For Good or Bad, Juneau Still Represents You
Well, my darling Alaskans, we’ve made it through the holiday season and now a real cause for celebration is upon us – the 2017 legislative session! I know, after so many “special sessions” it’s hard to really feel like this one will be special without the title, but we can all hope. I’m encouraged by the newly formed House bipartisan coalition. You know, the grown-ups in Juneau, working together to work for all of us. What a concept. In reading through the prefiled bills, I’m reminded of the old quote about paving roads with good intentions. Truth be told, with…
Weekend Off – News You Missed
Alaska KNOM – First Evidence of Ancient Trade With Asia Uncovered in Northwest Alaska There’s new evidence that metal goods from central Asia made their way to Alaska long before contact with Europeans. Juneau Empire – After Legislature quits with work undone, Governor calls them back At 11:46 a.m. Sunday, the Alaska Senate adjourned the fourth special session of the 29th Alaska Legislature. Forty minutes later, Gov. Bill Walker issued a proclamation stating that the fifth special session will begin on July 11. On its agenda will be three items: Using the earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund to pay…
Are We All In This Together?
An email from a reader this week asked me to remind Alaskans, and myself, to “appeal to the better angels of our nature.” I’ve been rolling around that phrase, “better angels,” for days. It was first used by Shakespeare in his play, “Othello,” later by Charles Dickens in his novel “Barnaby Ridge,” and still later by President Abraham Lincoln in his inaugural address. (His secretary of state, William Seward, added it to the draft. Yes, our Seward, the guy who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.) With Alaska news outlets reporting daily on the fiscal crisis facing our state,…
Alaskan Politicos Weigh In On Climate Change
In an article today in the Anchorage Daily News written by Lisa Demer our outstanding representatives were reached for comment on several different questions pertaining to climate change. While none of them out right denied what 95% of scientists now agree on – that climate change is caused by man… they’re answers danced around the truth. Mike Chenault’s was my favorite. When asked by the ADN. “Do you believe there is a human-caused element to climate change? House Speaker Mike Chenault slyly answered: “I think that there is. To what extent there is, is the argument, I believe.” Ok, Mike….
State Rep: Gay Families Don’t Count
“Special privileges to individuals who have in fact made a Life-Style Choice.” Thus spake Rep. Lora Reinbold (T-Alaska), demonstrating her commitment to efficiency in government by deftly working two played out falsehoods into one sentence. What she’s objecting to, according to a report by Amanda Coyne, is a new rule granting leave to state employees with a same sex partner suffering from a serious health condition. The Eagle River legislator claims LGBT couples don’t count as “family” and have “no legal standing.” The Alaska Supreme Court appears to view matters differently, ruling in 2005 that it is unconstitutional to deny gay couples…
Norway’s Lessons Are Alaska’s To Learn
Alaskans are a bunch of people who want to be around a bunch of people who don’t want to be around a bunch of people. By Shannyn Moore I once saw a bush pilot restart his plane with the gum wrapper off a piece of Big Red. I asked him if it would work. He smiled and said, “It’ll get me to where I can get what I need.” That seems to be a prevailing philosophy here. Tyvek is not siding, but it’ll keep the wind out. In May a delegation of Alaska lawmakers will head to Norway. The intellectually…