Alaskan Independence Party

Infobox_American_Political_Party
party_name = Alaskan Independence Party
party_articletitle = Alaskan Independence Party
party_
chairman = Lynette Clark
senateleader = None
houseleader = None
foundation = 1984 [http://www.akip.org/introduction.html Introduction to the Alaskan Independence Party] ]
SENseats = 0
HRseats = 0
ideology = Libertarianism, Alaskan Sovereignty
position = Republic
international = None
colors = Blue and Gold
headquarters = 2521 Old Steese Hwy. N.
Fairbanks, Alaska
99712
website = [http://www.akip.org Alaskan Independence Party]
footnotes = |The Alaskan Independence Party is a political party in the U.S. state of Alaska that advocates a state vote which includes several options, including increased state autonomy, territorial status, becoming a separate nation or commonwealth state, and, failing that, nationhood. It calls for increased Alaskan control of Alaskan land, gun rights, privatization, home schooling, and reduction of governmental intrusion in the private lives of its citizens with adherence to the founding documents of the United States. The party has appeared on the ballot in Alaska in all state elections since 1970.Fact|date=September 2008

At other times, party members have also proposed that the state explore the possibility of joining Canada. Other members have expressed opposition to joining Canada in its present form but are open to the possibility of joining an independent Western Canadian state comprising the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Neither of these scenarios form part of the party's current platform.Fact|date=September 2008

At the national level, the party is affiliated with the conservative Constitution Party. [http://constitutionparty.com/view_states.php?state=AK Constitution Party Alaska page] .]

History

In 1973 Joe Vogler began arguing about the validity of the Alaskan statehood vote. Early in that year, he began circulating a petition seeking support for secession of Alaska from the United States. "Alaska" magazine published a piece at that time in which Vogler claimed to have gathered 25,000 signatures in 3 weeks.

During the 1970s, Vogler founded Alaskans for Independence to actively pursue secession for Alaska from the United States. In 1984, he founded the AIP to explore whether the 1958 vote by Alaskans authorizing statehood was legal.

The party quotes Vogler as stating "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." [cite news| url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/02/politics/animal/main4405774.shtml| title = Curiouser and Curiouser| work = CBS News| date =2008-09-02| accessdate = 2008-09-12] [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20080116105845/http://www.akip.org/introduction.html Introduction] , Alaskan Independence Party, at archive.org (January 16, 2008).]

Vogler would serve as the AIP's standard-bearer for most of the party's first two decades. He ran for governor in 1974, with Wayne Peppler as his running mate. Jay Hammond was elected over incumbent governor William Egan, with Vogler trailing far behind. Typical political discussion of the day contended that Vogler was a "spoiler," and that the result would have been different had he not been in the race. However, this campaign opened up the doors for non-major party candidates to run for major offices in Alaska, and generally this accusation is leveled during every election cycle.

Vogler's running mate in 1986 was Al Rowe, a Fairbanks resident and former Alaska State Trooper. Rowe took out a series of newspaper ads, fashioning himself in the image of Sheriff Buford Pusser. These ads were a major attention getter during the race. Between Rowe's ads and the turmoil existing in the Republican Party over the nomination of Arliss Sturgulewski, the AIP gained 5.2 percent of the vote, becoming a recognized party in Alaska for the first time.

In 1990, Walter Joseph Hickel, a former Republican, won the election for governor as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, along with Jack Coghill as his running mate. This was the only time since Alaska joined the union that a third-party candidate has been elected governor. However, Hickel never agreed with the party's call for a vote on secession, leading to demands from party diehards that he be recalled. He rejoined the Republican Party in 1994, with eight months remaining in his term.

