You are hereBig Labor goes Republican in race for Alaska governor
Big Labor goes Republican in race for Alaska governor
By Alex Gimarc
Alaska Standard Contributor
As the race for the nominee for Republican Gubernatorial Candidate heats up, a few things fall out of the festivities. First and foremost, is that labor unions statewide have determined that the Democrat Party candidate does not have a snowball’s chance in a Very Hot Place of getting elected. As a result of that political calculus, they have gone all-in in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker which ought to present a problem to all conservatives in this state.
At the highest level of basic economic analysis, the unions – public employee and otherwise – have been among the largest impediments to fiscal responsibility in Alaska since statehood. One needs to look no farther than the Begich Municipal union contracts slammed through his union-friendly Assembly on his way out the door to Washington DC in 2008 as an example. If those 5-year contracts don’t exist, Mayor Sullivan doesn’t have $10 and $11 million dollar budget gaps in successive years to close. The value added we citizens of Anchorage get out of those contracts is what? Zip. Zero. Nada.
As this state is a Closed Shop state, people who choose not to be union members are by definition, unqualified by state law for tens to hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide in both the public and private sectors. If we want to control costs, grow the economy, and empower entrepreneurs statewide to do things cheaper, better and smarter, this one-size-fits-all union stranglehold on jobs will need to be broken – which means that Right to Work is in our very near future.
On the Republican side of the campaign, we have three strong candidates – Incumbent Governor Sean Parnell, former Representative Ralph Samuels, and former Valdez Mayor Bill Walker. The question is who to support.
Governor Parnell spent most of the campaign ahead in the polls. But recent revelations of sweetheart deals with former legislators have cast a pall on any notion of honesty and integrity. As Governor Palin’s Second, Governor Parnell has been reluctant to move this state away from the horrendous ACES tax increase on oil companies on the North Slope, chasing them, their business, and their jobs out of state as soon as they can leave. High taxes are no way to grow an economy.
Bill Walker has been running an aggressive and well funded campaign for Governor. He is best described as a pro-life democrat, a description that I will leave to the reader to follow up upon. I was most disturbed by his enthusiastic endorsement by Vince Beltrami and the Alaska AFL/CIO the end of June. In response to that endorsement, I sent a moderately snarky e-mail to the campaign asking why this was a Good Thing and got the following in response three weeks later on Monday, July 26 at 8:53 PM:
Bill worked out of the Teamsters, Carpenters and Laborers unions to put himself through college during the building of the oil pipeline. Union, non union -- EVERYONE went to work during the construction of that project. It became very challenging to retain teachers, policman etc because they could triple their pay working on the pipeline. As governor, Bill intends to put everyone to work again to begin construction of the TransAlaska Gasline in three years, union and nonunion -- and knows we will once again face the challenge of retaining public employees. Our unions will play a vital role in this process. Bill has received the endorsement of the AFL-CIO and does support the unions who represent Alaska's working families.
Thank you for contacting the campaign,
Tessa Linderman
Bill Walker for Governor Campaign
All of which means that Bill Walker is all in for the largest boat anchor on economic growth here in Alaska – the unions. This also means that he cannot be trusted to do anything that will proactively grow this economy, for it is impossible to grow it while carving of ever increasing slices of profits to mollify the unions that now enthusiastically support him. Interestingly enough, the fact that the unions have stepped to the plate as strongly as they have for Bill Walker ought to tell every reader that they have determined neither Ethan Berkowitz or Hollis French has a chance of winning in November.
Finally, we have Ralph Samuels, who is running the classic small government, low taxes, high growth campaign for Governor. He has been there and has done that and none of the Usual Suspects support him, which ought to be a very positive sign for conservatives statewide.
Note that the next governor will have to affirmatively step up to the plate and take on the feds on a variety of issues. Who do you think is up to the task? Will Bill Walker do anything not approved by the democrat supporting Alaska unions? Hardly. Will Sean Parnell take on the feds in the legislature, in court and by Executive Order? Perhaps; as he has done a bit of this already. Will Ralph Samuels proactively do everything possible to move power illegally and unconstitutionally centralized in Washington DC back to Alaska? Quite likely. And that ought to make all the difference when we decide whom to support.
As an aside, I rule out every single one of the democrat candidates for governor, as every single democrat elected nationally to congress in 2006 and 2008 voted for the unconstitutional power grabs of TARP II, the Stimulus of 2009, ObamaCare, and Financial Reform. They will say whatever they need to say to get elected and then toe the Party Line once in office. For proof of this assertion, one needs to look no farther than Mark Begich, who ran as a moderate and once in office has been a reliable Fedzilla vote ever since. We saw what damage a democrat governor could do to this state with Tony Knowles (Katie John, anyone?). Never, ever put one in office at any level again.
