By TUCKERMAN BABCOCK
Alaska and Alaskans are in economic free fall: Forty thousand are suddenly unemployed, oil prices are crashing, new work is coming to a standstill, and tourism season is just about wiped out.
Stay-at-home orders were made, businesses were shuttered, and government declared a health emergency on a scale never experienced by any living Alaskan under 100 years old.
This is a statewide disaster.
There are those trying to help: President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young.
And then there are the majorities in the Alaska State Senate and State House.
The legislative majority guaranteed automatic pay increases for State of Alaska employees, increased the state budget by $300 million, and cut the Permanent Fund dividend by $1,300 this Spring, and another cut of $2,000 in October.
They were forced by minority members to begrudgingly allow Alaskans to have a third of their 2020 dividend ($1,000 in October).
They did this while sitting on a giant pile of money — $10 to $15 billion dollars in the Earnings Reserve Account of the Permanent Fund, the portion of the fund used to pay PFDs since 1981. During the last three years, the fund was also used to cover some of the deficit in State spending.
Who can argue this isn’t the rainiest of days?
Never before has government been directly responsible for putting 40,000 Alaskans out of work.
The governor has called for a full Permanent Fund dividend, to include all the years the legislative majority failed to approve the full PFD.
$5,044 is owed to every eligible man, woman and child in Alaska.
Gov. Dunleavy also advocates for a full PFD this year – $3,000, not the $1,000 squeezed from the Legislature. And that is exactly what existing law instructs legislators to do, a law that they ignore.
There are Legislators who support more for the PFD – but they are outnumbered by the hoarders.
Senate President Giessel and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon lead the hoarders in the Legislature.
They are proud of their hoarding. They left billions upon billions sitting in the Earnings Reserve of the Permanent Fund, disregarding the law that directs them to transfer a PFD of a statutorily calculated amount to each Alaskan.
They refused. They ignored the law. They would rather hoard the billions for the possibility that government may need the money later.
Hoarders — in a time of great need, with families who have been denied the right to work and resources in short supply. The legislative leadership are hoarders.
I have been involved politically in Alaska since 1979. I have supported the Permanent Fund and the PFD from the beginning. I volunteered in 1999 to Chair “Save the Dividend Mat-Su.”
The fact is that the PFD is your small share of the royalty paid on developing your oil. The government already taxes your royalty 75 percent to spend immediately.
The hoarders refuse. The hoarders are stuffing the vaults with billions for them to spend later.
Only you can stop the hoarders. It is time we all knew just who these hoarders are. Argue about who is most pure another time. Right now we need to know who the real hoarders are.
Through a constitutional amendment we Alaskans once voted to force the government to save and invest 25 percent of your royalties. Since 1981, the law has directed about 50 percent of the 5 year average in realized earnings be transferred to the actual owners of the oil: all individual Alaskans.
Former Gov. Sean Parnell and former U.S. Senator Mark Begich together recently urged the Legislature to act now to get more PFD out to the people.
Not every Legislator supports making good on all PFDs owed, not everyone agrees on exactly how much more PFD should go to Alaskans this year.
However, a good place to draw the line is between the miserly hoarders and those who support more PFD dollars going directly you (and owed to you under existing law!)
Here are the hoarders who are up for election:
- Senator John Coghill
- Senator Josh Revak
- Senator Cathy Giessel
- Senator Natasha Von Imhof
- Senator Gary Stevens
- Senator Bert Stedman
- Representative Bart LeBon
- Representative Steve Thompson
- Representative Grier Hopkins
- Representative Adam Wool
- Representative Ivy Spohnholz
- Representative Andy Josephson
- Representative Harriet Drummond
- Representative Geran Tarr
- Representative Zach Fields
- Representative Matt Claman
- Representative Chris Tuck
- Representative Chuck Kopp
- Representative Jennifer Johnston
- Representative Gary Knopp
- Representative Louise Stutes
- Representative Sara Hannan
- Representative Andi Story
- Representative Jonathon Kriess-Tompkins
- Representative Dan Ortiz
- Representative Bryce Edgmon
- Representative Tiffany Zulkovsky
- Representative Neal Foster
- Representative John Lincoln
Those who to varying degrees are in favor of following the law or getting more PFD dollars to Alaskans:
- Senator David Wilson
- Senator Shelley Hughes
- Senator Bill Wielechowski
- Senator Tom Begich
- Senator Donny Olson
- Representative Mike Prax
- Representative Dave Talerico
- Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard
- Representative Mark Neuman
- Representative George Rauscher
- Representative David Eastman
- Representative DeLena Johnson
- Representative Cathy Tilton
- Representative Sharon Jackson
- Representative Kelly Merrick
- Representative Gabrielle LeDoux
- Representative Sara Rasmussen
- Representative Mel Gillis
- Representative Laddie Shaw
- Representative Lance Pruitt
- Representative Ben Carpenter
- Representative Sarah Vance
We are not talking toilet paper here, the hoarders are taking real money out of your pockets and your bank accounts.
