I would like to address some issues about Alaska and dispel some misconceptions that are expressed from time to time.
Alaska has unique conditions that don't compare well to the states in the Lower 48. Several factors come into this, such as the size of the state, the climate and also the size, composition and distribution of the population, etc.
I had a good look at the statistics for employment in Alaska and studied the sources of revenue for the state. Here's a chart showing employment percentages, industry by industry, in Alaska and the rest of the country.
(Please click on the image to enlarge)
The largest employer in Alaska is the government, followed by retail and a combination of service industries, healthcare and social assistance, construction, some manufacturing, forestry & fishing, then oil and mining combined (under "mining").
Here's a map showing the concentration and distribution of jobs by sector in Alaska. Unfortunately, the colours for the farming and service industries don't appear on the map. Either they are too spread out to be pinpointed on a map (services), irrelevant (the farming industry is almost non-existent) or somebody missed them out when designing the map.
In 2000 Native Americans accounted for 15.6% of Alaska's population—the highest percentage of any state. Alaska Natives were estimated in 2000 to number about 98,043, up from 86,000 (16%) in 1996.
Although the Alaska Native population is well distributed around the state, the income and poverty maps below show interesting percentages in Western Alaska (where a big crisis hit in January 2009) compared to the rest of the state.
The size of the Alaska Native population excludes great numbers from most employement sectors and affects the size of the workforce overall, which is important, considering that the total population of Alaska is very small for the size of the state.
Employment alone doesn't reflect the health of the state in financial terms. We have to look at the sources of revenue. Many industries that provide employment are not self-sustaining and don't generate revenue (quite the contrary) and don't generate wealth. The sector which generates most of the self-sustaining wealth - manufacturing - is quite inexpressive in Alaska. The sector generating by far the most revenue is the one dedicated to the exploration and exploitation of some natural resources - oil and other minerals. 87% of Alaska's revenue come from this sector. The remaining 13% come from taxation, federal dollars and other bits and bobs.
As big oil companies contribute so much to the state's revenue, they feel entitled to set the political agenda and Alaskan politicians in general seem only too happy to do their bidding. Prominent Alaskan politicians fight to open up federal lands, as in the case of ANWR, they sue the federal government over the listing of some species as endangered, turn a blind eye to the pollution that devastates the environment, not to mention the many corruption scandals that involved a number of them.
Oil has been very good for the Alaskan economy, but it's a resource which is dwindling and other factors make it an unpopular source of energy these days. When oil becomes a thing of the past, what will happen to Alaska? Perhaps the people who have the power to make decisions should start planning for the future and looking into alternatives. The future has the habit of arriving, you can't stop the clock. Without some planning and some diversification, Alaska's future could be very bleak indeed.
What are the main priorities of the average Alaskan? They're exactly the same as anybody else's anywhere in the world: Food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families. Once these three priorities are met, people start desiring other things, such as healthcare, education and leisure. The more people satisfy their priorities, the bigger their desire for material things becomes, as does their desire for power.
In a state like Alaska, where job opportunities appear to be limited or largely concentrated in a couple of sectors, it comes as no surprise that Alaskans are sometimes defensive about criticism of the oil industry or are reluctant to challenge and expose the largest employer in the state, the government.
Alaskans are not the culprits in any political or economical mess in their state any more than the citizens of any state are responsible for theirs. They vote and they hope, just like everybody else. I'm sure they would like to find long term solutions for their problems in the same way as the people in other states and countries would like to find for their own. I believe the way to change things is to talk to people and encourage them to go out and vote when the time comes. Apathy doesn't change anything, anywhere.
What role do Sarah Palin and the other politicians play (or played) in the state of the economy and the quality of life of the people of Alaska?
They make laws, formulate policies and approve budgets. Since Alaska became a state there have been several administrations with their own priorities. In the history of Alaska, before and after statehood, there have been major events that influenced many factors. The gold rush brought many people from out of state, as did the discovery of vast reserves of oil. These events changed the composition of the population, their desires and aspirations and also changed the behaviour and priorities of those in power.
Sarah Palin is no more to blame for any of the ills affecting Alaska than any other politician who came before her short stint in the top job. As a matter of fact, her record is inexpressive and mediocre when compared to others. The only difference is that she drew attention to Alaska and outsiders started asking questions about a state that didn't interest them before Sarah Palin, apart from being an interesting destination for adventurous vacations...
Why does any state (or country) raise revenue? Is it to stuff their coffers and say: "Look! We have a lot of money!" I don't think so. The role of government is very complex, but I like to believe that revenue is raised to provide services to the people living in the state and improve the quality of their lives. Defending the people and the assets of the state are important as well. Sarah Palin believes the role of government is to stay out of everything. OK, she makes concessions regarding defense. Is that it? Her record shows that providing services was not one of her priorities. Education? Healthcare? Preserving the environment and wildlife? The welfare and preservation of Alaska Natives and their way of life? No, none of the above.
Sarah Palin's record as governor and her Facebook notes, op-eds, speeches and interviews since going rogue point to a different priority: To carry the water for the big corporations. Spudnut and sputnik were added to her repertoire so she could pretend to be on the side of the little guys (and bash the Soviet Union). Small businesses make a difference to the economy when considered in the context of the economy as a whole, but it's the behaviour of the big guys that makes the most difference in the US. The marriage of the big corporations and the Supreme Court combined with various powerful lobbies for special interests in Washington, DC paint a pretty picture, eh? Sarah Palin plays a minor role in all this, albeit performed in a very loud and penetrating voice.
From Alaska to the US to the world, I tried to look at people's needs and priorities, the role of government and the priorities of the people in power, be it economical or political. I looked at Sarah Palin's role in Alaska and in the more recent big picture. My analysis and opinions are based on the new buzzword Sarah Palin loves so much: Common sense. Without any first hand knowledge of Alaska or any profound expertise in economics or politics, I looked at some facts, studied the records, put two and two together and now I'd like to encourage you to weigh in with your own insights and opinions.
Here are all the links to the sources used in the research involved in preparing this post, listed and clearly identified for ease of reference. Links to older posts on Palingates, other blogs and Palin's Facebook note are dotted around the text.
A long awaited pairing of Sarah Palin and Barack Obama has at last taken place. Unpredictably it was a sweet one as the two dimensional pair were observed sharing a chocolate milkshake together in the Chok’lit Shoppe, Riverdale. Yes, Sarah and Barack found common ground over their love of a chocolate milkshake on the cover of the popular comic “Archie”.
