Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski issued the following statement following President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union speech, which was given on Tuesday evening in the U.S. Capitol:
“We just listened to President Biden’s first State of the Union address to Congress. And I believe he started his address appropriately and with the right tone, indicating that the world is watching the devastation in Ukraine, the atrocities that we are seeing delivered by President Putin out of Russia, reminding us all as a nation that we cannot stand by, the United States cannot stand by, the free nations of this world cannot stand by while Russia invades an innocent country, with innocent lives being lost.
“It was a reminder to us again of the strength of the spirit of the Ukrainian people and a reminder that democracy is something to fight for every day, and we will stay committed to that fight and the Ukrainian people and the many around the world are coming together.
“So, I think the emphasis the President placed at the outset was very, very important for us in the United States but for the world to hear as well.
“I wish that there had been a greater emphasis, however, on the role of the greatest sanction of all. I certainly appreciate what has been put in place with financial sanctions, but we see how Putin has used energy as a weapon, as a tool in this effort in Ukraine and clearly with Europe. The President has chosen to not engage, to not engage literally with energy as a means of sanctions. He has made the announcement this evening that additional reserves from the Strategic Petroleum will be released to help alleviate temporarily the pressure that we are seeing on prices.
“But, this is inconsistent and, in my view, almost hypocritical that we would allow Russia to be able to provide this country with oil while we provide dollars to Russia to help them finance this war against Ukraine. This was a missed opportunity of President Biden tonight and one that I hope in the days ahead he sees the light and he recognizes that this is an area that we must look if we wish to really put the directed twist to Putin.
“He attempted to point out those areas of common ground, those areas that we should seek bipartisan unity. And I think he highlighted a few key areas where we have good work to do. There’s good support to addressing the issue of burn pits to help our veterans. He spoke to the issue of mental health and what more needs to be done. He raised the issue, again, of something that I care very much about and that’s violence against women and what more we can be doing when it comes to public safety. So those are areas that I think he was right to point to.
“But it was a bit incongruous when he cited specifically to some measures that have been taken before the Congress and resoundly defeated on a party line basis. And he’s asked us to basically run that play again. That to me doesn’t deliver the kind of unity that we need. That to me is not where we want to be focusing our energies.
“We need to be working together on these areas of common ground. We need to be working together to, again, show the world a unified front when we are engaged in aspects of a very, very difficult situation in Europe. We need to be behind our military, behind our veterans, behind those that are truly putting everything that they have out on the line for us.
“The President hit some good points when it came to Ukraine and Russia, but I think he failed when trying to bring the nation together in a manner and a way that strikes the right chord on unity.”
Republican Senate challenger Kelly Tshibaka was not as charitable toward the speech — or toward Murkowski. She issued the following statement:
“Of course, what we needed to hear from Joe Biden was exactly what he didn’t say. He should have said he was wrong to attack Alaska’s resource industries because he now sees that squandering our energy independence has disastrous ramifications on the world stage. He should have said he was wrong to prioritize a pipeline that Vladimir Putin wanted over the production of energy back home. And he should have said he intends to sanction Putin’s energy industries as punishment for invading Ukraine, while increasing our own energy output to compensate.
“But he didn’t say any of those things because he can’t. The radical environmentalists who are in control of him and his administration won’t allow it. This means that, fundamentally, environmental radicals are in charge of America’s foreign policy.
“Biden is a failure of a president, but incredibly, Lisa Murkowski continues to enable him. She cast the tie-breaking committee vote to advance Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to final confirmation, putting Haaland in power to lead Biden’s energy-annihilating agenda. Murkowski’s excuse is that her vote really didn’t matter because all this was going to happen anyway with Biden as president. This ignores two things: first, Murkowski helped enable Biden to become president by vocally opposing President Donald Trump, and second, the job of Alaska’s senator is to fight for Alaska, regardless of who is president.
“When I’m the next senator from Alaska, I won’t just throw up my hands in futility. When something is bad for us, I’ll fight like hell for Alaska and do everything in my power to stop it.”
“Putin has used energy as a weapon.” Really? Good thing our president doesn’t use energy as a weapon here in the US. We’re different. We just have just bought Russian energy this past year, and in turn, allowed Russia to have more weapons. And…it’s like we are shot every time we go to the gas pumps now. Pots love to call kettles names, don’t they?
It’s been said that Biden has hurt US energy companies more than Russia due to sanctions he has put on the industry. Also, Trump filled up the National Petroleum Reserve of 75 million barrels. That’s not enough to do much of anything. This is proof again that energy independence is critical for the US.
You are absolutely right Kelly! To the point and not wishy washy like Murkowski! Thank you!
KellyforAk.com
2 million people crossed the border last year. How much money did the cartels make? Did hunter Biden do a deal with them?
I know Obama sent them guns.
“The reality is we are where we are … We are where we are.”
How did we get here?
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Brandon: “If you push those nuclear buttons, Vlad, I’m going to confiscate your pleasure yacht.”
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Princess: “oh Joe, you are so tough on those communist dictators.”
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Brandon: “Who’s your daddy?”
……hmmmmm…maybe it’s not really Frankie. What did I actually get into?
Wasn’t there just a video clip of Senator Murkowski sidestepping a question from a state legislator about resource projects in Alaska? And her statement was that she still had hope this road project would be funded?