What the hoarders have done is not illegal, according to the court – just terribly, painfully, wrong. This fall, Alaskans will determine the political price many of the hoarders will pay.
Tuckerman Babcock has been an Alaskan since January 1966. He worked for five legislators, two governors, served 10 years with Matanuska Electric Association, 3 and 1⁄2 years as a commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. He has been a homemaker and former volunteer chair, Alaska Republican Party. Most recently, he chaired Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s transition team and was the first chief of staff (retired August 2019). He lives in Soldotna with his wife and family.
Thank you for laying it out so clearly as to which legislators are truly working for Alaskans and which are stealing from Alaskans.
When one breaks the law, your action is illegal. Any court that declares otherwise is a kangeroo court. Its members need to be replaced.
Agreed!
The Judicial leg of Our three legged stool is definitely broken.
Judge changed the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) to the Permanent Fund Appropriation (PFA). PFD Board sets the amount of the Dividend by State Law. Giessel/Edgmon direct Appropriations by State Law. Legislature has the power of the purse. Governor has VETO power. Special Interest Groups, Public Service Unions and Personal Interests have Control over Democrats, Independents and RINOs and the Judicial Branch. Not sure what’s going on with the Governors Office.
Totalitarian Government is when politicians have direct access to citizens financial resources. Cut the Legislature’s tie to the Permanent Fund and let the people elect the board to the Permanent Fund Corporation.
Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent….you are an American first.
Thank you Tuckerman Babcock. This letter is now printed at my house. Those Representatives and Senators on this list (all up for re-election) apparently do not want their jobs in the Legislature.
This is another great and valuable informational letter. Thank you Mr. Babcock, thank you Sen. Lora Reinbold.
THANK YOU…..I believe in the trust of our people. I will carry this list to the voting booth. Much appreciated. Jim Franco, Juneau.
Great post Tuckerman!
Alaskans – it’s time to “Take Back Alaska!” Join together to defeat the 29 big government legislators above in the August primary, and to support the 22 legislators on the full PFD list. The PFD belongs to individual Alaskans, not these legislators.
Thanks for the list, this political virus can now be seen, nowhere to hide. Our votes will be the vaccine.
How long are we as Alaskans tolerating these hoarders attitude of refusing the laws for payment to the Alaskan shareholders of the full payment. This got to come to an end.
Time to revolt residents and demand full payment of our PFD.Unless this is paid in full to withhold all pay increases to the State employees and legislators.
I support all of what Tuckerman has written here.
It is a shame that our Elected officials are doing this to the families in our state.
I have also been involved in state politics since the late 70’s as the elected Mayor of Soldotna and have watched with great concern those that handle the purse strings of our state as they have continued to grow the government to what it is today.
It is also disturbing to see what they are doing to the efforts of some great Alaskans such as Governor Jay Hammond and Senate President Clem Tillion as they set up a system for all Alaskans to receive a benefit from the resources of this great land in the Permanent Fund Dividend.
It is no wonder that WE THE PEOPLE are fed up with the government that is to protect us as citizens.
I am amazed that those that want to steal what is rightfully the citizens of Alaska can even sleep at night.
We need to stand firm with our Governor and Mr. Babcock in demanding the financial return on the investments that we all have earned.