The storyline has a recurring and somewhat topical premise -- even people with opposing views can find common ground if they truly want what is best in a given situation.
The story is spread over two issues #616 which was released on December 22nd, 2010 and #617 which was issued yesterday and concludes the story.
In the comic world of Archie, President Obama is the President and leader of the Democratic Party and Sarah is the somewhat less than subtle apparent leader of the GOP. They visit Archie and Reggie who are opponents in the contest for student body president of Riverdale High and together find common ground regarding what it is that is really important.
Back in the three dimensional world, Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics publisher, believes that Sarah and Barack want the same thing, which is the best thing for everyone.It certainly worked out fine in the comic. The best thing for all was achieved without bitterness.
If only life could so easily reflect that which is portrayed in two dimensional Riverdale.
The comments at the ADN rock with regard to this topic!
Several readers brought to our attention the outstanding article that Andrew Halcro wrote regarding who is responsible for Sarah Palin. And no, he did not say that it was all Chuck and Sally’s fault. He was talking about her political career. And he blames Alaskans.
Andrew makes the case loud and clear that Alaskan voters made Sarah Palin’s political career by “rewarding her shallow campaigns and soundbite governance with thanks and praise.” Although he believes that she is now unelectable due to “her downed lines of communication to critical segments of the voting public" and that "her historical inability to bridge that divide seems insurmountable" it also appears that he is issuing a warning to all voters that they have to see beyond who she is and that they should rather focus on what it is she actually knows before they cast a vote for her.
This week, we have a guest reviewer, my dad, who Bella calls "Papahio," because he lives in Ohio. He is visiting for the holidays. He is a card-carrying Republican, watches Glenn Beck, is part of the religious right, often complains government is "too big" and thinks Sarah Palin is hot. He falls within the 22% of the population that would consider voting for her for president. I know all this, but I confirm it once again before we start. He likes Sarah. "She is tough."
I should also say while I disagree with him on nearly everything political, I don't think my dad is stupid. He is well educated and travels a lot. He reads the newspaper and Internet news every day. He knows what is going on in the world and is very plugged in. But since he watches Fox News and listens to Rush Limbaugh, I do consider him misinformed. He considers me misguided. We mostly just agree to disagree.
And so we begin. On this week's episode of "Sarah Hates Treehuggers," raising teenagers is hard. The family will go to Afognak Island to explore the logging industry. Then Willow will learn to drive, in a race car. Excellent. Not only is my dad a Republican, he is also a former race car driver. He sees the clip and says, "there's no way that was her driving that car." I see a glimmer of hope.
Inside the Palin home, Tripp is standing on the table in his sweater PJs, and is quite possibly the world's cutest baby. Willow wants to go to the DMV. Todd says "later" and says that the older kids make more noise than the babies. Sarah says raising teenagers is way harder than raising babies. Piper wakes up and comes downstairs. Sarah says she needs her to help wrap presents for the families at the logging camp. Piper looks at Sarah like "are you crazy, bitch?" But after much prodding, both she and Willow help.
Todd is a "motor head and has always wanted to check out the Kodiak Island raceway." Since it is near the loggers, they will stop there too. Sarah blabs on and on about how it will be good for Willow to tag along so Sarah can help her experience as much as she can to help her find her path in life. Since her mom is worth upwards of $25 million, I doubt she will become a logger or a race car driver, but I bite my tongue.
Trig is standing on the landing of the stairwell looking through the glass and Todd asks him, "where's your muscles?" Trig lifts up his arms and flexes his biceps. SO CUTE! Bella says she loves Trig.
They leave, saying goodbye to Piper, Trig and Tripp at the door. I say, "Piper is staying home alone to watch both boys!?" Bella points out there was an "old grandma lady" sitting on the stairs. I rewind and see that it is that same nanny we saw with Bristol at Target last summer is there. Whatever, it wouldn't have surprised me if Piper were left in charge.
On the drive there, Sarah says, "OH JEEZ!" and then explains the whole refudiate incident. "I pressed an F instead of a D" No, Sarah, you pressed an F instead of a P. God, she STILL can't get it right. On her own damn show! (I laugh out loud because as I type refudiate, it gets underlined with a red line. Thank you, Steve Jobs.) She says, with extreme venom in her voice, that "the English language is a living, breathing, evolving art. I can invent a word." Dad says, "No, you can't. That means you are changing the rules."
Clip: Sarah Palin talks about the "refudiate" tweet
I point out that first she says it was a typing error, then in the next breath, says she did it on purpose to invent a word and evolve our language. A great example of a Sarah contradiction. My dad just nods silently. Todd and Willow do the same. They have no interest in what Sarah is whining about.
They get in a small plane to head off to logging camp. Dad says, "I wonder how many old Beavers are out there like that." Thinking he is talking about Sarah, I look at him like, WTF? He explains that the beaver is the plane. LOL! Oops.
At the logging camp, Sarah is wearing a shirt that says "Fight Like a Girl." She is amazed at how beautiful this part of Alaska is. The hosts pick them up and show them the cook house. Tim is the logging camp chef. Sarah tells him "Willow is available to help." Willow is texting on her iPhone. Probably something along the lines of "My mom is nuts. Send help!" They are led to a junky cabin that Sarah says is "beeee-oooooh-ti-ful." Willow has to stay behind while Sarah & Todd go to the logging site. Sarah tells her to stay off her phone and help out Tim. Dad says, "boy, Willow sure is a gorgeous girl." Bella agrees. I still prefer Bristol, but can't disagree that Willow is attractive too.
The lumberjack guy teaches Sarah how to use a chainsaw. "Stepping into any area where there is a potential to get hurt makes me nervous," she says. The logger says, "when you hit a knot, that chainsaw will come right back at ya and hit you in the face. A chainsaw can take your life faster than a Colt 45." I say, "Oh please let that happen." Dad is not amused. He gives me that, "I raised you better than that" look.
Sarah cuts down the tree and says "that was stressful!" Then the fallen tree needs to be cut into smaller pieces to be shipped. Sarah wants to do this part too. She says, "this is really hard work. I was ready to go home after cutting down one tree." There is a variation of this in every episode. It is hard work, I wanted to quit, I have respect for those who do it. It is a metaphor for her life, though I don't think she realized it. The logger asks her to sign his chainsaw and she does. He says he is proud of it and will retire that chainsaw. Dad says that Sarah is "continually euphoric." He means this in a positive way. I tell him we call that "manic" on the blog. Bella looks at us and seems nervous that we might fight.
