Levi quits his job -

[Posting a link?]

Forum Guidelines
Posting a link? Read This!

Forgot your password? Need help?
Click Here To Contact Us

Mudflats Merchandise
AKMuckraker Amazon Store
Support AKM Merchandise

Download it here!

[PEM]

is anything happening with the meeting between the trooper's union and Masters?

[akdennis]

Yeah, ol' Fagan is sure catching a lot of vitriol over this one.  But then I think Dan Fagan is an asshat of the first rank.  So, as I was reading the venom being spewed at him by the (site we won't name here) and Palinista crowd I found myself giggling girlishly from time to time, teehee, teehee.  Of course my wife found this most disturbing as I am a rather big dude, tough guy, go make my living outdoors in an oil field.....in the arctic......in the winter.....kind a' guy.  I guess she must think I'm getting a little fruity in my old age....NOT!

I think the reason that Fagan is catching so much heat is that he is known as an ultra-right wing commentator.  Alaska's very own Rush Limbaugh.  And where are Palin's core supporters?  On the ultra-right.  Palinistas automatically expect all conservatives to make obeisance to Her Majesty.  How dare one of their very own right wing-wing nut media mavens call her on ANYthing.  It's BLASPHEMY, I tell ya'!  

Granted, Fagan was not going after Palin on this one.  But the young Johnston is Palin's daughter's baby daddy.  That makes him part of Palin's inner circle, one of the annointed, father of the holy grandbaby.  And therefore, not to be held to any mundane worldly standards or qualification requirements that apply to the rest of us mere mortals.  I'm sure the right wing evangelistic wing nuts are saying among themselves that Bristol and Levi are the new Mary and Joseph and that baby Tripp is the second coming.  I mean, after all, they're saying that Obama is the antichrist so it just figures we must be in the end times    Well, it WOULD be funny if these nut jobs didn't scare me so much.

Anyway, Fagan dared to criticize one of his own (in their eyes) and that makes him a traitor of the worst stripe.  You have to remember that journalistic integrity is not something the Palinistas are concerned with.  Not that Fagan has all that much journalistic integrity.  And you remember what happened to Andrew Halcro when he dared to call Her Holiness on her track record and policies during the last gubernatorial campaign, don't you?  Kind a' the same thing here, only more.

I'm still surprised that the righties haven't caught onto the fact that Fagan does not have his facts straight about federal regulations for apprenticeship qualifications.  He has repeatedly stated that Johnston was violating federal law by not having a diploma/GED.  He's just flat out wrong about that.  I've debunked his statement many times and both BigSlick and myself have cited the applicable section of the Code of Federal Regulations germane to his argument.  The diploma/GED requirement is an ASRC in-house program requirement, NOT a federal law (but completely appropriate for someone seeking to learn something as inherently dangerous and technically demanding as electrical work).  Even ASRC is on record as stating this.  But when has Fagan ever been interested in getting his facts straight?  And now the national media is quoting him on this like he actually knows what he's talking about.

It is also telling that many of Fagan's commenters don't seem to have any issue with the fact that Johnston is not qualified to participate in the program and that he jumped the waiting list.  This lends weight to the argument that a disturbingly large number of our countrymen(er, countrypersons) don't feel that the rules the rest of us must adhere to apply to Palin and her circle.  It is this kind of thinking that gave us 8 years of the disasterous policies and governance of Dubya.  When will they ever learn?

[SMR]

Yes, Fagan is a jerk.  Always has been.  There is an Alaskan blogger linked at Immoral Minority that has a really good post about all that is wrong w/Fagan's commentary (in general, not specific to this Levi issue).  He really nails it.

The problem for Fagan is that the group that he typically identifies himself with -- the right wingers -- is an us vs. them group.  There are no "moderate" Republicans in that group.  You're either with them or against them.  They hi-jacked the Republicans, which is why my husband and I no longer identify with the Republicans.  When we left the US -- before the re-election of W -- we were disillusioned w/the Repubs, but they had yet to go totally off the rails.  Once W was up for re-election the Repubs went to hell in a handbasket.  I changed my voter reg to Undeclared after McLame picked Palin.  Hubby is still registered as a Repub, I think he's having a hard time throwing in the towel completely, but perhaps he will find something that causes him to do so during the rest of Palin's term in office.  He's been writing to legislators as well, and some of the responses, particularly Dyson's, have caused him to think about the R as an identifier.

