After Friday’s work session concluded, the Anchorage Assembly majority is set for Tuesday’s regular meeting, when it will likely vote to create a pathway for itself to override the will of voters and impeach the mayor of the city.
The leftist-dominated Assembly will consider the ordinance offered by Assemblyman Chris Constant, who has made it clear that this Assembly needs a way to get rid of its nemesis Dave Bronson in the Mayor’s Office, or at least hold him in line. Constant and his allies, with the aide of former city attorney Bill Falsey, are angry that conservative Mayor Dave Bronson has not followed their approved budget to their satisfaction. For example, some of the departments are not fully staffed, even though funding is appropriated for positions. The mayor’s office has explained that hiring is difficult in the current economic environment, but that it is ongoing. The Assembly is also focused on the mobile crisis team and a dispute over clinical care workers being under the purview of certain departments.
The new ordinance lays out a path that seems directed at Bronson, which would allow the group to pick and choose what actions Bronson takes that the group thinks violates the oath of office.
“It’s often better to have questions in a less formal setting than try to do it at an Assembly meeting when all the lights are on and all the people are there.” Constant told at KTUU reporter last week.
The Assembly is working from an assumption that it must establish a specific procedure for removing the mayor, but the history of the Municipal Charter shows no such intent by the founders of the charter to have the Assembly in a position to usurp the rights of voters. The matter will likely end up in court.
The Assembly will also see an ordinance requested by the mayor that continues to waive the fees at the Centennial Campground, which is now being used by several individuals who do not have homes. That will only be introduced, with no action expected.
Anchorage Assembly meetings begin at 5 pm with a brief period of public testimony allowed at the beginning of the meeting and during specific times on the agenda, pertaining to ordinances and resolutions.
More information on how to get involved at this link.
Transparency in government is one of the most important values a legislator can have. Educating constituents and Alaskans on “how the sausage is made” would seem to be very important to that transparency.
During the initial budget debates on HB281, there were several procedural motions and votes taken that are a great lesson in sausage making. I have included relevant excerpts from the House Journal to show you how easy it is to misconstrue or manipulate the facts (I was guilty of this myself before I entered the legislature). Remember this was the very beginning of the budgetary process; the first of five debates on the budget.
At one point, during the initial House budget debate, Rep. Sarah Vance penned and submitted an amendment (Amendment 46) saying that it was the intent of the legislature that no money appropriated to the University would be used to prevent college students from carrying a gun on campus. I agree with her amendment, as would any conservative Pro-Second Amendment legislator.
But this amendment was intent language only, not suitable for a budget bill, and thus Rep. Vance decided not to offer her amendment.
Here is what the legislative drafting manual says about intent language: “If intent language relating to an appropriation is to be included in an appropriation bill, the drafter must first confirm that the language does not contain a substantive provision and does not violate the confinement requirement. If the intent language applies to only one section of the bill, it may be included as a subsection within that section.”
There are also opinions from the Department of Law that say: “If the legislature intends that something be illegal, legislators have to actually pass a bill making it illegal. Intent language is a technical way to clarify an appropriation. A bill that creates or modified statute is the only way for the legislature to make something legally enforceable or prohibited.”
Finally, there is a bit of a wrinkle in the way Rep. Vance’s amendment was handled, and it should be highlighted for all to understand as those who would try to sell a narrative will not describe it. Sometimes things are not as cut-and-dried during debate that we would all wish: In the House journal it very clearly states “amendment 46 was not offered.” It should have been dead. The Speaker of the House, however, decided on her own to roll it to the bottom of the list, which was not Rep. Vance’s intent; so it was not tabled, and was not intended to be offered again. Here is Vance’s amendment:
“It is the intent of the legislature that state funds appropriated to the University of Alaska not be used to enforce a regulation or policy of the statewide university system that denies or infringes on the individual right to keep and bear arms under art. I, sec. 19, Constitution of the State of Alaska.”
Here is the journal entry reflecting what happened:
“Amendment No. 46 was not offered. The speaker stated that, without objection, Amendment No. 46 would be moved to the bottom of the amendments.”
