Aside from the fact that the 84-year-old Ted Stevens just got indicted by the FBI, Mark Begich, the Mayor of Anchorage, is at the forefront of the Environmental movement. Alaska is the United States' leading energy producer and it would be a huge step for the Environmental movement in the United States if a "green" Democrat were to represent Alaska in Washington.

Mark Begich has an “Ethics Pledge” on his website.

Mark Begich’s ethics pledge includes:

1. Making financial records, detailed, and open to the public

2. Ban secret meetings, earmarks, and hidden connection

3. Stop special senate privileges

4. Provide campaign records in a timely manner

5. Giving Alaskans straight answers and accessibility

Begich holds the unique position of a Democrat that favors drilling in ANWR. Most of Alaska's population supports drilling, though up until the present time, Stevens has been unsuccessful at garnering support for drilling. This shows the necessity for change, which Begich can provide. Begich is not afraid to cross party lines for the sake of supporting those that will elect him, which is beneficial in that it shows both his devotion to Alaska and the possibility of him uniting the two parties over issues that he feels strongly about.

Latest pictures out today show an unhappy Senator Stevens trying to avoid the press yesterday afternoon. Several of his fellow Republican's appear to be abandoning ship in support of him. A spokesperson For John McCain said this, "The indictment was a "sad reminder" that the next president will have to work to rebuild the public's trust." Apparently McCain often argued with Stevens over the appropriation process since it led to corruption often times and then The American people lose faith in government. Senator Stevens met with the federal judge yesterday, who set the ground rules concerning his indictment. He pled innocent but if convicted he might get 5 years for each of the 7 counts against him. He son, Ben, also may be implicated. As the oldest sitting Republican in the Senate it is a sad time. He will be remembered for this, not his previous 40 years of service to the Alaskan people. This is another incident of how power corrupts and how important drilling for oil in Alaska is to the Oil companies. They are more than eager to court and woo senators with bribes. And meanwhile the Alaskan people now may suffer without a strong representation in Washington at a critical time when someone needs to protect Alaska's best interests. He will be so busy defending himself he may not have much time to devote the state he represents. Guilty or not, he should apologize to the people who put him there, for any hint of dishonesty and for this distraction to the real work at hand.

Senator John McCain distanced himself immediately from Senator Stevens by donating $5000 he had received from a PAC Northen Light tied to the indicted Senator. It was donated to the Flight 93 Memorial Fund. This was very smart on McCain's part as it seems the Republican party needs to dodge every bullet coming their way. With so many seats up for grabs in this upcoming election and rumors flying that the democrats are going to make a big sweep, McCain didn't waste any time or beat around the bush in showing that this is not good for the party's image whether true or not. The Republicans appear to be on the defensive during this campaign season. This is not a good position to be in. With so many issues on the front burner, gas prices, a prolonged war, economic problems on the homefront, this issue regarding Stevens just adds fuel to the flames.

If this is really going to the year of change for the Democrats in Washington, then the first person that they are going to have to beat is the longest-tenured Republican Senator. Their platforms are world apart and Begich is running on Stevens' weakest points. Mark Begich's top issues are Education, Environment and Ethics. Senator Ted Stevens has stated that he believes that it will take 700-900 years to see the effects of Global Warming, received a "D" rating from the National Education Association in 2007 for his Education voting record, and is currently under indictment by the FBI, facing criminal charges.

Due to his recent indictment, Stevens faces a time-consuming legal battle which will presumably distract him from his senatorial duties. Distractions aside, Stevens has enough trouble fulfilling such duties as it is; the veteran lawmaker is perhaps best known outside of Alaska for the erroneous claims he made on the senate floor to the effect that the commercialization of the internet is preventing e-mails from reaching their intended destinations in a timely manner. Given an opportunity to address the nation's significant infrastructure challenges, Stevens chose not to educate himself on the topic beforehand. Whether he belongs in prison has yet to be decided; that he does not belong in the U.S. Senate has been clear for years.

Frankly, never has the issue of ethics been this far to the forefront of an election. Mark Begich is running with the ethics issue very high in his platform. Ted Stevens is trying to stay out of jail.

In April, the National Republican Senatorial Committee finally launched "begichbaggage.com" after months of stalling in a attempt to attack him on the very issue he believes to be incredibly important. The site currently features four tidbits about Begich's mortgage and taxes. Meanwhile, everything "unethical" that you need to know about Senator Ted Stevens is currently posted on the front page of every major news outlet.

