elh0146
Sioux Falls, SD
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joe b. wrote:What, if any effect will this have on those of us that like to RV/camp in the state?
Why in the world would it have ANY affect on anyone, especially those who just visit the state???  
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joe b.
Florida
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elh0146. I will try to come up with a non political answer to you on this. I tried to cover it on my web site but will continue working on it. Not easy for someone that hasn't lived in Alaska and seen the impact one Senator can have, on the politics and economy of the state when he brings home as much "pork" as did Uncle Ted. I suspect that all the federal services in Alaska are going to take a hit with his departure, including the National Parks and other camping facilities. USA Today, in their paper today, referred to him as one of the all time, two biggest spenders in US Senate history. Tied with Senator Byrd for the status.
joe b.
South Florida, Stuart
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
Driving a Dodge/Cummins
www.jbpacooper.com web site
http://www.picturetrail.com/jbpacooper Alaska 2004 - Alaska 2006 - Colorado photos
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paulj
Seattle
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Though one should also look at the nature of the 'pork' that he brought. Did it contribute to the operations and maintenance budgets of the National Parks and tourist facilities. Or was it mostly for capital projects, things like bridges (including one near Anchorage), sewer systems, rec centers, etc in other parts of Alaska? National Parks and Nat. Forests in other states have been struggling with maintenance budgets for a number of years. Has the situation been any different in Alaska?
* This post was
edited 11/20/08 11:05am by paulj *
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jlawless
north america
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I think it will lead to an influx of secessionist types looking to get away from all the socialism in the lower 48 and collect their PFD government check.
* This post was
edited 11/21/08 12:40am by jlawless *
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."
Mark Twain
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joe b.
Florida
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I have added a section to my web site mentioned in the original post. It attempts to answer some of the questions raised regarding the issue of change in Alaska. Since it is very difficult to discuss a political matter without getting political, I put it there rather than here.
Keep Frank from having to 86 this post and me with it. LOL
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PA12DRVR
Katy, Texas
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Joined: 09/17/2003
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joe,
It will be a struggle to keep this topic (and maybe this particular post) non-political, but here goes.
1) Appropriate or not, right or wrong, whether due to Stevens or not, quite a bit of federal $$ flowed to Alaska while Stevens was in the Senate; interestingly, a good bit of it when Bill C was president;
2) When one thinks of the industry supporting Alaska, one thinks of oil, tourism, fishing, logging, etc. What many people miss is the amount on non-specific federal $$ that flow into the Alaska economy and are leveraged significantly: How many soldiers and sailors are based in Alaska because Stevens was succesful in creating funding for defense? How many Corps of Engineers construction projects have been built in Alaska, putting how many Alaskans to work and how much BLM/BIA/USDA/NMFS money has flowed into Alaska to support ongoing operations? Maybe those operations are underfunded, but Stevens had a big hand in directing the monies that they have into Alaska.
3) Strangely enough (in my view), Stevens was one of (IMO) 3-4 key people without whose efforts, the Alaska pipeline and North Slope development in the 70's and 80's wouldn't not have taken place.....but, I think he has been largely silent (perhaps benign silence) regarding oil development in the past 10 years or so...
Conclusion: I don't believe that most Alaskan's understand how much $$ was directed to Alaska by Stevens, most of which was actually the non-sexy stuff like agency funding and so forth. Alaska has lost that. Alaska has also lost the legendary pork that came to Alaska for capital projects through Stevens' efforts. I see all of that as a "minus".
ON the plus side, and I try hard to see a plus, Sen.-elect Begich is a supporter of the gas line, which I believe will be needed to maintain Alaska's current state of operations AND, although junior, Begich may be able to operate within the ranks of the majority party to continue to press Alaska issues.
Stevens to some degree became a caricature of himself in recent years, but unless someone has lived in Alaska for many years, they cannot understand the impact (making no representation of good or bad) that Stevens had on Alaska.
CRL
Temporarily (5  years & counting)displaced Alaskan
My Other RV is a 1946 PA-12
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alaska.backcountry
All States
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Alaska is a strong state. Ted Stevens did a lot tohelp make it that way. I have lived here for 36 years and appreciate all that he did. That said, it is clear that he lost track of some important values, but we have a new senator now who has done a lot of good for the City of Anchorage as Mayor. While I do not agree with some of his ideas, I think he will do a good job.
Alaska is very strong right now. The economic crunch that appears to be devastating to the lower 48 states is not being felt nearly as strongly up here. I own an ATV and snowmobile tour business and we just completed a recort tour summer by nearly double our best ever season. We are projecting more increase in sales next season as well. We're even looking for additional tour guides for our new expansion in Talkeetna, Ak... in case anyone is interested.
Go ahead and plan your trip up here in 2009. You will find the same great state that Alaska has ever been.
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elh0146
Sioux Falls, SD
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As a visitor to Alaska, I still don't see why the departure of Stevens should concern me. We've been to Alaska twice, and neither time did we stop to see who the senators where in the state before deciding to go.
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Tonijim
Newton MA USA
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Joe B - sent you an e-mail with some thoughts - political and "non."
Jim
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sirdrakejr
Las Vegas, Nevada
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After reading yet ANOTHER thing about the Stevens' trial today, I really doubt it will stand up to scrutiny on appeal and allow his conviction to stand. I may be wrong but since I knew Sen Stevens when I lived there I do not believe he intentionally did as they said. I may be wrong but I hope I am not.
Regardless of the final turnout, the tourism in Alaska will not be affected.
Frank
And it is snowing there again:
http://www.borealisbroadband.net/Vid-Sheraton1mega.htm
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For those of you looking for expert advice, here ya go!
Frank
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