One of us should have objected. We totally missed the speaker’s faux-pas.
The next day, Rep. Chris Kurka, who had, at some time, placed his name on Amendment 46 as a co-sponsor, offered the amendment again. Another legislator moved to table it as it is somewhat unusual and “in your face” politically for a co-sponsor to offer an amendment that the sponsor does not want offered.
The vote to table was taken and even the original sponsor, who did not want it offered, voted to table. Here is that journal entry:
There were many amendments offered, tabled, or not offered, and a few that passed. Many of the “intent language” only amendments that were offered by Rep. David Eastman and others did not meet the policies and procedures in the Legislative Drafting Manual. And many of those by Rep. Eastman had not been discussed with his team; thus, motions were made to table most of the intent language amendments.
Let me explain a bit: Offering surprise amendments, without prior team discussion, is a Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership (FACL) tactic used to try to get others “on the record” prior to an election so their votes can be used against them during the campaign season. This is generally not used against your own party.
When it is used, however, and the team does not have the time to discuss or plan their votes or their strategy, tabling the amendment is a way to gain that time. Tabling is a normal Mason’s Rules procedure, not an attack on the amendment or the amendment maker. It is just a way to gain some time to understand the amendment, and the amendment can always be removed from the table later if there are enough votes.
There is also discussion from the Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership people on how a legislator publicly supports a bill or an idea. Many people have asked me why I did not “support” a bill (such as HB 152), by signing on as a co-sponsor or drafting the bill myself. Rep. Eastman said it very succinctly in a Wasilla town hall meeting a couple of weeks ago; he said that writing, sponsoring, co-sponsoring, and passing bills, was not his goal – nor should it be any legislator’s goal. That there are other ways to be an effective legislator.
In fact, signing on as a co-sponsor to a bill could be dangerous, as it is possible for a bill to be amended into exactly the opposite of what you intended or what you thought you were co-sponsoring. Often waiting to see how the wind blows in committee, with a bill, is the better move.
And there are myriad ways to help support a bill. Signing on as a co-sponsor is just one of them. Another way to provide support for a bill is to use the uniform rules to move a bill out of committee. Here is the journal entry from one floor session where I did try to help a bill along with a motion to move it from committee.
My effort failed because the two original sponsors had not done any of the work needed to even hear it in committee; thus, it was not ready to discharge it from the Community and Regional Affairs Committee and I had to pull my motion.
One would have to listen to the session to hear what Rep. Sara Hannan (chair of the committee bill was stuck in) said in her objection. This is one reason why it is so important to actually do the work needed to refine a bill, in committee, to have it ready for the committee to act on.
Some of the above are tactics and rules processes that can be used in many different situations to block bills or amendments; or even subtly attack a legislator. The late Senator H.L. Richardson wrote a book called Confrontational Politics, which identified confrontational strategies used on conservatives by the left.
These tactics were never intended for conservatives use against each other. Nevertheless, I am sure you will see these being used in the coming campaign season by some who focus on process instead of results. Gun Owners of Alaska, a Facebook page, is one of those.
Mark Twain said it is easier to lie to people than to convince them they have been lied to. Perhaps, armed with this little bit of knowledge, you can begin to separate the truth from the intellectual dishonesty that is out there on some platforms.
Rep. Kevin McCabe has represented District 8 [District 30, new number] as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives since 2021.
Public security camera footage obtained through a public records request shows that burlesque performers drew the children in a Soldotna park closer to the stage, encouraging them to sit right under the performing drag queens. The performance was part of a Pride Month festival in Soldotna, and the actors were from Anchorage.
During the performance on June 17, at least one drag queen was dressed in a nude-colored pair of leggings, with a thong over it, and a skirt that barely covered his bottom, giving him the appearance of near nudity. Dressed as a woman, he bent over suggestively and shook his bare-looking bottom at the audience.
