Contributed by Huhnkie Lee
Hi – It's Lee in the Valley. I apologize for coming back, an unwelcomed repetition visitor, I'm sorry –
If I may, I'd like to drop two cents. I'll be gentle and humble this time. I'm not gonna try to advertise my 2020 presidential campaign here. Fair enough?
So Alaska in August 2019 is trying to unseat a democratically elected Alaskan governor… Is that true?
I did vote for that tall gentleman that I met in person in the Mat-Su Valley where I live. My good political mentors in community council gathering mentioned the meet and greet event with the gubernotorial candidate, back in 2018 March, I think. The social club was called, "Old Fart Club," if I remember correctly.
I never heard of that tall gentleman.
I wasn't officially invited to that event.
It was more like, crashing a party, so to speak.
But it was a weekday. I was a humble computer programmer in Anchorage, in an Alaska state agency back then.
The Glenn Highway was jammed for some reason. My bosses called me, saying,
"We know you live in the valley. No need to come to work. Get back to the valley. Go home. See you tomorrow."
So I thought, "oh wow. Just my luck. I'll attend that meeting, 'good Ole Fart Club in Mat-Su Valley,' and meet that Alaskan gubernortorial candidate myself."
So I turned around my car, fully excused from work for the day, and drove back north toward the valley.
I parked, smoked cigarettes, and went in to this bar/restaurant. I think it was Evangelo's. Downstairs.
So I went there, met my parental figures in my neighborhood of Knik Goose Bay Road, who informed me about this little gathering.
Then, there entered a man, a very tall man. Very tall. I asked him,
"Who are you?"
"I'm Mike Dunleavy."
"Oh... you are the big guy, huh? So sorry I didn't recognize you. Pardon my political ignorance."
"Nice to meet you."
So that was my first encounter with this man, the Governor of Alaska.
So there were other people coming to the social gathering, featuring this one tall Alaskan state senator back then, running for the governorship.
From what I remember, time and again, this fine tall gentleman is a terrific, fantastic listener. He is exceptional in that, he knows how to listen. I heard he used to be a teacher. And I bet he was a great teacher, who knows how to listen to his students.
So yeah. I was sold. I did vote for him. I even talked positively about him in local radio talk shows, like Shows of Tom Anderson, Rick Ridell, Mike Porcaro, David Stieren., who all kindly let me talk on air. Alaska is such a great state.
And the tall gentleman, an ex-educator, became the Governor. Probably the tallest governor in American history.
About a month or two ago, I happened to wake up rather earlier than usual. I called in to Tom Anderson Show. I talked to the generous gentleman that I never met in person. He was delighted to hear back from me.
"Hey, Mr. Lee in the Valley. How have you been?"
"Oh I'm doing well, Sir."
"Ok. Tell me about our Governor. I've heard you're a big supporter."
"Yes Sir. I appreciate his experimental spirit. Yes, he is trying something very unusual. Like, giving money back to the People, where it belongs. If it doesn't work, we can always roll it back. Not every change works out, you see."
So my point is this. Experiment is a good thing. Like, rain is a good thing. Don't you love that all American country song that goes, "Rain makes corn. Corn makes whiskey. Whiskey makes my ..."?
So yeah. I appreciate Governor Dunleavy for trying something new, and all his people, including the kind gentleman, Mr. Babcock, who kindly gave me 3 hours of his precious time back in 2018, so that I could pitch my presidential campaign idea over a dinner in Anchorage. Mr. Dunleavy and Mr. Babcock, and their people, they are fantastic, humanitarian, charitable people. I was and still am, a nobody. Insignificant. But they listened to me and people like me, the perennial political underdogs. I want you to know this, my dear Alaskan Americans. This is important.
Let's get out of Alaska for a second.
The one President Trump. Yes, I'm running against him in 2020 November. I am a presidential candidate. As a presidential hopeful. Or hopeless, lol. It's just one of my weird hobbies, nothing serious, ok?
But, I did vote for him in 2016.
Now, they're trying to impeach him. I oppose that.
Why?
Look. We all disagree. Because in America, we have what's called, freedom. We are free to disagree. Sometimes we abuse it. Look at all these Americans who get tattooed, pierced, marijuanaed, lgbt-ed, obese-d, plastic surgery-ed, etc.
But. We cherish democracy.
If we have elected a Governor, a President, let them finish their terms. Give them a second chance. Don't just impeach them just because you disagree.
Be… Democratic.
