Republicans Oust Don Young from Top Spot in Resources Committee.
10 12 2008
Are you ready for a Mudflats cloud quiz?
OK. It’s short, so don’t worry. All you have to do is match up the Alaska lawmaker with the quote. Ready?
A) ”I still see the day when I can remove the cloud that currently surrounds me.”
B) “I am confident that the cloud that hangs over me will eventually clear as I know I have done nothing wrong.”
So, which one was Congressman Don Young, and which one was Senator Ted Stevens? (allowing you time to stroke your chin, and reread the quotes….)
The answer is A) Stevens B) Young. But, in reality, it doesn’t matter because it’s all the same.
That cloud really gets around, and today, the cloud chose to dump its load on Don Young.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Don Young, who wielded considerable power on the House Committee on Natural Resources in the 1990s as chairman and in recent years as its senior Republican, on Wednesday lost his top spot on the panel.
The move came from fellow Republicans who are determining this week who will take leadership roles on committees when Congress begins its new term next year.
Young said he was “confident that the cloud that hangs over me will eventually clear as I know I have done nothing wrong.”
“However, for the good of the Republican Party, the right thing for me to do is temporarily step down from my post as ranking member on the House Committee on Natural Resources while my name is cleared. At that time, I look forward to regaining my post.”
Yes, Don Young will have his name cleared, and regain his post. And it will happen when that cloud decides to snow, and relocate iteself to warmer climes in a place we like to call “Hell.”
Although Alaskans saw fit to keep Young in a position of power, his fellow lawmakers in Washington did not. They, perhaps, have more wisdom than we do. Ironically, one of the main reasons that Young won his reelection bid was because of his ranking seniority, and his powerful committee positions that would allow him to “get things done for Alaska.” Now, not so much…
So we’ve got Young (the downside) withOUT the cushy committee seat (the upside). What’s that, I hear? Thousands of Alaska Republicans banging their heads on their desks? I have no pity for them or the big red lumps they’re about to get on their foreheads. They should have been thinking about the consequences of electing a soon-to-be convicted felon, beFORE they voted. I read somewhere that the Ethan Berkowitz campaign still has about $17,000. I think that should more than cover the services of a giant sky writer to fly over Alaska with the message, “Told ya so! ~E.B.”
The moral of the story: You don’t actually have to wait for felony convictions to deem someone unsuitable for office.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:25 PM
But would any of the Republicans even see the airplane banner? They all seem to have big, dark clouds looming over their heads these days, and all of their voters seem to have their heads buried in the sand.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:25 PM
AKM -
Thank you!
Your moral here- “You don’t actually have to wait for felony convictions to deem someone unsuitable for office. ” -ought to be incorporated in all that helpful lil info we get in the voter guide/sample ballots every go around…
December 10th, 2008 at 7:30 PM
I see the rain clouds over Sarah’s head too. But how will SHE describe them? “I worry about the first amendment if Putin rears his head in the clouds, as, too, the unpardoned turkies that could be sold on ebay for more than the private jet that I said thanks but no thanks to, also.”
December 10th, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Well, golly gosh darn it but him losing the top “ranking” seat on that committee sure has made my day. Of course, as I wrote earlier, if the leadership has any integrity, they will remove him from all committees at least until his legal problems go away.
… as we know they will not.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Lori – a bit off topic but related… if you look at the Bagojevich complaint at page 44 and continue from there, it will all look familiar. I’m sure her people are thinking the same thing and maybe even discussing those similarities with legal counsel. They will; she’s too bleeping arrogant, tho.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:53 PM
You can’t make this stuff… wait, what? Somebody already said that? Oh, never mind.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Hardy, har, har, LOL! Rachel just said Illinois politics are getting to be almost as much fun to cover as Alaska politics! Hee hee hee…
December 10th, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Huffington Post’s slide show of “Best dressed Republican convicts has shots of Stevens:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/18/smooth-criminals-the-best_n_144554.html
December 10th, 2008 at 8:17 PM
Storm clouds starting to hover over Wasilla. Run Sarah run, “but where to”, she asks. the fog is desending on her. Gulp,she’s gone, It will happen.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:21 PM
OT: Joe the Not Really a Plumber, but Not Really a Writer, Either disses McCain in his new book.