Some members of the community have objected to the inappropriate nature of the burlesque show being held on a public stage paid for by taxpayers. The city manager has stated that all rules were followed, but Rep. Ron Gillham, in a Must Read Alaska Show interview, has called for the city manager to be fired for allowing children to be exploited on public property. Watch the podcast at this link.
Watch the segment of the drag queen show on our Facebook link.
On July 9, another such family-friendly event was held on the grounds of the Alaska Fairgrounds, cosponsored by the same group, Queen’s Guard, which produced the Soldotna event.
If the video does not appear below, you may use thislink to YouTube.
Former President Donald Trump is unimpressed with the world’s richest individual, Elon Musk. At a Save America campaign rally in Anchorage on Saturday, Trump called the Tesla CEO a “bullshit artist.” He appeared to be responding to the news that Musk has pulled out of the deal to purchased Twitter outright.
“One of our highest priorities under a Republican Congress will be to stop left-wing censorship and to restore free speech in America,” Trump said at the rally that promoted Sarah Palin for U.S. House and Kelly Tshibaka for U.S. Senate.
“And go out, by the way while I’m here and sign up now, for Truth Social. It’s hot as a pistol and you see that I called that one right? Elon. Elon! Elon is not going to buy Twitter. Where did you hear that before? From me,” Trump said.
“He’s got himself a mess. You know, he said the other day, ‘I’ve never voted for a Republican.’ I said I didn’t know that. He told me he voted for me,” Trump relayed to the crowd at the Alaska Airlines Center on the campus of University of Alaska Anchorage. “So he’s another bullshit artist but he’s not going to be buying it [Twitter]. Although he might later. Who the hell knows what’s going to happen? He’s got a pretty rotten contract. I looked at his contract … not a good contract. Sign up for Truth. We love Truth.”
Musk pulled his offer last week to buy Twitter for $44 billion because there are an unknown number of fake accounts on the site and Twitter won’t come clean on the number. Musk also claims Twitter failed to comply with obligations outlined in the merger agreement. Twitter plans legal action to force the sale, and it appears the two sides will end up in court.
Donald Trump flew in a private jet to Las Vegas on Friday, where he campaigned on behalf of Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who is running for governor, and former Attorney General Adam Laxalt, running for U.S. Senate. Trump’s Nevada theme was crime and corruption, and he spoke for 45 minutes about those and other policy goals before a crowd of 300 at the Treasure Island resort.
Trump blasted Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak for “letting your state go to hell,” and for allowing it to become “a cesspool of crime.” The venue was not designed as one of the Save America rallies; Las Vegas reached 110 degrees on Friday — not the kind of weather in which one has people standing for several hours waiting to get into a stadium. The Las Vegas event was a fill-in appearance on the way to Alaska for the main show.
Trump spent the night in Las Vegas before heading for Anchorage Saturday, where he held forth for 98 minutes in the largest indoor venue available in Alaska’s largest city, a university basketball stadium that was packed to the gills with Trump fans. Alaskans came to hear Trump, and he delivered, giving the crowd everything they hoped for and more. He did not hold back, and for many, this was the event of a lifetime.
Before leaving Anchorage on Sunday, he said, I’m still in Alaska after an incredible Rally last night in Anchorage. The crowd and enthusiasm were incredible. Didn’t want to just fly in and fly out of a State that I won twice in a ‘landslide.’ It’s called respect for a great place. I’ll be leaving in two hours, and will miss Alaska, but the people know that no President has ever done so much for Alaska as I have – and that was great for the U.S. also!”
Trump turned 76 one month ago. In November of 2024, when he hopes to be elected president again, he will be 78-1/2 years old, a year younger than President Joe Biden is today. Neither men are young by any standard.
But Joe Biden years are not Donald Trump years. While Biden mangles sentences and searches for words, Trump delivers tongue twisters and jokes. He says the names of dead terrorists, dates they were dispatched, and events that occurred afterwards — mostly without notes.
The Trump who came to Anchorage seemed every bit as vital and focused as the Trump that came down the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015, when he first — to the sneers and jeers of the mainstream media — audaciously announced his run for the U.S. presidency. His remarks started at nearly 4:30 pm Alaska time — 8:30 pm East Coast time, and yet he showed no sign of fatigue.