Frankly, I am mystified as to why people feel the need to label themselves in regard to their political affiliation.  Why is it such a big deal?  R vs D?  What does it  mean in this day & age?  The ultra right wingers that are all hating on Fagan are not really Republicans.  They need their own damn group.  They have no governmental  policy issues, it's all about God and abortion with them, and frankly that shit should not be part of any political discussion or platform.

Anyway, we'll see how Fagan survives this.  He is a serious Catholic, so actually is, in a religious sense, not someone that the haters are okay with anyway.  Don't they consider catholics idol worshipers of a sort or some such nonsense?

Fagan is sort of the Ann Coulter of Alaska, really.  He just throws some b.s. out there to stir the pot, get a response.  Facts schmacts!  I don't think he really intends or even tries to be an authority about anything except bombast.  I never read his op-ed piece as a definitive piece.  It's an op-ed, and I consider those pieces short on fact, long on opinion, journalistic integrity optional &/or obsolete.  He is not an authority on anything, just an opinion guy, and anyone who takes him seriously is missing that key fact.  I never thoconsidered him an authority on ASRC or federal requirements or anything like that -- it was the fact that the kid had jumped the line and violated ASRC's own requirements that really pi$$ed me off, and he did get that right.  And the phone call that he had w/the ASRC guy, that was thought-provoking & damning.

Perhaps that's where the majority of the controversy stems from --

All of these people were taking him at his word, as fact, as long as he was in line with them, drinking their kool-aid, wearing the proper tin foil hat, etc., and now that he's not, they have to toss him out on his ear or re-think everything else that they've been believing, and certainly it's easier to toss him than their beliefs.

It's like their Fox news addiction, their Rush addiction, their Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity or Anne Coulter or whoever addiction -- if one day one of them were to come out and say that Sarah Palin sucks they would subject them to the same sh!tstorm.  At which point all of those people/entities would lose their entire readership/viewership/audience.  Dan Fagan, at least, has the option of picking up middle of the roaders out of this debacle.  He's lost some ultra right wingers, but gained some right and left of center.

I am so sick of Gov Grifter and her turning AK into some personal effing soap opera.  Can we get some real politicians here?  Some real governing & legislating?  Is that so much to ask of our government?

[PEM]

SMR.....I think ya got a real politician right now with Begich.........just keep close tabs and back him up if need be.......he seems to have the same heart as Obama, I like what I've heard him say (which in all honesty is not that much, but I trust my gut and I like what he says)

Also, Lisa Murkowski seems to be fair and balanced.

yeah......do we have to have political party's........can't we move onto just what a person stands for and their track record and vote on that instead of taking we/they partisan sides? my parents always vote party lines, one dem one repub, lol, so they vote, but end up voiding each others vote out.......oh well, they're 80 yr olds and they taught me to vote.......I too used to be repub, not anymore, now I vote after doing my homework for the person who is best suited for the job.

I do have to confess, this prez election, I was SO pissed off over the repub party campaign behavior, Bushes last 8 yrs and ballot election stealing issues......I was going to vote straight dem party line just out of disgust and spite, but fortunately after homework sure enough, those dem's running in my state were the one's I swould have voted for anyway.

[Writing from Alaska]

SMR.....I think ya got a real politician right now with Begich.........just keep close tabs and back him up if need be.......he seems to have the same heart as Obama, I like what I've heard him say (which in all honesty is not that much, but I trust my gut and I like what he says)

Also, Lisa Murkowski seems to be fair and balanced.

I agree wholeheartedly. I have met Mark Begich a couple of times - he is a genuinely good guy.

As for Lisa, I just may have to vote for her next time. I don't know at this point if there is anyone that would run against her that would be better. She is really dedicated.

One of my suggestions when commenting on news stories about Palin was to recommend that for those interested in real Alaskan issues, they take a look at Lisa's efforts in the Senate. She had a field hearing on energy costs in rural Alaska back in August. She is on top of it. I keep recommending her to Republicans as a better heroine than SP. She has a family - she is smart - she is a hard worker. Come on Republicans - and she is from ALASKA!!!  I am especially fond of her in view of current events.