They pick up Willow to go replant trees. She is explaining that trees are a renewable resource so the industry is great for America. Willow looks bored. "She is always trying to convince her kids to go along," says Dad. He says that my sisters and I were very adventurous and never had to be convinced to go along with our parents.
They are replanting saplings when Sarah calls Willow over and Willow ignores her. Sarah says that sometimes Willow has selective hearing and that as a parent you have to remember that you are not your teenager's friend, you are their parent. She "wants her kids to obey and to make the right decisions, so you have to be a parent first." I know my dad agrees with the "obey" philosophy, so I leave it alone. He does too, but asks what type of vernacular that is. I say "annoying." Bella laughs.
Sarah takes Willow to the beach for a mother-daughter chat. Sarah says that she has to get Willow through the next 10 years without rolling her eyes. I remember, during the filming of this very series, that it was SARAH who rolled her eyes at the teacher in Homer. Guess you can't ask your kids to "obey" when you set such a bad example, can you Sarah? She tells Willow, "you will learn something from these people! You know what wood is used for?!" Willow tells her that she is concentrating on skipping rocks, so stop talking. Sarah says she has to help Tim in the mess hall so she learns some job skills because "what will she do if she can't cook food for herself and others?" Willow says, "frozen microwave food." I think "breaking and entering" -- which Willow was involved in just weeks before this was filmed. Sarah says, "I am throwing away your cell phone. You are impossible." Of course she does not actually do this.
Sarah says the number one one lesson she wants to impart upon Willow is work ethic. Before I can stop myself, I yell out, "Bitch, you quit your JOB!" Dad says that is a good point and asks, "if she gets elected president, will she quit halfway through?" I tell him to remember that when it is time to vote in the Republican primaries.
Sarah tells Willow to step out of her comfort zone and Willow rolls her eyes. HA! Sarah says that Willow is going to drive her crazy. Willow says her mom is driving her crazy, but "I guess that is her job."
On the commercial, my dad says "You have to admit, she'll try anything. She's a real man's woman." I say "you think she's REALLY like that?" And he says, "yes, she wasn't squeamish around the fish." I say, "wait just a minute...you have watched this show before?!" He admits that he has. He explains that he could never see my mother cutting down trees like Sarah. Fair point. But my mother isn't trying to make money from a fake political ad reality show.
Sarah kisses Willow goodbye and Willow has a look on her face that says, "Mom, you never kiss me. What the hell are you doing!?" Sarah tells her to stay off her cell phone and help out in the mess hall. See, I knew she wouldn't really throw it away. Sarah = no follow through. Willow, who just stares at her, always looks guilty.
Sarah runs the shovel log machine and she says she she is scared because she has no clue what she is doing, and it looks like a very expensive piece of equipment. Gee, just like running the government of a large state, or say, a country! She is able to run the machine and move logs. She has to swing the log onto the pile and jokes, "I'm not much of a swinger here, so I want to go slow." I remember that the Wasilla rumor mill said she and Todd used to be exactly that -- swingers. Ironically, right at this moment, Dad notices that Sarah is not wearing a wedding ring. I tell him she threw it in lake Lucille.
Sarah calls Willow on the CB to check on her. Willow says she didn't help Tim cook at all yet, but she did go to the mess hall to eat. LOL. Sarah tells her again to go help. On the drive back, Sarah says, "all those conservationists write me nasty letters because I support an industry like this. They write their nasty little letters with their little pencils on their pretty little stationery without ever realizing where that pencil and paper came from -- wood." Dad says, "that was pretty condescending. She has no national political potential at all." Wow. I feel all hopey and changey inside.
Clip: Sarah Palin talks about the "conservationists"
Todd drives a boat to move the logs out of the water onto cargo ships. He explains that the controls were awkward. My dad says, "that is the first time I've ever heard him speak." LOL! Now Sarah has to try it and rams it into the log pile. They return to the camp, walk into the mess hall, and find Willow is in the kitchen, chopping lettuce. "Holy Jeez," says Sarah. She is very proud because Willow was actually "hearing" her. "Willow is not happy at all," says Bella.
They go to the recreation center at the camp and play a game of Eskimo Bingo to distribute the gifts. Basically, there are 10 minutes on the clock and you have to roll dice. Whomever rolls doubles gets to pick a gift. Sarah is wearing a coat that says, "Sarah Palin, always a warrior." What the hell?! I ask dad, "Doesn't her voice bug you?" He says no, not at all. Ugh.
Now they're off to Kodiak island to visit the race track. Todd takes the first lap as my dad points out how crappy the track is. "It's covered with gravel!" Willow gets in her car and he says, "what junk." They are going to compare lap times. The person with the fastest lap is the winner. Todd runs a 25-second lap, then a 23-second lap and a 24-second lap. Now it is Willow's turn. She feels a bit claustrophobic. Sarah says "BE CONFIDENT!" Sarah tells Todd, "I want her to go fast. I want her her to have a competitive bone in her body, I want her to win. I want her to beat you." I want her to just let Willow be a kid and not demand that she be just like Sarah.
Sarah waves a checkered flag to get Willow to start (instead of the green flag). I did not notice, but my dad picks up on it right away. He is disgusted. Hahaha. He looks at me with astonishment, like, "how can Sarah not know the difference between racing flags?! I mean, EVERYONE knows that!!"
Willow runs a 30-second lap, and is screaming the whole time. Then a 23-second lap. I think, "man, Todd sucks!" Willow can't find the brake and drives the car into a dirt pile to stop. Dramatic music. Commercial. Bella says, "She didn't hit that hard." My dad says "and obviously she is ok because we would have heard about it if she weren't." Sarah goes on about how she couldn't bear it if one of her kids were hurt, and the mama grizzly in her came out Willow crashed. A fire truck rushes over, and people go running to help her. Inside the car, she is laughing and 100% fine. She is grinning ear to ear, which is nice to see.
They go to Frasier Lake to go bear watching. Willow actually asks the guide questions and listens to his answers. I am proud of her. She still looks like she would rather be at the mall, but at least she wants to learn.
We close on a long shot of the Palin home. I pause it on the screen and show my dad the 14-foot fence and the windows from the sports complex. He says he heard the author who moved in next door might be a creeper who wanted to spy on Sarah's kids. Oh lord, her messaging actually works.
Sarah says that she understands that the mother bear will protect her kids when they are being challenged. I assume she means buying Willow's way out of the $30,000 in damage she did to the home she broke into, partied in, and destroyed, so that Willow would not have to face criminal charges. I'm not sure the grizzly would have done the same. She says she is confident that Willow will find her way, because Track has found it, and Bristol has found it, so Willow will too. I guess that depends on your expectations for today's youth. This woman honestly just leaves EVERYTHING up to a roll of the dice.
