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Lisa is being stripped of all her power by the Republicans so it won't matter much who wins.
She probably should have taken a break and then came back in 2014 and challenged Begich.
And I am certain that Republicans, some independents and some Democrats who like her, would have voted for her then. I am not a Republican, but would have voted for Lisa a couple of years from now if running against Begich, but I don't have respect for her now.
And I am certain that Republicans, some independents and some Democrats who like her, would have voted for her then. I am not a Republican, but would have voted for Lisa a couple of years from now if running against Begich, but I don't have respect for her now.
I wasn't exactly pleased with her appointment, though even at the time it was clear that she actually was a valid candidate, just an inappropriate one.
I've also been somewhat annoyed at her willingness to go along with some of the Republican leadership wishes on block votes etc etc, but I have to admit that allowed her to gain more powerful committee appointments.
The thing about Lisa Murkowski though, is that she has gained the respect of just about everyone who is in any position to know and who has half a clue. The people I've talked to who deal with the Alaska congressional delegation and staff on a regular basis are unanimous in saying that Lisa Murkowski had become an extremely effective senator. That is to the (virtually unbelievable) point that more than one person had told me she was the go-to Senator... over even Uncle Ted!
Granted that those who are clueless, or who are idiologically bound or even just party partisans, and who do not seek viable solutions to problems... don't understand why others have such a huge amount of respect for Lisa Murkowski. It's just the usual division between those who are emotionally driven and those who are logical.
And that is pretty much exactly why a wacko like Joe "Farm Subsidy" Miller is now the Republican candidate.
Joseph W. Miller, the legal name for Joe Miller, just admitted he received Federal Farm subsidies from a farm he owned in Kansas. Seems like he feels Federal subsidies are OK for Joseph but not cool Joe.
The Mudflats | Joe Miller claims he’s a celebrity victim BEFORE he holds an office! (http://www.themudflats.net/2010/09/08/joe-miller-claims-hes-the-victim-of-celebrity-before-he-holds-an-office/ - broken link)
Joe's definitely on a personal fast track, one of the fastest I've read about. He's had some fantastic luck with timing to get to where he is, --unparalleled luck. Nothing slows Joe down, nor keeps him from getting to where he's going, as expeditiously as possible. Supposedly he even quit his short lived Fairbanks NorthStar Borough attorney's posiiton when legal borough work was going to get in the way of his going elk hunting ! Sarah would have been proud of him for that.
He completed his 4 years at West Point, graduating with honors, at taxpayers' expense, to begin a minimum 5 years obligation of service to repay those taxpayers investment in him. Less than two years later he is awarded his Bronze Star for valor in a one week Gulf War. Way to go Joe! That's the super super Bronze Star fast track. If fortune had to work with a ten year younger Joe, it would have taken much more than a very brief one week war to earn a Bronze star. But hey, non-the-less, I'm very proud of him for his service. You can only serve in the current war of your young times.
And just because I did 3 years active duty in the Marines, from 1968--1970 plus reserve time, without earning a 4 year Federal Govt. paid B.S.degree out of the experience, it doesn't make me any less blessed than Joe.
He leaves the Army for the inactive reserves after 3 years of active duty. He somehow gets 2 years knocked off of his 5 year minimum obligation for having graduated from 4 years at the U.S. Military Academy. Joe is promoted to Captain shortly before he leaves active service. That's a nice honorary promotion, on the way to the inactive reserves,-- for only having served 3 years out of 5. How many officers get to make Captain after serving 3 years out of 5? That's the special Federal Military drawdown blessing for the fast track he was on to go to Yale Law School.
If the military had paid to send him to Yale law school, he would have been obliged to serve more Army time. Who paid for an expensive three years education for a Yale JD ? Who paid for that part of the next stage of his fast track to become an Alaskan U.S. Senate TP nominee? I ask, because that seems to be when the Joe Miller federal support money begins to phase out. The advantages of the training never phase out for Joe.
After law school at Yale, Joe spends an average 2.5 years at each job, working his way through public legal positions. He's the youngest Alaskan appointed magistrate at 30 years of age.
For a guy who hates the Federal Govt., and government in general, he's been so greatly blessed by the very governments he has no use for. Whether it's farm subsidies, or 4 years of free government education with its 4 yrs. of academy room, board, and medical/dental care, --or well paid state legal jobs, -- just what would blue collar Joe have done without all that government backing to place him where he was and is, on the special Joe Miller professional fast track.
And now he wants to pay all of us taxpayers back by working for the U.S. Federal Govt. again, as a U.S. Senator ?? Can you do the whole 6 years of the term, Joseph Miller? That's a long time, and a long committment, for a guy who's so used to everythng happening so quickly for him.
