Democracy Inaction: Spotlight on Alaska

Don Young

Republican Congressman for Alaska Don Young ran unopposed this term in his primary. It's really not surprising when you consider that Young has had a monopoly on the whole congress schick in Alaska for three quarters of its statehood; Young has been Alaska's only Congressman for thirty four of its 47 years in the union. Recently, Young has refused to debate with his democratic challenger, Diane Benson, in town hall style. Perhaps Young thinks that he is entitled to a life appointment? Or, perhaps Young realizes that as long as he avoids any sort of attention, there is nothing that Benson could do to cost him his job. All Young has to do is stay out of sight (which he's pretty good at) and he'll easily retain his seat.

Ben Stevens

Alaska State Senate President Ben Stevens, son of Senator Ted Stevens, has never been secretive about his oil interests. He once held a $250,000 a year 'consulting' job with Veco at the same time as his State Senate seat. Many were surprised when Stevens office was raided twice by the FBI, but only because none of us can believe that there's anything he could be doing in private that's more objectionable than what he does right in front of our faces.

Bryce Edgmon

State Representitive Democratic nominee Bryce Edgmon had an exact 50% chance of receiving his party's nomination this primary. The race between Edgmon and incumbent Representitive Carl Moses was decided in the following fashion: Two polished stones from the Aleutian islands were adorned with either candidate's name and placed in a hand woven grass basket by Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman. Elections director Whitney Brewster drew the stone with Moses' name, and Moses chose the Walrus side of the gold-and-silver commemorative coin, which was flipped onto an otter pelt. Unfortunately for Moses, the coin landed showing the Alaska State seal, proving once and for all that democracy is still alive.