By GOV. MIKE DUNLEAVY
“It is not by the consolidation or concentration of powers, but by their distribution that good government is effected,” wrote an elderly Thomas Jefferson as he looked back on the founding of our nation.
Throughout his life, Jefferson never wavered in his support for limited government. Decades prior he had warned supporters of a national bank that to take “a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress is to take possession of a boundless field of power, no longer susceptible of any definition.”
As pandemic-related disputes once again brew in Anchorage, some Alaskans believe I should cross that boundary.
Agitated social media users and well-meaning bloggers tell me that it’s for the greater good.
“Just a touch of tyranny and then we can go back to following the law,” is their unstated message.
What’s incredible to me is that the founding fathers were almost clairvoyant. They couldn’t have imagined the impact of social media on our democracy, yet they were intimately aware of the very human desire for government abuses when it benefits the petitioner.
This knowledge inspired them to do everything in their power to prevent that “single step beyond.”
To combat the inevitability of corruption, they rooted government in the concept of local control. In fact, this core principle of American life far predates the founders.
Families, villages, townships – this is where the power has resided for some 400 years. Even centuries later, the principle of limited government allows the Mat-Su, Kenai, and so many other communities to manage the pandemic in a way their residents desire.
And love it or hate it, it allows Anchorage to be Anchorage.
This doesn’t mean I’m not vehemently opposed to some of things that have occurred in our largest borough, but disagreement doesn’t absolve me of my oath of office. It certainly doesn’t remove Anchorage’s emergency health powers or allow me to toss aside the leaders voters elected.
In the interest of thoroughness, I have once again asked my legal team if there’s any place in the Alaska Constitution or statutes that allows me to intervene when I, or others, don’t like the policies being put forth by duly elected officials.
We’ve found no such authority, and for that we should all be thankful.
We should be thankful because it means that an overreaching strongman would also be constrained if he were governor of Alaska. No powerful central government can destroy our Alaskan way of life, and that’s exactly how the founders wanted it.
Because I’ve acted within the law throughout the pandemic, Fairbanks, Kenai, and people across Alaska are free to behave in a manner chosen by local voters.
I know some will immediately point to the actions of governors in other states. I get it. But what I hope they understand is that these governors have state constitutions and legislatures that have given them the powers they’re using.
For example, many of the “anti-mandate mandates” elsewhere aren’t actually hard-and-fast rules; rather they’re “enforced” via legislative funding cuts. This requires a legislature that supports the governor’s decisions. As astute political observers will note, that is not the case in Alaska.
Further, it would be the peak of hypocrisy for me to take that dangerous step toward tyranny while fighting tooth and nail against the Biden administration’s overreach. How can I advocate for Alaska’s self-determination while imposing unconstitutional dictates that local governments oppose?
History is littered with the wreckage of nations who fell to the siren songs of strongmen who promised to come to their rescue. I would encourage residents to not head down a potentially disastrous path when faced with fleeting and temporary problems – problems that the voters of Anchorage are capable and competent to solve. After all, it’s not the mayor or the school board who run the show, it’s the voters of Anchorage.
Whether or not they choose to act is up to them, but what I can assure you is that I will not consider even the slightest venture into the realm of tyranny. The risks to our democracy are far too great.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Our founders were almost uniformly pessimistic about the survival of our republic when faced with executive encroachment. Ben Franklin summarized their sentiments best when he predicted, “The executive will be always increasing… till it ends in a monarchy.”
That won’t happen in Alaska on my watch.
I’ll leave you with a famous anecdote that is also attributed to Franklin. As the story goes, Franklin was stopped by a woman in Philadelphia who inquired whether a republic or a monarchy was the result of the 1787 convention.
“A republic, if you can keep it,” was his prophetic reply.
Mike Dunleavy is the governor of the State of Alaska.
Excellent!!
Was he against tyranny when he closed churches and threatened them with arrest if they didn’t comply with His Unconstitutional Mandates. His leadership is a farce!
For two weeks?
He never closed churches you liar
What rock were you under? Btw, I have the emails from his administration threatening arrest for Public Endangerment from April, 2020. So Piss Off Comrade Commie!
