By MICHAEL TAVOLIERO
At our recent Alaska Republican Party state convention, I brought attention to a reality transcending party lines: Alaska operates more like a colony than a state.
This isn’t just rhetoric—it’s a fact grounded in numbers. A staggering 57% of Alaska’s state budget is funded by federal dollars, and over 60% of our land is owned and controlled by the federal government.
Colonialism is not just about funding; it’s about control. Instead of Alaska realizing its potential as the greatest natural resource development state in the nation, we’ve become a microcosm of federal bureaucracy. Unelected government officials wield significant power, making decisions that affect the daily lives of Alaskans, without truly understanding or prioritizing our unique needs.
By definition, a colony is an area controlled politically by a more powerful entity, and Alaska fits this description all too well. This is not a partisan issue—it’s an Alaskan issue.
We need leaders who will stand up for our state’s autonomy, who will push back against this overreach, and who will ensure Alaskans have the final say in what happens on our land and with our resources.
Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, we all share the same stake in Alaska’s future. It’s time to come together and work toward a state that truly reflects the will and needs of its people.
Before I delve deeper into this issue, I want to extend my gratitude to Nancy Dahlstrom for her decision to withdraw from the U.S. Congressional race. Whether or not she realized it, being a “straw woman” in a scheme designed to maintain federal control over Alaska is more the norm than the exception in our political landscape.
Let’s talk about Nancy Dahlstrom’s Trump endorsement.
The harsh truth is that this endorsement wasn’t born out of Trump’s deep understanding or appreciation of Dahlstrom’s political skill. Instead, it was orchestrated by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which reached its long, sinewy arm into Alaska’s political landscape, completely bypassing local wisdom and experience.
They selected a person with an uncertain future.
Why? Because many within the top-tier of the Republican establishment were opposed to Nick Begich representing Alaska in Congress.
This tactic isn’t new—it’s exactly how we ended up with Sarah Palin as our candidate in 2022.
The NRCC manipulated the process then, and we all saw the consequences. Palin was thrust into the race, splitting the vote and paving the way for Mary Peltola’s victory. And where is Palin now? She’s certainly not representing Alaska in Congress, nor is she even present in Alaska politics. We came dangerously close to repeating this mistake with Dahlstrom, whose endorsement was driven more by external interests than by what’s best for Alaska.
The NRCC’s backing of Dahlstrom shouldn’t fool us. Their polling, strategy, and analysts may appear sophisticated, but they are detached from the realities on the ground here in Alaska, where 40% of Republican district committees endorsed Begich. This detachment was further evidenced by the ranked-choice voting strategy used in the 2022 Murkowski campaign for U.S. Senate.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) poured significant resources into Murkowski’s campaign, despite the fact that Murkowski had been censured by the Alaska Republican Party. Murkowski’s opponent, Kelly Tshibaka, had been officially endorsed by the state party. We’ve seen this pattern of ignoring local concerns in favor of top-down control by the D.C. elite in other campaigns as well.
Take 2010, for instance, when Joe Miller defeated incumbent Lisa Murkowski in the primary election for U.S. Senate. Murkowski then ran in the general election as a write-in candidate and defeated Miller, thanks to the resources of the NRSC. Once again, the long arm of Washington, D.C., dictated the outcome, favoring the status quo.
We cannot allow federal interests that run contrary to our values to dictate or sabotage our political future. We need to stand firm, demand what’s right for Alaska, and support a candidate who can genuinely represent our interests in Congress.
Alaska has been functioning as a colony since statehood. Despite the many government employees and contractors who benefit from the federal government’s involvement in over 57% of our state’s budget, we continue to overlook the fact that Alaska holds the greatest natural resource development potential in the nation. Y
et, very little of that potential is being realized due to the federal government’s stranglehold—a situation that has persisted since statehood.
It’s time for Alaska’s voters to wake up and make a change. We need leaders in US Congress as well as our state legislature who will fight to end Alaska’s status as a colony and restore our state’s rightful autonomy and prosperity.
Michael Tavoliero is a senior writer at Must Read Alaska.
The real reason Peltola is in the House is that Nick didn’t do what Dahlstrom just did. Let’s call a spade a spade. However, your point is right on. The Feds have been controlling who gets elected to Alaska’s Federal delegation for a very long time. It’s disgusting. They’re essentially buying seats for the political establishment.
