The congressional super committee that was to allegedly make an effort to reduce the deficit has apparently chosen to play politics. It now appears that an impasse has occurred that will result in $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts over the next 10 years. The portent for Alaska and the rest of the country of this taking effect is something that this governor and this Legislature need to ponder before the next legislative session begins in January.
The automatic $1.2 trillion in cuts will have an immediate and devastating impact upon the military. As a result of current FY 2012 cuts already in place, with additional cuts imposed by the automatic reduction in spending, the military’s portion of spending cuts will rise to $1 trillion. The result of this reduction, says Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta “will be devastating.”
Allegedly, the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operations are over. The troops will be coming home. Unfortunately, the war is not over, as additional areas of operations have been opened in the Middle East and Africa by President Obama. The latest operation being troops and helicopters very recently deployed to Ghana. Syria is now on NATO’s hit list with ever increasing threats and war talk by NATO countries. Another Alaska Army brigade is getting ready for another deployment to Afghanistan, even though the war is allegedly winding down. An Alaska Army National Guard unit was recently deployed to the Middle East.
Defense cuts necessitated by the recession will negatively impact capability, readiness and manpower in both active and reserve components through at least this decade. More military bases will be closed bringing the threat of the Congressional base closing axe upon Alaska’s two major military bases.
Under the Obama Administration, the National Guard and reserves play a major role in Libyan operations, Iraq and Afghanistan, the Balkans (Kosovo), and the expansion of the war into Africa, Libya, and Yemen.
Due to the weakening of U.S. force structure by spending cuts already in place, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the Russians have initiated open military challenges not seen since the Cold War. The Russians have increased their presence and spending in former Soviet Republics in the Caucus Region with their invasion of Georgia (South Ossetia) and have increased their military presence in Moldava, Dagestan, and Chechnya. Russia has signed a treaty with Ukraine for an additional 25 years for the use of the former Soviet naval base at Sevastopol. Recently, the Russians moved two brigades of troops and additional air and naval units to the far north of Russia to once again challenge the West in the Arctic. The Peoples Republic of China has openly warned the U.S. to stay out of disputes in the China Sea with Vietnam and the Philippines. Chinese naval and air harassment of U.S. and Japanese naval units and aircraft continues off the coast of Japan and elsewhere in the China Sea. Both Russia and the PRC have adopted a first strike policy, with the PRC’s military doctrine being very explicit in designating the United States as its primary adversary.
The reality of our military situation is that our forces are stressed and overextended with multiple deployments ongoing at any time, all the while, suffering concurrent manpower reductions and budget cuts affecting readiness and capability. Major airlift capability is now limited with the closure of the C17 production line by the Obama Administration.
Given the realities of the recession, and the underlying causation of overspending for too many years, the impact upon the military capability of the United States will be draconian through this decade.
Entitlements, which have outgrown military spending, will be the last items reduced by politicians who put their reelection above the defense of the country.
With the downgrading of our military capability will come the wolves seeking advantage, first at the periphery of American military reach, then ever closer to our borders as they sense opportunity. This challenge to American power has already begun in our hemisphere. There are almost daily incursions from Mexico by armed paramilitary forces in support of drug smuggling operations. Iran is militarily invested in Chavez’s Venezuela. The PRC runs the Panama Canal and is expanding its influence in the Caribbean. Al Qaida and Hezbollah have a presence in South America, training personnel for infiltration into the Great Satan of America. Meanwhile, Russian TU95 Bear bombers of Cold War fame once again regularly test U.S. and Canadian air defenses.
Submarines of the PRC Navy have embarrassed the United States Navy at least twice during the Obama Administration. The PRC is accelerating development of tactical nuclear missiles intended to deal a death blow to the U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups in the Pacific.
The Canadians will not be much help in any Arctic defense strategy in the face of a declining military. The Canadians have already admitted that they may have to rely upon contractors for personnel and logistics.
One of the more disturbing aspects of the Afghanistan and Iraq operations was the reliance on Russian contractors for air transport of military equipment and supplies.
One of two strategies for maintaining the U.S. military will develop as the recession, inflation, and resulting world civil unrest increase. The increasing turmoil will result in an ever increasing dependence upon the reserves and National Guard for troops and equipment to augment regular military units. Or, the National Guard and reserves will be stripped of their equipment and reduced in manpower in favor of maintaining a viable, standing military.
