The new party platform of the Alaska Democratic Party is a lot like the old one — it supports voting rights for felons, climate change dogma, and LGBTQIA+ obsessions.
But a number of important changes are in the new party guidance document that relate to the environment, energy, and climate change. One of the key changes has to do with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the 1002 Area is set aside for oil and gas energy development. That oil and gas needs to end immediately, if Democrats in Alaska have their say.
Oil and gas are the state’s economic backbone and also fund the Alaska Permanent Fund, from which Alaskans get a dividend each year as their share of oil royalties.
The Democrats’ platform was published on the party’s website after the state convention was held in Juneau in late May.
These changes that abandon Alaska energy workers came out of the party’s Climate Caucus, as revealed first here at Must Read Alaska earlier this year.
While the Alaska Democrats have not broadcast the drastic changes in any publicly facing statement, the party platform posted after the convention shows that the Democrats have finally withdrawn their reluctant and qualified support for fossil fuels and now they oppose all fossil fuel development in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, even in the long-permitted 1002 Area of the North Slope, a slap in the face of the North Slope Borough.
The new platform sets the party agenda for a “rapid transition to renewable energy sources,” and supports “carbon pricing,” to lower the demand for petroleum and make it more expensive, so that the costly green energy can then compete. The party platform says climate change is an “emergency of the highest order.” This is in line with the national Democratic Party platform.
The changes come at a time when a petition has been filed by a consortium of environmental litigation groups with the Department of Interior, calling for the Trans Alaska Pipeline to be dismantled.
According to the new mandate from the Alaska Democratic Party: “Although the Alaska oil and gas industry historically has made, and continues to make, vital contributions to Alaska’s economy, the currently advanced state of climate disruption requires that the world transition away from fossil fuel use as soon as possible,” the new platform states. “We support a rapid transition to renewable energy sources, which are now cheaper than fossil fuels.”
The platform also says, perhaps observantly, that those with mental health issues are most impacted by climate change.
The party platform is the one that Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola must adhere to, as Democrats do not allow their lawmakers to stray from the party line. So, while Peltola may occasionally vote in support of Alaska’s economic well-being, she will also continue to work to elect Democrats who oppose Alaska’s economy, such as voting for Russian conspiracy theorist Rep. Hakeem Jeffries for House Speaker 19 times and having anti-oil Rep. Eric Swalwell from California as her special guest for her campaign fundraiser in Juneau.
The Alaska Democrats’ platform changes in the energy, climate portions of the document are excerpted below:
Because Alaska’s quality of life and robust economy depend on our natural environment, clean air, and clean water it is critical that we eliminate or minimize all forms of pollution through:
● green technologies and infrastructure
● energy efficiency in buildings and transportation
● waste reduction, especially single-use plastics
● recycling that truly achieves a circular economy for the materials involved ● proper management and cleanup of hazardous and solid waste
● strict enforcement of environmental laws
In an effort to enact measures to protect the land and water of Alaska and the Earth, we support legislation limiting the sale and production of single use plastics and support the search for environmentally safe alternatives.
We support the protection of Bristol Bay watersheds and oppose the proposed Pebble mine given the danger it poses to the world’s greatest wild salmon fishery.
We support protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain and oppose oil and gas exploration, leasing, and development as it jeopardizes the human rights of the Gwich’in Nation who depend on the health of the Porcupine caribou herd and its habitats for their subsistence and cultural survival. In addition, the coastal plain is a critical, intact ecosystem supporting polar bears, hundreds of species of birds, and other wildlife.
We support enactment and strict enforcement of regulations that protect workers and the environment. This is particularly important for resource extraction industries, which have the potential for significant environmental damage. We support restoration of Alaska’s Coastal Zone Management program.
Climate Change
Climate change and ocean acidification are caused by human emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG), particularly CO2, and require human solutions. This is an emergency of the highest order that requires immediate, substantial mitigating choices and actions by all levels of government as well as by industry, private entities and individuals.
