Senate 2014 – Begich v. Palin?!
Here’s a little bright spot for Alaska Democrats. I know, right? How often to you hear THAT? Harper Polling, a Republican-leaning outfit, has done a survey in Alaska of 1157 likely voters. They asked about hypothetical match-ups in the 2014 senate race, in which giddy Republicans are lining up to take on freshman Democratic Senator Mark Begich. The poll was taken on January 29 – 30. After Begich’s narrow win in 2008 over Senator Ted Stevens, who at the time was a 7-time convicted felon, the right has had their knickers in a twist over the “illegitimacy” of Begich’s win….
Open Thread – MLK & Inaugural Day
It’s a double celebration today, as we honor America’s greatest civil rights leader, and observe the swearing in of President Barack Obama for a second term. If you’d like to enjoy some great views of the gathering crowd in Washington DC, you can check out the webcam atop the Smithsonian, and another of the Washington Monument. Here is the schedule of events from NPR: Though he and the vice president have already taken their oaths of office, President Obama is due this noon to stand outside the Capitol for his ceremonial swearing in and then to deliver his second inaugural address….
Feingold Praises Murkowski
You see the tips of my fingers creep over the edge of the desk. Slowly you begin to see the top of my head, and soon you can see my eyes, and my nose resting on the surface – kind of like Kilroy in the days of yore, only looking from side to side, and a little freaked out. Something strange is going on. Very, very strange. Earlier this week, we gave kudos to one Lisa Murkowski, Alaska’s Republican Senator. We’re not used to doing that, but let it not be said that we do not give credit where credit…
Reaction to the Holmes Defection
The reviews are in, and they’re not good. Constituents in her district, her colleagues in the legislature, and activists who have volunteered time and money are disgusted with the post-election bait-and-switch by Rep. Lindsey Holmes before she is even sworn in. Droves of Anchorage voters have heaped scorn and shame-on-yous upon Holmes in the past 24 hours, demanded their money back, feeling “punked,” and demanding a recall. To say Holmes, if seated, would begin the new session with very awkward relationships is an understatement – especially since her defection to the red side has now given the Republicans an…
Rep. Lindsay Holmes Switches Parties
Who’s that in the portrait you ask? Well, let me get my glasses. It’s either Benedict Arnold or State Rep. Lindsey Holmes – it’s kind of hard to tell. Lindsey Holmes, you see, was just elected in November in a strong Democratic district (one of the few in Alaska). She was elected as a Democrat, by mostly Democrats, to BE a Democrat. But she decided that after she’d begged for money from Democrats, denied another actual Democrat (whose color doesn’t run) a chance at the seat, and got ELECTED as a Democrat… that she’d just rather be a Republican. Yes,…
Lt. Gov’s Discount Fare
If you could be any animal, what would it be? There are completely defensible answers ranging from a pampered house cat, to a wild mustang, to a dolphin or a raven. But there is only one answer to this: If you could be any restaurant in Alaska, what would it be? The answer to THAT, my friend, is Denny’s in Fairbanks. Any other answer is just plain wrong. You may remember that particular venue as the location for the infamous “Denny’s trial” of Schaeffer Cox fame – not to be confused with the Open Carry Day at Carl’s Junior. Schaeffer…
GOP Civil War: State Edition
The most fascinating political fight in the land isn’t between Republicans and Democrats, but within the Republican Party. And it’s full-on war. The RINOs are being exposed for what they are: big government, corporate welfare hypocrites who don’t support the party platform and who will compromise any moral code to accomplish their aims. Thus fumed the GOP’s 2010 (and possible 2014) US Senate candidate Joe Miller on his blog recently. You can skip the following section if you’re from Alaska. ********************************************************************************************************* Forthwith, the Lower 48 Cliff’s Notes on Joe Miller’s view of the Republican Party. His wing of the party…
AIG: Why Tea Partiers Should Love Elizabeth Warren (UPDATE)
**UPDATE: The board of AIG decided Wednesday not to join a shareholder lawsuit against taxpayers which challenges the terms of the bailout that saved the insurer from bankruptcy in 2008, CNN reports. The board did not detail the reasons for the decision, saying it will make that clear in court filings in the coming weeks. But when reports surfaced Tuesday that it was even considering joining the suit, it sparked widespread outrage against the company. You paid your hard earned money into the coffers of a recklessly mismanaged company called AIG in 2008. You saved them from bankruptcy, from corporate…
Begich Wins Seat on Appropriations
Score! (I search frantically for a Democratic Alaskan political wonk and fistbump them!) I wrote before about how Harry Reid was busy armoring Mark Begich for his upcoming reelection fight in 2014 with committee positions that would bolster his effectiveness in Washington, and make him indispensable to his home state. What did Ted Stevens fans refer to when touting the special power he held in the senate? “Well, you know…” they’d say as they jammed their hands in theirr pockets and arched an eyebrow, “He was the, uh… head of the Appropriations Committee. Stick that in your pipe and smoke…
2012 Parting Shots
If you live in the Lower 48, you may be under the illusion that your state knows how to do “trashy” and “no way—that’s not for real!” It doesn’t. Not compared to Alaska. So sit back with some popcorn and check out the pros. Parenting Fail If you’re going to engage your own son in LSD-fueled hand-to-hand combat in the street over a woman (!), at least don’t do it in the nude. In Spenard, that makes you such a cliché. Poor Kids Get Baked Speaking of excessive nudity, House Finance Co-Chair Bill Stoltze refused to allow a vote on…