By AlaskaWatchman.com

Let’s get some priorities straight. Alaska cannot squander this moment. It is going to take leadership and courage to turn things around. Amazingly, it might – it should – be a bi-partisan effort.

Because the most sensible argument against Alaskan statehood was our inability to pay for self-government, Congress crafted us a special gift: that oil, gas and coal revenues taken from federal properties would be split, not 50/50 as with the other states, but 90/10 in Alaska’s favor.

Before reading further, first go to YouTube and watch what Gov. Walter Hickel produced in 1993, when he initiated a $29 billion lawsuit against the federal government for its failure to give Alaska what was promised at statehood.

Incredibly, most Alaskans and many legislators, have never heard of the phrase “90/10.” It has been buried, thanks to our own congressional delegation, under the fig-leaf phrase, coined by Ted Stevens way back in 1990, and later followed by Don Young, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan and others, which says, “Fifty percent of something is better than ninety percent of nothing.”

A better phrase would be, “Our politicians have sold out our birthright for a mess of pottage.”
From Wikipedia: A mess of pottage is something immediately attractive but of little value, taken foolishly and carelessly, in exchange for something more distant and perhaps less tangible but immensely more valuable.

You will find it in Genesis 25: 29-34, in the story of Jacob and Esau.

So, what is the background for Alaskans?

As the pro-Alaska historians, lawyers and legislators tell you in the video, this could not be changed on the whims of politicians, but had to be approved by a statewide referendum. But, as an inducement to open up ANWR to Lower-48 congressional votes, who would have to face the media’s kissy-poo pets in the Green Lobby, our own congressional “champions” lured them into accepting ANWR’s opening on a 50/50 split.

It was done under the radar thanks to our local media outlets in the Anchorage Daily News, and its “court historian” Dr. Stephen Haycox, who pontificated: “Hickel apparently did not realize that Congress must be free to change its legislation to conform to changing public opinion, to changes in society’s will.”
This conforms to liberal tastes that contracts can be broken by the stronger (federal) party, and to the idea that the Constitution is a “living document.”

You may recall that Donald Trump was on the cusp of opening ANWR in 2020, then under controversial circumstances that have been obviously suppressed, lost his re-election bid. But it was on the 50/50 basis, thanks to Don Young, whose final years in congress took a mysterious leftward slant.

With the kind of momentum conservatives now possess, with the Green Lobby off balance, with the pro-ANWR development natives of Kaktovik (in the heart of ANWR) voting for Trump 57-12, with our state budget and PFD in a shambles, what are we waiting for?

In debates I had in 2008 with former Sen. Mark Begich, he had the good sense to agree that 90/10 had to be defended. He completely understood that it meant more revenue for state government. Now, with his pro-development nephew likely to take our congressional seat, we have the proper alignment of the stars.

Except, of course, in the RCV-elected state legislature.

When Jesse Bjorkman and I were broadcast partners at KSRM, as a recently-arrived Alaskan, he had never heard of “90/10.” To his credit, he was all on board when it was explained to him. If Bjorkman is going to forfeit his conservative credentials once again for the sake of influence in a Democrat-controlled state senate, maybe – just maybe – he can use it for this vitally important purpose. It is a chance for him to have a hand in making state history.

Do Democrats want more revenue for state government and education?

Do conservatives want a new oil-and-gas boom? Do they want a balanced budget? Does everyone want a recovering economy, value-added jobs and a full PFD?

Do we want and need a gas pipeline? Do we want a vibrant economy of permanent jobs for a new generation?

The questions answer themselves.

Contact your legislator and ask them about one question: “ANWR & 90/10.”

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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BOB BIRD: It’s time for Alaska to revive the ’90/10’ promise

Bob Bird
Bob Bird ran for U.S. Senate in 1990 and 2008. He is a past president of Alaska Right to Life, a 47-year Alaska resident and a retired public school teacher. He has a passion for studying and teaching Alaska and U.S. constitutional history. He lives on the Kenai Peninsula and is currently a daily radio talk-show host for The Talk of the Kenai, on KSRM 920 AM from 3-5 pm and heard online radiokenai.com.


11 Comments

  • OAPSkweez says:

    I wish our “leaders” in Juneau and D.C. had the guts to tell the feds to take a hike. We are adults, no longer boys and girls, and can take care of ALASKA without their inteference!

    • Steve Peterson says:

      I agree, but the DC swamp dwellers are quick to point out how much Alaska depends upon the federal teet, and it is true. Of course we can counter that argument by arguing back that we could develop our own resources if the feds get out of the way

  • JDD says:

    Spot on my friend. Thank you for being a champion of the 90/10 split. Strike while the iron is hot.