Climate Change has significant health impacts that are of special concern to Alaskans. The Alaskans most vulnerable to these climate-related changes are those who are most dependent on subsistence foods, the poor, the very young, the elderly, and those with mental and physical health conditions. Alaska Native communities are particularly vulnerable.
The situation is urgent. Alaska is on the frontline of climate impacts, warming 2 to 3 times faster than the global average. 2023 was the hottest year on record. World leaders at COP28 called for a transition away from fossil fuel use.
We support immediate and effective action at the international, national, state and local levels to address the climate emergency. We support the goal of keeping global average temperature less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, through timely reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The State of Alaska must make research, mitigation, and adaptation to climate change, and transitioning away from fossil fuels, top priorities when allocating resources to communities, agencies and the University.
We support carbon pricing, implemented at either the state or the federal level, preferably in a revenue-neutral format wherein the funds collected are returned to households as dividends. The price must steadily increase to the point that demand for fossil fuels is strongly suppressed. Carbon pricing is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because carbon pricing can touch every part of the economy, from electricity to manufacturing to transportation, and because it rewards any behavior that reduces emissions. Rather than regulating exactly where and how emissions should be reduced, carbon pricing gives markets the flexibility to find the cheapest ways to lower emissions.
Energy Policy
Alaska has the opportunity to lead in the development of environmentally responsible energy technologies, efficient use of Alaska’s conventional and renewable energy resources, and enhanced energy efficiency and conservation. Alaskans deserve access to affordable, sustainable energy.
Although the Alaska oil and gas industry historically has made, and continues to make, vital contributions to Alaska’s economy, the currently advanced state of climate disruption requires that the world transition away from fossil fuel use as soon as possible. “Continuing investments in carbon-intensive activities at scale will heighten the multitude of risks associated with climate change and impede societal and industrial transformation towards low-carbon development. Meeting the long-term temperature objective in the Paris Agreement therefore implies a rapid turn to an accelerating decline of GHG emissions towards ‘net zero’, which is implausible without urgent and ambitious action.”
We support President Biden’s commitments and actions to address climate change, including rejoining the Paris Agreement, making the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, investing in clean energy infrastructure, creating jobs in the clean energy sector, regulating methane emissions, and pausing all pending export permits for liquified natural gas (LNG) until updated criteria that consider the impact of climate change have been adopted.
We support an orderly transition away from fossil fuels, with a transition to renewable energy sources for in-state use as soon as possible
Renewable Energy
We support a rapid transition to renewable energy sources, which are now cheaper than fossil fuels. We support:
- ● Onshore and offshore wind, solar, geothermal and salmon friendly hydroelectric projects that minimize environmental impacts
- ● Research and development of renewable energy technologies, which Alaska is particularly well suited to develop, including wave and tidal power and geothermal energy
- ● Cold climate housing research that results in more design and construction of such housing in Alaska
- ● A tax credit structure that encourages renewable energy development by small energy companies and Independent Power Producers, particularly in communities and villages off the road system
- ● Funding for renewable energy including energy storage and transmission across the state● Fair market compensation of homeowners and businesses who produce and contribute renewable energy to the electric grid.We call for immediate creation of a roadmap for the development and implementation of renewable energy technologies and programs, to move Alaska toward an efficient, renewable energy-based economy as rapidly and cost effectively as possible.
The complete 2024 platform can be read at the party’s website at this link. The 2022 platform can be found in the Wayback Machine, the Internet Archive, at this link.
Let’s hope all the D’s supporting this ridiculous platform refuse to accept their PFD and abandon
any and all items that are manufactured from petroleum (Nylon, plastics, etc).
As long as Nancy Dahlstrom is in the race, Mary Peltola can act as stupid as she wants to be. Democrats will always pick “stupid” over reasonable and rational, who by the way, is Nick Begich 3.
Dahlstrom is the problem. Not Peltola.
Nancy Dahlstrom only has some weak republicans that need to use her for some thing and some people who need her for there jobs. The whole thing is embarrassing and sad. Everyone knows it but her.
Correct, Jimmie. Dahlstrom has no clue and thinks people like her and will vote for her. She’s going to end up being a hate magnet, just like Sarah Palin was. Palin had to leave Alaska to find new friends. Dahlstrom will too. She’s no good.