The regular U.S. military will continue to be reduced, but called upon to do more, given the ever increasing decline in military capability in Western Europe and Canada. The U.S. Navy played a major role in support of the Libyan campaign by having to provide the majority of aircraft for the Libyan bombing campaign.
The impact of the increasing violence into the U.S. from Mexico’s drug wars will undoubtedly force future administrations to defend our borders from the threat of narco terror, further stressing the military.
James J. Carafano, a defense analyst for the Heritage Institute, in his article on State Defense Forces (SDF) “Small Answers to big problems” in the March 23, 2011 Washington Times, advocated for increasing the number of 32 USC § 109(c) State Defense Forces in the U.S. He also pointed out that the greatest resistance to the State Defense Force concept comes from the State Adjutant Generals, for reasons unknown.
In his letter to then Governor Sarah Palin in September, 2008, then LTG Craig Campbell, Commissioner/Adjutant General (TAG), DMVA, envisioned an expanded role for the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), including combat support, and a retention of the ASDF State Military Police Constabulary role as part of the State’s military force structure.
Since 2010, MG Thomas H. Katkus, Commissioner/TAG appointed by Gov. Sean Parnell, has worked purposefully to diminish, disarm, and render ineffective and irrelevant the ASDF. The Parnell Administration acted to disarm and to render ineffective the state-only part of the organized militia in favor of a federal-only emergency military response to disasters in Alaska.
The National Guard belongs to the President, not the Governor, and to believe otherwise is incredibly naive in the face of two U.S. Supreme Court decisions to the contrary.
This action on the part of the Parnell Administration in a time of war calls into question the Parnell Administration’s support of the 2d Amendment and Art. 1 § 19 of the Constitution of the State of Alaska.
The Legislature is complicit in its silence.
Those Alaskans who value their 2d Amendment rights need to be very concerned. The stage has been set and the precedent established with the disarming of the ASDF for the disarming of the Alaska unorganized militia in an emergency.
This is the first time that I can remember in my 57 years as an Alaskan that the Legislature and the Governor have acted with open eyes and clear intent to make Alaskans less safe.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Nothing like the obvious biting one in the butt . . .
The recent announcement by Governor Sean Parnell of his new found support for the LNG natural gas pipeline option was not a surprise. This is a guy who has been politically urinating into the wind for at least the last two years. He has stayed true to Palin’s AGIA in the face of industry trends that dictated an end to the big pipe south before AGIA was even enacted. Governor Parnell could not ignore LNG market trends and the impact of domestic U.S. and Canadian shale gas production any longer without looking like the proverbial village idiot.
Even the pols in the Legislature are getting on the LNG train.
You know something has become so obvious that it cannot be ignored when our legislators begin to mouth platitudes about something that they have ignored since, what, about 1984?
The proverbial handwriting was on the wall for all to see, but those in elected office.
Just before Conoco announced the end of the charade that was the Denali natural gas pipeline project, the president of Conoco in Alaska stated that the intent of Conoco all along was to warehouse North Slope natural gas into the foreseeable future. Why would Conoco conceal its intent to do nothing with its North Slope gas? Conoco and Exxon have a 25 year commitment to move LNG from Qatar to the U.S., where there is no longer a market. Asia is now that market.
Qatar represents a $22B USD investment on the part of Exxon and Conoco to upgrade the northern and southern LNG gas trains and production facilities to meet export obligations. The first LNG tanker with Qatar LNG docked at a U.S. LNG import terminal earlier this summer, where the gas was off loaded and then reloaded back onto a LNG tanker, and shipped to a foreign market. The gas was not used in the U.S.
The Wood-Mac Report on the Alaska Gasline Port Authority’s website supports the viability of exporting Alaska natural gas from Valdez. The estimated cost of delivery to an Asian market for Alaska LNG is $10 per million BTUs (mmbtu equals one thousand cubic feet). Cost of natural gas and shipping from the North Slope to Japan via the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez is estimated in the Wood-Mac report at $8.50/mmbtu total, delivered. Pipeline transport is estimated at $1.70/mmbtu, with shipping to Asia by LNG tanker estimated at $.59/mmbtu.
