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Medicare premiums and prescription drug costs surge under Inflation Reduction Act

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Medicare premiums and prescription drug costs surge under Inflation Reduction Act

By SHIRLEEN GUERRA | THE CENTER SQUARE

Medicare premiums and senior citizens’ prescription drug costs have surged since passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, according to data compiled by an advocate for seniors on the federal health care program.

Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which promised financial relief for millions of people with Medicare by expanding benefits, lowering drug costs, and strengthening Medicare for future seniors, prescription drug costs instead have risen nationally by 31%, leaving seniors with new expenses and fewer options. Those costs will rise again under the new Plan B premiums.

With less than a week until the 2024 presidential election, these higher Medicare monthly drug premiums will be seen in 45 of 50 states, including those considered battleground states.

More than 67 million Americans rely on Medicare for their health care.

Sally Pipes: Medicare’s doomsday clock ticks closer to midnight

As previously reported by The Center Square, the new average plan bid for a standard Part D coverage will increase by 179% for 2025, partly due to an underestimation of federal attributions to the Part D changes. 

The Biden administration’s Medicare prescription drug premiums could cost taxpayers more than $21 billion over three years.

The national monthly average cost rose from $47.69 in 2022 to $62.34 in 2025, a 31% increase that will cost seniors an additional $176 annually per individual, according to Mark Merritt, the founder of Medicare Is for Seniors’ “Misery Index.”

Merritt told The Center Square that seniors end up paying the tab with higher monthly Medicare premiums. He said that the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden after Vice President Kamala Harris cast the decisive vote in the Senate, makes Medicare Drug Plans offer costly new benefits and siphons funds from Medicare into the federal treasury to fund the IRA, most notably its electric car and green energy subsidies.

These increases come despite claims from the Biden-Harris Administration that the IRA would lower costs.

In an op-ed for the Atlanta Journal Consitution, Merritt wrote that “rates for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans have risen four times more than the national rate of inflation since the IRA was enacted. In some battlegrounds, it’s risen eight or nine times higher.”

Georgia seniors will see a monthly premium increase of 59% in 2025, totaling $73.42 compared to $46.05 in 2022. North Carolina seniors will see a 39% increase in monthly premiums, rising from $46.67 in 2022 to $65.00 in 2025, while Pennsylvania seniors will see a 35% monthly increase to $71.53 a month in 2025 from $52.86 in 2022, according to the index.

Merritt reiterated that Medicare and prescription drug savings are used to finance other parts of the IRA that have nothing to do with Medicare.

The Inflation Reduction Act added red tape and government mandates to Medicare Part D, which increased seniors’ drug costs, he said.

“Before the IRA overhauled Part D, costs for Medicare drug benefits had stayed flat for the previous 18 years,” Merritt said.

“So there’s an IRA double whammy; it’s that the law’s spending contributed to higher general inflation of 7% since 2022,” said Merritt, but caused “Medicare Inflation” to spike 31% during those same two years.

According to KFF, an independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, insurers are increasing premiums for their stand-alone drug plan offerings, but not “across the board.” They also are reducing standalone prescription drug plan offerings, from 709 plans in 2024 to 524 plans nationwide in 2025.

Wisconsin is one of the few states that will see a decline in monthly premium costs, according to the misery index, when rates decrease 5%, $50.10 in 2022 to $47.83 in 2025.

New York seniors will see the highest increase in Medicare PDP plans since the IRA was passed, with a rate of $52.46 in 2022, increasing to $97.13 in 2025.

California will see an increase of 69%, with the coverage increasing from $55.82 monthly in 2022 to $94.31 in 2025, making it the second largest increase on Merrit’s Misery Index.

Nevada seniors will see the third-highest increase in prescription drug costs,  when premiums increase from $44.24 in 2022 to $72.52 in 2025.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services state on their website that the IRA offers provisions of financial relief for those with Medicare by lowering some drug costs, keeping prescription drug premiums stable, and improving the strength of the Medicare program.

The benefits include a cap of $35 for a month supply of insulin, access to recommended adult vaccines without cost-sharing, a yearly cap of $2,000 in 2025 on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, and the expansion of the low-income subsidy program.

Personal data of 250,000 Medicare recipients compromised by federal subcontractor during ransomware attack

Pat Martin: Eastman Derangement Syndrome and Alaska Family Council

Guest Writer
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Pat Martin: Eastman Derangement Syndrome and Alaska Family Council

By PAT MARTIN

An unattributed quote on the Alaska Family Council website extols the critical service they provide in keeping “us informed and engaged in the political process.”

