They both want better health care for Alaskans. They both salivate over the state's renewable resources. They both trash talk Gov. Sean Parnell.

So how's a good Democrat to decide between two good Democrats?

With the Aug. 24 primary fast approaching, the only thing Ethan Berkowitz and Hollis French seem to disagree on is how to get the most money out of the oil industry. But listen a little bit longer and another theme is playing out: how best to position Alaska for the future.

Berkowitz is taking a more determined long-term view of the state's sure-to-deteriorate fiscal condition, setting himself up as a political peacemaker who wants to get more in the long run by reconsidering the way Alaska taps its main cash cow -- North Slope oil production. He wants Alaska's oil wealth to be protected from the political whims of lawmakers, not only by limiting politicians' role in the way the state gets its money but also by forcing them to save it for future generations.

French, who is a lawmaker and will keep his Senate seat even if he loses this gubernatorial bid, wants as much oil cash as he can get now, while oil prices are high. The Legislature would then have the ability to invest the money in education, renewable energy projects and other programs that put the state on a solid long-term footing, he says.

French has been in the Legislature since 2002 and chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is fiercely defensive of the 2007 oil tax structure known as ACES -- Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share -- crafted by then-Gov. Sarah Palin and, French says, substantially improved by Democrats who worked hard to push it through. ACES increased the basic tax rate on oil production, allowed incentives for investment and added a "progressivity" element that boosts the rate even higher when oil prices soar. The formula paid off for the state as oil prices skyrocketed in 2008, and the state has been able to bank about $12 billion while still paying for projects and programs, French says.

French and other Democratic leaders insist ACES has not hurt North Slope development. They cite state studies that show investment did not falter and more people were employed by the industry than before ACES was passed. They point to earnings reports by ConocoPhillips, the only North Slope company that discloses financial information, that suggest profits for all the oil producers are still strong.

Industry officials disagree on the impact of ACES, of course, and say high employment figures reflect projects such as replacing corroded pipes and equipment that were already underway but have now wrapped up. The number of workers has fallen by hundreds in the last year, they say, and no new wells are being drilled because the cost of doing business in Alaska is too high compared to other places.