The Upper Hand: Who has it?

(4/14/09) With just five days remaining in one of the strangest legislative sessions in recent memory, the big political question is with so much drama is who has the upper hand.

On Monday, legislative leaders met with Governor Palin to discuss her position on the remaining stimulus funds, but left the meeting knowing just as little about where the governor stands as they did before the meeting.

The governor had originally said she wouldn't take a portion of the federal stimulus education money, then said she'd take the money if the federal funds could replace state funds. But that appears to run afoul of the intent of the stimulus money.

"The U.S. Department of Education, in an informal and unofficial answer to the question whether Alaska could use stimulus dollars to replace state dollars going to local school districts, said such a move could put at risk almost $38 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds," said Larry Persily, an aide to the House Finance Committee.

The governor appears to be digging herself into a hole with her constant changing tune on the stimulus.

Her inability to make a decision is driving lawmakers mad.

Legislative leaders have grown weary of Palin scoring cheap political points at their expense so they have decided to wait for Palin to come clean with what her plans are for the education monies. "She apparently is waiting for the political winds to make up her mind," stated a senior legislative staffer who asked not to be identified.

Meanwhile, Palin appears to be losing control.

On Friday of last week, the capitol was abuzz with the story about how Palin charged into the office of Speaker Mike Chenault to scold one of his employees for copying a news story that reported on Palin's planned trip to a fundraiser in Indiana.

Apparently the story goes that one of Chenault's employees had printed out an article that was on the Anchorage Daily News website about Palin's impending travel. The governor's legislative liaison walked into Chenault's office at the same time and he was asked if he knew of the trip and was given a copy. 

The next morning, Palin stormed into the Speaker's office to take the staffer to task.

On Monday, Democrats criticized Governor Sarah Palin for ducking out in the waning days of session to travel to the fundraiser in Indiana.

"We need a full-time governor who is thinking about our issues all the time, who is working and negotiating with the legislators and getting the job done we need done," said Patty Higgins, Chairwomen of the Alaska Democratic Party.

Look, no offense to Higgins and her cohorts at the ADP, but have they been asleep the last 84 days? The governor has been pretty much absent the entire session, so her taking off for a few days means about as much to the legislative process as the price of tea in China.

To highlight how out of touch she has been and desperate for a positive stroke, Palin put out a laughable press release attempting to take credit for ExxonMobil's work up at Point Thomson. This after her administration nearly killed the development by tying it up in court with a frivolous legal case.

In Sunday's Juneau Empire, Pat Forgey published a lengthy story about the governor's lack of engagement.

Forgey reported that even members of Palin's own party were critical of her lack of leadership. Among Republicans' biggest complaints: Palin is disengaged from the legislative process.

There have been multiple complaints that Palin administration officials won't take positions on bills, including any indication about whether the governor is likely to sign bills that make it through the process.

Palin of course, true to form, denied problems in her relationship with the Legislature. "We have a very good working relationship, as far as we know, with lawmakers," she said Friday.

However even traditional Palin defenders have spoken out about how the lights are on but no one is home.

Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, House Finance Committee co-chair, and frequent Palin ally, said he was "baffled" by the absences during one particular legislative hearing. "I can't explain their not even being in the room; that baffles me," Stoltze said. "This is supposedly a top administration priority."

Meanwhile, Monday afternoon, the stakes of the vacant Juneau Senate Seat were raised as Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho waded into the debate over filling the seat and endorsed former Juneau Mayor Dennis Egan.

The move won quick and bipartisan support from some influential legislators.

“The Legislature is now in its final week and, while much of the legislative business is complete, issues of importance to Juneau remain to be acted upon,” Botelho told the Empire's Forgey.

“Though he has been a lifelong Democrat and son to Alaska’s first governor, he has always worked in a bipartisan manner toward a better community and state,” Botelho said.

Rep. Beth Kerttula who is at the center of this replacement storm supports Egan as does Rep. John Harris, a Republican from Valdez who has known Egan for decades. 

“Gov. Bill Egan was a strong advocate for all Alaskans, be they rural or urban, Democrat or Republican. He never let a party label get in the way of what is right for Alaska. His son, Dennis, has the same attributes as his father,” Harris was quoted in the Empire.

Egan is a good compromise and a highly qualified candidate.

If Palin leaves for Indiana without first burying the hatchet and finally giving Juneau residents some representation with a highly qualified replacement, that will say a lot about her growing reputation as the capitol's "mean girl."

But the one thing to watch for upon Palin's return from her Indiana jaunt, is her attitude.

As one political watcher told me, "She'll be among thousands of her adoring fans, far away from her real constituents and her real obligations. I'm worried she'll come back with an inflated ego and visions of grandeur in her head that will translate into more tension and even less leadership."

Who has the upper hand?

As the Zen Master said....we'll see.