Begich Arms for 2014
Senator Mark Begich (D) doesn’t toe the line every time Harry Reid whistles. And he’s certainly been a thorn in the side of Yellow Dog Dems, and caused much hair pulling and kicking of trash cans for progressive Alaskans, particularly in the area of resource development. All that said, the Democrats in the Senate are a family, and even the wayward kid gets some TLC. Harry Reid knows, as do we all, that 2014 is going to be an interesting race for the Senate in Alaska. It will be Mark Begich (D) vs. any one of a long string of Republicans…
What are they up to?
Let’s do a quick check-in, and see what people are up to during the lull at the holiday season between the election, and the beginning of the next legislative session Mark Begich – Mark Begich is busy getting gold stars. The latest is for voting for the Feinstein Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which takes steps to end allowing the indefinite detention of American’s in the United States. Lisa Murkowski Lisa Murkowski is “outraged” about the Benghazi incident. And “she has no patience for the constantly changing stories coming out of the White House and even less for…
Oyster Roundup!
~Thick and fast they came at last, and more, and more, and more! Here’s your news on the half-shell for this week. Belly up to the oyster bar! Busting a Move Elizabeth Warren, the new Democratic Senator from Massachusetts has been up front with her declaration that she’ll be a senator of consequence. To that end, she plans to start off her freshman year with a bang. Or a bust. She wants to bust the filibuster. Republicans in the senate have effectively rewritten the spirit of the Constitution which requires a simple majority to get things done – to a…
Alaska’s Junior Senator Visits Seniors
It was the early ’90’s. My dad was reading the morning paper and grumbled about some assemblyman in Anchorage and muttered something about Doogie Howser. My college friend and I were joining him for breakfast and I told her that he was talking about Mark Begich. She laughed and asked if my dad knew about my crush on him. My dad looked up in a mock look of condescension and said, “You have a crush on who, Mark Begich or Doogie Howser?” My girlfriend and I laughed and in unison said, “Yes!” My dad was of course only joking. He had…
Begich Votes to Let Tax Cuts Expire for the 2%
In case you missed it, something good actually passed in the Senate this week. I know, right? Grab a hand rail. They voted 51 to 48 to end the Bush era tax cuts for those with incomes over $250,000 – otherwise known as the 2%. And one of those we have to thank for it is none other than our own Senator Mark Begich, who voted in favor to end the policy. How did our other senator vote, you might ask? If I reminded you that she’s a Republican would that be a good hint? Lisa Murkowski voted lock-step…
The Time to Toss Pebble is Now. Really.
Here in Alaska, the proposed Pebble Mine project is not a partisan issue. It’s an issue of fish vs. cyanide, Alaskans vs. multinational corporations, Native culture vs. the bottom line, sustainable jobs vs. instant gratification, and food security vs. greed. It’s a battle between holding on to the best of our state, and the last great wild salmon run in the world, and letting it all slip away to line the pockets of the already wealthy multinational mining conglomerates. We have a lot at stake. And right now, we can actually help to influence how this all turns out. What…
All Hail the Glorious Frankenfish!
There are times when people who have no idea what they’re talking about can really be infuriating. Then, there are other times when their overblown level of ill-placed self-confidence, and the astronomic scale of their own ignorance combines in such a way that it actually turns into comic relief. Case in point – the latest boil on the behind of the internet, The Northern Right blog (which is so thin on intelligent commentary you can actually see through it) has given a platform to one Mr. Alex Gimarc. Mr. Gimarc is not effusing about the usual right wing talking points…
Five Past Anchorage Mayors Show Support For One Anchorage — Help Mudflats Do The Same!
Friday, there was a press conference at which five former mayors of Anchorage pledged their support to the One Anchorage Voter Initiative–one that will provide the same legal protections to gay and transgender folks in employment, housing, finances and business that other folks already receive. Per the press release: The bipartisan group consists of: US Senator Mark Begich; former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles; former Mayor Rick Mystrom; former Mayor Jack Roderick, and former Mayor Matt Claman. “Across the nation, you see more and more communities passing similar laws because it’s the right thing to do,” said Senator Begich. “I am…
Where’s Don? Rep. Don Young is Most Absent Member of Congress
Once again, Alaska has topped the charts. Even though we have but one lone congressman, he holds a dubious dishonor. Yes, folks, Don Young is the least present member of the United States Congress. Representative Don Young of Alaska likes to get around his home state, and he does not let his voting schedule get in the way. One Tuesday in July when his fellow House Republicans voted for their signature budget measure, known as Cut, Cap and Balance, Mr. Young was the only one among them to miss the vote, for a charity fishing trip in Whittier. OK, a…