Knowles hopes more Dems will join his pro-drilling stance

[Freddie Stubbs]

ANWR: The former governor will aim to rack up support if elected to Senate.


By DAVID WHITNEY
Anchorage Daily News

(Published: July 9, 2004)

WASHINGTON -- Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles said Thursday that if elected to the U.S. Senate he would be the kind of independent Democrat who could change the tone of politics -- and, just maybe, sway enough of his Democratic colleagues to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.

Knowles is seeking the Democratic nomination to take on Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the November general election.

He appeared at a press conference Thursday with two House members, Chris John of Louisiana and Brad Carson of Oklahoma, who are top Senate contenders in their states for open seats.

The three said that, if elected, they would make the case for developing the refuge's oil potential inside the Senate's Democratic caucus, which is overwhelmingly against drilling there.

more: http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/5279896p-5216794c.html

[rpannier]

1. Great...

more Leibermann's and Miller's. Just what we need.

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. He is simply representing the people of Alaska

who overwhelmingly support drilling.

[rpannier]

3. That may be...

but that doesn't change my opinion of him or his position. Afterall, why should the wants of a tiny minority supercede the desires of the majority (most of America).
Besides, not only is Knowles supporting it, but so is the Dem Nominee from Oklahoma and a possible nominee from Louisiana.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Shouldn't Alaskans decide what happens in their state?

They have much more at stake on this matter than does someone who lives in New York City.

[rpannier]

5. Not necessarily...

If they wanted to seize all the Aleuit lands and make them slaves we wouldn't let them. If the wanted to kill all species of animals in their state we wouldn't let them. I realize those are extreme examples, but never-the-less we recognize that there are limits to what people can do.
The oil is on federal lands, hence it is the property of the US government, not the state of Alaska. To say that Alaskans should be able to override this would be inviting that logic on all Government owned land -- Yosemite, Yellowstone, etc.
Whether people like it or not, any sort of medium sized, or larger spill in that region would be an ecological disaster, one only has to look at the results of the Exxon Valdez.

[Bandit]

6. Under Alaska's Statehood Pact all mineral rights

are to be divided 90/10 with Alaska getting the 90% and the Feds getting 10%. Under Bush 1 this was illegally changed to a fifty/fifty split but still Alaska having all mineral rights for developement. I don't want to get into the argument whether or not to open the wildlife refuge for oil developement but do want to defend Alaska's Rights as defined under our statehood pact. Even under private land Alaska still maintains mineral and water rights.

[cleofus1]

9. what do you know anyway...

know here native or white wants to kill all the animals in the state. For your information hunting has been going on here for tens of thousands of year and were doing just fine without you advice (so far).
And the white man nearly killed off all the original Aleuts a long time ago. So thanks for your concern so late in day. And by the way no one wants to enslave the Aleuts anyway...well maybe the Inupiats...but I'm sure they'd really rather have their dogs.
It just seems you employ your hyperbole out of ignorance and that annoys me.

[Ken Burch]

10. All three of whom ended up LOSING...

well, so much for that brainstorm.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. This is just one issue. He is no Miller on other issues!

[cleofus1]

8. I'm voting for tony and Kerry

I support drilling in anwr and responsible development of all natural resources. I believe this is possible. I support a women's right to choice and a citizen's right to bear arms.

I support unions and the trickle up theory of economics...I support a citizen's right to hunt on the land and the sea...specifically big game and marine mammals...

Sure let's legalize pot and de-criminalize most drugs. Let's get back to war in self defense only (they have to attack first!). I'm against the death penalty. I used to be a hippy...now I'm a comic book reading guitar playing computer geek.

I want to tax the hell out of the rich and feed the poor. I want to build huge monuments to education and call them "elementary schools". I want to fully fund Community and City colleges.

I want to see equal pay and advancement for women and all ethnic groups (including middle aged bald white males!), but especially native American males...specifically short, round, long haired, brown skinned, long black haired native males!

sorry...but yeah I'm a democrat.