Blogs by Rep Bob Lynn

THE ROSE PARADE AND SHERIFF’S BOYS BAND

2012-01-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

The 123^rd annual Rose Parade today in Pasadena, California brings multiple memories. I marched in that five and a half mile parade six times with the then-well-known Sheriff’s Boy’s Band. Played the Buesher 400 alto saxophone – the same sax I play (though not often) today. One Rose Parade, however, I lugged and beat a big bass drum. That likely explains what’s wrong with my back today. In addition, I’ve several times attended the Rose Parade. I love a parade! I think my daughter Debra may have attended the parade today.

It’s sad that some four hundred rag-tag “Occupy” protesters thought it appropriate to follow behind the parade on Colorado Blvd. I can’t imagine how they think such stuff can benefit their “cause,” if they even know what their cause is. Whatever, this is America, and freedom of speech and freedom of assembly is a good thing.

I’m amazed the 2012 parade is today Monday, the 2^nd of January – because New Year’s Day fell on Sunday. Doesn’t seem quite right (I’m a traditionalist). Whatever, I hope one day our State of Alaska can join with other states with a rose covered float in the parade.

Photos show me in Sheriff’s Boy’s Band with Katherine Hepburn during filming of “State of the Union,” the whole band with badges and patch, and little young me when I first joined the band. The insert shows some band members with famed Los Angeles County Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz, who was my Grandfather (Deputy Sheriff) John Lynn’s boss.

Sheriff’s Boy’s Band Director Colonel Vesey Walker, and my sax instructor, later became the first bandmaster of Disneyland in California. Last time I saw Col. Walker was when I was a teacher and I worked a summer job at the photo shop at Disneyland. His son Tommy Walker was my baton-twilling instructor. Also known as “Tommy the Toe,” he was the USC Drum Major who – when necessary – changed from band to football uniform to become a placekicking celebrity. He also composed the well-known USC trumpet charge "Da da da DUT da DUH"! Tommy later directed the opening and closing ceremonies for three World Olympic Games. Colonel Walker and Tommy Walker, like the Sheriff Boy’s band, were a big influence during my teens.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2011-12-31T22:23:00.001-08:00

My Resolution this year is to make NO resolutions, and to keep the one’s I didn’t make. Best wishes for a Happy and Blessed New Year 2012!

2011-12-30T22:17:00.000-08:00

ATHIESTIC ZEALOTRY

In days of yore (like when I was a young man) we often engaged in friendly debates about religion in general, and Christianity in particular. There was the Catholic versus Protestant debate, debates about one Protestant denomination versus another, and yes, debates about atheism versus Christianity in general. In those ethnocentric American days, I don’t remember anyone at all discussing Islam, Buddhism, or other “exotic” religion. Yes, we talked about Jews - not so much about Judaism as a faith, but Judaism as it related to Christianity.

These debates were good learning experiences and memorable. Usually no one got too upset, believer or not. Especially not the agnostics who simply confessed, “I don’t know.” Typically they were “reverent agnostics,” but who “didn’t know but respected those who had faith and believed they did “know.” Most everyone in these bygone ad hoc debates had their opinions, but active anti-Christianity didn’t happen.

Not so today.

Nowadays, religious live-and-let-live is out the window. It’s not good enough to be an atheist. One has to attack and ridicule Christianity. Yes, thank God (apologies to atheists), Americans have our First Amendment Right to freedom of speech – OK if the free speech doesn’t go beyond the other’s fellow’s nose/ear. But a right, constitutional or not, doesn’t make that right proper, civil, or just plain “nice.”

In other words, if you don’t like Christianity, think it’s goofy, or the “opium of the masses” - whatever – why not just plain shut up? Anti-Christian atheists typically insist everyone be tolerant of behavior with which most Christians disagree. So how about atheist zealots practicing what they preach, and exercise a modicum of tolerance for the beliefs and opinions of people of faith. That includes “Merry Christmas” and Christmas trees.

Someone’s belief, or non-belief, about Christianity is no business but their own. There’s no excuse for vicious (and I might add “ignorant”) attacks on Christians of any variety. It seems many atheists think they are the most intelligent people in the room or on Facebook. Methinks that for every atheist with a high IQ, there’s likewise a Christian with an equal IQ. Learning, genius, and common sense aren’t limited to atheists.

It appears as if many atheists have entered a jihad against Christianity – similar in words at least – to radical Islamists against Jews. Extremism isn’t limited to religious zealots of whatever faith. There’s a new atheistic zealotry which itself is a “faith.”

Why do aggressive (could I say proselytizing) atheists spew their venom at Christians but are meek, mild, or silent when it comes to Jews and Muslims? Could it be Christians are wont to follow the admonition of “turning the other cheek” - thereby becoming self-actualizing doormats stepped on by every atheist aggressor in town?

In the words of the infamous Rodney King (religion unknown), “Can’t we all just get along?”

PERFECT GIFTS

2011-12-25T22:26:00.000-08:00

Three perfect Christmas Gifts: The Christ of Christmas, being American, Our Loved Ones. Merry Christmas everyone!

"CHRISTMAS EVE "MERRY CHRISTMAS ROADSIDE OFFICE"

2011-12-24T22:24:00.000-08:00

After donning my Santa hat, and lugging my 4x8 “Meet your State Representative” sign into my Suburban, I completed my traditional annual “Christmas Eve Roadside Office” about thirty minutes ago - this year at the corner of O’Malley and Lake Otis. At 10 degrees F it was a bit nippy, but I got warmed up by all the friendly waves and folks yelling “Merry Christmas.”

BITTERSWEET

2011-11-26T22:31:00.000-08:00

Bittersweet day today. Was invited to today’s Deployment Ceremony at Ft. Richardson to Honor the Officers and Soldiers of Bravo Company 1-143 ABN. They depart to Afghanistan tomorrow as part of America’s War on Terror.

Today was “bitter” because of the dangers the soldiers will face, and their separation from family and homeland. It was ”sweet” because our armed forces represent everything that’s good about America, and “sweet” because of the respect they received from comrades, family, and friends at the ceremony - and the pride we all felt just being there with them. Their esprit d’corps was evident. I suspect some of us old vets are a little envious that we aren’t joining them in their forthcoming adventure.

ROLL CALL OF WARRIORS

2011-11-12T18:37:00.000-08:00

ROLL CALL

Listen to news reports, read the paper, watch the war in Iraq and Afghanistan on TV. Learn the statistics of the war dead. Yes, we know the meaning behind the statistics – intellectually. It’s terrible. Obviously terrible. But unless somehow personally involved, numbers without names don’t really “connect.”

Thanks to the Student Veterans of the University of Alaska Anchorage on Veterans’ Day 2011, the numbers became more connected.

A National Roll Call was conducted on the UAA campus of some 6,300 (currently) America’s military warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan “killed in action” – euphemistically softened to “KIA.” Turns were taken intoning the names and ranks of our fallen warriors - page after page, after page, after page of names names names. Names read, one after the other, from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon.

I imagine few of us who read or heard the names during the Roll Call knew the human being behind the name. But after the calling the roll name-by-name, there was some connection. A connection more than before. It brought it all somewhat “home.” I read just one long page of names. It was an “experience.” An experience made more poignant by being a veteran myself.

Male, female, private, colonel, army, navy, air force, marine - names on the Roll Call. Made no difference. Only volunteer human beings dying on a battlefield on the other side of the world. God Bless you.

TODAY WE SURRENDERED

2011-07-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

Today America surrendered space leadership to Russia. American astronauts will now have to beg to hitchhike on Russian spaceships to reach the Space Station. Over 3200 space workers are losing their jobs. We're are losing the space race because we’ve simply given up.

I remember Spudnik, launched by the Russians. I remember John F. Kennedy responding with breathtaking trips to the moon, and setting the stage for the space shuttle. This was leadership. Today was surrender

Whatever happened to Respect?

2011-06-12T23:22:00.000-07:00

I like musicals like Pajama Game, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof and, of course, The Sound of Music.

Was disturbed to learn today that the Broadway musical, “The Book of Mormon” just got Tony Awards and high praise for a moneymaking production that makes fun of missionaries, the LDS Church, and apparently leaves no four letter word unspoken. Whatever happened to common decency and basic respect for someone’s religion? I’m not a Mormon; I’m Catholic. Makes no difference. Stuff like this is disgusting.

Celebration and Caution

2011-05-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

Osama Bin Laden is dead. Thank you, United States Navy Seals. Courageous decisions. Courageous actions. Spectacular results. You make our military, and all Americans proud. We said we’d “get him,” and we did. God bless America. It’s a time to celebrate, and we do.

But it’s also a time for great caution. Osama Bin Laden is dead, and buried at sea. But al-Qaida, and all kinds of other terrorists, who hate America, are not.

A word of caution. The networks of terrorists, and individual terrorists, are sure to retaliate somewhere, somehow, someplace. Now is not the time to let down America’s guard – whether it’s overseas, somewhere in our nation, or even at one of our airports.

The good news is, Bin Laden is dead. The bad news: America’s war against terror is far from over.

EQUAL TREATMENT FOR AMERICA'S MILITARY WARRIORS

2011-03-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

I introduced HB210 today, a bill that would enable all active duty warriors in our U.S. Armed Forces to be treated as adults, regardless of age. House Bill 210 proposes permitting active duty service members under age 21 to consume alcoholic beverages and use tobacco products in Alaska.

It's outrageous that a member of our military can be subjected to the horrors of war, but can't legally have a beer or smoke a cigarette. Any soldier who braves military combat and risks their life for our country should be treated like an adult—in every sense of the word. HB 210 does not advocate smoking or drinking as a general practice, nor does the sponsor, but it does advocate equal treatment for adults and the de facto adults in America's military.

OBSERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS

2011-02-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

I swiped the following observations and questions from Facebook postings by Robert Jordan. I served with Robert at Monkey Mountain in Vietnam. I don’t know if there’s a link between perverse humor and Vietnam. Whatever, I’m sharing the following:

"I used to eat a lot of natural foods, until I learned that most people die of natural causes."

"If someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown, but it only 4 muscles to extend your arm and whack them in the head."

"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans are suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you."

“If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.”

"If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked,   doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians  denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, and tree surgeons debarked?"

"If someone with multiple personalities disorder threatens to kill themselves, is it a hostage situation?”

"If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?"

"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that they have never tried to contact us."

OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS

2011-02-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

The clergyman who gave the Invocation at our House floor session today said what I'd never before heard, "There are really only two prayers: 'Help' and 'Thank You'." Amen to that. Sometimes we overlook the obvious.

SURPRISE AWARD

2011-02-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

Nice surprise!. The American Humane Society selected me as one their “2010 Legislators of the Year.” Thanks! Turns out I was one of only 31 award recipients in the nation, and the only one from Alaska. The award was for my bill last year that strengthened laws against animal cruelty, and highlighted the link between animal cruelty to domestic violence and sexual abuse of children. Hats off also to Rep. Carl Gatto and Senator Bill Wielechowski who were a major part of getting the bill through our legislature.

SCORE ONE FOR THE "GOOD GUYS"

2011-02-09T21:51:00.000-08:00

My HB80 passed our House Judiciary Committee today. This legislation makes it OK to defend yourself, if need be, with deadly force at “any place where a person has a right to be.” Retreat is not necessary, but any deadly force must be justified. Score one for the “good guys”! Next stop: Finance Committee. This bill also had other prime co-sponsors.

KODIAK ISLAND ROCKET LAUNCH

2010-11-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

First time to Kodiak Island. First time to witness a rocket launch. The rocket, a Minotaur IV, took off from our Alaska Aerospace Corporation’s Launch Complex with a payload of 7 satellites carrying 16 experiments. Everything happened on time and as planned. The Aerospace Corporation is owned by the State of Alaska. I was invited to view the launch because I'm a member of our House Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, and a Joint Armed Services Committee Designee for the 2011 Legislative session.

ALASKA REPUBLICAN CAUCUS ORGANIZATION 2010

2010-11-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

There are really three elections every two years: the primary election, general election, and private caucus elections. You don’t participate in the caucus elections – called the “Organizational Meeting” - unless you survive the primary and general elections. In the first two elections, campaigns are public. In the organization meeting (caucus election) campaigning is conducted privately between legislators. It consists of campaigning for election to Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Rules Chair, the two Finance Committee Co-Chairs (one for the operating budget, One for the capital budget.), and committee chairmanships.

We ask for “commitments” (promised votes) for the leadership position we seek. You might guess that there’s some “if you commit for this, I’ll commit to that.” What “happens in the organization meeting stays in the organizational meeting.” Or is supposed to stay there. Suffice to say, I was re-elected as Chair of our House State Affairs Committee. I thank my colleagues for that.

You likely have read in the newspaper, or have seen on TV, or heard political gossip, about what happened in our majority caucus organizational meeting that was held in Wasilla on the Friday and Saturday after the general election. Most - but not all – that has been reported in the media happened. Suffice to say, I voted my commitments, and voted with the majority of my caucus (because I thought it was the appropriate things to do) on who ended getting what in leadership, and other positions up for a vote. I can tell you this: out of the four organizational meetings in which I’ve been involved, this was by far the most “interesting.”

For most legislators, and for me, being in a organizational position to best serve constituents is more important than getting chairmanship or membership of a particular committee to serve ourselves.

AREN'T YOU GLAD?

2010-11-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you for voting. Whoever you voted for. But aren’t you glad the 2010 elections are over (well almost)? I am.

I’ve watched a lot of elections (when I was in the military), been involved in a lot of elections, and have been a candidate more than once. But the election of 2010 has been “something else.” The hard fought US Senate race (or should I say “races”) sucked the oxygen out of every other candidate’s race in Alaska.

If you weren’t running for US Senate, or maybe for governor, your campaign material got lost in the mailbox among flyers from the “big guy’s.” I sent out a nifty mailer for my campaign (I always send one to myself, so I can when it’s delivered to everyone else). My flyer was one of five full-page campaign mailers stuffed in my mailbox. I almost missed finding my own flyer. One can only hope the 2010 campaigns will help get the US Postal Service out of debt.

Furthermore, this campaign season saw more name-calling, misrepresentations, outright lies and, worse, character assassination than any election in my memory. Problem is, no one perfect filed for any office – because there are no perfect people.

It’s a miracle opposition researchers didn’t discover that I got in trouble in the first grade for chewing gum.

MARLENE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION. I'M ENVIOUS

2010-10-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

I met Marlene Wagner, now my wife of 57 years, when I was flying the mighty T6 in Aviation Cadet pilot training at Malden Air Base, Missouri. She lived in Dexter, Missouri, some seventeen miles north of Malden. Marlene’s a graduate of Dexter High School and, after my fighter squadron reunion in Ohio, we attended Marlene’s 58^th high school reunion in Missouri (smart politics begins at home).

Dexter today has a population over 7,000. When Marlene lived there, Dexter’s population was under 6,000. In a small town, everybody knew everybody. Many of her school friends are still there. More came to the reunion. Marlene won a prize for coming to Dexter from Alaska, the most distant place.

I’m envious. My school, Garfield High in East Los Angeles, was crowded, and school gang warfare was common. I don’t know one Garfield alumnus. In contrast, Dexter High School alumni abound, Marlene knows her classmates, and many of them were at the reunion. That’s the way it should be.

MURDER ON FALCON LAKE

2010-10-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

Falcon Lake straddles the border between the United States and Mexico, near McAllen, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The lake is sixty miles in length, and has been a fishing and boating mecca since it was created in 1953 by damming up a portion of the Rio Grande River.

