Imagine being a loyal Republican politician in the Alaska Legislature today. It must be hell, like a bad nightmare that won’t end. Kind of like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, and Lucy pulling it away at the last minute.
The conservative Republicans ran in the last election on traditional values, like balanced budgets, limiting government, etc. As a bonus, they had Donald Trump at the top of the ticket; they had everything to be hopeful for in the election. This resulted in a nationwide landslide for Republicans on election night, and conservatives in Alaska must have been giddy with their victory, and looking forward to governing in the next legislature.
Then poof, just like that, all of their plans for the next session went out the window. They were betrayed by party peers who joined with Democrats to form liberal governing caucuses, which meant the loyal Republicans would get no committee chairmanships, none of their bills would be getting passed. They went from being a powerful member of the legislative majority to a weak minority that can only work around the edges to get whatever crumbs the Democrat majority and the RINOs allow them to have.
Conservatives were betrayed by their party peers, and that must sting. Let’s name the political traitors one more time, just so every Alaskan remembers their names. They are Republican House members Louise Stutes and Chuck Kopp, along with Republican Senators Bert Stedman, Gary Stevens, Jesse Bjorkman, Cathy Giessel, and Kelly Merrick.
If you are a conservative politician in Juneau, these Judas’s betrayed every one of you to advance their political careers. That is bad enough, but you were also betrayed by a weak Alaska Republican Party that didn’t stand up for you.
It would have been appropriate if the AK GOP had taken punitive actions against the individuals that betrayed their party to join with the Democrats, or at least issued a statement of condemnation against them, but for some reason that didn’t happen. There is a precedent for strong action against political party traitors, you can read about it here.
Every time I write about this and call out Alaska Republican Party Chairman Carmella Warfield for inaction, I get phone calls from Republican friends of mind. They give me a hundred excuses for why nothing can be done. But the fact remains, voters elected Republican majorities and ended up with liberal Democrats in control of the State Legislature. Republicans in the minority and those that voted for them were betrayed by the seven political traitors and by the Republican party that has done nothing about it.
Democrats don’t have the votes to spend the money they need from the CBRF unless the Republican minorities in both houses go along with it. Conservatives need to hold that fund hostage.
So, that is that. End of story. Nothing can be done, right? Hold on, wait just one doggone minute! The conservatives still have one last card to play. It is the atom bomb of Alaska politics, and now it is time to use it.
Our state has run a deficit for the past 10 years, and to balance the budget it has taken money from the Congressional Budget Reserve Fund (CBRF). The fund currently has $2.7 billion dollars left in it, and the governor’s budget – released in December – plans to use $1.5 billion from this fund. Democrats in the Legislature will take at least that amount, perhaps more. This is their Achilles heel, and the source of power for Republicans in the minority.
By statute, it takes a three-fourth majority in both houses of the Legislature to tap the CBRF. Democrats don’t have the votes to spend the money they need from the CBRF unless the Republican minorities in both houses go along with it. Conservatives need to hold that fund hostage.
Without CBRF funds, no budget gets passed and state government will shut down. The budget debate always happens in the last few days of the legislative session, after all major legislation is passed, so the conservatives can’t wait until the last minute to try to get their agenda implemented. They need to get together today, and promise to stay united. Then they need to let the majority caucus know that the answer to any budget is “NO,” unless conservatives get the legislation they want passed in this session.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Should the majority Democrat caucus refuse to go along, conservative Republicans should hold the budget hostage. With no budget passed, a special legislative session would be required, and the state government could be shut down. It would be glorious chaos.
The RINOs started this version of smash mouth politics, but two can play the game, and minority Republicans have nothing to lose.
Today’s struggle in the Legislature reminds me of the Revolutionary war battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the English ship Serapis. With his ship on fire and sinking, things didn’t look good, and the American Captain John Paul Jones was asked to surrender. He replied, “I have not yet begun to fight,” and came back to win the battle. It is time for conservatives to show the same courage and stand up for the principles voters elected them on.
If conservative legislators in the minority don’t stand and fight for their principles right now, then none of them will ever stand for anything, and they do not deserve to be reelected.
The views expressed here are those of Greg Sarber. Read more Sarber posts at his Seward’s Folly substack.
2 Comments
It is not the only tool. The governor should put them on notice that he will veto all bills coming from this BASTERIZED coop that these Cowardly RINOS have facilitated. They can leave the Caucus or they will get no funding for their district. Return to the majority or the Party and the governor will work to ensure this is your last term. Take your medicine now or we will Defeat you!
Smart people are leaving Alaska and this is what is left. The state has been in steep decline since wacko Palin and Dunleavy will likely cap it off.