The All-Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline project would have a total volume of 2.7 billion cubic feet per with 250 million cubic feet going to south central via a spur line from Glenallen. It is the volume of gas shipped to Valdez that keeps the price of the 250mcf/day to south central low enough that our natural gas prices would not increase. Further, the gas liquids would be kept for use in-state to provide the resources for a new petrochemical industry in the Fairbanks area.
In 2010, the Japanese were paying up to $12/mmbtus for LNG. The highest price paid this year by Japanese LNG customers has been almost $17/mmbtu.
BG Group PLC of Great Britain has made a significant commitment with Cheniere Energy Partners, Sabine Pass, LA, to export shale gas as LNG to Asia. BG expects a sale price for the LNG at 115% of the Henry Hub price plus a $2.25/mmbtu premium.
Wood-Mac’s projections for a delivered price from Sabine Pass is $10.50/mmbtu, or $2/mmbtu more than delivered Alaska gas. LNG shipping costs to Asia from LA are about four times higher than from Alaska. BG is so bullish on LNG that BG has another LNG export project of its own underway at Lake Charles, LA.
Election year is coming up, and the pols up for election have to fool those idiots that vote once again into believing that they are really gonna do something about Alaska’s economic situation . . . this time, if only they are reelected! We are supposed to ignore bad decisions and the lack of initiative and indecision since about 1994.
Only the State of Alaska’s leadership seems to be incapable of grasping industry trends. Natural gas export by LNG is viable from the U.S. and is being aggressively pursued by all, but Alaska.
Alaska needs real leadership, not more of the same.
Even the pols in the Legislature are getting on the LNG train.
You know something has become so obvious that it cannot be ignored when our legislators begin to mouth platitudes about something that they have ignored since, what, about 1984?
The proverbial handwriting was on the wall for all to see, but those in elected office.
Just before Conoco announced the end of the charade that was the Denali natural gas pipeline project, the president of Conoco in Alaska stated that the intent of Conoco all along was to warehouse North Slope natural gas into the foreseeable future. Why would Conoco conceal its intent to do nothing with its North Slope gas? Conoco and Exxon have a 25 year commitment to move LNG from Qatar to the U.S., where there is no longer a market. Asia is now that market.
Qatar represents a $22B USD investment on the part of Exxon and Conoco to upgrade the northern and southern LNG gas trains and production facilities to meet export obligations. The first LNG tanker with Qatar LNG docked at a U.S. LNG import terminal earlier this summer, where the gas was off loaded and then reloaded back onto a LNG tanker, and shipped to a foreign market. The gas was not used in the U.S.
The Wood-Mac Report on the Alaska Gasline Port Authority’s website supports the viability of exporting Alaska natural gas from Valdez. The estimated cost of delivery to an Asian market for Alaska LNG is $10 per million BTUs (mmbtu equals one thousand cubic feet). Cost of natural gas and shipping from the North Slope to Japan via the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez is estimated in the Wood-Mac report at $8.50/mmbtu total, delivered. Pipeline transport is estimated at $1.70/mmbtu, with shipping to Asia by LNG tanker estimated at $.59/mmbtu.
The All-Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline project would have a total volume of 2.7 billion cubic feet per with 250 million cubic feet going to south central via a spur line from Glenallen. It is the volume of gas shipped to Valdez that keeps the price of the 250mcf/day to south central low enough that our natural gas prices would not increase. Further, the gas liquids would be kept for use in-state to provide the resources for a new petrochemical industry in the Fairbanks area.
In 2010, the Japanese were paying up to $12/mmbtus for LNG. The highest price paid this year by Japanese LNG customers has been almost $17/mmbtu.
BG Group PLC of Great Britain has made a significant commitment with Cheniere Energy Partners, Sabine Pass, LA, to export shale gas as LNG to Asia. BG expects a sale price for the LNG at 115% of the Henry Hub price plus a $2.25/mmbtu premium.
Wood-Mac’s projections for a delivered price from Sabine Pass is $10.50/mmbtu, or $2/mmbtu more than delivered Alaska gas. LNG shipping costs to Asia from LA are about four times higher than from Alaska. BG is so bullish on LNG that BG has another LNG export project of its own underway at Lake Charles, LA.
Election year is coming up, and the pols up for election have to fool those idiots that vote once again into believing that they are really gonna do something about Alaska’s economic situation . . . this time, if only they are reelected! We are supposed to ignore bad decisions and the lack of initiative and indecision since about 1994.
