Page 1555 – Must Read Alaska

Sullivan, Murkowski statements on their opposite votes on Obamacare

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July 25, 2017

Alaska’s two senators voted opposite each other on the “motion to proceed” on consideration of health care reform legislation, including a repeal of Obamacare.

WHAT THE PROCEDURAL VOTE DID

The Senate voted, 50-50, to start debate on the Obamacare repeal. Without Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s vote, Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote, bringing the total to 51 yeas.

The vote was simply to debate legislation on health care and vote on it.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The debates will begin. There are three bills in play: A straight repeal of Obamacare, a repeal of the individual mandate, and a replacement of Obamacare. No one can be sure which will pass, if any of them do.

The Senate will start with 20 hours of debate and then senators can propose amendments to the House bill. The first amendment will likely be the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act — repealing most of Obamacare and providing no replacement. The second up is the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which completely rewrites Obamacare but would require 60 votes to pass.

Both of those will probably not pass.

The last major amendment could be the “skinny repeal,” which simply repeals the law that requires Americans to buy health insurance — the individual mandate. The skinny repeal has the highest likelihood of passing, according to some pundits.

WHAT THEY SAID

Sen. Dan Sullivan voted to proceed with debate. His statement:

“I’m heartened that my colleagues in the Senate kept their promises to their constituents to begin the process to repeal and repair the Affordable Care Act. Now, the Senate will start an open amendment process that will begin to consider various solutions to address the harm being done by this act.

“Since December, I have met with and heard from thousands of Alaskans and I’ve taken their concerns into account throughout this process. While many Alaskans received coverage under Obamacare, more than 23,000 declined to buy outrageously expensive plans they can’t even use, many of them opting instead to pay a fine to the federal government. This is unacceptable.

“As the Senate considers legislation and amendments, I will continue to focus on repealing Obamacare’s taxes and mandates, and work to increase support for rural states, like Alaska, with extremely high insurance costs. I will also continue to work to put Medicaid on a sustainable and equitable path, with maximum flexibility given to states to tailor systems that meet their residents’ needs. Lastly, I will continue to fight for significant resources to combat the opioid epidemic taking place in Alaska and across the country.

“As we go forward, I will continue to relentlessly advocate for Alaska’s interests and will not vote for a bill that makes things worse for Alaskans.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted not to proceed on Obamacare — either to repeal or replace. ~~and has not yet issued a statement. (We will update this if she does)~~. She issued this statement:

“I have repeatedly said that healthcare reform, and especially major entitlement reform, should go through the committee process where stakeholders can weigh in and ideas can be vetted in a bipartisan forum.

“I voted ‘no’ today to give the Senate another chance to take this to the committee process.

“I still believe that’s the best route, but we will now have this debate on the open floor. We all recognize that we have much work to do to address the healthcare concerns in this country. My commitment is to work with all of my colleagues in the Senate to find solutions that benefit all Americans by increasing access and reducing the cost of care.”

Murkowski sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, which is run by the Republican majority, with Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennesee as chair.

On July 18, she gave this statement, which refers to the committee process:

“As I’ve been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets. That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs.

“The individual market in states like Alaska and in rural communities across America has continued to deteriorate since we last voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alaskans have seen their premiums increase over 200 percent, only one insurer remains on our individual market, and the state was forced to enact a costly reinsurance program to keep our sole remaining provider from leaving.”

“At the same time, the coverage offered on the exchange has become coverage in name only for too many Alaskans with premiums close to $1,000 a month on average and many facing deductibles approaching $10,000. Repealing the ACA without a clear path forward just creates confusion and greater uncertainty.”

“As I stated earlier this year, I cannot vote to proceed to repeal the ACA without reform that allows people the choice they want, the affordability they need and the quality of care they deserve.”

Alaska Republican Party Chairman Tuckerman Babcock also issued a statement today:

“At his press conference this afternoon, President Donald Trump said: ‘This is the beginning of the end for the disaster known as Obamacare.’

“As chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, I applaud the 50 votes from Republican senators in favor of moving forward toward repeal of Obamacare. I am thankful that Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote to break the tie in favor of moving forward with this effort.

“I am proud of the ‘Yes’ vote from Senator Dan Sullivan.

“I am dismayed by the ‘No’ vote by Alaska’s senior senator.