This comment is a lie, period.
Below is the response to my email question as to whether Pastors and church members would be arrested and what charges would be filed, from DPS dated 4/1/2020. Also my Pastor was directly threatened with arrest by the Alaska State Troopers for holding a Service in March 2020. So it is not a Lie, Comrade Dunleavy’s illegal mandates covered church services. It’s a lie when RINO Bots try to deny and change history. Dunleavy was and is a Covid Tyrant who illegally suspended the Alaska and Federal Constitutions. He deserves to be ousted at the next election if not sooner.
“Apologies for the delayed response. DPS viewed your questions to be answered.
The point of the mandates is to caution the public of the seriousness of our situation and to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. It is our expectation that the public comply. If a situation arises where an individual is jeopardizing public safety, that person can be arrested and charged with Reckless Endangerment.
Please visit the following website for further information: http: // dhss . alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/Pages/COVID-19/default.aspx.
Feel free to view the mandates, as well as FAQs, to answer additional questions.
Very respectfully,
Megan Peters
DPS, Communications Director”
Well, he’s wrong on that one. Since what the Anchorage Assembly did violated the Federal Constitution, he has the right and duty to protect our Constitutional rights, such as the right to make our own medical decisions (9th Amendment). The role of government is to protect rights, that’s what they’re supposed to do.
What legal route did he have as Governor to intervene with the Anchorage Assembly? People must learn that the government closest to them is as important, if not more important, than state and Federal governments. Anchorage got what they voted for from who decided to show up and vote.
Its in the Ak Constitution thst he has the Duty to protect civil liberties. This is just a poor excuse for his inaction and tacit approval of Anchorage’s actions.
So Brian are you saying that the Assembly can do anything? Can they just start throwing people in jail because they don’t agree with them and the Gov can’t do anything? Can they start killing people? Is there no line that can be crossed for the Governor to jump in?
Remember, they intentionally and publicly broke their own law when they didn’t hold the mayor election on time.
It is obvious by who occupies the seats in the city council that the majority of the people in Anchorage are happy with their elected official’s performance. With that being said, how is it the Governor’s responsibility to go against the majority’s will in that particular city. The Anchorage people could have even ousted the most radical head of council in history but failed during recall. Ounce again showing how Marxist Anchorage has become. The Governor can pull funding as a punitive course of action to get his way but that will most likely resonate adversely with the Anchorage people. He could mandate the council take actions more compliant to his beliefs, but it surely would be locked up in liberal court after liberal court loosing its effect, in the meanwhile, the Governor looses what political capital he has. Look how the school board heads in the 6 conservatively governed states are mandating mask wear in schools in violation of their Governors executive orders. The money and political clout the schools unions have out power our Governors, just like the Marxist money that backs the Anchorage City Council in the shadows. Our Democratic system has been turned on its head and those that we thought represented our best interest have sold their souls. And most Governors lack the money, the will, the skill and the backing to fight the evil eclipsing our Country. If good people can’t find away to unite and take our Country back, we all know where this goes.
Well, they can and do deprive people of liberty on spurious charges and throw them indefinitely in congregate settings while making sure the “virus” is well spread among them as can be proved by evidently not making humane accommodations to release non-violent ones. They can expose elderly political opposites on the flimsiest of farfetched unproven, whispered allegations while promising that “jury trials” are no longer available for the foreseeable future to to disease dispersed in contraversion of the US Constitution which states you have a RIGHT TO CONFRONT YOUR ACCUSER not written secret information. You have RIGHT TO BE HEARD BY A JURY OF YOUR PEERS AND VISONAGE (someone like you you, who looks like you, from your culture). With apologies “We have come a long ways…” from our United States rights in this 49th “state”. Where does liberty rank? I wonder. President Donald J Trump held the US Republic in the highest regard.
Shut up!
I see you have lost decorum along with our Democratic Politicians. That’s usually the response when not capable of an intelligent response
That was great. Now it is clear to me why I inherently like this guy.