They go home and are greeted by the two boys. Todd carries Trig inside, Sarah carries Tripp. Willow says, "Can we go to the DMV now?" Todd says they can.
The episode ends and I ask Dad, "so? What do you think?" He answers, "she is basically just an over exposed homemaker with an adventurous side." I say, "Yep, and she is not smart enough to be a politician." And he says, "No, not at all." I say, "so would you still vote for her?" Without even hesitating, he says no.
Tonight was a big night, Gaters. You know that fable about the people walking on the beach, seeing a starfish, picking it up and throwing it into the sea? The woman says, "but there are tons of starfish, you can't possibly save them all." And the man says, "but it made a difference to that one." That is what I feel like tonight. We changed one mind. It might be a drop in a very, very large bucket. But we did manage to change one (very strong) Republican mind.
The week after next week: The 2-hour finale!! (Next Sunday, January 2, is only repeats)
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UPDATE (by Patrick):
Many thanks to Leadfoot and her illustrious guest reviewers! ;-)
I think Leadfoot completely outdid herself again. What a pleasure to read! I am now hoping for a second series of Sarah's "self-love-fest" just so that we can read Leadfoot's reviews again.
Also many thanks to Kathleen for putting the post up while I was away.
Our trusty reader sleuth again captured the chat which was going on at Palingates during the broadcast, with 31 members online - it can be downloaded here.
What else happened?
Well, the "New York Daily News" doesn't agree with Sarah's recollection regarding the usage of her immortal creation "refudiate." It's a very good article - but it won't stop the "Sarah the saviour" personality cult which seems to be more rampant than ever, filling the alternate reality of the Palinbots.
Sarah Palin continued to punctuate many paragraphs in her books and speeches with references to God. The ex-governor, maybe-presidential-candidate could be nudging out other voices on the religious right in political influence (although she has one of its most conservative and inflammatory voices, Rev. Franklin Graham, on speed dial.)
Well...it does sound a bit different than in this tweet above, doesn't it...?
But then we have a poll at the end of the article! Halleluja! No poll is ridiculous enough that it cannot be rigged by a Palinbot! Sarah, the holy spirit of Alaska, CLEARLY is more important than the pope, isn't she? Sarah, we PRAY to you!
Last episode next week.
It anticipates the theme for 2011:
But again, Sarah Palin seems to enjoy a wild ride now and then.
Surely it's just an oversight that Ms. Palin, the former half-term governor, forgot to blast some other politician's wife, Laura Bush, four years earlier for promoting literacy. Or complaining about Hootie Owl telling kids to "Give a hoot, don't pollute."
This isn't just ridiculous, it's ridiculous and ignorant. It doesn't just ignore the serious reality that one-third of American children are overweight or obese which risks damaging diseases, like diabetes - but it presumes that the First Lady has actual governing powers, and that her issue (like ALL issues by America's First Ladies, ever) is legally binding.
It's further evidence that our national crazy, goofy uncle Ms. Palin is limited to whining. Stamp the name "Obama" on it, and she'll complain. And since she's far out of her depth with the president, she's left with snarking on his wife. Mind you, Ms. Palin is the same hypocrite who whines whenever her own family is addressed (despite herself using them as circus props) -- now she's saying that another public figure's family member is fair game. It's a dangerous game for her to play, because that ice she's skating on is painfully thin.
But then, Sarah Palin is pretty much out of her depth on everything. She bizarrely complained about President Obama because North Korea attacked South Korea, getting our "North" ally wrong in the process, while even that other famed Obama complainer, Liz Cheney, acknowledged the blame belonged on the Bush administration. She's whined about bloggers, David Letterman, Newsweek covers, being asked what she reads, and on and on.
This is a person who even complained about lack of privacy while getting paid to have her life filmed for a reality TV show.
The game now seems to turn into "Saint Sarah against virtually everyone else." Can she win it? Can she crush the competition? Will she strike down her enemies? Will she become more popular than the pope and Glenn Beck combined?
She's never been outside the U.S., except for one speech in Hong Kong and a photo op in Haiti. She told Glenn Beck that her favorite Founding Father was "All of them." She struggled to name a Supreme Court decision she disagreed with. She couldn't name a newspaper or magazine she read. Being able to see Russia from Alaska was the answer a clueless third-grader would give. She cowardly runs from serious interviews. She doesn't even have expertise in her sole area of self-professed "expertise" -- oil, never having actually worked in the oil industry, but serving on a state board, briefly.
She's your crazy, goofy uncle -- who your crotchety grandpa John McCain asked to be his traveling companion, shocking the relatives.
Sarah Palin is trying to sell a series about Alaska and there is a possibility of her idea being picked up by a cable channel. As you all know, I'm always ready to help Sarah, so I put together a trailer. Perhaps she could send it to the bigwigs at the TV channels. The video is short and has a good song to go with her true vision of Alaska. If Sarah Palin feels a bit shy about accepting my assistance, maybe we could do it for her. I'm sure the people at A&E and Discovery would be really impressed!
The Alaskan governor and former Republican vice presidential candidate will travel to Auburn for what the city organizers call Founders Day, which this year will celebrate 50 years of Alaskan statehood.
It's not clear where else in New York Palin might visit.
"Auburn is the anchor," Meghan Stapleton said. "We're still trying to decide her schedule. "We're coming to Auburn because of the direct celebration of Alaska and the role of Auburn's William Seward. The governor is absolutely excited." The date has no historical significance for Auburn or Alaska. Alaska became a state in January 1959; Seward Day, an Alaskan state holiday, falls on the last Monday in March.
Is Sarah Palin going to this "do" just to be nice to Meghan Stapleton?
Stapleton's father, Auburn lawyer T. David Stapleton, sits on the board of the Seward House in Auburn, and wrote the invitation on behalf of the city and the Seward House.
Good old Meg does a lot of speaking on behalf of the governor. That's the least Sarah could do... before she throws Meg under the bus, of course...
I'm sure Sarah Palin is absolutely excited about something else, though.
UPDATE: Why did AuburnPub.com say Sarah Palin had declined the invitation less than one week ago?
Thank you so much Sarah Palin. You finally explained why the villagers in the Yukon Delta went through a major crisis this winter. They are lazy. They have no leaders. They don't help themselves. They don't act like your husband, a prime example of a true native, they just sit on their butts and wait for the government to solve all their problems.