“Fellow Republicans, please join me in continuing to urge our senior senator to join the work to proactively repeal Obamacare. We hope is that as debate continues our senator will become convinced to join her colleagues to move forward to repeal Obamacare.

“This is not only a specific plank of our Alaska Republican Party platform, it is a promise, a unified message that Republicans have made in every election, at every level, since 2010.

“Americans have rewarded our team with the Presidency, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. We must keep our promise to the American people: repeal Obamacare!

“I encourage all Alaska Republicans to email, call or write Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, urging both to work together for Alaska to do whatever is necessary to repeal Obamacare.”

Murkowski votes to keep Obamacare; did she put ANWR at risk?

Suzanne Downing

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July 25, 2017

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On a procedural vote to decide whether to allow a debate about the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski today was a “no” vote, along with Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

Their votes were key, and kept the Senate in suspense for hours as members waited for all votes to be cast, including a vote from Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who took a break from cancer treatment to return to the Capitol. Vice President Mike Pence cast the final vote to break the 50-50 tie and allow discussion of the legislation to proceed.

The two Republican women from Alaska and Maine sided with Senate Democrats.

Obamacare passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote, including Murkowski’s. Its passage and subsequent failure led to a Republican sweep to victory in both houses of Congress, the presidency, and a majority of state legislatures and governorships.

Murkowski’s vote today, however, was a vote to retain Obamacare. But she ended up in the losing category by yet again going against President Donald Trump as she has done repeatedly since before he took office.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, in contrast, voted to proceed with debate on the bill. He told Fox News:

“This to get on the bill. This is to make sure the world’s greatest deliberative body starts debating a critical issue.” – Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska

Obamacare is a failure, Sullivan said, and Alaska in particular has been adversely impacted by it, with premiums rising more than 200 percent. Republicans who ran on repealing Obamacare need to keep their word, he said.

A statement from Murkowski is expected soon, according to her Press Secretary Karina Peterson.

THE CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

Tuckerman Babcock, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, had sent a letter to Alaska’s senators over the weekend, making it clear that repeal of Obamacare is a nonnegotiable plank in the Alaska Republican Party’s platform.

Dear Senators Murkowski and Sullivan,

Thank you for your service to our state and to our nation. As spokesman for the Alaska Republican Party, I thank you both for your support of the President’s nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. That was a tremendous accomplishment and a promise kept.

The 2016 Alaska Republican Party Platform is the general statement of where Alaskan Republicans stand on issues, and where we hope our team will lead us whether as President, US Senator or any other elected position.

As Chairman, I recognize that it is the job of the Alaska Republican Party to support the nominees chosen by our Republican primary voters and to elect our team members to office. I recognize that it is the job of those we elect to administrate and legislate. I respect those spheres of responsibility and fully appreciate that the complexity of crafting and amending legislation is your responsibility and not that of the Party.

However, there are times when a specific issue is so central to our message, to our platform and to our promises to voters that I am persuaded a public statement from the Alaska Republican Party is warranted.

Since the elections of 2010, a central tenet of all national and state messaging, and our united promise as Republicans, has been that if Americans will trust our party with the Presidency, Senate and House, we will repeal Obamacare.

Our 2016 Platform is direct and unusually specific:

“We emphatically support the repeal of the Affordable Care and Patient Act 0f 2010, better known as Obamacare. We support health care reforms to address spiraling costs, quality, availability and the number of uninsured people. Our solutions are consumer choice, personal responsibility, health savings accounts, reduction of unnecessary regulations and limits on defensive medicine and liability costs through tort reforms.”

The ARP defers to your judgment on how best to replace Obamacare … What is non-negotiable is the promise we Republicans have made to Alaskans and to all Americans: Obamacare must be repealed.

The integrity of our mutual promise, our united message and our platform could not be more direct or more clear.

Today, Babcock said, “I am dismayed by the ‘no’ vote by Alaska’s senior senator. Fellow Republicans, please join me in continuing to urge our senior senator to join the work to proactively repeal Obamacare. We hope that as debate continues our senator will become convinced to join her colleagues to move forward to repeal Obamacare.”

GRAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR ALASKA: ANWR?

President Donald Trump had urged Republicans to ‘‘step up to the plate’’ and vote on their bill that would undo much of the damage of Obamacare, and a roll-call vote started at about 2:30 pm Tuesday.

