Alaska's Voters Take a Pass on Accountability

Radley Balko | November 5, 2008

With only early voting ballot counting remaining, convicted felon Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) leads challenger Mark Begich by by 3,300 votes.

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) also has a stunning 17,000 vote lead, despite trailing in all of the pre-election polling.

Comments

|11.5.08 @ 8:37AM|#

I just saw that result myself.

Alaska is now officially the most fucked up state in the Union. Sorry Georgia and Mississippi.

|11.5.08 @ 8:39AM|#

In "Real America" pork getting felons are the preferred candidate, thank you.

Kyle Jordan|11.5.08 @ 8:41AM|#

This would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Mad Max|11.5.08 @ 8:42AM|#

How is Mark Begich going to explain this?

"I lost to a convicted Republican felon in a year when the Democratic Party as a whole made great gains on President Obama's coattails.

"At least I didn't lose to a dead guy!"

VM|11.5.08 @ 8:43AM|#

"Alaska's Voters Take a Pass on Accountability"

big fucking surprise. "MORALS MORALS MORALS FOR THEM, NOT FOR US!!!"

balls.

Untermensch|11.5.08 @ 8:43AM|#

It might help to provide some context here. It isn't that Alaskans at this point want Stevens. They pretty much know he's out. The Republican party ran a strategy of "vote for Stevens even though he stinks" so that there can be a special election with a Republican candidate later. At least this is the message that voters got up there. So a vote for Stevens wasn't a vote for Stevens but rather a vote against Begich.

Considering that everyone I know who had personal dealings with Begich (particularly financial dealings) found him to be an even bigger crook than Stevens (although a wily one who always left himself an out and can't be pinned on anything), I'm not sure I blame them for picking Stevens over Begich.

They were left with two absolutely rotten choices and picked the one whose rottenness is exposed in the hopes of replacing him on better terms than getting Begich.

I agree that the Senator from my native state should be in jail over all this and it's likely he will be ejected from the Senate. Everyone there knows that, so I don't know that it was a vote against accountability so much as a pragmatic step.

I personally disagree with it, but Balko's characterization is a little underinformed about how this played out up there.

Untermensch|11.5.08 @ 8:44AM|#

The Don Young one I can't account for though.

Untermensch|11.5.08 @ 8:45AM|#

err, I personally disagree with the strategy, not Balko's characterization (although that's true too).

Mad Max|11.5.08 @ 8:48AM|#

"They were left with two absolutely rotten choices and picked the one whose rottenness is exposed in the hopes of replacing him on better terms than getting Begich."

Then the voters of Alaksa have one up on the rest of us, if they actually get a do-over.

|11.5.08 @ 8:49AM|#

The fact Young is there too suggests that Alaskans are, dare I say, a bunch of socialist parasites happy with electing guys until they get senoirity and can then pick the pockets of their fellow Americans clean and "spread the wealth" up above the Lower 48.

|11.5.08 @ 8:52AM|#

As I watch the bottom of my screen and see that things such as "spaceport" taxes are passing, I'm glad to see that voters in some parts of the country are even less rational.

|11.5.08 @ 8:55AM|#

Ammonium,

In Milwaukee a referendum passed forcing all employers with more then 10 employees to off their employees 9 paid sick days a year. It passed with something like 65%. A lot of employees in Milwaukee are going to lose their vacation days at best and their jobs at worst. Will the last employer in Milwaukee please turn out the lights.

Elemenope|11.5.08 @ 8:57AM|#

Why would they stand against the gravy train?

Zubon|11.5.08 @ 8:58AM|#

I assumed it was straight-ticket voting. They voted for their governor and that guy who was running with him, and she carried the party on her coattails despite it all.

Abdul|11.5.08 @ 9:02AM|#

To be fair, one has to assume that some of the Stevens' voters knew that Stevens wouldn't actually fill the seat, and are really voting for a first round draft pick by Gov. Palin.

But for the rest of the voters, sheesh! Sober up before you vote!

Untermensch|11.5.08 @ 9:03AM|#

I assumed it was straight-ticket voting. They voted for their governor and that guy who was running with him, and she carried the party on her coattails despite it all.

