This year, the Governor’s Office has introduced a number of contentious bills and proposals, including billion dollar giveaways, drastic changes to water regulation and protection and citizen initiative reversals. In the face of these contentious issues, I’ve asked myself “Who is this administration working for? Me? My family and fellow Alaskans?”
To find the answer, it helps to look at Governor Parnell’s previous employers. In the 90s, Parnell was employed as the Director of Government Relations in Alaska by Conoco Phillips. Shortly thereafter, he signed on as a lobbyist with Patton Boggs, the lobby firm that represented Exxon Mobil in the Prince William Sound oil spill litigation and argued in court for nominal compensation to the state of Alaska after the massive spill wreaked havoc on fisheries and the local economy.
The true spirit of democracy and due process does not promote frequent unilateral decision-making. However, the Parnell Administration has displayed that tactic several times in recent months. This year, the governor’s administration threw away five years of public process and two years of legislative review by making a unilateral change in the direction of the Alaska Class Ferry without consulting the Marine Transportation Advisory Board or the public. Last year, the governor’s administration unilaterally changed the mission statement of the Department of Natural Resources, throwing away the words “enhance,” “conserve,” and “future generations.” And this session, the governor’s administration introduced and expedited the controversial Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Bill reversing the 2006 citizens’ initiative that required cruise ships to improve their wastewater discharge technology to meet state water quality standards. In all of these instances, the public will was either completely ignored or radically marginalized.
As a young Alaskan inheriting this state, I am especially concerned about the unilateral change at DNR to discard “enhance,” “conserve,” and “future generations” from its mission statement. To see how this change in mission statement could look in application, we need not look further than two of the governor’s bills and the Legislature currently hurrying them forward.
SB26/HB77 is the In-Stream Water Reservations Bill. In-stream water reservations are thoroughly-vetted permits that maintain adequate water flow for salmon spawning habitat. There are over 35 currently held reservations in Alaska. This bill would throw out all of those currently held reservations (without compensation) and cancel all current applications (without compensation). The result: industrial operations would essentially be able to draw unlimited amounts of water from creeks, streams, and rivers without regard for salmon spawning habitat. This program of water reservations—or complete lack thereof—would be administered under DNR, who as of last year apparently no longer prioritizes future generations, including mine.
Additionally, when asked if federally-recognized tribes would be able to apply for in-stream water reservations for traditional and customary use, DNR responded that no they wouldn’t, because “the legalities of what constitutes a Native entity are too complex.” In other words, the state is using its own ineptitude to justify a decision that would benefit outside corporate interests at the expense of the Alaska Natives who call this land home.
Interestingly, committee hearings for this bill have been given a bare minimum 24 hours notice to the public, and have been held twice in the Senate Resources Committee at 5:15 pm, even though the doors to the Capitol Building lock at 5 p.m. Does that sound like the Legislature wants the public to know about this bill?
SB27/HB78 is the Wetlands Handover Bill. It aims to eliminate the Army Corps of Engineers’ role in 404 permitting in Alaska—permitting for dredging, draining, filling, rerouting, or development in wetlands. It would hand over those permitting duties to DNR, the same department who no longer values the responsibility to enhance or conserve in Alaska, nor its future generations.
Just like our founding fathers, I believe in democracy and due process. I believe the government should work for the people and for future generations, not against them. As a young Alaskan inheriting this state, I believe we should demand a more legitimate version of democracy than what we’re observing.
• Torgeson was raised in Wasilla, Alaska. She is currently a UAS student in Juneau.
Comments (43)
Add commentOutstanding editorial!
Well written, Corina!
You've taken the first two steps:
1. Educated yourself on the issues
2. Spoken up
Now you need to vote, and convince your fellow students to vote. All of them. Every time.
You are right - the change to the DNR mission is the most ominous.
The future of this state belongs to your generation, but only if you exercise your vote. If you fail to do that, Sean Parnell's Outside corporate friends will own this state, and you will only be tenants/serfs in it.
biased article
...
Time to Recall the Dictator
I agree fully with Cortina - she states her argument very well. It is time to hold Parnell accountable. The legislature is having to spend inordinate amounts of time contesting his dictatorship, rather than moving the state forward in a constructive manner. Our state doesn't have a legitimate public process anymore. We've sold out to the special interest groups. Young voters - it is time to start a recall petition......
