Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL HERE WE GO AGAIN EDITION

Just an hour away from a clean getaway

The legislature starts a special session Wednesday, the eighth in the six years I’ve been a part of the circus. There’s a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth about this, especially among the freelance commentators, a surprisingly large number of whom can actually spell simple words. Unfortunately, all they have to offer to the discussion is spleen, and we’ve got plenty of that already.

Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL LIMPING INTO THE HOME STRETCH EDITION

Bills, We Got Bills

Yesterday was the 66th day of the legislative session. Puts me in mind of the fabulous old TV show Route 66, Tod and Buz off to discover America in a ’59 Corvette. And, of course, it is 2/3s of the Number of the Beast as found in Revelations, an extremely dour book of the Bible.

So it is either an invitation to escape (only 24 days left!!!) or a harbinger of disaster (extended session, special session, name calling!!!). Take your pick.

Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL SHAVE THE WHALES – AND GIVE THE POLAR BEARS A HAIRCUT – EDITION

I really like Kyle Johansen. At least this week. Johansen, the Republican representative from Ketchikan, introduced a resolution Monday that was both funny and pointed. We see pointed ones all the time. But funny ones are thin on the ground. Very thin.

Now, resolutions don’t pack much punch. One legislator – I forget who – described resolutions as “letters to ourselves.” Since I’ve been in the Leg, we’ve sent many, many, many resolutions to the President and Congress, telling them to stop doing X or to send us a bunch of money for Y. So far as I can tell, the President and Congress have been impervious to our stern but well considered words about X. Unfortunately, they seem to be sending less and less money for Y, too.