Archive for the ‘Sean Parnell’
Why “Competition” is Meaningless
By Elstun Lauesen The oil industry and its partners over at Alaska Oil and Gas Association have pulled a fast one on us. I have always appreciated Big Oil’s cleverness but they have outdone themselves by talking us yokels into handing them $2 billion a year of Alaska’s revenues. The oil companies and their lobbyists [...]
Parnell and the Order of the Flaming Pants
Sean Parnell seems to be doing all he can this week to solidify his credentials for membership in the Order of the Flaming Pants. His Captain Zero get-up begs for the much more awesome “Order of the Flaming Unitard,” but alas… no graphic for that one. So, the flaming pants it is. “Oh, everyone likes [...]
Your Chance to Stand Up for Alaska
Governor (and former ConocoPhillips lobbyist) Sean Parnell has issued an Action Alert (!) to Alaskans asking them to weigh in against Senate Bill 192, before the bill has even had any public debate. What could be so terrible about SB 192, that a sitting governor should weigh in so forcefully you may wonder? This bill [...]
Palin Aide Fined for Revealing Emails the State of Alaska Doesn’t Want You to See
Palin aide Frank Bailey, whose story was published in the tell-all book Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin [Frank Bailey, Ken Morris, Jeanne Devon - Simon & Schuster] has agreed to pay $11,900 in civil penalties to the state of Alaska for publishing revelatory emails he retained from his time working for the State of Alaska [...]
Parnell vs. Parnell – Governor “Demands” to Get His Way
Sean-on-Sean Violence: it’s getting vicious. By Thomas Dewar It’s unclear whether Gov. Sean Parnell (R–Exxon) is intentionally stepping on his own message, or whether it’s a case of mistakes being made. Note to the Governor: You cannot simultaneously boast in your State of the State Address about how great we’re doing—citing relatively low unemployment and foreclosure rates and [...]
Gov. Sean Parnell – Spinning the Numbers and Sticking it to Alaska’s Kids
By Rep. Les Gara While I look for common ground with our Governor – like our efforts to keep pushing to find ways to build a natural gas pipeline (we agree a large diameter line that exports gas, produces low-cost gas, and brings in revenue is smarter than a small in-state line that brings us [...]
Saving Sixth Grade Music in the Anchorage School District **UPDATED**
by Linda Kellen Biegel 2010 Hanshew Middle School Band Not many people in political circles know that I credit music with saving my life. I started playing the piano when I was six-years-old. I often kicked and screamed about practicing, but my mother was determined and I continued through my entire school career. In sixth [...]
The War on Alaska’s Public Schools — The Basic Outline
by Linda Kellen Biegel Last school year, I wrote a post about the proposed cuts in the Anchorage School District budget and how they would affect a family of a middle school student. It was then I became aware of the outrageous fees Mayor Dan Sullivan was charging the school district–for example: 100% of the [...]
The Casualty in Alaska’s Culture War
By Elstun Lauesen There is a culture war going on. And the epicenter of that culture war is right here in Alaska. It is outrageous in its brazenness and tragic in its effect. It is political in its tactic and economic in its objective. It is a classic tale of western frontier conquest. I [...]
Kids Under the Bus, and What You Can Do About it.
There’s no doubt about it. Alaska is blessed. Just ask Governor Sean Parnell. These are golden oily days indeed. In his state of the state address last week, he told us that financially, we’re doing just fine, thankyouverymuch But what if… What if some day we aren’t? We should really start cutting the budget just [...]
In Parnell’s Administration, Cronyism Rules the Day
By Shannyn Moore The war on science is winning. And I’m not talking about those who confuse weather and climate. Nope. I’m frustrated with the continual election of candidates with a faith-based bias when it comes to policy that should rely on science. In a letter this week, Ed Fogels, deputy commissioner of the Alaska [...]
The Comeuppance of a Gopher Choker – Corey Rossi Busted for Illegal Bear Hunting
Corey Rossi, director of the Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation, who has just resigned in scandal after being snared (as it were) engaging in the illegal hunting of bears. Mudflatters may remember past coverage of Corey Rossi, referred to by others as “the gopher choker.” Rossi began his ignominious political career by being friends with [...]
Alaska’s MACC Attack and the Big Oil Giveaway
By Elstun Lauesen No sooner will Alaskans get the New Year party confetti swept up, then we will have to turn our attention to Juneau and the start of the legislative session. And just like the swallows return to Capistrano, so do the oil company lobbyists wing their way to our capital city to convince [...]
Is Alaska Doomed to Repeat its Oil History Mistakes?
By Shannyn Moore “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” – Edmund Burke In 2006, the FBI raided the offices of legislators. Lawmakers were prosecuted for selling their votes to help pass Gov. Frank Murkowski’s Big Oil Bailout, the Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT). The PPT tied 85 percent of state revenue to [...]
Gary Stevens and the Red Badge of Courage v. Captain Zero and Big Oil
~Senate President Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak) Yesterday, Senate President Gary Stevens (R) spoke to Commonwealth North at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage about a variety of issues facing the Legislature in its upcoming Session, including HB 110 (also known as Governor Captain Zero’s oil tax plan). Below, you will find a copy of his prepared [...]