American citizens David and Tiffany Hartley were on a ski boat vacation there. The couple crossed over the mid-lake border to see the half-submerged Old Guerrero Church on the Mexican side of the lake. They were sightseeing, but shouldn’t have done it. It was stupid. But who hasn’t done foolhardy things?

Mexican pirates – probably part of the vicious Los Zetas drug gang – raced up to their jet ski and shot American David Hartley in the head. They almost shot Tiffany, but she escaped, under a fusillade of gunfire.

Widow Tiffany Hartley wanted her husband’s body retrieved for a proper burial. A reasonable and proper request. But the Mexican government has refused to search for David Hartley’s body, and refused to allow authorities in Texas on the U.S. government to do so.

So what did we do? Nothing. Nada.

What would previous Americans – like Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, or Reagan have done? Or Texas Governor Sam Houston? Don’t know. I can only guess.

But I can tell you this. If I were President of the United States of America, I would have sent the US Coast Guard - aided by the Texas Rangers - in force onto Falcon Lake and looked for American David Hartley’s body. And the Mexican government be damned (what would they have done about it, anyway?).

MY FIGHTER SQUADRON REUNION

2010-10-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

Attended my 48^th Fighter Interceptor Squadron 2010 Reunion at Dayton, Ohio. We had a blast: 48^th FIS fighter pilots of the geezer variety comporting in military comradeship with young bright eyed 48^th Squadron pilot weenies of the today’s 48^th Squadron (both gentlemen and good looking lady officers).

In 1953, our Air Force had three interceptors in its Air Defense Command: the F89J Scorpion, the F86D (called the F86Dog), and the F94C Starfire. In 1953 I flew the F94C Starfire jet (we called it the “Banana Boat) as a proud member of the 48^th FIS. I was 20 years old, and only three years out of high school.

The 94C was the Air Force’s first operational supersonic airplane – but you had to go straight down to achieve that speed. Obviously, that angle of flight limited the amount time of we could maintain supersonic super sonic speed.

The F94C was a two-place aircraft: pilot in the front, radar observer (RO) in the rear (or the “GIB” - meaning the “guy in the back”). My usual radar observers and good friends were Jim Faries, Jean Adams, and Manford R. Groves (“Grover”). We spent a lot of time together fifty-three years ago training and scrambling on intercept missions out of Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was during the latter stages of the Korean conflict. We like to say we defended American from North Korea – from Virginia.

Great news! Grover, my RO friend and compatriot, was at the 48^th FIS reunion. Hadn’t seen him in decades (he’s gotten older). When Grover’s and my turn came to share flying stories at the reunion, we told some good ones. And they were true. Like buzzing below the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk, flying just a few feet over the beach of the Carolina Outer banks and lighting the F94C afterburner just above surf fishermen, barrel rolls around Navy balloons near Norfolk, and more I shan’t share here. In other words, adolescent flying behavior I wouldn’t think of doing now!

It was fun at the reunion watching “oldster” pilots teaching “youngster” 48^th pilots how to be “Tasmanian Devil Instructors,” by screaming and making faces inches from each other. The Tasmanian Devil is the 48^th mascot (see cartoon).

Some Russian fighter pilots happened to be at the same hotel, near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I’m told (I’d already gone to my room. It's true. If you can't trust a politician, whom can you trust?)) some vodka was consumed while American pilots demonstrated Tasmanian Devil antics in the face of the Russians – and the Russian pilots returned the behavior in kind. Actual war was not declared.

There’s wonderful but indescribable comradeship among the military: active duty, retired, veteran. It’s kind of “been there, done that, and we understand.” There is a somewhat similar comradeship I felt when I was a cop in Tucson, Arizona. There’s collegiality among legislators, regardless of political party, and that’s good. But it’s not the same military and police comradeship.Our next 48^th Squadron reunion is scheduled to be in Columbus, Mississippi. Hope I can make it.

Photos show my RO Manford R "Grover" Groves and I shaking hands, me as a youthful Air Force pilot, my standing by my F94C at the Alert Hanger, the 48th Fighter Squadron we placed at the Air Force Museum memorial park, our reunion group, and the Tasmanian Devil figure.

WHAT'S IT WORTH?

2010-09-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

If you have some degree of celebrity, you may have a fortune in your home.

The late Beatle John Lennon owned, like most modern people do, a toilet. This particular toilet was used (I guess “used” is the word) in Lennon’s Berkshire home in England from 1969 to 1971. Let’s cut to the chase. John Lennon’s toilet fetched $14,740 at a Liverpool auction house.

Which reminds me . . .

In 1972 I was part of an Air Force Inspector General team that checked out cost of the maintenance operation for the Air Force’s presidential aviation fleet at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Our team was able to finagle an on-board visit of President Nixon’s Air Force One jet. Inside his plane, we had to wear little blue booties over our shoes. What a magnificent airplane. The color scheme was tan and blue. In the cockpit, the knobs on the pilot’s throttles were chrome plated. Got to visit President and Mrs. Nixon’s bedroom (separate beds, by the way). Adjacent was Nixon’s private bathroom, and toilet. Here’s my confession (may haunt me someday on an opponent’s campaign flyer). I sat on Nixon’s toilet (just to say I did), reached over and swiped a square of the president’s private toilet tissue. The paper was bordered with a blue filigree.

I brought the elegant tissue home and put it on my dresser. Figured I was the only one on my block with square of Nixon’s toilet paper. Next morning it was gone. Sadly, my wife Marlene had put it in the trash as “just a piece of paper.” And the trash had already been collected.

The question comes to mind, how much could I have gotten at an auction house for President Richard Nixon’s toilet paper? “The saddest words of tongue and pen are what might have been.”

SOMES FOLKS' "REAL"FLAG DAY

2010-06-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today is official “Flag Day,” and I’m a flag waver. For a lot of us veterans, the “real” Flag Day is the day we saw our American flag flying in our homeland when we got off the boat or airplane (“Freedom Bird”) from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and anyplace else the bad guys were shooting at us.

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE STATISTICS

2010-06-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

763 bills were introduced between the House and Senate of the 26th Alaska State Legislature, during the 2009 - 2010 sessions. Only 180 bills passed (about 25%). 89 resolutions were introduced, and 58 passed (about 65%). Resolutions - if they aren't too wild - are typically easier to pass thyan bills. That's because they aren't laws, just official opinions.

Some bills and resolutions that didn't pass were "companion bills" to the same bill in the other legislative chamber - so that if one passed the other didn't. Some bills that did pass were "housekeeping" bills that merely updated language, etc.

DEATH OF A GARFIELD TEACHER

2010-03-30T23:21:00.000-07:00

Jaime Escalante died today, March 30, 2010, at age 79. Never met the man, but our connection is James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, California.

Escalante was a math teacher at Garfield High, where he turned gang kids into calculus scholars. More importantly, he motivated students to succeed who may not have otherwise. The movie “Stand and Deliver” was about his excellence in teaching at Garfield.

I was born across the street from Garfield High School, at 570 Woods Avenue. Grew up watching the goings-on at Garfield - including gangfights from our living room window, and in the alley behind our home. I'm a proud graduate of Garfield High, Class of Summer 50.

If Mr. Escalante had been one of my Garfield High teachers, I would be a lot better at math, and perhaps everything else, than I am now.

2010-03-04T00:57:00.001-08:00

The “Malamute Kids” came to visit me again this year. I heard the bill they proposed last year to make the malamute the state dog of Alaska. What a great job they did!

The Malamute bill is now going through the 2010 legislative process in the State Senate. I hope it passes.

What a great lesson the Malamute Kids are learning from their work and “lobbying.” They gave me a cookie one time. Should I report that?

Some naysayers bad-mouth the legislature for working with these future leaders, and hearing the malamute bill. They allege it’s “too time consuming.” I disagree. Cut us some slack, please. Legislators, and everyone else, should avoid being too “busy” to spend time with our kids.

SPECIAL TO ME: FEBRUARY 28, 1951

2010-02-28T23:46:00.000-08:00

February 28th, 1951. Fifty-nine years ago today. Five days past my 18th birthday. A day that changed my life. The day I enlisted in the United States Air Force. Place: Mesa, Arizona.

Seven months past graduation from Garfield High School in tough environs of East Los Angeles, California. Dropped out of Pasadena City College. Not ready. Mail Clerk Coast Federal Savings and Loan, downtown Los Angeles. Going no where. Joined Air Force. Smart move.

Took the train to Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. 1951 Military enlistees didn’t fly to basic training. Was a proud “private.” Soon thereafter, rank of private re-named “Airman Basic” - as it is today. Service was evolving from “Air Corps” to “Air Force.” Then acquired two downward sloping stripes of a “corporal.” Then Air Force corporal rank ensignia changed to two upward sloping stripes of “Airman Second Class” (equivalent rank today is “Airman First Class”). Pay about $76 bucks a month, plus cot in open bay barracks plus good food at chow hall ( extra pay, evening janitor at the base theater ). In 1951 Air Force vintage, brown shoes were optional to black shoes. Ergo, I’m was a member of the “Brown Shoe Air Force” (and I’m proud of it), ‘Taint many of us left.

First assignment after basic training: “apprentice bassoonist,” 541st Air Force Band, Williams AFB, Chandler, Arizona. My bassoon sounds were stopped by popular demand. Returned to playing sax like I did in Garfield High Bulldog Band.

Then up the scale to Band Drum Major. (I think) only baton twirling drum major in all the military bands. Still twirl a baton - only out of public sight. Because I want to be re-elected!

1952: Applied for, accepted by, Air Force Aviation Cadets flying school (staff sergeant pay). 1953: age twenty, high school diploma, silver jet pilot wings, gold bars (“butter bars”) of second lieutenant. December 1976: Retired as Major. Proud of that? Yeah!

Recommend military career to almost anyone. Opportunity, new horizons, came possible when I enlisted February 28th, 1951.

ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE: SEMPER FI

2010-02-25T23:46:00.000-08:00

Today our House Judiciary Committee (of which I'm a member) conducted a confirmation hearing for Daniel (“Dan”) Sullivan, former Governor Sarah Palin’s pick for Attorney General June 16, 2009. He’s been serving as Acting Attorney General, pending confirmation of Joint Session of our Alaska Legislature. He will be supervising some 550 assistant attorneys and staff in thirteen offices throughout our state.

Dan Sullivan’s resume - and his comments at our hearing - are some of the most impressive I’ve ever heard. He graduated Harvard University magnum cum laude, with a BA in Economics, then proceeded to Georgetown University to earn a Juris Doctor (Doctor of Law) and Masters of Science in Foreign Service. Again, magnum cum laude; translated from the Latin language, it means “with great honor.” I myself might oneday earn a degree with magnum cum laude - if I can figure out how to live another hundred years.

Sullivan adds brawn to brains. He served as a United States Marine infantry officer, worked as strategic advisor Commander of Central Command General David Patraeus, CENCOM General John Abizaid. Much of this time was in the Middle East war zone. Sullivan still serves in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Prior to becoming Attorney General, Sullivan served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs. His nomination by the President was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate in May 2006 and he served until January 2009. In this role, he was a senior advisor to the Secretary of State and other top U.S. government officials on the formulation and execution of international economic, energy, trade, finance, transportation, telecommunications and Arctic policies. Sullivan also led and managed the 200-employee State Department Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs.

As the Assistant Secretary of State, much of Sullivan’s work focused on international energy issues. He served as the U.S. Governing Board member of the Paris-based International Energy Agency – the world’s premier energy security organization. He and the State Department bureau he led worked closely with the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects on Alaska gas pipeline issues. That’s very good news, considering all the gas pipeline issues Alaska is dealing with.

Dan Sullivan is married to Julie Fate Sullivan of Fairbanks. She’s the daughter of former Representative Bud Fate, whom I served with the first few years after my election. They have three daughters. Dan Sullivan is one of my constituents in District 31 (which means that I work for him). He and his family, like Marlene and I, attend St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Church in South Anchorage.

In addition to al of Dan Sullivan’s accomplishments, he is a very nice, and fun, guy to work with. He has my vote for confirmation as Attorney General.

Photo taken from my seat on the Judiciary Committee.

LISA'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

2010-02-18T23:57:00.000-08:00

I had an excellent chance to chat about current issues with United States Senator Lisa Murkowski, before her State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature.

Sen. Murkowski’s emphasis in her State of the State speech was domestic energy production, and issues affecting Alaska's economy. Excellent delivery.

PRESS RELEASE: STATE PERSONNEL BOARD BILL

2010-02-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

Alaska State House Press Release: Bill Proposed to make State Personnel Board More Independent

Rep. Bob Lynn today introduced HB348 which changes the selection process and composition of the State Personnel Board appointed by the Governor.

The bill increases board membership from three to five members, with the governor selecting nominees from a list of candidates submitted by the Chief Justice of Alaska. It would also ensure a diversity of opinion by including least one board member from the two parties that received the high number of votes in the most recent gubernatorial election, according to the measure.

Note: Bill is currently scheduled for a Hearing before the House State Affairs Committee on March 9, 2010.

CENSUS IS A-COMING

2010-02-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

It’s required by our United States Constitution: a national census every ten years. The census in Alaska is already getting underway. In fact, the 2010 census of remote Alaska village of Noorvik was the first in the nation.

Officials from the census bureau conducted a briefing of our House Labor and Commerce today.

The first United States census was in 1790. For the first six censuses 1790 - 1840 enumerators recorded only heads of household names, and a general demographic accounting of the remaining members of the household. Beginning in 1850, everybody in the household were named.

I’m a family history buff. Genealogy (not to be confused with Gynecology) has been my hobby since 1951. Much use is made of census records in locating ancestors, and other family members. I was thrilled to learn that Anchorage has a branch Bureau of Archives - and I’ve spent time there checking out microfilm records, Nowadays, however, all the censuses (censi?) records are available on the Internet, through commercial entities like Ancestry.com. Using old census records, I’ve been able to locate and communicate with several “shirtail cousins” (5th cousins and more). The last census records available to the public was 1930, three years before my birth. Public viewing of Census records aren’t available to the public until seventy-four years after the census. When the 2010 census is complete, I’ll be able to find myself on the 1940 census - and find more missing kin.

Please cooperate with the census takers. It determines numbers for state and national legislative representation - which will be “reapportioned” after the census with new lines. In other words, when I run for re-election in 2012, my district number and area of representation will likely be different, like every one else. Photo shows the census briefing team.

HOW ABOUT A PYRAMID?

2010-02-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

Back in the mid-1980s, when I was on the City Council and teaching school in Moreno Valley California, the Air Force flew me and other worthies to Colorado Springs, Colorado for a VIP tour of the Air Force Academy. Quite a place. Quite a

curriculum. Impressive cadets. Especially impressive was the ultra-ultra-modern Air Force Chapel. I thought the chapel architecture so strange that cadets might wonder whether to pray “in it, at it, or for it.”

Now, according to the Associated Press, “strange” at the Air Force Academy has been elevated to a whole new level (but what do I know - I was an Aviation Cadet, not an Academy Cadet). The Air Force Academy has now set aside and designated a “special place” on the campus where Wiccans (witches, in case you didn’t know), Druids, and assorted Pagans can do what Wiccans, Druids, and assorted Pagans do. Wow! “Off we go into the wild blue yonder.” Or is it wild “black” yonder?

Since the academy superintendent three star general is navigating at Mach III speed to new levels of on-campus religious tolerance, let’s do it right, or not at all. To be fair, the superintendent should build a pyramid on campus that will enable Air Force Academy Aztecs believers to do what Aztecs do on top of pyramids. One must’nt discriminate against Aztecs. I’ve heard they can get quite nasty.