Murkowski’s vote may have pleased the hundreds of noisy protesters that converged on the Capitol, but also may put her in peril with Senate leadership and with the president himself, who might turn his back on efforts to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration. Murkowski is chair of the Senate Energy Committee, but even her chairmanship could be at risk.

Trump knows how to reward and punish. Last week the president signaled to Nevada’s Sen. Dean Heller that he would lose his reelection campaign if he didn’t back the repeal legislation. Today, Heller voted “yes” on the motion to proceed.

Trump made an appearance in West Virginia yesterday, and today, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who had said she’d be a no vote, also voted in favor of the motion to proceed. Trump had won handily in West Virginia in 2016.

In Alaska, Trump’s job approval rating is 51 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll. Murkowski’s Alaska approval rating, according to Morning Consult in April, was 53 percent. The two clearly appeal to different constituencies, but Murkowski will need Trump’s support to open up more federal land for oil production in Alaska.

MCCAIN CASTS THE KEY VOTE, HEROICALLY

Without the support of Murkowski, the Republicans were just short of the 50 votes needed. Arizona Sen. John McCain made a dramatic return to Washington, D.C. for this historic vote, even though he, too, is a frequent critic of the president. The 80-year-old Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war had been in Arizona beginning treatment for brain cancer. He voted “yes.”

Sen. President Mitch McConnell had said earlier that Republicans had‘‘made commitments to our constituents to provide relief from this failed left-wing experiment. And now we have a real opportunity to keep those commitments. I hope everyone will seize the moment.’’

McCain did seize the moment and the mic, giving an impassioned speech about how the Senate needs to get back to “regular order” and that everyone in the Senate knows Obamacare is a failure that needs to be replaced.

Juneau Access priority to state — but not to House Democrats

Suzanne Downing

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July 24, 2017

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The Legislature convenes in special session this week to tackle the capital budget, those precious few project dollars the State has during this fiscal crunch that allow it to capture federal transportation money for roads, bridges, ports, and airports and, in doing so, provide much needed underpinnings to the Alaska construction industry.

Legislators could make a “Solomon’s decision” this week that will negatively impact Juneau and the rest of Alaska: They could gut the Juneau Access fund at the Department of Transportation and distribute half the money to a ferry system that by next year will require further cuts due to declining usage and a diminished state budget.

No amount of personal income tax can prop up the ferry system at this point. Its union labor costs continue to skyrocket and it’s moving fewer and fewer passengers each year. One third of those passengers are tourists. It gobbles fuel to push a lot of water around for very few Alaskans.

The Alaska Marine Highway System had 19,000 fewer passengers in 2015 than it did in 2006. It ferried 10 percent fewer passengers in 2015 than it did in 2014 (2016 numbers are not readily available). Why? It has become cost prohibitive for families and the system is in a constant state of disrepair.

Juneau Access is shovel-ready, can bring hundreds of jobs to the state, and would reduce the need for long-haul ferries in Northern Lynn Canal. Ferries could be deployed to Sitka, Cordova, Yakutat, and Whittier, for example, rather than being stuck on a canal that parallels a road for the first 25 miles of its voyage, as the route from Auke Bay north currently does.

Juneau Access would link the capital city to the Katzehin River, where drivers and riders would catch a 27-minute ferry ride to Haines, or a slightly longer ferry ride to Skagway.

It’s the best chance for Alaskans to have a road to their capital and better service along the rest of the routes. There’s only one little ferry hop required with Juneau Access — a hop that would run several times a day and be the shortest ride in the system.

The Juneau Access fund at the Department of Transportation has $47 million set aside, which can attract $570 million in federal funds for the 50-mile road.

That’s the plan that the State has pursued for a decade. And yet it is stuck in the mud of politics.

Gov. Bill Walker succumbed to his no-build base and said he’s not building the road to Juneau. He just can’t. Even his union supporters have not been able to budge him off his position, even though the federal government will pay 90 percent of the cost of this project that would employ hundreds of union workers.

The State’s Juneau Access fund has remained whole, and could remain intact for a future governor — one that likes to build things.

Except that now the fund faces a new peril: Downtown Juneau Democrat Sam Kito III is pushing to drain nearly half of the money from the road fund and send it to Skagway for a dock project for the state ferry system.

[Read: Road to Juneau, better than ferry alone]

Why would Walker and Kito make it impossible to bring hundreds of jobs into Alaska in the project that could make the most difference for an entire region today?

Because they’ve bedded down with the environmental lobby.