Jim Minnery’s slanderous attack on David Eastman, Alaska Right to Life, and me may bring the relevance of that quote – and several others – into question.

Jim Minnery: Time for David Eastman to retire and for Jubilee Underwood to represent District 27

Jim accused me of maligning every conservative in the Alaska Legislature, but before a line of politicians expecting reparations forms, I think it’s fair to ask what all those conservatives are conserving, because so far, I haven’t seen much effort to protect babies, children, families, or family values. 

Take abortion and abortion funding for example.  Minnery’s Values Voter’s Guide cites this as an important criteria for endorsement and David Eastman offered a budget amendment that would have reduced abortion spending to $0.00, prohibiting the State from paying a single Planned Parenthood’s invoice.  

Eight Republicans in the House voted with the abortion lobby to kill Amendment 131 to CSHB 268 and pay Planned Parenthood for more than 500 babies to be killed in 2024/2025.

Three more Republicans joined pro-life champion turned abortion advocate Cathy Giessel, in killing a similar amendment in the Senate, bringing us to 12 Republicans that voted to pay for babies to be killed.

Minnery’s Voter’s Guide also highlights protecting children from gender transition ideologies, cross-sex hormone poisoning, and irreversibly damaging surgeries.  Eastman offered several bills that align with Minnery’s endorsement criteria in addition to Amendment 80 to this year’s budget (CSHB 268) that would have prohibited the State from spending a penny to poison children with cross-sex hormones or permanently disfigure them with transgender surgeries. Nineteen Republicans joined Planned Parenthood endorsed Democrat CJ McCormick in killing that amendment.  McCormick is also a member of the House Majority Coalition.

Everybody knows that contraceptives are Planned Parenthood’s lucrative abortion gateway drug.  Eastman opposed HB 17 along with a majority of Republicans, and in line with several of Minnery’s voter guide values, while 9 Republicans voted with Planned Parenthood (they wrote the bill) to send HB 17 to the Governor’s desk.

In just three issues, 19 Republicans ran afoul of Family Council’s agenda and endorsement criteria, but it’s Eastman that Jim tars and feathers in Planned Parenthood pink while Jim endorses the 13 of those Republicans running for reelection.  

This isn’t just inconsistent; Jim is deliberately misleading his followers.

It’s telling that Minnery’s attack follows a familiar pattern: isolate a target, personalize the criticism, and attempt to separate David from his supporters by suggesting they’re in a ‘cult.’

These are textbook political pressure tactics – the very kind that Minnery privately accuses others of using.

And it’s not the first time Jim has used these tactics.  If you remember Family Council’s 2020 attack on David, Jim tried to falsely link Eastman to the 2020 Portland BLM riots.  At the same time, he was using Alaska Right to Life ministry and activism images in his fundraising presentations – taking credit for our work while trying to discredit us.  It’s not just misleading – it’s a calculated strategy to manipulate supporters and donors.

A question Minnery’s followers should ask isn’t whether Eastman and Alaska Right to Life are effective advocates, but rather why their leader needs to falsely link an Alaska legislator with Portland riots while using a competing organization’s work to raise money.

If Jim weren’t suffering from EDS – Eastman Derangement Syndrome, he’d have a real problem.  On one hand, Eastman is the only legislator whose voting record is in line with Jim’s published agenda, while 13 of the 14 incumbent legislators he’s endorsed for reelection vote against Family Council time and again.

On the other hand, now we know why Jim left Cathy Giessel’s quote unattributed on his website.  When a discredited pro-life champion turned abortion advocate is your standard for ‘keeping us informed and engaged politically,’ then attacking the one consistently pro-life legislator while endorsing those who repeatedly fund abortions starts to make perfect sense. 

Pat Martin is president of Alaska Right to Life.

By the numbers: Early and absentee voters continue to bank their ballots

Suzanne Downing
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By the numbers: Early and absentee voters continue to bank their ballots

Early and absentee voting is still strong in Alaska, as it is around the country. Over 62,000 Alaskans have voted, a 12.6% turnout, with seven days to go until the Nov. 5 election deadline.

By tomorrow, the early and absentee in person votes will exceed the early vote total for 2022.