She got used by thinking consensus could be had, and then got spit out by both sides.
That cannot not feel good.
But as we also know in politics- old family names hold more power than brawn, brains, and certainly beauty…
@Trudy,
She has no brawn nor beauty. Never did. And she never had ANY brains. All that Catholic training and schooling…….for what? She believes in late semester abortion. All she had was ME……to pay for many bar exams and give her a job and title, without earning anything. Now it’s all falling back on me, and I just want to be left alone and go on another one-year cruise to Eastern Europe.
I’m beyond caring what Princess says or does. It’s like watching bad XXX movies: wooden, insincere, predictable, with scary looking participants.
We know what Princess will say before she says it. And we know it will not have the best interests of Alaska at heart. Paraphrasing Slim Shady “ please shut up, just please shut up”
The only surprise about Princess is that she still claims to be Republican.
God help us if we re-elect this feckless swamp creature yet again.
Senator Murkowski will clean Barbie’s clock in the 2022 elections, and then Barbie can go home to Washington DC. along with her mouthpiece husband
Wow, prejudicial comments against beautiful, intelligent, biological women, are just as reprehensible as those made against disgusting bloated bearded biological men masquerading as women. Hey, whatever starts your motor Frank, have at it lovie.
Like that boot to your throat? Got it.
exactly what you would expect from “loser lisa.”
Didn’t watch Brandon blather – would have been a serious waste of time, though SOTU is supposed to be important. Listening to Lisa lick his boots while saying almost nothing was a bigger waste of time. Why didn’t Lisa say we need to drill and pump Alaska oil? Thanks Kelly – we need you, not the swamp princess.
“Tonight, I can announce that the United States has worked with 30 other countries to release 60 million barrels of oil from reserves around the world. America will lead that effort, releasing 30 Million barrels from our own Strategic Petroleum Reserve. And we stand ready to do more if necessary, unified with our allies,” Biden said in his State of the Union address. “These steps will help blunt gas prices here at home.”
‘https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2022/03/01/oil-prices-climbed-higher-during-bidens-state-of-the-union/
Actually his 30 Million Barrels are 1 and 1/2 days’ worth of U.S. consumption.
Now, if he would allow drilling and building pipelines, we could resume exporting oil and gas like we were before.
Buying Russian oil and oil from our Mid-Eastern enemies doesn’t make sense or cents……
“reminding us all as a nation that we cannot stand by, the United States cannot stand by, the free nations of this world cannot stand by while Russia invades an innocent country, with innocent lives being lost.”
What part of Standing by doing nothing real does Murkowski not understand? The USA is doing nearly nothing to stop Putin as the rest of the world watches and realizes that the USA has become a paper tiger….
And how much pocket liner did hunter and the big Guy get for helping out More Stream??
Did Murkowski bat an eyelash when Hillary sold Putin Uranium??? Did any of those worthless scum democrats raise a finger?? Did we forget the Bidens are compromised along Obama’s prior administration including everyone who dealt with them? The issue with Hunter and Ukraine didn’t “go away”, the traitors sit in Washington and includes those who continue to enable and advance their efforts.
I know this is probably just a minor complaint, but does Princess Lisa have ANY other facial expression, ever, than her apparently omnipresent witchy scowl?
Thats her “O” face!
Given what she swallows and spews (politically speaking), then I’ll give her a pass for the old political lot lizard expression.
We are not amused.
Both the Senator and her challenger missed an opportunity to address the core issue in the Ukrainian war: Russia’s security concerns. Unless and until this issue is addressed, the war will continue. Sanctions will take time to work and may not be fully effective. Most would agree that defeating the Russians militarily probably isn’t on the table; Russia has a vast nuclear arsenal. Russia views NATO as an existential threat. I do not say that I agree with Russia but Russia is demonstrating with each passing hour, that they will go to war on this point. Until the core issue is addressed or the costs to Russia become too high, the killing and the destruction will go on. The “steely resolve” stuff plays well with domestic political audiences.
I endured that speech. It is interesting that every Democrat President (or pResident in this situation) always proposed more Federal controls and more Federal spending as the solution for everything.
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Want lower drug prices? The Feds will impose price controls
Want less crime? Spend more federal dollars on police
Want fair and open elections? Federal government takes control
Want more security on the border? Control and spending
Cure cancer? Spend more
Education? Spend and control
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Want less Government spending and control? The solution is MORE spending and control.
Go Kelly T!!!!
Sounded more like a state of the union for Ukraine and not America?
It’s because of reps like Lisa, Dan, and Don we have what’s going on now.
These lifetime grifting politicians have go to go.
Of course all Tshibaka can do is complain. I’m no fan of Murkowski, but at least she is mature and reasonable.
? They’ve all had to move downstairs. Bummer.
Complain? Runaway inflation, billions of American dollars going to Russia for petroleum (while our oil fields and pipeline sit nearly idle) emboldened rogue nations gaining stronger nuclear weapons, watching a small peaceful nation be destroyed. Gunter, not much to be happy about right now.
Well, maybe you’re right Collman. There’s a world of decay out there and it bums me out. It would help if a leader offered ways to leave all that decay behind, offered some strategies, some hope and insight, some intelligent solutions to reunite us. That’s what I look for in a leader.
Tshibaka is not that leader.
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