Legislators represent radical groups
Medicaid expansion is a win-win for Alaska as evidenced by legitimate studies that are nonpartisan. Legislators who oppose expansion are doing so because of political ideology and not the facts. These legislators give vague reasons but are overly influenced by such groups as Americans for Prosperity, American Legislative Exchange Council and Foundation for Government Accountability that represent radical conservatism, which translates into preventing the middle class and lower classes from realizing the American Dream by denying them resources these radicals want to keep for themselves. These legislators are representing these radical groups and not their constituents.
Each legislator has constituents who would benefit from Medicaid expansion. If you are a constituent, insist that they support Medicaid expansion.
— Patrick M. Cunningham
Anchorage
What happened to unbiased reporting?
I agree 100 percent with LeAnn Buhler. I also thought the change would bring more unbiased reporting but I was wrong just as she was. It appears the reporting is now more liberal than before the change. I too would like to read a daily newspaper that reports the news without slants. How about it, Dispatch, think you can accommodate your readers with an unbiased but fair reporting of the news?
— Herbert Gray
Anchorage
If US president addressed Knesset
Just imagine if an American president, two weeks prior to an important national election, traveled to Jerusalem to address the Knesset. Imagine that he had come at the behest of a single political party, and without consultations with the Israeli prime minister. Imagine, then, that he delivered a speech strongly criticizing a key Israeli foreign policy initiative. The Israelis would never tolerate such meddling, and yet the Republican Party of the United States both invited and cheered Benjamin Netanyahu as he did exactly these things. This demonstrates, once again, that there are many American politicians who place more value on Israeli interests than upon the best interests of the people of the United States. Republican voters are slowly waking up to the fact that this is the case. All American voters should wake up to this fact and vote accordingly.
— Kenneth Baitsholts
Anchorage
Chuitna damage could be irreversible
I'm writing this letter to express my concern with the proposed Chuitna coal strip mine. PacRim wants to completely remove a salmon stream to mine coal that won't even benefit our local economy. If the mine is implemented, Alaska will lose a thriving salmon stream that acts as many people's food source. Additionally, this mine would set a precedent, making it easier for future mines to be developed in the area. Once a stream has been mined, it cannot ever be rehabilitated for productive salmon spawning. This mine is likely to cause irreversible ecological damage for a finite resource. I strongly disapprove of this coal mine. Please join me in submitting comments in support of instream flow rights for the Chuitna Citizens Coalition by emailing the Department of Natural Resources at kimberly.sager@alaska.gov by April 9.
— Brandon Marlow
Anchorage
Money spent on systems a travesty
I am outraged as a taxpayer of this fine city of Anchorage as we continue to hear more money being flushed down the toilet on Kronos and SAP payroll systems. Additionally, I continue to be even more baffled as to why citizens of this town have not gathered up in arms and demanded action. This is a travesty, with nearly 10 percent of the city's budget being spent on promises of an operational system and more than four times over budget.
I want to be absolutely clear in that I am not bashing a single Assembly member or municipal employee, who are merely trying to facilitate this project through completion. Rather, it is the abysmal failure of the administration that sold everyone on a bill of goods because they no longer wanted to trust the respective departments and therefore wanted to centralize payroll. Please call the mayor's office at 343-7100 and let him know how disappointed you are.
— Jason Alward
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.