Alaska News

Letters to the editor (4/14/12)

Gatto knew who bosses were

I was living in the Valley in 2002 when Carl Gatto was elected to the House. On the morning AFTER the election, as I started my commute to Anchorage, Carl and his supporters were out at 6 a.m., after being up late for returns, interviews, etc. waving THANK YOU signs at the major intersections. Wow, did this new guy on the block know who his bosses were? Yep. Thanks, Carl, even though we didn't always agree, you were a humble, decent, dedicated representative for the Valley. Thank You.

-- Sandy Modica

Anchorage

It's essential an independent investigator look at election

John Adams stated clearly: "We should be unfaithful to ourselves if we should ever lose sight of the danger to our liberties if anything partial or extraneous should infect the purity of our free, fair, virtuous, and independent elections."

Fair elections are, indeed, the foundation of our democracy. Assuring the integrity of our election processes is essential to our confidence in our representative form of government. This is not a laughing matter.

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Given all of the significant election irregularities on April 3, it is crucial that an independent investigator be retained to review thoroughly the flawed municipal election, and that recommended reforms be implemented going forward. We owe it to ourselves, our children, our city, our future, and to everyone who has made sacrifices for our liberties.

-- Deborah L. Williams

Anchorage

Economic trends taking our system to the point of failure

A recent note laments that the Fire Island turbines were not U.S.-manufactured. Many products have become solely available via import. Among many reasons, two dominate.

One, for the past 20 years virtually any project, in the many thousands, of any consequence has been stymied. Some for good reason.

Second, our public policies favor the service and financial sectors over manufacturing. More than 66,000 manufacturing businesses have permanently disappeared in the last decade. Each day, on average, more than 1,200 manufacturing jobs are lost.

Apple, for example, told our current president that it is no longer technically feasible to manufacture its products in the US. The net result is a horrendous trade imbalance, the dismantling of our middle class, and the ultimate failure of our economic system.

-- Lowell King

Anchorage

Some research would show Keller how silly his actions are

Perhaps with his newfound Internet search abilities, Rep. Keller can spend some time looking up not only the benefits of early intervention and continuous support for Autism Spectrum Disorders but also the wide range of cosmetic and other nonessential treatments already covered by insurance.

While he is at it, he can look up all the incredible minds in history who, were they to live today, would probably be diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorders such as Asperger's or autism.

As a final task, once he has exhausted himself with "Internet rumors" in order to decide on a simple resolution recognizing the Girl Scouts, he can send me the address to send my $24 a year for both my share and my employer's share to cover this treatment.

Or, he can Google himself to see just how ridiculous his actions are to the rest of the state and to the hundreds of families waiting for one man to decide the fate of their finances and health.

-- Ben Walker

Anchorage

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