Early vote ballots cast through Friday: 35,117

Absentee by mail ballots retuned: 27,328

Combined: 62,545

Total absentee ballot requests (deadline was Saturday): 71,897

This is the second-highest absentee by mail ballot request year ever, the top year being 2020, the year Covid scared people away from in-person voting.

In 2016, a more normal year for comparison, 31,499 Alaskans applied for an absentee ballot.

Alaska’s early voting numbers continue to surge, and several locations offer voting on Sunday
By the numbers: Conservatives come out to vote in Alaska in record-setting early voting

Bob Bird: It’s the Alaska Family Council that needs to be retired, not David Eastman

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Bob Bird: It’s the Alaska Family Council that needs to be retired, not David Eastman

By BOB BIRD

Jim Minnery has just penned an essay saying that it is time for Rep. David Eastman to be retired … because he is too much of a constitutionalist. He claims that Eastman’s votes are counter-productive. Why? Because (and Minnery agrees with him!) there is absolutely no need for a constitutional amendment because there is NOTHING in the state constitution wherein the right to abortion can be found, unless people rely on the “tea-leaves” and palm readings of the Supreme Court.

Jim Minnery: Time for David Eastman to retire and for Jubilee Underwood to represent District 27

Actually, it is Jim Minnery and the Alaska Family Council that needs to be retired, or at least re-tooled. When I ran against Ted Stevens in 2008, I also failed to get the AFC endorsement, even though, unlike Minnery, I have been arrested five times for organizing or participating in the blockade of abortion clinics.

He was so terribly concerned about keeping Ted Stevens’ supposedly more moderate vote in the US Senate, he would not allow me to explain to the AFC the constitutional reasoning as to why neither a federal nor state amendment is necessary to protect the unborn. He admitted to me, months later, that he intentionally refused to return my calls. This is the man that so many Christians put their trust and judgment in.

Minnery falls into the trap that liberals love: the belief that once the supreme court makes a decision, it must be followed. As long as he uses that logic, the liberals will continue to use him, and not David Eastman, to keep the status quo.

Now hear this, fellow prolife Christians. We do not have “three co-equal branches of government”. The legislature is supreme, and the constitutional tools are already in place to thwart the judiciary. Are you ready?

  1. The governor need not enforce the decisions of the court. In Article 3, Sec. 16 we read: He may, by appropriate court action or proceeding brought in the name of the State, enforce compliance with any constitutional or legislative mandate, or restrain violation of any constitutional or legislative power, duty, or right by any officer, department, or agency of the State or any of its political subdivisions. This authority shall not be construed to authorize any action or proceeding against the legislature. Notice it does not give an exception for the judiciary, only the legislative, demonstrating that the three branches are not equal. And it also assumes that the courts might very well be the ones who “violate a constitutional power”.
  2. The legislature has the power, in Article 4, Sec. 1, to keep the courts out of “judicial review”. It says, “The jurisdiction of the courts shall be prescribed by law.” All they need to do, when passing a prolife law, is to add, “This statute shall not be reviewable by the judiciary.” And even if a court ruling is exercised, is merely an opinion, not a law. The governor is the final filter with his enforcement powers. In a properly functioning system, he would most likely follow the court’s advice in most matters, for he is not a judge. But his oath does not call him to defend the court rulings, but to defend the constitution. It’s a big difference. 
  3. Lastly, there is impeachment. Let me count the ways that the Supreme Court has overthrown the state constitution. Dunleavy is too sluggish to figure this out, and Minnery himself does not understand constitutions properly. In 1997’s Valley Hospital case, the courts overthrew the people’s and the legislature’s power to amend the constitution; in the Sen-Tan case in the late 90s, it seized the power of the right to privacy being defined by the legislature. Then in a follow up, seized the power of the purse by ordering state funding of abortion. Then, more recently, it overthrew the governor’s line-item veto power, when he docked the court’s administrative budget the exact amount that the state had been paying for abortion. And they don’t stop at abortion, either: they just seized the control of Grand Juries from the people.

Imagine if Minnery had used his influence to explain all this to his Christian supporters! By this time, we might have had enough sincere prolifers and conservatives come over to Eastman’s side and begin educating the public. What you think the constitution says, and what it actually says, are two different things. Maybe this election cycle will drive home the point.

Instead, he has found nit-picky ways to always put down his rival in prolife fund-raising, Alaska Right to Life, and now doesn’t like Eastman — even though he agrees that Eastman’s line of thinking is correct!