The choice for the new direction of this state is in our hands. Do we want to wear the union label (Bill Walker)? Return to same old, same old, with high taxes on wealth producers in this state (Sean Parnell) and insider deals for supporters? Or do we want to adopt a marketplace oriented approach to our future (Ralph Samuels)? As always, the choice is ours. Choose wisely.
May the best win. Anyway whoever wins we will still mind. I do not think any candidate can to keep promises. vanzari auto dezmembrari auto
This organization is all about JOBS. I think everybody knows that.? Why would they endorce any particular candidate.? JOBS! Parnell is sending our jobs to Canada. Samuals is hung up on Union Non Union, without any plan for jobs, a leadership to where. Bill Walker has the Ultimate plan for JOBS. How does this compute to any other scenario.? Think about it..... Look at the scope of this project, all of it in Alaska.! How in the World could someone even suggest this election could have anything to do with anything besides jobs!? As for Unions, Oil companies are famous for using non union help, Just look at the percentages of Union NonUnion ratio in the industry. Yes, the Oil Industry has the Union Element in their tool box, as well as the NonUnion. This is part of getting the job done, and the Oil Companies are good at what they do and in making decisions for themselves. It is their decision to send this pipeline down the road. It is up to us to be just as good in what we do, and make a decision to keep it here! A vote for Bill Walker will be a step in that direction.
You are a smart man, but you are boring on this topic.
The unions are not "boat anchors" any more than the incumbent Republicans and by that I mean both Parnell and Ralph Samuels. Parnell has been in office four years and all he and Palin did was rename the Denali Pipeline and hand us the bill for $20 billion. Samuels was in the legislature six years and accomplished nothing but alienating 59 other legislators. Go figure how well they'd work with him as Governor.
The unions want jobs and in my mind that's just a normal good thing that we should all desire. We want and need economic development. We are dying as it stands and all Parnell can do is try to pretend that the Open Season on his pipeline, The Denali Pipeline We Pay For, didn't fail.
That's the big news of the week if ADN had guts enough to print it: The Transcanada Open Season Failed. We can sit on our hands for another two years and wait for another Open Season to fail....
What is there about this situation you don't understand? The oil companies you love want our entire economy to collapse. They WANT an Oil Bust, so they can come in here and buy up every scrap of property public and private for pennies on a dollar. Parnell is here to give them that and guarantee that we pay $20 billion to ship our gas to Canada where we get lousy prices and no jobs.
Samuels has no plan to provide anyone jobs or a future. He calls not being able to convince one other legislator to go along with him on ACES leadership? He talks about the ACES "oil tax" and doesn't explain that it's not a tax in the conventional sense---it's the actual sales price of our oil? He lied about ACES costing Slope Jobs--they've actually increased 25%. The list goes on.
Give me Bill Walker and the jobs, union or not, and an economic future that works. Forget Palin Junion. Forget Can't Be Straight Ralph. We have to get moving on the gas pipeline. It's the only project that is big enough and ready enough to save us from an Oil Bust.
I think it is extremely interesting how people forget the great strides this state made in economic stability under Governors like Hickel, and Hammond. It takes a can-do attitude, a vision for economic growth, and a non apologetic spirit of pro-development to stimulate interest by business and industry which is exactly what we need here in Alaska to see us through the down turn the rest of the country is going to experience under the current administration. I feel Bill Walker's States Rights commitment, and vision for value added industry, spurred by a big ALL ALASKAN GAS LINE, is just what we need.
I have worked with Bill Walker, and find him to have commitment, a calm head and an indelible spirit that does not take a nose dive every time he looses a battle, like when he fought Sarah and Parnell over the Trans-Canada contract.....I was there on at least 10 occasions where he testified in AGIA hearings and meetings before the legislature. He knows that the war is a long term commitment, and I admire his willingness to go the distance for our state.
One thing folks out there all understand, when we want to support our families, we need something other than a job at Wal Mart.....construction, trades, and even the high end engineering jobs are the bread and butter of this state, and this is what we are talking about here, not JUST the "Darth Vader" of the tried and true "republican right" - (UNIONS).
Well, I for one think it is time to but this divisive talk behind us, and really take a good look at what Alaska's founding fathers set out in the Constitution as a guide for what we should do here. Article 8 sets out that we are to develop our Natural Resources for the highest and best return for the people of Alaska - FIRST.
We can't just hide our heads in the "tar sand", and wait for the oil to stop flowing in the TAPS line, and then start deciding what to do about the non-existent revenue to fill the state coffers. This is what will happen with Samuels 'responsible' fiscal NON-PLAN....
Parnell's only plan of action seems tied to the same old tar sands story....even Ted Stevens has admitted it is a failed plan. I think every Alaskan knows that sending our Gas into Canada is a bad idea.
