Paulette Simpson lives in Juneau where she has been active in Republican politics.
A not so capital argument - 11/11/2009 9:02 pm
Since when does "lucrative" mean losing money? - 10/31/2009 1:51 pm
Centuries - 10/23/2009 11:09 am
Trust, but verify - 10/12/2009 7:10 pm
What if they held an election and nobody showed up? - 9/27/2009 9:17 pm
Notes from Orlando - 9/18/2009 11:59 am
Rules matter - 9/10/2009 6:17 pm
Remembrance and redemption (or how I learned to pray for the Kennedys) - 8/30/2009 4:59 pm
Capital City Governor's Picnic - 8/23/2009 12:08 pm
Fast ferry fiasco - 8/15/2009 8:54 pm
Freedom is an Endless Meeting - 8/9/2009 4:14 pm
Summer Reading - 7/31/2009 10:15 am
Talking Tourism Part II - 7/27/2009 9:49 pm
Talking tourism - 7/22/2009 4:44 pm
Lights, cameras... - 7/14/2009 6:38 pm
Welcome to the Hotel Alaska - 7/9/2009 9:11 am
For Sarah - 7/5/2009 5:52 pm
Change we should believe in - 7/2/2009 9:18 am
Let it go - 6/24/2009 10:35 pm
Running out - 6/21/2009 8:54 pm
Kensington countdown - 6/16/2009 10:46 am
Conflict industry - 6/14/2009 11:38 am
NOVEMBER 11, 2009 - 9:02 PM
Alex Sheshunoff advocates a capital move on the grounds that Juneau's location is responsible for corruption in Alaskan government. In May 2007, John Strohmeyer, in an effort to sell more copies of one of his books, wrote an editorial similarly reasoned for the ADN. Most everyone ignored it. This, however, is too tempting to pass up so I’ll bite.
Like any number of other policy ideas, moving the capital to reduce corruption is a short-sighted and lazy tactic that fails to get at the root of the problem. Corruption in politics, where it is real and identifiable, is serious and corrosive and shouldn't be exploited to advance agendas that are totally unrelated. Pitting Alaskans against each another, region by region, is neither a constructive nor particularly creative way to address the issue. But electing ethical people in the first place would be a good place to start. As personal friends of several legislators from around the state, I can say that the vast majority work hard and represent their constituents effectively and ethically while in the capital city.
OCTOBER 31, 2009 - 1:51 PM
Webster’s defines the word “lucrative” as an adjective that means “profitable” or “money-making.” My thesaurus lists synonyms for “lucrative” that include “profitable” and “productive.” Terms that signify the opposite of lucrative include “running at a loss” and “not making money.”
If anyone should pay attention to words, judges and journalists should surely top the list. So help me understand how on earth a judge could misinterpret a commonly understood word and a state full of cracker-jack journalists could ignore it?
The state recently filed its appeal of federal District Court Judge John Sedwick’s February decision invalidating the Juneau road’s environmental impact statement. The judge ruled that the EIS was incomplete since current ferry infrastructure and services had not been considered adequately as a means to increase capacity.
OCTOBER 23, 2009 - 11:09 AM
During the 2008 presidential campaign and immediately following the Inauguration, we heard a lot about our new President’s “narrative.” It reminded me of something I learned a long time ago about politicking: People don’t like lectures – they want to hear a story. So here’s one of mine.
One hundred years ago this weekend the 476’ long transport ship Duca degli Abruzzi sailed into New York Harbor with 1,836 passengers listed on the manifest - most from Southern Italy and Sicily and a handful from Turkey. The ship had steamed from Naples and Genoa some twelve days earlier. Eighty passengers made the journey in first class; sixteen traveled in second class quarters and the remaining 1,740 were in steerage. Among those third class passengers was my grandfather, Michelangelo Magistro.
OCTOBER 12, 2009 - 7:10 PM
On Friday, September 18 the Juneau Empire ran front page profiles of two women competing for a Juneau Assembly seat. The piece on candidate Ruth Danner was titled, “Danner’s assembly campaign about finding middle ground.” The story included the sentence, “Danner is a registered Independent who has contributed to both Democratic and Republican campaigns in Alaska.” The story was continued on page A6 with the large-font headline, “Danner: A registered Independent, she has contributed to Democrats, Republicans.” Presumably, that content-rich piece of information was provided to the reporter by the candidate.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2009 - 9:17 PM
Juneau’s municipal election is about a week away. It’s been an unusually sleepy campaign season, at least compared with past years. Maybe it’s the sluggish economy or just plain old political fatigue but not nearly as many people are as politically engaged as they were several years ago. In 1997 it took $33,000 and hundreds of hours of volunteer time to capture an open Juneau Assembly seat. This year, our one open seat will be won or lost for less than $15,000. The other contested race has generated no noticeable spending and the Mayor’s race is a yawn.
