Murkowski Scare Tactics Pay Off, So Far.

According to the gauges, it's time for some good old-fashioned Republican fear-mongering.

When one of oil giant BP's transit lines broke this march, spilling some 210,000 gallons of oil (the largest land spill in the history of Alaska) not one person looked up from their morning corn flakes. However; a small 210 gallon leak in a supply pipe this Tuesday at Prudhoe Bay oil field caused by corrosion (due to insufficient maintenance by BP) brought about BP's decision to shut off the entire Prudhoe Bay field for inspection and maintenance. Prudhoe Bay accounts for approximately half of all Alaska's oil production, oil accounts for approximately 80% of Alaska's total income. Oil carries heavy leverage and the timing of the shutdown is amazingly coincidental, considering that Frank Murkowski was able to use it as a tool to pass his oil and gas tax, and will likely use it to gain an edge in the primaries.

With the stranglehold tightened and the governor's whip cracking at their backs, lawmakers (conveniently already in a second special session called by Governor Murkowski to push his tax plan) passed the controversial new tax restructuring that they had been holding out so adamantly against immediately after hearing of BP's shutdown. The new oil and gas tax plan is based on net profits of the oil companies, with credits for reinvestment and maintenance (like the possibility that the State will pay for full replacement of BP's currently degrading pipe system) and assures that with a little creative bookkeeping big oil will share little profit with the state.

After the biggest pipeline leak in Alaska history is old news, why continue pumping oil for five months and then shut down the pipeline for a measley 210 gallons exactly one week before party primaries? Must be nice to have that kind of pull at BP, Frank.