"Meanwhile Walker has just hired a guy for 500 thousand a year to work on his obsession—the gas line that may never be built." 

No, Walker paid someone 500G to tell him what big oil and many locals already knew.  It does not pencil out!  Dejavu.... did we not just do this with the LIO building (pay someone to deliver bad news).  Something is terribly wrong with the thinking for the people Alaskans put into office.