You live by the standing caucus and you die by the standing caucus. The standing caucus system has almost driven this state to fiscal ruin.   A standing caucus is intended to reward toady behavior over time and grant legislative influence  for no reason other than longevity.  Legislators should "caucus" over issues but not for the reasons other than that. It is time to ban the formation of a permanent standing caucus in the Alaska Legislature so that these elected officials can represent their constituents instead of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.