As Uncle Ted takes the stand today in his own defense he will claim to be so obtuse that he was unaware of the existence or value of gifts laid at his feet. It is red faced grass kicking lie, like that of a boy caught by his mother breaking rules he thinks are stupid. The barely concealed current running through the recorded phone conversations between Stevens and former pal Allen is that the rules are wrong, not them.
Because Stevens is a fallen angel.
His faith in the messy, loud and inaccurate system of government that is a democratic republic has been bleached out of him in his long years wrassling laws in the Senate. He is like the Catholic priest whose long years in a cynical system have made him forget the goodness that still sits in the pews.
His implicit motto is the famous quote from Men In Black:
"A person is smart. People are dumb panicky animals, and you know it."
I can understand this, to a degree. Here in Kodiak our quest to build a new police station has been a study in the inefficiencies of democracy. A City Dictator, conferring with a few of our prominent citizens, could have decreed a new station site despite the howls of the ignorant masses that it is in the wrong place. Could have saved us a couple of million dollars. Of course the station would have gone where the citizens didn't want it. But citizens are like children. They don't know what they really need.
Uncle Ted truly believes that it is better to confer with the Captains of Industry than to sift through the clamor of the masses. This is his true crime--his every action as a Senator is guided, not by the needs and wishes of his electorate, but by a close contingent of confederates and associates that he has come to trust.
Perhaps Mr. Begich will one day be worn down from dealing with the dunderheads of democracy. At that point he should quit, as Uncle Ted should have, long ago. Because swimming in the sea of the citizenry is what a public servant does. It is not a job you can do sipping champagne on the shore with your homeboys.
6 comments:
You know, its interesting to read your posts and know something about how you are representing those who depend upon you. we see absolutely zero in your leadership(?) on the crew issues before the north pacific council. you make jokes, wear funny outfits, and write somewhat humorous posts. just exactly what do you expect to accomplish. your criticism of ted stevens is opportune and arrogant. what have you really done for anybody? you attack stevens because you blame him for your losing "your carefree days at sea". well that tomfoolishness on your part is largely at the expense of others. ted stevens authorized a plan by the north pacific council (unanimously) to save a fishery-despite your enjoyment-that was headed down the tubes. owners were desparate, and making very bad decisions, sometimes resulting in the tragic loss of life. but as long as you could buy a license, strap a vix around your waist and jump on a crab boat for a week-you didn't care, then ted stevens said that the north pacific council can make any change to the plan it wished. stevens has done more for alaska in a weekend than you will do for those who are depending on you the entire time you engage in the process.
now you jump on the 'ol man's carcass and kick him when he is down. do yourself a favor and read (or when you are living off someone esles vessel investment) watch the Caine Mutiny. a classic rendition of Capt. Queeg's crew doing to the old man, exactly what you are doing to stevens. enjoy and good luck in your next dwarf tripping exhibition.....
to anonymous spoken like a person who is happy to take what the powerful have to give with no recognition of the vast numbers of people not chosen, who know that the right way to live is to keep our resources of fish, crab, for instance, in the hand of our populace. why do i, and the rest of our country have to not only bail out an industry, the crab industry, you obviosly are ingratiated into, but to now have to live with the knowledge and reality that peope like you now own what used to belong to me and the rest of us.You complain and then go catch an ever larger quota with 1/4 the vessles of 3 yrs ago, and rake the money formery shared relatively fairly, into mailboxes, who knows where, and expose our food sources for purchase on the world market. What has happened is a national security issue! I get sick of hearing people like you defend your gift of a resource and complaing when others call you on it. those crab and halibut and pollac were and are no one's to give. It took a person like Ted Steven and people like you, pull the wool and grease the wheels til they are now private propery. It is an injustice that will not go unrectifed. good and right is on our side. Keep it up Terry
"Tomfoolishness"?
Ouch. You really know how to hurt a guy.
Anonymously.
Also those aren't funny outfits, those are my clothes.
Gee whiz, lighten up, Francis.
Anonymous=Bobby T to a "Tee."
A little less luster in his bluster now that buddy Ben is next.
If the Benster is heading to Petersburg must be on one of JW's boats as rumored earlier this year.
Must be tough being one of the most recognized and despised people in Alaska wherever you go.
Oh well, you work at something hard enough you will be rewarded commensurate to your efforts in that or those endeavors.
Hi Terry,
The first anonymous was a little hard on you I would say. As I think this is one your better written articles. With a little longer review of Teflon Ted's career, I would say that he was a true Alaskan and a great asset for the first 20 years. But in the last 20 years his name is become a trademark for selling Alaska like it was a Third World nation. Although anonymous is trying to rationalize another redistribution of wealth, he's obviously blind to the fact that the few remaining operators are still making bad decisions that sometimes result in the loss of life. Legislation is not a cure for stupidity and greed. Many of those who invested in vessels in the pre-rationalization era were doomed to failure by the CDQ system taking 10% of the quota off the top. When you consider that the average profit margin is 15% for small businesses in America. I find it unconscionable that a US Sen. would punish US citizens whom he obviously cares nothing about. To her award to a handful of his constituents whom he was counting on to keep the gravy train rolling. The assertion by anonymous that he is somehow entitled to a public resource by virtue of his investment doesn't speak very highly of his character. But without him crooks like Stevens would not have a constituency. I will agree with him on one thing though, it would've been better for you and all of the crew members if you could've showed up at at least a few of the meetings leading up to rationalization. Keep up the good work Terry, we all do what we can.
Thank you for tthis
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