I think it will take more than 6 years for Joe to use the U.S. Constitution to dismantle our government, so I hope he doesn't move on to the next goal prematurely, as his famous rogue sponsor did.
I'll bet Joe is in favor of the Pebble Gold mine proposal in Bristol Bay being approved, to endanger the largest Red Salmon runs in the world. Joe comes off as more of a midwestern rogue carpetbagging short sighted greedy gold lover, than a salmon preservationist Alaskan renewable resources guy*. (* see Scott McAdams)
Even Sarah Palin and Todd the Dude, my fellow Bristol Bay salmon fishermen, favor the gigantic Bristol Bay salmon watershed devastation of the Pebble Gold mines plans.
(how can you name your daughter, Bristol, and then call yourself a Bristol Bay fisher, who supported allowing foreign mining corps to ruin your daughter's namesake while you do your family and Alaskans out of their salmon fishing jobs ??)
Joe wants to get rid of the Feds in Alaska, so the private corporations like the foreign mining companies can get their hands on Alaska's non renewable mining and energy resources. He wants to fast track that extraction from the unlocked federal Alaskan lands, as well as Ak. state lands like the Pebble Mine gold and copper deposits sit on. And Joe hardly ever talks about Alaska, specifically, just getting Alaska out from under federal control.
Joe's way more obsessed with taking the federal government out of Alaska AND taking the Fed govt. out of -- education, social security, unemployment insurance, ending the Bush taxcuts for the rich, safeguarding private reproductive rights for women, etc., etc.) than his concern for the well-being of ALL American people and ALL Alaskans.
That's why, when the fast vehicle track he was on, while driving a month ago in Alaska, came to an abrupt stop when he plowed in to a stopped car on the highway, --Joe was not used to looking out for anyone getting in his way, and abruptly halting him--from getting anywhere he wants, --in an extreme, thoughtless hurry.
I think Lisa and Scott's Alaskan voters can stop him. Why should the U.S. taxpayers pay for another federal salary for Joe? If Joe followed his own rhetoric, he would stay in private practice, allowing his divorce attorney money to keep him in a non hated federal position for longer than his customary 2.5 years fast track stint.
Last edited by Rancheria; 09-22-2010 at 05:57 AM..
The poll yesterday show what many of us intuitively know all along. Murkowski's entry into the race virtually assures Miller's election because more of her votes come at the expense of McAdams than Miller. Miller's votes are pretty solid while McAdams are soft. They are anybody but Miller votes trying to find a home. Murkowski needs to find better advisers.
The Mudflats | Joe Miller claims he’s a celebrity victim BEFORE he holds an office! (http://www.themudflats.net/2010/09/08/joe-miller-claims-hes-the-victim-of-celebrity-before-he-holds-an-office/ - broken link)
My favorite quote from there:
Quote:
–Joe Miller touts that he is “pro-life” and “pro-family.” Yet the campaign for this divorce attorney from Fairbanks called SOMEBODY (either a sitting U.S. Senator or the Alaskan Libertarian Party) “a *****” during the primary.
Along with everything thing else - the farm subsidy thing, the outright lying even though claiming to be a pillar of virtue and honesty from West Point, and so on - his whole campaign just drips with hypocrisy. Yet, since his support completely ignores any facts as they are brought forward, it pretty much confirms what I have suspected all along. This whole affair is simply just another cult of personality, rational thought and reasoning are unwelcome. No different from what happened on the left two years ago with Obama, or what happend to us with Palin's election as Governor; and look how well those turned out. Nowhere does the old saying "those who fail to remember history ..." apply more aptly, and serve as a warning of what are are facing.
Even crash car Joe, if given enough time in one of his rants will come around to one of his many tag lines that the "politics of the past are broken". Well, just like a broken clock that is accidentally correct twice a day, he unwittingly defines his own campaing. Until this country can get past electing people solely on the basis of personality and popularity, and instead focus on real issues and solutions, nothing will ever change. It doesn't matter which side the demogogues come from. As long as elections are determined by the false metrics of party affiliation, we will simply continue to swing from one side to the other, in a never ending spiral of partisan paralysis. That is the real politics of the past, and he is planted firmly in it.
Last edited by Moose Whisperer; 09-22-2010 at 09:35 AM..
Alaska's U.S. Senate races have been so close lately. It's amazing that Mark Begich was elected as an Alaskan Democratic Senator in Nov. 2008. And if Ted Stevens had been justly cleared of his illegally railroaded corruption charges before that election, Begich would not have been the first Democrat elected to the Senate since Democrat Mike Gravel left the Senate in 1981, after losing his third term bid. --28 years with all Republican Senators, --from the same two families, as well.