Having to deal with the Colvin 19 virus has put our families in a very dangerous position that could be helped by the payment of the full PFD payment as we as what is owed from previous years.
I am not sure about any of you that are reading my comments but I am at a point that I will fight politically against any of those that have stolen the Peoples money.
Let’s see, Tuckerman has routinely and consistently decried the proflagate expenditures of the legislature and now he wants to WHAT?, significantly increase profligate expenditures under the guise of the state doing what he claims it always should have done, i.e., pay its citizens a premium for living on its poorly managed, mineral rich property that needs to beg people to stay upon so it can filch from them whatever real work they might be able to provide?
My wits faint.
Why this nitwit is allowed to travel in circles where serious thought lives is a mystery to me. He is not the solution to the problem, he is the problem itself.
This is no one’s fault but our own, we put these people into office, most of them more than once. They have to be primaried OUT! We cannot wait until November because they don’t play fair and anyone that believes that they do needs a history lesson. And we should contact our Governor and ask him to call the Legislature back to do the job they were elected to do.
Unless you are a unionized public employee, including teachers, an employee, practitioner, or recipient of publicly funded healthcare, a welfare recipient, or an education administrator or contractor, you are not a part of the “we” who put these people in office. The Majorities are owned by these interests and the legislators took care of the interests that put them in office; the rest of us don’t matter.
You are wrong again Art to be lumping all of those professions in one basket. Neither I nor my wife support the NEA. They suck.
I know there is a significant number of union members who don’t follow the union in lockstep, but they allow the union to take their money and use it for its political ends. And, yeah, I also know that there are reasons for that; you can’t vote on contracts unless you let them take your money, but as long as they take your money, they control the government.
Nobody is taking my money.
C’mon Art, you know the oil companies have run this state since about the day the pipeline passed Congress. Pretty much everything else has been for show. That’s why we’re in the pickle we’re in.
That’s leftist BS. The oil companies protect their interests on taxation and regulation but otherwise are neutral or completely uninvolved on other political interests.
I spent most of my State career in positions where I talked to the Commissioner, the Commissioner talked to the Governor, and the Governor talked to God. Unless it was about taxes or regulation, we never felt any real pressure from the oil industry. The people you feared on Election day were the unions.
Pictures are being filtered out.
There were some stray coding issues with that column when it came over from the original. I think it is fixed, but the photos are removed, yes. It was too much trouble to reinsert them all. – sd
Suzanne, I know that Sen Shower supports the PFD. Can Tuckerman correct his listing to show that?
Is he up for election? I think the list is just those up for election otherwise I too would expect Showers to be on it. He’s a great senator. Also, Laura Reinbold who stood alone defending the PFD.
“Who can argue this isn’t the rainiest of days?”
Their response would be, “Let them play in the rain.”. These legislators are out of touch with the people of Alaska, and the Juneau cloistering mentality exacerbates this attitude.
Are the government health mandates that Tuckerman hates so much caused by “government” or his former boss? I am impressed by the lengths he has gone to in this piece to avoid criticizing Dunleavy. Tribal politics at its best.
I agree! Calling Dunleavy a “helper” is rich.
We would not be in this dire economic situation if Dunleavy had not slammed martial law down on us before anyone knew what was happening. He has completely trampled not only the US Constitution but also the AK Constitution which says plainly,
“this constitution is dedicated to the principles that all persons have a natural right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the enjoyment of the rewards of their own industry.”
Unfortunately, it is true that our legislature – who by the way voted to give Dunleavy dictator powers till November – will be useless to fight him.
It’s up to the people to right these wrongs. But I’m not holding my breath since Alaskans put all these creeps in there to begin with.
Thanks, Tuckerman. Well stated.
We will never get these people out unless they are physically removed they have a stronghold In their district to many legislatures for not a lot of people make districts larger
The main problem is Article 12, Section 8 of the so-called “Constitution of the State of Alaska” which says, “The enumeration in this Constitution of specified powers shall not be construed as limiting the power of the State”. If the powers are not limited, they are UNLIMITED which is not a Constitution at all, but instead only “Corporate By-Laws”. “The State of Alaska” is a Corporation and NOT Sovern. There is no Lawful Courts and no Lawful Government. That is the root of all our problems. Why is no one talking about these facts????? Seymour Marvin Mills Jr. sui juris
I agree fully with Mr. Mills comments. We are arguing about issues which are relatively minor subsets of a much larger abuse. Gradually but relentlessly the people of Alaska have released themselves from individual responsibility and allowed Government (on all levels) to grant them perceived security at the expense of once valued liberty.
