Anchorage Assemblyman John Weddleton may have thought he was being cute or subtle, but the message came through loud and clear: On Facebook, he said, “Always trying to be optimistic, I hope with foreign countries out, maybe Afghanistan will find a way on its own.”
Perhaps he has a point, and never mind the Americans stranded there.
But then came the real point of his message: In a jab at Mayor Dave Bronson, Weddleton quoted from the New York Times, “A few appointments so far suggest that the Taliban are more interested in appointing from within their ranks than naming ‘professionals,’ … the Taliban’s choice for acting head of the central bank Haji Mohammad Idris, a member of the movement. News reports have indicated that Mr. Idris has no formal financial training.”
To drive home the comparison, Weddleton wrote, “That’s never a sign of good governance.”
This week the leftist majority of the Anchorage Assembly rejected the appointment of former Grace Christian School principal Sami Graham to the post of Anchorage Librarian. Graham, they said, does not have a master’s degree in library science.
After Graham was rejected by the Assembly, with Weddleton joining the majority to reject her, Bronson appointed her his chief of staff, and a few days later appointed Judy Eledge the new Anchorage Librarian.
Read: Mayor Bronson appoints Judy Eledge as Director of Libraries
Weddleton, who has enjoyed life as a wandering hippie motorcyclist and mountain runner, has no record of service in the U.S. military. He owns a comic book store in Anchorage.
Mayor Bronson served as a pilot in the United States Air Force from 1981 to 1990, as an Air Force Reserve Command plans officer from 1992 to 1993. He was an Alaska Air National Guard maintenance officer and pilot from 1993 to 2005. There is no evidence in his biography that he is a member of the Taliban.
Bronson is attempting to appoint members of his leadership team, but must have them approved by the Anchorage Assembly. For the position of library director, the leftists on the Assembly are obsessed with the need for a master’s degree in library science, while Bronson is looking for someone who will help make the libraries safe for all.
That’s s ridiculous and inappropriate reaction. The Taliban is a murderous group that go after to persecute every professed Christian and Israelite as well as anyone following Western culture including American democrats. Although, it is the duty though for the other political side to undo what it views how the other political side damaged the community and nation. So from a lifelong Democrat- Bronson and his team would be viewed as a threat to life as Democrats know it. Hahaha
A new chess board game as been set up. It be interesting to see Bronson’s team next move. This remark serves as distraction from the poor sport player still grumbling losing the last game, a comment made hoping to lose its opponent’s attention and focus.
If Assembly Members Wellington and Dunbar could step outside their social circle and look at Anchorsge after Mayor Bronson, they could see what I see Anchorage is looking happier, even the people choosing to continue wearing facial masks, cause to wear or not wear a mask is Our own choice. Bronson wasnt only elected by loyal Republicans, he also was elected by Democrats and non partisans who didnt like the direction Berkowitz and this Assrmbly was going. They voted for a new direction, and Anchorage expects a new direction out of this Administration that doesnt follow the current Democrat communist vision
The Lefties hate patriots. It’s that simple.
Mr. Weddleton is not saying that Mr. Bronson is Taliban. He is comparing the ways they select people to become part of their governing body. He has a point. Putting people who are not well qualified into administrative positions is definitely not a sign of good governance. It is a sign that the mayor is interested in pushing his ideology onto the city of Anchorage without regard to people properly doing their jobs. Proposing people without the qualifications necessary for the job of librarian director is not good governance, and now Mr. Bronson has made that mistake twice.
I don’t know if Mr. Bronson is foolish for trying to ram another candidate through the assembly or just stubborn. He is clearly a neophyte at running a city as mayor, never before having held political office. If he keeps up with this tendency for cronyism, it does not bode well for the next three years.
Your comment reflects exactly how the said assembly has performed over the last year and a half. Let’s talk about them shutting down business, only allowing the mayors (Berky) and their own to profit as everyone else struggles and or going under. You don’t need a dam masters of library science to run the MOA library. Are scared that the indoctrination process underway may be in jeopardy? Not everyone works in the field of their study, the good ones are able to branch out, adapt and be successful.
What is the assembly person’s job? Please see job description. Why are they trying to branch out?
It was 10 individuals and a Mayor whom all decided to collectively enrich themselves off of the scamdemic. They created many of permenant 200k plus positions, which they can only eliminate. Starting to get the point? They have put forth far more damaging legislation and hiring on the whim of a heartstring, because it makes the feel good, not on rational thinking.
