Letters to the editor (11/13/09)

I am grieving a man I did not know, angry with a woman I will not meet, and feeling culpable for an act I did not commit. Sharing these feelings won't change the outcome, but to ease my own guilt I felt I must voice protest to our community's tolerance for drunk driving. We watch ads on T.V. which state "you drink, you drive, you go to jail," but that's not what really happens is it? Somewhere in that public service announcement it fails to state, "you get released" and if you do it again, and if you kill someone, then things might get serious. I have compassion for those caught in the web of addiction, but forgiveness needs to be met with an expectation of redemption and change. No one should lose a loved one to a drunk driver. Our tolerance as a community bears the weight of these murders, and being part of this community I beg forgiveness from the victim's family and pledge to do more to advocate for change.

-- Michele Girault

Anchorage

Do you really know details?

It was pleasing to read all of the letters that came in regarding health reform. The question I have is how many of you that commented actually watched the debate going on on C-span and actually know full details of what you're celebrating?

I see so many are pleased with the fact of forcing people to pay for insurance or face a $250,000 fine or jail time if they don't pay their penalty for not having insurance. If you're happy about that, then you must really enjoy communism. Excuse me, but that's not giving people any choice.

Also, subsidies always have income limits. So not everyone would be able to meet them. Think about that before you start celebrating such a disgusting victory.

I never realized how stupid people were till this passed the House of Congress.

-- Rhonda Hartzell

Angoon

Dan grades himself too high

Dan Fagan graded his talk show performance over the last seven years as C+ ("Success is great, but I can always do better," ADN, Nov. 8). Once again, Dan's ego is out of bounds -- how can he fairly grade himself? Only his audience can judge him. I'd give him an F-.

Dan is the Anchorage equivalent of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity. His angry rants about what "liberals" stand for would be laughable if they weren't so inaccurate.

Before the 2008 election, Dan stated in his ADN column that Barack Obama would never be elected president because of his association with Rev. Wright. I guess it was mostly wishful thinking. After the election, Dan joined the chorus of the extreme right in openly wanting Obama to fail. And these guys claim to be patriots?

Dan was right about one thing: He has a long way to go and he surely can do better.

-- Vic Van Ballenberghe

Anchorage

We need former leaders

I was disappointed to see the Republicans on the Senate Environment Committee recently boycotted the committee vote on the climate change bill. When the nation needed strong leadership to finally abolish slavery, it was the Republicans who rose to the call. When greedy Wall Street investors would have bought and sold the nation, it was the Republican president Theodore Roosevelt who took the reins of leadership and created the National Park System. When the nation needed massive investment in infrastructure, it was the Republican Dwight Eisenhower who championed the largest public works project in the history of mankind, our interstate highway system.

Once again we are in desperate need of strong leadership, to overcome the threat of climate change. This is a moral calling as well as an economic calling. I am extremely disappointed that our Republican leaders lack the moral courage and convictions of their past presidents.

-- Adam Bauer

Homer

All need public option

What do you mean, Sen. Murkowski, that "the government doesn't need to be in the insurance industry"? Have you forgotten that the U.S. government is already in the insurance industry or pays for the medical care of a significant number of Americans?

The U.S. government is in the insurance industry for seniors, it is in the insurance industry for veterans, it is in the insurance industry for the disabled and for patients on dialysis, and it is in the insurance industry for Native American populations, including Alaska Natives. The U.S. government also builds and funds military hospitals for care of active military personnel.

Taxes pay for most of these pathways to medical care. How about being inclusive and adding a public option for the rest of us?

-- Mary K. Janis

Anchorage