If you want to know why the status quo on abortion and all other freedom issues continues the way it does, look no further to the constitutional ignorance of the Alaska Family Council. If they are not “controlled opposition”, they sure are filling the bill.

Bob Bird is former chair of the Alaskan Independence Party and the host of a talk show on KSRM radio, Kenai.

Bob Bird: Reshuffling the American and Alaskan deck

Jim Minnery: Time for David Eastman to retire and for Jubilee Underwood to represent District 27

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Jim Minnery: Time for David Eastman to retire and for Jubilee Underwood to represent District 27

By JIM MINNERY

It’s time for Wasilla Rep. David Eastman to find a new job.

His commitment to conservative values is admirable but his actions have done very little to advance those values in Juneau. In fact, I would argue that Eastman has done more to damage the pro family, pro life cause politically then anything else.

Let’s start with the most important issue – protecting unborn Alaskans.

He believes, as do I, that our State Constitution does not even remotely contain a “right to abortion” within the privacy or equal protection clauses as liberal politicians and the Alaska Supreme Court fraudulently assert. But his strategy to push back on that false assertion is deeply flawed and counterproductive.

Four states ( Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee & West Virginia ) have amended their State Constitutions to explicitly state that their founding document does not contain or provide a right to abortion or the right of public funding for abortion. In doing so, those four states have literally saved unborn lives. With those Amendments in place, the Justices have no wiggle room to manufacture meaning out of thin air as they do here.

Eastman, as you can see above in his answer to our Values Voter Guide survey, would vote AGAINST such an effort joining forces with Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and every other leftist, pro-abortion group.

His reasoning ? Because the right to abortion doesn’t exist in our State Constitution, we shouldn’t have to amend it to clarify the matter. Here’s the problem with that line of thinking – the Alaska Supreme Court rules in a manner believing it does exist and David Eastman hasn’t been able to do anything about it. Period.

The high Court used that judicial philosophy to strike down a statewide initiative that was passed by the people of Alaska requiring parental notification before a minor can get an abortion and they used it to overturn a law passed by the legislature stating that Alaskans shouldn’t have to pay for elective abortions through Medicaid.

If language were in place in our State Constitution as it is in those other four states, the Justices would have been stopped in their tracks and unborn babies in Alaska would have been saved. Full stop.

Eastman and many of his faithful followers believe that holding fast to theory is righteous but we live in reality. His refusal to amend our Constitution to protect the least of these among us has consequences.

In addition to his refusal to protect the unborn through necessary and proven Constitutional amendments, Eastman has been unable to move beyond window dressing in terms of advocating any effective legislation. Through four terms in the State House, he introduced more than 140 measures. Not a single one has advanced to the floor for a vote.

Eastman has also consistently demonstrated that he is unable to work with his own party. His greatest fan, Pat Martin with Alaska Right to Life, someone I vehemently have disagreed with over the years, has made it his mission in life to malign every conservative in the Alaska Legislature. You don’t hear much from Pat about the progressives. He’s too busy trying to throw conservatives under the bus.

In 2020, the minority caucus suspended Eastman from committees after conflicts with fellow Republicans. In 2022, he was removed from the Republican House minority caucus for “disruptive” behavior, stripping him of some of his committee assignments. More recently, in the last legislative session, he was not offered a place in the Republican-dominated House majority, but was given a single committee seat.

Rep Eastman also voted against HB 2, a bill that would have prohibited Alaska public agencies from contracting with any group that boycotts or discriminates against Israel on the basis of nationality, national origin, or religion. The sponsor of the pro-Israel legislation, Representative Sarah Vance out of Homer, a solid Christ-follower and consistent conservative, was appalled when Eastman once again sided with the Democrats in a 20-20 vote to kill her bill.

Eastman’s followers, and there are many, are fond of saying he is the “only true conservative” in the Legislature. But, having a leader that preaches an explicit belief system or ideology and who is followed by unquestioning believers is the defining characteristic of a cult. That may sound intense but for those of you who are ardent supporters of him, ask yourself if you’ve ever opposed him on anything. If not…remember that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

Believe it or not, I like David Eastman. He is a smart, interesting man with convictions but he is in the wrong profession. His presence is doing nothing to advance an agenda other than platitudes and disruption. He has a place in the battle for ideas. It’s just not the legislature.

Alaska Family Action strongly endorses his opponent, Jubilee Underwood, who actually has a track record of working with others within and outside of her political persuasions and of getting real policies across the finish line. 