MORENO VALLEY CITY COUNCIL HOMECOMING "The Moustache and The Beard"

2010-01-10T15:42:00.000-08:00

On December 8^th,the Moreno Valley City Council, Riverside County, California (just outside of March Air Force Base) celebrated its 25^th Anniversary of incorporation. I was there for a homecoming of the city founders and first City Council members. The framed City Council Proclamation honoring us will be hanging on my legislative office wall in Juneau.

I’m proud to be one of the city’s incorporation leaders, and to have served on Moreno Valley’s first City Council, first as a Councilman, then as Mayor Pro-Tem. When we incorporated in 1984, Moreno Valley’s population was a mere 53,000. Today population is some 186,000. In a 1993 Almanac, Moreno Valley was listed as the fastest growing city in the entire United States. Wow!

Politics in the Alaska Legislature are tame, compared to the political adventures and high jinks of Moreno Valley’s incorporation and first City Council. I know, because I was smack dab in the middle of it.

In 1982, an attempt to incorporate the communities of Sunnymead, Moreno, and Edgemont into one city of Moreno Valley failed. I wasn’t part of that incorporation attempt, but was one of 14 candidates who ran for one of the five seats on the City Council. I was a total unknown, with no money, but still managed to come in seventh. But no matter. No city, no city council.

Later in 1982, one of the leaders of the failed incorporation - “The Moustache” - called (like summoned) me - “The Beard” - to his office and “invited” me to be one of a four-member slate of candidates for City Council in a new incorporation effort. He said the anointed four would have to act in conformity to “the team,” and that ample funding would be forthcoming from unnamed sources. Neither the source of funding, or the policies the slate would enact after election, were disclosed. I informed The Mustache that, if I ran for a future Council, I would “be my own man,” answering only to the people who elected me - not to him or any other power broker. That brought the meeting to hasty conclusion.

In 1983 I joined with PTA leader Ruth Ann Kahlert to initiate a new incorporation effort. We believed any successful incorporation campaign would have to be “inclusive” rather than “exclusive,” so we invited opponents of the previous failed incorporation attempt to join our committee. I chaired the first official incorporation meeting of our “United Citizens for Cityhood.” The Moustache attended the meeting and did his best to torpedo it. Later he, and a group of “Mustache-a-teers,” held a different meeting, called our group “divisive” - even though they met after us.

Our United Citizens for Cityhood did the grunt work of getting the new incorporation effort on the ballot. I stepped down from incorporation leadership to run for the City Council. Soon thereafter a group of four candidates, one of which was The Moustache, filed for a seat on the new Council. I recognized the group as the slate The Moustache had attempted to recruit me for. Next a group called “Moreno Valley Citizens for Cityhood” appeared, with huge campaign contributions from Orange County developers pouring into the coffers of this new group, and to the slate of four. The average person didn’t understand the difference between the original “real” incorporation committee, and the “Moustache’s new slate-backing committee with a similar name. Clever.

A tough election campaign followed – far tougher than anything (so far) from any of my campaigns in Alaska. My campaign committee worked hard, and was innovative. I knocked off one of The Moustache’s slate and won a place on the first City Council - although the slate spent about $100,000 to my $2,000. I earned a seat on the Council, but The Moustache and his two slate cohorts had the votes to make him mayor - even though he wasn’t the highest vote-getter on the slate.

Our new City Council wrote the city’s first ordinances, and hired the first employees. Then came the onslaught of highly inappropriate residential development proposals from Orange County. The other non-slate councilperson and I found ourselves on the losing side of an overabundance of 3-2 votes. When political critical mass arrived, a recall election was organized and the three slate councilpersons were tossed off the council – but not before recall opponents brought “bag heads” (five people with paper sacks on their heads), and a clown in full makeup who attempted corner me for a photo that could be used against me. When the three recallees left the Council, I became the new Mayor Pro-Tem, and City Council business became normal.

At the December 25^th anniversary ceremony the first mayor (“The Moustache”) was present with me for the ceremonies. During his remarks he failed to recognize the original incorporation committee “United Citizens for Cityhood,” but did name those on his “Moreno Valley Citizens for Cityhood.” When I spoke, I delicately corrected the omission. The Moustache and “The Beard” (me) smiled and shook hands. As it turned out, both committees appealed to different factions of the community, the incorporation was successful, and Moreno Valley will soon be the largest city in Riverside County.

It’s quite an experience to help found a new city, and to serve on a first city council. Congratulations to Moreno Valley, its founders, and to its early council members, on the 25th anniversary of the city!

"MOORE UP NORTH" SHOW

2010-01-08T00:52:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I ventured into a live taping of Shannyn Moore’s TV talk show “Moore Up North.” I was joined on the panel by Senator Lesl McGuire, and Representative Charisse Millett. I think we were the only Republicans in the room. The TV taping was at an upstairs room at Bernie’s Bungalow downtown. The Bungalow is actually a barroom. Can’t fool me. But it's a nice barroom.

Shannyn Moore, “Just a Girl from Homer,” is an excellent interviewer who adds spice to the dialogue with some very humorous comments. I think Shannon has great potential for national TV. But what do I know. I’m “Just a boy from East Los Angeles.”

Shannyn is a “progressive” or “liberal” (whatever the term du jour is), who claims she is “Painting a Red State BLUE, one stroke at a time.” The major discussion items on the show were the Parental Notification Initiative for an abortion, overseas legislative travel, and Rep. Keller’s bill that would require random drug testing for state welfare assistance.

It was an interesting show, with provocative but fair questions. Rather than comment on how each of us did, check out the show scheduled to air this Saturday at 4:00PM on Anchorage Channel 5 KYES. It will probably also be streamed on the Internet.

After the taping, I left the TV venue at the barroom for a HALO Community Council meeting at the Holy Spirit Retreat House. How about that for covering all the bases?

A MOVING WE SHALL GO

2010-01-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

It’s legislature moving-time again. All our computers, files, and other stuff, are being boxed up for their journey to the capitol in Juneau. Then everything is unpacked there, and back to work we go – after we re-locate everything. To a far lesser degree, legislators are doing the same thing: sorting out our stuff at home to decide what needs to be with us in Juneau. No complaints. Just fact. Photo shows just one of the rooms with packed boxes at our legislative office in Anchorage.

FIRST WE SURVIVE

2010-01-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

I believe in public safety. Mine. Yours. Everybody’s. That’s why I’m such a strong supporter of firemen and cops. All kinds of issues are important, including budgets. But unless we survive medical emergencies, fire, and crime – none of those issues mean a thing, because we won’t be around to debate them, or to vote.

Public safety requires state-of-the-art equipment: fire trucks, ambulances, cop cars, communications, and all the other good stuff it takes to make meaningful the public safety mission, like keeping the doors open for business. Likewise, public safety means keeping our fire and police academies populated with top caliber men and women – and keeping high the morale of our current fire and police workforce.

That requires leadership from the governor, the legislature, the mayors, department heads, down to the least ranking supervisory individual. Leadership includes action that puts public safety at the top of the budget “must haves.”

Again, first we survive – then we cuss and discuss everything else. Same same for our military. When public safety servants put their lives on the line, morale must accompany them.

CONGRATULATIONS JIANGPING LI LYNN !

2009-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

My daughter-in-law Jiangping Li Lynn became a citizen of the United States today at a naturalization
ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska.

Congratulations squared and multiplied by a million! We're proud of you Jiangping!

Jiangping is the wife of my oldest son, Bob Lynn Jr. Their current home is Port Moresby, Papua, New Guiana. Bob Jr. serves as a Foreign Service Officer at the US Embassy there. Jiangping was born in Zhenjiazng, a city north of Shanghai, in the People's Republic of China, where her parents and brother still live. Bob Jr. was stationed at the US Embassy at Tbilisi, Georgia, and met Jiangping during a trip to China. Jiangping is a graduate of a Chinese university with a major in chemistry, as well as schooling in clothing design. She works at the embassy as a Webmaster and newsletter editor, and is an accomplished photographer.

Since then they have been stationed together at Tbilisi, Georgia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Vientiane, Laos, and now New Guiana.

Jiangping’s journey to US citizenship has been a journey of more than five years, part of the problem being that her Chinese surname “Li” is like “Smith, Jones, or Brown” in the English-speaking world. Considering the number of people in the Chinese-language world with the surname Li, her background check took a long time.

Today was the first time in my life to witness a naturalization ceremony, and was a joy to see. Jiangping’s husband Bob was unable to attend due to his embassy duties in New Guiana. But she had plenty of proud family on-site to support her, from Marlene and I (Jiangping calls us “Mom” and “Dad”), my daughter Mary Lynn, son and daughter-in-law John and Ann Lynn, and my grandsons Simon and Ethan Lynn.

THE DARKEST DAY

2009-12-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today, December 21st, is the darkest day of the year. It’s also the shortest day - so the darkest of the dark won’t last long. Light returns, slowly at first, then more and more. The cycle repeats itself, but light always follows the dark. I think there may be a lesson here. Think about it.

GOOD PARENTS DO WHAT BAD PARENTS DON'T WANT TO DO

2009-12-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

I don’t know the man or anything about man except that - according to the Anchorage news media - he discovered his sixteen year old son had two pipe bombs and an explosive grenade in his backpack at home. The father called the cops. Good for him. Good parents do what bad parents don’t want to do. Parenting isn’t easy. From what little I know (or need to know), the boy apparently has a good father. At least in this instance. The world would be a better place if we had more good fathers.

BERLIN WALL MEMORIES

2009-11-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

President Ronald Reagan represented America at the The Berlin Wall in 1987. He said, “Mr. Gorbohev, tear down that wall!” The Soviet press agency Tass accused Reagan of giving an "openly provocative, war-mongering speech.” But Reagan being Reagan, he didn’t give one toot what the Soviets thought. In 1989, a mere two years after Reagan’s speech, the wall came tumbling down. I wish America had such leadership today. I wish President Obama had been there to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the fall of the wretched wall. But Obama being Obama, failed to be where he should have been and represent America. Apparently Mr. Obama didn’t want to upset the Russians.

The ugly concrete wall (Die Berliner Mauer) dividing East from West Germany was seven and a half miles long, twelve foot high, gash across the city. Volkspolitizei (East German police) guards shot anyone attempting to escape East Berlin into the free West. Two hundred East Berliners died attempting to escape to freedom. I watched the end-of-the-wall celebration on TV in amazement, wishing I were there to join in the joy. I had a personal experience with the Berlin Wall. I once was there with Marlene and three of our kids.

In 1985, when I was Mayor Pro-Tem of the Moreno Valley City Council (California), our family was in Germany on vacation as well as to visit our daughter Robyn who worked there. We drove our rented VW bus on the autobahn corridor 110 miles from Helmstadt in West Germany through East Germany to the free “island” of West Berlin. Had we exited the guarded Helmstadt-Berlin autobahn we would have been arrested. West Berlin was a beautiful and vibrant impressive city. The Berliner-weisse beer at an outdoor cafe on Kurfurstendamm main street was memorable and, further down the street, so was shopping at the big 100 year old KaDeWe department store.

In West Berlin we stayed in military quarters (I’m USAF retired) located at the historic Templehof Airport, terminus of the Berlin Airlift. We then ventured into East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie past the Berlin Wall, and took the Ubahn (underground train) to the Alexanderplatz area for lunch and shopping. Incredible. East Berlin was everything West Berlin was not. What I had thought were Grade B movies that exaggerated the sadness of the communist sector were no exaggeration at all. The Ubahn subway in West Berlin was crowded and bustling. In contrast, the Ubahn in East Berlin was nearly deserted, and little traffic on the streets. There were no souvenirs at a near-empty department store, but we did buy some china.

Returning to the Berlin Wall to exit the Communist zone, we were detained by the East German volkspolitzei (police) for over an hour in a tiny windowless room, searched, and interrogated with a “good cop-bad cop” routine about why we were there, and how we had handled the money exchange rate between West and East German money. It was a frightening experience for me, my wife, and our three kids who accompanied us. They didn’t know (and I didn’t want them to know) I was Air Force Retired Reserve. I had purposely left my military ID card in West Berlin. The situation ended during a shakedown in which I "agreed" to “deposit” leftover money in my wallet at an East Berlin “bank” for “safekeeping.” I'll never see that dough again.

The next day back in West Berlin, I wanted to see the tiny enclave of the Steinstucken community, accessible only through a a narrow three mile road closely bordered by the Berlin Wall and guard towers. Photographer that I am, I had learned from a guidebook that a trail led to a break in the wall guarded by only a guard tower. I trod the trail to its terminus and there was the tower. Zooming my camera lens in on the tower, I found myself looking into the hole of a rifle barrel aimed at me by the guard - more of a photo op than I needed.

That did it. We beat a hasty retreat back to West Berlin proper. I knew the East German Police were watching me, had my name and license plate number, and our family didn’t need any more adventures. So for safety I checked in with my military identification with the American military in West Berlin. They provided official military travel orders for driving back to the safety of West Germany, and loaned us military vehicle license plates for our German rental car (I hid the German plates inside the car). It occurred to me that that travel to Communist Germany should be required for American high school graduation, to help students appreciate the Blessings of our United States.

Had President Obama and his family had my experience with the Berlin Wall, maybe he would have attended the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down. Hope springs eternal.

PRESIDENTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT

2009-11-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

President Barack H. Obama was elected “fair and square” (not counting the probable involvement of ACORN) by American voters in our democratic republic. I didn’t vote for Mr. Obama, but I respect our election process. I want every president of our United States to succeed in upholding their oath of office. I respect the Office of the President, but not necessarily everything any president does.

Mr. Obama ran a superb campaign (I wish he hadn’t). He is attractive, articulate, has charisma, brains, and no shortage of other positive attributes. The man must be given his just do. He came from “nowhere” to the presidency. Nonetheless, as president Mr. Obama is a great disappointment. Even scary.

I expected personal disappointment with Mr. Obama’s social issues agenda. His actions on Pro-Life and stem cell research came as no surprise. But I never never expected such wholesale actions in defanging our country’s military, endangering America’s national security, and that of our allies. Nor did I envision Mr. Obama’s appointment of so many whako radicals to his administration, his assault on our economy, and his propensity for groveling to foreign entities.

NATIONAL SECURITY: To me, “public health” includes national defense from hostile nations and terrorists.

1. We were supposed to have 40 missile interceptor rockets at Ft. Greeley in Alaska. Mr. Obama has cut the missile defense back to only 28 rockets. Mr. Obama tells us we’ll save a bunch of money. But we save our nation? Has Mr. Obama never heard of North Korea’s missile program, their lunatic dictator Kim Il-sung and his rhetoric? And what about our current “good friend” China and their missiles.

2. President Obama stopped the funding for F-22 Raptor fighter plane - the world’s most advanced fighter plane. The reduction cripples the the US Air Force mission, and thereby our national security. It’s amazing Mr. Obama can find enough money for an expensive government health program, and bailouts of big business, but can’t afford national defense.

3. Our president is removing defensive missiles from Poland and the Czech Republic that protect our European allies buffer US defense. He timed his decision for the 70th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Poland, and only a year after Russia invaded Georgia. How about that for kissing up to Russia, while stabbing Poland and the Czech Republic in the back? This action also encourages missiles launched by Iran’s mad man Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against Israel. As a side note, Mr. Obama was too “busy” to attend the 20 year anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down - or maybe he didn’t want to upset the Russians. I’ve seen both sides of the wall, and it was grotesque,

4. We are engaged in a War on Terror with Al Quid-a, the Taliban, and worldwide radical Muslim operatives. Yet the term “War on Terror” has been stricken from the Obama administration’s vocabulary - because our enemy might be upset (mustn’t upset people who’re trying to kill us, right?). Denial of reality is largely responsible for the terrorist massacre of our soldiers and others at Ft. Hood. This is “political correctness” at its extreme.

