ComFish Debate Revisited - a Groundswell perspective:

By Stephen Taufen

The opening salvo in the Kodiak fisheries debate last Thursday, March 20, 2008 was a volatile question about Crab Rationalization and how to give the rights back to active fishermen. And the U.S House candidates quickly set about defining themselves and styles for the rest of the debate.

Those listening in from Anchorage thought that on the GOP side Gabrielle LeDoux shined in the debates, and she concurs that the format favored her strengths. On the Democrat side, Ethan Berkowitz had all the right answers and a Clinton-style delivery. But in Groundswell's opinion, Diane Benson gets the A-plus for reality and integrity. We wanted some time distance from the event so that you could discover that.

Wagging the fish's caudal peduncle:

Ethan Berkowitz fired his talking points sparkplug to the crab ratz fuel, defining how he was going to handle the debate from that moment forward - giving his audience exactly what he thought they wanted to hear. Throughout the debate, it was clear he was well-coached and able to play to an audience. But while some of Ethan's answers - like absolutely no! under no circumstances!, fully opposing the Pebble Mine "because it jeopardizes fisheries" - may sell to last Thursday night's crowd, other Alaskans wondered if he might say it (and other things) with such certainty in a mining town like Fairbanks.

Berkowitz was very good at handling the short time frame for answers to complex issues, and stayed with the fire hard style on several cylinders throughout the night. He has to be given strong credit for his well-studied knowledge of fisheries issues and knowing what Kodiak wanted to hear. He strongly stated that he was fully against the privatization of fisheries off Alaska or anywhere else, and "the government should not rationalize boats out of the water" as he stood on the side of open competition. But I found Ethan's sparkings out of character. If he wants to win the election, knowledge alone won't do, debate watchers said he'll have to cut back on the salesmanship and hyperbole. However, those who only listened in on the radio may wholly disagree, as Berkowitz sounded strong.

Kodiak's state representative Gabrielle LeDoux immediately distinguished herself as not being shy to say things that need to be said, and did so with well measured firmness. She accurately characterized Crab Ratz as a disaster for all economic and social players, and said that it should "go back to the drawing boards!" Throughout the night she spoke directly to her constituents without hyperbole - portraying a good trait for Congress - and succinctly reminded Kodiak that she is a reliable champion for fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska, and aware that this is a globalized world.

It will be interesting to follow her campaign across the state and uncover more of her stances on the larger framework of issues. With lieutenant governor Sean Parnell now in the ring, as a GOP candidate, the equation has changed. LeDoux isn't seeing that as a problem, and vows to continue her candidacy. Parnell's absence did nick away at his getting support from a strong fishing community. Still, Groundswell would like LeDoux to retain her state representative seat where she has been showing some real strength over the past year or so.

Jake's no snake and Don's still arrogant:

Jake Metcalfe, former chair of the Democratic Party of Alaska, used a relaxed and earthy style that honestly stemmed from his background as a former fisherman, long-time Alaskan, and he was without doubt just one of 'us' Alaskans. Throughout the night, his message was that if elected he'd be running an open-door office and listening to all Alaskans. Backslap Young! Genuine and heartfelt, he epitomized the standard that any good citizen can run for office and offer a basic approach called listening to constituents, which should sort out the complex issues: because all hinges on the integrity of that.

A likeable fellow, yet lacking certain depth on overwhelming fisheries issues, he offered a warm contrast against excessive political talking points. But he clearly got his own in for a more Alaskan fish council, for more say in Alaska about federal waters off of Alaska, and less influence from the Seattle fish companies who ran the show until statehood straightened that out (for awhile). What appeared back then to Alaska to be big outside world corporations dominating our fisheries is not a bad perspective to have when studying today's problems that largely stem from multinational fisheries carpetbaggers getting politically-gifted new private quota rights to the federal public commons.

Predictably, Don Young arrogantly stood by the new privatization system and a process that has been working well to prop up his power, stood by the North Pacific Council, stood by the myth that Crab Ratz was for safety, and remained overly proud of having personally assisting several closed-class processor corporations to monopolize once public fisheries. He laid the solutions squarely on the Council process, which everyone in the crowd knows to be one of long-term conflicts-of-interest, only partially changed by the Palin administration. Young wants to keep control centralized and corporatized.