[PEM]

Dan Fagen sure is getting a lot of flack...........

http://www.thealaskastandard.com/?q=node/243

[SMR]

I don't have any affection for Dan Fagan.  I don't have TV or cable, and don't listen to anything but NPR on the radio, so that probably helps.  If I listened to his radio show I'd probably rejoice in those letters.

However, as I detailed below, those people are crazy for thinking that he represents them.  I guess they were thinking he's an Alaskan Bill O'Reilly or something, but even Bill O would not be able to condone SP's brand of governing.

Dan Fagan is a true conservative -- not just religious conservative -- all about the core republican values.  Besides, I would think that catholics (Dan) would abhor those pentacostal nutters and likely the southern baptist extremists too.

I'm mulling over a story about it right now...

[akdennis]

OK, I admit it.  I am developing some slight, grudging respect for Fagan simply because he's on our side regarding Palin's fitness to hold elected office.  As the Islamic proverb states, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".

And yup, evangelistic fundamentalists and catholic fundamentalists get along about as well as Jews and Muslims.  Well, that may not be a very good comparison because I really don't think Protestant and Catholic fundamentalists are going to start killing each other any time soon, much as they would like to be at open war with each other.

I've listened to his radio show from time to time.  I usually find myself yelling at the radio after a while because I so completely disagree with him on most things.  And like Rush Limbaugh, he does not  allow for any intelligent discourse from those who don't agree with him.  Grrrr.......

[SMR]

akdennis --

Don't make me come over there!  I will allow that you can agree with the guy on occasion... but respect?  Don't get carried away!

[akdennis]

OK, OK!  I meant "respect" as in I appreciate that he doesn't care about pissing off his "homies" on the right by going after Sarah and her circle.  I mean, it takes balls to piss off your core audience like that.  Of course, it has given him some national notority so I guess he doesn't care.  His 15 minutes and all that.  Palin is not only one who craves the spotlight, eh?

[califpat]

You Betcha!!!! 

[BigSlick]

I respect rattlesnakes.

I respect that they can deliver a nasty bite and don't care what your political affiliation might be.

[SMR]

Good for Dan, milking his 15 minutes of fame.  I hope KO invites him to be on his show or something like that.  I would love love love to hear about Dan on some national show talking smack about the TC pipeline, Troopergate, etc.  It would make my day.

And although I cannot stand ADN -- they just could not make up their minds re: whether they should kiss SP's ass or report on the real news about her  when it really needed to happen -- I am loving this one, it makes my day:

http://community.adn.com/adn/node/136415

[Irishgirl]

SMR,
Good one. Thanks for the link to the ADN article. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the comments are definately worth reading! 

[CO Almost Native]

OK, I admit it.  I am developing some slight, grudging respect for Fagan simply because he's on our side regarding Palin's fitness to hold elected office.  As the Islamic proverb states, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".

And yup, evangelistic fundamentalists and catholic fundamentalists get along about as well as Jews and Muslims.  Well, that may not be a very good comparison because I really don't think Protestant and Catholic fundamentalists are going to start killing each other any time soon, much as they would like to be at open war with each other.

I've listened to his radio show from time to time.  I usually find myself yelling at the radio after a while because I so completely disagree with him on most things.  And like Rush Limbaugh, he does not  allow for any intelligent discourse from those who don't agree with him.  Grrrr.......

Don't you remember the Irish Catholics and Protestant Catholics in Northern Ireland?

[akdennis]

Except that peace has finally broken out in Northern Ireland  so no one is bombing or shooting anyone else lately.  And what is a Protestant Catholic?  Never heard of that sect.

[Irishgirl]

Is is finally peaceful here! It took a while, but I think it is here to stay. 
Lessons could be learned.

[CO Almost Native]

oops.  Fingers faster than my brain

Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants, also known as Scotch Irish- not exactly evangelical, more like hardline political.

[Forty Watt]

oops.  Fingers faster than my brain

Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants, also known as Scotch Irish- not exactly evangelical, more like hardline political.

I'd never heard this description, but apparently it is only used in America.  Something new to know every day.

[CO Almost Native]

oops.  Fingers faster than my brain

Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants, also known as Scotch Irish- not exactly evangelical, more like hardline political.

I'd never heard this description, but apparently it is only used in America.  Something new to know every day.

It may be more Midwest; that is my maternal background, and my mother-who was accepting/welcoming of everyone but Catholics- made me wear orange on St. Patricks Day   I'm a little fuzzy on the history- something to do with William of Orange...