re a hardy lot who doesn’t much care for how they do things “Outside.” They’re sort of Libertarian/Conservative/Socialists who think you should teach a man to fish, but for the most part would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. Many have come to…
Former First Lady Smacks Down Gov’s Oil Tax Plan
Today former Governor Jay Hammond’s widow Bella and his daughter Heidi Hammond have called for a TV ad from a group calling themselves “Resource Full Alaska” exploiting Jay Hammond to be stopped immediately. The ad has the brass cojones to compare Jay Hammond, arguably Alaska’s most popular former governor, to its current oil shill CEO Sean Parnell. The ad calls on the legislature to pass Parnell’s oil tax plan which would drain the state’s coffers to the tune of $2 billion a year. “I was never consulted about this television ad,” said the former First Lady. “Jay Hammond never would…
Day of Resistance Rally (VIDEOS)
While the Anchorage Legislative Caucus was hearing citizens’ testimony at the library, another group was meeting at the Park Strip downtown. Coordinating with demonstrations across the nation, Anchorage held a “Day of Resistance” rally. There were about a hundred attendees, with numerous flags of the American, Alaskan, and Snake variety. I doubted I’d see many progressive Democrats here, so I thought to myself, “You’ve got the House. You’ve got the Senate. You’ve got the Governor… What the hell are you resisting? You should be embracing, I should be resisting!” But there is one thing they do not have. A small…
2/26-27 No on 37!
You may be hearing conflicting information on when to testify before the Assembly regarding Mayor Sullivan’s gutting of collective bargaining, and other rights of municipal workers. There may be deliberate obfuscation happening. It’s been done before. The rules of the Assembly say they cannot change the date of public testimony without two weeks notice. There has not been 2 weeks notice. So, show up, and sign up to testify on Tuesday. The “all call” is still out for Wednesday, but there is the possibility of shenanigans on Tuesday. Ernie Hall is quoted in the paper saying one thing, and Sullivan…
R’s with Cold Feet Avoid Constituents (PHOTOS)
During a day of passionate activism, and constituent engagement, it was interesting to note which elected officials showed up to listen, and which did not. At the Loussac Library in Anchorage, the troops were out in force. It was a rare moment. Because Alaska’s capital, Juneau, is not on the road system, it means to to look your elected officials in the eye during the legislative session requires a $400 plane ticket, and a day’s worth of travel time. Many are irked by this arrangement of geography and politics, so when Anchorage legislators come to town to hear testimony…
Socialists? Marxists? No – Republicans!
I want to be a Republican and I want a time machine. Oh, I’m not going all Lindsey Holmes on you; I need a time machine to find the Grand Old Party. I have to thank Mayor Dan Sullivan for starting me on this quest. A few weeks ago, at five minutes until closing time, the mayor announced a plan to roll back more than four decades of labor policy in Anchorage. It wasn’t the first shot in his war on working men and women in our town — but this was the nuclear option. I take it as a…
Frankenfish Redemption! (PHOTOS)
The good news is there’s actually an issue that Alaskans agree on – Red ones, Blue ones, and Tea-colored ones. And it is this: Tinkering with the genetic code of life, creating an animal that has never existed in nature, not telling people what it is, and selling it in direct competition with Alaska’s wild salmon is a really, really bad idea. We had the opportunity to send our comments to the FDA, to tell them not to allow this unidentified, unlabeled, genetically-engineered Atlantic-Pacific-salmon-eel-hybrid on our shelves, or in our bodies. But you forgot. The deadline came and went, and…
Tuesday Testimony for Ordinance 37?
Despite confusion from the Administration, Public Testimony on Anti-Worker Ordinance 37 is officially scheduled to start TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH sometime after 6:00 pm. This ordinance would freeze Muni employee pay and benefits forever, gut collective bargaining rights, and sets up “managed competition,” in which city employees would bid against private contractors for work. There has been conflicting information circulating about when public testimony is supposed to begin. Assembly Chair, Ernie Hall announced to a Working Group held last Friday between the Assembly and the unions that the testimony would begin on Wednesday, February 27th. Mayor Sullivan repeated that same announcement…
2/23 Anchorage Caucus!
You know how you always gripe because you can’t drive to Juneau? Well, gripe no more. Your Anchorage legislators will be taking testimony on state legislation: Make your voice heard on oil taxes, educational investment, cruise ship sewage discharge, and other important state issues. Saturday, 9:30am at the Loussac Library in Anchorage. Be there early for a seat, and to participate in the Recall Lindsey Holmes rally at 8:45am.
Sen. Backpedals About Alaska’s Dimwit Voters
There’s backpedaling, and then there’s Backpedaling. Sen. Lesil McGuire (R), my friends, is a double-down Backpedaler. It’s actually quite impressive. It’s almost… what’s the word I’m looking for… “Palinesque.” With the current legislature out of touch with actual Alaskans on so many issues, it’s a skill the majority of Republicans are going to have to master. House Majority Leader Lance Pruitt, and Speaker of the House Mike Chenault have already backpedaled to varying degrees that they laughed out loud at the thought of legal same-sex partnerships, despite the fact 70% of Alaskans think it should happen. This time it’s about…