We elected Bronson to push his ideology on Anchorage. That’s why he won. And who says Graham is unqualified?
If Bronson wants to make the head librarian a poltical appointment he should introduce a change in the ordinance
Kind of like the Berkowitz appointment to lead Health and Human Services, an employee from the Boys and Girls Club with zero relevant experience and approved by the Assembly. Graham was a much stronger choice to lead the library.
The point being that an obviously well qualified lifetime educator is deemed less qualified than some wet behind the ears, snotnosed, recent graduate. I’ll take proven life experience anytime over todays educated idiots. Bronson is smarter than all of you as he has recenntly proven. Liberalism is a mental disease.
Homo Erectus, Weddleton was using a time honored tactic amongst the lefties, an attack through innuendo and invective. The idea expressed is that religious beliefs ( right wing Traditional Western Christian) are essentially like the Taliban’s.
What Weddleton fails to grasp is that the lefties who are Anti- Religious hold the top prize for murder and mayhem. From Hitler, ( National Socialist) to his Commie pals like Mao and Stalin. Bronson’s ideological leanings are a threat to the lefties who are intolerant of any view other then their own.
You also overlook the fact that Wokeism and neo-Bolshevism, both being cults based on blind faith rather than reason and facts, are effectively religions as well.
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Weddleton is the worst kind of liberal: while telling you to your face he’s sympathetic to the situation of the conservative cause, and may even rarely vote with them, he shows his true colors in tweets like this.
At least Dunbar, Constant, LaFrance et al, don’t flip about giving one hope that the Assembly may change.
Doesn’t surprise me in the least. Ever since he openly endorsed Forrest Dunbar for mayor, I’ve written him off. Flawed judgement isn’t something we need on the Assembly. And to think, I used to cut him some slack because he actually replied to his constituents emails. I hope someone in his district rises up to remove him and LaFrance.
The leftist assembly have made it their mission to obstruct Bronson and his team at every turn, as long as they can. It is up to the rest of us to elect better assembly members at the next election.
Bronson should introduce a change in the ordinance if he wants to make the head librarian a political appointment.
If you think the current folks running the library system and most other departments in Anchorage are not political, you are seriously ignorant.
John should buy a mirror for himself and the other leftist fascists on the assembly.
Did you expect anything else?
The same Weddleton that thought it was good use of assembly’s time to write, debate on and pass a formal condemnation of the 1-6 capitol “invasion”, all the while completely ignoring the violence and looting of the left for months? I’m shocked!
Anchorage assembly is so full of hate and corruption it amazes me that the uninformed keep reelecting the same trash. Don’t you see what you got with them or are you blind?
They compared Trump to Hitler so is this any different? They’ve never been properly taught history or current world events so what they say makes sense to them, part of the indoctrination process.
Weddleton is not saying anything at all about Bronson. We should give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he is saying ONLY what he said. Nothing more. If he wants to comment about Bronson, let him say it explicitly.
The Mayor is not putting his best foot forward by nominating persons, who not only do not meet the job description but have also been rejected by Anchorage voters. He should work smarter, not harder.
Anchorage is arguably in the shape it’s in precisely because of persons who meet the job description.
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Lives and livelihoods have been wrecked for more than a year in the name of China flu panic by persons who meet the job description.
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Persons who meet the job description suffocate residents with lies, half-lies, unverifiable news bits, about China flu, how their rights must end because of China flu, how government’ll take their stuff unless obey commands about China flu.
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Anchorage’s education industry, nationally known for overpriced underperformance, is operated by persons who meet the job description, for whom teachers union approval matters much more than voter approval.
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Downtown Anchorage resembles a bum-infested ghost town in the middle of tourist season, no less… brought to us by persons who meet the job description.
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Eaglexit’s happening because persons who meet the job description are so qualified to do what they do.
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Anchorage’s easily corruptible mail-in vote scheme was forced on voters by persons who meet the job description.
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Anchorage’s library, operated by persons who meet the job description, appears to be gaining a reputation as a safe house for bums and perverts.
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Remember the Port of Anchorage debacle, a tribute it was to persons who meet the job description, yes?
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So… with respect, the issue seems less like the Mayor putting his best foot forward, more like the Mayor putting his boot on the asses of persons, regardless of job description, who turned Anchorage into what it’s become today.