Only the State of Alaska’s leadership seems to be incapable of grasping industry trends. Natural gas export by LNG is viable from the U.S. and is being aggressively pursued by all, but Alaska.
Alaska needs real leadership, not more of the same.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Alaska sovereignty is in jeopardy under Parnell
After Statehood in 1959, the federal government retained most of the 375 million acres comprising the former Territory of Alaska. Today, approximately 60% of Alaska is still under federal management and control. By contrast, most of the State’s east of the Mississippi comprise less than 1% of federal lands of the total lands within their state borders.
The recent Jim Wilde case in federal district court brought home the fact that after 51 years of Statehood, the State of Alaska’s citizens are being endangered by the federal government with impunity. In Wilde’s case, he, his wife, and a friend were subjected to a threat of the use of unnecessary deadly force by two U.S. Park Service Rangers. His “crime”? When signaled to heave to and be boarded, he headed his boat to shore where he could deal with the Rangers safely. He was manhandled by two heavily armed young men and removed to jail 100 miles west to Fairbanks. Wilde is 71. He was charged with “resisting arrest”. His boat registration was out of date. The Rangers pointed a shotgun and a pistol at him and his passengers to gain “compliance” for the check of registration.
Why was the federal Park Service enforcing boat registration on the Yukon River?
“AS 38.05.126. Navigable and Public Water: (a) The people of the state have a constitutional right to free access to and use of the navigable or public water of the state. (b) The state has full power and control of all of the navigable or public water of the state, both meandered and unmeandered, and the state holds and controls all navigable or public water in trust for the use of the people of the state.”
Clearly, the Yukon River is a navigable waterway, the enforcement of law on which is arguably a jurisdiction of the State, and not that of the federal government.
The Yukon-Charly River Wildlife Preserve is not a national park. Why were armed Park Service personnel on the Yukon River in the first place?
Is the State of Alaska just the approximately 105 million acres conveyed to date under the Alaska Statehood Compact?
Alaska Statehood Compact: “72 Stat. 339 Public Law 85-508: SEC. 2. The State of Alaska shall consist of all the territory, together with the territorial waters appurtenant thereto, now included in the Territory of Alaska.”
Sec. 2 of the Statehood Compact shows that the State of Alaska consists of all of the land mass and waters comprising the Territory of Alaska prior to statehood.
With the passage of ANILCA (1980), the federal Fish and Wildlife Service assumed fish and wildlife management over 380,900 square miles of federal lands in Alaska.
The second Hickel Administration (1991-1994) saw the passage of AS 38.05.500-505. In Alaska v. Babbitt, Gov. Hickel attempted to right the affront to the State’s authority over its lands and management of fish and game. AS 38.05.500 was clearly a nullification of what the Hickel Administration perceived as an overreach by Congress into the State’s ownership and authority over the lands in Alaska.
AS 38.05.500. Electorate Determinations: The people of the State of Alaska determine that: (1) the intent of the framers of the Constitution of the United States was to guarantee to each of the states sovereignty over all matters within its boundaries except for those powers specifically granted to the United States as agent of the states; (2) the attempted imposition upon the State of Alaska by the Congress of the United States of a requirement in the Statehood Act that the State of Alaska and its people "disclaim all right and title to any land or other property not granted or confirmed to the state or its political subdivisions by or under the authority of this Act, the right or title to which is held by the United States or is subject to disposition by the United States," as a condition precedent to acceptance of Alaska into the Union, was an act beyond the power of the Congress of the United States and is thus void; (3) the purported right of ownership and control of the public land in the State of Alaska by the United States is without foundation and violates the clear intent of the Constitution of the United States; and (4) the exercise of that dominion and control of the public land in the State of Alaska by the United States works a severe, continuous and debilitating hardship upon the people of the State of Alaska.”
Miner Carey Mills from Fairbanks normally accesses his mining claims near Eagle using the historic 40 Mile Station-Eagle Trail recognized by the State under RS2477 rights of way. The BLM has closed the road in spite of the State’s recognition and historic use. The State has refused to assert its rights in maintaining the use of the trail.
With Governor Parnell’s silence on the Jim Wilde case, and the State’s refusal assert its rights in the Carey Mills case, there is now a complete and utter abrogation of the State’s sovereignty under the Parnell Administration.