Transfer pricing question turns into Florida lie:

Following similar comments by other candidates, Diane Benson asked Don Young about the nationally controversial $10,000,000 earmark regarding Coconut Road in Florida and what he knew about who made the changes in the legislation's language after Congress had already engrossed the spending bill. Moderator John Whiddon ruled the question out of order, asking Benson to stick to a fisheries question.

Benson then asked a second question - the multibillion dollar one! - "O.K., what can you tell us, in your opinion, about transfer pricing and how would you control the abusive transfer pricing that affects fisheries in Alaska. And I'd like to hear your take on it and also how we would handle the accounting secrets in other countries."

Benson, who is a member of an Alaskan native corporation, Sealaska - the largest private landowner in southeastern Alaska - clearly was no stranger to the multinational corporate exploitation of federal, state and tribal resources. She stated the problem too simply for most, because she does understand it. Others said she never explained transfer pricing. Not so, she got to the heart of it. And she asked a long-term congressman who could not deny he knows about it. Posing the question alone speaks to a commitment to deal with boat-rocking hard realities, and having the integrity to obligate oneself to doing something about it once in Congress. Those are leadership qualities.

But (behold the underlying truth, again) Young faked understanding that important, multi-billion dollar question. Maybe Don Young was thinking of a hair-splitting answer to differentiate home countries from their multinational corporations who fully support their firms winning in fisheries trade by endorsing misconduct in their global transactions while in the host 'country' of Alaska, or ANC Sealaska.

Young steered back toward the first question, already disallowed by the moderator, by saying,"I don't exactly know the question ... 'transferred to other countries'. But I will tell you, in this audience, that this [debate] is about fish, but I've heard a lot about Coconut Grove..." as he went on the defense over his actions regarding the Florida road. With a lie.

The audience reacted and one identified person could be heard saying, "He didn't answer the question!" Someone softly shouted "What about transfer pricing?" Benson clarified to the moderator that "he did not answer the question about abusive transfer pricing, which does affect [Alaskan fisheries] because if you have packaging, for example that says on the packaging being imported to Japan...." Clearly, Benson understands many methods can be used to launder the profits through the products to deny Alaska true value for its seafood.

Again the moderator cut in, saying the question was answered to the extent it was going to be answered. But Benson reiterated, "So, he's not going to answer the question about abusive transfer pricing and its effect on Alaska fisheries, and the losses we have as a result of it." Jake Metcalfe also asked the moderator if we could get a response to the question that was asked. Groundswell was happy with defiant Don's wrong answer.

Young not only brazenly denied knowing about the largest trade and tax topic of the century (transfer pricing problems) essential to dealing with today's global conduct of trade, but put himself right back in jeopardy with the U.S. Congress again for stating the Florida community asked for the earmark. Community leaders have not only denied they requested it, but returned the money to Congress. So KMXT radio may soon find that their recording of the debate enters a federal ethics investigation as evidence (about four-and-a-half minutes into the second hour audio file, available on the kmxt.org website).

Fish hats off to Diane Benson for raising the key economic issue - Abusive Transfer Pricing - under the time restrictions of the questioning, just as she was the only candidate to mention jurisdictional concerns regarding Alaska's resources and knowing it's all about ensuring a proper accounting so that foreign corporations don't exploit us.

Benson's tough line of questioning proved once again that Don Young deserves the stockade. And to Groundswell, she proved worthy of representing a state that is overwhelmingly dependent upon its exhaustible and renewable resources in global trade, because it is all about accountability and transparency. Others joined in those themes, but it mostly sounded like talking points. Benson convinced us she's ready to "follow the money."

Interestingly, no one asked why during his House career Don Young hadn't done anything to seriously push Exxon to pay up for the EVOS. Just like he hasn't lifted a finger to protect our fisheries against the multibillion dollar profit laundering thefts of abusive transfer pricing. In any case, someone will take Young's place come November. And Alaska will be the better for it.

By Stephen Taufen - Groundswell Fisheries Movement

© AlaskaReport.com All Rights Reserved.