5. Mr. Obama selected General McChrystal to lead our troops to victory in Afghanistan - to destroy the Taliban, and their threat to America’s interests. The four star general told Mr. Obama that 40,000 additional troops are necessary to win. That was in August. It’s now nearly December. Unbelievably the president is still “studying” the general’s request. While Mr. Obama dithers his decision, Americans are being sacrificed on the battlefield. Recommendation: either support our troops, or bring our troops home. I’m a Vietnam veteran. I’ve been through this kind of unconscionable kind of stuff from Washington DC before. Now history repeats.

CIVILIAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCE: What’s that?

How about this quote from Mr. Obama, "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” What’s that supposed to mean? Inquiring minds want to know. Are we supposed to spy on neighbors and report what we find to Obama? Isn’t that what happened in Germany, the Soviet Union, and other police states?

MR. OBAMA’s APPOINTMENTS: One measure of a president’s mindset is the type of people he appoints to policy and regulatory positions. Following are six examples.

Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director: Claims the mass murdering Communist Chinese dictator Mao Tse-tung to be one of her favorite political philosophers.

Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education: A radical homosexual activist, who failed to report a pedophilia incident of 16 year old student’s relationship with an older man, He reportedly told the boy “I hope you used a condom.” Founded the “Gay and Lesbian School Teachers Network.”

Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Advisor to the State Department: Called America’s War on Terror “obsessive.” Thinks distinctions between American law and international law should vanish, and that foreign legal decisions can be considered in American decisions. Ideas like that make him a a direct threat to American sovereignty and our Constitution.

Cass Sunstein, Administrator, White House Office of Information: Wants to eliminate government recognition of marriage. Thinks animals should have a right to sue in court. Claims a horse is more rational than a human infant and should, therefore, be granted similar rights. Wants to ban all sports hunting. Defends the removal of organs from terminally ill patients without their permission.

David Michaels, Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA): Is said to view private gun ownership as a “public health” issue.

John P. Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology: is accused of backing forced abortions and involuntary fertility control. In a co-authored book, Mr. Holdren claims “Individual rights must be balanced against the power of the government to control human reproduction.” The same book suggests a “Planetary Regime” to control population, resources, and environment.

Chai Feldblum, President Obama's nominee for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Signed a petition favoring polygamy and claiming traditional marriage should not be privileged above other forms of union.

TREATMENT OF FRIENDS: Friends deserve friendship.

Mr. Obama’s removal of defensive missile from Poland has been mentioned previously. But Obama’s near political desertion of Israel is something else. Israel is the only democratic republic in the Middle East. It’s surrounded by nations and groups hostile to both Israel and America. Israel’s neighbors threaten to blow them off the map. Iran is within missile range. Israel has been our ally since its nationhood. I remember the day it happened. How can Obama persist in treating Israel like a naughty child? Why are we sucking up to adversaries at the expense of our allies? Why are we even discussing almost a billion dollars to Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group that threatens Israel?

AMERICA’S ECONOMIC SURVIVAL: Economics is linked to security. America is in deep kimchee when the Communist Chinese have to lecture Mr. Obama about our US financial policy. It appears China has the same concerns about America’s present and future deficits as the Tea Party people. I understand Chinese concerns. They bought some $787 million dollars in bonds to help finance Mr. Obama’s so-called stimulus package. Any creditors are dangerous, but America owing China is especially dangerous. It’s another a national security issue.

SYMBOLISM: Politeness is one thing. Being obsequiousness is quite another. The Japanese greet each other by bowing. The higher the status of the person you bow to, the deeper the bow. Yes, I’ve been to Japan and yes I’ve bowed - but my “bow” was more like a nod of my head. And I’m not the President of the United States. Whatever, it’s highly inappropriate for one head-of-state to bow to another head of state - as Mr. Obama did to Emperor Akihito (son of Hirohito of World War II fame). Our president’s bow was not a mere nod of his head, it was a long 90 degree bow - more obsequious than polite. In fairness, perhaps Obama wasn’t bowing at all. Perhaps he saw a coin on the floor and wanted to bring at least something back from Asia to help America’s struggling economy.

CONCLUSION:

A person of Pollyanna persuasion could gave a pass to any one or so of the disappointments from President Obama mentioned in this blog. Some of these disappointments were expected, knowing the mindset of Mr. Obama and his party. However, it’s the continuing pattern of these things that concern me about the security of our United States. and our adherence to the traditional American and Constitutional Values, that have made the United States of America the greatest nation in the history of our planet.

TRAGEDY VS TERROR

2009-11-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

I’m about up-to-here with “terrorism” being called “tragedy,” as well as other forms of political correctness” (PC) I won’t venture into here.

What’s tragedy? Some examples: an accidental plane crash that snuffs the life from 300 people, a hurricane that eliminates a town, an earthquake that buries people alive, loss of a child from disease. In other words accidents, and Acts of God, In a tragedy, there’s no premeditation, no political, social, or religious motivation involved.

What’s terrorism? Some examples: Timothy McVey blowing up the federal building in Oklahoma City, the bombing of an abortion clinic, 9/11, and yes, the Muslim Major who apparently wounded 30, and killed fourteen innocent people at Ft. Hood on November 5, 2009. The media reports 13 dead. But it was really 14 innocents - because the unborn baby of a pregnant woman was killed along with his mother. In terrorism, someone made a plan (premeditation), a human being or beings executed the plan, and there was political, social, religious motivation, or some combination thereof.

Fact is, the distinction between tragedy and terrorism isn’t news. Educated people know the difference. So why does most media, and too many upper echelon politicians, persist in calling the terrorist attack at Ft. Hood what it isn’t? It’s weak-kneed political correctness (PC) aimed at a political agenda run amuck (this sentence is not politically correct). To fix something, we must admit what the something is.

Some political correctness is harmless, annoying as it may be. I really don’t care that stewardesses have been replaced by flight attendants, or that waiters and waitresses have morphed into “servers.” But I do care when political correctness hampers government, the FBI, and others from protecting our troops at Ft. Hood from a terrorist because he called himself a Muslim? What if terrorist been Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, or Mormon? Would authorities have investigated and taken proper action then? You know the answer. No need to elucidate.

A cursory trip through the Internet using the term “political correctness” is interesting. Apparently some PC started during World War I, when our government marketed “sauerkraut” as “Liberty Cabbage” to avoid Americans not buying the stuff because it had a German name.

More insidiously, there are several articles that trace PC to the Marxist-Leninist vocabulary in which “correct” means the correct “party line.” A professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is quoted as tracing the ancestry of PC to the China’s Mao Tse-tung’s “Little Red Book.” To me, PC is in line with George Orwell’s Book “1984” and the term “Newspeak.” In a manner of speaking, the PC in play at Ft. Hood requires us to expunge reality for what some national politicians want to be true, whether it is true or not.

HALLOWEEN THIRTY-FOUR YEARS PAST

2009-10-31T17:57:00.000-07:00

Halloween 1975. Remember it like yesterday. I was still active duty US Air Force, and stationed at March Air Force Base, California. One of my “additional duties” was to help assimilate Vietnamese refugees “adopted” by my squadron into the American culture.

These good people, who had escaped the Communist takeover of South Vietnam, didn’t understand the American banking system, and kept what little life savings they had accumulated and escaped with, hidden in their homes.

As one of the squadron sponsors of the Vietnamese refugees, I did my best to explain the safety of American banks (that was before the 2009 recession!), and how the bankers were trustworthy. Finally, they agreed to take their money to a bank and open a safe savings account. I drove them there. They were nervous about the entire situation.

I escorted the refugees into the bank, whereupon they were greeted by Mickey Mouse, and the teller was Bozo the Clown. It was Halloween, All the bank employees were in costume.

Try to imagine, if you can, the expressions on the faces of the refugees, as they entrusted their savings to Bozo the Clown. I tried to explain, but it wasn’t easy. That occasion in 1975 was likely my most memorable Halloween.

A TEACHER TO TEACHER TALK

2009-10-26T22:48:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of talking “teacher to teacher” about Alaska teachers and schools with Alaska National Education (NEA) President Barb Angalak. Barb and I have both been classroom teachers, so it’s understandable we share many concerns in common, including appropriate funding of education, school working conditions, plus recruitment and retention of quality teachers. Both of us expressed a need to return to a “defined benefit” pension for teachers and other public employees.

I’m both a retired US Air Force person, and a retired public school teacher. I’ve “been there, done that.” My military and teaching careers were fulfilling, but I must admit there were frustrating times when, I might not have persevered until retirement in either career, without the security of future defined retirement benefits. That’s reality.

FIRE OPS 101

2009-10-25T23:08:00.000-07:00

Good news! I have muscles I never knew I had. Bad news. I’m so sore I feel like the age I really am. Really, really good news! The Anchorage Fire Department is one of the best fire departments in the nation. I’m ready to join. But I admit. I couldn’t keep up. No way. No how.

Yesterday, my legislative assistant Dirk Moffatt and I participated in Fire Ops 101. As the title implies, the activity was an overview of what our Anchorage Fire Department does every day to protect us. Along with other policy makers, we did a first hand extraction of a victim from an automobile crash, went into a burning building, had an opportunity to climb a six story aerial ladder, and attended to a cardiac arrest victim from arrival on scene to the Regional Hospital ambulance garage entrance.

First of all, getting into the firefighter outfit was no small task - at least for me: heavy protective clothing, gloves, boots, air bottle pack, head hood, helmet, and goggles. All in all, about 75 pounds. Add that to the fat poundage I carry around every day, and you’ve got a heavy legislator.

During the extraction of the victim from the car, I got to use the “jaws of life” to pry the car door away from the frame, and to use an instrument to break the glass out of a car window (legally). The being-in-a burning-building experience gave us an opportunity to use a thermal imaging device that made it possible to see the fire through the smoke and darkness (without it, couldn’t see anything and it was spooky).

Yes I did climb the aerial ladder but, I must disclose, only about the first eight or nine steps. Taking my time, I could have gone all the way up - but we were on a fast schedule, and the fire department couldn’t wait thirty days for me to get all the way up the ladder. But I did get a ride in the ladder bucket to the top of the aerial ladder. It’s a great view - and only scary when you look down.

There’s much talk about the need for health insurance. But let me tell you this. The Anchorage Fire Department is some of the most outstanding “health insurance” you’ll ever get!

REFUELING MISSION

2009-10-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

Went on an Alaska Air National Guard refueling mission yesterday from Elmendorf AFB to the skies nearby Sparrevohn, Alaska. Our KC135 refueled a C17 transport plane. Got to perch down next to the boomer to watch him fly the refueling boom to the C17. This is socially acceptable passing of gas.

THE RACE CARD

2009-09-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

Taking a public position on health insurance, the propriety of the government bailouts, the American military situation in Afghanistan (or for that matter, Vietnam), or any other issue, is free speech protected by the First Amendment. I have a right to disagree with you. You have a right to disagree with me. But what in the “you-know-what” does race have to do with anything? Huh? How dumb is injecting race into debates? Very.

Dumb is one thing. But if someone plays the race card on an issue, when they know better, that’s not dumb. It’s political cunning. It’s an insult to intelligence. And it’s despicable. It matters not if the race card is played by a former president, or any other big shot.

PATIENT SIMULATORS

2009-09-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

There were no complaints from the “patients” at the UAA School of Nursing today. That’s because patients were high tech simulator mannequins eye blinks, pupils that dilate, pulse, heartbeat, temperature, and sound effects including respiration and heart beat, and more - all controlled by teachers via computer. As students examine a “patient,” the computer can induce various medical conditions and emergencies - to which the students can respond. Mistakes are learning opportunities, and don’t kill the ”patient.” All this is similar to flight simulators used by commercial airlines and our military.

It makes me proud of our university and the School of Nursing. Two of my daughters registered nurses, Debra in California, and Mary at Regional Hospital here in Anchorage.

Photos show the nurse instructors operating the simulated patients by computer, a student checking the patient's eyes, and me with UAA Chancellor Fran Ulmer.

ANCHORAGE TEA PARTY

2009-09-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

It was wet and rainy. But weather didn’t put a damper on the speakers and about 100 participants of the Anchorage Tea Party - which was part of a national Tea Party event including at least 60,000 to 70,00 folks in Washington DC. Among the speakers here in Anchorage radio talk show host Eddie Burke, and former Judge Joe Miller from Fairbanks. The emphasis of the Anchorage Tea Party rally was national security and individual responsibility - something we need more of. Photo shows me with Eddie Burke.

56 YEARS AND COUNTING

2009-08-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today is Marlene and my 56th Wedding Anniversary. I met Marlene on a blind date (she was "blind." I wasn't) in October 1952 when I was going through Air Force Cadets flying school at Malden Air Base, Missouri. She lived in Dexter, seventeen miles away. We were engaged on June 16th, 1953 at Big Springs,Texas - the evening after she pinned on my Air Force wings at cadet graduation at Webb Air Force Base.

On a Sunday August 30th, Marlene and I were married at Valdosta, Georgia the day before I soloed the F94C at Moody Air Force Base. The wedding took place after a regular church service. The wedding guests were whoever remained in the church after the service, plus Marlene's mom, plus my best man from the base - whose name I don't even remember. I thought I had taken some great wedding photos with my little Argus C3 camera. Unfortunately, there was no film in the camera. But the photos would have been good.

We've had a great life together. When we were married, I was 20. She was 19. We are somewhat older now. Marlene is not only the "Speaker of the House," but also a great wife!

The"then" photo shows Marlene and I (when I had hair) a month or so after our marriage. The "now" photo shows us at a picnic at McHugh Creek after a picnic.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADS

2009-08-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Attended today one of my favorite events: graduation of Alaska Military Youth Academy cadets. The Bruckner Sports Center at Ft. Richardson was packed for the ceremony with family and well wishers. Governor Sean Parnell gave a well-received inspirational speech to the students.

The Academy's Challenge program is a 22 week high power program that includes academics, job skills, and service to community. It high rate of success is due to discipline based on individual self-control (what a concept!). The regular school curriculum (and thereby the State of Alaska) could profit from the some of the techniques that bring so much success to the students of the Youth Academy.

STAR SPEAKS ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS

2009-08-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the kickoff event for the gathering of the 32,734 signatures required to put an initiative on the 2010 ballot that would require parental notification for a minor child’s abortion. The event as held at the Changepoint Auditorium in Anchorage. Obviously, if parental consent is needed for an aspirin at school, ear piercing, etc., why is not such permission mandated for a serious medical procedure? Yes, I’m Pro-Life. But here the issue isn’t abortion. The issue is parental rights.

Keynote speaker was Star Parker, a prominent supporter of parental rights. Her spirited speech about parental rights and other issues was one I wish everyone could hear. She held the audience spellbound. Sarah Palin had been expected also to attend, but didn’t make it. Some have wanted to make that the issue - but it’s not. The issue is parental rights, not who attends. The only disappointment is that such a bill or initiative is necessary.

The initiative would require notice (but not necessarily consent) to the parent or guardian of a child under 18 before she has an abortion. Notice to a parent would have to be at least 48 hours before the abortion - but that period could be waived if consent is given. The initiative would also allow a so-called “judicial bypass” without notice to a parent, if the child presented convincing evidence to the court it was needed. Likewise, a court could allow a victim of abuse by her parent to get an abortion without parental notice. This isn’t rocket science. It’s a an initiative that allows parents to be parents, but makes allowances for children of the parentally challenged.

