Group launching effort to recall Mike Dunleavy (R-AK)

[brucejoel99]

Everybody talking about Begich trying again or winning this or Dunbar making an attempt needs to remember that if the recall is successful, then all that happens is Dunleavy is automatically succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Kevin Meyer. This isn't like Wisconsin 2012 where it's a full-on election or like California 2003 where voters elected a replacement governor. In Alaska, it basically amounts to a de facto impeachment/conviction performed by the people rather than the legislature.

[smoltchanov]

Everybody talking about Begich trying again or winning this or Dunbar making an attempt needs to remember that if the recall is successful, then all that happens is Dunleavy is automatically succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Kevin Meyer. This isn't like Wisconsin 2012 where it's a full-on election or like California 2003 where voters elected a replacement governor. In Alaska, it basically amounts to a de facto impeachment/conviction performed by the people rather than the legislature.

Well, it's rather difficult to be worse then Dunleavy...

[TrendsareUsuallyReal]

Everybody talking about Begich trying again or winning this or Dunbar making an attempt needs to remember that if the recall is successful, then all that happens is Dunleavy is automatically succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Kevin Meyer. This isn't like Wisconsin 2012 where it's a full-on election or like California 2003 where voters elected a replacement governor. In Alaska, it basically amounts to a de facto impeachment/conviction performed by the people rather than the legislature.

That’s why I’m against the recall. The LG won’t be much better, so might as well just wait to beat Dunleavy with a Democrat in 2022

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Everybody talking about Begich trying again or winning this or Dunbar making an attempt needs to remember that if the recall is successful, then all that happens is Dunleavy is automatically succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Kevin Meyer. This isn't like Wisconsin 2012 where it's a full-on election or like California 2003 where voters elected a replacement governor. In Alaska, it basically amounts to a de facto impeachment/conviction performed by the people rather than the legislature.

That’s why I’m against the recall. The LG won’t be much better, so might as well just wait to beat Dunleavy with a Democrat in 2022

But Gravel might be dead by then.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Let's get Gravel to run against him lol

I think he lives in California now

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Here’s a good article about how Dunbar flipped the lower house in Alaska. I love sharing this article.

[tinman64]

NBC News article about the AK recall effort...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alaskans-mount-effort-recall-governor-huge-budget-cuts-threaten-education-n1040951

[Ebsy]

From the above article:

On Thursday, the group announced it has gathered 18,198 signatures, and expect to be at 20,000 in a few days once more petitions arrive in the mail.

They are definitely going to get enough signatures for the next step.

[Badger]

Dunleavy seems to be a bad governor, but I'm actually critical of any recalls. Elections can't just be repeated as many times as we want because someone didn't like the result. Governors should only be removed if the violate the law (through impeachment) or did morally extremely behave in a bad way. Governing under the permanent threat of a recall isn't producing results and gives an executive less room to make unpopular decisions. Gray Davis should never have been recalled.

Alaska, especially its education system, is literally in a massive budget crisis because of his idiocy. If anything, this move is actually justified.

Wasn't it already under Walker and the reason he was unpopular?

Not really. At least not remotely the same degree. Walker was dealing with the drop in oil prices by cutting the universal welfare check all Askins get in order to balance the budget. Dunlevy has continued handing out the checks, but paid for it with astronomical, as in over 1/4 or more, cuts to the University of Alaska system and other Educational Funding even more.

That said, I agree with your dislike of recall elections. I find this one to be particularly useless as all it does is remove Dunleavy for his lieutenant governor who is likely to be just as bad. I suppose theoretically, and people knowledgeable about Alaskan politics fill in the blanks here, maybe he is ideologically less horrible than Dunleavy? Not to mention if recall is successful perhaps that'll give him a serious warning shot across the bow and strongly encourage him to reverse or at least mitigate dunleavy's taking a chainsaw to education funding.

I thought just hit me. If dunlevy is recalled and the LG replaces him, but the LG continues these widely unpopular Draconian cuts to the education system, could the voters then seek another recall petition against the LG who is now governor? LOL!

[Ebsy]

https://www.adn.com/politics/2019/08/16/recall-dunleavy-group-says-it-passed-a-28000-signature-threshold-in-two-weeks/

They have passed the 28k necessary signatures, and will continue collecting until the deadline in case signatures are ruled invalid

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The thing is Alaska has an unworkable economy, like a neoliberal Venezuela. The state has no reliable source of income - no sales tax, no income tax etc - outside of oil, an industry that itself requires generous benefits and tax credits in lean times to stay afloat. This problem will just get worse and worse if electric cars really start to take a giant chunk out of oil demand.