So we are left with my choice from the very beginning. Bill Walker, an articulate, compassionate conservative candidate, who realizes it takes workers (jobs) to get this economy booming again, and he is willing to see Alaskans working on getting that gas to market, right here in our State, and at the same time heat our homes with economical clean gas....Sounds good to me!
Why is sending our gas to canada a bad idea?
When we cross the Border (Canada) we have one customer, if we go to Tidewater (Valdez or Anchorage Bowl) we have the World Market to the highest bidder. Hope this helps Bryan.
In the past three years the amount of gas available in the North American market has increased exponentially due to the development of Shale Gas.
This has created a supply glut that the US Department of Energy expects to last for decades.
Having a glut of gas supply in North America means low prices in the US and Canadian markets for decades to come.
It also means that the valuable Natural Gas Liquids in our gas will be developed in Canada instead of Alaska and that thousands of jobs that could have gone to Alaskans will go to Canadians instead.
As a final point, if we go to Canada, we get to pay $20 billion to build a pipeline that gives us these low prices and no jobs.
That's why the AGIA Plan is called The Denali Pipeline We Pay For and that's why nobody who thinks about it wants to go to Canada.
Walker has been in the race long before Samuels. The only spoiler is obviously Ralph, the Latecomer.
Both Parnell and Samuels are in the pocket of Big Oil, and that is absolutely obvious.
With Parnell, they get us to pay $20 billion for their pipeline.
With Samuels, they get the ACES tax repealed.
Turns out that Samuels Faces of ACES campaign was totally bogus. Department of Revenue reports that hiring has INCREASED 25% and investment has increased 33% since ACES passed. In other words, Samuels told everyone a big, fat, unjustifiable lie to get votes.
That's not the only fact standing against him and his give-the-farm-to-the-oil-company brand of "business". As Ray Metcalfe pointed out, these same oil companies are making $19 -$23 per barrel profit on Alaskan gas and only $2 per barrel profit on Iraqi gas---and all Ralph Samuels can say is give them MORE????
Those of us who support Bill Walker want jobs and we want an end to the threat of an Oil Bust in Alaska and neither Samuels nor Parnell will give us that.
So, if you have any sense, vote for Bill Walker.
Why sould I be Rquired to work for A UNION to to work on a pipeline? He has Already sold out the state of Alaska to Unions. If you think that you will get a "Alaska" hire Job forget it. I would bet 90% or more of the hires would come from out of state Union shops.
Give Alaska a break, Walker is not for Alaska he is only for himself. He is selfish, conceded, and very out of line. We have have had and have two like him, Parnell, and Palin. His AFL-CIO backing shows a compleat sell out of all Alaskans to outside Union intersts.
Doesn't really matter who's pipeline wins, they will all have project agreements. Canada is more Union than Alaska ever was or will be. The Alaska AFL-CIO endorcement tells me, whether you like them or not, what pipeline is the most viable and in our best interest.There is competition in the American League and Canadian League of Unions. See this for what it really is. 700 miles of pipeline in Alaska, 1200 miles in Canada, with an LNG plant in Kittimak, British Colombia. This is not Union vs Non Union issue, it is jobs or no jobs. Throwing the gauntlet down for this issue is a smokescreen at best or a confusion of what really is. If the latter is the case, it would be prudent to embrace the truth and expound to your fellow Alaskans what really matters and join the growing number of us voting for Bill Walker.
If and when the pipeline is built Alaskans will only get 7.1/2% of the jobs on the line. Most of the jobs being pre-sold to the unions in the lower 48 states. With Walker selling out the Alaskans to get endorsments from the AFL-CIO is wrong. Why shopuld any Alaskan pay to work on a union job? When they would not get hired becase the unions are pulling from lower 48 shops?
I do not want to pay a union so I can work.
GET REAL. No large commercial pipeline in the US can be built without the 798ers and they then require that all their union brothers get hired.
Bill Walker is a realist, unlike all you anti-union folks. He knows that he needs to work with the unions to get the job done and because he is serious about actually building something, the AFL-CIO supports him.
They want jobs. So do I. And I know that if the unions have jobs that means that lots of non-union workers will have jobs, too.
Compare that plan to anything Parnell or Samuels have going, and you will know why I am supporting Bill Walker.
The AFL-CIO has previously supported Republican candidates such as Senator Stevens, Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young and Governor Hickel. I would encourage everyone to think about that, if only for a moment.
In the meantime, here are the facts about Bill Walker:
* He is staunchly pro-life and pro-family
* He is a lifetime member of the NRA and a strong defender of the 2nd Amendment
* He is a fierce advocate for the 10th Amendment and state's rights in general. He opposes Obamacare, Cap-and-Trade and any other federal policy that threatens Alaska's sovereignty
* He is aggressively pro-development
* He has a plan to limit the growth of government by auditing wasteful and duplicative agencies, employees, bureaucratic functions, etc
* He has spent his life in the private sector. He has owned multiple businesses and understands what it takes to create value and jobs in a free market. As governor, he plans to surround himself with people who come from the same background
* As Governor, he will immediately begin work to get us out of AGIA. This is a promise that no other candidate has made.
