Alaska’s Future Is No Brighter Than America’s Future

I recently read Lisa Murkowski‘s book “Far From Home.” Whether you agree or disagree with her politically, I recommend reading her book. It reminded me of — and taught me more about — many important episodes in Alaska’s and America’s history, such as her primary loss to Joe Miller; her successful write-in campaign; the prosecution, conviction, exoneration and death of Ted Stevens; the Kavanaugh Supreme Court appointment; and the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Throughout the book, Murkowski emphasizes that, like her mentor Stevens and her long-time colleague Don Young, she has always wanted to do “what’s best for Alaska.” Her priority has always been to work for Alaska-focused goals she cares about, such as federal funding for the state’s needs and enabling Alaska resource development. In the first chapter, she writes: “I have one overriding purpose in the Senate: to get things done for Alaskans.” In the last chapter, she writes: “Addressing Alaskans’ challenges is more important to me than who wins elections or which party holds power, and certainly more important than what anyone thinks of me. I have to continue working with my colleagues, and to work with President Trump, as I work with whoever is president, because these people are relying on me.”

Of course, we want our congressional delegation to get things done for Alaskans and address Alaskans’ challenges. But the most important priority for Alaska is no longer federal funding or resource development. The most important thing Sen. Murkowski can do for Alaska is to help stop President Trump from systematically tearing down our American Constitution, our institutions and our norms.

We’re not just Alaskans: we’re Americans. Alaska’s future is no brighter than America’s future. No amount of funding and resource development will be worth it if we lose our American constitution, our democracy, the rule of law and our freedoms.

The illegal, corrupt, and incompetent actions of this administration threaten the lives, prosperity and freedom of Alaskans. Alaskans will die if the mRNA vaccine, which could save us from the next pandemic, is never developed. We will be less safe — and at greater risk of war — if we continue to trash our long-time alliances and show Putin, Xi and other dictators that we won’t stand up to their aggression. Our Alaska economy will suffer as Trump’s illegal, impulsive and stupid tariffs raise our prices — and our critical export markets retaliate with tariffs of their own. Our Alaska industries will suffer if increasingly blatant corruption makes contributing to the president’s inauguration and flattering his ego the most important factors in whether they get tariff exemptions and regulatory relief — or get shut down. We will never get a natural gas pipeline — or any long-term foreign investment — if other countries realize that their investments set them up for economic blackmail by a U.S. president who can’t be trusted.

Alaskans will suffer if we lose our freedom of speech and anyone who dares to write something like this can be called a crazy leftist lunatic who hates America — and be fired for writing it. Drip by drip, we will all suffer if the dignity of the presidency and our country continue to be eroded by an illiterate and profane president who communicates by tweet and can’t stop bragging about himself. And how will it feel to live in a country where masked thugs can grab long-time contributing members of our community off the street and send them to concentration camps–as is already starting to happen in Alaska?

Regardless of what you think of some of Sen. Murkowski’s votes, she clearly recognizes the threats Trump poses to America, and what needs to be done. About the 2016 election campaign, she wrote “. . . Within months, most Republicans would be afraid of challenging his offensive remarks. We gave him that power to destroy norms by failing to stand up to him from the start.” She has had more courage to stand up to him than most of her colleagues. I hope she will recognize that standing up to Trump — and for the powers of Congress — is now the most important thing she can do for Alaska. Anything she can do in Congress for Alaska — starting with any funding or legislation for Alaska — will be meaningless if the president can ignore the budgets and legislation passed by Congress.

As for Sen. Sullivan and Rep. Begich, it’s far past time for you to start standing up for the Constitution you swore to uphold by standing up to this president’s blatantly unconstitutional actions.

by Gunnar Knapp, Anchorage Daily News |  Read more:

Image: Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon

[ed. Her hand-wringing, faux moderate anguish on every policy issue of importance (in which she eventually capitulates after garnering maximum attention) - like her friend Susan Collins of Maine - has greatly exceeded its expiration date. As for her Alaskan collegues (Dan Sullivan, Nick Begich), forget it. Those two bozos are just happy to lay low and do whatever they're told. No fake anguish there. See also: Murkowski's Big Ugly Vote (AK Beacon).]