Alaska news organizations can help elevate budget debate beyond campaign fantasies

The last refuge of every scoundrel in the right-size government club is the safe and easy budget pronouncement to “cut the budget,” while never bothering with the specifics. The specifics are all that matter.

Dermot ColeJuly 27, 2020 Comments

Taking only 5 questions, Sullivan, Murkowski virtually shut out public from 'virtual' town hall

Two weeks have passed and neither Sullivan, nor Murkowski has had anything to say about Trump giving Roger Stone a get-out-of-jail card. That two lawyers would keep quiet about this clear abuse of the justice system, pretending it is not important, is appalling.

Dermot ColeJuly 25, 2020 Comments

Essential questions for Sens. Murkowski, Sullivan to address Thursday

Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan will have the chance Thursday to explain to Alaskans their positions on key federal issues that they have not covered in press releases.

Dermot ColeJuly 22, 2020 Comments

Dunleavy promotes voluntary masks, but won't explain his objections to mandates

A source has told me that the administration has contracted with Dittman Research, Dunleavy’s favorite pollster, to measure public opinion about masks. We really don’t need any public polling on masks. We need leadership from the governor and a statewide mandate to wear masks.

Dermot ColeJuly 20, 2020 Comments

Dunleavy administration adds misleading claim to absentee voter applications

The state made a deceptive change on the absentee ballot application a year ago that misleads voters by suggesting a “political party affiliation” is necessary to get an absentee ballot. Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer needs to issue new instructions.

Dermot ColeJuly 19, 2020 Comments

White House promotes phony Dunleavy number on killing 'job-killing regulations'

I suspect that the claim of finding 100 job-killing regulations was also a manufactured number. Not that Dunleavy hasn’t identified regulations he wants to change, just that the “job-killing” claim is standard issue political puffery from way back.

Dermot ColeJuly 17, 2020 Comments

Dunleavy joins Trump praise-a-thon at White House with insipid testimony

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, refusing to deal with the health crisis, the fiscal crisis or the economic crisis that threatens Alaska, chose to use public money to go the White House for a Trump campaign event, where he delivered this nonsense at the presidential praise-a-thon.

Dermot ColeJuly 16, 2020 Comments

Federal court deals another blow to Dunleavy/Clarkson anti-union crusade

AG Kevin Clarkson hired a $600-per-hour right-wing lawyer to push an anti-union dream. He started off with a no-bid $50,000 deal last August, upped it to $100,000 and then added $600,000 early this year. It’s good money after bad.

Dermot ColeJuly 15, 2020 Comments

Rigid state rules cripple effort to give $290 million in grants to struggling small businesses

The state has been unable to give the federal money away because of the rigid rules it created a few months ago.

Dermot ColeJuly 14, 2020 Comments

ConocoPhillips, Exxon, Hilcorp and BP will spend whatever it takes to keep oil taxes low

It may call itself “OneAlaska,” but a more accurate name for the group fighting the oil tax initiative would be “OilAlaska.”

Dermot ColeJuly 13, 2020 Comments