I bet Jabba The Hut there would be singing a different tune if we were to cut off their welfare payments.

Just why DO we have Alaska anyway? Couldn't we give it to Canada or Russia? They're not bright enough to make it on their own, as you can see by the Pillsbury Dough Boy (why do Republicans always have to look like that?)

Catalina, I'm surprised... isn't it considered gauche to criticize someone based on their appearance?

Alaskan leadership will always defer to the oil industry -- even though the new oil tax structure means that the state is facing a budget crisis of existential proportions (source: I live here, pretty much the only thing in the news right now).

More drilling won't save the state budget, but I do at least understand the "butt out of our affairs" angle. Alaskans are particularly sensitive to it, and it's not like Seattle folk like it when the state fucks with us -- or Washington does when DC starts shit.

No Jude dear - not when dealing with Republicans. They're horrible people.

And we've ALWAYS meddled in Alaska's affairs. Our founding fathers made a very good living "provisioning" the poor saps who were going there during the gold rush. That, and prostitution, are how we got our start.

Alaska won't back off dtiling as Washington won't back off Boeing.

How would Washington State feel if Alaskan oil was not used for Washington autos and trucks. Also, petroleum by products like Nylon other plastics, printing inks, etc, etc.

This guy's a riot. We should stop sending all those filthy airplanes (and cars!) filled with tourists to his airports and cities. It's the right thing to do. #keepalaskaclean

Not to mention cruise ships from Seattle.

As a 30+ year resident of Alaska, I've seen plenty of Costo Pioneers like Mike Chenault proclaiming Alaska's independence from the USA. However, that never extends to the massive amount of subsidies that we get from the Feds. We are the Free Ride State: don't want to pay taxes, instead want Uncle Sam to give us 7 bucks for every dollar we send in, but let us destroy everything in sight because we live here.
We are paying $500,000,000 more in subsidies to oil companies than we are getting back from them in taxes this year (that doesn't include royalties) thanks to a huge tax cut rammed through by Mike Chenault and friends. We're running a 3.5 Billion deficit this year.
That resolution is completely non-binding and means nothing: it's theater. Just ignore it. Keep up the good work.

Its all they ever have, isn't it - these rickety accusations of hypocrisy.

I agree with Chenault - Boeing jets *are* causing irreversible harm every time they transit the skies. Now that we've got agreement on that, let's work with Chenault to introduce a tax on carbon. Problem solved!

Fuck Alaska

I think their position is pretty legit. If you guys would stop buying it, we would stop extracting it! Seems straightforward to me.

@10. Right on! If you want to change consumers behavior toward a good or service, change its price. The more it costs the less people buy it and the more they are willing to pay for alternatives.

@5) Another non-argument word salad. Just leave your posts blank from now on.

@12) Or the obvious: if they don't extract it, it cannot be bought. Much simpler. Doofus.

Right on @12 & @10. The Alaskan argument is, sadly, the superior one. Stop using oil.

@15. I don't think you understand economics? The only long term way to stop oil drilling is to stop using oil.

Alaska Airlines -- a Seattle-based company -- is the most fuel efficient airline and has an all-Boeing fleet. It averages 76mpg per filled seat. Your snowmobiles get about 10mpg. Competition among major airline manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier...) is currently pressuring them to become more and more fuel efficient. Refusing to drill in the arctic (and therefore reducing the availability/supply of oil) will pressure not just airline manufacturers but producers of everything that uses oil to become more fuel efficient. Shutting down Boeing does not help the future. Stopping the expansion of oil production does.

@16) I think you don't understand punctuation? Or simple English for that matter. Read my post again. Pause. Take a breath. Read it one more time. Then once more - ignore your cumpooter for a while.

Planes are not the issue. They just fall victim to the same criticism as every other luxury dependent on oil. We need renewable energy so oil to stay in the ground. Allowing Shell to drill benefits no one in the long run.

Whatever.
No oil drilling rigs on my property, property paid for with my local tax dollars. Port of Seattle, sadly, doesn't represent the interests of the people they take taxes from, and swear to represent.

If Alaska doesn't want Boeing airplanes on their property, go for it.

@15, Why don't you stop buying anything with petroleum in it now? What are we all 2 and we need mommy to take away the sweets before we get sick?

Has anyone reminded the eminent Alaskan legislator that Boeing moved its headquarters to Chicago some years back now, and we can't just "shut them down" here in WA, because they are NOT HERE ANYMORE? I mean, this was news in 2001. But maybe news takes longer to thaw in some regions.