  • Steve says:

    We all know by now that Lisa Murkowki isn’t going to do anything that bucks the deep state or her power in the Senate. The old witch just keeps screwing us any way she can…i.e. RCV. I open the Alaska Watchman every morning to see if RCV has been repealed, knowing when it’s gone shortly there after so will Lisa and the Murkowski dynasty. Like Bob Bird has implied, now is the time to strike and get back our States rights as agreed upon. Just don’t depend on Lisa to assist.

  • Reggie Taylor says:

    The math remains accurate: 50% of little is still more than 90% of nothing. But the political reality is that we will continue to get little, not nothing, so it’s still better to get 90% of that little.
    * The feds and the industry will not let that pipeline stop pumping the minimum amount to keep it viable.
    * The vast majority of the remaining oil up there is under federal lands/waters. We’ve pumped several times the originally estimated oil from under state lands over the past 47 years.
    * The fantasy that oil will keep Alaska filthy rich forever is just that: a fantasy.
    * It’s long past time to pipe the natural gas down to warm Alaskan homes statewide instead of injecting or flaring it off.
    * A gas pipeline also offers the potential of shipping it liquified overseas, but world energy politics makes investing in such infrastructure risky. The primary use should be for domestic (Alaskan) use. The interior has been thirsty for affordable heating energy forever, and despite sitting on trillions of cubic feet of gas, now southcentral is facing increasing gas pressure problems. It’s unbelievable that we are now talking about importing LNG. Unbelievable!!!

  • Davesmaxwell says:

    WHAT WERE MISSING IS LEADERSHIP! I COULD ALL BY MYSELF WITH NO MONEY FROM THE STATE, FEDS,ETC. MOVE THIS STATE FORWARD WITHOUT ALL THE EXCUSES AS TO WHY WE CANT!
    ONE THING I AGREE WITH PELTOLA ON” TO HELL WITH POLITICS”! AND TO HELL WITH OUR LOCAL CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS!

  • Sterling Crone says:

    As a long lived Alaskan watching the corruption in our state for decades, I wish to convey my continued gratitude for the voice of BobBird on Alaskan issues. while I may not always agree with some views, his continued presence on issues of the Kenai Peninsula is necessary. Whether he writes or speaks to local economics, politics, history or UFOs, he seems to tackle topics with verifiable data and wrestle them to the ground while others rest on their laurels. thankyou Watchman for giving him space.

  • Michael Archer says:

    This all sounds wonderful neighbors however we have yet to receive our agreed upon due in the dolling out of the PFD! How do we citizens benefit from 90/10 if the current Alaska swamp is still in control of the purse strings? Certainly the trickle down effect will help the community but it is still just a trickle of what the 90/10 arrangement portends. Rumors of Russia licking their chops over the vulnerability of Alaska could move Trump to bolster the military defense aspect with the proceeds from the 90/10 deal, enlarging the trickle to a decent stream

  • Pissed off taxpayer says:

    Oh tick tock ⏰ tick tock…. The swamp dwellers time will soon be up! TREASON is a word with GIANT consequences especially in war time!

  • Shelia says:

    This is a great reminder of how much Alaska was promised and how little the state actually received from the feds. There was also the issue of the land, which the feds have willingly tied up in national parks and green laws and native land issues. And with Edgemon about to seize control of the House speakership again, the purse strings will again be in enemy hands as Republican Governor Dunleavy wages a lonely fight to keep spending within limits. Cleaning house must start locally and the the issue of the 90/10 must be raised and pursued to victory or Alaska will continue to be in the poor house and robbed of its potential.

    • Davesmaxwell says:

      sorry to deflate your tall skinny airbag Shelia! dunleavy is not,has not ,and will not ” wage any war, fighting to keep spending within any limits!!” DUNLEAVY IS what has been known as a rhino, but is more accurately described as a RAT! His history of weakness/ surrender is plenty of evidence of this, but if you need more, simply check the operation under his authority called div of elections! 12 days have passed and this state, the least population state in the union still hasn’t counted all the ballots! DUNLEAVY, THE EDUACATOR CANT COUNT! THIS IS NATIONAL NEWS! DUNLEAVY WAS REJECTED BY TRUMP FOR ANY APPOINTMENT DUE TO HIS OUTRAGEOUS INCOMPETENCE! ALASKA IS KNOWN AS A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT, AND YOUR AIRBAG IS FRONT AND CENTER!

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