Alaska Dem. kicks off Congress with call for ANWR drilling

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2009/1/12/61755/5624

Newly sworn-in Alaska Sen. Mark Begich (D) on Friday kicked off the 111th Congress by attacking Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) for reintroducing a bill to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Begich has been bullish on opening the reserve for drilling. In a press release he accused Lieberman of "knee-jerk reaction" to please greens:

"Sen. Lieberman's ANWR legislation is another misguided attempt at locking up ANWR to appease environmentalists across the country," he said. "What this country needs is a comprehensive energy plan dealing with oil and gas development, as well as renewable energy resources, to ease our dependence on foreign oil. Domestic production including the enormous oil and gas reserves believed to lie beneath the Arctic Refuge must be a part of that policy."

Hmmm, sound like anyone else we know from Alaska?

(my head hurts)

I think we have to be a bit realistic here. Mr Begich never would have been elected if he had opposed drilling in ANWR. Would we prefer to have the loathsome Ted Stevens elected to the Senate while awaiting imprisonment or the perhaps even more loathsome Palin weaseling her way into the seat? I'm guessing this is a symbolic stance taken to fulfill a campaign promise.

But the world has indeed turned upside down when I agree with Joe Loserman.

We are just going to have to put up with this from Begich for the next 6 years because that is Alaska's political reality, and he's not going to change his views anytime soon.

He doesn't have the votes, and he knows it. He's just putting on a song and dance for the folks back home, which he has to do.