For an example of our trip down the wrong path……take the monetary issue. One of the most-used words in modern national lexicon is Dollar. I challenge everyone to sit down with paper and pen and define the term. Go on, do it. I’m waiting. A word which cannot be defined or is defined improperly is more than useless…..it is deathly dangerous. A few definers of the word “dollar” will harken back to the constitutional mandate that “Congress shall Coin Money” and the coinage act of 1792 which expanded that mandate. They will recognize that a dollar was a particular weight of a particular precious metal of a particular purity which itself was coined. Please send me your definition of the modern U.S. dollar. Grades will be posted on my office door tomorrow afternoon. A general failure to properly define “dollar” also means eventual failure of the Ship of State. Lifejackets, everyone. Jock
Wow, you said it like it is and named names. They hate that. Very nice!
I’ve been begging the Speaker for over a year now but no dice. I know a mother with 5 kids that are hurting but he did nothing.
So did you do anything?
These stories are nice to read and all, but the house majority will not, under any circumstance turn loose a full pfd. No way. I think even being down in the election results, they still won’t do it. They lack something about caring for the needy individual. They just can’t do what is right.
Thanks Tuckerman!
Hoarders hoard while Heroes help.
During tough time we see those who care about their community, friends, and family by their actions. Their willingness to set aside petty selfish nature and jump in to help. We honor them and look to emulate them in our own lives.
Have we been blinded by those in Juneau that serve themselves over the interest of their constituents?
Have we trusted that while we raise families and work to keep food on the table, they will diligently work for the best interests of the state?
Say it isn’t so…have we failed to understand the nature of some we elect? That answer is self evident.
Please, look for the heroes next time you vote. You can tell them by their actions, not what they are promising!
They have taken more than the PFD from the folks they have given us far less hope and a much harder road for every business to function throughout Alaska..!! In the Walker years we had a governor that refused to Govern and a Legislature that refused to Legislate and now we have a Governor with a Legislature is bent on the destruction of Alaska..
Thanks Tuckerman. Especially for not being involved in Alaska state government anymore.
Since you’re naming names, Senator Click Bishop falls in with the Hoarders…
Really good to see this Crisis taken head on ! The ERA is holding about 16 billion according to the APFC; the Hoarders will state that as being much less. According to Senator Shelley Hughes there is still time to prevent last year’s transfer of 4 Billion to the Corpus from the ERA too, until year’s end. That amount would nicely cover the Dividends withheld since 2016.
Yes, Alaska does have the means to weather this crisis with our economy mostly intact. Thanks, Tuckerman, for calling them out !
Revak? No wonder they accepted his appointment. That is a shame. I hadn’t pegged him as a sell out. Oh well.
“We are not talking toilet paper here, the hoarders are taking real money out of your pockets and your bank accounts.”
It’s so funny how not giving us something is taking money from our pockets.
Taking money from our pockets, and our bank accounts, is called taxation.
That is theft.
But, I never see anything from Republicans about getting rid of taxes.
I love how republicans are showing more and more how much they are just as much a bunch of socialist central planners who love redistribution of wealth as the democrats.
It’s not about “not giving us something.” It’s about breaking the laws. Theft is occurring here, and it’s in a very regressive form of taxation. IOW, the poor pay the highest percentage, with children paying at 100% of their income when the state fails to keep its promises and steals the PFD.
And it’s not about Republicans or Democrats. Both sides are guilty of breaking the laws.
“$5,044 is owed to every eligible man, woman, and child in Alaska”. Well, let’s revisit that horrendous progressive income tax proposal by Rep. Paul Seaton et.al., in the previous legislature. That oughta take care of it/sarc.
