The politics of the "solid south" were on display at University of Alaska Anchorage on Oct. 18 in a presentation orchestrated by Larry Persily, the federal coordinator for Alaska natural gas transportation projects. His presentation explored how the big gasline to Canada he described as going "somewhere" might bring financial synergies to the latest iteration of the bullet line concept, the All-Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline (ASAP).
But for many in the audience, it highlighted the problem for the political-corporate powers that be: how to get public funding for the risk while assuring corporate profits. Specifically, the Alaska political-corporate establishment is determined to deepen the "plantation mentality" that has plagued our state since its 1984 legislative infection.
It is ironic that a federal coordinator would want nothing to do with an all-American gasline to Valdez and its significance in reducing the federal trade deficit with Asia.
This half-baked bullet line concept, ASAP, would bring natural gas from the North Slope to Nikiski. While the most harebrained bullet line concept remains the AGIA Lite proposal by then-Gov. Sarah Palin in 2008 (building a bullet line to bring gas from the depleted Cook Inlet to Fairbanks); ASAP is a close second.
Why do we continue to contort the square peg to fit a round hole when the all-Alaska gasline is a square deal for all Alaskans?
Three Alaskan governors -- Bill Egan, Wally Hickel and Jay Hammond -- are icons as they personified the leadership qualities necessary for Alaska to prosper. They upheld their constitutional responsibilities to Alaskans first and foremost. They saw to it that we got a square deal.
Each of the three endorsed, promoted and fought for an all-Alaska gasline. Period.
Another icon, Ted Stevens, spent his 40-year career in Washington, D.C. He produced for Alaska in a manner that may never be matched. He was instrumental in getting Congress to authorize an $18 billion loan guarantee in 2004 to get a gasline built to the Lower 48. Sen. Stevens favored the Canadian route but also allowed provisions for the all-Alaska gasline.
Notably, after coming home to Alaska and determining that circumstances had changed; Ted Stevens announced support for the all-Alaska gasline to Valdez.
In 2002, 138,000 Alaskans voted to build a gasline from the North Slope to Valdez and to make it happen formed the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority. Unfortunately, a decidedly un-iconic Frank Murkowski who disagreed with an All Alaska gasline got was elected governor in 2002.
How have we arrived at the point where, a super majority of those serving in the Legislative or Executive branches dismiss the expressed will of Alaskans and the wisdom of our most admired leaders?
That brings us back to the infection started in 1984 when Veco's Bill Allen hired ex-state Sen. Ed Dankworth as a lobbyist in Juneau. The global oil and gas corporations brought Veco to the North Slope to break the Unions and by 1984 they had largely succeeded. Now they were focused on Juneau and taking out Democrats.
FBI recordings in 2006 verified the forfeiture of Alaska sovereignty to the global oil and gas corporations.
Significantly, a corporate oil executive asked Veco's Bill Allen, the industry's political tool, to dismiss the Alaska State House. The executive felt the industry would get a better deal on oil taxes from the Senate president.
The 1984 infection had completely corrupted the Alaskan body politic by 2006. The Republicans who controlled the House, Senate and Governorship were at the beck and call of the global oil and gas corporations through a creep like Bill Allen.
In a democracy, no good comes from longtime power held by only one party. We do not have an All Alaskan gasline because the global oil and gas corporations will not allow it. They do not want competition from Alaska's gas in the premium Asian markets.
We will not have a square deal until we clean "house" in Juneau. We must overcome the fear mongering from the governor's mansion and the 'corrupt bastards club' in our House.
After 35 years, Mike Kenny retired from Teamsters Local 959 as its secretary treasurer in 2007. He has many years' experience on Alaska's North Slope and with the trans-Alaska Pipeline, in the field and in the boardroom. He led the All-Alaska Alliance and worked with Wally Hickel and David Gottstein in Backbone II, both groups that advocate an all-Alaska gasline.
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