The Associated Press is reporting that Nome Mayor Denis Michels has announced her intent to file for the office of Lieutenant Governor, for the Democratic Party primary, to be held August 24th.Democratic Party Gubernatorial candidate Ethan Berkowitz welcomed Michels to the race, which until now was limited to the candidacy of progressive Democrat, Diane Benson.
According the the AP, "Ethan Berkowitz, a Democratic candidate for governor, lauded Michels' entry, saying she brings "great qualifications" to the race. Michels says the two are friends and have been discussing her potential candidacy for some time."
Michels is currently President for the Alaska Municipal League. She is the past President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors and past Co-Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. She is a life-long Alaskan, and, like Diane Benson, is an Alaska Native.
image - Denis Michels, flanked by former Attorney General Talis Colberg and Gov. sean Parnell (AP photo - Hall Anderson)
41 comments:
I've been to Nome many times, those people are a little goofy out there ya know...
The short times I've spent in Nome were pretty goofy too, and I enjoyed it.
I lived in Nome for 5 years and still cherish the friends made there. Goofy? sure, Real?, definitely.
Whether Nomites in general are goofy or weird isn't very germane to the question of Michels candidacy.
Are her policy positions going to be favorable ?
The only statement I've seen so far that delineate a policy position is this statement:
Quote:
""It is time to develop Alaska's resources, energy, and infrastructure, and provide the workforce opportunities and education for Alaskans that will come with it," Michels said in a statement to reporters.""
That statement, without qualification, isn't any different than what a Republican candidate might say.
Michels is running as a 'Democrat', but will she advance democratic ideals ?
Being in the Democratic Party or 'running as a Democrat' doesn't guarantee Michels will advance democratic ideals, let alone progressive or sane, reasoned ideas.
One possible strike against Michels, from a progressive perspective is her past presidency of the Alaska Municipal League.
The Alaska Municipal League has fostered and promoted any number of policies and positions which are opposed to democratic or progressive ideals.
The sponsors and supporters of the AML reads like a who's who of corporations and interests that don't hold the interests of the citizens of Alaska above their own corporate interests.
Policies the AML have been known to lobby for are diametrically opposed to much of what progressive Alaskans have been working towards.
Do progressives want to 'develop our resources, our infrastructure, and provide the workforce opportunities and education ?
Yes we do. With qualifications.
We don't wish to develop our resources at the expense or detriment to our quality of life, or at the expense of being able to provide fundemental safeguards and protection of the environment, or in order to privatize or give away our resources for pennies on the dollar so wealth can be extracted leaving Alaska to clean up the mess afterwards and deal with having to support a workforce that's only temporarily engaged in short term profit schemes.
We want sustainable resource planning before we want to give unqualified support for exploitation.
On infra-structure, we want intelligent long range sustainable projects and maintenance.
Too often, developing infra-structure means such things as using public funds to build support structures that only benefit the private sector, without that private sector contributing in an equitable fashion.
Yes, we need work for ourselves and our neighbors, but we need meaningful work, sustainable work, and 'jobs' that make sense over a longer range view than has been the norm when one hears 'it'll create jobs'. It's not enough to just create jobs, we need the right kind of jobs or we end up with more boom and bust, job today, gone tomorrow.
On the question of education. Yes, we want to have education.
But we also want to have some control over what the curriculum is likely to be. The status quo likely isn't going to create any improvement and there's little reason to give blind support to so broad a statement.
The announcement of Michels candidacy, and the claim to be 'running as a Democrat' needs to be critically investigated so that 'appearances' might truly add up to the reality.
So far, I'm far from thinking Michels would be a better choice than Diane, who has a track record of speaking to progressive concerns.
Michels statement sounds like the run of the mill press release coming out of the Alaska Resource Development Council.
And that bunch is far from being progressive.
Phil says his site promotes Alaska's powerful progressive ideas.
It remains to be seen if Phil can get Michels to speak of what powerful progressive ideas Michels intends to interject were she to be elected.
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I thought Michels' statement sounded like it was written by Ethan Berkowitz.
