Treble Hooks

There are things allowed in the legal arena designed as a means to deter willful mis-conduct, like three times your out jail time and treble damages – the latter usually a deterrent based on compensatory damage at three times the actual court awarded penalty. Stiff fines been used successfully in antitrust lawsuits, patent infringement, trade-secret abuse and also under RICO statutes – for fining gangsters. So why in hell did the state of Alaska through AGIA allow itself to be scrutinized under such non-law abiding adversary? This state has caught itself on its own treble hook? The more I read and study Sarah Palin's fantasy called AGIA – Alaska Gasline Inducement Act - I believe it is time wherein this law should be amended, to the “Alaska Gasline Enema Act”! If the school boards and school principles in an around Alaska wants our future generations to understand what went wrong in the 49er, just have the students study this AGIA legislation. In fact, all residents should be made to read and understand this crap for a PFD, “No Alaskan Left Behind”, as with this law on the books and providing a healthy payback of state revenues for what appears to be fluff in return, we have been given it in the “behind”! It appears that the Corrupt Bastard Club members have infiltrated decency and this “Act” and its stupidity is despicable legislation in efforts to screw the citizens. In the AGIA language, the state could be held liable for “Treble Damages”, which will amount to a $1.5-Billion giveaway when it is all said and done with. See, under the existing AGIA language, the “licensee” known as Trans-Canada gets exclusive and preferential “project assurances” which disallows the state of Alaska to “extend to another person, place or thing, preferential royalty or tax treatment or a grant of state money for the purpose of facilitating the construction of a competing natural gas pipeline project in this state”. Now that was not a problem, until recently. See, Trans-Canada was the recipient of the AGIA license, which meant it could recoup from the Alaska treasury up to $500-Million in recoverable costs associated with and in efforts to plan for a natural gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay south through Canada to the lower 48. There remains room for but a single delivery pipeline on this journey. But most recently, Trans-Canada reneged on that route and cajoled the state bureaucrats to allow for a detour, a major course correction and deviation, for an instate only pipeline to tidewater. The state signed on to this deviation, amended the AGIA license, wherein Trans-Canada can continue to be reimbursed for expenses incurred during the “Open Season” process and follow-up – basically until the $500-million is wasted away. But there existed already in the works two other pipelines, both instate to tidewater. So when Trans-Canada was allowed a deviation under the AGIA, guess what, the other two lines can be considered “interference”. And one line belongs to the state! Look, Trans-Canada has already decided that this project is a waste, an uneconomic venture due the falling price of natural gas in the lower-48. So I am sure the Trans-Man's legal team has looked at every which way but loose to see how that original $500-million pot-of-gold from the state coffers can be extended, and what better way to do it then by holding the state hostage. If any of the other pipelines gain momentum, gain interest, it would signal the Red Flag and then we would see the legal teams doing what they do best! It is called pilferage, all at the citizens of Alaska expense. And here it is spring time again in Alaska, and still no evidence of ditches, for pipe! Where's the pipeline? Where's the money? Bottom-line, Parnell is giving away the hen house, the hens, and paying hefty like fines for stupidity. What a shame, how such legislation makes it past GO. But when we see what the Corrupt Bastard Club legacy has fostered here in Alaska, this state has become a pathetic symbol of how not to do it, as someone forgot to lock the safe!