As he has around the country, Trump thrived on the Save America rally in Anchorage, even though the venue is small compared to the stadiums he usually appears in. A typical Trump event has tens of thousands attending, and more waiting outside, just to soak up the atmosphere.
But even in an arena that held just 6,000, Trump gave it his all, as though there were 50,000 in attendance. He was on a mission to convince Alaskans that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been bad for the state, and that Kelly Tshibaka will be a change for the good.
His speech was all over the map on substantive topics of national interest. He talked about the humiliation the nation had suffered from the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, which took the lives of 13 soldiers and which left many more Americans wounded. He talked about his negotiations with the Taliban and how he kept them in check — by showing them photos of their homes right after the U.S. had taken out a known terrorist. That got their attention, he implied. He said that had he remained president, Americans would not have lost their lives in a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sometimes Trump would use the teleprompter, but most of the time he spoke off the cuff, and he personalized his message for Alaska, talking up the importance of Alaska’s role in securing energy independence once more, the state’s strategic geographic location, and the key role that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has played in taking down the entire nation by enabling President Joe Biden’s America Last agenda and voting against Alaska’s interests time and again.
Trump veered off his prepared remarks at several points, once even inviting to the stage a couple of people wearing unique Trump-themed t-shirts, with Trump’s face printed all over them. He joked about how he wanted those shirts. Another time he joked about his hair and said if he could only thicken it up, he’d get a crew cut. He joked about President Biden, and how he can’t string two words together without being unintelligible. Trump joked about the two “fake” impeachment votes against him in the U.S. House, and reminded the crowd that Sen. Murkowski voted in favor of impeaching him in February of 2021 (after he was no longer president.)
Man with a Trump shirt was invited on stage by Donald Trump during the Trump rally in Anchorage on Saturday.
Although he is not an announced candidate for president, and although he steered clear of saying when he will announce, it was apparent the event in Anchorage was a campaign warm-up for a 2024 Trump presidential run. By stumping for other candidates in the midterm, Trump is able to keep his profile high, remain influential in political life, keep the media engaged in battle with him, and remind people of the differences in their lives from when he was in office and what America is like now, with the current officeholder. Any announcement of his candidacy would come after the 2022 midterm elections, likely early 2023.
Can Trump take the rigors of a bruising national campaign again? It appears he can and he will. It appears almost certain. Trump has the stamina of a man 10 or 15 years younger than his biological age. He is energized and thrives on campaigning.
It’s been generations since Alaskans had such a powerful and well-attended event. The last time there was a crowd like this in Alaska was when Rev. Billy Graham flew into Anchorage in 1984 to speak at the Sullivan Arena to a packed house. He was the first speaker to book the brand new arena and Alaskans came by the thousands for the Billy Graham Crusade. (This year, the Sullivan Arena is in disrepair after being used as a homeless camp for the past 30 months and was an unusable venue.)
When Trump stepped out from behind the curtain onto the ramp leading to the stage on Saturday, the applause was thunderous, and he knew how to connect.
The comparison between Trump and Biden is stark. Biden campaigned from his basement in 2020, and when he did attend events, they were tightly controlled, with only a chosen few reporters attending, being kept 10 or more feet apart with painted circles designating their spaces.
Biden campaign events in 2016 were sparsely attended.
Today, Biden can’t seem to put in a four-day work week, and has all the signs of advanced dementia: Difficulty speaking, expressing his thoughts, reading the wrong notes on the teleprompter, and not knowing where he is supposed to be at events. He’s tightly scripted and, even then, his handlers have to explain to the media what Biden meant to say after nearly every media exposure.
Biden’s approval rating, by most measures, is between poor and awful. A Civiq’s poll, which is an ongoing survey, shows found Biden in poor standing in every age bracket of voter, with an average approval rating of 29% (Biden enjoys a 28% approval rating among voters in Alaska). Among younger voters, ages 18-34, Biden only has a 20% approval.
