Day of Resistance Rally (VIDEOS)
While the Anchorage Legislative Caucus was hearing citizens’ testimony at the library, another group was meeting at the Park Strip downtown. Coordinating with demonstrations across the nation, Anchorage held a “Day of Resistance” rally. There were about a hundred attendees, with numerous flags of the American, Alaskan, and Snake variety. I doubted I’d see many progressive Democrats here, so I thought to myself, “You’ve got the House. You’ve got the Senate. You’ve got the Governor… What the hell are you resisting? You should be embracing, I should be resisting!” But there is one thing they do not have. A small…
Mayor Misrepresents Student Performance
I look forward each week to Sunday’s Alaska Ear column in the Anchorage Daily News, as penned by formerly-anonymous reporter Sheila Toomey. For many years I considered it purely entertainment, until I got involved with the fetid swamp known as Alaska politics. It was then that I discovered the accuracy of The Omnicient Oriface’s information. So it was with great interest that I read this tidbit from Sunday’s column: “. . A couple of weeks ago earwigs reported our new school superintendent, Jim Browder, walked out in protest while Mayor Sullivan made a presentation at some big public meeting. The…
Oyster Roundup! Mush, Mountains & Miscreants
~Thick and fast they came at last, and more, and more, and more! We’ve got irons in the fire, and as one of our editors put it, “enough on our plates to feed a third world country.” So enjoy a platter of newsy sliders to tide you over until we get back into full swing this weekend. Mush and Track The Yukon Quest 1,000 mile international sled dog race starts on Saturday in Whitehorse, Yukon. It’s a tough field this year, and fans are gearing up for what should be an exciting competition. It will be easier to track…
Right Wing Political Theater
Last week, before being sworn into office, my representative to the state House, Lindsey Holmes, decided she’s really a Republican — this after running and winning multiple times as a Democrat. Why more Democratic women aren’t defecting to the party of trans-vaginal probes is beyond me. I suppose I’d be more upset if I thought the Democrats were losing a hard worker who did more than run up her Alaska Airlines mileage on legislative junkets. Lindsey “found herself” for a committee assignment – making Vic Kohring look like a bargaining savant. Her dishonesty with voters and misrepresentation to donors was…
GOP Civil War: State Edition
The most fascinating political fight in the land isn’t between Republicans and Democrats, but within the Republican Party. And it’s full-on war. The RINOs are being exposed for what they are: big government, corporate welfare hypocrites who don’t support the party platform and who will compromise any moral code to accomplish their aims. Thus fumed the GOP’s 2010 (and possible 2014) US Senate candidate Joe Miller on his blog recently. You can skip the following section if you’re from Alaska. ********************************************************************************************************* Forthwith, the Lower 48 Cliff’s Notes on Joe Miller’s view of the Republican Party. His wing of the party…
America’s Congresswoman
As the 113th Congress is sworn in, The Mudflats salutes one of our nation’s—nay, one of Western Civilization’s—most distinguished legislators. Minnesota’s 6th is represented by Freedom, and Freedom takes its oath of office today. Michele stands ready to address the concerns of America’s corporate leaders! The book the liberal media doesn’t want you to see! Which is why you’ve had such a difficult time finding it: Rep. Bachmann’s totally heterosexual husband Marcus simply cannot keep his paws off her! Get a room, you two! Michele was truly moved this Christmas when fans from across America sent her…
2012 Parting Shots
If you live in the Lower 48, you may be under the illusion that your state knows how to do “trashy” and “no way—that’s not for real!” It doesn’t. Not compared to Alaska. So sit back with some popcorn and check out the pros. Parenting Fail If you’re going to engage your own son in LSD-fueled hand-to-hand combat in the street over a woman (!), at least don’t do it in the nude. In Spenard, that makes you such a cliché. Poor Kids Get Baked Speaking of excessive nudity, House Finance Co-Chair Bill Stoltze refused to allow a vote on…
Leg Office Space for Hate Group?
It’s not every day that an experienced legislative staffer gets ousted, and banned for life from rehire by the legislature. What could cause such a response from the Committee on Legislative Ethics in the Alaska State House? How about literally giving legislative office space and the keys to the Legislative Offices to some guy from an anti-muslim hate group? Oh, you Mat-Su Republicans can still surprise me after all these years. Before the start of the new legislative session, Rep. Shelley Hughes (R-Palmer) has announced the “resignation” of her Chief of Staff Karen Sawyer after the ruling came down. Hughes…
Alaska Readies for Voter Photo ID Bill
Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, the chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, reportedly plans to introduce a voter photo ID requirement in the Alaska Legislature. He says this photo ID law isn’t based on the so-called “model statute” developed by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council, a national organization that promotes conservative model legislation. Even though Lynn is a member of ALEC. In state where village residents, who famously vote Democratic, don’t have or need a photo ID, this law will provoke a lawsuit before the ink is dry on Captain Zero’s signature. It’s all about equal protection. If you have a photo…
The Audacity of Failure – She’s Back!
She ran for governor of Georgia in 2010 and lost. Then she took one of the most beloved and successful non-profits on the planet, set it on fire, and shoved it out to sea like a viking funeral pyre, before resigning in disgrace. Then she wrote a book with the painfully prosaic title “Planned Bullyhood,” in which she called members of Planned Parenthood “a bunch of schoolyard thugs.” So, what’s next for Karen Handel, disgraced and ostracized former head of the Susan G. Komen foundation? She’s considering a run for the U.S. Senate, of course. If she ran, she would…