It’s time for change in District 27.

Jim Minnery is president of Alaska Family Council.

Paul Fuhs: Give Academies of Anchorage a chance

Guest Writer
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Paul Fuhs: Give Academies of Anchorage a chance

By PAUL FUHS

There was a recent opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News speaking against the recently adopted “Academies of Anchorage” school program for Anchorage students. It seems the author wants to end the program before it even gets a chance to succeed, based on the experience of another school district in Nashville, Tennessee.

The author basically ignores the importance of an Academies program encouraging students to focus and think ahead for what they want to do in life.  He laments this focus in favor of a general ‘liberal arts’ program. This is an age-old discussion favoring a general education to make our students “better citizens.”  However, these days we even need to question how “liberal” the program is, when liberal is correctly defined as “respect or acceptance of the opinions different from one’s own.”  A preferred narrative seems to be the trend.

While it might be useful to look at Nashville and their school data, what is missing from the author’s analysis is something easily found on a simple google search:  the Nashville school district is being overrun by a migrant surge with non English speaking students from Congo, Somalia, Kurdistan, Syria, and Nepal to name a few.  This may be a more relevant factor in their reduced school scores than the adoption of their academies program.

I hope my own experience with the Anchorage School District may provide some local context.

My daughter, Hazel, now a high school senior, was in the Anchorage School District through her Freshman year at my old Alma Mater, West High.  She was in Advanced Placement classes and held a 4.0 average. She is determined to be a doctor, so she picked science related subjects. Still, she felt like something was missing.

Upon a visit to Boise, Idaho she discovered a public pre-medical charter high school called Meridian Medical.  It was formed partly because of the shortage of medical personnel in the Boise area, and also to provide a focused program for students wishing to enter the medical field.  (Apparently, Anchorage has the same problem with having to import transitory health workers, and may wish to consider this option). The Academies may fulfil this need.

So, she transferred to Meridian Medical Charter School.  As part of the educational program, high school students also take college level courses with visiting professors. Upon graduation this year, Hazel will receive both a high school diploma and a two year associate college degree.  Quite a head start.

The quality of the program is excellent.  Many of the students are members of HOSA, the international association of Future Health Professionals.  Every year HOSA holds an international competition for the medical knowledge of high school student members.  Hazel focused on pathophysiology, the study of diseases, their causes and treatments.  This year 13,000 international students competed in the event and she placed fifth in the world.

While she may be a particular example, it still shows what a well managed, focused program can do for a student.

As for the complaints the author lodges against business involvement in the District’s process, businesses are taking time out of their busy days because of their general feeling that graduating students are unprepared to take a job in the real world and often need remedial training. When we pay for our schools, whether as a business or a parent, we should be able to expect a high quality return on this investment in our children. 

Academies of Anchorage should be given that chance.

The author grew up in Anchorage, attending Denali Elementary, Central Junior High and graduated from West High in 1967.

To restore faith in America, both adults and kids need civics lessons

Guest Writer
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To restore faith in America, both adults and kids need civics lessons

By HANNAH SKANDERA and MICHAEL CARNEY

In an era of political polarization and widespread civic illiteracy, an unlikely group is spearheading a movement to reinvigorate American democracy: middle school students.

Over 6,000 students in 28 states devoted countless hours to prepare for the National Civics Bee this year. Their enthusiasm highlights a critical gap in our education system and offers a potential solution.

They included Emily Brubaker of Romig Middle School in Anchorage, who was the winner of Alaska’s Civics Bee competition. 

The stark reality is that civic education in America has been neglected for decades. According to the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, only a third of adults would pass the civics exam required for U.S. citizenship. Even more alarming, the Annenberg Public Policy Center reports that nearly one-fifth of Americans can’t name a single branch of government.

For the younger generation, the outlook is equally grim. The 2022 Nation’s Report Card revealed that a mere 22% of eighth-graders are proficient in civics. 

There’s a growing recognition across the country that we’re facing a civic crisis. From local initiatives to national programs, efforts are underway to revitalize civic education and promote essential democratic skills. 

The National Civics Bee, launched in 2022 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and its founding partner, the Daniels Fund, is one of the most innovative responses to this challenge.  This competition, modeled after the National Spelling Bee, tests middle schoolers on crucial concepts like voting rights, separation of powers, and pivotal moments in American democratic history. 

