AMERICAN ENERGY FIRST
Alaska’s resources are critical to America’s energy security, mineral security, and national security. Failing to develop these resources leaves the nation’s future to the whims of rivals and adversaries who do not have America’s best interests in mind.
We must pursue an all-of-the-above development strategy for Alaskan resources as a basis for restoring domestic, vertically integrated supply chains that will drive U.S. manufacturing, enhance job creation, and deliver generational prosperity. To do this, we must make an articulate and persuasive case for Alaska both within Congress.
Alaska’s oil and gas resources are a critical part of America’s energy mix and help to ensure that American families and businesses have the energy needed to heat homes, drive to and from work, operate factories, and more. Without robust domestic energy production, Americans are gambling with the future. With the right leadership, however, Alaska will provide reliable domestic oil and gas production for decades to come.
PROTECTING ALASKAN JOBS
Alaskan fisheries form a foundational component of America’s food supply, providing delicious and healthy sources of protein for families across America. People across the world travel to our State to enjoy this resource in our sport fisheries, and the tourism that follows powers small businesses from guide services, to hotels, to aviation, and more. Alaskan fisheries provide important food security in Alaska as well as a source of subsistence upon which both rural and urban Alaskans rely.
Whether subsistence, commercial, or sport, each fishery use is important for Alaska and for America as a whole, and as a result it is crucial that we properly balance these interests to ensure a maximum sustainable yield. Limiting bycatch and overfishing; investing in ongoing research focused on ocean food chains, currents, population variance, genetics; and predator monitoring and control will all help ensure that Alaska’s fisheries remain reliable and predictable sources of sustenance, enjoyment, and revenue for generations to come.
Alaska’s timber industry was once a thriving component of our economy. However, radical environmental activism has nearly eliminated what was once a major Alaskan job creator. Smart, rotational timber leases must be restored to Southeast Alaska and opened up elsewhere throughout the state. Such actions reduce wildfire risk, provide potential for value-added industry, help diversify Alaska’s economic base and bring important cash inflows to the people of Alaska.
Alaska's critical minerals offer a promising frontier for economic growth, security, and environmental stewardship. From rare earths to precious metals, our state holds vast resources, vital for high-tech industries, green technologies, and a secure domestic supply chain.
As Alaskans, we responsibly set global standards for practices that respect our lands, waters, and wildlife. Alaska’s mining renaissance will not only create jobs, but it will also propel Alaska into a pivotal role: ensuring domestic production capabilities for key industries and driving America towards a future of independence and prosperity.
PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM
The Second Amendment ensures one of the most critical freedoms for Americans: the right to keep and bear arms. Our nation’s founders understood this right to be foundational to the creation of our Republic as without an armed citizenry, we would have had no ability to win the fight for self-determination. Numerous examples exist today wherein despotic governments have turned on their people, secure in the knowledge that their citizens would be able to mount little in the way of response. Whether it be for defense of tyrannical governance, national security, personal defense, or hunting, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
Under the 10th Amendment, “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This important provision ensures that the Federal government does not exceed its constitutional authority in administering laws and resultant regulations. A textualist, originalist interpretation of the Constitution ensures the courts remain strictly adherent to the letter and intent of the law.
EDUCATING THE FUTURE
In spite of years of effort and substantial funding, Alaska’s schools consistently rank among the worst in the country. As a result, young Alaskans are deprived of the skills needed to succeed in years that follow. Parents must have the opportunity to place their children in the educational environment that best meets their needs and gives those children the best chance at success. To do this, we must encourage healthy competition among schools inclusive of public, private, and homeschool options and ensure that funding follows the student.
Further, any federal education funding should come in the form of block grants to the states, allowing a greater level of local control over how such funds are deployed in the classroom.
Parents deserve the right to transparent dialogue with educators regarding their child's learning and emotional needs. Schools, bestowed with the trust of parents to educate and nurture their children, must honor this responsibility. Open communication among the teacher, student, and parent is vital to the educational experience and outcomes. We must ensure our classrooms are centered on teaching the core skills necessary for student success.
MAKING HEALTHCARE AFFORDABLE
Alaska has some of the world’s highest healthcare costs. Reforms are needed to drive down the cost of healthcare. Political rhetoric isn’t going to do it. It’s going to require commitment, tenacity, and hard work. We need to explore price and cost innovations around direct primary care and preventative medicine while protecting patient-doctor relationships.
We can find cost savings by increasing competition, negotiating prescription drug prices, and tightening work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Alaska is a critical component of America’s national security strategy. Whether it’s Alaska’s geographic position as the gateway to Arctic access, early warning for missile defense, or our training grounds for cold weather combat, Alaska enhances the ability for American forces to fight and win in the 21st century.
With more 5th generation fighters now positioned in Alaska than any other single location on earth, Alaska is poised to support America’s defense missions both at home and in the Pacific. We must continue to stress the importance of Alaska as a key to ensuring domestic tranquility.
PROTECTING FINANCIAL SOVEREIGNTY
In the face of the continued debasement of traditional fiat currencies like the US Dollar, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and metals such as gold and silver serve as an alternative safe haven asset class. Core aspects of many cryptocurrencies including programmed scarcity, transaction speed, immutability, and distributed ledgers contribute to a financial system that is more resilient, protects against counterfeiting, and ultimately, serves as a defense against the continuous erosion of Americans’ wealth through inflation. These features not only facilitate a more efficient and transparent economic framework but also put financial control squarely back into the hands of citizens, restoring power to the individual rather than centralized institutions.
My endorsement by HODLPAC in 2022 underscores a shared vision for a financial system that prioritizes accessibility, security, and individual sovereignty. I am committed to fostering an environment where cryptocurrency thrives, free from the heavy hand of central control. My aim is to advocate for a regulatory landscape that nurtures innovation and supports the continued development of the cryptocurrency landscape.
Importantly, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) represent a concerning move towards greater financial surveillance and control by central authorities, undermining the very principles of privacy, autonomy, and decentralization that cryptocurrencies stand for. I oppose CBDCs as they centralize power rather than democratize it, threatening to compromise the individual freedom and privacy that is foundational to our financial sovereignty.
By supporting financial innovation within the private marketplace, we can ensure a future where economic power and privacy are restored to the people, safeguarding our collective wealth against the well-known vulnerabilities of traditional monetary systems.