Registered members

As of June 2006 the party had 13,542 registered members, making it the state's third largest; the Republicans had 111,526 members and the Democrats had 66,218. [ [http://www.ballot-access.org/2006/070106.html#11 Registered voters, mid-2006] , Ballot Access News, July 1, 2006]

On September 2, 2008, the Associated Press reported that the Alaska Division of Elections said that Todd Palin, the husband of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, had registered as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party in 1995 and 2000; he no longer is registered as a member of the party, having registered as "undeclared" since 2002.cite web |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hpC0ED5JB9qx1iUsd9xz-dBbwWBwD92UTA501 |title=Palin's husband was member of third party |work=Associated Press |date=2008-09-02 |accessdate=2008-09-03] Sarah Palin was never a member of the Alaska Independence Party according to a statement released by AIP chairman Lynnette Clark on September 3, 2008cite web | url=http://www.akip.org/090308.html|title=Statement by AIP chairman Lynnette Clark, September 3, 2008.|date=2008-09-03|accessdate=2008-09-07] . Clark had the day earlier stated that Sarah Palin was a member, and attended the 1994 AIP Convention, but retracted her statement the following day, affirming that she was mistaken.cite web | url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/another-aip-off.html|title=Another AIP Official Says Palin Was at 1994 Convention|date=2008-09-02|accessdate=2008-09-17] .

Palin has expressed support for the AIP, telling AIP members, "Keep up the good work" [. . .] "And God bless you." AIP chair, Lynette Clark told is quoted to have said of Palin, "She's Alaskan to the bone ... she sounds just like Joe Vogler." [David Talbot, [http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/514503 Where's the uproar on Palin links to anti-U.S. group? Founder of Alaska secessionist party preached armed insurrection against federal government] , "Toronto Star", October 9, 2008]

Goals

According to the party's web site:

"The Alaskan Independence Party's goal is the vote we were entitled to in 1958, one choice from among the following four alternatives:
# Remain a Territory.
# Become a separate and Independent Nation.
# Accept Commonwealth status.
# Become a State. The call for this vote is in furtherance of the dream of the Alaskan Independence Party's founding father, Joe Vogler, that Alaskans achieve independence under a minimal government, fully responsive to the people, and promoting a peaceful and lawful means of resolving differences." [AIP (2008-06-06). Welcome to the home ofThe Alaskan Independence Party. Retrieved on 2008-09-02 from http://www.akip.org/]

The party maintains that Alaska's vote for statehood is "invalid" because "the people were not presented with the range of options available to them" and because "federal government has since breached the contract for statehood."cite web|url=http://www.akip.org/faqs.html|title=Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Alaska Independence Party] Their web site addresses many questions about Alaskan Secession, including:
# If Alaska became independent, wouldn't we lose a lot of federal money?
# If Alaska were independent, what would happen to my social security check, federal pension, or military retirement?
# If Alaska became independent, would U.S. military bases leave?
# Under independence, what would happen to all the federal controls and regulations?
# Would I lose my U.S. citizenship?

The party did not get involved in presidential elections until 1992, when it endorsed Howard Phillips, the candidate of the U.S. Taxpayers Party (now the "Constitution Party"). The AIP is listed as an affiliate of the Constitution Party on the latter party's website.

2006 ballot initiative

In 2006, members of the AIP collected the one hundred signatures needed to place on the fall ballot an initiative calling for Alaska to secede from the union or, if that was found not to be legally possible, directing the state to work to make secession legal. However, in the case of Kohlhaas v. State (11/17/2006) sp-6072, 147 P3d 714, the State Supreme Court ruled any attempt at secession to be unconstitutional and the initiative was not approved to appear on the fall ballot [ [http://touchngo.com/sp/html/sp-6072.htm Kohlhaas v. State (11/17/2006)] , touchngo.com, retrieved October 11, 2008]

Presidential nominees

* 1992 - Howard Phillips
* 2004 - Michael Peroutka
* 2008 - Chuck Baldwin

ee also

* Secession in the United States
* Legal status of Alaska
* List of political parties in the United States
* Puerto Rican Independence Party
* Republic of Texas (group)
* Hawaiian sovereignty movement
* Second Vermont Republic
* Proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories

References

External links

* [http://www.akip.org Official website]
*