Sep 19, 2013

A selection of great perspectives on the Alaskan citizen dividend


Hey AP hacks:
A) It's called a snowmachine.

B) While I understand not wanting to destroy the allure of crazy Alaskans rolling in handouts with facts, if you would unpack the philosophical, constitutional, and economic principles behind this pathetic excuse for an informative "paragraph," you might realize the PFD is NOT even remotely "free money":

"The Permanent Fund was established in 1976 after North Slope oil was discovered. The state began distributing money from the fund to residents in 1982."

The PFD check each Alaskan receives represents the remnants of the cost of running our (socialistic) government. It is already money "owned" by each resident by the nature of those who are part of the Commons owning the resources that generated that money. The paltry amount we get each October is a small share of what is already ours to begin with; this is not the definition of "free." The state is actually living on money taken from the people. But never mind these pesky details! Free money!


So, it's not really free. It's more like finding a $20 in the washer...well...no..wait, that isn't it either. It's like that bully down the street stealing your lunch money and then expecting you to be grateful when he returns a part of the money after he has indulged himself and a few buddies on donuts.


Kelly Jo Herrmann ·  Top Commenter · Anchorage, Alaska
I really wish people would bother to research this topic and stop calling it 'free money'. It is NOT free money. We, the Alaskan people, OWN the resource.



Byron Whitesides · Hillsdale College Online Courses
funny we haven't had a decent permanent fund since Sarah Palin was governor in spite of record oil prices and profits. Meanwhile the present governor can give billions of tax monies back to the oil companies making record profits here, with no promise from them of more development or production. Don't you think that in order to get a tax break, they should have to drill and produce NEW development? Something stinks here...


Sheilah Blanco ·  Top Commenter · Anything Legal at Public
Thank you ever so kindly LORD and of course you too Alaska. I don't mind admitting there was actually a time the PFD spared me and my kids from homelessness. Due to my mistake(s) and failings it's true, but TG the PFD was there.


Adam Rose-Levy · Intern at Funny Or Die
The PFD is awesome, no doubt about that. But I encourage people to look at what Norway has done with their Sovereign Wealth Fund. Had we nationalized our oil industry, we could be looking at that kind of chump change (an estimated $1 trillion by 2020). Just some food for thought.

If you want to thank someone, thank the "father of the Alaska Permanent Fund", the late former Speaker of the House, Hugh Malone; and "father of the Permanent Fund Dividend", the late Governor Jay Hammond.


From Anchorage Daily News




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