[A richer, more powerful group of people arrive in the United States, take away everything you value, tell you that you have to live in a different way, that you have to abandon your way of life. You have no power to fight back. There are too many of them. These powerful people do all this while patting you on the head, saying that your culture is really interesting, your trinkets are very attractive, your clothes exquisite. They even go as far as dressing like you on occasions, they like to show they support your culture. They are really really nice to you. Just as long as you toe the line and embrace their new lifestyle. Why, of course you would enthusiastically grab all the opportunities they place in front of you! If they offer you and your people jobs, you take them, even if these jobs are very far away from your home. You could visit the valley, your nice, warm home in Wasilla from time to time and keep in touch with your old life. You could do that as long as they don't find something under your house that would progress their great new nation. You wouldn't mind if they started digging there, would you? You wouldn't stand in the way of progress and making the most of the natural resources! Maybe you would feel nostalgic for your old ways, feel that these people don't quite understand what you had to leave behind. But hey, they know better and only have your best interests at heart. You would have to help yourself because it's not their job to help you in any way. They gave you opportunities to have a great life and you should be very grateful. Like a true American (they were kind enough to let you keep that) you're going to jump on board and do whatever it takes to make the new nation a great nation.]
Back to the villagers.
Why oh why do they have to moan so much? There are so many opportunies open to them, why are they so lazy and ungrateful? You are showing them that you care, you're even taking a priest to see them, you've been sending food to them all these weeks, you organized so many appeals! (Oh, you haven't?) In a goverment kind of way, of course. You mobilised an army of volunteers from the private sector, the church, you personally collected money so they could buy fuel (You haven't??). You're not heartless, you do your bit for people in need, like an angel (You didn't???). Just not as the Governor, because that's not what Governors do. You know your job, you believe in small government and you stick to your guns on that. In fact, your government is so small it's hard to detect it.
Sarah, you are an insult to Native Alaskans. You don't understand anything about their way of life, you don't respect their culture, you don't like them.
Your attitude and your policies sabotage any of their efforts to preserve all that is precious to them, all that gives them a sense of identity and worth and belonging.
Being married to a token native doesn't give you any authority to tell true natives, who cherish their heritage, how to live their lives.
They have roots, they can only exist as one with nature, with their environment, which you're doing your best to destroy in your thirsty lust for oil.
You are not an Alaskan and never will be. Go back to Idaho, please.
Watch video of interview as Sarah Palin prepared to board a plane to Western Alaska. .
The price of oil continues to decline leaving Sarah Palin's budget in disarray. The taxes on big oil account for 90% of Alaska's revenue and in her first two years as Governor she could afford to be generous. Last year she spent $740 million giving a one-off $1,200 energy rebate on top of the Permanent Fund Dividend cheque every qualifying Alaska resident gets paid every year.
Next time there's an energy crisis in rural Alaska Sarah won't be able to ask "What have you done with my $1,200 gift?"
The best gift Sarah Palin could give Alaska would be to go away somewhere warm, run away with the circus or go meditate in Tibet, anything but insist on governing Alaska!
She's way out of her depth and has ran out of money to buy popularity.
When Sarah Palin was 24 years of age, God started to speak to her, urging her to enter politics. So it came to pass. By 1992 Sarah had won a seat in Wasilla's City Council, where she stayed until 1996, when she decided to run for mayor of Wasilla on a platform targeting wasteful spending and high taxes. She also introduced abortion, gun rights and term limits as campaign issues.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator at a cost of $50,000 a year. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign. During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%.
Here are some highlights of Sarah Palin's time as mayor of Wasilla:
Asked for updated resumes and resignation letters from some top officials, including the police chief, public works director, finance director and librarian.
She required department heads to get her approval before talking to reporters.
Inquired two or three times what the procedure would be to remove books from the library, citing the concerns of some voters about language in the books.
Fired the city's librarian. Reinstated librarian following public outcry. Librarian had enough and decided to quit.
Fired the Police Chief stating that she did not feel he fully supported her efforts to govern the city.
Appointed Charles Fannon as Police Chief. Fannon gained some notoriety for charging victims for the cost of rape kits.
Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots.
Spent more than $50,000 in city funds to redecorate her office without the council's authorization. 'I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'"
Built a $15 million sports complex which loses money every year to this day. It cost an extra $1.7 million in legal fees because building started before securing the title to the land.
Blocked an effort to require the filing of building permits when her house was being built on Lake Lucille by Todd and his "buddies".
She had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Hired a lobbyist for Wasilla at a cost of roughly $140,000 over four years.
Inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million.
That's what the people of Wasilla had to put up with for six years. They are still paying for it. Alaskans still have about two to six years of Sarah Palin ahead of them.
Many of the causes for today's upheaval in Alaska Native communities and families can be found in their history, specifically, Alaska Natives' experiences since contact with Europeans, and in the cultural, social, political and economic climate created for them by both the federal and state governments.
At the core of many problems in the Alaska Native community are unhealed psychological and spiritual wounds and unresolved grief brought on by a century-long history of deaths by epidemics and cultural and political deprivation at others' hands; some of the more tragic consequences include the erosion of Native languages, in which are couched the full cultural understanding, and the erosion of cultural values.
Despite some growth in incomes and numbers of jobs in the 1980s, villages still have much smaller incomes and higher unemployment rates than the state as a whole. An estimated 21.5 percent of Alaska Native families had incomes below the officially established "poverty" line income.
Villages are precariously dependent upon public sector spending, and the cost of living in villages is exorbitant. Knowingly in some cases and unknowingly in others, many Alaska Natives have turned to government subsidies, income maintenance programs, and other components of the transfer economy to make ends meet.
One recent study indicates that many small Southwest region villages may be losing their geographic advantage due to thinning of fish and game stocks, lack of jobs, and the need for goods and services available in larger population areas, such as Bethel or Anchorage. . .. The plight of the villages will worsen in the absence of systematic efforts to reduce the problems associated with a rapidly growing population.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The destruction of aboriginal cultures is nothing new. North America, Australia, South America, Africa... are but a few of the examples to be found in the history of settlement of new territories. From outright massacre to well intentioned missionaries, the contributing factors to the erosion of the way of life, cultural and spiritual heritage of native peoples is well documented.
Aboriginal populations were decimated through genocide, disease, alcohol, loss of territory and livelihood brought on by European settlers throughout the world.
These days some governments have taken steps towards reparation. In the United States there are laws aimed at protecting Native Americans. In Alaska such laws also exist, but how are these laws interpreted by the state government?
