It's all simple if you're dumb enough.   This State was an economic disaster until the Cook Inlet oil discoveries and just barely hanging on thereafter.   The only reason the US even considered Statehood was Soviet anti-colonial pressure.   Fortunately, some people were smart enough to stake out Prudhoe Bay as State land.   Yes, genius, the State could fund itself back when the State budget was $100 Million dollars with out much oil.   The State you know today is solely a product of oil revenue, and even oil revenue hasn't been enough to keep up with US inflation and maintain the legacy tiers.   Stick to stuff you know something about.