#AKpolitics| New Alaska Focused Website Launches ...

Yesterday marked the launch of Alaska Politics & Elections (APE), a new website focused on Alaska politics, policy and elections.

Managed by Tom Anderson, also host of the weekday Tom Anderson Talk Radio Show which covers news, politics and public policy issues from Alaska's key MatSu Valley region, the new website is intended to be an Alaska political and policy junkies dream, capturing "as much information as possible relating to campaigns statewide, from city to state to federal, that include or involve Alaskans."

Consistent with the format of Tom's radio program, the website is intended to be a source of both news and analytical thought.  Initial contributing writers include former CIA analyst Fred Fleitz, foreign relations and Middle East expert Jonathan Greenberg, Alaska economist and analyst Bill Reid and health insurance and financial expert David Frazier.  I am honored to join that distinguished panel to write on oil, gas and fiscal policy issues.

The site already is up and running with the initial pieces available online.  My first piece, Governor Parnell's budget shell game, is focused on Alaska's fiscal future, what I believe should be one of the major issues addressed in this coming election cycle.  In future pieces I intend to write about the upcoming referendum on oil tax reform (SB 21), the proposed Alaska LNG project and, as the election cycle develops, the positions being taken by various candidates, both statewide and regional, on oil, gas and fiscal policy issues.  I also intend to surface some thoughts, such as a statewide initiative requiring state government to adopt sustainable spending policies, intended to help set the tone in future election cycles.  Think of something like George Will focused on Alaska.

Readers of this page will recall that I was an early adapter and supporter of the now widely followed and influential blog by Amanda Coyne.  I have the same feeling about this effort.

I will continue to write here and on the main blog, posting on the main blog also the pieces I write for APE.  I also have added the headlines from APE to the "Daily News of Interest" available in the right hand column of the main blog and the feed to Keithley Consulting's online newspaper, "The Alaska Oil & Gas Daily."

As usual, we will see how this goes, but I am looking forward to the effort.