Can't account for it. Stevens won with a much lower margin than McCain did. A lot of Republicans voted against him. I know a lot who voted for him just because of the whole "do-over" aspect and actually considered their alternatives pretty closely.

|11.5.08 @ 9:06AM|#

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) also has a stunning 17,000 vote lead, despite trailing in all of the pre-election polling.

So there's one Ron Paul Republican winning, eh?

|11.5.08 @ 9:10AM|#

The fact Young is there too suggests that Alaskans are, dare I say, a bunch of socialist parasites happy with electing guys until they get senoirity and can then pick the pockets of their fellow Americans clean and "spread the wealth" up above the Lower 48.

But Dr. Rep. Ron Paul endorsed Rep. Young! How can he be a socialist parasite?

Still ticked at him about that in a close race that Sean Parnell could have won.

Kaiser|11.5.08 @ 9:11AM|#

I say we give Alaska to Canada and the combine North and South Dakota into just Dakota. They are so far away from the rest of us no one even cares anymore. Who knows maybe they can strike a deal with Russia seeing as how they ar such close numbers and all.

|11.5.08 @ 9:13AM|#

Palin can't appoint the new Senator; there will be a special election and some rumors have it that Palin may run for the seat. They changed the law after (then) Gov. Murkowski appointed his daughter to his old Senate seat.

Kaiser|11.5.08 @ 9:15AM|#

oops

numbers = neighbors

my bad

robc|11.5.08 @ 9:21AM|#

MNG,

Missouri elected a dead guy. I would vote for a felon over the dead every time. The felon can reform, the dead cant.

Nigel Watt|11.5.08 @ 9:52AM|#

robc, I'd vote for the dead guy every time. They can't vote wrong.

|11.5.08 @ 9:56AM|#

If the Dems are serious about "change" and government reform they can look at the seniority system in both houses that encourages the electorate to vote for scummy incumbents so their state doesn't lose the head of the line privileges at the public slop trough.

But the Dems are no more serious about reform and "change" than the GOP was when it held both houses and the White House. The Department of [mis]Education is still with us, isn't it?

I voted for five (L) candidates yesterday. I'm gonna be bitching* and complaining just as much as ever.

* I apologize to the uber-sensitive about that obviosly sexist verb. If I was a man** my language would never be desribed as "bitching".

** Oh wait ...

|11.5.08 @ 9:56AM|#

The problem is that when you vote for the dead guy, you actually get someone else.

|11.5.08 @ 10:36AM|#

I say we give Alaska to Canada

I say we let the Alaskans drill for their oil. But that ain't gonna happen now, is it?

robc|11.5.08 @ 10:36AM|#

Nigel Watt,

If they actually let the dead guy serve the term, I would agree with you. However, same applies to felons as long as they arent let out on work release.

robc|11.5.08 @ 10:40AM|#

J sub D,

I only got to vote for 2 libertarians.

I did get to break up the stupid husband-wife team for my mini-city commission. 6 people were running, you could vote for 4. The couple that shared literature and yard signs didnt get my votes. He finished 1st, she finished 5th, so they only get 1 councilman in their household. I have no idea if they are good or bad, I was opposing concentration of power.

My maxi-city commission wasnt up for vote. 4 year terms and my district had election 2 years ago. (1/2 are up each 2 years)

Yes, I live in 2 cities. How fucked up is that?

|11.5.08 @ 10:45AM|#

How embarassing would it be to lose to a convicted felon, anyway?

And it will be a pleasure to see the Senate actually remove somebody for wrongdoing. Too bad it doesn't happen a lot more often, no? Although I've got ten bucks that say they don't do it until he has exhausted his appeals.

|11.5.08 @ 11:01AM|#

Dollar Bill Jefferson was re-elected for the TENTH TIME yesterday as well. Showing yet once again some of us in La. refuse to let a truly crooked politician lose. Oh a better note the local 1/2 cent sales tax increase and property tax increase went down in flames. It was nice to wake up knowing my pay did not receive a cut overnight.

rhywun|11.5.08 @ 11:17AM|#

I live in 2 cities.