In a Senate race with the clear choice between new voices versus keeping the old guard, it appears that change will happen, whether Alaskans want it or not. With the indictment of Senator-For-Life Ted Stevens for bribery, corruption will now be the issue in the campaign. Will Stevens tough it out or resign for the good of the Republican Party and the citizens of his great state? Stay tuned.

That Stevens' career may end amidst charges that he violated the law should be of little surprise; Stevens' career began in a similar fashion. By the senator's own admission, he and his associates "were violating the law" by "lobbying from the executive branch" on behalf of Alaska during its Eisenhower-era campaign for statehood, even though, as Stevens himself admits, "there's been a statute against that for a long time." In doing so, Stevens became a hero to many Alaskans, while at the same time demonstrating his contempt for the rule of law. One who routinely breaks such laws ought not to be writing them.

There are some disturbing trends in Stevens' voting record, especially in regards to his attachment to oil:

6/10/03 - voted no to funding research for hydrogen cells

6/16/05 - voted no to reducing US dependence on foreign oil

11/03/05 - this one is very suspicious - voted no to an amendment that would have Alaska pay the US treasury 50% of revenues from oil and gas, though would give Alaska the ability to file a civil action to request a percentage increase in revenues. the leasing and production of oil and gas would be prohibited after the civil action was filed.

6/14/07 - voted no to clean energy achievement bill

6/21/07 - voted no to alternate energy subsidies

Stevens refuses to support alternate forms of energy and he opposes any regulation of Alaska's oil profits. He clearly wants to keep the US dependent on oil and he wants to personally benefit from it as much as possible.

Among other principles, Begich's ethics pledge states that all senators should abide by a law of making financial records easily accessible. So far he has lived up to this, and if he becomes senator and continues to follow through, it can be a start of a truly incredible thing. From the personal scope, one of the biggest economic issues in the United States is having to wonder if your tax money is being wasted or stolen by politicians. If he and others in his state release their records and are able to account for every dollar of the state's budget, it will but people's minds at ease and would place tremendous pressure on other politicians to follow his lead. This would be especially important if Stevens is shown to have accepted bribes and lied.

Mark Begich understands the impact the Internet has had since its inception. Ted Stevens has been completely lost on any Internet-related issues, as made clear when he describe the web as "a series of tubes" after rambling, confusing remarks in a speech. Stevens also voted against Net Neutrality.

In this specific race, state issues have blended with a sense of concern for the present national agenda. By this I mean that national petroleum considerations have brought the long time divisive issue of drilling in Anwar to the front of this political arena. Since both candidates align themselves with what polls indicate to be the Alaskan consensus of allowing drilling we must consider other issues. Perhaps the more pressing issues presented in the collective Alaskan Consciousness are not of the candidates themselves but more a reflection of affecting national politics at the state level. The candidate for change over the incumbent, the old house against the new acquisition, partisan politics (scandal) over a clean slate. They are not people so much as representations of ideas.

Mark Begich wants to repeal the Patriot Act, a review of the controversial FISA act, and also pledges to restore habeus corpus. Many feel the executive branch of government has oversteeped constitutional checks and balances and has unfairly used legislation to spy on its citizens.

Begich is a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association. He is a strong supporter of the second ammendment and firmly believes in the right to bear arms. His views differ from most Democrats, also showing his willingness to act in a bi-partisan manner.

Environmental issues are clearly a factor in the State of Alaska and though Senator Stevens has addressed these issues he has lacked specific focus on finding effective solutions by region. This consideration of flexible solutions for energy consumption throughout Alaska has been outlined in a recent interview with Mark Begich. He does not yet have a proven track record in the Senate and whether or not he will provide an effective lobby for his positions remains to be seen. However, this interview at least shows an acknowledgment that diverse solutions are required for one of the worlds most complex problems, especially in a state with the land mass of Alaska.

In February of 2007 Ted Stevens sponsored Senate bill #49, which would have effectively banned Wikipedia, Myspace, Facebook, and all other social networking sites from public schools. The reason the senator gave for this ban was to protect children from predators and "cyber-bullying". However, the language in the bill was so over broad and vague that it would have served as an effective means of limiting the libertarian medium that is the internet. Banning any online forum is limiting freedom of speech. The internet has become an invaluable tool for schoolchildren today and to take away user policed forums would be a suppression of the marketplace of ideas. Besides, many social networking sites already have appropriate security measures in place such as one I'm sure will be familiar to all of you, the "Report this comment" button. (ha ha ha)

Senator Stevens voted against LIHEAP Legislation, this bill would help the lower income families with heating needs. "The high cost of energy is the top concern facing Alaska families and Senator Stevens' vote against federal aid is an outrage," said Begich. Some 14,000 families may experience a harsh winter if this legislation is not passed.