Blue_in_AK
Blaablaablaa:
I'm not a progressive. I'm a liberal. Unlike you, I'm not ashamed of that. I won't have my identity defined by republicans.
Again, I think you are an idiot.
It's truly painful to read all your long winded junk that you inflict on innocent decent humans.
My skepticism about any candidate from Nome is: whether they may claim to be republican or democrats, they all caucasus with republicans. That's Nome.
Just like you are certifiably weird, they're all certifiably republicans. There aren't any democrats in Nome anymore. They all go with the republicans.
Blaablaablaa:
Why don't you just call yourself a liberal, you chicken shit?
I'm a liberal. You're a chicken shit.
One other thing, chicken:
I've always been a liberal. Always will be. Conservatives like George Bush tried to make my name "liberal" dirty, but to hell with them (and you). Despite you and Fox News, I'm still a liberal.
What's a "Progressive?" Are these would-be liberals who had to rename themselves because they just couldn't take the pressure from conservatives like George Bush 1?
Again, I'm a liberal. As you've said yourself, you're not. You're an idiot, a hypocrite, a coward, a fool, and a wimp, but you're not a liberal like me. You'll suck on command and rename yourself as required by your conservative bosses. You're just a traitor who dances when Fox News tells you to dance, Progressive boy.
I'm a liberal. You're not.
jim grows ever more unhinged and desperate in his inablity and incapacity to address any context outside of his own insecurity.
Most folks who are neurotic try to hide their neurosis, jim appears quite delighted to take his out for a stroll.
Blaablaablaa:
You take your neurotic personality out for a stool several times a day and then broadcast it to the rest of us.
Can't wait for the next constipated chapter.
Are you channeling Pee Wee Herman now ?
You're hilarious,
....to go along with your irrelevance.
See if you can find someone to explain what the context of this thread might be about.
You seem to be having a hard time by yourself.
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I've got abundant folks around me. And the world's greatest cat. Thanks for your concern. Keep the crap coming. I enjoy it. Spices stuff up.
Speaking of this specific thread, my grandfather arrived in Nome about a hundred years ago, around 1911. Not nearly as long ago as indigenous Alaskans but pretty good by other standards. I saw Nome for the first time about 35 years ago. Great place. Have you been there? Just went through some slides today. Any stories? If not that's o.k.; most Alaskans haven't been to Nome. Alaskatraverses a big chunk of the globe, so we all can't get everywhere.
My grandfather went after gold on the beach in Nome. He eventually gave up. He moved on to Seward after a couple years.
He was a Mason. I don't know much about Masons other than they were a lot more important then than they are today. Quite the society, but they didn't have many if any women in their ranks.
Have a nice evening.
by the way, I keep signing it Jim but it comes through as anonymous. I just sent this as Jim
It's all jim, all the time with jim.
The thread is about a candidate for lt. governor, it's not about you.
Your attempt at autobiography is irrelevant.
If you've got a lot of people around you, ask them if they can help you with the context of this thread.
Or are you afraid if they find out you're on the computer again, you might lose your privileges?
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Blaablaablaa:
Too bad this thread's author also made "irrelevant" comments above.
I hope there are people around you to help you. God help you. Best wishes.
Still nothing but your insecurity ?
Who would have guessed ?
Let me help you again, the thread is about the candidacy for Lt. Governor.
Flummoxed ? Too complicated for you ..?
Keep your best wishes, you need all you can get.
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In news that's not about jim's insecurity:
A Fairbanks attorney, one Joe Miller, said he is running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
He said he's decided to challenge Murkowski in order to stop the country from a "headlong plunge into socialism."
The one saving piece of good news about Attorney Joe running for public office ?
He left judicial positions he once held to run and lose challenging a Fairbanks Democrat in 2004, who beat him in Fairbanks.
I'll have to look and see how it was he got appointed to be a judge, obviously they didn't vet him very well.
There'd be a bit of irony if Frank Murkowski had appointed him to the bench. He sounds like he'd get the nod from Frank, with his talk of creeping socialism, but I don't know that Frank would appreciate him challenging his daughter.
