Stop the DST madness
If the ill-conceived elimination of the daylight saving time bill is enacted, for half the year we will then be two hours behind Seattle, San Francisco and the rest of the West Coast. We will be five hours behind the East Coast just like the bad old days before the time zone changes we wisely went through in the '80s.
The other half of the year we will be answering the question of anyone we speak to in the rest of the country, "What time is it there?" My brother lives in Arizona, another DST maverick state, so I suppose I should be grateful. I'm not. Gov. Walker, "stop the madness." I don't know if it will do any good, but could you at least veto this nonsense.
One of the things I enjoy and like to brag about to my friends Outside is how light it is in the summer here. We will have one hour less to enjoy what summer sun we get. Instead of the Midnight Sun baseball game in Fairbanks, they could have the "11 p.m. Sun" game every solstice.
No thanks, thank you.
— James P. Welch
Eagle River
Demboski contradicts herself
When asked, "Why are you running?" candidate Amy Demboski provides a response which concludes with "an unwavering commitment to ethical leadership and always mindful that I serve the people of Anchorage."
Ethical? Serve the people of Anchorage? Do you mean serve ALL the people of Anchorage? How can this be done when you have previously publicly stated that, as mayor, you will discriminate against same-sex marriage?
— Jon Morton
Anchorage
Beware of the nanny state; reject Medicaid expansion in Alaska
In response to Gov. Walker's commentary urging expansion of Medicaid (ADN, March 20), this is not about providing more benefits at less cost to Alaskan citizens. The Affordable Care Act has increased costs, increased fines, has reduced coverage (insurers are dropping out of the market and employers are opting out of providing insurance), and we are not fully into its adverse effects.
Gov. Walker acts as if the federal government is offering us a "free lunch." Gov. Walker, there is no free lunch. It's taxpayers who pay for all that bologna. In 2014, 71 percent of the increase in net insurance gain was because of expansion of Medicaid to able-bodied, working adults. Obamacare needs Medicaid expanded to bolster figures showing the program is a success. Don't drink the Kool-Aid! If the state does not expand Medicaid, once denied Medicaid one is exempt from the mandate to obtain insurance and won't owe a penalty fee. Then you can apply for a hardship exemption on the government website and qualify for catastrophic coverage. I'd guess that the majority of those earning minimum wage already are entitled to coverage under their parents' policies until they are 26 years old.
Legislators have pointed out our current Medicaid program is fraught with fraud — with people gaming the system by using it for travel that is not necessary for medical treatment. Fix the system we have. Be concerned about the federal deficit. Fix the state budget. Do not agree to Medicaid expansion. Take pride in being self-sufficient. Beware of the nanny state.
— Arlene Carle
Anchorage
Legislatures priorities out of whack
What is going on in Juneau, specifically in the Alaska Legislature? What has happened to the concept that we are a nation (and state) governed by those who respect the written law more than individual personalities and vague unpublished Legislature-defined traditions. Following the recent events involving Rep. Reinbold, shouldn't the voters, who elect these legislators, be able to read the rule of the majority caucus which includes the pledge obligating a duly elected representative of the people to vote for the state budget, or any other legislation, as a condition of caucus membership?
Perhaps we might also see an explanation of how another legislative tradition currently allows a committee chairperson (with no explanation required) to exercise de facto veto power over legislation by simply refusing to hold a hearing on a bill. How does the majority caucus juxtapose that tradition with the current language of Joint Uniform Legislative Rule 24(a) which states:
"A committee acts on all bills referred to it and reports its actions and recommendations to the house as soon as practicable. Committee reports must be in writing and the report must be signed by a majority of the members of the committee. The report will note the recommendation of each member signing the report."
Many serious challenges now face Alaska, and I contend that a legislative process so dependent on personality and tradition will not serve us well.
— Lynn Willis
Eagle River
Chuitna mine is disaster in the making
Alaska is at the forefront of yet another ominous environmental threat. For the first time in the state's history, Alaska will permit the wholesale removal of a salmon stream. PacRim's Chuitna Coal Strip Mine will destroy 8 square miles of forest, tundra, wetland, and headwater biomes in its first of three mining phases. The Chuitna Mine would discharge over 7 million gallons of mine runoff per day into several tributaries of the Chuitna River containing organic carbon, ammonia, suspended solids, nitrates, oil , grease and several heavy metals. Implementation of this project would promote laissez faire servility to 20th century energy technology and perpetuate coal-burning emissions — a notorious contributor to climate change.
Only through adopting an agenda which preserves Alaska's invaluable wildlife ecosystems and rich cultural heritage may we sustain an economy solely dependent on them.
— Dan Bissinger
Anchorage
Iran agreement must not be thwarted
Recent media reports about negotiations over Iran's nuclear program are disappointingly one-dimensional and misleading. For example, it is all but accepted that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Yet all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies report there is no evidence that Iran is building a nuclear bomb. Israel's own intelligence agency, the Mossad, says the same.
As a veteran, I know that democracy is dependent upon a well-informed public. People should be able to consider all the relevant facts.
Israeli leaders may feel threatened by the re-emergence of Iran as a strong regional power, as has historically been the case. But they know that Iran poses no military threat to Israel. The U.S. should not allow itself to be "played" in a regional power struggle.
A peaceful, stable Middle East is in the interests of the American people, the Iranian people, the people of Israel, of the region and of the world.
As a military veteran, I know that war is horrible as well as futile. The militarization of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East has been a disaster for all concerned.
I am grateful that President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry are pursuing diplomacy with Iran, instead of more sanctions, leading to a war that could kill hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.
As a signer of the Treaty for Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT), Iran has the legal right to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Instead of pressuring Iran, the U.S. government should take steps to comply with its own obligations under the NPT. The U.S. should be destroying its nuclear weapons instead of developing a new generation of doomsday missiles.
Let's make sure our congressman and senators are well-informed, and do not sign any bill that would undermine the possibility of achieving a peaceful, negotiated solution with Iran.
Diplomacy not war!
— Hugh R. Hays
Veteran for Peace
Soldotna
WWAMI cuts are shortsighted
I have been closely watching the discussions of the operating budget coming out of Juneau. I was particularly dismayed to hear talk of eliminating the WWAMI program and other cuts to the university system. Physicians in rural Alaska are in short supply. The WWAMI program has been very successful in bringing Alaskan students back to Alaska to practice medicine.
As a graduate of UAA I have seen the great expansion and improvement of the university in the last couple of decades. It has been a great driver of the Alaskan economy. I would hate to see the legislators become so shortsighted that they would derail this progress.
I know it's all gloom and doom coming out of Juneau but we do have the money to fund the university. We should also start talking about future revenue sources that don't totally rely on the price of oil but that's the subject of another letter.
— Michael Henrich
Anchorage
Good ol fashioned Republican brawl
Well looks like the mayor's race is heating up. I wasn't at the forum, but I did read Ms. Kelly's article. Looks like we have a good ol' fashioned Republican brawl before the general election. Was happy to see that at least one candidate had the decency to rise above the personal attacks. Thank you, Ethan Berkowitz, for staying positive and telling Anchorage why you should be mayor, not why someone else shouldn't be.
— Nate Solorio
Anchorage
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