Trump, by comparison, is articulate, bold, engaged, and unscripted. Trump events are still crowded, loud, and energized, just like the man who appears to be on a mission to retake the presidency in just 28 months.
What Trump had in 2016 — campaign mojo and a solid connection to the working men and women of America — appears to be as strong as ever.
What was your impression of the Trump Save America rally in Anchorage? Add your thoughts in the comment section.
President Donald Trump, appearing at a Save America rally in Anchorage, Alaska, walked into the stadium to the sound of a roaring crowd of over 6,000 supporters at the Alaska Airlines Center, most of whom had waited since early morning for a chance to rally with the president.
President Trump had flown into Anchorage on Saturday from Las Vegas, where he had given a speech the day before.
Saturday’s theme was that Sen. Lisa Murkowski is worse than a RINO (Republican in Name Only.) He blamed her for all the negative impacts that Alaska has suffered under President Biden.
He also admonished Sen. Dan Sullivan for endorsing Murkowski, and said Kelly Tshibaka is a wonderful, conservative warrior who will serve Alaska well.
Trump, in 98 minutes of a wide-ranging speech that sometimes stuck to the teleprompter notes, while at other times went off script, covered dozens of topics, harping on the contrast between America under his administration and the Biden administration that followed his. He pointed out that during his presidency, gas prices were lower — they are much higher now. He said he signed the largest tax cuts and regulation cuts in American history, while Democrats are now jacking taxes back up. The economy was good under his presidency, and now it is in the toilet. America is the laughingstock of the world under Biden, he said.
Trump talked about the southern border, Afghanistan, China, transgenderism in women’s sports, catch and release of illegal immigrants, chain migration, how Democrats cheat in elections, and the wrongness of ranked choice voting, which he blamed on Murkowski.
“It’s the only way she could win,” he said. He called for same-day voting with paper ballots. He called for identification required for voting.
“This is the year we’re going to take back the House, take back the Senate, and take back America. And in 2024, we’re going to take back our magnificent White House,” Trump said, this is the year we’re going to take back the house take back the senate and take back America. and in 2024, we’re going to take back our magnificent White House,” he said, hinting about his own run for election in 2024.
The president mentioned his support for Gov. Mike Dunleavy, and there was a smattering of boos from the crowd. Trump has endorsed Dunleavy, but Dunleavy was not at the rally. Later, when Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson was introduced by Trump, there was a huge cheering throughout the stadium, so impressive that Trump was surprised and proceeded to comment that Bronson was obviously well liked by the crowd. There were some in the crowd who wore Nick Begich stickers, evidence that they support Trump but not necessarily his picks. Begich is running for Congress, as is Palin; both are Republicans.
After nearly two hours, Trump ended his remarks on a strong and positive note:
“We will not bend. We will not break. We will never give in. We will never give up. We will never ever back down. As long as we are united, the tyrants we are fighting do not stand a chance.” Americans, he said, only kneel to God.
“It’s time to start talking greatness for our country again. We will make America powerful again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again and we will make America great again!” he concluded. The crowd cheered.
Mike Lindell of My Pillow fame endorsed Kelly Tshibaka and Sarah Palin for their races for Senate and Congress on Saturday. He said voting machines used around the country are corrupted and “they have to be gone.”
Lindell was the warm-up act for the Trump Save America rally, attended by thousands at the University of Alaska Alaska Airlines Center arena on Saturday. It was his first trip to Alaska and he seemed surprised that Alaskans even know who he is. Lindell started the famous My Pillow company and is a strong supporter of President Trump. He has advanced several theories about election fraud in the 2020 election.
Sarah Palin, running for Congress, also spoke to the crowd, and said, “The stuff you heard about me, guys it’s a lie. I’m way worse than what you’ve heard in the press. And I’m gonna fight even harder for Alaska’s interests and to save this country” … “Don’t retreat. Reload!”
Palin is running for an open seat in Congress, suddenly vacant after the death of Congressman Don Young. She has neither the endorsement of the Alaska Republican Party, nor the support of nearly any conservative leader in Alaska, but she had the crowd’s heart at the Alaska Airlines Center, and took shots at the “good old boys” network in the party.