“That money, in my opinion, can be better used now,” Kito told the Juneau Empire last month. In the meantime, Rep. Justin Parish of Juneau doesn’t have the political chops, nor the will, to protect the Juneau Access fund from his anti-road colleagues. He has been anti-road in the past, and now sits astraddle the issue.

Adding to the economic pain is that the Skagway dock project is far from “shovel ready.” It’s most recent design is for a “bow loading” dock configuration that would restrict the efficient on-and-off movement of cars and trucks and introduce ferry scheduling challenges. A complete redesign at this point would delay the project for years, at a time when Southeast needs the construction work.

Adding further to the economic pain, if the Senate goes along with Kito and the Democrats in the House, a whopping $570 million in federal funding may be reduced or at least substantially delayed.

THE SKAGWAY EXAMPLE

The number of embarking passengers from Skagway tells the story of a dwindling system.

In 2015, just 20,385 people boarded the ferry in Skagway, a decline from 24,000. That’s a 15 percent drop in passengers in seven years.

On a per-day basis, that’s just 56 people boarding the ferry in Skagway; one can assume the same number of people disembark.

Spending Juneau Access’ $21 million on a ferry dock used by 112 people a day is what Kito is proposing, and he’d sacrifice thousands of potential travelers in Northern Lynn Canal — and their revenue to local communities — to do so.

On the other hand, the road alternative studies anticipate that the road to Katzehin, with a 28-minute ferry to Haines, would serve 848 vehicles per day. Vehicles full of one or more people. The vehicle fare to Haines would be $15 and $4.50 for each person compared to the existing $86 for a vehicle and $45 per person for the existing situation. Similar pricing in Skagway means that the costs to and from that town would be halved.

The only way to turn the ferry system around is to increase our road links and decrease our ferry costs where we can. Alaska is never going to build a road to Kodiak or Sitka. Alaskans can, however, build a road to Juneau and help out all the other coastal communities at the same time, all the while making our state’s Capitol more accessible to Alaskans.

Bryan Schroder, U.S. Attorney for Alaska, and the case of the missing fisherman

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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July 23, 2017

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Bryan Schroder, a veteran federal prosecutor in Alaska, was nominated Friday by President Donald Trump to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska.

Schroder has been the acting head of the Alaska district since Karen Loeffler stepped down after being asked to resign by the Administration.

He had served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Chief for the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska since 2005.

A retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain, Schroder is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the University of Washington School of Law.

Schroder served in the Coast Guard for 24 years, in Seattle, Long Beach, California, and San Diego. He then served as a judge advocate in Juneau, Anchorage, Miami, New York, and Colorado Springs.

As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he has handled cases involving drugs, guns, violent crime, fisheries, environmental crime, tax violations, and fraud.

U.S. Attorneys are the chief federal law enforcement officers within a particular jurisdiction.They are part of the Department of Justice, which is in the executive branch of the government.

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT

In a recent case that Schroder handled, a Port Graham couple has been charged with faking the death of a man who was facing prison time on another count to which he had already plead guilty.

Schroder charged Ryan Riley Meganack, 34, and his girlfriend, Ivy Rose Rodriguez, 25, with conspiracy and false distress. Meganack was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Meganack is a long-time commercial fisherman and a boat captain. In December he was scheduled to plead guilty in a case that would result in prison time. He was accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

To avoid prison, Meganack staged his own fake death with the help of his girlfriend.

On Nov. 29, 2016, Meganack piloted his fishing boat to an island near Port Graham and abandoned his skiff to make it appear he had a boating accident. He then went into hiding at a pre-staged campsite. After his girlfriend helped him get settled in camp, she notified his family that he had not returned. His family then called the Coast Guard. A search and rescue operation was mounted in dangerous weather conditions, with snow, gale-force winds, and low visibility.

While the Coast Guard and other authorities searched for Meganack, he was safely hiding at his campsite. The Coast Guard received a tip and found the man.

The expense to the Coast Guard was nearly $311,000.

Port Graham is near the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, and is not on the road system.

Other high profile cases Schroder has handled include:

U.S. v. Wells: a double homicide at Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak;
U.S. v. Brandner: a multi-million dollar wire fraud and tax evasion case, and:
U.S. v. Avery: the largest wire fraud and money laundering conviction in Alaska federal court.

Rounding out his credentials, he also served in the Criminal Division as an anti-terrorism prosecutor.