I came to Alaska with my military family in 1959. I graduated Anchorage West High in 1963 and worked my way through life nonstop in private sector, nonunion federal, and municipal jobs for 45 years with a disability, and I built a retirement. I do not owe $5044 to every eligible man,woman, and child in this state. I have a nice, but not extravagant home. I find it difficult to sympathize these days when folks are demanding a $5000 plus handout when the permanent fund needs to be managed properly. I dread to think that I might be taxed out of my home to pay for gross mismanagement of public funds. I don’t think the $5044 disbursement to every man, woman, and child in this state is prudent in our current circumstances. Respectfully.
Your main mistake is, it’s not a handout.
Oil futures at $11 a barrel this morning. Time to wield the hatchet, or better yet, an axe.
As of mid-morning, some futures are below $0.
If the theft wasn’t occurring, the fund wouldn’t be at risk. And you are not the State of Alaska. I’m betting you budget a lot better.
Well of course I’m not the State of Alaska, and yes, I do live within my means.
“I do not owe $5044 to every eligible man,woman, and child in this state.”
You’re correct, it’s not your obligation, neither is it your money to claim you don’t owe anyone out of it.
It’s not your money! It’s ours, all of ours.
True, under current law. It’s not my money, it’s ours, all of ours. And when the well runs dry, then what.
If everyone owns a thing, then no one owns a thing. If you owned it, this thread wouldn’t even be an issue, because you would have it and be able to use it as you saw fit.
I agree with you Old Alaskan. I think that we have not seen the rainiest of days a some of the writers here are thinking. The worst is yet to come financially. For me, a fairly well employed person, the money would be nice to get in a frivolous way. sure I know that there are folks out there who could really use the money now. But a surplus check right now sets the state up to fail and fall hard it will do if the coffers are dry. This summer is going to be a long, dry and dusty one with Alaska crude at $0 a barrel. I’m sorry for those with no resources to ride this tide for a few more weeks until they can get back to work but draining the bank at this point is fool hardy.
Thank you CAMAD. I’m not a selfish and greedy person as some may want to read into my comments on this forum. I humbly contribute willfully to charities and causes that help people in need, and I sincerely hope they do. The point for me is “willfully,“ and I will continue to do so. I honestly don’t see a $5000+ PFD for every eligible man, woman, and child in Alaska as a viable choice for State government in light of current developments, even though the law that originated back when we were awash in $$$ set that in motion. I support the legislators who are facing that conundrum head on, and I hope the decision will be one that perpetuates the permanent fund’s integrity for the future. As the old saying goes, ”This too shall pass.” Again, many thanks.
Geez, you just don’t get it! “Those with no resources to ride this tide for a few more weeks”. No resources means NO lifeboat to ride out ANY tide. The head “hoarders” talk just like you, that you know better than anyone else how YOU should spend poor peoples money. ‘Oh, save it for a rainy day’, well this is THEIR rainy day and you and the hoarders are kicking them when they’re down. You want to save this money for YOUR kids/grandkids all while ignoring the thousands of “Tiny Tims” living in even more abject poverty because of the current crisis. I think you and the hoarders should spend a few days in rural Alaska before you’re allowed to run your mouths…but heck, the hoarders wouldn’t even go to Wasilla! You’re stealing the futures of the poor so that you can have an even easier time of it in your retirement! How do you people look at yourselves in a mirror? Seriously.
If I took the PFD, I would be a “hoarder”. This is because I have a steady job. Scarce public money should go to those who have lost their jobs due to the government mandated shutdowns.
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I have sent my PFD checks (uncashed) back to the state for the past 5 years, because the state is struggling to pay for needed services for Alaska citizens, while hampered by the loss of revenue, due to the crash in oil prices. I’ve had a job for those past 5 years, and so I didn’t want to be a thoughtless, greedy hoarder by stuffing the free money (that I did not earn) into my pocket and adding to our state’s budget deficit, resulting in a downgrade in our state’s credit rating. There is nothing generous or noteworthy about my actions. It is simply what any sane, normal person ought to do. They should not steal or plunder from the public treasury.
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Some of the legislators are populist “hoarders”. They are trying to “hoard” votes for the next general election by plotting and scheming to break and exceed the 5.25% POMV draw limit on the Alaska Permanent Fund. They want to abuse and damage the sustainability and future earning ability of the Permanent Fund, so as to hand out more free cash, to curry favor with voters who are being misled by various demagogues.
