Contributed by Pamela Samash
Pamela Goode is no ordinary candidate. Running for House in District 9, she has big plans to right size government for greater efficiency and effectiveness.
As someone who's sailed across the entire world, Pam knew what she was looking for, and that was liberty and freedom. Goode says that we here in America have so many opportunities for true freedom which was established by the Declaration of Independence by our Founding Fathers, but this has to be preserved by a strong effort on our part. “Because of our travels, we have discovered there's no other place like this in the world,” says Goode. She continues, “We are like no other because of our Declaration of Independence. The first section states: ‘There is a Creator, our rights come from Him, among these are Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the purpose of civil government is to protect these rights.’ Liberty is an essential part of one achieving their highest God-given potential."
Goode was involved in the Delta/Greely School District in 2013. It was through this experience, she stood against Common Core and began learning about the legislative budgeting issues. She saw how government was continuously over spending and how it was detrimental to the long-term fiscal sustainability of the state and Alaskan families. In 2014, she forewarned Alaskans that if government overspending continued, it would be inevitable for the government to cut the PFD and implement an income tax. She remains consistent in her message to cut the scope and size of government and return the full PFD to the Alaskan people!
Goode shared the results of a study from the Institute of Social and Economic Research’s (ISER) at UAA, which states that money left in the private sector has a 1.4 multiplier effect on the overall economy. Taking this money from the private sector during a recession, has the worst adverse impact on the overall economy than any other measure available. Over the past 3-years with the PFD cuts, with the Multiplier Effect I Place, over 3-billion dollars has been taken out of the overall Alaska economy.
Goode stated, “When government gets that bigger, the people get smaller. When the government gets smaller, the people get bigger and stronger. It is the duty of all Americans to hold their elected and appointed officials accountable to their oath of office and that includes limiting the scope and size of government. As much money as possible should be kept in the hands of the people where they can best spend their earned income.”
Goode says the PFD belongs to the people and supports the traditional calculation. The PFD represents only a portion of the wisely invested income from the permanent fund, which is only 25% of the accrued shared resources. The other 75% has gone to fund government, which they were entrusted, by the people, to be good stewards of which they have failed in doing.
Pam Goode is running for office because she loves Alaska and wants to protect our high level of personal liberty for current and future generations. This begins with fiscal responsibility from those that are elected to manage our state and our secure our freedoms. Goode states that we are to leave a place better than we found it.
I agree with her that this government, like all levels of governments in America, need to be held accountable. We both share the same concerns about what the children are learning in the schools today. Are children learning about the Declaration of Independence, so they can grow up and continue defending their liberties as well?
“What I'd love to see is a huge turnover this election cycle and Alaska to make a statement and history that they're not happy with the direction of their state. It's time to make positive changes. If we re-elect the same people over and over, nothing will change or improve,” says Pam.
In talking with Pam, I felt such joy that someone else besides me felt this way. After years of watching my voice as a citizen slowly disappear, it was so nice to know that Pam also feels the same way I do, and that if she's in office, my family and neighbors’ voices will be heard again.
I feel robbed by this govt. There was no vote to take the $8000 away from my family and that money is just sitting in an account. This year, we would have gotten close to $3000 each! That would have helped us in so many ways. The price of fuel is going back up again, so why do they still have my money?
I wanted to do this article about Pam because I see hope in her. I know she will fight for what's right. She's correct in saying that the govt has gotten too big, that's why they didn't let us vote. I pray she and others like her win this election and that there is change. Like Pam said, “Unless you get out there (in the world), we think that we're like everyone else; but that's not the truth, we are completely different. What sets us apart is our Declaration, Constitution and Godly heritage.”
If we want to preserve our freedoms and get back our money, we need to elect Pamela Goode.