Jim Duncan grew up on a farm in Illinois during the 1940s and 1950s before launching a 45-year career in Alaska politics and public service in 1972. He became the only Alaskan Speaker of the House ousted during a session and had over 70 bills enacted into law. After his legislative career, Duncan served as Alaska Commissioner of Administration and as Executive Director of ASEA/AFSCME Local 52. His work focused on vital public policies, including oil taxation, public education, University of Alaska, senior citizens, healthcare, and the Permanent Fund Dividend, shaping Alaska’s future and addressing ongoing state issues.

A veteran politician sheds light on the messy art of making laws and maintaining the significance of public service.

From an Illinois farm to public service in Alaska, Jim Duncan has experienced it all. He provides an open window into his forty-five-year career, fusing personal stories with perceptive analysis of the state’s most pressing issues in “Making Sausage.”

Jim Duncan ingeniously compares politics to sausage-making to emphasize the necessary but frequently unpleasant aspects of creating laws. He describes his personal achievements and setbacks, from spearheading crucial bills to facing a dramatic ousting from the position of Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives.

Throughout the whole political arena, Jim Duncan emphasizes the value of establishing common ground and the long-lasting effects of public service. With a dash of wit and wisdom, “Making Sausage” is a monument to his continuous efforts to improve the state of Alaska.