The recent Jim Wilde case in federal district court brought home the fact that after 51 years of Statehood, the State of Alaska’s citizens are being endangered by the federal government with impunity. In Wilde’s case, he, his wife, and a friend were subjected to a threat of the use of unnecessary deadly force by two U.S. Park Service Rangers. His “crime”? When signaled to heave to and be boarded, he headed his boat to shore where he could deal with the Rangers safely. He was manhandled by two heavily armed young men and removed to jail 100 miles west to Fairbanks. Wilde is 71. He was charged with “resisting arrest”. His boat registration was out of date. The Rangers pointed a shotgun and a pistol at him and his passengers to gain “compliance” for the check of registration.
Why was the federal Park Service enforcing boat registration on the Yukon River?
“AS 38.05.126. Navigable and Public Water: (a) The people of the state have a constitutional right to free access to and use of the navigable or public water of the state. (b) The state has full power and control of all of the navigable or public water of the state, both meandered and unmeandered, and the state holds and controls all navigable or public water in trust for the use of the people of the state.”
Clearly, the Yukon River is a navigable waterway, the enforcement of law on which is arguably a jurisdiction of the State, and not that of the federal government.
The Yukon-Charly River Wildlife Preserve is not a national park. Why were armed Park Service personnel on the Yukon River in the first place?
Is the State of Alaska just the approximately 105 million acres conveyed to date under the Alaska Statehood Compact?
Alaska Statehood Compact: “72 Stat. 339 Public Law 85-508: SEC. 2. The State of Alaska shall consist of all the territory, together with the territorial waters appurtenant thereto, now included in the Territory of Alaska.”
Sec. 2 of the Statehood Compact shows that the State of Alaska consists of all of the land mass and waters comprising the Territory of Alaska prior to statehood.
With the passage of ANILCA (1980), the federal Fish and Wildlife Service assumed fish and wildlife management over 380,900 square miles of federal lands in Alaska.
The second Hickel Administration (1991-1994) saw the passage of AS 38.05.500-505. In Alaska v. Babbitt, Gov. Hickel attempted to right the affront to the State’s authority over its lands and management of fish and game. AS 38.05.500 was clearly a nullification of what the Hickel Administration perceived as an overreach by Congress into the State’s ownership and authority over the lands in Alaska.
AS 38.05.500. Electorate Determinations: The people of the State of Alaska determine that: (1) the intent of the framers of the Constitution of the United States was to guarantee to each of the states sovereignty over all matters within its boundaries except for those powers specifically granted to the United States as agent of the states; (2) the attempted imposition upon the State of Alaska by the Congress of the United States of a requirement in the Statehood Act that the State of Alaska and its people "disclaim all right and title to any land or other property not granted or confirmed to the state or its political subdivisions by or under the authority of this Act, the right or title to which is held by the United States or is subject to disposition by the United States," as a condition precedent to acceptance of Alaska into the Union, was an act beyond the power of the Congress of the United States and is thus void; (3) the purported right of ownership and control of the public land in the State of Alaska by the United States is without foundation and violates the clear intent of the Constitution of the United States; and (4) the exercise of that dominion and control of the public land in the State of Alaska by the United States works a severe, continuous and debilitating hardship upon the people of the State of Alaska.”
Miner Carey Mills from Fairbanks normally accesses his mining claims near Eagle using the historic 40 Mile Station-Eagle Trail recognized by the State under RS2477 rights of way. The BLM has closed the road in spite of the State’s recognition and historic use. The State has refused to assert its rights in maintaining the use of the trail.
With Governor Parnell’s silence on the Jim Wilde case, and the State’s refusal assert its rights in the Carey Mills case, there is now a complete and utter abrogation of the State’s sovereignty under the Parnell Administration.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The lights still will not come on . . .
The 500mmcf per day line, the so called bullet line, Harry Noah's bullet line, the pipeline that "doesn't pencil"--make economic sense--is a dead end.
There is only one permitted, dedicated right of way to tidewater, the one mile corridor created with TAPS.
I have never seen 61 people try so hard to ignore the obvious in the face of overwhelming information available as to the market for LNG, the route, and the economics.
"We have to do something to get gas to south central and Fairbanks, why there is a crisis coming,” cry the pols.