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Poor innocent voters, who are busy with their lives, and who don’t have time to study budgetary issues, are misled into an entitlement mentality, and into believing they are “owed” free cash checks from the government, even when there is a budget deficit and no surplus. A state snow plow operator is truly “owed” a state money paycheck, if he has already worked 40 hours clearing our roads off.
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But I am not “owed” a government cash handout, because there is no “quid pro quo”, as there is with the snow plow operator. We all get free snow plowing services on our highways, because we pay hardly any state taxes (you could call that a “service dividend”). Yes, the money in the general fund that pays the salary of the state snow plow operator, belongs to all Alaskans collectively. But do we have enough of that collectively owned money to pay for all the services that we want, and plus a bloated PFD payment? No. Something has to give, if we want a balanced budget.
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Thank goodness that we have enough responsible legislators to outweigh the irresponsible, populist, pirate, hoarder legislators. The pirate hoarder legislators want to raid the Permanent Fund by breaking and exceeding the POMV maximum draw limit. The responsible legislators like Senator Cathy Giessel, Natasha von Imhof and others, want to protect the sustainability and future earning power of our Permanent Fund.
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By the way, all the state snow plow loaders and trucks belong to us citizens, collectively. Our legislators could vote to auction all the equipment off, and pass out the cash proceeds to us citizens. However, I personally think that keeping the equipment in its present form and use, is a greater benefit to us citizens, than converting it to cash and dispersing that cash to us. Because we (the state) would simply have to go out and buy more snow clearing equipment for next winter.
Well said, Sir.
It doesn’t really matter anymore. Your fault, my fault nobody’s fault, they will be voted out.
With the current economic meltdown, we’re losing a very high percentage of any monies placed in the corpus anyway. Around 6 of that 11 billion that was already returned to the corpus, and falling.
So, Randy…..do you want an award for returning your PFD’s? Sounds like it. Or, would you rather have a reward? Either way, why tell us? The Lefties will think you are magnanimous for not taking a PFD (even though the Lefties take theirs), and the Conservatives (who follow the law) will think you are a retard for not taking what is legally yours. Why not take the PFD, cash it and give the money away to beggars who stand at the corner of your local Fred’s? Wouldn’t that make you feel better?
Paul Geivette
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No, I don’t want an award, nor do I deserve a pat on the back for returning my PFD to the state. This is not an act of generosity.
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If I were generous, I would give $1000 that I earned at my job to the state, or to a charity or to some bum on the street. But I’m too much of a cheapskate to do that (also I’m kind of poor).
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All I did (last year) was return $1606 that I did not earn, because I knew that keeping it would be a greedy and disgusting thing for me to do, when the state is running a big deficit. The guilt would cause me to lose sleep at night.
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Why do I tell people about it? Because I’m trying to use a bit of dramatics to get people’s attention that it is very important to have a balanced budget and be fiscally responsible. The legislators are only a reflection of the people who elected them. We citizens are in the driver’s seat. If a lot of us regular citizens don’t espouse fiscal responsibility, then who is going to do it for us?
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Giving my PFD to the beggar on the street corner, would not make me feel better. Seeing our state get a balanced budget would make me feel good!
Randy, as much as I’d like you as a next door neighbor (your honesty), you are missing the big picture. It’s not about a balanced budget. It’s about statutory law, the intent of the original law, and too much government that poor people like you are saddled with.
Accepting your share of the dividend is not hoarding. It’s yours to take. Gad you gave yours back. Cathy is a Rino. She will get hers soon. She isn’t doing what is best for Alaskans in this time of need.
Better yet, don’t file for the PFD anymore. It will make my share go up.
You are right. Sen. Giessel is a RINO. Republicans are socialist, and she is showing that she is not. Well put.
Not even close to a rebuttal. Try again please.
It wasn’t intended to be a rebuttal. It was a statement.
Republicans are just as much central planning wealth distributing socialist as democrats.
Fiscal conservatives.
???
I call a spade a spade. It is what it is.