[LabourJersey]

The thing is Alaska has an unworkable economy, like a neoliberal Venezuela. The state has no reliable source of income - no sales tax, no income tax etc - outside of oil, an industry that itself requires generous benefits and tax credits in lean times to stay afloat. This problem will just get worse and worse if electric cars really start to take a giant chunk out of oil demand.

I think eventually politicians will have to bite the bullet and institute an income or sales tax. A state's economy can't be that oil dependent in the medium to long term.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

The Recall campaign will submit 49,006 signatures to the Division of Elections today, triggering the next phase. They will need 71,252 total signatures to put the recall on the ballot.

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Recall-Dunleavy-to-submit-signatures-today-559489131.html

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Daily Kos elections pointed out that there is 1 extra step in between, that is that a lawsuit and court could put this to a stop due to the 4 reasons clause

[Continential]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Here’s a good article about how Dunbar flipped the lower house in Alaska. I love sharing this article.

The masterminds should be the chair of the National Congressional and Senatorial Camapign Committee for the democrats.

[Flyersfan232]

Let's get Gravel to run against him lol

Yes because he will lose

[Flyersfan232]

Let's get Gravel to run against him lol

I think he lives in California now

And Alaska votes his ass out of office last time he ran there.

[Badger]

One particular abhornet act of violating the separation of powers by Dunleavy that has somehow gone unmentioned here. The AK Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the AK Constitution requires some state funding of abortion beyond rape, health of mother, and incest. 4-1 in their most recent decision among others.

So what does Dunleavy do? He line-item vetos $330k in funding from the Supreme Court to offset the cost. While the usual fanatics here will say "great!" to a clear violation of separation of powers, but to anyone else with a REMOTE lack of partisanship, regardless of one's view on abortion, should be appalled at such blatant (the Dunleavy Administration was VERY explicit about the reason for the line item veto) attack on a separate branch of government for not bending to the executive branch's will.

What next? Cutting off all funding for Congress and their staffs until they pass the president's legislative agenda?

[Virginiá]

Actions such as that on their own warrant removal from office, in my opinion. Any politician whose response to not getting what they want because of the courts is to attack the courts and try to starve them of funding in some naive attempt at revenge or blackmail does not deserve to hold office.

And stuff like this is part of why people call the GOP antidemocratic and fascist. More and more over the past 20 years, the response to the party not getting what they want is to dismantle the institutions or procedures that are preventing them from getting what they want. And instead of GOP voters punishing these politicians for destabilizing their society for policy gains, they cheer them on in their drunken partisan rage.

[Oryxslayer]

Bumping the thread because the recall issue is inflaming Aklaskan politics right now. There is no longer just a recall Dunleavy campaign, there is also a 'protect Mike' counter-campaign. The recall campaign, if it hypothetically obtains about 72K signatures, would place a up/down vote on keeping Dunleavy on the  ballot. If he is recalled, the Lt. Gov becomes Gov.

However, the campaign has now been sued and is going before the alaska supreme court on whether the recall campaign reasons for recall are acceptable under the AK constitution. Even while this happens, the recall campaign continues...

The first article overrules the second, which describes the present process in general terms.

https://www.adn.com/politics/2020/01/22/unexpected-halt-to-dunleavy-recall-was-a-mistake-judge-says-as-he-reverses-himself/

https://www.adn.com/politics/2020/01/21/anchorage-judge-unexpectedly-orders-temporary-halt-to-recall-campaign-against-dunleavy/

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

Campaign to recall GOP Gov. Dunleavy can go on the ballot, Alaska Supreme Court rules

[Lognog]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Begich is the reason we are in this mess. If he didn't run Walker would most likely have won. It was only out of bubris he handed the election to Republicans

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Begich is the reason we are in this mess. If he didn't run Walker would most likely have won. It was only out of bubris he handed the election to Republicans

Wasn't Walker's polling against Dunleavy worse? AK-GOV has a bit of a curse for incumbents seeking reelection, and Walker's term had not been crisis-free.

Edit: your argument would still make sense despite this if you believe Walker's campaign was crippled by having to expend resources fighting off Begich.

[Lechasseur]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Begich is the reason we are in this mess. If he didn't run Walker would most likely have won. It was only out of bubris he handed the election to Republicans

Yeah had Begich not ran, Walker would still be governor today.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Begich is the likely candidate but it would be great to see Forrest Dunbar make an attempt, especially since he was one of the masterminds behind the operation that created the "independent with the support of the Democratic party" model that has been so successful.

Begich is the reason we are in this mess. If he didn't run Walker would most likely have won. It was only out of bubris he handed the election to Republicans

The upshot is that the Democrats aren't taking most of the flack for the current Alaskan crises, boosting their chances in the congressional races.