Lost his way

Poor Don Young. He's forgotten what he was sent to Washington to do and his career is collapsing around him.

The people of the Great Land want him to represent their interests in Congress. But Don keeps forgetting that.

• When he's asked perfectly legitimate questions last month about his connection to an earmark in Florida, he responds with a middle finger. The message I get from that is one of complete and utter impunity, i.e. don't ask me any questions because I am going to do whatever I want regardless of what you say.
• As his former aides get indicted, he spends more money than any other representative on legal fees and yet can't apparently bring himself to tell his constituents why that might be necessary.
• He acknowledges taking illegal donations but won't return all the money because the statute of limitations has expired. So what that tells me is that he has no problem taking money illegally, he just wishes he hadn't been caught.
• When he finally decides to act on behalf of Alaskans, it is to preserve funding Democrats would have preserved anyway... and he does it in such a patronizing and embarrassing manner, I wish he weren't speaking for me. Young, of course, missed the Iraq debate and his job in Washington because he was cavorting in Zambia of all places with lobbyists.

In the midst of this impunity and complete disregard for the opinions of his constituents, Young is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for a re-election campaign that will no doubt airbrush his record and his service and make him once again palatable to Alaskans.

Aside from the small matter of money, the opening does seem to be particularly ripe for a challenger, either Republican or Democrat.

Dillon notes the Alaskan press contingent is back up to three, the same size as the Congressional delegation. But he worries he may not be a full Alaskan reporter. Hmmm... at the rate Don is representing everybody but Alaska, the Congressional delegation can hardly be considered to be at full strength.