Palin should explain online
With Gov. Palin not accepting so much of the federal earmarks, I wonder why she and her staff have not embraced technology and put up a Web site with the money that has been offered and embed her refusals with the strings that are attached to the money so that everyone can just go and look at why she is turning it down.
There will always be people to complain about whatever she (or anyone) does. In her job she needs to not just worry about educating the children of our state, but to educate the public. The language of the bills is difficult to understand and lawmakers have staffs to help comb over them, whereas the general public does not. Putting the writings in layman's terms would help everyone grasp what is going on. This will be a step toward becoming more transparent and less opaque.
-- Kellie Davis
Wasilla
School spending is out of hand
So every time Carol Comeau says the word "kids" it's worth a million dollars in school funding. So Carol, what's the word? "Kids, kids, kids, kids ..."
-- Max and Molly O'Toole
Anchorage
What exactly does Palin mean?
Every high school has a mean girl. She calls you names, finds fault with everything you do, she makes your life miserable if you don't agree with her and degrades those who are different; she is a bully.
Maria Schriver's response to President Obama's thoughtless comment on the Tonight Show about Special Olympics: "Often times we don't realize that when we laugh at comments like this it hurts millions of people throughout the world ... people with special needs are great athletes and productive citizens, and I look forward to working with the president to knock down myths and stereotypes about this community." Her comment was well thought out and addressed the issue.
Gov. Palin's response: "By the way, these athletes can outperform any of us and we should be proud of them. I hope President Obama's comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community." Much like the mean girl in high school, she resorted to an attack instead of a productive response. However, Gov. Palin turned down President Obama's Alaska stimulus money for special education. I hope Gov. Palin's actions do not reflect how she truly feels about the special needs community.
Gov. Palin never turned down any money Ted Stevens earmarked for Alaska. Her run for the presidency is hurting Alaska's special needs community. -- Wendy Isbell
Anchorage
Governor's using good sense
Gov. Palin rightly challenges portions of the stimulus package dedicated to Alaska education, while your charges of her stand as "simplistic" and the most "perplexing" of her tenure ("Stimulus surprise, March 22) show how partisan you, the mayor of Anchorage, the school superintendent and other leading Democrat Party leaders are. The governor has said clearly that specific stimulus items proposed as well as the short- and long-term consequences of those federal handouts need to be discussed, and she has encouraged the Legislature to do so. Basically, she held up a stop sign and has said "stop the March to Madness" toward total fiscal irresponsibility. Sadly, in this federally inspired and adjudicated feeding frenzy led by the new administration in D.C., in a country which has become a nation of "me first and now" consumers of everything, including economic prospects of future generations, many do not want to reflect for even one moment on the consequences of this absolute commitment to untold national debt. Who is reminding the superintendent, mayor, et al, that this is borrowed money, borrowed from those who have no say in the matter, but will have ultimate responsibility of dealing with the mess? The governor, and not enough others.
At the very least, let's have a debate. Now that would be a new adventure in this climate, without all the spin and posturing.
-- Bill Brunhofer
Anchorage
Wood bison photo exceptional
Outstanding photo on the Saturday (March 21) ADN cover. Bringing wood bison back to Alaska is starting to have an impact. I wonder what word is coming from the biologist's mouth; something unprintable, I think. Now he will be able to add rodeo clown to his resume.
Mr. Mendive should get a free tag as soon as there are enough wood bison in the wild to hunt. -- Roger Ager
Sterling
AIG proposals are all wrong
Members of the House have now determined that singling out a select group of employees and imposing a special tax on them is the way to resolve the problem associated with previously executed employment contracts (AIG).
This course of action is necessary because many of these professional politicians passed a bill they did not take the time to read or understand. Urgency, not pragmatism was the mandate.
Some (like Barney Frank) even want the recipients identified and singled out so hate and discontent can be directed their way.
Someone needs to inform this self-righteous group of hypocrites that the legislation they have proposed would suspend constitutional guarantees afforded AIG personnel, as well as all other Americans. Costly lawsuits will surely follow and the proposed legislation will eventually be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rushing to pass a flawed stimulus bill, then feigning righteous indignation over its contents, has not effectively deflected blame from its sponsors for this debacle.
I recommend an alternate approach. I propose that we all contact our representatives that voted in favor of the stimulus package and demand that they impose a 90 percent tax on their wages; this legislation would come to be known as the "hypocrisy tax."
-- Don Borega
Palmer
Education needs stimulus
I'm a teacher's assistant working with preschool special needs students. The classroom beside ours has Title I preschool. All I can say is: The stimulus money for Title I and IDEA programs may be for only two years, but in preschool two years is half a lifetime.
-- Lizzie Newell
Anchorage
Alaska children will suffer the most
It seems that Gov. Sarah Palin's decision-making process is increasingly based on pandering to Outside political interests rather than what is good and beneficial to the people of Alaska.
The most recent example is Palin's baffling rejection of $172 million in federal funding for Alaska's public schools (ADN Friday March 20). This decision effectively cripples many districts, especially those in rural areas.
It is clear that Palin's choice was dictated by her ongoing efforts to appeal to ultra-conservative groups in the Lower 48, whose openly stated aim is to ensure the failure of the Obama administration's efforts to revive the moribund economy. Sadly, it is the people of Alaska (especially the children), who will suffer most from Palin's decision. Our only hope is that the Legislature will overturn the governor's pronouncement and accept this funding for the children and the future of the state of Alaska.
-- Jason Rogers
Anchorage
Get with the program, Palin
Sarah is stuck in time. She still thinks she is on the campaign trail. If she would drop down to Earth here in Alaska and do her job we as Alaskans could do ours. Won't take money for SCHOOLS? Is her head really that full of air!
-- Sandra Shaginoff
Sutton
Tax Congress 90 percent too
This should be simple: Since Congress has outrageously decided to try and tax failed executives at 90 percent, how about they get taxed at the same rate since they have failed so miserably lately. That would only be fair. These executives only bankrupted AIG, not the entire country!
-- Sam Albanese
Eagle River
Here's hoping ADN survives
While I have never hesitated to provide what I trust is constructive criticism whenever I've seen the need, I have always appreciated the Anchorage Daily News, and am saddened by the newspaper's need to reduce staff to meet expenses.
I trust that McClatchy will not feel compelled to follow the lead of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and reduce the paper to an exclusively online format.
Good luck, ADN, and best wishes.
-- Ken Landfield
Homer