Joe Alaska, even more embarrassing would be if you had your name attached to this garbage as the author.  Stuff like this, from the highest levels of state party leadership, tells you all you need to know about how awful the GOP is here.  I moved here 15 years ago and had to change from R to independent too.  I was astounded that my party, the Republicans, were so corrupt and backward.  I didn't move politically at all, but suddenly I was a left-leaning independent.  Frank Murkowski was SO, so bad, and now this legislature fiddled away while Rome (deficit spending) burned (through our savings).  Walker was the loudest guy in Juneau trying to FIX that, and they rejected or ignored everything he asked for.  I'm glad I'm not the only one to see through what transparent garbage this writing is.  History will not remember Alaska republicans of the last 15 years kindly, at all.  Shame on all of us Alaskans for voting for them.