WTF?

robc|11.5.08 @ 11:26AM|#

rhywun,

WTF?

I live in Louisville, KY and Middletown, KY.

Middletown was there first. About 2000, Louisville merged with Jefferson County to form "Metro Louisville". The little cities didnt go away.

And, yes, I pay taxes to both.

Although, I paid county taxes before the merger so my tax burden hasnt changed.

And I agree wholeheartedly with the WTF!

rhywun|11.5.08 @ 11:41AM|#

The little cities didnt go away.

That makes perfect s--- wait a minute. It doesn't make any sense at all.

robc|11.5.08 @ 11:58AM|#

That makes perfect s--- wait a minute. It doesn't make any sense at all.

Trash pickup - done by Middletown.
Snow removal - mostly Middletown, although I think the
main road thru town is handled by Louisville, not sure on that.
Etc, etc etc - done by Middletown.

Im not sure what exactly Louisville provides me in this mix. Police, I guess, but we had county police before the merger (the city-county police forces merged into one). Some small cities that had their own police forces kept them.

rhywun|11.5.08 @ 12:24PM|#

It sounds to me what really happened is that Louisville dissolve itself, only it wanted to retain the name. Or something.

|11.5.08 @ 12:39PM|#

Perhaps the Democrats will just let Stevens stay in the Senate. If there must be a Republican in that office, it might as well be one who's in prison and can't cast any Republican votes.

Let's hope the Democrats haven't read Machiavelli.

robc|11.5.08 @ 12:56PM|#

rhywun,

Back in the 80s, Louisville went on an annexation spree, trying to annex all the unincorporated parts of the county into the city, piece by piece.

There ended up being a ballot question to merge city and county, with the agreement that they would stop annexation for 10 years if they lost. It lost.

In the late 90s, the local politicians started pushing for another ballot question and it passed in 2000. The city wanted the expanded tax base from the generally higher income county. Their "rebuilding" of downtown efforts were getting hampered by the small tax base. By getting all the county money too, they have been able to pump more into downtown.

Those of us who dont give a rat's ass about downtown see a colossal waste.

Geotpf|11.5.08 @ 1:09PM|#

What is up with politicians from Alaska? Why are they all nut jobs? Stevens, Young, Palin, Gravel!

|11.5.08 @ 1:52PM|#

Geotpf,
To be fair, Gravel never was "from Alaska". He moved here expressly to get into politics gambling (correctly) that it is easier to sway the minds of 600k people than 6million.

As for the rest, maybe the water or the winter.

|11.5.08 @ 1:58PM|#

Untermensch | November 5, 2008, 8:44am | #
The Don Young one I can't account for though.

Same strategy. To quote one of Don Young's "approved" campaign spots that aired up here, repeatedly:
"If you vote for Ethan Berkowitz what you get is Nancy Pelosi. That's right, Nancy Pelosi. Can you imagine?"
Don Young is currently under investigation for bribery as well and will likely be indicted. My only guess is that rather than vote a freshman senator with honor they'd rather have a pork grubbing crook in a powerful committee. Sad day for my fellow Alaskans. So much for frontier spirit.

nolalib|11.5.08 @ 3:03PM|#

Dee,

A correction: Dollar Bill Jefferson did not win reelection. Rather he won the Democratic primary runoff. He needs to win the next election. From the Times-Picayune:

Jefferson will face off in December against Republican candidate Anh "Joseph" Cao, Green Party candidate Malik Rahim, Libertarian Party candidate Gregory Kahn and independent Jerry Jacobs.

If he does win, the Democratic Congress will face an interesting dilemma once he is convicted on federal bribery charges - especially if he doesn't resign.

Geaux Gregory

|11.5.08 @ 3:15PM|#

Stevens was big for bringing home federal dollars. I'm not suprised that Alaskans would give him a pass on ethics. Maybe to them, the ends justify the means, and perks.

Nor is it suprising that the guy who promised the most federal dollars won the Whitehouse. It's one of the problems with having an income tax, people pay in and want something in return. Create a federal teat, and the people will feed.