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Diarist Polarbear at Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis has strong praise for Mark's new plan to strengthen Alaska Native & rural communities. Polarbear writes:

The best part of Mark Begich is now on display in his Plan for Rural Alaska. The core strength of the plan is Mark's special talent of connecting people-with-problems to people-with-solutions, and then supporting the outcome. Mark Begich is looking for good solutions, and believe me, new solutions are emerging.

Polarbear then goes on to list a number of important provisions in the plan before concluding:

Mark Begich is tapped into the rural Alaska economic engine. Look for good things when Senator Begich takes office.

You can read Polarbear's full diary here.

Reid Wilson at Politico has interesting analysis on yesterday's Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll which showed Mark up 6% on Sen. Stevens.

Apparently, putting Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on the Republican presidential ticket was enough to take the state's electoral votes out of play, but it may not be enough to save embattled Republicans running for re-election.

A new poll conducted by Research 2000 for the liberal blog DailyKos surveyed 600 likely voters between 9/15-17 for a margin of error of +/- 4%. Incumbent Ted Stevens, the Republican, and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, the Democrat, were tested in the race for Senate, while Rep. Don Young was matched up against former state House Democratic Leader Ethan Berkowitz.

General Election Matchup
(All / Dem / GOP / Ind / Men / Wom)

Begich.........50 / 87 / 14 / 57 / 46 / 54
Stevens........44 / 6 / 82 / 36 / 49 / 39

The numbers continue to look good for Mark. He's doing incredibly well with independent voters, a key demographic that will play a huge role in determining the outcome of the election. It's going to be a hard fight to the end, but this poll shows Mark is really connecting with voters across Alaska.

Great news. A new independent poll out today by Research 2000/Daily Kos shows Mark up six points on Sen. Stevens.

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 9/15-17. Likely voters. MoE 4% (7/14-16 results)

Stevens (R) 44 (45)

Begich (D) 50 (47)

Today Mark introduced his plan for Rural & Alaska Native communities plan at a press conference in Anchorage.

As a U.S. Senator, Begich pledges to fight for rural Alaska and build new relationships to ensure Alaska Native programs and services are protected, adding he will be a partner Alaska Natives can work with for years to come. Begich said as he has traveled to places such as Kotzebue, Nome, Bethel, Akiachak, Kasigluk and more, there has been a common theme.

Mark said:

“What I hear is that the people of rural Alaska are looking for change. Looking for new leadership to tackle the enormous challenges facing villages. Alaska is at an historic moment of change, the kind that comes only once in a generation.”

“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.”

Key parts of Mark's rural plan include:

• Energy – help communities lower energy costs with an energy-efficiency revolving loan fund for community buildings; develop renewable energy and diesel hybrid systems; and bring Alaska natural gasline benefits to rural Alaska through revenue sharing from the project.
• Health – Mark will fight to increase Indian health Service funding for the Alaska Native health care delivery system and close the current funding gap in existing contracts with Alaska Native organizations; build on the success of the Denali Commission by building new partnerships nationally to ensure continued funding for the Commission; Mark will work to double funding for federal EPA water and wastewater programs that have assisted Alaska tribes in addressing local environmental concerns.
• Economic opportunities – Mark supports wise use of the national Universal Service Fund to ensure affordable high-speed Internet services that are critical to economic success in rural areas; support regional profit and non-profit corporations in developing leadership through mentoring, education, and training; provide access to markets outside of villages by using the Internet to spur economic development in rural communities; fight to protect the SBA 8(a) Program for Alaska Native Corporations; and continue to work for state revenue sharing to continue to all Alaska communities.
• Education – Mark will work to repeal No Child Left Behind and return control of schools to local schools and communities; supporting new incentives and focused recruitment to bring Alaska graduates back to rural communities as teachers; Mark supports the federal government funding voluntary, universal pre-K education; investing in apprenticeship and career education programs in Alaska’s hub communities; and ensuring that innovative work by the Alaska Native Education Program and the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program are fully funded.
• Protecting Subsistence Rights – As a U.S. Senator, Mark will hold in-depth hearings on whether federal management of subsistence is working in rural Alaska communities. He will fight to ensure Congress never weakens ANILCA’s protections for subsistence hunting and fishing.

Here are some photos from today's press conference:
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Will Bishop of Fairbanks writes to the editors of the Fairbanks News-Miner.

Vote for Begich

To the editor:

Today’s News-Miner reports that the Republican convention, and Sarah Palin’s nomination for vice president, have caused Mark Begich to lose ground in polling for the United States Senate race. I urge Alaskan voters to reverse this trend.

As mayor of Anchorage, Mark Begich has implemented energy-saving policies that have reduced consumption and costs. Begich understands that one of government’s most important functions is to encourage investment in the future. In the U.S. Senate, he will work toward funding for renewable energy research and improvements in efficiency of non-renewable sources; such policies are the key to both lowering the burden of energy costs and solving the problem of global warming. He will work to make Alaska a leader in alternative energy as it has been with oil and gas.

Mark Begich supports restoring Alaska control of Alaska schools. Unlike Ted Stevens, who voted for and defends the No Child Left Behind Act, Begich understands that universal federal mandates can never adequately serve Alaska’s unique education system. To improve the quality of education, he will fight for better facilities, higher-quality materials and teacher training, rather than arbitrary assessments and punishments.

