Winds of change blowing in Juneau

Myrl Thompson/Valley Voices

In politics, what a difference a year can make.

In Congress, we have seen a changing of the guard in both the House and Senate. The governorships of the 50 states are now mostly Democratic, as opposed to mostly Republican. This change was brought on, in part, by the past ruling party's arrogance, corrupt practices and gross mismanagement.

The enormous shift at the national level may not have occurred here at home to the same degree, but a closer look at Alaska politics reveals an interesting shift in its own right.

Sarah Palin shook the status quo from within the Republican Party. Her candidacy woke up the sleeping giant of political complacency. Although her party changes at a glacial pace, she may be the agent of climate change that in this case is needed.

For instance, Gov. Palin's appointments have been stellar, at least so far. A nonpartisan mixture is long overdue in our state. It's time we started thinking and acting like Alaskans and not party

minions.

Another shocker took place in the Alaska Senate. Last session, even the most casual observer would have noticed the most partisan group of politicians in recent memory. A vote on which way to place a toilet paper roll in the legislative restroom would have ended in a 12-8 party-line vote.

This year, we have a senate majority caucus made of Republicans and Democrats, and the committee chairmanships are split between them. Some of my more conservative friends are howling like wolves. I've heard them claim that Sen. Lyda Green has sold them out, that liberals are at the door and that their values have been compromised.

As a political observer who has spent a number of years closely watching the goings-on in Juneau, I have a different take on things.

It could be argued that Sen. Green just wanted power so badly that she would do the unthinkable - cozy up to Democrats - just to obtain the presidency of the Senate. I, for one, have never sung her praises, and just the opposite may be true.

Her ascendancy to the Senate presidency was a masterful maneuver and will be a boon to the Valley. The move took cunning and guts, and, if it holds, we'll all be the better for it. I see the caucus as a logical and refreshing change for that chamber, and if some of her more weak-kneed colleagues don't cave to party pressure, it should last.

The committee appointments in the Senate majority were another surprise. I have to say that the chairmanships in this chamber are very good. If the current chairmanships hold, and they live up to their potential, Alaskans may finally be the winners. Only time

will tell.

The canary in the coal mine will be meaningful ethics legislation. Without detractors like Sens. Ben Stevens and Ralph Seekins and Rep. Norm Rokeberg, the stage is set for real ethics reform provided legislators are willing to regulate themselves. If this legislation is bungled again, then all bets are off.

With the Murkowski administration now history and a more moderate-looking Senate poised to start the new session in January, the only fly in the ointment may be the state House. Even there, the numbers have changed, and it is possible that positive outcomes could happen. I can't imagine a perfect storm of change in Alaska politics, so we'll have to take a wait-and-see attitude.

The committee chairmanships are somewhat different from last year, and, at first glance, it's hard to tell if they are better or worse. For instance, Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras will have big shoes to fill in replacing Lesil McGuire as Judiciary chair. Jay could easily wear a large hat, but the jury is out on his ability to fill large shoes.

The two most impressive committee chairs in the House in the last few years were Homer Rep. Paul Seaton and Eagle River Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom, two of the more thoughtful and less partisan lawmakers. They seem to have been sidelined in this caucus. For this reason and others, the House may be a critic's dream this session.

Oh to be a fly on the wall Š wink wink!

I have to remain optimistic that finally Alaskans will have a more responsive government. I hope that the individual is once again respected and that collectively, Alaskans are represented.

I hope that special interests get no special favors, and business as usual becomes a forgotten practice delegated to the trash heap of mistakes past.

OK, it's just a Christmas wish list. Or is it?

Myrl Thompson, a former independent candidate for state House, is a legislative watchdog who will be returning to Juneau for the third year as a citizen lobbyist and free-lance commentator. His guest opinion columns will appear here

regularly.