This initiative is similar to HB35 introduced this legislative session by Rep. John Coghill (I’m a co-sponsor), but is less stringent because the initiative requires requires notice, but not necessarily consent. HB35 passed the House 23 to 14, mainly along party lines. The bill currently resides in the Senate, but is unlikely to even pass out of committee.

36 states already have enforceable laws that protect parental rights in this area. Polls show some 78% support such a common-sense policy.

Photos show Star Parker speaking, me with friends Dirk Moffatt, Jim Minnery, and Jay Griffin, and me talking with Star after the event.

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE NEW SCIENCE BUILDING

2009-08-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Wow! The new University of Alaska Anchorage Integrated Science Building is spectacular. Along with several other legislators, I was invited to tour the new building. More than just great functional architecture, the building about doubles the space available for science students. If Alaska is going to progress as it should, we must have the university facilities needed to serve our university brain power here at home. As University President Mark Hamilton says, we need to " . . . raise up our hands and say, yes, we can meet the challenges of the next 50 years."

The photos show University President Mark Hamilton, Chancellor Fran Ulmer, and Mayor Dan Sullivan speaking to our group, and the group of legislators.

THE VETO VOTE

2009-08-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

The following are my remarks to the Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature that was called at the Egan Center in Anchorage to override former Governor Palin's veto of $28 million for energy assistance in the form of "better" building codes, et cetera:

"Thank you Mr. President (of the Senate) I also want to thank you Mr. Speaker (of the House) for the manner you have put this special session together to consider the override of a governor’s veto. In 1994 when I got involved in an attempt to override a governor’s veto, I got into all kinds of trouble - but that hasn’t happened this time, because you did everything the proper way. Thank you.

An attempt to override a governor’s veto, whether we agree with a veto or not, is a legitimate process that helps preserve the balance of power between separate and independent branches of government. I strongly support that balance of power.

However, I do not support overriding the veto. We’re getting conflicting messages from our so-called friends in Washington DC. A letter from the Department of Energy says one thing, but that’s in direct conflict with ARRA Section 410, which looks like strings - maybe ropes - on the 28 million dollars to me. You know, we build good houses up here in Alaska, we have excellent engineers, we have a great construction industry, and we can figure out our own building codes - when and how we want to.

So I’m voting 'No', and I’m telling Nancy Pelosi, and the other busybodies in Washington DC, to keep their money, and to keep their pea picking hands off Alaska."

Governor Palin's veto was overturned, by one vote. The photos show protestors across the street from the Special Session, me "running the gauntlet" of protestors (they were very nice), and a photo inside during a time out in the proceedings. One photo shows a sign I especially liked held by a six year old child. I shook hands with many of the demonstrators - both the Pro and the Con. They were a great group of Alaskans demonstrating democracy in action.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH ETHICS OPINION

2009-08-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

Our Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan held a Press Conference today at 1:00PM at the Department of Law Conference room in Anchorage, to issue a formal opinion on Executive Branch ethics issues. I was the only legislator present.

Among Attorney General Sullivan’s recommendations are that a public official cleared of an ethics charge would be reimbursed by the state for legal expenses. This change would be “prospective,” and not cover any of former Governor Palin’s legal expenses for all the dismissed ethics complaints.

General Sullivan also recommended investigative reports be kept confidential unless a complaint is determined to have merit. That would be in harmony with the bill I’ve drafted on the same subject, which I’ll be filing in January when our legislature reconvenes (please refer to my blog entry for June 18, 2009).

I’ll be asking our legislative legal people to comment on the Attorney General’s opinion. The Executive Branch and Legislative Branch are separate and independent branches of government. After the Press Conference, I did briefly discuss with a deputy attorney general the legal opinion as it might relate to the bill I’m filing. Hopefully, legislative committee chairs will act to expedite ethics related bills.

Every Alaskan has a right to file an ethics complaint against any governmental official. Nothing in my proposed bill, or the General Sullivan’s proposed regulation changes, takes away that right. It doesn’t matter to me whether my proposed bill fixes the problem, or a governor’s bill does the job - so long as the job gets done by somebody. As I’ve said repeatedly, ethics complaints need to be ethical.

Photo: Department of Law Conference Room, Anchorage. Attorney General Sullivan at podium. Channel 11 TV on the left, Channel 2 TV on right. AP photographer Al Grillo taking pictures. Reporters at the table.

OUR INDIANA KIDS

2009-07-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Marlene and I are Blessed to be the proud grandparents of 19 children, varying from age 1 to age 34. After the NCSL Conference, we visited with our daughter Marla and son-in-law Lance Wainscott in Frankfort, Indiana, and their 8 children (Hunter, Elisha, River, Enoch, Titus, Hosanna, Boaz, and Ezra). We enjoyed a very relaxing time. The school age children are home schooled, and all read above grade level. All but the youngest children play some kind of instrument. Almost every evening is music time! The older children are into both photography and art. Comment: If our legislature worked as cooperatively and efficiently, and got along as well as this family, it would really be great!

LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT

2009-07-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

The National Council of State Legislators (NCSL) convened it’s “Summit” the week of 25 July at the Philadelphia Convention Center and I was there, along with several other Alaska legislators. The convention highlight was a presentation of Bill Gates on how to improve public education. Basically, his message was that quality teachers are far more important than buildings, technology, or anything else. Common sense from an uncommon man. There were breakout issue study groups on various topics. One of the best educational experiences was being able to interface with legislators from different states and learn from each other.

The NCSL meeting also gave us an opportunity to visit Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were written, and to see the Liberty Bell that rang out America’s independence. I also communed with "President George Washington": see photo - he's the tall man on the right

SARAH PALIN'S ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-07-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Picture a political chessboard. The chess pieces are Governor Sarah Palin, Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, Adjutant General Craig Campbell, a host of other Alaska political players, plus various and assorted presidential hopefuls. Then turn that political chessboard up on its side. Result? No one is where they thought they’d be when the game started. That’s what happened today, July 3rd, when Governor Palin made the surprise announcement of her plans. As Sarah has so often said, she doesn’t engage in “politics as usual.”

Best wishes to Governor Sarah Palin as she moves on to her future. Her family, must be very proud of her. Her service to Alaska has been historic. Best wishes also to Governor-Designee Sean Parnell, and to Lt. Governor-Designee Craig Campbell for the new responsibilities they will be assuming when Governor Palin leaves office. Alaska is in good hands.

MEETING WITH DARFUR REFUGEES

2009-06-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Met today with refugees from Darfur, at a get together at the Park Strip in Anchorage. Their stories are remarkable. It's a miracle any of them survived the ongoing genocide in Darfur. Think we have problems in the USA? Think again!

I was able to get Governor Palin's bill passed out of my House State Affairs Committee to divest Alaska investments in Darfur. The US Congress has declared a genocide in Darfur, so did former President Bush, and President Obama when he was in the US Senate. The bill resides now in the House Finance Committee where, hopefully, it'll receive a hearing next session. I have my own Darfur investment bill, but have given priority to the governor's bill.

Fellowship with the Darfurians included sharing aseeda, topped with beef and sauce. Rep. Pete Peterson joined in our meeting.

THIS WEEK'S "THAT'S INCREDIBLE AWARD"

2009-06-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

During a White House CNBC television interview on Tuesday, a fly intruded on President Barack Obama's conversation with the correspondent.

"Get out of here," our president ordered the pesky fly. The fly continued to do what flies do - so Mr.Obama waited for the fly to come in for a landing - and whacked it dead with his hand. "Ready, Aim, Whack."

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has asked President Obama (“The Flyswatter-in-Chief”) to be more humane next time he’s bugged by a fly. Ergo, PETA wins my “That’s Incredible Award.”

TWO TV INTERVIEWS AND "NEW ANCHORMEN."

2009-06-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

First: I was interviewed by Anchorage Channel 2 NBC tonight about the today’s US Supreme Court decision on post-conviction DNA testing. Basically, the Court ruled there is no Constitutional right to the testing, but that states can write laws to require such testing. I’ve already done that, and they’ll be hearings on my bill when the legislature reconvenes in January. Forty-seven other states already have legislation similar to mine. Fact is, if a wrongfully convicted, innocent person is in jail, a guilty person is loose and walking down the street someplace. Guilty people need to be in jail. Innocent people need to be set free.

Second: I was interviewed by Anchorage Channel 11 CBS news about my pending legislation to make ethics complaints more ethical - see press-release on the blog below.

After the Channel 11 interview, Scotty the cameraman graciously allowed my grandkids Simon and Ethan Lynn to tour the studio - and even sit behind the news desk as “anchormen.” Simon and Ethan are 2/19th of our grandchildren. Their dad is a teacher at South High. Their mom is a teacher at Goldenview Middle School.

PRESS RELEASE

2009-06-18T16:05:00.001-07:00

LYNN TO INTRO BILL KEEPING EXECUTIVE BRANCH ETHICS COMPLAINTS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL INVESTIGATED

South Anchorage Rep.’s intent is to make the complaint process more fair

Thursday, June 18, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – House State Affairs Committee Chair Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, plans to file legislation in January to revise procedures for ethics complaints filed against the Executive Branch of state government. “Ethics complaints should be ethical,” Lynn said.

“An ethics complaint filed against a legislator is confidential until it’s determined to have merit,” Lynn said. “If the complainant breeches confidentiality, then the case is dismissed.

“In contrast, if someone goes public with an ethics complaint against the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General or anyone in the Executive Branch before it’s determined to have merit, it is not dismissed. As a result, an unsubstantiated complaint can be all over the newspaper, TV, and talk radio before it’s even investigated. That’s not fair. It invites frivolous complaints by people with a political agenda, wasting public money and the time of everybody involved.”

If Lynn’s legislation passes, a complaint filed against someone in the Executive Branch would be as fair as it is in the Legislative Branch. Rep. Lynn drafted the bill independently of the Executive Branch.

The draft legislation awaits introduction in the coming second session of the 26th Legislature, set to convene January 19 in Juneau.

BOOSTER SEATS AND NEW PRISON

2009-06-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

Alaska is a resource state, and children are our most important resource. That’s why I was happy to attend Governor Palin’s bill signing of new and better legislation that set better standards for children’s automobile booster seats. The ceremony took place at the Alaska Sales and Service car dealership in Anchorage.

Next stop was the groundbreaking ceremony for the Goose Creek Correctional Center prison, in the MatSu near Point McKenzie. The new prison will help give the prison space it needs to house those who haven’t learned to follow the rules of civilization. It will also allow us to bring Alaskan prisoners back toour state from the private prison in Arizona. In addition it will create some 700 Alaska jobs during construction, and 400 jobs when it goes into operation.

One photo shows Governor Palin looking at the new and better booster seats before signing the bill (You can see Todd in the background feeding little Trig Palin). The other photo shows the governor, shovel in hand and ready, breaking ground for the prison.

SPECIAL TREAT

2009-06-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

I was honored to be invited tonight to the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games. Athletes will progress from state championships, to national, and then to the 2011 World Special Olympics at Athens, Greece. Anchorage is one of twelve Alaska communities that provide local athletic training for people, eight years of age and older, with intellectual disabilities - or as one Special Olympic athlete put it, “people with different abilities.”

An Anchorage athletic legend, Ma’o Tosi, founder of the very successful Alaska Youth Pride group, made some inspiring comments. One of Ma’o’s quotes is, “The more effort you put into being successful, the better chances you have of being successful.” Ma’o Tosi was Alaska Basketball Player of the year 1995, and a NFL pro football player.

Several legislators were present for the ceremonies. Our Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell announced the official opening of Alaska’s 2009 Special Olympic Games.

Photo shows Ma’o Tosi (left), and Lt. Governor Parnell (right).

A STEP FORWARD FOR THE GAS PIPELINE

2009-06-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

I attended the news conference in the Governor’s Conference Room in Anchorage today. Big news! It appears a giant step forward has been made on the Alaska gas pipeline project. Exxon Mobile, the largest holder of North Slope natural gas (and one of the largest companies on the planet) announced it will be a minority partner with TransCanada to build a gas pipeline to the Lower 48. Congratulations to the hard working folks on our Alaska gas pipeline team!

Understandably, Governor Palin said the agreement is “very encouraging and exciting . . . “ I agree. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski called the deal a “major sign of progress. . . “ U.S. Congressman Don Young said, “I congratulate the Governor for her hard work on this gas pipeline project, and I applaud Exxon Mobile for joining in this partnership.” U.S. Senator Mark Begich commented, “Congratulations to the Palin administration for their persistence in getting Exxon and TransCanada together in this partnership.”

From what I can tell from other news quotes, most state legislators were positive or negative on today’s big announcement - depending on where they were with the governor, AGIA, and the TransCanada deal to begin with. One legislator said, "The devil may be in the details."

Whatever, the legislature is going to take a look and listen. A combined hearing of the House Resource and Energy Committees will happen on Monday, June 15th, to hear testimony from all the major players - the Palin administration, TransCanada, Exxon, as well as representatives of BP and Conoco-Phillips for the Denali Pipeline competitor. It should be an interesting meeting - and useful if participants are positive rather than negative.

From a perusal of public comments on the Internet, there’s lingering anger toward Exxon because of the oil spill from their Exxon Valdez tanker, Exxon’s resistance to reimbursing Alaskans for their losses from the spill, and tardiness in drilling at Point Thompson. Understood. But that was then, and this is now. We fought two wars with Great Britain. Now they’re our ally. Same with Germany. Thirty-six years ago I was rocketed in Vietnam, but this is 2009 and time moves on. Same same with Exxon. If Alaska can work constructively with Exxon, as well as TransCanada, to help bring the gas pipeline to fruition, we should look to the future - not in the rear view mirror and the past.

There will be only one gas pipeline built, and that's no sure thing. Hopefully, at some point all the players will come together, for the good of their business and our nation.

JUSTICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE JUSTICE

2009-06-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

I hope I said it right during my Channel 11 CBS interview tonight about the shocking news from our federal Department of Justice.

I was outraged this afternoon when news came that the United States Attorney General is requesting that former Representatives Pete Kott and Vick Kohring be released from prison because - once again - the federal Department of Justice allegedly withheld evidence that may have been helpful to the defense of the indicted. Unbelievable. Justice is supposed to be justice.

This is America. Everyone deserves a fair trial: state representatives, US senators, you, me, the next person walking down the street, everybody. We need to trust the people we elect to public office. We also need to trust our Justice System. First mud is thrown on every honest politician. Mud is being thrown on every honest member of the Justice Department. Mud is being thrown on the United States of America. Shame.

The only thing I know about the culpability of the accused comes from what I’ve read in the media, and the videos from hidden cameras (which look pretty damning). From what I’ve seen and heard in the public arena, it appears to me some people were guilty as sin (or arrogant, stupid, and guilty). But I’m not on a jury. But if I were on such a jury, I’d want to see all the evidence before I cast a vote of guilty or innocent. That’s only fair.

It appears some new trials may be in order - if that’s possible. The accused deserve justice. And so do the good people of Alaska.

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL REAGAN

2009-06-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

Met Michael Reagan, President Reagan’s adopted son, last night. Michael Reagan has been hosting the Michael Reagan radio talk show for some time. He was introduced to the audience by Governor Sarah Palin. The governor was introduced by radio talk show hosts Rick Rydell and Eddie Burke.

Both Michael Reagan and Sarah Palin struck strong conservative notes at the event. Predictably, their comments have already has caused great gnashing of teeth by some of my more liberal (excuse me, “progressive”) friends. Whatever happened to diversity and tolerance?

Actually, most of Michael Reagan’s talk centered on the personal relationship between him and his dad.