The government of the state of Alaska is presently personified by Sarah Palin. She appears to champion the causes of Alaska Natives when she tells the world about her husband's 1/8 Yup'ik genetic inheritance, when she wears native attire and jewellery on special occasions or when she attends some carefully picked cultural events where tribal music and dance are displayed.
Beyond that, do her policies and actions reflect an active interest in preserving Alaska Natives way of life? Does she use the power she was given through the ballot box to ensure that the many and diverse communities in rural Alaska have a chance of survival?
Whose interests does the Governor serve? What are her priorities?
This weekend Sarah Palin addressed a crowd of republicans:
"Like Lincoln, who was interested in building transportation infrastructure such as roads, railroads and harbors, so too are Alaskans in developing the same infrastructure as well as opening up more federal land. We’ve got to let the federal government know we can responsibly and safely develop our natural resources.”
Oil, forever big oil, that's what is foremost in her mind. By opening up more federal land she means drilling in ANWR and other land in the hands of Alaska Natives. Their interests and ownership of some protected chunks of Alaska collide head-on with what she's so intent on promoting.
Paying lip service to the laws intended to protect these people while sitting back and watching the slow death of their communities is a typical passive agressive attitude.
The way I see it, the Governor, while wearing ethnic jewellery and attending their cultural displays, is in fact perpetrating the ethnic cleansing of rural Alaska.
Source: Alaska Natives Commission Reports Image: "Death and Life", by Gustav Klimt .
The Palins are about to welcome Greta Van Susteren into their nice, warm home for yet another interview. It's likely to be very cosy, moose chilli will be served, there will be a lovely family atmosphere and they will talk and talk. At some point in the interview, Sarah will say how Alaska is her first priority, how hard she works to progress the great state of Alaska.
Meanwhile, ADN reports that worldwide donations of food and cash are pouring into the lower Yukon Delta region. There's been a crisis there for a few months and the bloggers became aware of it a month ago. Initially the focus was on Emmonak. People were having to choose between eating and staying warm. Much was written about it, but more than that, steps were taken to start helping. Accounts were set up, PayPal buttons installed and money started coming in. Then individuals from other villages revealled that they were in trouble as well. The appeal got bigger and people responded again.
It's very interesting to observe how different people react to the same event in virtually opposite ways. I suppose it depends on their contrasting personal values.
Individuals from far away places, who have no particular connection with Alaska, felt moved to send a contribution to the villages because they felt connected to the people there on a level that would be impossible for Sarah Palin to understand.
She could have offered assistance to the villages much faster than the bloggers. As the Governor, she had resources like money, aeroplanes and manpower. What Sarah Palin didn't have was the will to respond to their desperate appeals.
Sarah Palin didn't help them as a Governor or as a person. Not once has she expressed any real concern about their plight or shown any compassion. Not even for the cameras. She will talk about it, yes. But in a very business like manner and not offering any real solutions, because she's not listening.
So, while Sarah talks to Greta in her nice, warm home about her children, grandchildren, about Todd and the Iron Dog and how much she cares for Alaska, I would like to thank all the bloggers, all the people who helped even when they were in difficulties themselves, Dennis Zaki for the amazing footage, the list is long! In short, I would like to thank anybody who had a heart and reached out to a fellow human being. People with nice, warm hearts.
Sarah Palin has fielded over 500 requests for interviews recently, but had to turn them down to concentrate on state matters, which was the reason given for not attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), according to Ronald Kessler of Newsmax.
The Governor was accused of neglecting Alaska during the vice-presidential campaign, but refutes such allegations.
“Of course, she paid attention to Alaska even while campaigning, but some people just won’t have it.” Bill McAllister, her communications director, tells Newsmax. “We’re constantly fighting that.”
Ethics complaints have been filed, and a record number of broad-based Freedom of Information requests have been made, McAllister says.
“In some cases, they want somebody’s entire e-mail account over a period of months,” McAllister says. “It’s unbelievable."
Although the public is entitled to file such requests, McCallister notes, to deal with the deluge, the state’s Department of Law has had to pull off attorneys working on issues such as those affecting the state’s production of oil and gas that are important to the public.
McAllister is not allowed to comment on matters outside state business or discuss the Governor's involvement in political activities in the Lower 48.
“She’s focusing on her job as governor, and perhaps that has the effect of reducing what could be her national exposure,” he says. “We’ve got a legislative session going on with some weighty issues.” McAllister agrees that, “by default,” when it comes to national exposure, Palin is keeping a low profile.
Much of the rest of the article is pretty boring, but the snippets above raise some interesting points.
The first point concerns being away for weeks on end campaigning for herself and Senator McCain and, according to her office, running the state at the same time. A very tall order and she couldn't pull it off, as they're still constantly fighting accusations of neglect. I have only one question: what exactly does the lieutenant Governor do all day?
Next: during the last legislative session, in 2008, there were lots of members of the Legislature wearing "Where's Sarah?" buttons. The fact that the Governor avoids Juneau at every possible opportunity is nothing new. It's almost puzzling to hear all this talk of not being able to absent herself from Juneau NOW when she never hesitated to do so in the past. There's a big question mark there...
Finally, Sarah Palin went on and on and on about transparency, being held accountable, etc etc during her campaign for the governorship. So why all the drama about providing copies of e-mails? Why does she still use a private e-mail account for state business? The worst part of McAllister's statements regarding the requests under the Freedom of Information is that the Governor seems to be looking to blame the public in case anything goes pear-shaped with the state's oil and gas production - because the attorneys working on these issues had to be pulled off to deal with those pesky requests!
If matters of state are so important, why did Sarah Palin ignore appeals from people - who live in the state - for a whole month? Then became so defensive when asked questions about Emmonak during Wednesday's press conference? Apart from gas and oil, is there anything else she considers important? How about people?
"I rather like this "we're all a big family" quality about Alaskans. Alaskans know their Sarah. Most of them have met her personally or know someone who has. Sarah Palin is their Mother Hen, the Queen of the Last Frontier, their very own Joan of Arc.
And now it seems to them that she's outgrown them. She's hanging with the swells in the Lower 48.
I think this subconscious sense of abandonment might account for some of the bitterness felt by some Alaskans. They should not feel this way though. On the very day that she might have become the nation's vp, she told them, "Forever I'm going to be Sarah from Alaska."
And, as I noted earlier, she promised to always put Alaska first. And she always has."
The term “Alaska Native” is used to describe the peoples who are indigenous to the lands and waters encompassed by the state of Alaska: peoples whose ancestors have survived here for more than ten thousand years.