Uh.
Begich finished in third place, not once, but twice.
If Begich has dropped out after his first 3rd place finish, Sarah would’ve won.
If the Begich voters had just ranked the red – Sarah would’ve run.
Karma is a B.
Begich will be a RINO, at best.
Think Jeb, Romney, McCain, McConnel, Graham.
My biggest concern is his family – apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…
We know it, Jimmie. The truth about Nancy will be coming out in due course. Buckle up.
She doesn’t care. She’s gonna probably get re elected regardless.
There’s a part of me which wants to see them get their wish. Get rid of fossil fuels, tourism, and the middle class. But if they get it, they must be made to stay here. Make them revel in the collapse.
If anyone actually turned in his/her bump stocks, as the feds required, these are the nuts who now need to give them back to us. What did they do with my bump stock?
These are also the people who want all Alaskans to either work for government or to collect SNAP credit card food. In either case they want us to have a defined benefit retirement. They also want to replace petroleum revenues with an income tax, and they see no problem inherent in having an income tax on the one hand and a PFD on the other hand.
Diverse group though. A certifiable nut, a fellow bobbing someone else’s wife, and a gay blade; and that’s just the back row.
🙂
Exactly how is the State going to support themselves without oil? Fishing, that is on the decline? Mines they will not allow to develope? Timber, which the feds won’t allow? Tourism is barely a drop in the bucket. Is Alaska a bargaining trip to pay off national debt to Chyna?
NO! … America will never sellout Alaska to China and/or any other Country. Just look at a “globe” and realize the importance of Alaska’s location to defend the Lower-48.
… Realize the proximity of AK907 to Russia
… Realize the proximity of AK907 to Iran
… Realize the proximity of AK907 to China
… Realize the proximity of AK907 to the Northern Sea Route
… Realize the infrastructure already in-place, and easily expanded
… Realize the natural resources AK907 holds within its land mass
… The Federal Lands account for about half the land mass (a lot!)
… In times of dire needs, lands and resources can // could be opened up quickly
You sure about that? Democrats would sell their own mothers if given a chance. Democrats have spent trillions and China has bought trillions of U.S. debt in the form of T-bills. The CCP will come a calling for payment and printing more money is not going to work. China will insist on hard assets for payment. Democrats in the lower 48 don’t care, there is less than 700,000 Americans here. Clear them out and hand it over it over to the chinese. It’s not like they’re giving up Minnesota.
Alaska will turn into the land of open pit mines, miles of tree stumps and lifeless rivers because the chinese are not interested in “EPA regulations”.
Ummm yeah, you forget who we are talking about. Corrupt politicians who would sell their own mothers out on a corner for a buck. Do you actually believe they care about Alaska? I dont.
👍
I challenge all the climate change, fanatics, and end of fossil fuel fanatics to quit using fossil fuel and start walking growing your own vegetables and not using anything related to patrolling products. Otherwise you’re just a narcissist to-faced looking for somebody to go down with you When this all fails and the economy crashes.
Do you know why there are no climate/environmentalists in China?
Because they already have communism.
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This is just another step in the globalists/leftists playbook. Destroy the means of production for the average person, so the “elites” (read that as parasites) can lord over us. Stopping easy and cheap energy is a major step in the process.
Well… I for one think everyone that voted yes to this platform in Juneau at the convention, should be required to live two years in a truly remote village, hundreds of miles from the closest road and all the conveniences that implies.
They’re global warming is a fallacy for fools. Their implementation of wind turbines and solar panels in lieu of diesel fired generation plants, is just plain ignorant.
Anyone notice that they condem Pebble Mine, which has years of copper, molybdenum and gold, all needed for batteries, turbines, cell phones and just plain stuff for day to day living, but don’t mention Donlin Mine, which Lyman Hoffman, Mary Pelota and Calista are all in on, for permitting???? You know..gold over fish for eating…payoffs for politicians
I hate to break the news to the dimwits supporting the gutting of our economy, but no Village will survive without gas and diesel, period…. Unless of course they want all of us killing whales and seals for the oil to light and heat our mud huts….
