Dunleavy's angry substitute teacher act

There is no reason to believe that the future of the Alaska LNG project hinges on whether the Legislature approves a 90 percent tax cut for the project, contrary to claims Gov. Mike Dunleavy repeated Monday.

If the project is that fragile, only a fool would present it as the only energy alternative available to Alaskans. Dunleavy is claiming that anyone in the Legislature who does not back his plan is voting not to have a gas line.

Dunleavy’s propensity to oversimplify every complex issue was on full display Monday during a so-called press conference at which he ranted and raved about the legislative review of his tax-cut plan.

It reminded me of the world’s most famous substitute teacher, Mr. Garvey, the creation of Key & Peele. Mr. Garvey, who taught in the inner city for 20 years, is the substiute teacher who takes no crap from the likes of Dee-Nice, A.A.Ron and Jay Quellin.

Unlike Mr. Garvey, Dunleavy did not have a clipboard to break as he whined about legislators who ask too many questions and reporters who don’t ask enough questions.

“This is not a resolution on tall people’s day. This is not a tax on setting up a tax for a lemonade stand down here on the corner by the hot dog stand. It’s the biggest project on the planet. In 2026. With the world in chaos over energy. With discussions going back as far as 2005 if not earlier that we’re running out of oil and gas or gas in the (Cook) Inlet here,” he said.

“This is not gonna get better. And I ask the question. And I don’t know if you guys have asked the question. Alex and others? (Alex DeMarban of the Anchorage Daily News) Have you asked the question? What’s your alternative to the gas line?”

“Have you asked the question?” the Garvey-like governor demanded of DeMarban, who was playing Balaky in this exercise.

People have talked about it, said Alex aka Balaky.

“Have you asked the question? Is it something you guys have brought up in the press conferences over and over? What is your alternative?”

“Has anyone come up and said, our alternative is a bunch of stationary bikes with generators on them? Or jumping jacks? Or burn barrels with wood in them or coal or anything? Have they come up with something?”

DeMarban said LNG imports have been talked about.

Dunleavy replied with a condescending smile.

“Ok. So where is the plan that’s an alternative to this? And why wouldn’t this be taken seriously when all of the benefits are easily documented. I ask the Legislature to work hard, to get this over the finish line, to do what’s right for the people of Alaska, to put aside all kinds of differences, for this one, gigantic, incredible project that’ll transform the state of Alaska along the lines of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.”

“Imagine if back then in the early 70s, they said, ‘Nah. We don’t need it.’ What would this state look like? Wouldn’t look like what it is today. I can guarantee you that.”

“So the people of Alaska are going to ask when this session is over, ‘What did you do to ensure long-term affordable energy? What did you do to afford long-term jobs? And a lot of jobs that are in construction. What did you do to ensure that other businesses and industries will come to Alaska? What did you do to ensure that my kids and my grandkids don’t have to go to Texas to be able to make a living?”

“What do you tell the bases in terms of national security, Army, Air Force, you name it? We decided to punt. I don’t think the Legislature wants to do that. I don’t think the people of Alaska want the Legislature to do that, to be honest with you. But let’s not get balled up in some of the inside game down in Juneau, which can happen. This thing is too important. It’s too important. We got to get it done.”

On Tuesday morning, the Senate Resources Committee held its 24th hearing on Dunleavy’s tax cut bill, a process in which its members are steadily gathering information about the project and what the state approach should be. The committee is to be commended for its diligence.

Such basic details as the cost of the project are being hidden.

As with its previous hearings, there was no one remotely resembling Mr. Garvey.

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