Alaskan Vacation Part Two Plus Outrage Over the Debt Deal

TRAPPERS CREEK, ALASKA--Reporting to you from the Main Lodge at the Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge in Trappers Creek, Alaska. The Internet is free, so I thought I would take advantage of it. Jerry, my brother Jonathan, and I went river rafting this morning in a pouring rain. We put on layers and layers of raingear including rain pants, boots, hats, and a fleece jacket--it got pretty cold on the river. We saw seven eagles, including one in flight. We mentioned we had passed Wassila yesterday on the bus ride in and our rowing guide said "Don't talk about her. She Who Must Not Be Named" as if Sarah Plain were Volemort, Harry Potter's evil nemesis. When we passed  Wassila on the way from Anchorage, I think we saw the little coffee stand that Kathy Griffin and her staff stopped at on her visit during My Life on the D-List.

After the raft ride, we had lunch in the town of Takleena--I think I'm mispelling it, but the postcard with right spelling on it is back in my room--which was the inspiration from the town of Cicely in Northern Exposure. A tiny little village with lots of cool shops and adventure tourism. We were at the Roadhouse and had a pasty which is sort like Mrs. Lovett's meat pies from Sweeney Todd. Food here is interesting. Last night, I had reindeer lasagna.

When we got back to our rooms, my parents in their room acorss the hall were watching CNN just after the House had passed the compromise bill, or as I like to call it, The President's Cave-In. I am OK with looking at Medicare and Social Security and doing some reform, but I am pretty upset that there is no revenue increases for rich people, not even closing of ridiculous loopholes. The only possibility is this stupid Committee of 12,  but with half of it Republican, nothing is going to happen as far taxes goes. Let's face it, the Tea Party won and I figured out why: they had nothing to lose. They basically said, "Go ahead, don't raise the debt ceiling. Let the country default. Nothing is going to happen." And some of them, like Michelle "Bat S**t Crazy" and this Walsh guy from Illinois who owes over $100,000 in child support, actually believe it. The President could have said, "Give me a bill with some tax increases for rich people or I veto it and if you don't by Aug. 2, I raise it myself invoking the 14th amendment." But the other side genuinely was willing to go over the cliff and take the whole world's economy with them. Now the Senate will have to pass it tomorrow or we default, so you'll get all the Repubs--the women from Maine and Scott Brown are safe to vote for it--and some Dems. 

But I am having a great time, it's wonderful to get away from the heat of NYC for the coolness of Alaska. Tomorrow we go on to the Denali Lodge.