Ken Koelsch: Alan Gross campaign lacks decency, class, and even facts

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By KEN KOELSCH

We got our first television in the late 1950s on our family farm.  After the evening chores were done, the family would gather by the TV instead of listening to the radio. 

We could get reception from just two distant TV stations so, if anyone wanted to change channels, one of the kids was designated to go outside and move the antenna until the picture and sound became clear. 

“Dragnet” with its main character, Sergeant Joe Friday, was a family favorite.  The expression “Just the Facts, Ma’am” is attributed to that show.

Facts can be defined as the truth about events as opposed to interpretation.  In this current election cycle, facts fail to be presented with reliability or civility.  The only bright “fact” spot this election year was our local Juneau election. While municipal election results didn’t turn out to everyone’s satisfaction, our local candidates campaigned on the issues with civility and class.  

The current presidential campaign, on the other hand, is at the opposite end of the civility spectrum compared to our local election. 

But Alan Gross’s campaign for the U.S. Senate dominates the media and completely lacks any decency or class.  The outside political groups behind Alan Gross, the Democrat nominee, are determined to win this election at any cost.

It is impossible to escape the sheer volume of distorted, divisive “facts’ and innuendo that arrive hourly and sometimes minute by minute over the airwaves, social media and in our mail.  This U. S. Senate race will undoubtedly go down as the most negative in Alaska history.  

Here are some facts: I’m supporting and voting for Dan Sullivan for U.S. Senator and hope you will consider doing likewise.   

Sullivan supports Fisheries.  Sullivan does not support the Pebble mine.  

Sullivan supports insurance companies being required to accept pre-existing medical conditions.  Sullivan does not support Obamacare and its taxation of private insurance plans and uninsured individuals.

Sullivan supports lower cost prescription drugs.  He has voted against efforts to allow “unsafe” or “unapproved” prescription drugs into the U. S.

Sullivan supports our military and law enforcement. 

Sullivan secured $1.6 billion in new military construction for Alaska.   Sullivan helped increase personnel and modernize vessels for the U. S Coast including new cutters for SE Alaska.

Sullivan has championed “Choose Respect” campaigns for women and aided survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

He fought to keep and to increase Federal work positions based in Juneau which make up almost 7% of our workforce.  

When the pandemic struck, Sullivan fought for and helped secure billions of dollars for Alaska in the CARES Act that translated into over $53 million for the CBJ and millions more for local Native entities, fisheries, Juneau International Airport and Bartlett Regional Hospital.  

Those funds helped maintain our police and fire units, our school system, our local businesses, our tourism industry, our homeless, our arts, our hospitality organizations, and our non-profits.  

The composition and powers of the Senate were established by Article One of the United States Constitution.  The Senate is considered the more deliberative and prestigious body of Congress due to its longer terms (6 years) and its smaller size (100 members).  

As a freshman senator, Dan Sullivan was the primary sponsor of 10 bills that were enacted into law and they range from Save Our Seas to the Veteran Advocacy Act of 2020.  

Sullivan was designated in the top 10% of most effective bipartisan senators and is respected on both sides of the aisle.  He has earned respect as a tireless fighter for Alaska and its people. Sullivan has served with honor in D. C.  

 Fact is, Senator Sullivan has earned re-election.

Please join me in voting to send Dan Sullivan back to the U.S. Senate for a second term.

Ken Koelsch is the former mayor of Juneau.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Every election is a “bringing home the bacon” contest. A grand tradition in “fierce, proud, independent” Alaska. People brag about being born here which actually means they’re on the Government teat.

  2. Thanks for the pleasant campaign letter. The “Independents” running for the House and Senate should take note. We already voted for Sullivan.

  3. During the debate between Senator Sullivan and the bear doctor, I couldn’t help but notice Al blame Senator Sullivan for pretty much everything bad that has happened in Alaska since Senator Sullivan came to our great state. His closing argument was literally Dan has caused everything bad that has ever happened since he got here.
    .
    The fact that the bear doctor seemingly can’t count to eight but repeatedly showed us a piece of paper with eight marks on it say this is how many times Dan has voted against Obamacare. Great, if Senator Sullivan voted against Obamacare eight times then it shows he has a brain, Obamacare was a disaster before it was gutted and turned into something manageable.

  4. Whaddya expect from an opioid peddler? Preventative medicine? He needs to go back to Gross anatomy class and study the sphincter muscles.

  5. Ken, well written and timely. Gross has from the beginning attempted to portray himself as some kind of macho man. His, ” born in the wake of an avalanche” “killed a grizz” and even his brag about having the ” cajones”, along with being a choker, err, gillnetter. Turns out the Grizzly was a cub. Pretty well sums up his Alaskan experience.
    BTW, you were one heck of a H.S. teacher.

  6. My friend of over fifty years is gracious in not calling attention to the fact that the “Bear Doctor” rarely discusses his positions on major issues or other legitimate reasons why people should vote for him. I guess we should take some solace in the fact that he is not a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School.

  7. Overall a decent piece, though the former Juneau Mayor in his opposition to Pebble conveniently forgets that Juneau is also a mining district, with two currently active mines within the borough. Mining in Juneau has been going on for over 140 years and it still supports commercial, hatchery, personal use, sportfish, and guided sportfishing. The main anti-Pebble claim is that mining will by definition destroy all salmon in Bristol Bay. Juneau all by itself disproves that contention and has done so for over a century. Cheers –

  8. Agree Ken, every minute on anywhere I go on the internet I get an Al Gross add. Its offensive to see the outside money being poured into Al Gross campaign. His phony persona implied in the adds, the nasty rhetoric all manufactured by his liberal donors who have the sole purpose to bring blue into a red state. Not sure if Must Read has done a Lincoln project expose’ but what a slimeball organization, JMHO. I like many know our congressional delegation. BTW the same can be said of Galvin’s campaign.

  9. Just vote no on Elmer Fudd………… enough already, I’m sick to death of his droning voice! #fuddjumpedthesharktwothousandsixhundredadsago

  10. While listening to someone who’s business was shuttered after being sued for (Gross) malpractice, how expectant should you be that whatever falls out of that snake’s pie hole next is truthful?

    These pseudo independent leftists serve as pylons defining the queue for all of us that work. Their lies have brought out a bigger contingent of conservative voters than Alaska has ever seen and in that manner their well publicized duplicity brings value to a previously ambivalent electorate.

    In November we’ll watch the Bear Dr. get stuffed.

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