A touching moment was when Michael Reagan told us about how, at one time, his dad never said to him, “I love you.” Then he realized that he himself had never told his father, “I love you.” With that insight, Michael summoned up his courage, went to his father and said, “Dad, I love you.” Ronald Reagan gave a big smile and said, “Well, son, I love you too!” - and hugged him.

One time when Michael was leaving his dad’s home, toward the end of the president’s life, Michael forgot to give the hug and say “I love you.” Looking back toward the house, Michael saw his dad standing at the doorway, arms held out ready to embrace. Of course, his son rushed back to his dad. Michael made the point that though his father didn’t recognize him because of advanced Alzheimer’s dementia, he still remembered to hug his son and say “I love you.” But that he,a man without Alzheimer’s, had forgotten. A touching story. A story I'll remember, long after I forget the evening’s political jabs and thrusts.

Also in attendance at the Michael Reagan event were Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, former Lt. Governor Loren Leman, and many of my other friends.

OUTRAGE ON THE PARK STRIP

2009-05-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Look at the pictures and share my disgust and outrage. It’s photos of the World War II Memorial on the Park Strip in Anchorage. Look closely, and you’ll see the Memorial is desecrated with the Nazi swastika, the “peace” symbol, and inane words about “world citizenship,” “equal rights,” “justice,” and the statements “everywhere there is war,” “No more War.” And this crap (and I do not apologize for the word) is scribbled between the columns honored names of our American and Alaska military who sacrificed the lives for every one of us and, sadly, also for the vandals among us. This isn’t “protest.” It’s incredibly heartless vandalism.

I don’t know how long this stuff has been allowed to remain on the plaque that proclaims, “For Freedom, they gave their lives in World War II, 1941 - 1945.” The words and symbols were certainly there for all to see on Memorial Day. Quite possibly, family members and loved ones of the fallen soldiers - and comrades for some of us - saw the desecration and suffered the same emotions as did I.

I’m writing an official letter to the Acting Mayor and Mayor-Elect, asking them to take whatever action they can to repair or to replace the plaque. Perhaps our veterans’ organizations could assist.

I could write more. I’m not going to. In all honesty, my emotions could get the best of me, and I might put words into this blog I should not.

MEMORIAL DAY 2009

2009-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah French, Sr. my fourth-great-grandfather on my mother’s side of the family, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He served in the New Jersey Militia. Not much more is known about Jeremiah except that, after the war that founded our nation, he moved west to the little community Scipio on the Ohio-Indiana border, where he passed away in 1834. My family must have been very proud of Private Jeremiah French, because his surname “French” became the middle name of many of his descendants all the way into the 20th Century. I never understood why so many in my family were honored by the name French (he certainly wasn’t wealthy, and neither famous or infamous). But when I discovered Jeremiah was a Revolutionary War veteran, I think I discovered the reason for his name being honored. Wow!

Various of my uncles and cousins served in the war the War of 1812, and on the Union side of the Civil War, and in the Spanish-American War, and later World War I and II.

I was raised by my granddad John Frederick Lynn, a veteran of World War I. He is buried at the Riverside National Cemetery, California. His rank (now obsolete) was “Field Clerk,” which I’m told was in the chain-of-command between a Warrant Officer and Second Lieutenant. He left the Army after World War I. He tried to re-up in the military when World War II came along, but at age 51 the Army told him he was too old. I think the Army made a big mistake. My Granddad Lynn repeatedly told me he should have remained in the Army after World War I. I remembered that during irritations in my own military career, and did remain on active duty.

My mother, Doris Bertha Lynn was also a US Army veteran, and also buried at Riverside National Cemetery. She enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in August 1943, which later became the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). In those days, none of the military was co-ed. After basic training at Ft. Oglethorpe in Georgia, my mother shipped overseas to Casablanca, and then to Bari, Italy where she served as a telephone/telegraph operator with the 15th Air Force. The Nazis were still bombing Italy when she was there. She told me a friend took her up for an unauthorized ride in a P-38 fighter - and they had to evade unexpected German fighter planes before they could return to base and land. She separated from the Army Air Corps as a Staff Sergeant in 1946.

I proudly followed in the military footsteps of my family. Enlisted in the Air Force in 1951. Got my commission in 1953. Served in Vietnam. Retired from the Air Force in 1976. Lots of “adventures.” My military service set the foundation for about everything else I’ve ever done.

My granddaughter Tiffany Marie Aab is a United States Navy veteran. She served aboard ship, and in Guam. My grandson Josh Niewiadomski is a member of the Utah Army National Guard. With my 19 grandkids, they’ll likely by more future veterans. I hope so. It’s an honor to be a veteran.

So, this Memorial Day 2009, I honor and salute all veterans. I’m proud I have so many military veterans in my family.

Photos: top Field Clerk John F. Lynn; Corporal Doris Lynn. Bottom: Army Guardsman John Niewiadomski

PASSWORDS

2009-05-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

I’m about “up to here” with passwords. Passwords are required for my legislative computer (I don’t care who sees what I write). Then our computer department genies change the passwords every so often for security. The only people this keeps out of my computer is me. But it’s good for the blood pressure medicine industry.

There’s a plethora of passwords in my life. Passwords are required for my checking and savings accounts (I do care about that). Passwords are needed for Facebook, Flicker, Twitter, the Base Exchange on-line store, for Ancestry.com and my Blog. Passwords are needed for other accounts I’ve probably forgotten about. It’s difficult to keep all the passwords straight, and still be able to think great legislative thoughts. Of course, there are hints for the passwords - but it’s onerous trying to remember which hint goes with which password. Of course, I dasn’t write any of the passwords down. The fact of the matter is, if I did write the passwords down, I probably wouldn’t be able to find them anyway. Only the burglar would be able to find them.

I just spent 45 minutes of my increasingly limited lifespan with a password retriever woman in Dallas, trying to help me get into one of my password required thingies. After getting through the voice recognition telephone menu (prime topic for another bitchy blog), she also had trouble getting the password to work properly. Nice lady, but talking to her (with periods of being on hold sans music) for 45 minutes hadn’t been on today’s agenda.

I voted against capital punishment in the House Judiciary Committee. But for anyone who continues messing up my life with password excesses, and telephone voice recognition menus, I might make an exception. Can everyone understand that - without a password?

MY CONFIRMATION VOTE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

2009-04-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

On March 26th, Governor Sarah Palin nominated Anchorage attorney Wayne Anthony Ross (“W.A.R”) to be Alaska’s Attorney General. After his nomination, I met with Mr. Ross in my Juneau office, listened to his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, and read the pro and con email and letters sent to my office. The pro vs. con communications received from our District 31 were about evenly split. At a Joint Session of the Legislature on April 16th, three days before the legislature adjourned, I voted ”Yes” to confirm Wayne Anthony Ross as Alaska’s Attorney General.

Ross’ confirmation was rejected on a vote of 23 yea to 35 nay. Needed were 31 yes votes. My "yes" vote had good company. I was joined in my "Yes" vote by Republican Representatives Coghill, Dahlstrom, Fairclough, Gatto, Harris, Hawker, Johnson, Keller, Kelly, Millett, Munoz, Neuman, Olson, Ramras, Stoltze, and Republican Senators Bunde, Dyson, Huggins, McGuire, Menard, Meyer, and Therriault. All House and Senate Democrats opposed Ross’ confirmation.

I first met Wayne Ross (at my St. Elizabeth Ann Seton church, where he was serving as a greeter) soon after I moved to Alaska. At that time he was Alaska’s Republican National Committeeman. I supported Ross for governor when he ran in opposition to Frank Murkowski. I’ve worked alongside his wife Barbara as a Board Director. The Ross’s are a fine and honorable family, with traditional Alaska family values.

The confirmation process was supposed to be primarily about competency, not a nominee’s political party, opinions, personality, or his actions as defense attorney representing client's (however reprehensible) rights to a fair trial. Nor is a confirmation supposed to be about social issues, subsistence, current politics inside the capitol building, or about the governor who made the nomination. I think any governor should have reasonable latitude in selecting and having confirmed the cabinet members they would like have advise them, so long as they have competency. In the case of Wayne Ross, my personal opinion is that pure politics had more to do to Ross’ rejection than anything else. And it was not a pretty sight.

The political courage of Wayne Anthony Ross was well displayed during the confirmation hearing, when he sat voluntarily in the Legislative Gallery and listened to orations from legislative opponents that mischaracterized the values of a good and decent man. During the entire confirmation ordeal, Ross showed tremendous grace (and humor). Ross’s opponents certainly had First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech, most assuredly on the Legislative Floor. But methinks some tolerance would have been appropriate for Mr. Ross’ own Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Opinion.

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARS FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL DESIGNEE ROSS

2009-04-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

Our House Judiciary Committee, of which I'm a member, today interviewed Attorney General Designee Wayne Anthony Ross prior to next week's confirmation hearing by a Joint Session of the Legislature. His initials are "WAR," and that's the license plate on his big red Hummer SUV seen frequently in Anchorage.

Disclaimer: I have known Wayne Ross since 1995, and we attend the same church - but because of church schedules, we don't often see each other there. I don't think anyone would accuse Mr. Ross of being a "shrinking violet." Some would say he is "opinionated but lovable." Some wouldn't be so kind. Personally I like him. One doesn't have to agree with someone 100% to like them.

During the hearing I think Wayne Ross projected his unique personality, demonstrated competence, and defended himself admirably against some outrageous allegations - while "keeping his cool." A few committee questions seemed like the hearing was less about confirming confirming Mr. Ross, than it was about "confirming" Governor Palin. The photo shows Wayne and me talking when he visited my Juneau office earlier in the week.

U.S. SENATOR MARK BEGICH VISITS LEGISLATURE

2009-04-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

The new U.S. Senator Mark Begich made his first visit to the capitol today as a member of the Alaska Congressional Delagation. Begich was formerly the mayor of Anchorage.

Mark spoke first to a Joint Session of our Legislature, then to legislators during an informal Open Caucus in the Speaker's Chamber, and later attended a legislative reception in his honor at the capitol for lawmakers, staff, administrators, and other guests. The photos show me with Senator Begich in the Speaker's Chambers, and the senator talking to the Open Caucus.

GOOD NEIGHBORS FROM THE APEA/AFT

2009-04-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

Had a great meeting in my capitol office today with representatives of the Alaska Public Employees Association (APEA).

Shown in the photo, sent to me by Peggy Wilcox of APEA/AFT, are Colin Clausson(one of my constituents)who works for Alaska Higher Education Crafts and Trades, Local 6070 at the University of Alaska Anchorage,Cindy Spanyers the APEA's Legislative
Liaison,and Bill Feltey who is one of Rep. Cissna's constituents who works in the
Anchorage School District and is a member of TOTEM.

JUSTICE HAPPENED

2009-04-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it takes awhile, but America usually gets things right - eventually. Today the United States Department of Justice today halted their opposition to former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens for a new trial, and will be dismissing the original criminal indictment for bribery. The practical result? Uncle Ted’s conviction has been voided. No this isn’t an April Fool’s Day joke.

Whatever Stevens allegedly did or didn’t do that initiated this mess - and only the principal actors really know – the prosecutors bungled the case. In America, everyone deserves a fair trial and apparently in this case it didn’t happen.

The prosecutorial debacle obviously contributed to Senator Stevens’ re-election defeat in November, which probably otherwise wouldn’t have happened. Stevens was represented by topnotch (meaning expensive) attorneys, and it’s a good thing he was. Good for him. No one deserves to be convicted unfairly, whatever their economic or political status.

It makes me proud justice occurred. Now it’s time to look forward and forth good things for Alaska, with lessons learned.

DISTRIBUTION OF ASHES

2009-03-31T00:07:00.000-07:00

The distribution of ashes from Mount Redoubt volcano, a hundred miles from Anchorage, should remind thinking people that mankind isn’t in control of everything that happens, or could happen. The eruptions of Redoubt are an Act of God - or “Mother Nature,” if that anthromorphized pseudonym for God makes one more comfortable. Whatever one calls it, it surely should make us humble as a tiny entity in the total scheme of the universe. There’s an infinite Power “out there” that all of us must bow to. A wise - and humble - person understands and accepts that.

In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of humility. The sign remains today, especially on Ash Wednesday at the beginning of Lent when ashes are placed on a believer’s forehead, and the priest solemnly reminds us, "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." The Ash Wednesday distribution of ashes is a sober reminder of mortality from an ancient ceremony relating to events beyond our control. Perhaps volcanic distribution of ash should do the same.

We are fortunate today. Human intelligence (A Gift from “Mother Nature”) has learned how to provide better warnings of impending disasters. Even so, we can’t control volcanic eruptions and ashfall or, for that matter, control much else – including meteor impacts, earthly warming and cooling cycles, earthquakes, or the beautiful aurora borealis. Acts of God do make life interesting. The inhabitants of Pompeii had little warning when Mt Vesuvius spewed ash on its victims in the year 79AD. But today we can make educated guesses about which way volcanic ash is likely to travel. And we can prepare for it, to some degree. We’ve come a long long way in the last 1,930 years!

11TH ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE SHOOT

2009-03-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

Had a great time this Saturday morning at the Juneau Gun Club. It was the 11th Annual Legislative Shoot. About fifteen three person teams competed in rifle, shotgun, pistol, and archery. Teams included the Misfires, the Munoz Militia, Gone Ballistic, Ladies Lock and Load, Clear Miss, the Seaton Shooters, and Shake and Bake. My team (See photo)was the Lynn Street Gang: my staffer Dirk Moffatt, Matt Johnston from Rep. Wes Keller’s office, and me.

There’s a limit to “legislative transparency” when it comes to shooting scores. Merely let it be reported that our Lynn Street Gang scored respectfully in the “middle of the pack.” For me, archery was a disaster (when I did the archery event, the safest place in the room would have been holding the target).

However, I did score 91 in pistol competition with a good grouping. First time I’ve fired in any kind of competition in over forty years, so I’m fairly pleased.

We all fired the Glock 40 pistol. First time I ever fired it. What a great piece! I’d like to add it to my Colt 44 Magnum, and the Colt .38 from my police days. I’m looking forward to next year’s match.

DANGEROUS LINKS TO ABUSE OF CHILDREN

2009-03-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

We successfully passed HB6 out of the House Judiciary Committee last week. My bill, entitled “Animal Cruelty,” was really more about helping protect children and other vulnerable people from sexual abuse than the title implies. It was a tough bill to present in an appropriate manner, because the subject matter made people uncomfortable, and understandably so.

The AP story has gained state, national, and even international attention from media outlets that include: Yahoo News, MSNBC, Chicago Sentinel, Forbes.com, Huffington Post, Taiwan News, Boston Herald, New York Post, Arizona Star, Guardian (Great Britain), Minneapolis Star Tribune, and all the Alaska papers.

The following Associated Press (AP) article reports the bill (HB6):

ALASKA LAWMAKERS CONSIDER OUTLAWING BEASTIALITY
Anne Sutton/The Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska - State lawmaker Bob Lynn said he was compelled to introduce a bill outlawing sex with an animal after he read a news story last April about a 26-year-old Klawock man.
The man was spotted by a local woman coaxing a Labrador retriever, a local family's pet, into the woods near a ball field. There he allegedly tied it to a tree, taped its muzzle shut with duct tape and had sex with it, witnesses told police at the time.

It's a subject that makes many people uncomfortable and elicits a lot of nervous jokes, but for the people in this Southeast Alaska community of 800 people, it was no laughing matter, said Klawock Mayor Don Marvin at a Friday hearing on the bill.

