The good thing about the Daily News-Miner interview is that we get to hear directly from Gov. Mike Dunleavy about what he thinks.

The bad thing about the Daily News-Miner interview is that we get to hear directly from Gov. Mike Dunleavy about what he thinks.

In the interview printed Sunday, the News-Miner made no effort to hold Dunleavy accountable and treated every claim he uttered as deserving no rebuttal or challenge, even when it was pure gibberish. The newspaper should function as something more than a secretarial service.

His bizarre comments about people he imagines who are “pro-abortion that aren’t necessarily pro-choice” fall in the gibberish category. And his continued refusal to accept the science on climate change deserves real examination—he couches his dream of collecting billions from carbon management by saying others “believe” that increased carbon dioxide is a problem and are willing to give Alaska money.

Still, there were moments in the News-Miner interview in which he revealed things that he has not admitted in public.

When Dunleavy said, “I need Alaska to say yes to everything,” he confirmed what has been clear during his first four years as governor—he will say yes to every development project without stopping to think or asking anything in return. As Mike Doogan once said of another Alaska governor, Dunleavy would have fit right in rallying the 1955 Nenana Chamber of Commerce to greater heights.

Dunleavy proceeds as if there are no cons to any development project because private parties claim whatever they are proposing will be profitable and will create jobs. Any opposition to any project is unjustified, the work of those who hate Alaska and hate freedom.

Rather than learn from Mr. Dooley, who said, “Trust everyone. But cut the cards,” Dunleavy wants us to trust the salesmen to cut the cards.

As a confirmed yes man, Dunleavy loses patience with anyone who raises questions about logic, economics, environmental impact and the public interest.

“There’s too much ‘no,’” Dunleavy said. “No trucks on the road from Tetlin to Fort Knox, no West Susitna Access Road, no Ambler Road, no King Cove Road. No timber, no logging in the Tongass. No this. No that.”

He should have added the Pebble Mine, which Dunleavy supports.

One problem here is that the opponents of the projects named above are not part of a great Alaska “No” cabal united in hopes of destroying the state. This inability to recognize any merit in the diverse arguments of diverse opponents undermines Dunleavy’s credibility when he claims to speak for real Alaskans.

His admission that he says yes to everything is why it is foolish to take what he says at face value. Trust, but verify.

In marked contrast with Dunleavy’s enthusiasm for new resource development projects, which he pitches as the only way to improve the quality of life, he appears to have no interest or enthusiasm for improving existing state services for Alaskans to make the state a better place to live.