Alaskans live or die by natural resources development. Democrats probably prefer that Alaskans die in order to provide a pristine landscape for their pals among the Eurotrash and environmentalists. On May 31, 1996, the United States Court of Federal Claims ruled that the State of Alaska was not contractually entitled to collect 90 percent of the mineral leasing revenues from federal lands within Alaska. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed that decision by incorporating the aforesaid decision by reference without further comment in 1997. The United States Supreme Court refused certiorari in 1998. These courts ignored Alaskans' rights under the Alaska Statehood Act and the larger issue of the rights of states under the statehood compacts within their respective statehood acts.