Huffington Magazine Issue 85 | Page 74

ALASKA IS FLAGGING les, for comparison, also spent $60,000.) Galena received $1.5 million in federal grants in return. Such a sum would suggest that the town would be bursting at the seams by now with glittering municipal buildings and commercial activity. But even setting aside the recent flooding, Galena is far from a robust and prosperous community. What buildings remain are faded and drab, and the roads are pockmarked and muddy. The town’s airport consists of a tiny ramshackle building, inside which travelers listen to their flight statuses via an old transistor radio patched into the cockpits of inbound planes. Apart from the gorgeous expanse of rolling hills and wild flowers encircling the town, Galena is not a terribly attractive or vibrant place. Signs of a recovery were few and far between during Begich and Cantwell’s visit. One local law enforcement official tried to remain upbeat as he sifted through papers in the back of his bangedup pickup truck. His patrol car, the officer explained, was destroyed in the flooding. After being given a tour of the wreckage, and taking a 30-minute HUFFINGTON 01.26.14 trip downriver to a fishing camp, the senators and their staffs assembled in a community center to discuss town business. There was no talk that day of domed cities or billion-dollar dams. Instead, discussions centered around far more practical concerns, like how red tape had prevented local FEMA officials “It’s not ‘Oh, jeez, here he goes again with another rant.’ They know I’m serious.” from responding in a timely manner to the disaster, and how rising temperatures were affecting the annual fishing harvest. Begich responded with a characteristic mix of technocratic curiosity and political savvy, referring questioners to relevant officials but also touting his own efforts on their behalf. “We’re trying to show our committees what you know,” he said of his work in Congress, “that it’s more expensive here.” But earmarks were out of the question, and it was unclear whether Begich’s discussion of his spot on a Commerce subcommittee provided much comfort. Evacuation planes were initially