Anyone know who did appoint this wingnut to the bench ?
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Speaking of off topic, in one of the other threads you mentioned "confession." Are you a Priest? Should we call you Father Freeper?
Proving only that jim's reading comprehension is as developmentally arrested and is now on a par with what's left of his maturity level.
Candidates for state office ?
It's a good bet you won't be running, you'd have to be capable of actually addressing your fallacious assumptions.
Worse yet, you'd have to provide some justification for your false assertions.
I can see the press conference now.
Zippo, nil, nothing.....
(sometimes I think a competency test before being granted the right to vote would be a good thing. Jim makes for a strong argument. )
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Father Freeper:
Getting back to topic; I'd be concerned about a rural candidate's loyalty to the democratic party if they were running as a democrat for statewide office. May not matter for lite gov, but I'd want some confidence that they were actually a democrat and not a trojan horse.
My two cents worth, please ask God's and the Pope's indulgence if I sinned. And also stay the hell away from those alter boys.
You'd be concerned ? That's it ?
It's peripherally connected to the context of the thread, that's an improvement.
Think you can stay within the context ?
Got anything that hasn't already been posited here ?
You know, like an original thought or contribution ?
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It's your blog Phil. Freeper's diatribe only drives readers away.
You're a moron and an imbecile, but that's not an original contribution-- we already know that. We also know you don't know a damn thing about Nome or this thread, so that's nothing new; and you're probably either a high school drop-out or you barely managed a high school diploma with perhaps about a 2.1 gpa. You don't own a business. You never will. I figure you're probably one of the biggest spoiled and parasitic brats that Got ever put on the planet. If only your parents or your Catholic authorities were aware of what you do during your secluded spare time.
baja: recent comments addressed to you-know-who, not you. May be a mistake, but I decided to fight this little brat.
Losing your insecurity and cries for attention wouldn't be a big loss, boo hoo.
Care to address anything of any context besides your insecurity ?
So, all you've got is your false assumptions and your erroneous assertions.
That's nothing new, jim.
And you tried and failed to channel Pee Wee Herman earlier. That failed too.
As is usual, you've lost contact with the context of the thread again, not even anymore attempting to anything even peripherally germane to the context of the thread.
That staying on topic must have been too much for you.
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You lost topic before you were born.
You've regressed so far back your references are now about pre-birth events ?
You're outdoing even your earlier prepubescent blathering..
Candidates, state office, ... does that help to jog your short attention span ?
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Huh? Is someone saying something? Can't hear. Sort of a bunch of nervous muttering stuttering sounds with goat howls.
Is it a goat or a moron? Or both? What's the moron doing to the goat? OHMYGOD !!! it sure is noisy . . . Can't decode . . . communication breaking up . . . hear a tortured goat . . . my God what is that Priest doing to that goat . . . Oh my God . . . someone call the Pope !!!
Lost track of what alias to post under again.
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To get back on track, I thought that the races for Governor and Lt Governor were supposed to be independent? But Berkowitz has endorsed, and continues to promote (listen to Sahnnyn Moore two days ago) this woman from Nome. What is that all about?
A Curious Progressive
What do you mean you thought the races for Governor and Lt. Governor were 'independent' ?
They are somewhat separated in the primaries, but there's nothing 'non-partisan' about that separation.
Governor candidates and lt. governor candidates run on separate tickets in the primary and then the party winners are paired for the general election.
That guarantees one thing and allows for one other possibility, in the former, or the guaranteed part, the people get to pick general election candidates, instead of the governor being able to choose. The possibility arises that, though they are from the same 'party', they may not necessarily be of the same mind, or necessarily political allies outside of party designation.
Candidates, parties, individuals, or whomever can and do 'endorse' anyone they want to.
What are you implying by asking 'what's up with that' ?
It's not new... 5 states elect their governors and lt. governors in the same way.
Other states do things in a variety of ways.
5 states do not have a lieutenant governor.
18 states have separate elections for the governor and the lieutenant governor,( where you could have the governor and the lieutenant governor being from different parties.)