Squandering $214M to do nothing on project that is not viable is doing something? It is admitted by Chennault and Hawker that the State will have to subsidize the natural transported in that line, because the volume is too low and would raise the cost to consumers. It would be cheaper to import gas . . . from Russia.
The Legislature and the Governor need to have an epiphany to cover their ignoring the obvious and declare "now I see, now I see" and commit to the only project that is economically viable, the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez, with the 250mmcf per day spur to the Enstar hub at Palmer. The gas liquids would be pulled off at FBKS, giving the interior new industry and fuels for the Bush.
What State ‘leader’ would ignore the ongoing benefits of the gas liquids used in-state? More importantly, why. Value added resource development has been the Holy Grail of Alaska’s resource development forever. Cheap energy will make possible what is otherwise too expensive. The impact would be tremendously beneficial to our agriculture, mining and timber sectors.
Maybe, former Gov. Sarah Palin can apologize to Alaskans for sticking it to them with AGIA after campaigning on the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to the governor’s office.
I wonder if dear Sarah has promised Gov. Sean Parnell a seat in her cabinet so long as he continues AGIA so that she can claim “expertise” of oil and gas development as part of her grandiose scheme to become Sarah the First, Queen and President? She must have done so, as no rational, prudent human being of sound mind would continue with AGIA in the face of shale gas and the burgeoning LNG market.
In order to get out of the AGIA dead end, the State would have to declare AGIA uneconomical and prepare for a potential court battle. Or, continue to roll the dice with the end of TAPS. Gas development would spur more oil development.
Leadership is what is needed, but leadership is not what we have.
Instead, we have Mike Chennault and Mike Hawker's questionable melding of AHFC, the ARR, Noah's former group, and a committee of legislators comprising the Alaska Gas Development Corporation promoting a pipeline that everyone says is too expensive and must be subsidized forever. They created an unholy abomination of State and quasi-State corporations, all of which had no gas development mandate until Chennault and Hawker pushed it through to unseeing, unknowing and apparently, uninterested Legislature.
Meanwhile, AS 41.41 is ignored which created the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority and the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
What is so hard about all of this that these fine folks in our Legislature cannot understand? LNG is the market, we have 40 years of history with the Japanese on LNG deliveries, why are we not taking advantage of our opportunities?
Like the Japanese want to deal with the . . . Russians? Or, the ME?
We need leadership in Juneau, not someone who has violated their oath of office with the appointment of two legislators to cabinet posts in violation of the law. Gov. Sean Parnell should be impeached for what he did in the Therriault and Dahlstrom cases. However, no one in the
Legislature has the cojones to step up in defense of the constitutional affront by this governor.
And, we pay the price with $200M more going down a rat hole just to make a couple of politicians 'feel good'.
Our opportunities on the world market wane as time passes and our leaders look for “inspiration”, all the while ignoring the obvious.
There is only one permitted, dedicated right of way to tidewater, the one mile corridor created with TAPS.
I have never seen 61 people try so hard to ignore the obvious in the face of overwhelming information available as to the market for LNG, the route, and the economics.
"We have to do something to get gas to south central and Fairbanks, why there is a crisis coming,” cry the pols.
Squandering $214M to do nothing on project that is not viable is doing something? It is admitted by Chennault and Hawker that the State will have to subsidize the natural transported in that line, because the volume is too low and would raise the cost to consumers. It would be cheaper to import gas . . . from Russia.
The Legislature and the Governor need to have an epiphany to cover their ignoring the obvious and declare "now I see, now I see" and commit to the only project that is economically viable, the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez, with the 250mmcf per day spur to the Enstar hub at Palmer. The gas liquids would be pulled off at FBKS, giving the interior new industry and fuels for the Bush.
What State ‘leader’ would ignore the ongoing benefits of the gas liquids used in-state? More importantly, why. Value added resource development has been the Holy Grail of Alaska’s resource development forever. Cheap energy will make possible what is otherwise too expensive. The impact would be tremendously beneficial to our agriculture, mining and timber sectors.
Maybe, former Gov. Sarah Palin can apologize to Alaskans for sticking it to them with AGIA after campaigning on the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to the governor’s office.