Matthew
Nick was in first before Palin and Nick was endorsed by the Republican Party.
Palin was put in as a spoiler
Being the first to file is meaningless. Are you actually thinking that the first person to file should be on the general election ballot immediately? That is insane.
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Additionally, that Palin got more votes than Begich did in all four contests held, it clearly demonstrates that Begich was the less preferred candidate, and he should have dropped out. He spoiled it for AK.
Please, can we stop with the Sarah worship? Many of us have called out your bs. I was there at AKGOP Convention in 2022 – Palin was worthless; and worse, entered the race solely for her own ego-stroking and to keep Nick Begich out of Congress. Palin was then and likely still is delusional.
Well said!!!
But are we willing to pursue greater autonomy and liberty at the corresponding cost of a decrease in federal largesse?
The folks in Juneau say we’re not, and whether they are correct on that point or not, it’s how they act. It would be incumbent on the Republican Party to demonstrate otherwise if the status quo is to see any improvement.
And……we need to change the state constitution too limit their opportunity by setting limits to time in elected offices. That would be the biggest jump for better elections. Remember that Dunleavy promised those changes but as soon as he was elected the second time, Dunleavy forgot all about it. So, Mr. Eastman, let’s start with that. We have had the worst of it in this state because of the Republican Party and the elected congressman. Let’s work first to limit elected time to serve. How about it?
Not only Juneau, but most municipalities and boroughs. Federal funding is, unfortunately, a very desired source of funds in AK. Speaking against taking fed funds is not a popular position in a city council meeting, but hopefully that can change if people choose sovereignty over more cash with strings!
The Lower 48 has always considered us their own personal parkland. They routinely lock up our land, our resources, and our economy because they do not believe anyone up her has the intelligence to run the state wthout their guicance. We live here. Why would we trash the place? And judging by the mess the Lower 48 has made of every city and most states, I wouldn’t trust them to run a garbage dump.
DC rarely knows what’s best for anyone.
They either: a) don’t care, or are b) openly hostile to our interests because were just ” deplorable dregs” to them were. Just “them.. ” with an intonation of Yuck!!
“Murkowski then ran in the general election as a write-in candidate and defeated Miller”, yes, and after dubiously “winning” a write in campaign, which have a 99% odds for failure, she was welcomed back into Mitch McConnells Republican senate club. The same Republicans who are subservient to their Democrat power partners. Yes, we are a colony of the US, always have been since 1867. Federal grants are destroying the social structure and economic health of our state. We need to reduce the state government by 80%, and wean it from worthless, highly inflationary dollars digitally generated by the Fed. Open our lands to productive uses, gold and a multitude of critical minerals mining, oil, natural gas and coal extraction, ect. We don’t have “betters” in Washington, we allow ourselves to be exploited and manipulated by the most corrupt and incompetent political class in history.
Good article Mr. Tavoliero. There has definitely got to be a bunch of changes. For starters, bringing the state capitol to mainland Alaska where the People can connect with their reps and keep them in line face-to-face.
Why are we only getting 50% plus of federal money if they are controlling 60% of our land? We should be getting at least 60% to match up with the land controlled by the Federal government! Since we don’t, what park or property is the Federal government willing to turn back to the people of the State?
Should be all of it – let us determine what is best suited for parkland and for responsible development in Alaska.
At Statehood, Alaska was promised several things. The most important was the royalty percentages on minerals extracted from federal lands. This is the reason our permanent fund exists which funds State Government and keeps a Statewide tax unnecessary. But there was also the transferring of land from the federal government to the state to develop a population and resource base. The State was bring this question to the Supreme Court when Tony Knowles told the Department of Law to drop the case. (I often wonder what was traded). The government owns a huge portion of Alaska–or should I say, the People of the United States controls most of the land and we are subject to their whims. Not sure of the extended definition of colony is but this sure comes close for me. Down South, the government puts up gates or berms to denies access to land to the land they own. Will that happen here? When are the people of Alaska going to get what we were promised at Statehood? The natives got their settlement, but the rest of us were left out. Interesting question: I wonder if there was a way to use this to nullify the statehood vote, establish an amount that the Federal Government has profited by not doing this transfer, and establish a more autonomous land called Alaska instead of a State?
100% Michael
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