Parnell for President!
Regarding Gov. Parnell's previous employers... To me, he even has more credibility as this states Govenor with his background in the oil industry. This Governor is truly of the people and for the people of Alaska, native or not. I don't know how many times I've boarded a plane and Gov. Parnell was on there (in coach) and spoke with anyone who wanted to speak with him. To me this says a TON about a person's character and in his position - leadership.
Articles/Editorials in "My Turn" are the opinion and spin of a community member here and are just that - opinion and spin.
Facts are Gov. Parnell has led this great state with humility, courage, ears open and willingness to make the hard decisions. If he has any desire to run for the highest position in our country, I'm confident he would be our next President.
which state?
i think our governor is simply a bit confused about things. for example, which state am i the governor of? he seems more like a special envoy of the lower 48 to me.
Great and Artiuculate Op-Ed
Ms Torgosen, You are one of the best writers I have read in a very long time. I certainly hope we hear more from you -- articulate, concise and spot on the issues.
Do not worry about your detractors; theirs is a government of power politics and big money special interests. It is fueled by ideology and not science, transparent debate or real democracy.
This administration is the worst I've experienced since 1975. I hope it signals change. You have given us a good start.
On the Mark
Ms. Torgeson has written a good article. She is a sharp young person beginning to see things as they really are. One important point that is not discussed is Captain Zero leading the way to give his former oil employers billions in tax reductions with no promise they will do anything in return. Captain Zero would never have been governor if it wasn't for the Palin debacle. Bear in mind, he is hinting at running for US Senate. We need a real leader as captain of the state, of the likes of Wally Hickel or Jay Hammond.
Corina - thank you!! I have
Corina - thank you!! I have hope for Alaska's future now! Parnell is killing us, one bogus project at a time.
Funny, when I read these
Funny, when I read these accusations it reminds me of another politico? Which one? Obama. See executive orders re gun regs, wasted billions to cronies in 'green' sector, etc etc ad nauseum. Reckon everyone opposed to McDonnell is also opposed to Obama due to these similarities?
You may first want to check...
As you compose your compliments to Corina on the content of her letter, you may first want to check the Daven Hafey February 20th and 23rd legislative update postings on the SEACC website and see how many of those concepts, in some cases repeated word for word, appear in Corina's letter of today.
Parroting the positions of extremists on one side or the other with proper attribution at least helps frame a discussion, but plagarism is a bit much.
Look at the underlying background...
A very well written article, Corina!
One thing people will have to do when voting people in office is look at the content & direction the candidates are going. There was plenty of evidence that the current Governor did not have the best interests of citizens during the election cycle, as this article wisely points out. Part of the problem, in my opinion, is the Alaskans that voted for Parnell because of party affiliations or because they thought they were voting with their wallet. Alaska needs leadership that has a vision of what is best for our state and our voters, not the immediate pay off for special interests. That greed system worked for many years, but it will not work in the future. A majority of Alaskans will somehow have to learn to look at the content of a politician and vote with their mind with a vision of the future, and not for their wallets. Our current list of politicians are like a few old bald guys viciously fighting over a comb.
Hopefully some intelligent young Alaskans like Corina here will eventually step up to the plate and show the leadership to deal with the big picture that our current pile of politicians cannot even begin to understand.
@flynx - you're good!!! I
@flynx - you're good!!! I love "investigative" reporting! Thank goodness for the internet, huh?
From the SEACC website - Daven Hafey, Community Organizer...
So what we have in this "opinion" piece is a good, little, university student parroting the talking points of the left.
Believe what you want people, just always consider the source.
thanks for this, Corina
Well-written and thoughtful, supported by powerful evidence that many of this state's politicians are doing their best to take the "demos" out of democracy. Public process should be something we all value, no matter what side of the line we're on -- allowing a powerful few to make decisions for us while we silently go about our own business is about as un-American as it gets. Good on Corina for shining a spotlight on these issues.
As for the notion that "the legalities of what constitutes a Native entity are too complex"? Complete BS. Just some good old fashioned Avatar-style government prioritization of corporate interests over indigenous rights.