I wonder if dear Sarah has promised Gov. Sean Parnell a seat in her cabinet so long as he continues AGIA so that she can claim “expertise” of oil and gas development as part of her grandiose scheme to become Sarah the First, Queen and President? She must have done so, as no rational, prudent human being of sound mind would continue with AGIA in the face of shale gas and the burgeoning LNG market.
In order to get out of the AGIA dead end, the State would have to declare AGIA uneconomical and prepare for a potential court battle. Or, continue to roll the dice with the end of TAPS. Gas development would spur more oil development.
Leadership is what is needed, but leadership is not what we have.
Instead, we have Mike Chennault and Mike Hawker's questionable melding of AHFC, the ARR, Noah's former group, and a committee of legislators comprising the Alaska Gas Development Corporation promoting a pipeline that everyone says is too expensive and must be subsidized forever. They created an unholy abomination of State and quasi-State corporations, all of which had no gas development mandate until Chennault and Hawker pushed it through to unseeing, unknowing and apparently, uninterested Legislature.
Meanwhile, AS 41.41 is ignored which created the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority and the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
What is so hard about all of this that these fine folks in our Legislature cannot understand? LNG is the market, we have 40 years of history with the Japanese on LNG deliveries, why are we not taking advantage of our opportunities?
Like the Japanese want to deal with the . . . Russians? Or, the ME?
We need leadership in Juneau, not someone who has violated their oath of office with the appointment of two legislators to cabinet posts in violation of the law. Gov. Sean Parnell should be impeached for what he did in the Therriault and Dahlstrom cases. However, no one in the
Legislature has the cojones to step up in defense of the constitutional affront by this governor.
And, we pay the price with $200M more going down a rat hole just to make a couple of politicians 'feel good'.
Our opportunities on the world market wane as time passes and our leaders look for “inspiration”, all the while ignoring the obvious.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The TSA is not making our skies safer
The Transportation Safety Administration is an oxymoron.
What the TSA does is not security.
The TSA serves to prevent the offending of those who should receive the strictest scrutiny from any transportation security system. Instead, TSA appears to be about harassment, intimidation, and sexual abuse of anyone but. With the new pat down policy, the TSA is a pervert’s dream come true.
One has to wonder if the individual doing the extensive, invasive and perverse, and illegal pat down might be getting a thrill out of the situation. How many of the TSA’s agents are active homosexuals and/or pedophiles?
Even former Governor Joe Foss of South Dakota, a Medal of Honor recipient for acts of courage in WWII, was forced to remove his medal, because the morons of the TSA believed the points on the Star could be used as a weapon. They actually wanted to take his medal from him. Insane. And, yet, Americans stood and watched this happen instead of reacting with outrage and shame.
Same for the molestation of small children and older Americans in the name of “safety”, while the Muslims of military age continue on unmolested.
Have we become so jaded that our most sacred rights can be abused without comment or protest?
The leadership of every anti-western jihadist group has to laugh at this absurdity.
Anyone who has been sexually or physically abused has to suffer serious trauma from this egregious violation of their person and civil rights that is the TSA screening process.
The same for women who have had mastectomies.
Further, the radiation levels from the full body scanners is now being questioned by the scientific community. The exposure to which increases the potential for skin cancer.
So, now, we not only have to allow and to endure molestation suffered because of the illegal suspension of our civil rights in this “zone of the TSA” and in the name of a placebo practice instead of effective security measures, but we have to suffer additional risk of skin cancer so that Michael Chertoff can make a buck?
If the emphasis is put where the problem is, 95 year old women and small children would not have to be molested in the name of political correctness.
Travel by commercial air would be safer.
The traveling public would not have to be subjected to clear and egregious violations of their 4th, 5th, 9th and 14th Amendment rights that is the TSA and its unconstitutional, perverted, idiotic and ineffective practices.
Muslims are a security risk by virtue of the tenets of Islam, and should be the primary focus of any security efforts at our airports. It is the result of the acts of Muslims on 9-11 and after that caused the formation of the TSA.
It seems to me, that Rep. Sharon Cissna, who suffered indignities no individual should have to undergo at the hands of the TSA, should introduce legislation to end TSA’s role in Alaska.
This act of political courage would place Alaska at the forefront of the sovereignty issue and show the feds that our Constitutional rights are valued above all at the State level.
There is absolutely no function of the TSA at our airports, which cannot be replaced by the State’s Airport Police, or, to make use of a very underused and available resource, even the Alaska State Defense Force could be used.