The list goes on... and on. Bill Walker will always be an Alaskan first, but he takes the conservative position on virtually every issue that matters.
Yes, Bill Walker supports building a gas pipeline under a project labor agreement - but so do Ralph Samuels, Sean Parnell and the North Slope leaseholders. Just go to Denali's website (http://www.denalipipeline. com/images/pdf/Denali%20Project%20Update%2011Nov09.pdf) and read about their "Alaska hire buy, and build policy" where they state their intention to "negotiate one or more project labor agreements."
Yes, Bill Walker supports prevailing wage legislation - but so does Ralph Samuels. We don't know where Sean Parnell stands because he didn't answer the question.
Yes, Bill Walker is opposed to the Gag Law. From what I understand, Sean Parnell and Ralph Samuels have both taken that position along with organizations such as the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce and the Resource Development Council.
And for the so-called "classic small-government" candidate in this race? His voting record shows that he is anything but. Haven't we learned that campaign trail rhetoric does not translate into results in Juneau? The flapping heads are doing their best to generate a grassroots movement, but we all know that it is astroturf.
We are on the brink of an economic meltdown in Alaska. We need a governor who has a concrete plan along with the experience, the vision and the guts to make something happen. As the late great Governor Wally Hickel said last October - "That's Bill Walker, and that's why he has my full support."
Learn more at www.billwalkerforgovernor.com
Taylor Bickford
Campaign Manager
Bill Walker for Governor
His radio interviews show no interst in Alaska as a whole.
That's because of the questions the talk show hosts ask. Go to his website and take in the view.
"* He is aggressively pro-development" His support of ACES certainly does not sound like he is pro-development. He considers that if you lower taxes, it is a subsidy (today on Dan Fagan's show). Bill Walker is a socialist in the Palin model, which is based on Hugo Chavez's model of seizing the oil companie's assets.
Guess what? The 59 legislators who supported ACES were right. Samuels was wrong. Here's why:
25% increase in Slope jobs and 33% increase in investment since ACES passed according to DOR.
On top of that---why should we give the oil companies more profit when they are already making $19 -23 per barrel on our oil and only $2 per barrel on Iraqi oil?
Sounds to me like they are making out like bandits in Alaska and we are just too dumb to realize it. Maybe we should hire a handful of Iraqis to negotiate for us???
i believe it was the SB 305 issue Walker termed a subsidy. Unless you think zero is the right tax, the veto of SB 305 effectively quantifies the Parnell Model as based on Hugo Chavez's model of seizing the value of Alaska oil and gas assets for producer gains. When you can point to the time value of money of the "subsidy" after 10 years equaling the size of the Permanent Fund, that ain't no tax subsidy that is a pillage of State of Alaska petroleum assets. Alaska would be better off with no gas line than a coupled tax structure and by missing the opportunity to address the lock-down date, which SB 305 did, we are tubed, unless you think a zero tax rate is the right number. Yeah, wink, wink, they'll negotiate these things after open season....but what a huge bargaining chip the state lost with the veto.
You are exactly right. Palin sold us out and Parnell just magnified it.
We have all suffered a long time from having oil company employees running our state. It's time to vote for one of our own---Bill Walker.
Taylor, I'm sure Bill Walker is a wonderful man but I will not be voting for him. His connection to and affection for big labor is just as concerning as Joe Miller's wishy washy stance on AGIA.
Bill Walker is the new Rick Mystrom.
You are being misled by a bunch of anti-union rhetoric and not seeing that the far greater problem is the pro-oil company affliliation of Samuels and Parnell. They are two flavors of the same poison. Go with Parnell and get hit with the $20 billion price tag for the gas pipeline to Canada, go with Samuels and get hit with a repeal of ACES.
The oil companies are getting $19-23 per barrel on our oil and only $2 profit on Iraqi oil and people on this website are still pleading to give the oil companies more profit on our oil? How about getting some Iraqis over here to bargain with them instead of all the mush-brains and shills that have been doing our contracts?
Walker should drop out of the race and throw his support behind Samuels. Walker as a spoiler will split the vote and insure that Capt. Zero will become the nominee.
Bill Walker has been in this race longer than anyone else.
Obviously, Ralphie Boy is the Spoiler here and he's the one who should drop out.
Walker is the new Rick Mystrom.
If Walker is the new Mystrom, then Parnell is the new Tony Knowles and Samuels is Sarah Palin in drag.
Do not be evil. I think these people if they would shake hands would do good work together. just to get to work with each other. We are the ones that should lead them somehow.dezmembrari auto