Season of victory for Sox/GOP

Baseball and politics: two of my favorite fall topics. And what a year for both.

Usually in November I can be found holding the sports page and muttering about those darn New York Yankees. They not only win all the time, but they always have great stories to go along with those wins. From Babe Ruth standing at home plate calling a homerun for sick child to the big trades they pull off. The Yankees always seem to get the pretty girl at the end of every movie.

On November 9, 2003, after another painful elimination loss, I penned a column about the constant heartache in my life called my beloved Boston Red Sox. For decades this team has consistently lost close battles, each loss more painful than the last. The column surmised a history of losing was due to a lack of teamwork rather than a curse. The piece ended with, “And as any Red Sox fan will tell you, wait ‘til next year”.

Well guess what? It’s next year.

And for the first time in 86 years, the baseball season ended with the Red Sox celebrating on the mound after winning the World Series. And not only did they win the series but won it in historic fashion. The first team ever; note ever – to come from a 3-0 deficit to win a World Series. The first team ever; note ever- to win eight straight games in a World Series. Baseball fans will be talking about this fall classic forever. Proof that good things come to those who wait even in the Red Sox nation.

Six days after a historic World Series, Republicans pulled off a historic victory on Election Day over the Democrats.

President Bush coasted to re-election by winning with the most votes ever earned in a presidential election. Even with job approval ratings hovering around the danger zone, a war, record budget deficits and the economy being argued at a fever pitch, Bush claimed more electoral votes than in 2000. With record voter turnout, apathy lost this election.

Exit polling showed morals were a motivating factor among swing state voters. But if “values voters” were the deciding factor in swing states, how does one explain Alaska?

Over the last two years morals and values in Alaska’s government have been as commonplace as snow in July. From drunken legislators to ethically challenged political appointees; this has been one of the most amoral political environments in recent history. Even continuing today as the Speaker of the House finds himself under scrutiny for admitted campaign finance violations.

Last year after the legislature doubled campaign finance limits I wrote that even vulnerable incumbents would be unbeatable. Combining the power of incumbency with higher donation limits makes it easy for incumbents to put down challengers. And according to public campaign reports, incumbents and challengers both took advantage of the higher limits.

However, money can’t buy you love. Too many attack ads unfairly twisted votes and positions that turned voters off. Candidates relied on personal negative attacks, failing to offer voters a reason for change. And harassing voters with a deluge of recorded phone messages didn’t score many points as well.

The main echo by many was the governor was bad therefore they were good. Even during the last week of the U.S. Senate race, while Lisa Murkowski stood with her arm around our popular Senator Ted Stevens, opponents attempted to color over Stevens with our unpopular governor. Ironically, if it wasn’t for friends and family things might have turned out differently.

But while Alaskans embraced Lisa Murkowski, they rejected the way she was initially hired. A majority of voters approved Proposition 4 that mandates a special election next time a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant. As one of the 50,000 Alaskans that signed the initiative last winter, I say bravo. After all, there are no more Lisa Murkowski’s in the State Legislature.

So now with the most expensive election in history behind us, it’s time to move Alaska forward.

Next Sunday: Johnny, tell the lucky contestants what they’ve won.