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/12/10/joe-the-plumber-trashes-mccain-in-new-book/
December 10th, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Letterman top 10 messages left on blagojevich’s answering machine… no. 1 is Sarah Palin thanking him for taking her off the top spot as american’s most embarrassing governor!! hahahahahaa..
okay, sorry… back to those poor unfortunate dark clouds left hanging over yon dung’s head.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:37 PM
Hmmm… now I’m going to have the Joni Mitchell song floating in my head for days.
Not that I think she had corrupt Alaska politicians in mind when she wrote it, but Young and Stevens “really dont know clouds at all.” Someone should explain to them the difference between a passing cloud and the shadow cast as a hammer is dropping. You betcha!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:01 PM
And it will happen when that cloud decides to snow, and relocate itself to warmer climes in a place we like to call “Hell.” ~~~ AKM
_______________________________________________
Is this the same thing as when Hell freezes over?
December 10th, 2008 at 9:17 PM
So let’s see, Yon Dung promised us seniority ranking and the goody bag that comes along with it, and SP promised us (and the world) a pipeline to “progress this nation” to energy independence. Well, guess what?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-dunn/pipe-dreams-to-nowhere-an_b_150035.html
December 10th, 2008 at 9:19 PM
LoriinlosangelesNo Gravatar (19:30:46) :
I see the rain clouds over Sarah’s head too. But how will SHE describe them? “I worry about the first amendment if Putin rears his head in the clouds, as, too, the unpardoned turkies that could be sold on ebay for more than the private jet that I said thanks but no thanks to, also.”
heh heh…very funny:)
December 10th, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Is anyone else having this problem: when I copy a mudpup’s comments, the phrase “no gravitar” pops up in the middle of the name? And my comments stay in the comment box after I “submit comment”…weird.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:58 PM
Well AKM, This certainly will not surprise you since i say this all of the time, but I am still not convinced that Don Young won that election.
I know I am sitting out on an iceflow all by myself (Well not completely), but I will NEVER understand how it is possible that Alaskans could vote Mark Begich in to take Ted Stevens Senate seat, and leave the much despised and clearly corrupt Don Young in office.
I have lived here my entire life, and I know that Alaskans make some truly ignorant mistakes in the voting booth, but I still cannot wrap my head around this one.
And I hope the Republicans who actually DID vote for Don decide that after voting George Bush into office twice, and now voting for Don Young only to see him lose ALL of his power, will finally decide that they are simply too stupid ever to vote again, shred their voting cards, and decide never to step foot in a voting booth again.
I believe in the accepted internet jargon of the day that is referred to as an EPIC FAIL!
December 10th, 2008 at 10:09 PM
How corrupt on the corrupt-o-meter?
NY- Former gov. Elliot Spitzer – former Atty General, & governor, elected on his high moral standards… resigned in disgrace after having a pay-as-you-’go’ (another word comes to mind) a pay as you go relationship with a prostitute. Not indicted, because well he used his own money.
New York – congressman Vito Fosella after his arrest for drunk driving, his secret other family – lover and child – was revealed. His wife didn’t like it one bit.
Louisiana – Rep. William Jefferson – ya gotta love the cold cash in the freezer…
Illinois – Rod Blagojevich – tried to sell Obama’s senate seat.
Sarah Palin – oh you know …
The quick answer is – corrupt enough.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Gryphen (21:58:13) : Move over on that ice floe, buddy. I was totally shocked (tho my hubby told me not to get my hopes up) that Dung made it so handily. I really thought we had a real shot this time. I know the polls said we did. Maybe Ethan will get another chance here before too long….Hope the Feds speed it up a bit.
