watching alaska die wrote:  "Regular citizens often lose their jobs in Alaska when the price of oil falls."  

Care to prove that?  Got some numbers?  Don't forget to compare "oil patch" job loss numbers to that of state employees.  I think you're confusing lobbyists with state employees - what about all the folks at the libraries, museums or lugging tourists around on our ferries?  What is a "regular citizen"  -  those folks you claim rely on oil production for their life blood.   I go to the airport (ANC) and see all the folks that work in the oil patch going home to places like OK, CA, WA, AZ, OH and so forth.  Show some proof or just keep crying us a river :)