For Don Young, all is calm on campaign trail
Published Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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Rep. Don Young dismissed the idea that he would be facing a difficult primary election against Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who announced his surprise candidacy last week.
The 18-term congressman said he will make his usual trips around the state in the months before August’s primary, but doesn’t plan any additional campaigning.
“I don’t consider it a real challenge right now,” Young said after a lecture at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Tuesday.
Young said Parnell made no hint of the announcement just minutes beforehand as they ate breakfast at the same table during Friday’s Republican State Convention. He called the move “cheap.”
The 74-year-old Young is under federal investigation for campaign finance practices. In the past, he has refused to answer questions about the investigation or the more than $800,000 his campaign has spent on legal fees. No charges have been filed.
Young was in Fairbanks on Tuesday to speak to a group of UAF students about the economy. More than 100 students turned out for the event, sponsored by Students Who Enjoy Economic Thinking.
The congressman only touched briefly on the broader economic picture, questioning if negative media reports are more responsible for an economic downturn rather than any other factor. He spent most of the 90 minute visit discussing fossil fuels and environmental issues.
If the cost of fuel continues to rise, more people will be forced to move from the villages to Fairbanks and Anchorage, Young said, where there will be few opportunities for training and housing will be difficult to find. He even wondered if people would be able to afford the cost of heating during the winter in Fairbanks.
He called for more exploration of oil resources in Alaska, particularly in the Chukchi Sea and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as well as in the Lower 48.
“There is no shortage of fossil fuels in the U.S.,” Young said. “That is total hogwash. There is a shortage of will to develop them.”
Young said he is not opposed to some alternative energies such as nuclear power and solar or wind energy on smaller scales, but he questioned why Alaska doesn’t tap into the Permanent Fund to finance the alternatives.
“We have that $40 billion in a coffee can,” he said. “It does us no good there.”
On the topic of the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, Young was doubtful that the state could force oil companies to build such a pipeline, especially if the corporations started a court battle over ownership of North Slope natural gas.
“Don’t get caught up in the idea that AGIA is the only brothel in town,” he said. “They’re not going to build a rental unit without renters.”
Community Discussion
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Something Groucho Marx once said I think applies perfectly to Don Young: "He may look like an idiot and talk like an idot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."
I guess everyone has a right to there opion,even dobieman,but shouldn't the state take some of there BILLIONS and help advance the state in the quest for cheeper energy?(for there own residence?)Why are the big boys in the oil industry allowed to tell the state what and when the state can harvest there own oil and gas,now if i own something and some one wants it i set the deal and the price and if they dont like it i can always sell it(oil) to another party,dont worry Alaska can do what they want,no matter who holds the cards.So i think Don Young has some damm good ideas
I would like to suggest, Don Young return to Fort Yukon, to finish his teaching job!
“I don’t consider it a real challenge right now,”
...he has refused to answer questions about the investigation or the more than $800,000 his campaign has spent on legal fees.
The congressman only touched briefly on the broader economic picture, questioning if negative media reports are more responsible for an economic downturn rather than any other factor.
“We have that $40 billion in a coffee can,” he said. “It does us no good there.”
“Don’t get caught up in the idea that AGIA is the only brothel in town,” he said. “They’re not going to build a rental unit without renters.”
MURKY SAID “But, clearly Conoco is on its own track. Is it wrong to have a duel track? In my opinion, anything that will get us a gas line sooner is worthwhile.”
Wow, this is an amazing team!! Way to go ALASKA!!
Don Young needs to save his campaign funds for his million dollar lawyer fees. He still has a chance to get the votes from those that do not pay attention to what is going on, but he will still loose.
This guy, along with dear old uncle ted, are the biggest reasons Alaska needs TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
term limits would be horrible. with our small population our only strength nationally is a congressional delegation with earned power that comes with seniority. if you think the feds treat us badly now, wait until our senior senator and congressman are gone.
He certainly needs to go away. He needs to quit fraudulently diverting campaign funds for personal use. Nearly $ 1,000,000.00 so far! He needs to be a private citizen when he is indicted so it doesn't reflect on all of us. He needs to go to prison all by himself.
gimme some of that coffee can money. I cant afford heat.
Did he explain Coconut Road?
Part of me wants him to go away, part of me wants him to stay since he can get Alaska a lot because of his seniority. I dont know..
Why don't we skip the whole gas line, and build a natural gas power plant at the source in Prudhoe Bay? Why not build a power line from the north slope down to fairbanks, and tie in every small town in between. With a natural gas power plant in Prudhoe we could power much of Alaska indefinitely, with no need whatsoever to ship the gas anywhere. It certainly won't cost us billions to build that gas line either.
If we build anything, lets build rail and power lines to prudhoe bay.
This way Alaska's Investment stays in Alaska and serves the Alaskan People, instead of Texas or Norway.