Interestingly enough, Senator Ted Stevens voted "no" on establishing the Senate office of Public Intergrity in March 2006. And another odd vote came on that same month, he voted "yes" to allowing some lobbyists to give gifts to congress, this also happened in March 2006. Quite possibly that was a generous time for him and some of his very supportive friends, like Veco Corp. Maybe he wanted everyone in politics to feel the love?

Despite his spiraling out of control situation with the Federal charges he now faces, his fellow conservative friends are bailing him out and donating alot of money to helping him maintain his seat. He recently had one of his best fund raising quarters in his career. But with the likes of Orrin Hatch, Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Kit Bond throwing money at his re-election campaign, he just may somehow pull off a win in Alaska. the big question though is can he telecommute fom jail and serve in the Senate? There's always a first time for everything. And this may warm him up to the Internet, he never seemed to cyber-savvy and opposed many social websites. We shall see.

Regardless of Sen. Steven's reputation or what he's come to symbolize to the Alaskan voters, the controversy surrounding his dealings with Veco Corp. present a microcosm of what ails and impedes our political process and its concern for and productivity within our nation.

Alaska is one of, if not the most, rich and bountiful states, both in its natural resources and in its environment, of the United States. The appointed leader who is responsible for the legislation concerning Alaska, it's people, and it's resources (especially in an age during which we are attempting to move away from dependence on foreign energy sources) needs to be and reflect a high ethical standard of both honesty and fairness.

Although many claim that Steven's pull in Congress, as evidence in the "Bridge to Nowhere" project and his effectiveness in bringing up to $2 million to clean up the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill from the Alaskan coast, is reason enough to support him in November, his lack of transparency in the Veco case should call his integrity into question and beg serious consideration of the policies and proposals of Mark Begich.

Since Alaska has more veterans per capita that any other state, it is vital that the senatorial candidate elected has their best interest at heart. If elected, Begich hopes to update the much outdated and low-coverage G.I. Bill to provide for education coverage for vets. A proposed plan would benefit veterans who have served since 9/11 by covering the full cost of the highest priced public college in their state.

Begich's new G.I. bill would satisfy many promises that the current administration has not and provide a clear future for our Iraq soldiers' higher education.

As an Independent conservative and a small-government Alaskan, Mark Begich knows how necessary it is for Alaskans to maintain their freedoms. Alaska is one of the few states with the "State Privacy Provision" written into their constitution and so, even though a democrat, Begich knows that supporting the Independent is the way to go if he is going to maintain speed through November. He has introduced since last month a 5-point plan entitled "Protecting Alaskans' Rights"

"As a US senator I will fiercely fight against government intrusion into lives of Alaskans."

This is especially important now because Washington is looking into drilling prospects in the Alaskan Wilderness. Begich hopes to harness that attention and turn it into profit for out-of-work Alaskans.

I find it very interesting that, up until this point, Mark Begich has refrained from pin-pointing the scandal and trial that will keep Ted Stevens (R) away from the campaign trail in the Alaska Senate race.

Instead, Begich is focusing his campaign against the incumbent senator on the issues that are of immediate concern to the state and the people of Alaska. The opportunity to use Steven's corruption scandal involving $250,000 of funds the senator received from VECO Corp. against the GOP in this race is prime campaign ad material, yet Begich has decided to address the issues and not curtail into a endless cycle of sound bites and mudslinging between the parties.

Such a decision, if it holds out through the fall with Stevens' trial in September, is worth noting and reflects a much-needed "change" in traditional political discourse and the democratic process.

In an ominous turn of events for Ted Stevens., the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate has hurt Steven's re-election chances and helped Mark Begich. Prominent Republicans like Bree Buchanan, sister of Pat Buchanan, are talking about how Gov. Palin has "stood up to the corruption of Ted Stevens" and canceled "the bridge to nowhere". McCains talks about how Palin stood up to the Alaska Republican establishment, and he means Stevens and Congressman Don Young. When your political party starts running against you, look out!

At least Mark Begich isn't under investigation from the FBI.

An article from MSNBC states that the Justice Department indicted Senator Ted Stevens (R). Prosecutors say he received $250,000 in gifts and services from VECO Corp. He has been under suspicion for his home renovations and his business dealings with wealthy oil contractors. He has been the longest serving Republican senator—it’s time for new blood. Also, his indictment doesn’t look good for his chances on re-election. It does not look like a good year for the Republicans.