Well drafted Tuckerman. There is only one major flaw in your analysis of the detailed list of hoarders. During your stint as Party chair you supported Jennifer Johnston by stating “She was liberal on social issues but conservative on the budget.” Looks like you missed the part where she turned on our Governor & caucused with the Democrates including voting in support of a Democrate Chair. Hmmm, looks like that hoarding thing came to life under your watch. Now the chickens have come home to roost. It is time for Ms.Jennifer to go.
Thanks for the heads up, Tuckerman.
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Would appreciate a briefing on the Great Alaska LeDoux Vote Experiment.
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Until that problem’s sorted, the concern is that Alaska’s state-wide voting system might be as readily corruptible as Anchorage’s mail-in vote scam
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… which means everything you’ve reported may be moot.
I agree, while LeDoux may have been on the right side of this issue, this time. Her past misdeeds make her unsuitable for support. She cheated in the last election and hopefully will be voted out of office and then jailed – or vice versa
Sen. Stedman should be at the top of the list. He is always the first one to get into the information on Permanent Dividend fund earnings and lets the rest of the income producers, mining, fishing, etc. in the state take a walk, while he informs and plans his strategy to steal….
So you advocate that ALL Alaskans get a share of mining and commercial fishing revenues? Socialist redistribution of wealth much?
And you have the gall to call someone else a thief?
Not illegal according to the Court ? But that brings the FISA court to mind and the Obamacare lie that Roberts laid down. both illegal Court acts. The PFD theft according to the Constitution is illegal no matter the ruling. Constitutional versus Activist ruling Judges is our dilemma here. These are not the representation that we voted in on their word, They have been body snatched by an entity that is evil and the fangs are bared and dripping with the pain they have put on the citizen. They have turned away from their oath and the States Constitution and followed evil that directly harms this States citizens Almost as if they are possessed by Satan, Their drive is that hard to harm we the people… Tell me does the Capitol in Juneau now reek of sulphur? Thank you Mr Babcock for standing and writing the truth about this situation. The pain that the citizenry is experiencing is in the long run a true blessing as a State and a Republic must be awoke and willing to participate in the States affairs, We have slept way too long and the tyrants have bloomed . Now we must cull these that have gone to the dark side….. This awakening is exciting,,, Make Alaska Great again,, vote out these tyrants with all our energy,
Yeah voting has worked real swell hasn’t it?
Keep on voting, I’m sure it will work someday.
I do agree with you that politicians are evil, and so are politics. That is the nature of the State. Matthew 4:8-10
And as far as MAGA, you are close, but it’s Make Anarchism Great Again.
No State, No Rulers, No Kings.
Alaskans, we need to prepare for uncharted territory. I just watched the price of oil drop into “negative” numbers. A few minutes ago, oil was at -$1.40 and still falling. That means investors and oil companies are stuck with whatever oil they have interest in, or pay some other entity to take it. Also, it’s reported that the world storage capacity if full to overflowing. In short, I see a complete shutdown of the trans-Alaska pipeline in the very near future, as a business decision by the oil companies. It has to be done, for their economic survival. Once that pipeline is completely shut down, it won’t be a matter of ‘throwing a switch’ to get it back online, especially if it’s shut down through a winter in Alaska. In the meantime, Alaskans are being asked by leftists to raise the taxes on Alaskan oil producers and call it our “fair share”. Does that mean those leftists will absorb the “fair share” of losses and put taxes at a minus for oil companies? Whatever that means politically, in reality it means the entire production and associated jobs, from exploration to exploitation, will be ‘closed for business’. Alaska will be in the “unemployment” breadline, as a state. What happens next with our spendo-maniacs in charge of representing Alaskans’ best interest? Hard decisions are immediately ahead for Alaska. For state financial survival they must be made. If the entire PFD, all reserves, etc. are taken to keep the bloated “services” and “public” employee expenses at current levels, in three or four years, the entire enchilada will have disappeared into the ‘liberal’, not Alaska’s programs. Hard times call for hard decisions. The decisions must be made now or Alaska is toast.