So many local talking heads remind me of Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burned. Leaders need to lead or get out of the way. It it was easy, everyone could do it. You have not be afraid to do what feels tight. The fence is a safe place for a while but it is fleeing.
And it’s easy to encourage the gun of government to be held at the head of your neighbor to make you feel safe or to take their property so it can be distributed in ways that make you feel benevolent. There’s all sorts of easy out there..
Yup.
Aren’t you so proud of your Marxist ideology.
“Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”Benjamin Franklin
Governor,
I have become skeptical of words, spoken or written but your message is more encouraging than any I have heard in a long time. I appreciate the candor and encouragement given to all Alaskans. The lights are actually a little brighter now, I think.
Thank you.
He didn’t seem to have many problems overstepping his authority when it came to locking down the state.
Yeah. Must think we have a short memory. Some do apparently.
Another lie.
Dunleavy never locked down? Is that what you’re calling a lie? maybe locking down was within his authority if that’s what you’re calling a lie, but lockdowns (which Dunleavy championed instead of showing true leadership and grit in the face of of tyranny) by definition are tyrannical so he obviously has no problem being tyrannical when it come to destroying people and property rights but he seems to think giving people choices and setting them free of authoritarian rule is tyrannical. all Dunleavy
is willing to do is to tell me to vote harder next time. great plan hes got there, all it got me this time was an impotent governor who has no influence or balls the lesser of 2 evils between him and Begich but by a paper thin margin is all that separates the 2.
this guy is so petrified of the anc school board and assembly yet hes gonna take on and defeat the feds LOL cool story bro. all this big talk meanwhile an Alzheimer victim and and some woman from new mexico run roughshod all over him what a great job hes done so far. He cant even get any meaningful cuts through the budget and now he wants to institute a state income tax and smaller dividend while shinking the budget next to nothing great CONSERVITIVE LEADERSHIP give me a break Dunleavy is a laughing stock
I can agree that we don’t want a state chief executive empowered to lay down mandates or orders to citizens that violate our natural rights.
The constitution doesn’t support it and neither should we.
We also don’t want municipal executives or municipal assemblies or city councils acting like tyrants.
The constitution doesn’t support that either.
So the question isn’t whether or not the governor has the constitutional authority to intrude into municipal politics…the question is where did mayors, assemblies or city councils gain the constitutional authority to lay down mandates or to order us to wear masks or social distance or close our businesses or any of the other “in the public good” tyrannical measures we’ve been subjected to.
We never empowered the government, any level of government, to force us to do or not do something for the good of the collective at the expense of the rights of the individual.
You want to mask up or avoid other people or get a vaccination or participate in a global test of an unproven mRNA treatment? Good for you, go for it but don’t tell the rest of us that we have to do what you chose to do. Nobody, individually, has that natural right so no collective, no matter how large, can have that right.
HEAR HEAR!
Fine words, and philosophy, but we must all remember that our state judicial tyrants remain waiting in the wings to impose government will upon us should the executive waiver. We have a goofball legislature, tyrannical judicial, and in this state only the mildly conservative executive stands for liberty.
Big talk after the fact. The time to stand was over a year ago when the Muni became a 3rd world hellhole.
Or almost three years ago in Wasilla.
Someone is looking over his shoulder and seeing Bill Walker
Too little, too late.
Remember when he punted when the legislators called his bluff and went to Juno to meet? He did nothing. Mike tiptoes around faster than a firewalker. He didn’t act when Bryce and Cathy were fingering the PFD. I know what you’re saying, first Mike has to look and see if it’s legal. And when his minions say it might not be, he breathes a big sigh of relief so that he can live to cower another day. A little less pause sir and a lot more action.
There is no republic. Our politicians have turned this country into an oligarchy.
There is no standard of law.
As ex-presidential runner silky-pony said. There are two America’s.
We see this transpire every day.
Nobody voted for the grossly overpaid Tyrant Bishop, and yet here she is, forcibly masking our children, complicit with board members who do not believe we live in a free country. Once again, conservatives walk the high road while the liberals get away with playing dirty, trampling our rights, and smearing the truth. The time is past due to fight back.