What would Ted Stevens do? He’d get out and play

Suzanne Downing

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July 21, 2017

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*Ted Stevens surfing in California in the 1940s.*

If you’ve lived in Alaska long enough, you’ll remember running into Sen. Ted Stevens, who was a force of nature. One of my early memories of him was visiting his office in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s and seeing his polished long-board surfboard standing in the corner. That added dimension to a guy who I only thought of as a formidable political genius. He was a sportsman who loved the great outdoors, and a man who loved his family.

Later, I remember spending the day with him in Juneau as he was meeting and greeting people at Gold Rush Days, a celebration of the past, present, and future of Southeast Alaska’s mining and logging industry. That was in the late ’90s and we enjoyed a hot pancake breakfast under a big tent in the rain. I remember wiping his chin with a paper napkin so he wouldn’t leave the table with a tell-tale syrup smudge.

Tomorrow is Ted Stevens Day, and that’s a phrase that goes with its slogan: “Get Out and Play.” Senator Stevens, who served 40 years as our Incredible Hulk senator, would want us to enjoy everything about the great outdoors in Alaska.

Here are some events that celebrate the life and times of Ted Stevens:

JUNEAU:

ANCHORAGE: Cuddy Family Midtown Park from 12-3 pm cebration with food and activities, at the Annual Teddy Bear Picnic, encouraging inclusive play for all Alaskans.

GIRDWOOD: The Girdwood Health Clinic is hosting free food and activities from 11 am to 2 pm, including a fire truck tour, blood pressure checks, bean bag toss, art activities, music and more to honor Senator Ted Stevens and his legacy to Alaska.

Senator Ted Stevens wanted to insure that residents and visitors of Girdwood and the Turnagain Arm Area had a facility that could provide health care. With his help, the old post office was acquired with a grant from the Denali Commission. It is now the home of the Girdwood Health Clinic. At 1 pm there will be a presentation of the Ted Stevens Annual Award, for the 2017 Friend of Girdwood Health Clinic.

KENAI-SOLDOTNA: Catch, Clean and Cook – 11 am at Soldotna Creek Park. In memory and celebration of Ted Stevens’ legacy and in conjunction with the Soldotna Progress Days event, the Kenai River Sportfishing Association joins in on this family fun day at the Soldotna Creek Park with its annual Catch, Clean and Cook program. The day includes a parade, music, family activities and various booths, including raffles, food and beverages.

CAN’T MISS THE STEVENS LEGACY

Everywhere you go in Alaska, you’ll see evidence of the state that Ted Stevens built — the NOAA Ted Stevens Marine Research facility in Juneau that you see when flying into the capital of Alaska, when you hike the rebuilt Perseverance Trail, or visit the Seward Alaska Sealife Center.

We can think of many less visible accomplishments, from Statehood, Title 9, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, ANSCA, the bypass mail system, the Trans Alaska Pipeline…the list of achievements is truly stunning.

But the last Saturday of each July is about recreation and enjoying the bounty and beauty of the land. Must Read Alaska will head to Juneau to get out and play, (traveling through the Ted Stevens International Airport on his special day.)

GOT A MEMORY? If you have a personal memory of Alaska’s great senator that you’d like to share with Must Read Alaska readers, please leave it in the comment section below. Thank you!

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Sen. Wilson not running for lieutenant governor

Suzanne Downing

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July 21, 2017

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NOT THAT BUTTON!

On Wednesday, State Senator David Wilson pushed the wrong button.

And within a split second, he had filed a letter of intent to run for lieutenant governor of Alaska in 2018.

Wilson described it as a moment of exuberance, and noted that he is actually not running. He was just toying with the idea, but he feels he needs to spend more time with his family.

He later returned to the Alaska Public Offices Commission page and clarified his intention. He amended his filing to say “not running for office.”

Not now, anyway. After all, he just got to the Senate after having served on the Wasilla City Council. And he is the youngest member of the Alaska Senate, serving District D.

The first-term senator won his seat in 2016 after besting Rep. Lynn Gattis for Sen. Charlie Huggins’ seat, which Huggins retired from last year. (Huggins is thought to be a candidate for governor, although he has been on safari in Africa in recent days and has not declared his intent — not officially.)

The filing season has started. No other candidate has yet announced for lieutenant governor, although some mention Sen. Shelley Hughes as a possible candidate.