Bruce Botelho is running again for Mayor. Presuming he wins re-election and serves another term, he will be mayor of Juneau for 12 of 24 years and I’m not sure what that says about him or the community. Left-leaning demographics and the power of incumbency have deterred viable challengers and Bruce is known for running a good meeting. He’s also a big supporter of the arts and building a new Capitol and he even convened a scientific panel to advise the Assembly on the predicted impacts of climate change on Juneau. I’m not making that up. The panel published an 86-page report that recommended increasing the energy efficiency of our transportation systems. But Bruce still favors those old gas-guzzling ferries and hasn’t warmed to the idea of driving energy-efficient cars on a road north.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 - 11:59 AM
Sixteen Alaskans were among the 1,300 Republican women who re-charged their political batteries at the biennial convention of the National Federation of Republican Women in Orlando last weekend. Besides plugging in to workshops on healthcare, technology and campaigns, attendees were energized by several speakers, most of whom passed the “three ‘i’ test” - skillfully including information, ideas and inspiration in their talks.
Gov. Charlie Crist welcomed us to the Sunshine State. Florida’s proximity to Cuba, Haiti and other problematic countries gives many of its residents a unique perspective on America’s image as a beacon of hope. Crist reminded us that, “No one leaves this country on rafts – they come here on rafts.”
SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 - 6:17 PM
As reported in statewide media, Alaska Republicans are now taking applications to replace state Sen. Gene Therriault who is resigning to take a job with the Parnell administration. Therriault's District F covers North Pole, Delta Junction, Paxson, Glennallen, Sheep Mountain, Sutton and Valdez.
In accordance with Alaska Republican Party Rules, the two affected districts will follow the process for replacement spelled out on the Party website: www.alaskarepublicans.com
Whenever a Republican legislative vacancy occurs, Alaska Republican Party Rules guide the process. Anyone interested can review the Rule about “Legislative Vacancies” on the website under the, “About the GOP” tab, ARP Rules, Art. IX, Sec. 8.
AUGUST 30, 2009 - 4:59 PM
The closest I ever got to a Kennedy was a few days before California’s 1968 Democratic presidential primary when Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was campaigning for the nomination. It was easy for St. Lucy girls to get excused from class to catch a glimpse of the candidate from such a famously Catholic family so I collected my girlfriends in my mother’s Ford Fairlane wagon and headed for the outdoor Pomona Mall. It happened in an instant but somehow, we managed to shake the Senator’s hand. I remember that he looked small and tired and then incredibly, after beating Hubert Humphrey and winning that June primary election, he was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan at LA’s Ambassador Hotel.
AUGUST 23, 2009 - 12:08 PM
Just days after being sworn in as Alaska’s tenth governor, Gov. Sean Parnell addressed Juneau’s business community at their weekly Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Along with a discussion of economic issues challenging our state and region, he said he’d like to host a Governor’s picnic in Juneau.
Chamber of Commerce stalwarts and a few alpha females took the lead and in less than three weeks time, the first-ever Capital City Governor’s picnic came together Friday. Organizers quickly raised enough cash and in-kind contributions to rent tents and purchase food and supplies for the inaugural picnic. Juneau’s fishing community donated and barbecued 350 lbs of sockeye and coho while CBJ parks employees and dozens of volunteers spruced up the Sandy Beach shelters, set up tables and tents, prepared food and then stayed to pick up trash.
AUGUST 15, 2009 - 8:54 PM
The above-the-fold front page headline in the August 14 Juneau Empire read, “Fast ferries proving to be unreliable.” The story details “…broken down boats disrupting schedules,” saying “some ferry officials are expressing doubts about whether the technologically advanced but delicate fast ferries can be used in the future.”
Constructed in Connecticut, the Fairweather and Chenega began service in 2004. The newest in the Alaska Marine Highway fleet, the ships are powered by undependable, non-standard engines that require custom-made replacement parts from Germany. While the Fairweather has experienced most of the problems so far, according to Captain John Falvey, the Chenega is similarly designed with the same engines and also “has challenges.”
AUGUST 9, 2009 - 4:14 PM
Like anyone who participates in the political process, it’s not possible to add up all the hours I‘ve spent attending meetings. So when I read a review of a book called Freedom is an Endless Meeting, I was intrigued by the title and picked it up. Written by Francesca Polletta and published in 2002 by the University of Chicago Press, the book is about how participatory democracy and community organizing have impacted progressive social movements in the U.S. The writing was dense and academic but the title, Freedom is an Endless Meeting, still resonates and whenever I hop on a teleconference or head off to a meeting, I think about it. It also crossed my mind when I read about the never-ending Assembly hearings at Loussac Library about Anchorage’s proposed gay rights ordinance. At the core of that debate were deeply held values about personal liberty and from the perspective of people on both sides of the issue, they were fighting for their freedom.
JULY 31, 2009 - 10:15 AM
Visits to family in Southern California usually end with my mother putting me on the plane with limes, Locatelli and a stack of Los Angeles Times’ book review sections. The backyard limes are for gin & tonics, the Locatelli Romano is for pasta and the book reviews help pass the time on the trip back to Juneau.