What is important to know about Alaska Native cultures?
share key values, such as honoring the land and waters upon which life depends; respecting and sharing with others; respecting and learning from Elders; living with an attitude of humility and patience; honoring the interconnections among all things; being mindful in word and deed; knowing one’s place in the context of one’s history, traditions, and ancestors.
are completely rooted in and tied to the land and waters of a particular region and the practices and customs necessary to thrive in that region.
have been hard hit by myriad forces over the past two centuries, including diseases brought by European immigrants and traders; enslavement and oppression by colonizing powers (including the United States government, territorial government,Russian government, and religious organizations); a huge influx of non-Natives, which has altered access to subsistence foods and resulted in restrictive regulation; the arrival of western technologies, religions, economic systems, industrial development, and educational systems; and climate change.
Palin's office has faced heavy criticism of her rural policies, particularly in relation to Native issues such as subsistence, tribal government relations and voting rights. The post of rural adviser had been vacant since October 2008 when Rhonda McBride stepped down during the presidential campaign. At that time, McBride, who is not an Alaska Native, sent an e-mail to several Native leaders saying that there needed to be more Native voices in Palin's administration.
Governor Palin has named John Moller to be her rural adviser. Moller said that he was hired three weeks ago - before the state hiring freeze began - and started the job on Friday, January 30. The news that the post had been filled came as a surprise to many because the governor's office did not issue a press release or announcement that the position had finally been filled.
John Moller, an Aleut, is a former crab fisherman from Unalaska who brings a long career in fisheries management to the post, including experience with the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council and the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association CDQ.
"The reason I signed on for this job was to advise the governor on what I think we need in rural Alaska. And it's not a one-size-fits-all hat. We are a very diverse state." said Moller.
On Feb. 17, Moller will be traveling to Emmonak, Kotlik, Alakanuk and Nunam Iqua, communities hard hit by the energy crisis, to assess their situation and "the effectiveness of some of the efforts that the state has taken already."
Hopefully, with John Moller's input, any future state initiatives would be devised and enacted within the context of what's really important to the Alaska Native peoples, respecting their varied cultural backgrounds and regional needs. They are not looking for state handouts or patronising policies. Their wish is for enabling policies (that would guarantee their independence from the state in the long term) through, for example, relevant infrastructure projects, so the communities can thrive in their ancestral lands. Their real needs and wishes have been neglected for far too long.
(Who are Alaska's Native peoples? What is important... full text pdf.) (John Moller's appointment: from The Tundra Drums)
When an avalanche damaged a major electrical power line near Juneau, Alaska, on April 16 2008, life abruptly changed for the town's 30,000 inhabitants. The line had carried inexpensive hydroelectric power that supplied 85 percent of the Alaskan state capital's electricity needs.
Heavy snow knocked out a substantial section of the primary power line to Juneau on April 16, record snowfalls buried Juneau on the morning of April 17 and the record cold temperatures of April 18 would have prompted Juneau residents to jack up their thermostats. On April 17 Juneau city government declared the loss of its hydroelectricity a disaster, then asked the state for aid.
Do these dates ring a bell? Where was the Governor while Juneau faced a major crisis? Oh yes, she was in Texas delivering a speech, leaking amniotic fluid, followed by a wild ride from Dallas to Palmer, followed by the birth of baby Trig on April 18.
Ok, so she was a tad busy, but where was lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell? Who knows, he's never been allowed to do anything when the Governor is indisposed or away from her office for long periods, like say, running around the country on a campaign for the vice presidency?
The events that followed have an interesting familiarity and will remind many of a more recent crisis.
Between April 17 and May 2 this is what happened: Juneau's legislative delegation sent a letter to Governor Palin supporting a state disaster declaration and asked her office to hire an expert to assist with Juneau's response. On April 22 Palin announced that multiple state agencies were working with the power company to assess the damage and develop a plan to recover power to Juneau. April 23: Governor's disaster policy cabinet met to discuss Juneau's situation and discuss declaring a state disaster and on April 30 recommended to Palin that she not approve the declaration. May 2: announcement that Governor Sarah Palin had rejected a request from the city of Juneau to issue a disaster declaration in response to the city's power crisis.
The Governor was distracted with her own personal crisis, which made the headlines in all the major Alaska newspapers for days on end. From the Governor's point of view, this seemed a good time to bury bad news. The joyous event and all the drama about Trig having Down's Syndrome effectively buried Juneau under more than just the avalanche.
This story mirrors the Governor's response to the Emmonak crisis nine months after Juneau. Hey, nine months! She could have had another baby! Oh, she had already done that one, let's have a bit of originality.
But seriously, the sad reality is, some things never change...
(Photo: Mike Laudert / Alaska Electric Light & Power Co.)
"I want to fill my freezer with good, clean, healthy protein for my kids. That's what I was raised on. It is abundant and it is available here in Alaska, with caribou and moose and different game and lots of very, very healthy and delicious wild Alaskan seafood. That's what we eat. So that's why I hunt and why I fish."
Last Wednesday the Governor appointed the newest member of the Board of Game: Teresa Sager-Albaugh, a past president of the Alaska Outdoor Council, a federation of outdoors’ clubs and the official state association of the National Rifle Association, which has strong ties to the commercial hunting industry. Governor Palin has ignored repeated requests for diversity of representation, instead choosing to appoint a representative from the hunting and trapping community as the only new member to the Board of Game.
Wade Willis, Alaska Representative from Defenders of Wildlife, was somewhat frustrated: “Alaska wildlife should be managed for the benefit of all Alaskans, not only the minority of us who hunt. Despite repeated appeals from her constituents, Governor Palin did nothing to improve the Board of Game’s diversity of views with these appointments. We only want all views to be represented. Is that too much to ask?”
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities.
There is no Native Alaska representation on the Board. There is no representation from the non-consumptive community and tourism industries.
“Diversifying representation on the Board of Game would add essential knowledge and understanding of issues other than hunting and trapping to a key decision-making body in the state. Unfortunately, Teresa Sager-Albaugh lacks the experience and knowledge to represent the broad interests of Alaska's citizens and tourism industry." Wade added.
The Board continues to cling to draconian wildlife management techniques and refuses to consider dealing with other causes of declines in game herds besides predators.
The purpose of this blog is to turn the spotlight on a long list of issues relating to Governor Sarah Palin's administration. Another blogger has compiled a very comprehensive list of the "gates". We contribute to each other's lists as and when we remember yet another little (or big) scandal involving the Governor. Today I'm going to explore one item selected from my friend's list and in future posts I will focus on each item (in no particular order) as soon as I have done enough research.
