Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has spent the last week or so -- nay, the last 25 years -- attempting to circumvent the clearly and repeatedly expressed preferences of a majority of U.S. citizens by allowing oil drilling to take place in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The latest attempt involved attaching drilling to the defense appropriations bill, in effect holding military funding hostage in the middle of an armed conflict.
We have perhaps become numbed by the sheer repetition and persistence of these efforts, but it's worth pausing, stepping back, and noting just how utterly venal and anti-democratic they are. The country would not benefit from Refuge oil. It would be sold on the world market just like any other oil. Oil companies and the state of Alaska would benefit. For that, Stevens is willing to make a mockery of legislative procedure and tradition.
Stevens' latest defeat produced a self-pitying, thumb-sucking tantrum on the floor of the Senate. He said it was the "saddest day of his life." He also threatened his fellow Senators, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in particular:
"I'm going to go to every one of your states, and I'm going to tell them what you've done," he told colleagues who voted against the measure. "You've taken away from homeland security the one source of revenue that was new ... I'm sure that the senator from Washington [Cantwell] will enjoy my visits to Washington."
He also, in effect, threatened to quit, saying "It's a day I don't want to remember. I say goodbye to the Senate tonight. Thank you very much." You can watch a little bit of the pathetic performance here (via Atrios).
(It's worth noting that when Refuge drilling came out of the defense bill, so did assistance for low-income people to heat their houses. The LIHEAP program will receive less funding this year than last year, despite record high heating prices. Maybe Stevens should shed a tear over that.)
Oil: enough energy to melt glaciers!
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) [UPDATED]
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Tom Twigg Posted 8:29 am
22 Dec 2005
Well, it seems Ted knew something about Alaska and about becoming powerful. And he did a nice job of passing on his knowledge and moral compass to son Ben.
We might breath a sigh of relief at Uncle Ted's words that he has just about had it with the Senate, but he knows what former Senator Murkowski (R-Alaska, not the new improved Senator Murkowski, the old one... nepitism makes everything so confusing!) knew when he left the senate... Junior is waiting in the wings to take his seat. Ben Stevens is Alaska state Senate President and nicely groomed to take daddy's seat and keep up the relentless efforts to open ANWR. Get ready for more of the same.
If a twigg falls in the forest but nobody is there to hear it, it's probably best because there is bound to be cussing.
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jdhlax Posted 2:45 pm
22 Dec 2005
Jeff Hoffman
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redboat Posted 11:18 pm
22 Dec 2005
So many people have worked so hard on this topic. It's too bad though that so much effort has to be spent on ANWR that it takes away from other very important issues.
If Ted Stevens could not win by attaching drilling to the defense budget bill, he probably cannot win at all. He has become a political figure to be pitied. This man is 82 years old and THIS was "the saddest day" of his life?? This is the only issue this man thinks or cares about. Captain Ahab. His blood must have been boiling yesterday. I hardly feel sorry for him though. The Republican bastards had NO business attaching drilling to the defense bill.
To see a great cartoon about Steven' actions click HERE
Here is my plan for ANWR:
In 2006 we elect a new Congress.
In 2007 we get ANWA, the Arctic National Wilderness Area.
eddy out, redboat
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Tom Twigg Posted 3:03 am
23 Dec 2005
The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) checks that Alaska residents receive every Octoboer does not come directly from oil companies, but from an investment fund that the state set up when it first started realizing the windfall revenues from north slope oil development. The fund is worth billions of dollars and every year a percentage of the fund's growth (actually calculated for a 5 year average) is divided evenly among qualifying Alaska residents, the balance is reinvested in the fund. Payouts have more to do with stock market conditions than the price of oil or new oil development. In 2005 each qualifying resident received approximately $850. The amount has been as high as $1900 in the past.
I think it is true that many Alaskans have had their feelings about oil development tainted by this money -- for many years I did not apply for it myself for this reason. When I went back to school to get a teaching certificate I decided to start taking the money to help pay my expenses. When I had a son, his annual check went into a savings account to help pay for his college tuition some day. In many remote villages this money may represent a large part of a family's annual income.
I know of others who have declined to take the "oil money bribe," and I know of at least one person who takes his family's PFD money every year and donates the entire amount to Alaskan environmental organizations ( ... he writes books you might enjoy... ).
If a twigg falls in the forest but nobody is there to hear it, it's probably best because there is bound to be cussing.
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Roland Posted 7:51 am
03 Jan 2006
roland from Alaska
roland from Alaska
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Storm Dragon Posted 8:55 am
05 Jan 2006
We won, (fortunately), but somebody had to lose. Personally, I can't help feeling sorry for someone who has spent so much of his life fighting for such an unworthy cause.
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Storm Dragon Posted 8:56 am
05 Jan 2006
We won, (fortunately), but somebody had to lose. Personally, I can't help feeling sorry for someone who has spent so much of his life fighting for such an unworthy cause.
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