Mark Begich's campaign slogan is "Honest Leadership For Alaska". He has led Anchorage as mayor efficiently and has experienced a great swell of popularity there. Chuck Schumer, the head of the Democratic campaign Committee said "We think Alaska is a state we'll win." He is confident and his numbers have increased this month. Bothcandidates are about even in votes from men but Begich carries the woman's vote by a 22 point lead. Overall Begich received 63% favorablity in a recent Rasmussen poll. This is up from 56% last month. And now with all the fallout of Senator Ted Stevens' 7 felony charges, stemming from allegations of bribery by Veco Corp, an oil company. Added to this is that Senator Stevens is the oldest serving Republican in the senate, age 84. Many think that after 40 years in government Alaska needs a change. This might be the perfect time.

Sometimes a politician who is dearly loved and has served his constituents well stays a little too long. In Ted Steven's case it has long been well known that he is a bully, but when the bully is on your side who cares? Just like George Allen's Macaca moment, Ted Stevens has become an embarrassment to Alaska. Not because he made a mistake but because he became a cliche. Everybody knew what he was yet as long as it wasn't making the states residents look like fools it was tolerable. Now it's clear that Alaskans will have to choose between humiliation or reality. Unfortunately at a time like this an honorable man steps aside and takes an accounting of his blessings. In this case just as pride cometh before the fall, surely Ted Stevens pride will lead him to a very great fall. Such as it is, Alaskans really have no choice.

So long as Gov. Palin holds off on making any public statement that either approves or disapproves of Sen. Ted Stevens as he continues on with his indictment trial, a substantial (albeit "theoretical") voter shift is left hanging in the balance.

Should Gov. Palin openly endorse the incumbent and well-known Senator, you could put money down that Stevens would see an immediate upswing in the polls and perhaps just enough to stave off any last minute ad stretch Begich might have in his cards as election day approaches.

Nonetheless, Palin's platform of "being tough against corruption" or what-have-you leave her in a pinch so far as her public position on Sen. Stevens.

On the other hand, if Palin gives a thumbs-down (or if she doesn't say anything at all) Mark Begich (D) can ride this trial against Stevens and the unavoidable disappointment it will inflict on his voters all the way to a upset victory and unseating of Stevens in November.

Up to this point, however, the campaign is a permanent fixture on the national stage both on account of the indictments against Sen. Stevens and for the rising star of Gov. Palin as GOP Vice Presidential hopeful.

Only time will tell who benefits the most from the attention, the Democrat Begich or the GOP.

Yesterday Sen. Ted Stevens (R) lost a bid to dismiss the charges of corruption piled against him on account of his much publicized financial relationship with VECO Corp. The trial begins on September 22nd and will take place in Washington rather than Alaska (which the Senator also put a bid in for and lost as well.)

All this has to come as good news for the Mark Begich campaign who is just barely ahead of the incumbent Republican according to the most recent polls. With the Senator tied up with the trial proceedings in the next few weeks, Begich is hoping to gain an advantage through heavy campaign ad cycles and public appearances to extend his lead amongst Alaskan voters.

Mark Begich hiked his campaign trail out into the rural areas of Alaska making stops in towns such as Nome, Bethel, Kotzebue, Akiachak, and Kasigluk. From this tour, Begich has put together an eight-point plan to strengthen Alaska's rural communities.

The plan breaks down accordingly:

1. He wants to cut energy costs and implement more efficient energy standards for community buildings and private homes. He aims to develop more efficient renewable generation systems and bring the gasoline, oil, and gas development benefits to the people in the rural areas of Alaska.

2. He wants to improve health care for Alaska natives by closing health care funding gaps; developing Alaska's own health care professionals; funding water and wastewater improvements; investing in the Denali Commission Success; expanding long-term care options for Alaskans; and improving behavioral health services.

3. He plans to offer more economic opportunities to rural Alaskans by bringing affordable high-speed internet services to rural businesses; backing the regional corporations and tribal governments; protecting the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program for economic development; and bring more federal funding to the state.

4. He promises to strengthen public safety in order to guarantee Alaskan families' safety.

5. Begich plans to boost rural education by repealing the No Child Left Behind Act and supporting policies that "respect community values" (http://begich.com/issues/rural). He will endorse a culturally relevant curriculum; prioritize early learning programs; and offer more opportunities for higher education to rural Alaskan high school students.