Well said. Now if we can make our election fair again, this present problem will go away. THAT is your job . Make our vote fair …no more corruption
This is a great piece and I wish he had written it some time ago. I like many others thought many times when the out of control Anchorage Mayor and assembly shut the citizens out of meeting and then ‘ruled’ Anchorage in the manner they have and misspent millions of Federal and State dollars on pet projects and especially when the Assembly decided not to hold an election to replace Birky when he quit….surely the State could have found some grounds to force the assembly to follow the law but the Governor held firm and now, as it always was, totally up to the voters of Anchorage to clean up this big mess and throw the bums out in the next election or recall them…
Barrett Strong wrote the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees…Money! I need my PFD from 2016 + Where’s our Money! Thats all I have to say you over grown troll, where’s our money.
Sadly yours and mine have been spent. All the promises of back pay have gone by the wayside and swept under the political rug of hindsidedness. If it didn’t happen in the next day or two after something was said, it wasn’t going to happen ever. We just took the man at face value and thought he actually meant what he said.
The best things in life are free, Barrett Strong wrote, I need money. ALL I want to say to you pampered pusses is Where is our money. 81 billion dollars and old people freeze and starve because electricity bills don’t pay themselves, hey gov, you know 4 out 5 senoirs prefer alpo. Where is our money from 2016+.?
Probably best to switch to cat food. I know it’s a smaller can, but Alpo has horse in it. I know some people refuse to eat horse.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely as the saying goes. I would add that any power corrupts unavoidably. It is the nature of man (including wo-man and whatever other sexes you may believe in.)
I have been so mad thinking it’s all oath takers who got us here and wanting to replace all. What happened to our election was dominion some corrupt judges an media that has been completely bought out and some gullible citizens voting blind. It takes lots of courage to have power and do what is right with it but oath takers must they have taken the oath. We must support and encourage all oath takers to stand up here let’s have a forensic audit of the election. Let’s restore our nation’s integrity let’s immediately oust the guilty parties involved and get back on track. Oan news and Mike lindell has exposed it all plain to see. We must stop it all immediately and get it back on track. Our legislators need support I have a feeling we are all about to see it go down here.congratulations to all good politicians judges assembly it’s just a handful who got us here oan news I love your guts.
Amen, amen, amen. These are TRUE conservative values. Ones that many newfound “populist” Republicans have either forgotten or never possessed in the first place.
HEAR HEAR!
I wish we had sheriff’s who were committed to the US Constitution. We have the right to be secure in our persons and papers from unlawful seizures. Our DNA is our person for sure. IN these days of custom bio-weapons prepared in foreign lands we need our public servants to live up to oaths to defend our Constitution and the republic. We in Anchorage I believe lost our representative form of government. The secret service should have been notified by due process. All our countrymen are taught so little about how to enunciate our rights and don’t know how to claim them to toss off tyranny so that we are unable to do it. It is a legislative process. Not judicial and defense has not been done since statehood. Not once by the legislature process. How is refusing to use legislative due process in Alaska going to preserve anything like a capitalistic, confederate (friendly or “con” meaning “anti” federalist) republic? The Constitution doesn’t say go to the judiciary branch about grievances, it says go to your legislative branch for defense and remedy. If they won’t take action and inquire (the legislators may sue) to defend the people’s liberty, property rights, freedoms, of we that are injured by tyrants: if no one will do this, then all those who could have acted to restore the republic for their countrymen who needed defense have accepted culpability after the fact and will be scrutinized and corrected. I believe the republic is being returned to 1776 standards. So we may all learn old things as though they were new.
There are 3 future scenarios (the virus goes away, remains about the same or gets worse). No one at this point can accurately predict the probabilities for each.
The pandemic is as much about politics as health. At some level, Republicans need to be practical on this issue. The MSM/SM and DNC are highly aligned. If the virus is a much bigger health issue in the future the Republican position of opposing mandates will have a negative impact on taking control of congress. The 1st Amendment is in tatters. If the 2nd is compromised we are finished. As hard as it is to let the fascists have their way with us on the virus, we need to hold on the 2nd Amendment – and try not to screw up the 2022 election.