Despite many voters’ perceptions of the Democratic Party, Mark Begich supports retaining Alaskan freedoms. He is against infringements on the Second Amendment such as gun registration and handgun bans, and hopes to restore rights curtailed in the name of “counter-terrorism.”

Mark Begich will give Alaska a stronger voice in Congress; he will work with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fine leader and stateswoman, to give Alaska credibility on both sides of the aisle. Begich will also restore political ethics by disclosing all financial information and refusing to cater to special interests. In contrast, Ted Stevens recently appeased Outside special interest groups by voting to continue a corrupt system of farm subsidies that does not benefit Alaska.

Like many Alaskans, I am excited about Gov. Palin’s new national role. But party loyalties should not deter Alaskans from electing the representatives we need in a new political era. Please read more about Begich at www.begich.com, and join me in voting for him on Nov. 4.

Two great letters in today's Anchorage Daily News.

First, from Tonya Parish on energy:

Begich energy plan could reduce greenhouse gases by 80 percent

The issue of global warming is important to me because, as a teen, this is the world that I am going to be living in. It is important that we take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now, before it is too late.

Mark Begich has an energy plan to reduce emissions nationally and statewide by 25 percent before 2018. By 2050 he wants to reduce greenhouse gases by 80 percent. His energy plan will provide reliable, sustainable and affordable energy to Alaska families. He believes Alaska should responsibly develop our nonrenewable and renewable resources, in order to improve the local economy, and will push for national funding in order to do so.

We need to clean up our world now, and Mark Begich can help.

-- Tonya Parish

Anchorage

Next from Nic Sedenquist:

Showing transparency as mayor, Begich shows worth as senator

Political corruption has devastated Alaska's voice in the U.S. Senate. As a first-time voter, I am finally given an opportunity to help change policy in Washington in hopes of restoring Alaska's tainted reputation. The recent scandals within our political system only highlight how needed the topic of ethics reform is. This election I will choose to end an era marred by dishonest politicians and Big Oil. With a proven transparency in city government, and a comprehensive plan to add accountability in Washington, I feel confident Mark Begich will deliver the same ethical benchmarks as he did as mayor, which is exactly why he earns my vote on Nov. 4.

-- Nic Sedenquist

Anchorage

Thanks for the great show of support Tanya & Nic!

Mark Begich issued the following statement today in honor of the 7th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001:

“I join all Alaskans and Americans across the country in honoring those who lost their lives in the attack on our nation on September 11, 2001.

Just as those of an earlier generation remember precisely what they were doing when the life of a young president was abruptly taken, today each of us remembers the shocking sight of passenger jets smashing into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

Seven years later, we remain more committed than ever to protecting our nation and the freedom it exemplifies across the world. We rededicate ourselves to the notion that bravery and self-sacrifice have always been cornerstones of our nation’s greatness.

We witness that bravery and self-sacrifice every day in our own community as our fire fighters, police officers and other emergency responders serve our citizens. And as we confront the continuing threat of terrorism, we honor the thousands of brave men and women defending our country across the globe.

I also want to wish Godspeed to the 4,000 members of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division deploying out of Fort Wainwright to Iraq in the coming days.

Let us never forget to give thanks every day for our freedoms and those who sacrifice every day to protect them.”

In honor of the 9/11 anniversary, the Begich campaign is doing no advertising for the day.

Today in Anchorage Mark rolled out his veterans plan. Begich’s plan, “Keeping our Commitment to Veterans and Their Families,” is focused on fully-funding the Veterans Administration and ultimately bringing a VA hospital to Alaska; modernizing VA health care delivery while providing specialized care to wounded warriors; eliminating the unacceptably high backlog of VA benefit claims; increasing access to health care for all veterans; and providing the services needed by veterans and their families as they transition from military to civilian life.

At the press conference Mark said:

“Now more than ever, we need to invest in improved health care, disability benefits, transition services and mental health counseling. Thousands of men and women making the sacrifice to serve in the global war on terrorism should not return to a woefully underfunded VA that can’t provide adequate medical care, can’t process their disability claims and can’t provide critical counseling services.”

Key points of the plan include:

• Quality coverage for veterans. When VA health care is not available due to backlogs, veterans should be given access to private care facilities. Mark supports proposals to create a special health pass or “heroes health card” to provide veterans with care in their own communities through coordination between local doctors and the federal government.
• Increase VA Facilities in Alaska. Too many Alaska veterans have to travel out of their communities and out of Alaska for health care. More than $11 million a year in veterans’ medical costs are taken care of outside of Alaska. Mark will push for a dedicated Veterans hospital in Alaska as well as more community clinics.
• Provide specialized treatment and rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mark understands that TBI, PTSD and other mental health issues are combat injuries and should be treated that way. Mark supports increased funding for specialized counseling and support for veterans and family members faced with these injuries. Mark also supports new incentives to recruit mental health professionals to the VA that have the appropriate training and expertise to treat these injuries.
• New partnerships with community organizations. Mark will support bipartisan legislation that requires the VA to work with community based organizations, such as the Veterans Aviation Outreach in Alaska, to reach out to underserved and rural veterans.

You can read the full Begich veterans plan here.

Yesterday Mark was in Fairbanks, talking to voters about the need for Congress to take action to reduce high energy costs. Mark sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell outlining his views of what needed to be done now to help Alaska families. The Fairbanks News-Miner has a really good write-up of yesterday's event and Mark's vision for a new energy policy for Alaska. You can read the article here.