What sets the Civics Bee apart is its non-partisan, apolitical approach and ability to scale nationally in partnership with local chambers of commerce.  In our divisive times, these competitions offer a refreshing focus on the fundamental principles that unite us as a nation. Moreover, it’s not just engaging students; entire families are getting involved by attending events and helping children prepare. 

The Civics Bee’s impact extends beyond competition day. This knowledge equips them for a lifetime of active citizenship.

“Before the National Civics Bee, I thought that maybe I could do a bit of volunteer work, but other than that, it was mainly the government’s job [to solve problems],” Washington state champion Benjamin Wu said in a 2023 interview. “But now I know that there’s a lot of things that I and other people like me can do to help our community.”

As we approach another fraught election, the importance of civic literacy cannot be overstated. Despite our differences, we are bound by a shared constitutional framework. It’s crucial that we, as a society, prioritize teaching these fundamentals. 

The success of the National Civics Bee should serve as a call to action. We need to champion similar initiatives, advocate for robust civics programs in our schools, and commit to enhancing our own civic knowledge. Educators, policymakers, and citizens must recognize that a well-informed populace strengthens and revitalizes our democratic institutions.

Our democracy faces numerous challenges, from misinformation to apathy. But if we follow the lead of these civic-minded youngsters, we might just secure a brighter future for our republic. After all, an informed and engaged citizenry is the bedrock of a thriving democracy. 

Hanna Skandera is the president and CEO of the Daniels Fund and former Secretary of Public Education of New Mexico. Michael Carney is the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Linda Boyle: Alaska Covid Alliance has new name & expanded mission for fighting fear and censorship

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Linda Boyle: Alaska Covid Alliance has new name & expanded mission for fighting fear and censorship

By LINDA BOYLE

The Alaska Covid Alliance unveiled its new name, new logo, and new web site this weekend to those who attended our “Alaskans 4  Personal Freedom” conference. 

Our powerhouse lineup of presenters was incredible, and we heard many comments about how people loved the depth of presentations and shared information.  

We were pleased to have 332 Alaskans attend, including some watching on Zoom from around the state. 

The topics included vaccine injuries from Covid and injuries from childhood vaccines. 

Dr. James Lindsay spoke on how Woke culture is infusing socialism into our society and indoctrinating our children. He compared the influence of Woke culture on America to the cultural revolution in China. 

Our own Dr. Ilona Farr of Anchorage discussed the newest information on Covid treatment, and Dr. Ryan Cole of Idaho spoke on the significant increase in turbo cancers and their treatment.

Dr. Meryl Nass has discovered how the global elites plan to take away our sovereignty and affect our food source. Lt. Col. Theresa Long, MD gave a riveting account of being a medical whistleblower in the military, and the response from the Army.

Other speakers who addressed “diversity, equity, inclusion” (DEI) in medical schools and how to use the court system to restore our rights.

The session ended with a panel answering questions from the audience. 

Yes, as always when we get the videos completed, they will be available on our new web page:  www.AK4PF.org. And you can see them for free!  

We strongly believe it is our mission to educate Alaskans and others—and cost should not be an obstacle in getting information out. Go check it out!

Why did we decide to rebrand the Alaska Covid Alliance? Partially because many of us are tired of the Covid years. Those years may seem to be gone; but the playbook they used on us is the same one they will use again in the future. 

They were successful at causing fear in our society and pitting us against each other. Also, because the word “Covid” causes shadow banning/censorship and a visceral reaction in  some people we decided to enlarge our mission.  

Most importantly, we wanted to get out of that stovepipe and focus more broadly on the fight for personal liberties.  

Our new name reflects our dedication to advocating for the rights and liberties of all Alaskans, including but not limited to:

  • Healthcare Choices & Mandates: Empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and wellness.
  • Education Freedom: Empowering parents; Advocating for choices in educational methods, including homeschooling and alternative schooling.
  • Economic Liberty: Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in preserving their rights to operate freely.
  • Decreased Government Regulation: Fewer rules that intrude into personal choices.
  • Censorship in Communication: Freedom of Speech should not be limited on social media platforms for voicing dissenting opinions.
  • Parental Rights: They are your children; they do not belong to the government.

As President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Join us in this vital movement! Let’s work together to  ensure that freedom isn’t just a word, but a reality. Visit www.AK4PF.org.

Linda Boyle, RN, MSN, DM, was formerly the chief nurse for the 3rd Medical Group, JBER, and was the interim director of the Alaska VA. Most recently, she served as Director for Central Alabama VA Healthcare System. She is the director of the Alaska Covid Alliance/Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom.