The Democrats haven’t quite hit the height of stupidity, but they’re within spitting distance….
Dump Dahlstrom. Problem will be fixed on election day.
She’s banking on RCV to pull off another term.
Remember they aren’t that stupid. This is virtue signaling to their voters who are that stupid.
““We support a rapid transition to renewable energy sources, which are now cheaper than fossil fuels.””
If you’re burning wood, maybe.
“The platform also says, perhaps observantly, that those with mental health issues are most impacted by climate change.”
They most certainly are, and they’re making these insane rules.
Naw, they don’t want anybody burning wood either, so everybody has to freeze. The left eschews common sense and logic, operating solely by feelings and ideology.
Manda, good point above. If the green energy is actually cheaper the market will soon follow it. Remember what happened to the New Bedford whaling fleet after John D Rockefeller invented ” coal oil” to light the lamps of the world? John D’s coal oil was far cheaper to produce and took the lamp oil market away from those tight fisted New Englanders.
Trust the people to make choices for themselves. Wait, Democrats don’t do that do they…. seems they always need mandates and CAFE standards and lots of liberty grabbing , freedom squashing programs to enact their agenda.
Despite the above the Democrats say they are ” Pro- Choice” 🤪
Renewable energy is only cheaper because the Democrats, including Peltola, have artificially driven up fossil fuel prices to force us all to switch to electric, and electric is subsidized. But they ALL claim to want the best for Alaska and build a future for their children and grandchildren. Alaska will not be a place where anybody can make a living if they succeed with their agenda.
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Put all of these climate people in a village, take away all of their modern conveniences, tell them they will not be re-supplied by aircraft because those use aviation gas, and they can’t have any lights unless they can set up solar panels (no good when the sun disappears for 4 months). Also, they can’t use wood to heat their houses because the smoke causes pollution. Leave them there for at least a year. If they don’t freeze to death, maybe they will regain their sanity, if they had any to begin with.
‘http://www.nomenugget.net/news/nome-man-sentenced-100-years-jail-sexual-abuse-minors-spanning-decades
It is interesting how quickly or how cheaply the generational trauma gets swept underneath the rug.
How does Mary Peltola sweep under the rug her relatives’ child sexual trauma?
Everyone knows Mary’s husband died because he overloaded his plane with too much weight.
I am a Gold Miner’s Daughter.
I can tell you this- no one has brought in $500 million dollars to bail my way of life out as an Alaska Native woman as a gold miner.
If the price of gold tanks gold miners do not lobby for a bail out. She brags how she brought $500 million of tax payers money to commercial fishermen.
Did Mary do that?
I think Veronica Slajer did that.
Look at who Veronica employs.
Look at who her fishery clients are:
Triplets ~ for hire.
THE PICTURE OF THE CLOWNS TELLS MORE THAN SUZANNE CAN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN
I’m starting to wonder if Nancy Dahlstrom or someone in DC was paid to get her in the race so Peltola keeps the seat.
I am sure that happens a lot more often than people realize.
Just recently the Speaker of the House, needed the Democrats to keep his seat. The Republicans have to purge themselves of the MAGA virus.
You spelled “uni-party” wrong. “The Republicans have to purge themselves of the MAGA virus.” I hope you understand that the hate and disdain you have towards “MAGA people”, is mutual. We’re not interested in DEI, LBGXYZ, Ukraine, mail-in voting or other feel good money-wasting programs. We interested in one American, one vote, in person. We’re interested in heavily vetted immigration and a very protected border. We’re interested in “America First” and jobs for Americans first. We no longer buy the excuse “jobs Americans won’t do”. Your statement makes me wonder if you worship Stalin on a daily basis. We have no room for your ideology in this country.
Ukraine? So do you believe we should let Ukraine fall to Putin? Do we get involved when Putin starts taking chunks of Poland? Grabs Estonia overnight?