She said “not now.” Hughes occupies a safe Republican seat representing the Palmer-Chugiak area.

As of today, no one has filed for lieutenant governor — not even the current lieutenant governor, Byron Mallott.

BALASH AT INTERIOR A BIG HIT WITH ALASKANS — MOST OF THEM

On Wednesday, the White House released a statement saying that Alaskan’s own Joe Balash would be Assistant Secretary to the Interior, responsible for Land and Mineral Management. That means Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and a portfolio that covers minerals, reclamation, safety, and enforcement.

*Joe Balash, (photo courtesy of U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office).*

The response to the news was quick and positive from across the state. In fact, Must Read Alaska’s news item on Balash received thousands of hits on Wednesday.

On Facebook, the comments were effusive: “Go, Joe!” “Outstanding, Joe!” “Great news for Alaska!” Many of his long-time friends chimed in with glowing remarks.

Congressman Don Young released a cheerful congratulations. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan penned warm words in a statement about his departing chief of staff:

Last night, President Trump announced his nomination of Joe Balash, my chief of staff, as the next Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Mineral Management. While I’m sad to see Joe leave, his departure is a big gain for Interior Secretary Zinke, the Department of Interior, the United States and Alaska. His wealth of knowledge and passion for Alaska – and more broadly, federal land issues – cannot be overstated. His advice and counsel on natural resource matters will be invaluable as Secretary Zinke and the Trump administration chart a new path toward American energy dominance. Alaska can and should be a critical element of this important national objective.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski called Balash and excellent choice in a long statement about his nomination, and her Chief of Staff Mike Pawlowski made a rare personal comment on Facebook: “I know I rarely if ever post but could not be more excited for Alaska or honored to call someone my friend.”

WALKER MAKES A MENTION

And then there’s Gov. Bill Walker, who in 2014 wasted no time removing Balash as commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. Walker got the news while in Kenai and was was seen shaking his head and muttering.

He made no official announcement from his press office or on Facebook, but did offer a terse, 148-character mention on Twitter:

Walker isn’t as thrilled as other Alaskans. After all, it was Balash who took on Walker in 2014 in an op-ed in the Alaska Dispatch News, where he detailed the long list of gasline failures by Walker, who was then a candidate for governor.

Suffice it to say, Walker has a long memory.

Heads and Tails: Dunbar talks politics while in uniform, King Cove Road progresses

Suzanne Downing

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July 21, 2017

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FORREST DUNBAR ADVISES CONGRESS: In this picture Judicial Advocate Forrest Dunbar appears in military uniform in what appears to be a military aviation facility.

He advises his Twitter followers to “don’t let Congress do anything crazy while I’m gone.” Innocent enough, but this is a political post being made to the world from a military facility. There are rules for such things.

If on official duty as a National Guard officer, can we surmise this is the also the official position of the U.S. Army — that Congress, which he ran for three years ago, should not do anything “crazy” while National Guardsmen like him are in Mongolia? Was he serving as a JAG when he posted this?

We thank Dunbar for his service and wish him every success in Mongolia, where he will have limited access to social media due to an extreme lack of connectivity.
KING COVE ROAD MAKES STRIDES: U.S. House of Representatives approved the passage of H.R. 218, the King Cove Road Land Exchange Act. The legislation passed with bipartisan support 248 to 179. It’s legislation he worked on for 30 years.

“This is truly an issue of life or death for the residents of the isolated community of King Cove,” Congressman Don Young following passage of H.R. 218. “For over 30 years, they have fought for the approval an 11-mile, non-commercial use, gravel road to the community of Cold Bay, AK in order to access an all-weather airport during medical emergencies. Sadly, this legislation is only necessary because of the heartless actions of the previous administration, which denied previous efforts by Congress to authorize the construction of this road. That decision, which placed the interests of environmentalists and wildlife over human life, was one of the worst government actions I’ve seen in all my years.”

In 2013, former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell denied construction of the 11-mile road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Since then, the community of King Cove has experienced more than 60 medivacs – including 17 by the U.S. Coast Guard – in often harsh weather conditions. The House-passage of H.R. 218 – legislation to authorize an equal value land exchange between the State of Alaska and the Department of Interior – represents the first time the House or Senate has approved such legislation since 2009.

WHAT ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAID: The legislation for the King Cove Road still has to make it through the Senate with a 60-vote threshold and the environmental lobby is out in force.

