Remember these words?
Alaska loses with a Senator who caucuses with Democrats.
Don't worry. I didn't remember them either. They come from a few years back when Senator Lisa Murkowski was campaigning against Democrat, Tony Knowles. Alaska had Ted Stevens in the other Senate seat and Murkowski was looking for a matched set. She wanted voters to elect a Republican because she didn't think a Democrat would be able to serve on 'the team.'
"[Knowles] has to join a team," Murkowski, the Republican, asserted. "If you decide to caucus with the Democrats, Alaska loses because then it is the Democratic agenda that is on the table."
So, the tables have turned. Alaskans have Mark Begich, a Democrat in the Senate. He needs a team player by his side. I have to say, I agree with Lisa Murkowski. Let's go for the matched set!
After all, Murkowski has to join a team. If she decides to caucus with Republicans, Alaska loses because then it is the Republican agenda that is on the table.
So, how many of you know Democrats voting for Murkowski?
Let them know this: This military wife who has never registered with a party and has voted in the State of Alaska for the last 20 years isn't voting for Lisa Murkowski. I'm a true Independent. I've voted Republican, I've voted third party, and I've voted Democrat. I vote for the best person for the job.
Lisa Murkowski isn't it folks. I know, I know, you love her. You think she's done a good job. You hate to see her go. She's like a family friend. You've got a connection with her. And, best of all, she's got experience.
Here's what her experience has done for us:
*Voted NO on Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
*Voted NO on the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act.
*Voted NO on continuing extensions for unemployment insurance and COBRA health care benefits
*Voted NO on Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act - yep, our famous Health Care bill.
*Voted NO on Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009.
*Voted NO on providing a US House Seat to Washington DC -
*Voted NO on Restoring American Financial Stability amendment which would ensure fees charged to small business are reasonable and proportional to the costs incurred for debit card use.
*Voted NO on confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor
*Voted NO on confirmation of Elena Kagan
*Voted NO on the Unintended Pregnancy Amendment - an amendment that would have increased funding and access to family planning services and required equitable prescription coverage for contraceptives under health plans. Also would have created and expanded teen pregnancy prevention programs.
Beginning to wonder if Senator Murkowski votes YES?
*Voted YES on a Congressional Pay raise -Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act of 1968 to increase by $50,000 the gross compensation paid all employees in the office of a Senator
Voted YES to begin debate on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.
Furthermore, our 'pro-choice' candidate is anything but:
*Naral Pro-Choice America rates Murkowski at 25%. In contrast, Senator Mark Begich rates 100%.
Her record on GLBT issues isn't any better:
*The Human Rights Campaign rates Murkowski at 20%.
And her NAACP ranking gives her a whopping F grade (57%); Begich recieved an A (90%).
According to Govtrack.us, the top campaign contribution to Murkowski in 2007-2008 was $45,250 from employees of VECO Corp. That's the same company of Ted Steven's fame, just in case you were wondering. I believe Don Young and Lisa Murkowski are still holding their collective breath every time they hear that now defunct company's name:
Due to Alaska's loose records laws, it is unclear if Murkowski was given a special deal on the land, only that the market value of the 1.27 acre plot in the area she purchased was worth around $300,000 and that Murkowski purchased the riverfront plot in late December of last year with a mortgage of $136,000. It was also speculated that Penny could have gotten much more for the land.[4]
When reached for a comment, Penney stated "There was not a campaign contribution... This was a land transaction."[5]
Ryan Alexander, the director of Taxpayers for Common Sense commented, "It raises more than question, it raises concern... It puts [Murkowski] into that web of folks that has raised eyebrows."[6]
In light of the questionable land deal, on July 26, 2007 Murkowski and her husband announced their decision to sell back the property to Penney for the purchase price of $179,400. She stated, “While Verne [her husband] and I intended to make this our family home and we paid a fair price for this land, no property is worth compromising the trust of the Alaska people.”[7][8]
It was later revealed in early August 2007 that Murkowski had secured $6 million worth of earmarks since 2003 for a road project within a half-mile of the property, which could significantly increase the real estate's value. The remainder of the Alaska delegation, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), also contributed another $2 million in federal funding for the improvement, called the Keystone Drive Project. In order to help cover the costs at the state level, Murkowski's father, then-Governor of Alaska, Frank Murkowski, also contributed another $325,000 in state funds. Sourcewatch.org
Sounds like one happy family, doesn't it? This, my friends, has been the state of Alaskan politics for the last who knows how many years.
Murkowski says that Scott McAdams is inexperienced. Thank God. He didn't learn how to govern while sitting on Daddy's knee.
And, though we like to believe that Lisa sprung full formed as a Senator from the head of her father, I remember when Murkowski was once an inexperienced Senator herself. Isn't that part of the process? We send new blood to change how Washington works and our new blood slowly but surely becomes the system that we all love to hate. Don't we think that many an incumbent has forgotten their roots? They've learned how to play the game but forgotten what the game was about?
And, with all that experience and game playing, govtrack.us still ranks Murkowski as a follower:
Murkowski tends to cosponsor the bills of other Members of Congress who do not cosponsor Murkowski’s own bills.
She's not made any friends in Congress who are willing to help her out and now, running against the establishment Republican candidate, she's actually burning a lot of bridges. How effective a Senator can she be?
We don't need a follower in the Senate. We need a leader. Scott McAdams is a leader. He has taken responsibility again and again in his life, both personally, publicly, and professionally and without the overt of help of his Daddy.
He is a family man, a hard worker, and understands politics from a local level. He doesn't know how to play political games in Washington DC. Good. I don't need that in a Senator. I want a fresh set of eyes and a person with a good heart and a way with words. I want a great partner for Senator Mark Begich. I want what's best for Alaska. And I want my vote to count on November 2nd because what happens come January 2011 is awfully more important than this race.
I want a forward thinking Senator who will discuss global warming from a scientific point of view and understand the consequences at a local level.
I want a Senator who respects the rights of people, all people, to be who they are and what they are and not have to pretend otherwise.
I want a Senator who knows that our military should be used in times of great need but that our strength lies not only in military might but in soft power, in diplomacy and by providing a proper example of what is right in the world rather than what is wrong.
I still hope to see an end to the War in Afghanistan, an end to Guantanamo, and the beginning of a new economy based on local business and green investment. I hope for the repeal of DADT and the start of Medicare for All.
I don't know if McAdams can provide all that, or even if he wants to.
I know that Murkowski can't.