I’ve never had time to read a fraction of those books but I like knowing what’s out there. And it was a column in the left-leaning LA Times by Andrew Klavan (“The Big White Lie”) that led me to City Journal. City Journal is a quarterly magazine published by the Manhattan Institute whose mission is to, “develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.”
JULY 27, 2009 - 9:49 PM
If you savor statistics, Juneau’s Economic Summit on Tourism was a feast. For those who like a little seasoning with their facts and figures, Skagway Street Car Company’s Steve Hites offered up plenty of salt, pepper and passion with his opening speech. Check it out at: http://www.ftffoundation.org/ Click on Economic Summit, then Presentations.
It’s gratifying to be able to showcase private sector activity in a mostly government town and important to show how government gets its share. From May to September 2008, forty ships made 600 port calls in Juneau. Once here, $167 million was spent: $140 million by passengers; $7 million by crew and $20 million by cruise lines. What’s worrisome is what happens next year when ships go elsewhere and spending drops to $142 million. That’s $200,000 less spending per day in a town of 31,000.
JULY 22, 2009 - 4:44 PM
This Friday, nearly 200 Southeast Alaskans are coming together in Juneau to talk tourism. The 2009 Economic Summit on Tourism Southeast will involve all levels of visitor industry stakeholders: tourism business owners and employees, support industry businesses and elected officials from Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Petersburg, Sitka and Ketchikan.
The impetus for the summit is the anxiety over the large discounts necessary to fill cruise ships this season and the corresponding less-than-robust shore sales reported by tour operators and shop owners so far this summer. Also of concern is the alarming redeployment of ships for 2010, expected to reduce the number of visitors to Juneau by as many as 150,000.
JULY 14, 2009 - 6:38 PM
Broadcast live on C-SPAN, confirmation hearings for President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, began yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The first Supreme Court confirmation hearing I remember watching was that of Judge Robert Bork, nominated to the Court in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. It wasn’t pretty. Nor were the hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas who characterized the proceedings as a “high-tech lynching.”
Perhaps it’s because of the cameras and live coverage, but most politicians (of both parties) just can’t help themselves. They get puffed up and grandstand. It’s self indulgent and a waste of time. The same thing often happens to our own Alaska legislators when Gavel-to-Gavel cameras carry their floor speeches across the state.
JULY 9, 2009 - 9:11 AM
The chance of a capital move animates the Juneau mindset. It’s why we fret about airfares and lobby for road access but mostly, why we stress about who’s governor. Among the most common questions a Juneauite asks a gubernatorial candidate is, “Will you live here and make your commissioners do likewise?”
Most statewide elections are decided by voters living between Homer and Talkeetna so Juneau (population 31,000) will never play more than its proportional role in selecting the executive who gets to live in the big house on Calhoun Ave. But we do have a role – and an important one in the grand scheme of Alaska politics – because as the capital, we host the winners of Alaska elections.
JULY 5, 2009 - 5:52 PM
Sorry, unlike everyone else on the planet, I’m not going to theorize about Sarah Palin’s resignation. For one thing, I have no inside information about her reasons for leaving office early – but it’s little more than chatter and conjecture anyway.
As a political entity, Sarah Palin has never been predictable or remotely conventional. That’s been a big part of her appeal, especially to independent-minded voters. I do find it ironic that many of the very same people who are criticizing her for “abandoning” the state are the people who most venomously wanted her gone.
JULY 2, 2009 - 9:18 AM
Considering how enthusiastically most Juneauites embraced “Change” in November, it will be interesting to see how they react to the state’s preliminary plan for the future of transportation in Southeast. It’s all about Change.
The Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (SATP) scoping document is an honest, comprehensive analysis that lays out reality for anyone unafraid to confront it. Many in Southeast will likely resist, but as our region’s population continues to shrink we will have little choice but to accept the obvious - that the ferry system as we have known it since its inception is no longer sustainable.
JUNE 24, 2009 - 10:35 PM
Certain words always seem to pop up in the vernacular of environmental activists and sympathetic journalists. When it comes to oil exploration and mining, no paragraph can be penned or sound bite uttered without using the adjective “pristine.”
Pick your patch of Alaska land or water: ANWR is “pristine,” Pebble is” pristine” and now Lower Slate Lake is “pristine.”
There must be an environmental playbook that spells out how to use words to evoke the exact emotional response required to kill a project: “Pristine portrays a place of pure poetry and perfection deserving of protection. Use it often”.
JUNE 21, 2009 - 8:54 PM
Regardless of one’s personal politics, some things are just hard to argue. Like demographics.
A community’s population is increasing, decreasing or flat and the median age is either getting older or younger. That same population includes a revenue-producing workforce in the middle and on either end, school age children and retirees.
If the population is increasing and more people are working and spending money in the community, the expanded tax base can support additional government services: schools, public transportation, public safety, social services and infrastructure improvements. A growing population also helps keep taxes low for everyone.
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