2 states have the State Senate appoint the lieutenant governor.
20 states have the governor and lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket, just like the presidential elections are run, with the governor choosing his running mate.
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The problem with our system is closed primaries, and party switching during the vote.
Open primaries still allow party switching, but it's tempered by the ability of all sides to vote switch, and not be closed off from the Repugnant ballot choice.
We can end up with a 'popular' governor' and a feeble lt. governor.
We all know the problem with that, the incompetent 'popular' governor could quit, leaving us with an equally incompetent or worse lt. governor moving up into the mansion and pretending to be a governor.
With the closed primaries, and the unlimited number of 'candidates' that can declare without any test of party loyalty or adherence to party ideology, we can end up with 'candidates' running as one thing when they've no intention of representing the image they run under.
With the high numbers of candidates in primaries and with the addition of several fringe parties, vote dilution becomes a root cause of much voter apathy.
Who are you endorsing ? What policies do you think are the most important in the governor's office and for his or her successor ?
freeper,
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You have no credibility, right wing extremist K street parasite. Can't even call yourself by your self inflicted vile name anymore? Shut up and go away, you slimy lizard.
For everyone else; google "freeper."
This impotent numbnut is Freeper. Freeper is vile. This is freepercrap.
Yo! Freeper! You out there coward boy?
Haven't heard back recently. But I've been getting slimy anonymous comments from some pathetic worm who is as loud as you. But for some reason this individual won't identify himself as you. Why can't you just identify yourself, you ultra conservative K Street brat?
in jim's mind, or what might be left of it, he's a tough guy.
See jim, see how tough jim is.
It's all jim and his insecurity which he tries to compensate for with his fantasies.
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Anybody seen Freeper? What happened to Freeper? Did he get hurt or something?
right here jim,
who do you imagine might 'hurt me or something' ?
Not you, you can't get out of your fantasy long enough to do anything but declare your insecurity.
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Candidates, (and not for the looney bin), but candidates for political office.
That ring a bell ?
Beware of "Freeper" who has often posted here and is now posting anonymously:
From Wikipedia:
"Free Republic is a moderated Internet forum, activist, and chat site for self-described conservatives, primarily within the United States.[1] It presents articles and comments posted pseudonymously by registered members, known as "Freepers"
Jim's neurosis is getting worse by the minute.
...even with as little grasp of reality he has, he's discovered how to copy and paste.
I bet he's proud of himself, must have been a major accomplishment.
freeper,
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I commented that Denise Michels only policy statement I could find sounded like something written by and espoused by the Resource Development Council ?
Turns out Denise is a member of that organization.
The Resource Development Council, as some of you may know, is widely recognized to be a front organization which lobbies for multi-national corporate interests that are focused on expropriating Alaska's non-renewable resources.
The Resource Development Council has worked against, clean air, against clean water, .....against just about any and every issue that might be undertaken to hold the extractive industries to account for their polluting ways, their non-sustainable practices, habitat degradation and their theft of Alaska's natural resources.
The Resource Development Council hasn't your interests in mind while they're lobbying for policies and attempting to politicize their interests.
The Resource Development Council seeks only to maintain their corporate member's ability to dig it up, drill it out, cut it down or otherwise exploit our resources and increase their profits at the expense of our environment, and to the detriment of our quality of life.
Simply saying you're a Democrat while being a member of the Resource Development Council raises questions of whether there isn't some deception being practiced. You can hardly hold membership in the Resource Development Council and pretend you have the interests of the Alaska people in mind, or our land, our air, our wildlife, our water, ad infinitum.
No, if you're a member of the RDC, your stance is in opposition to the best interests of Alaska and Alaskans. If you're a member of the RDC, you work for the interests of the likes of Exxon, Anglo American, and the rest of the major multinationals looking to rake off our resources for their profits.
Denise should be put on the spot, soon and in a very public manner.
With an RDC member elected to office, the RDC would have their voice being advocated from with the government that is supposed to watch-dog those multi-national corporate interests.
freeper.
The only Mason that I know is a jar.
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