Sarah Palin's supporters see her as a champion of children with special needs. Her main credential in achieving this reputation is based on having a child with Down's Syndrome in her family. There are no known behavioural or environmental factors that cause Down's Syndrome. But there are environmental factors that do cause other birth defects.The incidence of such births is twice the national average in the state of Alaska and in the North Slope it increases to four times. Considering that Alaska has a more serious problem than the rest of the country in this particular area, it's very noble of the Governor to embrace the cause of children with special needs. Let's have a look at the initiatives of Sarah Palin's administration that reflect her passion for this cause.
In February 2008 Sarah Palin's administration opposed legislation that would give parents 48 hours notice before schools were to be sprayed with pesticides and other toxic chemicals. Currently, parents get 24 hours, which the bill's proponents say is not sufficient for parents who want to arrange to keep kids out of school for a few days after the chemicals are applied. Palin's administration argued that the bill was too restrictive and would force schools to notify parents before cleaning toilets with disinfectant, which, supporters say, is not true. In the same month, members of Palin's administration testified against language in legislation that would have banned polybrominated diphenyl ethers - a flame retardant that, studies show, harms the developing brain.
In the summer of 2007, Palin allowed oil companies to move forward with a toxic-dumping plan in Alaska's Cook Inlet, the only coastal fishery in the nation where toxic dumping is permitted. Permits could not be issued without Alaska's certification that the discharges met the state's water-quality standards. Bob Shavelson, executive director of Cook Inletkeeper, an organization founded to protect the area's watershed, said at the time: "Palin's Department of Environmental Conservation issued that certification based on the long-discounted notion that 'dilution is the solution to pollution', turning the federal Clean Water Act on its head and actually increasing toxic pollution."
Palin next took on the Clean Water Initiative, also known as Proposition 4, which appeared on the Alaska ballot on August 26. The measure would have limited the runoff of toxic metals (known to cause developmental and birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) from all mining operations, but it was aimed at stopping the proposed Pebble Mine, a huge mining proposal that was controversial for its potential impact on Bristol Bay, the world's largest commercial wild salmon fishery (for which Palin's oldest daughter was named). The project had been in the works for years, and, when she ran for governor in 2006, Palin told the Alaska Journal of Commerce that, if the mine was green-lighted, "there will be remediation from now to eternity." Once in office, though, environmental concerns took a backseat. In a TV interview six days before the vote, Palin said, "Let me take my governor's hat off for just a minute, and tell you personally, Prop 4 - I vote no on that." Alaska's mining industry turned Palin's face and words into an advertising blitz and came from behind to defeat it. The irony of this stance is that the Palins have a commercial salmon fishing interest in Bristol Bay. How could the Governor support the interests of an organisation whose actions would hurt her own business? What could have made her support of their interests against her own so passionate?
The Governor was pushed by environmental activists and Alaska Natives to pressure the military in its cleanup of one of the most contaminated sites in Alaska. Northeast Cape Air Force base on remote St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea closed its operations in the 1970s and left thousands of barrels of toxic waste, containing solvents, fuels, heavy metals, pesticides, and PCBs, a group of toxic organic chemicals that have persisted in the environment. For the past few years, the Army Corps of Engineers has been slowly cleaning up parts of the site and claims it will leave it safe. (One federally funded study still in progress by the state's premier watchdog on chemical pollutants, Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT), tested the local water and got a reading that was more than one thousand times the level that the EPA considers safe. According to Pamela Miller, ACAT's executive director, Palin should have used her powers as governor to forge a better cleanup plan. "Her administration has done nothing to work with the military to avoid possible contamination." Scientists have also opposed the Army's plan, saying it will leave the area dangerous.
Governor Palin is passionate about drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and in June 2008 submitted a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), copied to the President, Vice President, Secretary of the Interior and the Alaska Congressional delegation. If the drillig in ANWR is to be done as responsibly as in the North Slope (birth defects 4 times higher than national average) the impact among the Alaska Natives would contribute to the overall increase in birth defects in Alaska.
It appears that the Governor's record on environmental issues actually contribute to the higher than average incidence of birth defects and abnormal development of children in Alaska. Let me see if I have understood it correctly: Sarah Palin's actions help create a problem then she champions the cause of the people affected by that problem?
(This post was based in great part on an article by Sheila Kaplan and Marilyn Berlin Snell called Northern Exposure published in October 2008 in The New Republic)
I found this in one of the comments at Mudflats and thought it would be good to share:
"Support the PAW Act - End Alaska’s Aerial Hunting Program! Target: U.S. House of Representatives Sponsored by: Care2.com
Alaska is truly our nation’s last frontier. It is also the last place in the U.S. where a few hunters still use aircraft to chase and kill wolves. They shoot these animals from the air or chase them to exhaustion before landing and shooting them point blank.
Congress passed a law over thirty five years ago to put an end to aerial hunting. But Alaska is exploiting a loophole in federal law to resume the practice, not only for wolves, but bears as well. Hundreds of scientists have condemned what Alaska is doing, even as other states threaten to follow Alaska’s lead. It’s time to stop aerial hunting once and for all.
Rep. George Miller (CA) has introduced the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, legislation to close a federal loophole and curb Alaska’s brutal aerial hunting program — and prevent programs like it from spreading to places like the Greater Yellowstone region.
Please urge your Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor to Rep. George Miller’s PAW Act." Here is a Link to the petition.
There are lots of petitions on this page of the Care2 site.
Which is more important: protecting the interests of large corporations seeking to explore Alaskan resources, ensuring that groups who hunt for sport have plenty of prey OR keeping an eye on the future of our planet by taking steps to protect these creatures?
Sarah Palin doesn't like her policies regarding the preservation of Alaskan wildlife to be challenged and responds by making herself into the victim. As usual.
Professor Rick Steiner of the University of Alaska wrote an excellent article in which he looks into the Governor's record on environmental issues. It was published back in September 08 but it's still very topical. After all, her record is as abysmal now as it was then.
I would like to address some issues about Alaska and dispel some misconceptions that are expressed from time to time.
(Please click on the image to enlarge)
In 2000 Native Americans accounted for 15.6% of Alaska's population—the highest percentage of any state. Alaska Natives were estimated in 2000 to number about 98,043, up from 86,000 (16%) in 1996.
The size of the Alaska Native population excludes great numbers from most employement sectors and affects the size of the workforce overall, which is important, considering that the total population of Alaska is very small for the size of the state.