Maybe, just maybe, with this much corruption going around nationally, not just any one region, a term limit amendment will get a proper discussion.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:50 PM
South Side Chicago
Cautionary note for your Alaska Governor (and others) elected by the people:
Blagojevich’s illegal, unethical, and cloudy wrong-doings caught up with him in the crashing crook eliminator of Cloud-Be-Gone. Of course it takes an honest federal agent (Patrick Fitzgerald) to spray the area. As an Illinois voter who *gasp* voted for Blagojevich (he’s done some decent things), I’m able to really commiserate with Alaskans who expect Governor Palin to serve the people as she agreed to do when sworn into to office.
Interesting side-note: Blagojevich as been labeled a sociopath by local pundits for a little while now. Shades of Sarah. Don Young, no sympathy for him either.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:33 AM
If you ice floe dwellers are confused about why and how Don Young was re-elected – don’t forget that even after he was convicted, Ted Stevens came very close to being re-elected. Republicans aren’t noted for their fussiness about these things.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:52 AM
Well, good for them–never thought I’d say that about the R’s! And the D’s in the Senate said they won’t seat a nominee from RB for BHO’s seat.
Could Congress actually be ***GASP*** growing a spine!?! It’s about darn time.
Now, if’n y’all can just get Sarah out of the state house and on to Fox Noise where she truly belongs, life may be a bit sweeter for all of us.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:53 AM
The Ill. gov. said he did not have a dark cloud……..only “sunshine”……..next day at 6 am he was in cuffs!!………call me mean ……but that was TOO funny!!
December 11th, 2008 at 7:22 AM
austintx:
“The Ill. gov. said he did not have a dark cloud……..only “sunshine”……..next day at 6 am he was in cuffs!!………call me mean ……but that was TOO funny!!”
I call it Karma!
December 11th, 2008 at 8:07 AM
That must be a new strain of blindness… “I say it’s so, therefore that’s how it is! Oh, hi guys… what’s with the cuffs?”
It must be contagious in certain circles….
December 11th, 2008 at 8:23 AM
austintx (02:53:33) :
The Ill. gov. said he did not have a dark cloud……..only “sunshine”……..next day at 6 am he was in cuffs!!………call me mean ……but that was TOO funny!!
——————————————————
I kid you not!
I wet my self.
Thanks A.T.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:20 AM
dear akm et al. i have a feeling that new york, illinois and alaska are not the only states being governed by socio/psychopaths. it may be that ‘change’ in america means ‘we the people’ will have to insist that candidates for public office undergo psychiatric testing to determine whether they have personality disorders or traits..i don’t think bush.cheney and associates would have been allowed within a thousand miles of washington d.c. had they submitted themselves to a good going-over by a team of competent doctors…b from new york
December 11th, 2008 at 10:12 AM
shoeho (02:52:52) :
Now, if’n y’all can just get Sarah out of the state house and on to Fox Noise where she truly belongs, life may be a bit sweeter for all of us.
———–
I don’t want her on the air, I want SP in jail for all the -gates.
Last night when I was driving home from the airport, listenind to Talk of the Nation, they had a listing of the most corrupt states–I think it was on a per capita basis or something. They didn’t rank people for sexual screw ups, more like the Duke Cunninham type of screw ups, so Spizter they let off the “hooker” (my pun, not theirs). But they said he was someone who did take on corruption when he was AG….
December 11th, 2008 at 12:24 PM
All my voting life, Dung has been on the ticket. I’m proud to say my vote was never cast his way !
10, 15 or 20 years ago, to say the above, would of got me in trouble with the inlaws.
Today I send my ex inlaws updates on Dung’s corruption news. he he he love it.
December 11th, 2008 at 4:28 PM
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December 11th, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Ethan Berkowitz is a fine man who was backed by the Democratic aparatus.
Even Rahm’s PAC money couldn’t elect the guy against a scoundrel like Don.
What does that say ?
It would be sheer lunacy for the Dem’s to run Berkowitz again, he’s already lost once, what is he going to do in two years to convince Alaskans that he’s the guy ?