Dunleavy is a poser on the PFD, trying to fool the folks

The practice of using people as props at the annual State of the State harangue in Alaska is a way to check a few political boxes and establish folksiness. The tactic has been used to excess, like scripted applause lines and tireless partisan legislative clappers.

We had an instance in the most recent State of the State speech in which Gov. Mike Dunleavy created a political fairy tale based on an individual Alaskan he selected to represent all those who work hard for a living and want a bigger PFD.

He based his story on Jenna Marshall, who manages a Subway shop on Government Hill, where Dunleavy dines. The things he claims to be doing for Jenna Marshall don’t line up with what he is really doing.

The Subway manager was invited to Juneau to serve as the embodiment of a real Alaskan who wants what Dunleavy is selling—big PFDs and great services. She wants safe roads, a safe community, affordable housing and affordable childcare, he said.

The Dunleavy text could have been created by the state Office of Pandering to the Folks.

“Folks like Jenna often work when the rest of us are off,” said Dunleavy. “They work late at night when our day is over. They get up early and they don’t have time to be tired.”

“Jenna is here tonight to represent the Alaskans who aren’t here every day walking the halls and visiting your offices. She’s here to remind us—the 61 of us in this room—who we really work for. I work for her. You work for her.”

By this point he was slathering it on like a triple layer of mayo on a foot-long steak and cheese.

“It’s families like Jenna’s who benefit the most from the PFD,” said Dunleavy. “They’re the ones impacted the most when the PFD is shorted. Some of the special interests or some members of the press wonder why I fight for the PFD or they want me to give it up entirely,” he said.

“The reason I fight for the PFD is because it’s an Alaska institution that benefits the working families of Alaska,” said Dunleavy.

“So, as long as I’m governor, I will continue to fight for the PFD for the people of Alaska like Jenna and her family. Jenna represents hundreds of thousands of Alaskans just like her who don’t have the time to think a lot about politics,” said Dunleavy.

There are a lot of things Dunleavy didn’t tell Jenna. He didn’t tell her he is a poser on the PFD, just playing a part to please the folks who don’t pay attention to details.

He didn’t tell her that he is proposing a $1 billion deficit. He didn’t tell her that the state could soon find itself in a position of making an unsustainable draw from the Alaska Permanent Fund. He didn’t tell her that Dunleavy is the biggest threat to the future of a dividend of any size.

He didn’t tell Jenna the truth.

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