Eliminate the invasive searches, keep the metal scanners, use profiling and behavioral cues—in other words, adopt the proven and effective Israeli method of screening passengers.
Ted Stevens International Airport is State of Alaska property, not that of the federal government; the presence of the TSA is a violation of the 10th Amendment.
Were there to be State legislation introduced to protect Alaskans and to eliminate the TSA, would the feds cut of funding of any sort?
Did the federal DOT or Congress cut off funding for Montana’s highways after the enactment of the National Maximum Speed Limit? During this period, Montana maintained its 70 plus speed limits without penalty from the federal DOT.
There will be nothing beyond threats, as what is currently being done by the TSA to law abiding Americans is to violate and abuse the many to avoid offending the few.
It is time this affront to the rights and dignity of the majority that is the TSA ends.
It is time that our State leadership acted where our congressional leadership and our President will not.
What the TSA does is not security.
The TSA serves to prevent the offending of those who should receive the strictest scrutiny from any transportation security system. Instead, TSA appears to be about harassment, intimidation, and sexual abuse of anyone but. With the new pat down policy, the TSA is a pervert’s dream come true.
One has to wonder if the individual doing the extensive, invasive and perverse, and illegal pat down might be getting a thrill out of the situation. How many of the TSA’s agents are active homosexuals and/or pedophiles?
Even former Governor Joe Foss of South Dakota, a Medal of Honor recipient for acts of courage in WWII, was forced to remove his medal, because the morons of the TSA believed the points on the Star could be used as a weapon. They actually wanted to take his medal from him. Insane. And, yet, Americans stood and watched this happen instead of reacting with outrage and shame.
Same for the molestation of small children and older Americans in the name of “safety”, while the Muslims of military age continue on unmolested.
Have we become so jaded that our most sacred rights can be abused without comment or protest?
The leadership of every anti-western jihadist group has to laugh at this absurdity.
Anyone who has been sexually or physically abused has to suffer serious trauma from this egregious violation of their person and civil rights that is the TSA screening process.
The same for women who have had mastectomies.
Further, the radiation levels from the full body scanners is now being questioned by the scientific community. The exposure to which increases the potential for skin cancer.
So, now, we not only have to allow and to endure molestation suffered because of the illegal suspension of our civil rights in this “zone of the TSA” and in the name of a placebo practice instead of effective security measures, but we have to suffer additional risk of skin cancer so that Michael Chertoff can make a buck?
If the emphasis is put where the problem is, 95 year old women and small children would not have to be molested in the name of political correctness.
Travel by commercial air would be safer.
The traveling public would not have to be subjected to clear and egregious violations of their 4th, 5th, 9th and 14th Amendment rights that is the TSA and its unconstitutional, perverted, idiotic and ineffective practices.
Muslims are a security risk by virtue of the tenets of Islam, and should be the primary focus of any security efforts at our airports. It is the result of the acts of Muslims on 9-11 and after that caused the formation of the TSA.
It seems to me, that Rep. Sharon Cissna, who suffered indignities no individual should have to undergo at the hands of the TSA, should introduce legislation to end TSA’s role in Alaska.
This act of political courage would place Alaska at the forefront of the sovereignty issue and show the feds that our Constitutional rights are valued above all at the State level.
There is absolutely no function of the TSA at our airports, which cannot be replaced by the State’s Airport Police, or, to make use of a very underused and available resource, even the Alaska State Defense Force could be used.
Eliminate the invasive searches, keep the metal scanners, use profiling and behavioral cues—in other words, adopt the proven and effective Israeli method of screening passengers.
Ted Stevens International Airport is State of Alaska property, not that of the federal government; the presence of the TSA is a violation of the 10th Amendment.
Were there to be State legislation introduced to protect Alaskans and to eliminate the TSA, would the feds cut of funding of any sort?
Did the federal DOT or Congress cut off funding for Montana’s highways after the enactment of the National Maximum Speed Limit? During this period, Montana maintained its 70 plus speed limits without penalty from the federal DOT.
There will be nothing beyond threats, as what is currently being done by the TSA to law abiding Americans is to violate and abuse the many to avoid offending the few.
It is time this affront to the rights and dignity of the majority that is the TSA ends.
It is time that our State leadership acted where our congressional leadership and our President will not.
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