The term limits discussion is moot as it pertains to members of Congress. only Congress has the right to determine the qualification and eligibility of its members. We can impose term limits on the State Legislature. However, I think term limits are generally a bad idea. Ultimately they are an abdication of the voters' responsibility and generally create a situation where lobbyists and non-elected bureaucrats have more power than the elected representatives.
Do you people realize what our 2 senior politicians have done for our state, and what the state of alaska will lose when these 2 people our not representing the state. Politics is not a pretty business. If it were not for these 2 men, Fairbanks would have died in the early 80s. Uncle Ted is the #5 person in the country as far as senority. SMELL AND TASTE THE ROSES PEOPLE. DON YOUNG and TED STEVENS have done more for the STATE of ALASKA than any human being has done or ever will do. Have they made mistakes? Yes. Do you know a politician who hasn't. WAKE UP
I'm smelling the roses. They're rotten and need to be replaced.
They might have looked pretty 25 years ago, but now they're corrupt.
The seniority issue while a good point has continually been used to justify unsavory characters and their activities. Just as the 'Republican' label as keep good people from correcting problems in the state legislature for many years. Sooner or later changes must be made and the arrogance that only certain people can deliver for Alaska is absurd. It is not better to have corruption. Yes in the future we will receive less from the feds so will the rest of the country. It is time to pay the piper. It won't be pleasant but the financial destruction of Borrow and Spend is unavoidable.
Mike lets not bring the issues of republicans into this. As you well know every human being has there flaws. I am quite certain if we ever want a gas line or ANWR to open up, it is these 2 men who may have the power to do that
is this the mike i think it is. Brother in politics?
WINK WINK yeah, lets not make note that these two...no Three are Republicans??? Man, Patrick keep it on the down-low bro! Nothing to see here? Yes, all that money they bought...I mean brought to Alaska, please look the other way and hold your nose. Wow, amazing! Its a race to the bottom people!! YouMustBConfused
Don Young is a fat pig at a trough. Seniority is out of style, we need another golden age. Our last golden age was with are first president and ended with are second president. InI wish to smash up Babylon and mash up these senators houses and plant a tree instead.
Gawd Almighty, it hardly seems worth arguing about anymore, 74 and 84, either could drop at any time into being a slobbering spit puddle and seniority is good?
Seems to me they are the only ones who think they are immortal.
However that comes from being exposed to all that first class, top of the line health care they have come to take for granted after all these years. I'll bet their medicine chests could tell the real story most of us will never see for ourselves in this life.
Their day has passed, they had some pretty good years but as of late spend all their time protecting their hiney's and those of their out of state contributors.
The defenders of both are just trying to remodel the 3rd story of a house whose foundation has rotted out into inevitable corruption of too much power for too long.
They too are only human and apparently need reminding of this fact come November.
I've only been here 57 years and even I know it's good to pass the torch and elect people of Sarah Palin's caliber and character.
You got it right, Red. It's just too bad that they'll both be leaving office, one way or the other, at probably close to the same time. With foresight, we might have gotten a kid (relatively speaking) in one of the two positions 20 years ago, and maintained some seniority. I guess I'm guilty as most of us. I wanted the money and jobs to keep flowing, and always went along with their arguement about seniority.
I like Sarah Palin so far. Let's hope Parnell can put up a successful fight.
We'll need to elect Republicans still, to get along with President McCain.
"This guy, along with dear old uncle ted, are the biggest reasons Alaska needs TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
NOT!!!
This guy, and Uncle Ted, are the reason Alaska has a multi-billion dollar infrastructure that has allowed us to catch up, to come degree, with the "older" lower 48 states. These two men have fought for Alaska for years and have provided wonderfully for their constituents. We owe them a debt of gratitude!
In every pay-off, there's a reciprocal arrangement for benefits.
Yep, Ted and Don brought home other states' bacon, and used it to buy votes from many of Alaska's citizens over the years, including many Democrat union members, though I don't necessarily recall this being part of their duty within the Constitution's mandates and limits.
And for this, the 'bribing' of their electorate in exchange for their repetetive re-elections, some think that we should all turn a blind eye to arrogance, politicians who blatantly put government for sale on the auction block, misuse of public funds, and dozens, if not hundreds of misdeeds that cost liberty and dignity for many who lacked the political muscle to be effectively heard.
While Alaska's infrastructure may have indeed come a long way since statehood, and while Don and Ted have had a hand in that, that doesn't buy -or- appease my conscience or sense of decency when it comes to knowing who, and what, claims to represent me in D.C.
An arrogant corrupt jerk is still an arrogant corrupt jerk, even if they tossed me some cash. And if I accept it, with hands out-stretched for more, that says something about me too.
Some things aren't for sale.. Or at least they shouldn't be.
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