Voices

GOP clown car runs right over Alaskans in oppostion to governor

I grabbed dinner with my folks last week. Mom and Pop are both retired educators.

"What do you know about Erin's Law, Shan?"

Well, it's a law that has been passed in more than 20 states. It teaches K-12 students how to recognize sexual assault and to tell someone they trust. It also teaches school employees the warning signs of sexual abuse and how to help children and their families.

"Is it going to pass? I can't imagine who would be against it."

The only people I could imagine opposing passage Erin's Law in Alaska -- considering our sickeningly high rates of sexual assault -- would be sexual predators.

I was wrong. The answer is actually sexual predators and the Legislature's Republican majority.

On Thursday, KTOO asked House Speaker Mike Chenault about the bill's status. "I don't think it's going to make it," he replied.

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Why? Well, because the governor wants it passed and the clown car that is the Republican majority doesn't want to see a win in the governor's column -- not even if that "win" prevents the sexual abuse of Alaska children.

The bill failed last year and had to be reintroduced. Rep. Chenault explained why: "People (meaning Republican legislators) were concentrating on the big issues that affected the state versus other issues that didn't quite get to the top of the pot."

Bigger issues than raped children? Yeah, really important issues like slashing taxes on oil companies and making sure the public subsidizes a fertilizer plant in Chenault's district.

What could be more comforting to an abuse victim than locally made ammonia?

While Erin's Law languishes, Sen. Mike Dunleavy introduced and fast tracked a "parental rights" bill. That one's about parents making sure their children don't have to attend sex education classes and keeping Planned Parenthood from setting up abortion booths at the science fair.

Sen. Anna MacKinnon has worked so hard to rid us of Daylight Savings Time, and along comes Dunleavy to trump her by proposing to turn back the clock by 50 years.

Here's the kicker on this idiocy: Dunleavy's "opt out" law will knock Alaska out of compliance with federal requirements, which will cause Alaska schools to lose $97.5 million in federal money. That hit will come on top of the $47.5 million Senate Republicans have already stripped from schools statewide.

Time for another bake sale! Although if we want to make up those kind of numbers, they'll have to be pot brownies. Lots and lots of pot brownies.

Why isn't the Medicaid expansion bill -- which everyone agrees most Alaskans support -- going to the floor? Senate President Charlie Huggins explained, "Sen. Huggins works for the majority. It's not what Huggins does, it's how we follow a long tradition we've had in the Senate, as long as I've been in the Senate."

Now tell me: Is he channeling George Costanza or Bob Dole? Seriously, who talks like that?

Let me try:

"Shannyn Moore cares about health care for Alaskans. That's who Shannyn Moore is. Shannyn Moore thinks support by a majority of Alaskans is a good enough reason to pass the bill. It's how we follow the long tradition called democracy. Shannyn Moore thinks someone who talks like this is quite possibly a self-important jackass who already has health care. Shannyn Moore thinks this bill should go to the floor and the Republican caucus should shut its pie hole."

The Republican majority's excuse for not expanding Medicaid is a lame one, though they continue to cling to it: maybe, in a few years, federal money won't keep coming.

Well, if that's the case, why did they just put $45.3 million in imaginary money into the capital budget for the rat hole known as the Knik Arm Bridge? They're counting on future federal highway funds to make that $45.3 million real.

So, according to the geniuses running our legislature, federal money for White Elephants is good, federal money for health care for working Alaskans is bad. If anyone is still looking for death panels, I found one. It's called the Republican majority caucus.

OK, Alaskans, it's time to show up. I know, talking to a brick wall seems like more fun. Testifying to the legislature is infuriating, what with all giggling and note passing by committee members who don't seem to respect their jobs or their constituents, but we have to make our voices heard.

This is the last day of the not-special session. Still time to administer a little Vitamin Democracy. GOV.AllLegislators@alaska.gov is the email address by which you can contact every single passenger in the clown car.

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Shannyn Moore is a radio broadcaster.

The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, e-mail commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com

Shannyn Moore

Shannyn Moore is a radio broadcaster.

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