Mr governor
I knew you had knowledge when I supported you in the beginning. What I didn’t realize is that even though you know the right thing, that you don’t have the character to forge a path into unfriendly territory. My strong suggestion to you is go back to the classroom and teach math, history, and help your students understand what the hell follow the science actually means!? You are not a leader and are deeply unfit to be the governor this state needs! Go and take your text books with you
These word could have been said much sooner. Alaskans want to know, what legal steps were taken to see if stopping Anchorage’s tyrannical assembly n fake mayor? Certainly not purging the voter roles or the courts for making up laws “because of a pandemic”; still waiting for you to encourage your lt. gov to purge the voter roles and even better, an audit of the 2020 election.
All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing.
Exactly. We begged Mike to act on many occasions. Got white noise.
The next Democrat governor of this state will have no problem overstepping his/her authority. That’s the scary thing – anymore we’re always one election away from tyranny.
Well said Governor!!
Well spoken Sir.
.
TRUTH is the recognition of reality. Keep fighting tooth and nail for truth, our State, and our Republic.
.
Strength and Honor.
The wicked never prosper, and Tyranny is tyranny and it is a thing of the wicked.
Compromise that’s how the good lose ground and their kingdom because of they envy the wicked’s success and do what the wicked do to get ahead, and they lose their kingdom just the same as the wicked.
Maybe the founders knew just as today people’s hearts were always going astray from the Word of God. Even during the founding of America lived people who resisted “religious” works and bible, just as there are the same kind of people in government guided by their understanding and knowledge because they resist God.
Good job gov, stay the course!
Yeah keep losing and crying about it
Governor Dunleavy,
Your written words do not reflect what you have chosen to do during these difficult times. Alaskans do remember all of your mandates over the last year that many view as tyrannical. Many also view your expenditures of public money via radio and signs on buses promoting a shot that has killed and injured thousands of Americans as incredibly irresponsible. Everyone knows that the 2020 Presidential Election was stolen, along with many other races, and you chose to do nothing. I would suggest that you dig deep and start leading instead of talking.
When are you starting your efforts to force Kevin Meyer and other responsible individuals to conduct a full and complete forensic audit of the 2020 election in Alaska? Alaskans have been waiting a long time Governor.
It’s pathetic the more I think about this excuse which boils down to “It is Tyranny to stand up to Tyranny” I suppose that “Give me Liberty or Give me Death” in Dunleavy’s world is Un-American.
Moreover what will you call king Josiah’s action in the book of Kings when he tore down all the baal and ashertoreth poles and killed the baal prophets, destroyed the dead baal prophets gravesites. Josiah was cleansing the land of all that defied Isreal’s God. The people who still wanted to worship false gods may had thought king Josiah as a tyrant. If I lived during they time enjoyed worshipping my baal and molech gods, then a king comes along told me I can no longer worship them and I have to destroy my idols. I will think the king is being tyrannical. But no. King Josiah was in the will of God, and his generation would not see the inevitable fall of Judah because of their ancestors sins during king Josiah’s reign and lifetime because of king Josiah obedience and the people turning their hearts back to God.
Sadly! king josiah’s son and his grandson didn’t show the same heart and fear their dad and grandfather had for God, and the people went right back into adopting sinful ways.
Governor Dunleavy,
Thank you. There will be haters of past decisions. Today (well, yesterday) you came up to bat & hit a home run! Our Republic is on see they thin ice.
“The supreme reality of our time is the vulnerability of this planet.” JFK
On very thin ice*
Thank you for reminding the public of the basis of our system of consent by the governed, eschewing tyranny.
The governor has failed to take all steps, including executive order for all employers to cease and desist mandating employees to subject their bodies being injected by trial vaccines.
The data to date clearly indicates that known deaths and serious adverse reactions from these injections has caused fatal events surpassing any trial vaccine experiments in history.
The long term effects on major organs from spike proteins is simply not known. The data to date records alarming adverse reactions on an unacceptable scale.
For the growing number of individuals with jab remorse, there is no known antidote subsequent to introducing these toxins into their bloodstream.