Kelly Tshibaka’s speech focused on “It’s time for a change.”
Running against a powerful senior senator, Tshibaka pointed out all the ways that Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, had let down Alaska for the past 21 years: Enabling Joe Biden, voting for Deb Haaland to lead the Department of Interior, taking care of D.C. insiders rather than Alaskans, voting for the abortion industry, and voting against the Second Amendment.
Tshibaka said Murkowski’s votes hurt Alaskans’ ability to pay rent, put food on the table for their children, and fill up the gas tank.
Trump’s plane landed in Anchorage in the early afternoon and he was due to speak at the arena at about 4 pm. People continued to pour into the arena at 3 pm as security personnel screened them for entry.
The culture wars are on display in Southcentral Alaska. In Anchorage, a rally with keynote speaker Donald Trump has attracted thousands to the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. Meanwhile, an Alaska LGBTQ+ organization is holding a gay pride festival at the Alaska Fairgrounds. Organizers say it will be a family-friendly event for people of all ages. Doors open at noon.
This is the third time the Queen’s Guard group has held the festival, and organizers say there may be as many as 6,000 people attending this year. The theme is “prom,” and visitors can expect lots of drag queens on parade throughout the fairgrounds.
Some residents of Palmer object to the event being open for children, and say that the group has a history of grooming children for drag queen lifestyles, but the Alaska Fairgrounds wrote to the complainants that it opens its facilities to all organizations, without regard to the content they provide.
The Queen’s Guard is the same organization that performed in a drag show for children in a public park in Soldotna last month, to the dismay of many parents in the community. That show featured a drag queen twerking to the children in the crowd, see story below.
In one word, the state of education in Alaska is “pathetic.” Finger pointing, arguing and blaming everything except the structure of the current system will accomplish nothing. The constant cry of a bureaucracy saying “not enough money,” “more money” and “you don’t understand” gets us nowhere while the school children of Alaska are paying the price and are among the poorest educated in the nation.
The children of Alaska deserve a better education and a future – not an administrative bureaucracy living off the largess of bloated school funding while the actual classroom teachers and their students are left to make due with paltry administrative handouts.
Facts and results are the important thing. Not the rhetoric of failed administrators and lobbyists closing the eyes of government officials.
Here are few facts:
Alaska spends over $18,000 per student per year.
54% goes to teachers & students – LOWEST % in the nation.
46% goes to administrative overhead – HIGHEST % in the nation.
The numbers tell a sad tale. While Alaska school officials tell us they need more money for education, they fail to disclose that a properly managed administrative system would have those funds, pay for the needed teacher wage scales and better the education of our students – all without additional funding.
For example, nationally there are 295 students per administrator. In Alaska, that number is 205. Simple math, we have 50% more administrators per student than the national average. There is an old saying “Follow the money.” Well the trail leads to bloated administrative costs.
The simple solution is to enhance the direct education of our children by reducing administrative expenses and invest those dollars in teachers and students.
Result? Better educated students being taught by fairly compensated teachers at a reduced cost per student.
The highest percent of education investment from education budgets across the U.S. in students and teachers is approximately 70%.
Bringing Alaska to 60-65% would make a major change in the ability to serve our students.
Will we have better paid Teachers? YES
Will we have more education dollars directly invested in student education? YES
Will our student education standards increase? YES
Will our students have a better future because of a better education? YES
Will the current administration make the changes? NO
Will a new Alaska State administration make the changes?
With Charlie Pierce as your governor, the answer is YES. Team Pierce, with Charlie Pierce for Governor and Edie Grunwald Lt. Governor, is committed to putting “Alaskans First.” Our children are Alaskans and the quality of their education will be put first.
Support Team Pierce, Charlie Pierce for Governor-Edie Grunwald for Lt. Governor and our children, Alaska’s children, will no longer be last, they will be part of “Alaskans First.”
Charlie Pierce is a Republican candidate for governor and is the current mayor of the Kenai Borough.