It’s not that I believe Ukraine is a bastion of democracy or that Zelinski is the next coming or anything… but we can’t let Putin start marching around like he is the next Stalin. President Biden gives Ukraine just enough to keep war going but not enough to push Russia out. It’s stupid.
Sounds great! Now.. Anyone that voted D should be refused service at gas stations. Their natural gas lines to their houses need to be cut and capped off. Refuse delivery of heating oil to their homes. Cut off the power to their homes. Refuse service at stores (it took oil to manufacture, grow, process and deliver food and merchandise) Since they love the idea of no fossil fuels, they can live without fossil fuels. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, let them enjoy the walk down that road by themselves.
NB3 !!!
NB III – the family whose goal is mining and energy. $$$ I realize that he is the only one that gets the number one spot in RCV; but, someday, I’ll be glad when I don’t have to vote for him because there will be a better choice.
But with Nancy Dahlstrom around, there is no better choice. NB3.
Rural Alaskans depend on the PFD for firewood, heating oil and big ticket items wonder what they will think about the Democrats taking away their PFD.
At least Democrats are upfront about what they plan to do to productive Alaskans.
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Didn’t see anything about legalizing child endangerment, an equally important part of the Democrat Manifesto.
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Was Mayor LaFrance installed to test the Democrat Manifesto in Anchorage, see how it works, if it needs tweaking before it’s applied to state government?
More than likely! Well, between Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
This article proves the existence of the Communist party in Alaska. Did you catch the part that said a member of the Alaskan Democrat Party could not stray from the Party platform? Not only is that unconstitutional, it actually shows that anybody can be a member of the Democratic Party whether they have a brain or not. If they have to adhere to the platform, then there is no room for new ideas or discussion. These subversives need to be exposed for what they are: people who have no concern for the State of Alaska and its people.
Don Young must be rolling in his grave. The woman who is front and center by some cruel twist of fate is filling his seat in Congress. She is our only representative in Congress. That should be alarming to every Alaskan. Every Alaskan should read her professional records, which list what she has voted against. The only reason she is in office is because of the Ranked Choice Voting system, which was implemented shortly before her taking office. She is apparently friendly with Lisa Murkowski, who is a Democrat in sheep’s (Republican) clothing. Like most radical leftist, there is a lack in her basic knowledge, which begs the question of why she voted against No Child Left Behind. All through this article, there are references to mandating renewable energy in Alaska. According to Science Learning Hub: Oil and gas forms in sedimentary ocean basins. Dead plankton (organic plant and animal material) gets deposited together with mud, sand and other sediments. In this early stage the plankton/sediment layer is called sapropel. Through an increase in temperature the sapropel is converted into kerogen. Folding or faulting forms oil traps where oil and gas can accumulate in the pore space of a source rock below the trap otherwise it will escape to the earth’s surface as seepage. The liquid or gas that forms is known as ‘hydrocarbons
It appears to me, and I have no claim to being an expert, that this would make oil and gas renewable energy sources because everything alive eventually dies and is returned to the earth. Reading on, the Science Learning Hub lists wind, solar, and hydroelectric as renewable sources of energy. That sounds just ducky until you look at what you need by way of equipment to use these resources.
The upshot of this mess is this: if the Democratic Party of Alaska thinks we should dismantle the pipeline, we first need to take away their gas powered cars and turn off their utilities in their homes. They should be required to travel by rowboat, canoe, or dogsled. The dogsleds should be pulled by dogs who are fed meat that their owners hunted. Since the manufacture of bullets requires the use of fossil fuels, these people should be required to bow or spear hunt only.
We could go on and on with this ridiculous scenario, but we don’t need to. The question of providing energy is not so black and white. The economy of this state is. We depend on our natural resources. Whether Peltola understands it or not, to carry out the platform of the Democratic Party would be to sabotage the economy of our great State, which was rolling along just fine before she came along. I would daresay that without fossil fuels she would still be in the villages with no career in politics.
One last point: the Democratic Party requires that its members not stray from the prescribed Party platform. So where is their First Amendment rights?
If Don had chosen and groomed a successor we wouldn’t be in this mess now. His ego is what landed us here.
She’s welcome to fly on electric jjets.