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And for that we sincerely thank Mayor Bronson.
Weddleton, please resign you are a problem in Anchorage.
I won’t vote for him again. We can do better than elect people that “go along to get along” with the liberal, progressives which have brought disaster to our municipality. He has demonstrated the sort of vacuous thinking that renders him unfit to represent us. I wish him well as he exists wholly in a comic book world, protected by bollards.
He is on his second term so you don’t have to worry about voting for John again. John is spending huge amounts of time trying to solve the homeless problem. No matter what is decided on the homeless a significant minority will be angry which is why these assignements are usually taken by termed out assemblypersons.
So, we should just trust that the people who created the mess can and will fix the mess they created? How’s that been working out for you so far Anchorage?
And we should trust that he is doing it in his last term because that’s the only way it could get done since it’s going to be unpopular (and he was too cowardly to do unpopular things when it might cost him reelection)? Maybe; or maybe it’s because he’s been playing people who are naïve enough to trust him all along.
Assembly members are termed out after three terms not two.
We’d do well to learn from Weddleton’s Wisdoms:
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Someone with proper, formal financial training, Mr. Weddleton for example, should go to Talibania and instruct them in financial professionalism.
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Maybe a cultural exchange program, Taliban visit Anchorage, learn the American way of killing babies and wasting money; Mr. Weddleton visits Afghanistan, learns new ways of killing babies and wasting money.
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As Anchorage transitions from a representative to a ruling form of government, the masses must understand that back in the day, representatives whose only job was to get money and give it away didn’t need formal financial training.
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But that’s history. Through the miracle of easily corruptible mail-in voting, part-time representative money getters and spenders were replaced with full-time rulers, formally financially trained money getters and spenders.
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We appreciate the sacrifices of full-time rulers, so busy with city stuff they don’t spend time looking out at the rest of the world,
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… who took the time necessary to receive the necessary formal financial training that enables them to redistribute private wealth while making people think it’s for their own good.
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Don’t knock graphic-novel dealers, Madam Editor… who else could have such imaginative insight?
Not sure why MRAK believes the libraries are not safe and require a leadership team disciple instead of following the law and providing a person qualified to manage a library. John Weddleton’s past and his Afghanistan post has nothing to do with Mayor Bronson other than MRAK’s misguided attempt to distract from Bronson’s hubris.
We have seen no help to the average public who have had no luck trying to schedule even community council meetings. Phone calls not returned. Unyielding rental requirements and other impenetrable impedance to availability. That is the product that woke, programmed, rigid professional librarian credentials have gotten Anchorage over the last several years. Other less “mainstream” uses are welcomed to snuggle into facility uses. A less woke programmed individual will weigh these uses and become more amenable to the entire community under this mayor but not previous woke, liberal mayor and unelected mayor. The restivous want OUR library space back too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s why we are hiring “other” qualities. We, the people, are making a “correction”!
He’s gonna be just fine. Anchorage had an average voter turnout of 18-26%. That’s with it coming to your door.
Add in Prop 2 and he’s safe and secure.
Some of the wisest people i know didn’t graduate High School. How come a college certificate has to dictate a persons wisdom to serve in a position in this city? I bet Sami could write enough papers of her experiences to be a Doctorate.
I am man, a creation of God. People and free inhabitants have sovereignty (God is Sovereign). Public servants do NOT have sovereignty. They get an oath binding them to the US Constitution which limits them which they acknowledge by oath and a pleasant stipend for duties identified in their emolument. If they act outside their authority they get: expectation of being removed from duty. A public crime is having a stipend while committing a public crime acting w/o authority. So I hope that “helps” everyone. You may wish to practice medicine in lieu of your limited job description but you will lose all immunity. Just the facts ma’am.
More name-calling by the left to get people angry at each other and cause more division. How about both sides learn how to problem-solve?
It is never a sign of good governance if an ELECTED leader makes such a nonsensical statement. He really thinks the Taliban are statesmen and not Terrorists, whose aim it has been to kill Americans for the past 20 years?
Is he advocating that the Taliban recruit “outside professionals”? Wonder if he means it like this:
Boko Haram hire in charge of rules for women and girls
ISIS hire overseeing “how to build a better suicide vest” etc.
Sinaloa Cartel hire in charge of keeping the fervent disciples in line and making a profit, that guy could also help them in the banking arena; Laundering Terror funds 101…
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