“Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt.”

– attributed to the Roman poet Juvenal

In a time when the ancient Roman government provided the people with bread during the chariot and gladiator circuses held in places such as the Colosseum, the people often forgot their government induced misery, starvation, and poverty.  They were happy watching the misery and death of others.  And, more importantly, they were predictable and controllable.

In a time when Alaska’s future potential as a viable economic natural resource development behemoth in the world, not just the United States, has never been more precarious and threatened by the Marxists controlling the local, state, and federal governments, 

In a time when Alaska’s children have never been so dismally positioned for a failing future in a growing global education environment which has surpassed the Alaska education system with its novel disinformation such as Critical Race Theory, gender identification, the 1619 Project, other Marxist doctrines, and mandatory masking,

In a time when Alaska’s health care costs per capita are the highest in the nation, the world, and the space station, and controlled by a collective hegemony focused on bleeding the state’s treasury through Medicaid and the Welfare industry,  

In a time when the private sector is eroding into non-entity status supplanted by corporatism and the public sector continues to grow and prosper.

In a time when the Alaska Permanent Fund is over $83 Billion and heading to $100 Billion.

In a time when Alaska’s crude oil production has increased since the beginning of 2021 by over 40% and Alaska crude oil production has averaged over 470,000 barrels daily.  This alone has added over $4.7 billion to date to the state treasury.  With Alaska’s crude oil demand worldwide continuing to grow, barrel prices may reach between $80 to $100 a barrel in the future.

In a time, when history will show the people of Alaska have suffered the greatest economic and social debacle ever in its state’s history more due to local, state, and federal government incompetence, malfeasance, graft, and corruption than the pandemic,

In a time, when the Marxists under the leadership of former Gov. Bill Walker, former Senate President Cathy Giessel, and former House Speaker Bryce Edgmon added the single greatest red herring and obstruction to Alaska’s legislative process in its history, the “Percent of Market Value” or POMV, and seconded by SB 91, the Omnibus Crime Bill, another clever distraction,

In a time when the people of Alaska have been denied their legal and rightful share of oil revenues through the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend since 2016, while the Alaska Deep State continues to grow with exponential resilience,

In a time when all these issues are squarely on the shoulders of the current Alaska political system brought to you by the same Marxist groups who continue to destroy our state,

Please allow me to introduce another startling exercise in hypocrisy, sleight of hand, and deception or for those studying ancient Roman history how to appease the masses.  

The Alaska Marxists represented by the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and the Alaska Department of Administration through its leadership have introduced the “GiveAKaShot.com”.

“Ladies and Gentlemen”, shouts the circus announcer for the Alaska Chamber of Communism:

“Healthy people are the foundation of a healthy economy, and our economy is suffering.”

Are you kidding me?

The Alaska Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the State of Alaska Department of Administration are using Cares Act funds to produce yet another contrived distraction to the real issues our state faces.

Its website at GiveAKaShot.com states, “This is why the Alaska Chamber is launching the Give AK a Shot Sweepstakes set to give out nearly a million dollars to vaccinated Alaskans. Now through Oct. 30, Alaskans vaccinated for COVID-19 are eligible to enter the Alaska Chamber’s “Give AK a Shot” drawing for a chance to win $49,000. A total of 18 prize drawings split between two categories (Alaskans aged 18 and older and Alaskans aged 12-17) will be awarded.”

“The Alaska Chamber firmly believes that one of the most important tools in realizing economic recovery is vaccinating for COVD-19. It is the single easiest and safe thing that individual Alaskans can do to help get our economy back on track. Why? Because recent studies show that vaccinating for COVID-19 is highly effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalizations, and death.”

I won’t go into the recent rise in vaccinated Covid-19 cases, instead I’ll just let you research the studies, but here is my point:

With the fact that Alaska’s economy and society is in jeopardy, why didn’t the Alaska Department of Administration, instead of a sweepstakes, take the Cares Act money and pump it into the PFD under Covid-19 education?  In other words, add a couple of innocuous sentences into the PFD by regulation which advises all PFD recipients to get vaccinated?

Same thing, but different results.

Let’s take it one step further. Is the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and the Alaska Department of Administration advocating the relinquishment of an Alaskan’s constitutional right to privacy? Perhaps a stretch, but the camel just got his nose under the tent. I see this as egregious and slams against our constitutional right found in the Alaska State Constitution:

Article 1.  Section 22.  The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed. The legislature shall implement this section.

The Alaska Marxist party is inclusive to the Alaska deep state. Yet many of our conservative political representatives believe that we can go along to get along and there is no problem being bribed by Cares Act monies.  

With each flaccid sentiment, the party steals one more component of liberty and one more element of our rights.  The party falsely represents itself as the final answer to all societal problems, economic, social, political, and religious.  

The dynamic deceit of Marxist action provides a continuum of energy and enthusiasm but no solutions. It preys on our youth through indoctrination and foments an indoctrinated adult with chaotic theatrics.  

Personally, I think the Alaska Chamber of Commerce should rename its website, “WeDon’tGiveaSh_tAboutAK.com” instead.

Michael Tavoliero is a realtor in Eagle River, is active in the Alaska Republican Party, and chairs Eaglexit.