Linda Boyle: Hear from courageous doctors at next Alaska health freedom conference

Robert Seitz: Cook Inlet gas producers are in the position to help, but they can’t do it alone

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Robert Seitz: Cook Inlet gas producers are in the position to help, but they can’t do it alone

By ROBERT SEITZ

The Alaska Industrial Export and Development Authority is considering a loan to HEX/Furie to support 5 years of drilling. HEX ha stated it needs relief from the 12.5% royalty payment, which would provide lower price gas and leave HEX some margin to allow some profit so it could keep on drilling and producing.

HEX/Furie brings in jack-up rig for Cook Inlet natural gas drilling program

The problem has been stated but the State of Alaska has still not taken action to ensure increased production of natural gas in Cook Inlet. Just standing by and letting our Cook Inlet gas run out so we can import LNG makes no sense.  

This is our most critical emergency which demands immediate action.  Even if we get more production going on the Norh Slope we still need cheap energy on the Railbelt to be able to support that activity.

I have been pushing on this issue of Increased Cook Inlet Gas production for more than a year now, and we still have no viable action yet. That the greatest benefit of Cook Inlet gas is not for its value to the Permanent Fund, but as an energy source for the Railbelt communities. The Crisis is even more urgent than it was last year.  I am extremely disappointed in the will and motivation of Alaskans to get this important thing done.  Every department, every agency (AEA, AIDEA, RCA, DNR, Alaska House and Senate members) and citizen of Alaska should be working to get things in place to ensure that this increased production of Cook Inlet Gas is accomplished immediately.

As for other aspects of Railbelt energy,  I agree with Alex Gimarc’s Oct. 18 column in Must Read Alaska, “Gov.  Dunleavy’s Eklutna decision was reasonable,”  with my focus on the point that the Eklutna Lake level may have to increase, which in my mind gives room for “pumped hydro” as a means to provide that increased level behind the dam. I think the action retains the water supply and electrical power generation capability. 

Alex Gimarc: Gov. Dunleavy’s Eklutna decision was reasonable

Now I will address the advancement to more renewables on the Railbelt System.  In my column, “Power transition if more complicated than many realize,”  I brought up a number of problems that utilities are faced with as they have greater penetration of renewable energy that are inverter based resources.  

Just as modern vehicles with enhanced electronics provide more problems as the various features fail to function properly, all these complexities with the addition of more and larger arrays of wind and solar installations. Sustainable, reliable or resilience have nothing to do with decarbonization when living in Alaska. We need power and energy systems that will keep on working no matter what the weather brings, or volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. If something does happen, we need to be able to quickly restore operation to an acceptable level. The utilities and the IPP’s need to have these complexities well worked out between themselves before committing to any utility scale additions to the Railbelt. The communications and the controls will be and complicated. The more complex and complicated the system, the more likely to have failure.

Some of the reason I favor pumped hydro and geothermal for additions to the Railbelt system is for the rotating machines and the inertia they would provide with their operation, that would result in more normal response for an electrical system. I have been considering the use of rotating condensers, which might be power by renewables and energy storage device to also provide high inertia rotating machine interface with the utilities. I encourage everyone to look at interfaces other than inverters as a way to have a better system.

And as the new legislative session will be upon us soon, I will continue to advocate against mandated growth of renewables incorporated into the Railbelt and definitely I advocate against any form Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPF). All the examples across the nation where RPF and RTO have been established, the electrical prices have risen, the system operations have been complicated, and the interaction of all the new entities involved with the grid systems have multiplied and added additional complexity. Electricity is not getting cheaper with the addition of wind and solar.

If Alaska begins building a gas line from Prudhoe Bay and it gets as far as Fairbanks, that would do a lot of good for the state. I’ve been waiting 46 years for a gas line through Fairbanks. All the problems with expensive fuel oil, and high particulate pollution from the burning of wood for heat would be greatly reduced. One great benefit would be the ability to have a natural gas-fueled power plant to feed the Intertie from the other direction.

Now to end where I started, with the increased production of Cook Inlet gas and the part we all have to play in it.  Let’s all get behind this and support whatever actions are necessary to get the aid the affected producers need to get that gas to market.  Are we ready for another cold winter?

Robert Seitz is a professional electrical engineer and lifelong concerned Alaskan.

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