"When this incident happened, we had a community that was scared," Marvin said. The man was a registered sex offender who had been twice convicted of raping a young boy. More recently he had served probation for assault after lunging at a child. And while the incident with the dog was reported to the police, Marvin said nothing happened for two days while fearful parents escorted their children home from school.

The state has no law against such an attack, and Ketchikan District Attorney James Scott eventually charged the man with two counts of criminal mischief, which was later changed to a theft charge. In requesting a $10,000 bail, Scott told the court that the state was concerned that if a small child had been available and unattended that day, "the small child would have been found taped (and) tied in the woods."

Lynn, an Anchorage Republican, wants to make Alaska the 36th state to ban bestiality by expanding the state's animal cruelty law to include sexual conduct. His bill would make the offense a class A misdemeanor that's punishable by up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.

The measure is backed by the Department of Corrections, the Alaska Farm Bureau, the Humane Society of the United States and the Alaska Peace Officers Association.

Rachel Dzuiba, a veterinarian at the Gastineau Humane Society in Juneau, said it would not only protect animals but also protect the public against a cycle of abuse and violence.
"The act of forcing a living creature to engage in a sexual activity without the ability of consent cannot simply be viewed as a personal choice - no more than forcing a child or an impaired adult would be," Dzuiba told the House Judiciary Committee.

The society's executive director, Chava Lee, said she has received several complaints at the Juneau animal shelter about sexual deviancy against animals. "In each case that has come to my attention, coercion, abuse, threat of physical harm or terrorizing a human during the practice of a sexual assault on an animal was present," Lee said.

According to the national Humane Society, several studies highlight the link between the sexual assault of animals and sex crimes against humans, including:

- FBI research on the backgrounds of serial sexual homicide perpetrators that uncovered high rates of sexual assault of animals,

- A report in the Journal of Forensic Psychiatry that said twenty percent of children who sexually abuse other children also have histories of sexually abusing animals,

- A Utah State University study showing 37 percent of sexually violent juvenile offenders have a history of animal sexual assault.

The committee also heard testimony from Klawock Chief of Police Cullen Fowler who said the dog that had been allegedly assaulted did not require veterinary care but appeared to have suffered. Fowler said the pressure of the taped muzzle cause blood vessels to burst in its eyes and the dog was sensitive to the touch, jumpy and afraid for a long time after the incident.

Lynn's aide, Mike Sica, said the bill is modeled on a law in Washington state. Criminal classifications and punishments vary widely among the states that outlaw bestiality.

In Nebraska, "indecency with an animal" is a class A misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $500 and three months in jail. But Rhode Island punishes what it terms an "abominable and detestable crime against nature" with seven to 20 years in jail.

Though no one testified against the bill, several committee members had concerns. Rep. Lindsay Holmes, D-Anchorage, said she was worried that someone could be charged with encouraging the crime when they were merely joking and no one was hurt. She asked the Department of Law to study the matter.

The bill goes next to the House Finance Committee, though the Department of Law said it would not result in an additional cost to the state. The bill is House Bill 6.”

PUT ON MY HELMET AND FLAK VEST NOW, OR LATER?

2009-03-26T00:11:00.000-07:00

I’ve never ducked tough issues or tough votes, and I’m not going to start now. So let it be known. If I have an opportunity to do so on the House floor, I’ll vote “Yes” on the legislative pay raise.

Considering the major issues legislators consider, the special interest high power “tough guys” we must often rein in, responsibilities we bear, and the votes we cast that affects every man, woman, and child in Alaska - and the brickbats thrown at us, both deserved and undeserved - our current $24,012 a year salary is ridiculous. It’s less than the pay of an Army corporal with 6 years service.

Yes, everyone elected to public office is a volunteer, and we campaign hard to get and keep our jobs. We like our jobs and want to advance our issues, or we wouldn’t try to remain in office. The Good Book instructs us, “the laborer is worth his hire.” We needn’t be timid about standing up and being counted.

All the legislators I know, whether I agree with their political views or not, work hard long hours in Juneau to represent their constituents as best they can. Checkout my blog entry for February 17th, 2009, that chronicles my daily legislative work for about three weeks. This kind of schedule is typical for most legislators. I usually arrive at the capitol by 8:00AM, and don’t leave until about 6 or 7. Like most lawmakers, I also do legislative work at “home” at the motel, to be ready for the next day. No complaints, just fact. As we used to say in the military, “We knew the risk when we joined up”!

The per diem part of legislative remuneration also needs fixing. As for the “short term” per diem we receive when we work in Juneau, legislators must maintain two households and have incidental expenses we wouldn’t have at home. “Long term” per diem, which we receive when serving back in our home districts, needs fixing too - and the best way to fix it is to raise base salary and eliminate controversial long term per diem. Yes, I do have an office account. It costs money to print and mail newsletters to 12,000 people, even though I personally do my own writing and graphic layout.

A state compensation commission acted independently of legislators in arriving at their recommendation for reasonable and fair salary for legislators. There was no conflict of interest. No elected official is comfortable accepting a higher salary for themselves, especially with bad national economic bad news in every day’s headlines. But it does make sense to follow reasonable recommendations.

Therefore, if the raise comes to the vote on the House floor (and I think it should) I’ll vote “Yes” to accept the recommendations. If the pay raise issue doesn’t come to a floor vote, for whatever reason, at least you’ll know I had the guts to tell you how I would have voted. Do I put on my helmet and flak vest now, or later?

WELCOME: NEW LEGISLATIVE BLOGGERS

2009-03-21T22:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new Alaska House of Representative bloggers: Representatives Kyle Johnansen, Alan Austerman, Charisse Millet They join Rep. John Coghill and me in the legislative blogosphere. Congratulations!

Please check out all of our blogs. Together, the blogs will give you a better understanding of legislative events and issues, as well insight into each of us us as individuals. Blog addresses are:

AlanAusterman.com
CharisseMillett.com
KyleJohansen.com
JohnCoghill.blogspot.com
RepLynnBlog.com

DON’T MESS WITH LYNN FAMILY

2009-03-20T02:03:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my grandson Ethan Andrew Lynn. He just won Third Place at his 75 pound class Intermediate Wrestling Tournament in Wasilla. Ethan is part of the “younger” Lynn family in Anchorage, along with his brother Simon – another fine wrestler. He attends Rabbit Creek School.

Photo shows Ethan wearing his medal, along with my proud daughter-in-law Ann Lynn, a teacher at Goldenview Middle School. Taking the photo (so not-in-the-photo) is Ethan’s dad John Lynn, a teacher at South High.

PARENTAL CONSENT: PARALLEL UNIVERSES

2009-03-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

The Parental Consent bill (HB35) passed out of our House Judiciary Committee today on a 5-2 vote. Voting “Yes” were Representatives Coghill, Ramras, Lynn, Dahlstrom, Gatto. Voting “No” were Representatives Gruenberg and Holm. The bill was sponsored by Representative John Coghill, and co-sponsored by Representatives Lynn, Neuman, Keller, Dahlstrom, Millett, Kelly, Harris, Wilson, Ramras, Gatto, and Johansen. Next destination for hearings on the parental consent bill is the House Finance Committee. Three of us on the Judiciary Committee made final speeches before the vote. My speech follows:

“Mr. Chairman: There’s been a lot of testimony on this bill, and that’s good. I want to thank Chair Ramras and Vice-Chair Dahlstrom for how well they conducted this hearing. It could have been a ‘zoo,’ but it wasn’t. Thanks also to everyone who testified, whatever their position.

Listening to the testimony, it was as if those who testified live in separate and parallel universes, each speaking a language incomprehensible to the other.

Those in the universe who support this bill - and that includes me - believe children are a Gift from God entrusted to parents for their care. We believe parents need parental rights to fulfill parental responsibilities, and believe family is the cultural bedrock foundation of society. Most parents will acknowledge they are imperfect. But parents don’t have to be perfect to be good parents who want the best of health and safety of their children. Likewise, kids don’t have to be perfect to be good kids. Those in this universe believe government, specifically the Judiciary, has abrogated parental rights and, in the process - like I said at Governor Palin’s Press Conference - committed ‘aggravated assault’ on parental rights with a 3-2 vote.

Then there’s the other parallel universe which, I confess I fail to comprehend - because I’m firmly in the parental rights universe.

But as near as I do understand this other universe - based on what I heard during testimony - there's an obsession with so-called ‘abortion rights’ - the right of anyone to abort, whatever their age, whatever the circumstances, with or without parental consent. Parents are an inconvenience, at best. Throughout the testimony, the mantra of this universe was ‘my body, my, body, my body’ with no apparent concept whatsoever, that two bodies involved - or more, if baby twins are involved. The mantra has been abortion rights, with no concept or notion whatever of parental rights and responsibilities. It’s a parallel universe foreign to me.

To me, parental rights extend far beyond the subject of this bill. Children aren’t supposed to belong to the government. The bottom line in my universe is that children are, in fact, a Gift from God to parents - not the property of Washington DC, or Juneau, or this Legislature, and certainly not the Judiciary.

My heart goes out to teenagers who find themselves in unintended pregnancy situations, but this is the time kids may need parents most. Yes, I’m Pro-Life. Yes, I’m anti-abortion. But this bill is really about parental rights. I’ll be voting "Yes.”

SPRING AHEAD VITAMIN

2009-03-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

I got my “Spring Ahead Vitamin” today from moving the clock ahead last night before bedtime. What a difference an hour makes. Really makes me feel good. The sun was brightly shining today in Juneau (headline news), and I celebrated the extra daylight with a mini-photo expedition on Douglas Island (across the bridge from Juneau). Nothing relaxes me more than photo hunting!

Yes, I know there’s a bill in the works to eliminate Daylight Savings Time. Our State Affairs Committee heard a similar bill a few years back. I wasn’t the Chair of the committee at that time - thank goodness. We address lots of controversial issues down here, and Daylight Savings Time is one of them. When we hear the bill, I’ll put on my helmet and flak vest.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2009-03-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

The Republican House Majority in Juneau issued the following Press Release this afternoon:

"Thursday, March 05, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, plans to file legislation Monday setting standards for post-conviction DNA testing. Alaska currently is one of only six states without such laws.

'A wrongfully convicted person means two things: one, a guilty person is still on our streets, and two, our state has committed an injustice to the person in prison,' Lynn said. 'Both are unacceptable.'

The Supreme Court of the United States is considering the constitutionality of a state refusing post-conviction DNA testing, and Rep. Lynn thinks it’s time to prepare for a ruling. 'It’s prudent to have a bill ready pending a Court decision so we can take action to enhance public safety and promote justice,' Lynn said.

The bill being filed will likely be modified by Rep. Lynn before its first committee hearing, as more research is conducted, and the Court makes a ruling. 'We don’t want someone to abuse our laws to escape just punishment,' Lynn said. 'But at the same time, we must craft a system that serves both justice and the wrongfully convicted.'

The proposed legislation may be read across the Alaska State House floor as early as Monday, at which time, committee referrals will be given." #### End of Press Release.

Personal comment: Get the guilty into jail. Get the innocent out of jail. Well, duh!

ENERGY COUNCIL COMMENT

2009-03-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

Its common sense for Alaska to send a strong legislative delegation to the Energy Council in Washington DC, whatever times of the year the Council meets. Alaska is a top energy producing state. Alaska’s top sources of revenue used to be oil and Senator Ted Stevens – but now it’s only oil. Hopefully, natural gas flowing through a pipeline to the Lower 48 will someday be an additional major source of revenue to Alaska.

A strong and visible presence at the Energy Council - and face-to-face meetings with national leaders - is critical to Alaska’s future. It amazes me anyone would choose to mischaracterize the Energy Council, and our legislators being there, but politics itself is an amazing thing.

Not everyone in the legislature is in Washington DC is doing work at the Energy Council. I’m here in Juneau working on current legislation, preparing important new legislation I’ll be filing next week, and contacting constituents. I’ve been appointed as an Alternate Delegate to the Energy Council, and may attend next year. I support my colleagues at the Energy Council as they work hard toward getting our gas pipeline built, opening ANWR, and bringing other energy issues to national visibility.

POLARIS STUDENTS HAVE THEIR POLITICAL ACT TOGETHER

2009-02-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

I chaired a most remarkable House State Affairs Committee meeting today. Thirty-five students from the Polaris K-12 School in Anchorage testified by phone today in support of HB 14: "An Act designating the Alaskan Malamute as the official state dog." The bill passed out of committee with 4 “Do Pass,” 2 “No Recommendation,” 1 “Amend.” In the spirit of full disclosure, I was a “No Recommendation.” The bill now resides in the Rules Committee, for potential scheduling on the House floor.

When I learned thirty-five students would be testifying, I expected the hearing to last past my bedtime (which is always late). No so. The students had their political act together. Each held to their time limit, and no one repeated the same testimony – I wish adults who testify would do so well. They even followed ponderous legislative procedure when speaking to someone on the committee other than the Chair with the correct, “Rep. So-and-So – “through the chair.” Later in the afternoon, some students were able to fly down to Juneau and visit face-to-face with legislators. My impression: kids like these make the future of Alaska secure.

The “Malamute Bill” was sponsored by the kids (but officially by Rep. Berta Gardner) as a civics lesson, and coordinated with the Polaris School faculty. Congratulations to everybody involved. That includes "Frost" the Malamute, the school mascot, pictured above!

PARENTAL RIGHTS

2009-02-26T22:55:00.000-08:00

I honored to be invited to attend and speak at Governor Palin’s Press Conference in support of legislation that requires parental consent for a minor daughter’s abortion. Bills are being sponsored in the House by Rep. John Coghill (I’m a co-sponsor), and in the Senate by Se. Donny Olson. The following are my remarks at the press conference:

"Thank you Governor, Senator Olson, and Rep. Coghill, for your superb leadership in support of parental rights. I believe the Alaska Supreme Court committed aggravated assault on parental rights with a 3-2 vote. The Court made parents irrelevant when their minor daughter needs them most. These bills fix that, and that’s why I support them. This bill isn’t about abortion, it’s about parental rights."

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING

2009-02-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Brian Judy, the NRA Liaison for Alaska, visited with me today to discuss Second Amendment issues. Disclosure: I'm an NRA member, have co-sponsored pro-Second Amendment legislation, and am a former competitive shooter. Someone asked me during my first campaign, "Are you a gun owner"? I answered, "Break into my home, and you'll know the answer." The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution confers a right to keep and bear arms. It's a right, not a priviledge. Rights not defended are soon lost.

US SENATOR MURKOWSKI ADDRESSES JOINT SESSION

2009-02-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

US Senator Lisa Murkowski today presented her annual address to a Joint Session of our Alaska Legislature. Good speech and timely. She acknowledged the troubling national economic situation, but blasted much of the so-called bailout package. She said, the “stimulus package that spends billions and billions of dollars but is neither timely nor targeted. Only 13 percent of the money for infrastructure and other projects designed to create jobs will occur this year.” But she senator faced reality, promising “I will do everything I can to ensure that Alaska gets its share of this economic stimulus package.”

The headliner of Sen. Murkowski’s speech was a proposal that “will enable the oil reserves beneath ANWR to be explored and produced through directional drilling from locations outside the exterior boundaries of the refuge.” She said “drilling would take place on state lands and in state waters.” The goal would be to extract at least some small amount of the oil and gas from its politically stranding beneath ANWR.

I had a chance to visit with Sen. Murkowski at a legislative reception prior to her speech, primarily to discuss constituent issues.

PRESIDENTIAL MUDDY SOUP

2009-02-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine 44 - or 51 - presidents into one “Presidents Day”? Presidential muddy soup, that’s what.