And thanks for the tip, Lynx -- I did look at SEACC's blog. I'm not as sure as you are that that's where Corina got her info, but good on SEACC for keeping such a close eye on this stuff. Happy to know there's someone out there we can depend on to make sure this shameful trend of industry capture doesn't go unnoticed.
flynx,
just did. What's the problem? Plagiarism is not an issue here, since I can't find a passage that is steeling from Daven's articles. Sure, you can draw a connection between the interpretation by Corina and Daven on the bills they each discuss. You can suggest that because Corina interprets the bills much the same as Daven that she agrees with an "extremist" but if you want me to believe you I suggest you explain how Daven's or Corina's interpretations of these bills are extreme. Otherwise it seems to me like you're just deflecting.
calypso, settle down. You and flynx found nothing. You simply took flynx's post at face value, as usual, without doing a little investigating of your own.
lowly, are you typing in your sleep? Wrong article. Wake up.
Ah, the lack of proofreading...
Cheesy, I know proofreading is not your best talent (as shown by your confusion between "steel" versus "steal") :-)
At any rate, let's take a look at just one example -- the recent modification by DNR to its mission statement:
From Daven's SEACC post: "...the mission statement of the Department of Natural Resources...who removed conserve, enhance, and future generations from their mission statement."
From Corina's letter: "...the mission statement of the Department of Natural Resources, throwing away the words "enhance," "conserve," and "future generations"
At least Corina had sufficient education in the use of a thesaurus to identify "throwing away" as a synonym for remove.
Please folks, it's perfectly OK to quote or paraphrase, as long as you properly give credit to your sources!
Flynx
When people are using actual facts regarding a situation, they are bound to sound the same. It is what it is, and no thesaurus will change the facts.
Let's just take a look at one example:
My friend writes: "The sky was really blue today!"
I write: "Wow, today, the sky was so blue!"
You say: "Kara's use of the word "so" instead of "really" is the only difference in these statements. Kara has plagiarized her friend!!!"
~facepalm~
governor working for whom?
umm. I won't disagree with anything you've written. I do disagree that the doors at The Capitol lock at 5:00. How is it that you know this? Read it somewhere before? You make it sound scandalously exclusive!
They do not lock the building at 5:00. Give it a try yourself before you send it to the newspaper. It is open to the public to attend hearings, events and visit legislators and staff as arranged.
flynx,
touche... I mistakenly placed an 'e' where an 'a' obviously belongs. Shame on me... however my proofreading skills or simply "critical thinking" skills are adequate. You can deflect, just like you attempted with me, but most of us see it for what it is: you just don't agree with the author and need something, anything, to point to that you believe discredits the author. Ever consider arguing the issue instead of character assassination?
by the way, you misspelled plagiarism, but I didn't call you on it because I don't need to. I can discredit you based on the content of your post, not your grammar.
How SEACC does it
They fight their battles in the press by pre-writing letters and submitting them under unknown peoples names. The thing SEACC has done is taken this angle/ strategy off their website. They used to go public with it. Now.... not so much. In the end... it's not a surprise, all you have to have next to your name is Republican and SEACC is campaigning against you - true bias at it's best.
Of course, it is true I am a Republican and proud of it. But, I also serve on two local enviro boards. It's not enough to be an extremist to create change - you have to be able to reach accross the table and reach commonality. There has to be a balance or we will live in a world controlled by extremists. Seek common ground SEACC or continue to be characterized as peeps who do not deserve a seat at the table.
Choice of the people
The article mentions things he did before he was governor, but then he went on to be elected by pretty much 60% of the people- That is the highest of any governor in Alaska History. He is acting just as he said he would when he was running. If he really is not for the people, he will lose the next election, but I have a feeling he will win. It is not much different then the idiot we have in the white house. He was elected by the people and when is term is up, we will have the chance to elected someone different.
EXTREME?
Wow, a lot of you must have read a different article than I did. What is "extreme" about anything Corina said?
- She wants meaningful opportunities for public comment? EXTREME!
- She wants Tribal interests to have the same opportunity as corporate interests when it comes to water use? EXTREME!
- She thinks fundamentally altering the mission of the central agency charged with managing our natural resources (which, by the way, are constitutionally reserved "to the people for common use") should have involved some degree of public process? EXTREME!
These efforts to reorient the conversation away from what she's actually saying and towards "us vs. them" conspiracy theories are transparent and counterproductive. So can we start talking about the substance of the article, for a change? I know, EXTREME.