There are so many “quid-pro-quos” in Alaska right now, it’s disgusting. “Quid-Pro-Quo” means ‘something for something’. I believe the biggest “quid-pro-quo” is between current majority state politicians and “public” employee unions, et.al. The unions want full support (the ‘quid-pro’ part) from the politicians, and in return (the ‘quo’ part), they enthusiastically support the leftists in control of the purse strings and vote for them. That must come to a screeching halt, now, for the sake of every Alaskan. The ‘agenda’, especially right now, should be non-partisan. The survival of our state must be the main issue. Even with the financial pain many will suffer, it must be done or?
The world crude price finished the day with a loss per barrel of $37 plus (minus in this case). Now, Americans and especially Alaskans will see just what their leftist and rino politicians are made of. Alaska’s decisions aren’t as complex or enormous as others. Still, Alaska is at a “make or break” point. The necessary decisions will be difficult and angering to many. Remember, Alaska existed and survived before big oil. We can do it again, if any state can. Ridding ourselves of the leftist yoke currently in place is essential to the survival and freedoms of Alaskans that the left doesn’t want for us and specifically tries to deny.
Sorry for being long winded. Lots of things need said right now.
I just watched the freight plane come in. Guess what Madam finance committee and house majority, it was loaded down with Hondas or boat motors or big screens. It was loaded with food from the Presidents $1200 relief checks. That’s what people are buying. Clearly she was wrong with her racist rant. A sad state of affairs going on in the house these days, including the Sen. President. Sad.
It wasn’t loaded with anything but food.
The article states that “oil prices are crashing” and that’s not the half of it.
As of this moment WTI (west Texas) crude is trading for $-18.50
Earlier this morning it cost less than water. Now we’re in the negative value range and it’s a storage issue. The same problem will start bleeding into other areas, pronto.
oilprice.com is your resource for those that would like to track.
All this means is Pepsi is way overpriced.
So gas should be about 5 cents a gallon. I’m down with that.
? me too.
What? Aren’t they supposed to pay us to take it now?
Well said Antonio.
Anyone ever consider a “Constitutional Republic” instead of this Mob Rule Democracy? Seymour Marvin Mills Jr. sui juris
A constitutional republic is a state where the chief executive and representatives are democratically elected by the people, and the rules are set down in a written constitution.
The head of state and other representatives are elected but they do not have uncontrolled power. What they may do is written in the constitution. If there is dispute about what the constitution means, this is decided by a court which is independent from the politicians.
The constitution describes how the state may be run. The constitution limits the power of each officeholder. Constitutional republics usually have a separation of powers. The separation of powers means that no single officeholder gets unlimited power. John Adams said that a constitutional republic was “a government of laws, and not of men”.[1]
Doesn’t read like our constitutions. I like the part where” no single officeholder gets unlimited power”
Constitutional governance argue is meant to be a safeguard against tyranny. No office holder can get to a position of absolute power. However, some have argued that a constitution can be written in such a way that it lets tyranny arise, and that a constitution is therefore not a fail proof safeguard against tyranny. [2]
Aristotle was the first to write about the idea in his works on politics.
Constitutional monarchies are a special case: even though the monarch is not elected, the people still elect other governing bodies. The constitution also limits the power of the monarch.
Article 12, Section 8 of the so-called “Constitution of the State of Alaska.” “The enumeration of specified powers in this constitution shall not be construed as limiting the powers of the State”. Then the State has unlimited powers. Also, where are the Amendments?? There is only a summary of the Amendments. That is not a Constitution, but instead Corporate By-Laws. Seymour Marvin Mills Jr. sui juris
I am not sure I agree with Tuckerman’s premise that there are “varying degrees” of support for the PFD. A legislator either supports the people’s right to the PFD or he or she does not. It is, in fact, that simple. The PF and the PFD belong to the people. The people allow some of it to be used for government. If the the legislature wants to change that formula then the people need to vote on it. Period. This is a binary choice. So perhaps Tuckerman would go back and look at his “list” to determine who is actually as much of a proponent of the People’s PFD in Juneau as they are in their districts. It will be a pretty small list.
Those who are stealing will lose everything they took and more.
My opinion, but the laws are also opinions….Dissolve this evil empire and go back to real governance, not a wannabe…GOVERNMENT…i.e. CORPORATIONS….Dissolve and divide the spoils….
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