6. He want to see cooperation between tribal leaders, federal agencies, and business owners towards the shared goal of economic development and progress on Alaska's federal lands.

7. Begich will devote himself to protecting subsistence rights in the hunting and fishing industries.

8. Last of all, Begich is seeking to empower his fellow Alaskans to make their own decisions as to how to best serve, protect, and improve the rights, conditions, and economic progress of their state.

The Democratic Senate hopeful notes the inspiration that motivated his economic plan, "“As I’ve traveled through rural Alaska , I have visited with elders, teachers, hospital staff, and community leaders. My rural plan is based on conversations and ideas I have heard loudly and clearly from Alaska ’s Native peoples.”

This is kind of a deal breaker for me, and for I imagine many patriotic voters: Stevens voted against educational benefits for veterans of the Iraq war because it's a volunteer army? Huh?

"I think supporting our veterans, especially those who felt the calling to service, is not a controversial issue. It's troubling that Senator Stevens is trying to make a false distinction between what our country owes veterans of today and veterans of wars past." Matt Browner Hamlin

Give this post a thumbs up if full veterans benefits are an essential, urgent priority.

“Would you have any difficulty finding an 84-year-old guilty of a crime if you knew that a conviction might result in a prison term?”

Curious that sending Ted Stevens to jail at the age of 84 is an issue, but where's the beef about sending him to congress at that age? In the video, Mark Begich talks a great deal about the future of Alaska. Is Stevens really in a position to talk about the future?

This is also another deal breaker for me, (although, to keep things in perspective, veteran's benefits are a no-brainer). What kind of hubris does it take to be that old and run anyway? Suggests a kind of arrogance to me, or worse yet, senility, and all the poor judgment that goes along with that kind of mental deterioration. Issues aside, the average life expectancy for an American male at present is 75.4 years, it just doesn't make sense to gamble on being around long enough to make a difference!

Mark Begich (D) has spoken out in frustration with regards to the bailout plan both in its first form that failed in the House on Monday and in its new form as it now sits in the House after passing the Senate last night.

He claims that the plan is still missing the point by doing more to compensate Wall Street without providing the proper protections for Main Street.

"They must focus on an economic stimulus package for both the long-term and the short-term."

The proposals that Begich has supported are "an expansion of FDIC insurance for private deposits up to $250,000 that was added by the Senate on Tuesday" (newsminer.com). He also wants to establish solid protections for 401K plans and other savings accounts and the finance options for American homeowners.

The latest Rasmussen Report shows the Alaska Senate race neck-to-neck as Democrat Mark Begich has pulled within one point behind incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Stevens.

The polls show the race at 49 percent to 48 percent in favor of Stevens who (as you know) is facing seriously challenges to his campaign as he undergoes investigations in court in Washington, D.C.

The most inspiring fact, however, for Begich's people is the Rasmussen's results claiming "Begich currently leads his opponent 56% to 39% among unaffiliated voters in Alaska. The race is identical between men and women, with 49% going for Stevens and 48% who favor Begich."

The importance of the "unaffiliated vote" or the "independent vote" or the "undeclared vote" cannot and should not be underestimated in this year's election and with the economic crisis working in favor of Democratic candidates as of late, the math for Begich is looking very good for the month of October.

He is a firm and fair voice for Alaska.

My father lived in Alaska off and on from 1952 until his death in 2003. He was what they call a real sourdough. He knew everything there was to know about the state- he would go on tirades about James Michner because he described a certain area poorly in his novel Alaska. My father was also a red neck, a working man, and a history buff- and he never, ever had anything but contempt for Ted Stevens. He new plenty of people with connections in Alaskan politics, and he said they all agreed that Stevens was as crooked as the day is long- and in summer, Alaskan days last a mighty long time. Based solely on my dad's views, I say vote for Begich simply to vote against Stevens.

Incumbent Republican Senator Ted Stevens was found guilty today on seven charges for the illegal gifts he received from for home renovations from Veco Corp.

Stevens is allegedly to face up to 5 years in prison. However, it is expected that the Senator will most likely serve very little to no time in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.

Although Stevens is still permitted to campaign against Democratic challenger Mark Begich to preserve his seat, Stevens is facing a very brutal climb in a very short time as election day is just over a week away.

Stevens will still be able to serve on the Senate should he beat Begich on November 4th.

The Democratic Party is jumping at this opportunity to push their filibuster-proof majority in Congress. Look for a hike in campaign funds and ad campaigns over the next few days from Begich aiming to capitalize on his rival's unfortunate circumstances.