By BEN STEVENS
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Ten years ago today, Nov. 4, 2008, a national General Election was conducted. Barack Obama was elected president and here in Alaska, my father, Sen. Ted Stevens, was defeated in his bid to continue serving Alaska in the U.S Senate.
To revisit the results of that election is difficult and disturbing on many levels and, without question to me, the beginning of the Obama Administration is overshadowed by the means by which my father was defeated in that election.
Ted Stevens was a dedicated public servant, his life was devoted to making our nation and our state and better place for us to live, to work and to enjoy our individual rights.
His dedication spanned from serving in during WWII, to working on the Alaska Statehood Compact, being a member of the Alaska Legislature and serving for over 40 distinguished years in the US. Senate.
The root core belief of Ted Stevens’ service was to defend our individual rights to insure that government policies and actions protect those rights and did not encroach nor restrict those rights.
In 2008, we witnessed actions in that election against him that were motivated by individual self-interest, actions by a political party lusting for a super majority and actions by their supporting organizations that would discard all legal and moral processes just to win an election, just to attain power.
It was painful and disheartening to witness then, and even more to watch those same individuals and organizations trying to manipulate the election process again now.
This week we have the opportunity to exercise our individual right to vote. Our votes will impact how our state is to be managed over the next decade.
Please be sure to give consideration to the individuals and organizations seeking your vote  in this election. What is their motive? Is it self-serving or does their platform focus on supporting individual rights? Do they stand for job creation through responsible resource development or empowering government agencies to increase regulations and taxes on our existing industries?
In 2018, just as in 2008 we have participants in this election that will exercise any means just to win. They lust for power, for all the wrong reasons.
Ben Stevens served in the Alaska State Senate, representing District N from 2001-2006. He is the son of the late Sen. Ted Stevens, who was the longest serving member of the Senate until his defeat in the 2008 General Election.