Sen. Mark Begich's father, Congressman Nick Begich, was the last Democratic Representative from Alaska--to this day, 38 years later. Ak. Rep. Nick Begich and fellow Congressman, Dem. House Majority Leader Hale Boggs' airplane was lost in Oct. 1972 while the two were campaigning in Alaska for Begich' re-election.
So, for the big Republican state of Alaska to have TWO Democratic Senators serving at the same time, THAT is A LOT to ask for. It Definitely goes against the history, the odds, the frustrated spirit of the mid-term times, and the traditional voter demographics of Alaska. (oh yeah, will the all-time controversial--reduced House senior powers, Huckabee supported Republican, Rep. Don Young win his 20th Congressional seat this Nov., at the age of 75 ?? That's proof of just how Republican Ak. voters have been, for so long)
You would think that Lisa Murkowski would split the Republican vote, thus helping Scott McAdams. I could not see many Democrats bailing out on McAdams now, after voting for Mark Begich in a very close Senate race, --even if their disgruntedness with the economy makes them want to do something way, way out of character.
Would most of the almost half of the total Ak. voters in Nov. 2008, who voted for Sen. Ted Stevens tarnished name, write in Lisa Murkowski's name ? You would not think that Ted Stevens, Mr. Iconic Federal Designer of Alaska's, supporters would jump over to Joe Miller's anti-Federal wooden tea party ship.
After all, many of them are in the same boat I'm in: I can start collecting my social security very shortly, and am eligible for Medicare benefits in a few years. Why would I vote for a guy who wants to phase out social security and Medicare/Medicaid because they're Unconstitutional. Why would I as an independent voter who has to health insure myself, vote for Joe Miller who wants to totally repeal Obamacare instead of trying to fix it ?,
I'm a young sextegenerian (sp?) who is still healthy from eating lots of wild Bristol Bay salmon! Prime Elk and Beef Rib eating Sen. Joe Miller, with his wonderful U.S. Senate govt. health care package wouldn't give a damn about me, or millions of children with no health insurance.
I'll bet Gov. Jay Hammond, the last Republican "Bush Rat" Governor I supported, and a true moderate Republican environmental conservationist (not an oxymoron for Jay) would be very interested in this Senate race. -- Jay's legacy lives on in his widow, Bella's, efforts to support our Alaskan way of life, and protect the Alaskan lands and waters and fish and game they cherish. Bella Hammond has spoken out strongly against the Pebble Mine proposal in her native Bristol Bay/Lake Clark area.
Jay Hammond would be flabbergasted at Joe Miller running as a Republican, in his own Republican party--tea party or no tea party. As Well, Jay Hammond was a big supporter of education, as is Sen. Mark Begich, and Sitka school board president, Scott McAdams.
Who would two full termer Republican Alaskan Governor, Gov. Jay Hammond, have voted for ?? In his state of Alaska, with all of it's unique, challenging educational needs, would he want to go without federal education support, or any other federal support for Alaska ?
At this point, I would not vote for any hypocritical lawyer, regardless of the party.
Last edited by Rancheria; 09-22-2010 at 10:58 AM..
The poll yesterday show what many of us intuitively know all along. Murkowski's entry into the race virtually assures Miller's election because more of her votes come at the expense of McAdams than Miller. Miller's votes are pretty solid while McAdams are soft. They are anybody but Miller votes trying to find a home. Murkowski needs to find better advisers.
I suspect you are exactly right.
Miller is getting votes based on ideology, not on competence. But nobody knows for sure if McAdams is competent or not, and Murkowski's votes are almost all going to be people who wouldn't vote for Miller under any circumstance.
The one possible change, which is actually fairly likely to happen, is that Miller's campaign implodes on idiocy. But people consistently have voted for the likes of Frank Murkowski and Sara Palin, so why not Joe Miller too... It will take a real meltdown on his part to lose.
I think Lisa and Scott's Alaskan voters can stop him. Why should the U.S. taxpayers pay for another federal salary for Joe? If Joe followed his own rhetoric, he would stay in private practice, allowing his divorce attorney money to keep him in a non hated federal position for longer than his customary 2.5 years fast track stint.
Any politician who campaigns on less government spending should be laughed at. Those who are for health care repeal, ditching social security, doing away with medicaid, eliminating food stamps/welfare should be laughed at even louder.
No one soaks the taxpayer for more than these hypocritical welfare sponges. While going on and on about spending they continue to feverishly suck off the taxpayer teat.
Every politician in congress and in the senate costs taxpayers millions of dollars each and every year. There's nothing we don't foot the bill for, from gas for their vehicles paid for by us, to a lavish retirement plan most of us will never ever see.
No wonder they stop at nothing to get elected and/or re-elected. It can mean a lifetime of freebies paid for by our taxes.
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