@cheesy and chowder
Cheesy, I'm glad my gentle coaching has already resulted in an improvement in your proofreading skills! You dodged the primary point of my post however. It was the matter of Corina's lack of attribution; not that any of her points are necessarily wrong.
And Chowder, you're right to assert that her viewpoints aren't necessarily extreme, even though a quick check of Facebook and Google revealed that Corina failed to acknowledge her affiliation with Before It Starts.org - Keep Tar Sands and Oil Shale Mining Out of the USA, Rainforest Action Network, Alaska Wildlife Alliance, Save Bristol Bay, Mat Valley Coalition, Castle Mountain Coalition, AlaskaCoal, Rising Tide Alaska, Deep Green Resistance, CamelBak, Don't Frack New York, This Is Climate Change, Earth First!, Tar Sands Blockade, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, Generation Waking Up, Quit Coal, Occupy Portland, Occupy Together, Occupy Olympia, No Tar Sands Caravan, Occupy Wall St., globalrevolution, Demand for a National Referendum on Closing the Tar Sands, Tar Sands Action, 350.org, Energy Action Coalition, Indigenous Environmental Network, Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior, Peaceful Uprising, Unfriend Coal, and 1,000,000 Strong Against Offshore Drilling.
Busy gal...but not extreme. :-)
Keep smiling all!
hahahaha
you think anyone who posts a "My Turn" should disclose their facebook "likes"? flynx, get over it. You're out of line and frankly annoying. Stop digging the hole you ignorantly started this morning. Cut your losses and move on. It's getting pathetic.
The picture we paint...
Poor Cheesy...
So you would assert that 35 commonly-themed social media affiliations and likes, as well as self-proclaimed membership in Greenpeace, do not paint a picture of the subscriber?
Interesting theory.
Even so, I'd prefer to discard your assertion of "no relevance" and assume that Corina and I are soul-mates -- we both like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! :-)
Enough of the ad hominem attacks...
....and other nonsense such as snooping on someone's Facebook account. You're completely lost until you take issue with the ISSUES.
Thank you Wink..
Thank you Wink, for the biggest smile of the day!
First, I don't think I've ever seen the word "snooping" applied to the viewing of web pages that a person must affirmatively choose to make accessible to the public. Perhaps you were thinking of Maskbook, the anti-social media website? :-)
More importantly, I'm not sure you read Corina's letter. An ad hominem portrayal does not apply because the issue she's put out for debate is the credibility of the governor. The bills and administrative actions are not the theme of her letter; those are entered as exhibits in support of the assertion that the Governor does not have credibility when it comes to fairly representing the interests of all Alaskans.
And it was Corina herself (perhaps even using Facebook and Google) that introduced the Governor's historical affiliations and memberships as further evidence of his lack of credibility.
At any rate, just as in a court of law, if credibility is the topic of contention in a public forum, then both the credibility of the accused and accuser are up for examination. In this case, I deem her to be credible, since her arguing points are the best that over two-dozen environmental activist groups within a 2000 mile radius can produce!
Stones and glass houses my friend. Keep smiling!
PS...And none of those four thumbs down had better be about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! If so, then you're a barbarian (which is an ad hominem attack.)
So flynx
Your outrage over Ms Torgeson's lack of attribution and failure to disclose Facebook friending aside, what are your issues with the content of the editorial she presented?
Not a thing Lat...
Not a thing with her bullet points, Lat.
My concern is that in public forums, outside the obscurity of blogging anonymity, when someone has the courage to sign their name, they do so with integrity and without calculated omission.
I would have been content with a simple "Based on my experience as a member of Greenpeace and research I'm sharing from the SEACC website, I hold an opinion that the Governor is not credibly representing the interests of all Alaskans." I was fine with her arguments on the “here’s why.”
Rest assured, I’ve enjoyed too many smiles at these exchanges to be outraged! That rarely accessed emotion will be reserved for the first negative post about Tom Petty.
I see
So you agree with her points then.
Other stuff noted.
Thank you for your input.
Nice try...
Nice try Lat. I said I was fine with her arguments, not her conclusion.
But thanks for agreeing with me on the "other stuff." :-)
Time to throw on the headphones and listen to a little Mary Jane's Last Dance.
Have a good evening all.