Defenders of Wildlife made an opposing statement:

“The proposed road would likely cost lives, even though other viable transportation options exist. The Izembek National Wildlife Refuge is subject to frequent violent winter storms, making travel along the proposed route extremely dangerous. Traveling the road would likely be treacherous for much of the year, and sometimes impassable, due to seasonal icing, high winds, blizzards and avalanche conditions.”

Yes, that is the environmentalists’ position: A road would be dangerous in gale force winds so a boat is much safer.

THEY AREN’T GOING QUIETLY: Joel Clement was director of the Office of Policy Analysis at the U.S. Interior Department until Secretary of State Ryan Zinke moved him to another office.

[Read: Shakeup at Interior includes Arctic, BIA]

Now, Clement is bitterly complaining to the readers of the Washington Post, whose motto is “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”

His new job is less glamorous than his old job of saving the world, and Alaska in particular, from a changing climate. He is now at the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, where he collects royalty checks from resource companies. It’s galling.

And he’s really, really mad.

“I am not a member of the deep state. I am not big government. I am a scientist, a policy expert, a civil servant and a worried citizen. Reluctantly, as of today, I am also a whistleblower on an administration that chooses silence over science.

“Nearly seven years ago, I came to work for the Interior Department, where, among other things, I’ve helped endangered communities in Alaska prepare for and adapt to a changing climate. But on June 15, I was one of about 50 senior department employees who received letters informing us of involuntary reassignments. Citing a need to ‘improve talent development, mission delivery and collaboration,’ the letter informed me that I was reassigned to an unrelated job in the accounting office that collects royalty checks from fossil fuel companies.”

Clement’s message, summarized: “The nerve of the Trump Administration to take a climate change expert like me and ask me to handle the money coming to the federal government from fossil fuel.”

Protect Our Privacy petition filed, ‘Fair Anchorage’ is the ACLU

Suzanne Downing

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July 20, 2017

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*Petition organizers seeking to protect public restroom privacy submit their petition to the Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s Office this morning.*

Bearing nearly 8,500 signatures and a couple of children in tow, organizers of “Protect Our Privacy” filed their petition with Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s office this morning. They exceeded the 5,754 signatures to qualify for the April, 2018 municipal ballot.

Protect Our Privacy is a group of primarily women who want voters to have the opportunity to weigh in on an ordinance passed by the Anchorage Assembly that gives men unfettered access to women’s and girls restrooms and locker rooms, and other intimate spaces — and vice versa. Current municipal ordinance allows for unabridged personal choice in places previously considered intimate areas for one gender or the other.

The intent of the petition is not to discriminate, said organizers, but to establish boundaries for public restrooms to ensure greater safety and privacy for all people.

An ordinance passed two years ago that says anyone may use a bathroom that corresponds to their sincerely held gender identity. There is no definition in the law for “sincerely held gender identity.” Protect Our Privacy petitioners are giving greater definition to ensure that people are not abusing the “open bathroom” policies and putting others at risk.

HARASSMENT GROUP IS THE ACLU?

The group that has organized to harass and intimidate signature gatherers for the Protect Our Privacy ballot initiative are none other than the ACLU-Alaska and one owner of the Ship Creek Group, a leftist political campaign operation in Anchorage.

Fair Anchorage registered with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, with Joshua Decker as chairman of the group. Decker gave his ACLU email address for his contact information; he is executive director of ACLU Alaska.

Fair Anchorage organized and converged on petition volunteers working the crowd a the Eagle River Bear Paw Festival over the weekend, standing and holding protest signs within three feet of signature gatherers, trailing them closely throughout the festival, and verbally harassing them and anyone who signed the petition.

[Read: Bathroom bullies: Fair Anchorage uses unfair intimidation at fair]

Other members of the Fair Anchorage organization are Laura Herman, Rashikah Rakibullah, Casey Reynolds, Andrea Zekis and Paula DeLaiarro.

Herman is the director of philanthropy for ACLU Alaska, Casey Reynolds, former editor of the MidnightSunAK political blog, is the ACLU communication director, and Andrea Zekis is the community organizer for Fair Anchorage, whose offices share the same address as the ACLU on Fireweed Way.

