Bring troops home; protect our borders
After Bush/Obama wasted trillions of dollars of the American taxpayers' hard-earned money and squandered the lives of thousands of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama is now demonstrating the goodness of America by bombing and killing people in Syria. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it authorize the president to send our military into war; only the Congress can declare war.
That means Obama has only one military operation left: Send Air Force planes into the 100-plus countries where we have U.S. troops based and bring them back to the United States to protect OUR borders.
— Jim Dore
Anchorage
Sullivan, Parnell cant be trusted
I am deeply concerned and appalled that the Parnell administration chose not to investigate the sexual assaults that he has known about since 2010. Sexual assault rates have risen steadily during his administration. He stayed silent for four long years while women were victimized in the Alaska National Guard.
What was Dan Sullivan's role in the decision to ignore these cases since he was attorney general at that time? He should have known; he was the state's top law enforcer. He owes us an explanation.
This administration, while Dan Sullivan was attorney general, also fought against using local tribal courts in communities like Minto and Kaltag. They litigated in support of wife beaters and men with records of domestic violence.
The bipartisan Indian Law and Order Commission, which is chaired by a Republican who was appointed by George W. Bush, has condemned the Parnell administration's record on public safety. The commission called Parnell's approach "colonial" and said that no other gubernatorial administration in America has spent so much time litigating against its own citizens.
Both Dan Sullivan and Sean Parnell are campaigning to serve as Alaska's public officials. Everyone should think long and hard about whether we want these men to serve our state in the coming years; they have already proven they cannot be trusted to protect Alaskans.
— Sharon Waisanen
Soldotna
Want a senator in family? Adopt Begich
Today I read that Ohio Dan's family has donated a total of $1,025,000 to PACs supporting his campaign. If having a U.S. senator in the family is so important to them, I suggest that they adopt Sen. Mark Begich. Doing that would cost a lot less money. Mark is thrifty, cheap and frugal. He will not be demanding when he stops by their Florida condo. In fact Mark probably would never even show up at the condo or the Ohio mansion. Mark returns to Alaska to check on his constituents and visit family whenever he gets time off.
And Mark will never try to means test or privatize their Social Security.
— Fred Nelius
Houston
Thanks, Medred, for tropical fish story
I would like to thank Craig Medred for his article concerning ocean sunfish and Humboldt squid (ADN, Sept. 14). Medred's concern over tropical fish entering Alaska waters due to climate change is of concern to all Alaskans.
On Tuesday The New York Times published an article titled "Portland Will Still Be Cool but Anchorage May Be the Place to Be." According to this article, scientists are discovering that certain areas in the Pacific Northwest may be less affected by the effects of climate change and that by the end of this century, "Alaska will have become the new Florida." We as Alaskans might not care how they do it in the Lower 48, but how much are we willing to "become the Lower 48" as more citizens move northward to escape the heat due to climate change?
— Lyn Franks
Anchorage
Political game management is doomed
Re: Elaina Spraker's commentary in ADN, Tuesday:
Predators and prey have danced together in Alaska for thousands of years against a backdrop of climate and habitat change. The animals we see today have been fashioned through this dance. Now, in our wisdom, we change the dance and inject ourselves as the primary predator, assuming of course, we will just cut in and continue the dance. Intensive management, predator reduction, maximize ungulate herds, all hail the great Alaska game farm. All brought to you by our vaunted politicians in Juneau.
Political game management, what could possibly go wrong? Two caribou in every pot and maybe a moose on top. Hard to argue with that sound bite.
— Mike McQueen
Copper Center
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