Methinks our current “President’s Day” submerges the brilliant, the genius, and the monumental personages of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln into a muddy mix with the likes of Chester Arthur and other underwhelmers - not to mention some modern presidents who shall remain nameless (insert your own names, if you will).

More than that, what about President John Hanson? Our new nation was founded in 1781 under the Articles of Confederation. President Hanson, our first president, took office at the end of the Revolutionary War. His accomplishments were many. President Hanson told foreign troops to skedaddle, ordered the removal of foreign flags, established the Seal of the United States, established Thanksgiving Day, and more. Six other presidents followed John Hanson: Elias Boudinot, Thomas Mifflin, Richard Henry Lee, Nathan Gorman, Arthur St. Clair, and Cyrus Griffin.

Then, and only then, came President George Washington - who became out first president under the United States Constitution. So, are these seven relatively unknown presidents who served under the Articles of Confederation celebrated on “President’s Day”? Inquiring minds want to know!

The presidential greats are unfairly diminished by the presidential not-so-greats, in the so-called “President’s Day.” How about enacting a Washington – Jefferson - Lincoln Day? Let’s eliminate the presidential muddy soup.

MICHAEL MEDVED SPEAKS AT LINCOLN DAY DINNER

2009-02-12T23:41:00.000-08:00

Michael Medved, nationally syndicated talk-radio host, came to Juneau to speak at tonight’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Medved, an unrepentant conservative and former liberal activist, gave a well received conservative exhortation to his mostly Republican audience. His speech was strong - but not “over- the top” – entertaining as well as thoughtful. He’s the kind of fellow with whom one can disagree, but still like. Medved even demonstrated gracious patience, when my camera flash repeated failed to function when trying to get his photo. I did get a recognizable photo with him despite the malfunctioning flash.

CHIEF JUSTICE ADDRESSES JOINT SESSION

2009-02-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court Dana Fabe addressed a joint Session of our Legislature today. Several other Supreme Court justices were in the gallery. She joined the Supreme Court in 1995, and became Chief Justice in 2000.

Justice Fabe's speech centered on the development of the judicial system in Alaska, but warned that nationwide financial turmoil will likely lead to greater demands on our court system, such as an increase in foreclosures, domestic violence, and criminal activity. Unfortunately, she’s probably right. Photos were taken from my front row seat in the House. The first photo shows her greeting Senate President Stevens and House Speaker Chenault.

NORTHERN CONFERENCE OF YOUNG ALASKANS

2009-02-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

All kinds of folks visit my legislative office in Juneau. Many are seeking funds for their program – and it’s usually for a very good cause. Many others come to persuade me to vote “yes” or “no” on a particular bill. All this is good.

But my favorite visitors? Young people who want to learn how the legislative process works (or doesn’t work), and talk to me about their vision for the future of our state and nation. These young people bring fresh ideas, new perspectives, and optimism. I wish I had had that opportunity when I was their age.

Today five such future Alaska leaders came to visit me. They were sponsored by the Northern Conference of Young Alaskans. It’s encouraging that our future belongs to them. One of them, Amy Voss, lives just a couple blocks from me in Anchorage – but it was the first time I met her. Amy is studying German and International Relations at the University of Alaska Anchorage. I told her I had lived in Germany a couple years, can actually ask directions in my version of German, and that I have English-German bilingual daughter (Robyn) and grandson (Nathan), and that I enjoy playing sax in Oompah “blasmusik” bands.

ACTIVITY REPORT: JAN 17 – FEB 6, 2009

2009-02-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

So what are some of the things I do as a State Representative at the capitol? The following is a portion of my legislative activities from January 17 through February 6. Not included: study of bills, issue discussion, routine office paperwork, correspondence, in and out visits with legislative colleagues, staff from other offices, personal activities, blog writing, phoning District 31 constituents.

Sat. Jan 17, 2009: Fly from Anchorage to Juneau with Marlene. Check into Driftwood Lodge Motel in downtown Juneau. Unpack. Buy groceries.

Mon. Jan 19: First staff meeting of 2009 with my staff Nancy Manly, Dirk Moffatt, and Mike Sica. Set office procedures. Review pending personal legislation. Planning. Start unpacking office.

Tues. Jan 20: First House Floor Session of the 26th Legislature. Swearing in by Lt. Governor Sean Parnell and Opening Ceremonies. Official Photo. Meet at Lt. Gov Parnell’s office to sign Oath of Office. Photo with Lt. Governor Parnell. Meet with Commissioner of Public Safety Schmidt. Continue unpacking.

Wed. Jan 21: House Floor Session. Meeting with three representatives of the Knik Arm Bridge Authority (KABATA). Meeting with Alaska Professional Firefighters Association re line of duty death benefits. Majority Caucus in Speaker’s Chambers. City of Juneau Legislative Welcoming Reception at Centennial Hall.

Thurs. Jan 22: Give speech at Alaskans for Life Rally on capitol steps. Public Safety Sub-Committee overview hearing. Meet with Public Safety Commissioner Schmidt. Attend Joint Session of Legislature to hear Governor Sarah Palin’s State of the State Address.

Fri. Jan 23: House Floor Session. Pass citations. Labor and Commerce Committee. In-State Labor and Workforce Development Hearing with Commissioner of Labor Bishop.

Mon Jan 26: House Floor session. Office staff meeting. Joint House-Senate Judiciary Committee overview meeting. Meet with Public Safety Commissioner Schmidt.

Tue Jan 27: Meet with Lt. General Campbell, Alaska Adjutant General on Alaska Territorial Guard issues, Alaska Youth Academy, and budget. Meeting with Alaska Firefighters Union representative. Health and Social Services Committee hearing with Commissioner Hogan and Financial Services Division. AFL/CIO Reception.

Wed Jan 28: House floor session. Meeting with Operation Engineers Group representative. House Judiciary Committee meeting with Attorney General Colberg for overview and legislative subpoena issues. Reception with Alaska Municipal League.

Thurs. Jan 29: Chaired State Affairs Committee meeting. Heard two House bills and Governor Palin’s bill on Permanent Fund divestment in Darfur, with Commissioner of Revenue Galvin, and Permanent Fund CEO Burns. Meeting with representative of the Alaska Independent Blind Association. Meeting with governor’s representative for Governor’s Council on Disability. Meeting with Professional Workforce Development by Health and Social Services, Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Mental Health Trust, State Hospital and Nursing Homes. Game Feed reception in Speaker’s Chambers by Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Labor and Workforce Development Budget Sub-Committee hearing.

Fri. Jan 30: Meeting with constituent from Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Meeting with legislative colleague regarding legal presence bill and Darfur bill. House floor session. Judiciary Committee meeting for overview of Corrections Department with Deputy Commissioner for Corrections Operations. Prepared addendum for Judiciary Chairman's gasoline pricing report.

Mon. Feb 2: Meeting with Constituent Stencil, Operations Manager with Anchorage Soil and Water Conservation. House Floor session. Judiciary Committee – passed my HB4 False Caller ID bill out of committee, and heard HB 96. Labor and Commerce Committee, heard HB87 on benefits for disabled peace officers, and HB 64 about gift cards.

Tue. Feb 3: Military and Veterans Affairs Budget Sub-Committee Hearing. Chaired State Affairs Committee to consider my HB42 instant on-line campaign reporting bill. Instruction on Blackberry operations by technicians, NEA representative discussing defined benefits retirement legislation. Health and Social Services hearing with Deputy Commissioner on Suicide Prevention issues. Meeting with legislative colleague on my bill requiring legal presence required for an Alaska drivers’ license. Labor and Workforce Development Budget Sub-Committee hearing.

Wed. Feb 4: House floor session, regarding extending Joint Armed Forces Committee, and projects for federal stimulus package. Judiciary Committee to consider confirmation of two Ethics Committee members, and extension of the Alaska Bar Association Board of Governors. House Majority Caucus in Speaker’s Chambers with Gov Sarah Palin.

Thurs. Feb 5: Chaired State Affairs Committee, heard and passed my HB3 requiring legal presence for an Alaska driver’s license. Meeting with constituent and director of Serve Alaska Committee. Public Safety Budget Finance Sub-Committee.

Fri. Feb 6: House floor session, citations. Birthday luncheon for Marlene and me by staff. Telephone call to constituent concerned about President Obama’s policies. Meeting with State Veterinarian regarding my HB6 bill. Meeting with constituent representing Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference. Meeting with AFL/CIO representative to discuss House Resolution 5 to be heard next week in Labor and Commerce Committee. Review and discussion of Senate stance on subpoena issues, and Lt. Gov. Parnell’s written response.

HURTFUL SPEECH FROM COWARDS

2009-02-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve not had much problem (hopefully this blog won't cause that to change) with anonymous posts to this blog. Actually, there once was a newspaper in California, which hosted a full page of anonymous “letters to the editor,” and I was the subject of one such anonymous pithy epistle. Actually, I was so proud of that anonymous letter that I framed it, and it’s on my wall at home today. Sometimes one is best defined by their enemies.

That said, I have nothing but contempt for those who post nasty, hurtful - and often libelous - comments to online newspaper articles or online television reports or to anything else. These people are too cowardly to put their name where their comment is.

Anonymity for good purpose, however, can have its place. For example, anonymous “whistleblowers’ oft times have done a world of good in the workplace. Likewise, helpful investigative journalism would suffer if it were not for anonymous sources. Legitimate anonymity is a far cry from vicious comments posted on-line by unidentified (except, perhaps by a goofy avatar) and cowardly provocateurs.

Commercial entities - newspapers, television stations, etc. - which publish anonymous on-line comments likely do so in the name of profit, without sufficient concern that a lot of people are undeservedly hurt. Several courts have ruled that “shield laws” that protect journalists and their sources, also shield writers who post anonymous on-line comments. That seems a bit of a stretch, but stretching isn’t uncommon in too many courts nowadays.

Whatever, I’m an advocate our First Amendment right to free speech, even when hurtful speech comes from cowards.

2009 ALASKA STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

2009-01-22T22:32:00.000-08:00

One of the neat things about my seat on the right front row of the House of Representatives is that I get to see our governors, United States Senators and Congressman, and our Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court close up when they address joint sessions of the Alaska Legislature. My front row seat also permits me opportunity for snapshots with a pocket camera – sans flash. I took the snapshot on the right during the Governor’s speech

Today I watched and listened to our Governor Sarah Palin deliver her third State of the State address to our legislature. It was, by far, her best delivered speech to our legislature. But, let’s face it. She’s gained a lot of speaking experience during her run for vice-president. And it shows.
She opened her speech by wishing President Obama well, and thanking former President George Bush for his defense of America. Very gracious.

Governor Palin recognized the national downturn in the economy, explained that Alaska’s economy is in better shape than most because we had the foresight to place billions of dollars into savings when oil prices were high last year. Nonetheless, she called for a state hiring freeze as one precautionary measure against projected budget deficits this year.

I was happy to learn Governor Palin will introduce a bill to assist development of an in-state natural gas pipeline, and I liked her goal of generating 50 percent of power from renewable sources by 2025. Like former Governor Hickel, Sarah Palin is not shy about advocating for long term projects. She announced her support for a future 526 mile road from Fairbanks to Nome to open up vast new regions for economic and resource development. I would have liked for her to mentioned a rail extension to the Lower 48, which would go a long ways toward lowering shipping costs and increasing tourism.

Whatever, as one legislator said, “There’s no doubt the governor is back in town”!

CELEBRATE ALASKA’S CELEBRITY

2009-01-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

Whatever your political party, regardless your assessment of candidates, however you voted, 2008 was a banner year for Alaska - because of Governor Sarah Palin’s selection as a candidate for Vice-President of the United States.

Sarah’s national campaign put Alaska on the map, thrust Alaska into national consciousness, and was altogether a very good thing for our state. No Chamber of Commerce or Visitor Bureau could possibly have the money to pay for the kind worldwide publicity Alaska gained through the “earned media” i.e. getting a message out through the media without having to pay for it.

Some critics with a political agenda might allege candidate campaign shortcomings caused more harm than good. Not so. Any publicity or campaign consultant will tell you, the word “Alaska” was always spelled and heard correctly – repeatedly. Think of it as more Alaska yard signs than anyone could ever afford. Furthermore, the worldwide interest in Sarah Palin translates into interest in Alaska, and everything we do up here. Some folks probably never heard of the Iron Dog Race, our fabulous hunting and fishing, or anything else about our unique Alaska lifestyle, until the media introduced Sarah to the world. In other words, “it’s a good thing.”

Let’s celebrate Alaska’s celebrity - and leave future politics to the future.

MY 2009 PRE-FILED BILLS

2009-01-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Legislators “pre-filed” several new bills in our Alaska House and Senate last week and today. A bill may be filed anytime during a session, but a “pre-filed” bill is “read across the floor” on the very first day of session and assigned by the Speaker to committees. Pre-filing gives bill sponsors something of a “jump start” on the getting bills through the sometimes tortuous legislative process.

I’ll provide more information at a later date, but the following are my personal pre-filed bills:

HB3: Legal presence in Alaska required for an Alaska driver’s license and/or identification card.

HB4: Makes false name on telephone caller ID device illegal.

HB5: Requires Permanent Fund Corporate divestment to divest certain funds in Sudan (Darfur) due to the on-going genocide.

HB6: Bill addresses inappropriate human contact with animals that could be a “gateway” to sexual abuse of children.

HB24: Co-Prime Sponsor with Representatives Fairclough and Gatto on a bill involving Alaska veteran preference for public procurement.

HB42: Forms a study group to determine how to implement instant campaign on-line reporting. The Anchorage Daily News published my editorial on this bill on January 13th, and this bill was also covered earlier by Anchorage Channel 2 NBC News.

Bill number not yet assigned: PFD allowed for civilian military contractors assigned overseas.

Bill number not yet assigned: Allows members of the same family to work together in state employment, if one doesn’t supervise the other.

Bill number not yet assigned: Special license plates for honorary consuls of foreign nations who reside in Alaska.

Note: I may also file other personal bills during regular session, and may also “carry” some of the governor’s bills at her request. I may also be co-sponsoring some bills of other legislators.

TOUR OF UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE FACILITIES

2009-01-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

I accepted the opportunity today for a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Sports Complex and Allied Health Sciences Building. The purpose of the tour was to make legislators more aware of how UAA student population growth requires updated facilities. The need was evident. The tour ended with remarks by University Chancellor Fran Ulmer (formerly a legislator), the UAA Student Body President, and the legislators. The upper photo shows Chancellor Ulmer speaking with our group. The lower photo shows me with Fran Ulmer on my left and, on my right, my constituent Steve Rollins, Dean of the UAA Library.

I believe our university system is the intellectual foundation for building Alaska’s future. As the university succeeds in its mission, so too will our state.

MEETING WITH GOVERNOR PALIN

2009-01-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

I met with Governor Sarah Palin today at her Anchorage office to discuss several of the new bills I’ll be pre-filing – including my bill on instant on-line campaign disclosure - for the new Legislative Session that begins January 20th. It was a very positive and productive meeting. The legislature and the administration are separate and independent branches of government, and one does not report to the other. Nonetheless, it’s in the best interest of Alaska for one branch to consult and coordinate with the other whenever practical. I wish it happened more often.

At the end of our legislative business meeting, I showed Governor Palin a drawing my grandson

Hunter Wainscott drew from a photo of the governor and me together on the capitol steps. It was my Christmas present from him. Hunter, who lives with his seven siblings and parents in Indiana, is a talented young artist. Governor Palin graciously let me take a photo of her holding Hunter’s drawing, and I’ll be sending it to him.