Rakibullah is ACLU operations and outreach coordinator and DeLaiarro is a principal with the Ship Creek Group, whose founder is John-Henry Heckendorn, now body man to Gov. Bill Walker. (Heckendorn stepped down from his ownership of the corporation in January; DeLaiarro is a 39 percent owner of the company, which does work for primarily Democrats and liberal non-aligned candidates.)

ACLU KEEPS TRYING TO BLOCK CIVIL LIBERTIES

This is the second time this year that ACLU-Alaska has tried to stop an election. Earlier this year, the group filed a lawsuit to stop a recall election in Homer. The ACLU lost that battle in court.

The ACLU/Fair Anchorage caught word that Protect Our Privacy would be submitting the petition signatures at 2 pm and have organized to rally today. They posted the following notice on Facebook, calling the 8,700 petition signers “extremists” and using the name of Jim Minnery, Alaska Family Council, as their rallying cry.

The group finds Jim Minnery useful for garnering support for their cause. Earlier, they used their Facebook page to “dox” one of the petition workers, advising people where he was, what his contact information is and how to harass him. The group has since taken that information down from its social media.

While the media may gather to watch the protest the 1:30 pm, the petitions had long since been submitted to the city by the band of intrepid women who would not be bullied into backing down from exercising their civil liberties.

Obamacare: Alaska’s ironic past, Murkowski’s ironic decision

Suzanne Downing

-

July 20, 2017

12

In 2010, Alaska Sen. Mark Begich was the vote that pushed Obamacare into the win column for Democrats.

It passed without a single Republican vote and is arguably the piece of legislation most responsible for Democrats losing control of the U.S. House, Senate, White House, as well as most governorships and legislatures around the country. Republicans had a mandate on Obamacare.

It’s also a big reason why Begich is now former Senator Begich.

So it’s no small matter of irony that Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted against Obamacare seven years ago, and who has voted to repeal it for years, was one of the three deciding senators who would keep the failing system in place. She was the last of the three to defect from the Republican plan to repeal.

When the chips were down and the vote really mattered, Murkowski said yes to Obamacare, since in her mind there was no adequate replacement in place.

No state has been more hurt by Obamacare than Alaska, where premiums have crippled the finances of many families that are forced to purchase an overpriced insurance product on the Obamacare marketplace at prices of $900-$1,200 a month — exceeding what many pay for their monthly rent.

WHAT SHE SAID

“As I’ve been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets,” Murkowski said. “That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs.

“The individual market in states like Alaska and in rural communities across America has continued to deteriorate since we last voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alaskans have seen their premiums increase over 200 percent, only one insurer remains on our individual market, and the state was forced to enact a costly reinsurance program to keep our sole remaining provider from leaving.”

“At the same time, the coverage offered on the exchange has become coverage in name only for too many Alaskans with premiums close to $1,000 a month on average and many facing deductibles approaching $10,000. Repealing the ACA without a clear path forward just creates confusion and greater uncertainty.”

“As I stated earlier this year, I cannot vote to proceed to repeal the ACA without reform that allows people the choice they want, the affordability they need and the quality of care they deserve.”

ARM-AND-LEG COSTS FOR ALASKANS

Premera has yet to release the prices it will charge these Alaskans in 2018. It is the only company that has remained in the state as the Affordable Care Act collapses.

But since Gov. Bill Walker adopted the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion in Alaska, rates for Alaskans who actually pay for health insurance — mainly private sector working people with jobs and benefits — have more than doubled.

Premiums in the individual insurance market are projected to decrease in the coming year because of a federal bailout, but health care insurance buyers won’t see any savings. Instead, the money will go to the state’s reinsurance program to pay for care for the most chronically ill people in Alaska.

PARTY CHAIRMAN DISAPPOINTED

Tuckerman Babcock, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, was disappointed.

“I have no specific complaint about Sen. Murkowski’s position. The details of when and how much the replacement covers is up to legislators. What is nonnegotiable is that a promise Republicans made is a promise Republicans need to keep. That’s an essential, must-happen for the Republicans to maintain their credibility with the people who elected them,” Babcock said.

“I hope that the six times everyone voted to repeal Obamacare were not just for show,” Babcock said. “Promises (were) made to people when it’s very clear and specific: Repealing Obamacare is the Republican Party’s position. If you just repeal it, then the Democrats and Republicans have to come to the table. But right now, they have no incentive.”

In 2009, Murkowski said she thought “government doesn’t need to be in the business of health care. Government doesn’t need to be in the insurance business….It is not in the Constitution.”

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