Employer mandates are tyranny of the highest order.
The governor also has a duty to protect our children and grandchildren. Masking children for long periods is criminal child abuse. There is no known medical justification for this. This practice must be ended now.
The governor cannot be tyrannical himself but allowing petty, ignorant authoritarians to defy HIPPA laws and engage in mass child abuse is outsourcing tyranny.
These are fine words. But the Left does not care about words or the law. The Left plays dirty and until we all understand their rules we may feel good but we will lose the game.
I have seen this pandemic from the beginning and read all of the nasty comments to the governor when he stood his ground and let the locals decide for their own constituents. People sometimes forget that the very size of Alaska mandates more thought and also the futility of a state-wide mask order. It is simply too big. And yes, the left plays the game to win any way it can, including, if the reports on Fox are accurate at all, moving unvaxinated and covid-positive illegal immigrants all around the US including flights to Hawaii. Think about it. If these reports are even half true, we may be flying on some of those planes with these people. And they would be infecting more because they are not intercepted by the state authorities where they are headed because the state authorities are not even informed. This is the left. Do we do the same, or so we stand for the law, make our citizens more aware of the total package they have bought, and have the patience and forbearance to show that our constitutions mean something. And one more thing. the governor has had the PFD and PCE proposals to make these part of the constitution for most of his term. It was the legislature, and those powerful state senators like Stedman who were going to ignore them and let them die. But Dunleavy hung in there to do things the right way so that they will have to consider them this time. No, he is not a showboat fighter, but a quiet guy who keeps battling in his own way to get the matter settled. As for the establishment, represented by the ADN, it accused him of “pressure tactics.” All of this tells us that when we elect someone, we don’t just say “sick-um” but support them with emails and phone calls when the occasion comes up. Otherwise, the failure is not the office holder, but ourselves for not taking the time to intervene. And yes, I thought the commentary was principled and needed. But he better grab a helmet, for those that threw rocks before will do it again.
And what of that regarding State’s rights over Federal overreach? What about our right to privacy and the “so called” HIPPA Law? Aren’t these being ignored?
Seems like the Republic is slipping…due to fear tactics and propaganda…blah.
Those with backbone to standup are being spit on by hate speech. But, my parents always reiterated “Sticks and Stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.”
Time to buck up folks. Thanks Governor Dunleavy!
You know, I have always seen failure to stop tyranny as….wait for it…..tyranny. Shocking, I know, right? Did you see, are you seeing, the destruction laid out before you under your watch? Patting your own back and then letting the school system destroy the social skills, physical health and mental health of our children? Your job is to look out for us. Not just with your fancy Washington talk or rhetoric about jobs. There are people in this town right now who need help that isn’t financial or economic, our children are being abused and destroyed and you sit there congratulating yourself for not helping them.
So, according to the new twist of statesmen, if a leader of the state observes criminal behavior in a city by city officials he is not to interfere. And it is also not his job to ensure election integrity?
An apologetic by the most feckless governor in the past twenty years. “I do nothing (other than hire outsiders to act as “experts”), therefore, I am a paragon of governmental virtue.”
Uhhhhh, that would be Bill Walker, right? Thief of the People’s PFD. Friend of pedophiles. Good call, Greg. You would make a brilliant campaign back-up adviser to Walker. Right behind Scott Kendall ?
Next to Suzanne, you have the biggest mouthpiece here at MRAK, governor. Please use it! And, use some of the 6’8″ frame of yours next time Bill Walker and his little army of tyrants and sycophants show up to harass you.
Lol Dunleavy talks tough during campaign season. Tells his audience just what they want to hear.. Just like last election. But once elected he folds up like an accordian.
His stand tall rhetoric worked last time around, not this time around for me. Paper tiger with no stones to really stand tall.
Rino masquerading as a conservative.
Just because he has an “R” next to his name does not mean he deserves my vote.
His governorship was an utter ineffective failure and he was merely a placeholder holding the seat for the team, lol. Alaska deserves better… If he genuinely cared about Alaska, he would step down and let a real conservative run. But apparently his ego will not allow that.
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