UNDERCOVER PRESS RELEASE

The following Press Release was drafted by my trusted staff (and approved by me from my hospital bed):

Rep. Lynn goes "under cover" to investigate Alaska health care system

Rep. Bob Lynn was out stimulating the Juneau economy at a Juneau department store on Sunday when he began feeling chest discomfort. He ended up at Bartlett Regional Hospital later that night, where he underwent evaluation.The first significant development took place about noon Monday, when Rep. Lynn reported that "the ham sandwich was good, the beef barley soup was excellent and the German chocolate cake looked promising."

Shortly afterward, Rep. Lynn suffered a setback. Preliminary results showed enzymes related to his heart muscle tissue were elevated, and consequently, the nurse took away his German chocolate cake and replaced it with a cracker.

Later that night, it was determined that Rep. Lynn required further testing in Anchorage. While being prepared for a medivac, he pointed to the tangle of electrodes on his chest and said: "I look like the back of my computer."
Rep. Lynn praised the staff at Juneau's Bartlett Hospital, saying "they were great" during his entire stay. The hospital staff returned the compliment, calling Rep. Lynn "a loveable guy."

"That loveable guy," it was pointed out, is also a co-sponsor of a legislative move bill. Rep. Lynn was quickly strapped to the gurney for removal from town.
On Tuesday at Anchorage's Providence Hospital, Rep. Lynn had a stent inserted in an artery. After a short recovery period, he is expected back at the Legislature soon.

Throughout the ordeal, Rep. Lynn suffered few of the classic symptoms associated with cardiac distress. His greatest suffering was the result of missing his committee meeting on Tuesday morning and his press availability briefing on Monday morning, where he planned to discuss Governor Palin's health care plan. His recent episode was an ideal opportunity to gain some inside knowledge into Alaska's health care system by literally going "under cover."

Rep. Lynn is relieved and thankful that his condition was not too serious and medical providers in Anchorage, Juneau and the medevac flight took good care of him.
However, according to one source close to the representative, the media could've given the story better play: more column inches and front-page placement above the fold.

STATE OF THE STATE: 2008

Governor Sarah Palin tonight delivered her second State of the State address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature at 4 o’clock today. With her first year of experience as governor (and nothing has been easy) under her belt, she appeared more self-assured and expressive. I’m a former teacher, so it’s not out of character for me to assign grades. I gave the governor an “A.”

They’re still some folks criticizing Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Some critics told me the governor rushed her lines. It didn’t seem so to me. But, if she did, it was because she had to catch a flight to Ft. Benning Georgia to see her son Track graduate from an Army training school (that’s why she had declined giving her speech at 7:00PM). Following are some excerpts from Governor Palin’s speech that deserve your special attention.

On responsibility and sovereignty: “(It’s) time to take back our collective sense of responsibility and sovereignty. To honor constitutional principles and remind the Federal Government of our right to access and develop. To maximize development for the people of this Great Land.”

On education: “Every child, of every ability, is to be cherished and loved and taught. Every child provides this world hope. They are the most beautiful ingredient in our sometimes muddied up world. I am committed to our children and their education. There is awesome potential to improve education, respect good teachers, and embrace choice for parents. This potential will prime Alaska to compete in a global economy that is so competitive it will blow us away if we are not prepared."

"It is time to shift focus, from just dollars and cents to "caliyulriit," which is Yupik for "people who want to work." Work for pride in supporting our families, in and out of the home. Work for purpose and for action, and ultimately destiny fulfilled by being fruitful. It's about results and getting kids excited about their future - whether it is college, trade school or military.”

On the legislature and administration working together: “Proverbs tell us there is no strength without unity. So, Alaska, let us be united to be strong. Let us serve selflessly, and disregard who gets the credit. We are on the same team, if we have got the same goal. With so much opportunity in Alaska, let's look at challenges like we do in our own families: save money, spend wisely, and we will secure our tomorrow. Invest in solid foundations like education and deferred maintenance. Pull together, not tear down. Be positive. Respect our treasured past, but look forward now. These are leadership characteristics expected by those who elect us to lead, to serve, to work for Alaskans. What a responsibility we have! To look beyond partisan and geographic differences. To slow government growth, so we don't tax hard working families and hand future generations a budget they can't afford. To restore trust in government.”

CALL TO ORDER AND HERE WE GO AGAIN

Speaker of the House John Harris called our State House of Representatives to order at 1:02PM today to begin our Second Session of our 25th Alaska Legislature. Here we go again!

Opening ceremonies included an Honor Guard from the Tongass Alaska Girl Scouts Council presented the Colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Alaska Youth Choir (see photograph) singing "The Alaska Flag Song” under the direction of Ms. Missouri Smyth.

The Speaker appointed Representative Kawasaki and me to officially notify Governor Palin that the “House of Representatives is in session, and ready to do business.” Rep. Kawasaki is a Democrat and the youngest representative; I’m a Republican and the oldest representative.

This the first time I’ve been a participant in this legislative formality. We traipsed upstairs to the “third floor” (legislative speak for the governor’s office) to notify the governor as directed. In actuality, we notified the governor’s Chief of Staff Mike Tibbles. The governor was in the basement bomb shelter (now used as the capitol audio-visual center) practicing for her State of the State address she will deliver later this afternoon. I wisecracked that the bomb shelter was a good place for the governor to be, considering the Tempest-in-a-Teapot controversy between the administration and the Senate on whether the speech should be at six or seven!

After we returned to the House and delivered the message that the message had been delivered to “the governor,” some sixty-one new House bills were given their title only “first reading” (we call it “read across the floor”), and assigned to various House committees.

Now the work begins. Every bill or resolution filed is important to someone, and probably every bill or resolution is controversial to someone. Obviously (I hope it’s obvious), the most important issue is the gas pipeline. I hope everyone makes the gas pipeline their top priority, minus turf battles, “gotcha” politics, ego trips, and personality conflicts between the entities addressing the issues. Hope springs eternal!

ON THE SUBJECT OF "CHANGE"

Like most everyone else, I've been riveted to the presidential election campaign because, among other things, the safety and security of the United States is at stake. The following is a Letter to the Editor I sent to the Anchorage Daily News this evening.

"Letters to the Editor
Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage, Alaska

Dear Editor:

“Change.” It’s the buzzword-of-the-day for political one-upmanship. It’s like presidential candidates - both Republican and Democrat - experienced a sudden epiphany enroute to Election Day. Their mantra seems to be, “Mirror mirror on the wall, who favors change most of all”

Newsflash. Change is neither good nor bad. It depends what the change is.

Change can be a very good thing when changing politics of corruption to politics of serving the public. That kind of change is critical to strengthening the Foundation of Trust between the good people of Alaska and the nation, and the people they elect to public office.

But some things should never change: love of Creator and country; freedom of religion and speech; personal responsibility; safeguarding our nation and supporting our troops; right to bear arms, traditional American values; parental rights; right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. And the list goes on . . .

When political candidates - presidential, state, or local - make a big deal of “change,” consider that change isn’t necessarily a good thing. It depends what the change is.

Respectfully,

REP. BOB LYNN"