Mayoral candidate vibes
Coffey gives me the jitters.
— Ken Flynn
Anchorage
What child wants a test?
Really?! A mom asking her kids if they want to take a test? What kid wouldn't say, "No"? Are parents rearing their children or are the children being allowed to run their parents?
— Andrea Michl
Palmer
Sullivan right to criticize negotiations with Iran
I find it startling that so many Democrats in Alaska are criticizing Sen. Dan Sullivan and suggesting that his defense of the Constitution is little more than partisan politics, particularly in regard to the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
Do these people really think that it's wise for the president to not bring the fruits of whatever's negotiated to the Senate for advice and consent as dictated by the Constitution? Do they really believe that President Obama and John Kerry are better suited to approve such a deal with one of the most dangerous countries in the world than the American people through their representatives in the Senate? That's basically what the president, as well as those letter writers, are saying.
Only the most closed-minded, ardent Democrat can believe such a thing, certainly not most Americans. As we witnessed in the last election — in both local and federal elections — the public is not ardently Democratic, particularly not in Alaska. Iran is one of the world's largest sponsors of terrorism, and is responsible for the killing and maiming of thousands of American soldiers in the Iraq war.
Now it's close to getting a nuclear bomb. And it will be closer yet under these negotiations. I applaud Sen. Sullivan for speaking out about this issue.
— Perry Green
Anchorage
Online comments about Samoan people are offensive
It was with sadness that I read comments in the ADN online article regarding the mayoral forum hosted by the AFACT Samoan community on March 23 at St. Anthony's Church. The negative, mean-spirited comments that identified the Samoan people in stereotypical terms were obviously made by people who do not know many Samoans, as I do.
Better descriptions, in my mind, would be words like generous, devout, and gracious — people with a rich and proud cultural heritage. Like many of us, Samoans care deeply about the welfare of their children and ask for community support in educating and raising them with a strong value toward becoming productive members of society. Shame on any of us who generalize, marginalize, and stereotype.
Perhaps learning people's names, sitting down to talk about the differences and similarities in our cultures and building a relationships of respect would break down those biases that come from the we-they mentality.
— Elaine Cordova
Anchorage
Firefighters' support of Berkowitz no surprise
So the Anchorage Firefighters Union has endorsed Berkowitz (March 26). No surprise there. Likely the police will follow. This is just what we need in the era of tight budgets. Deja vu all over again. Remember the deals former Mayor Begich made with the unions that left the city in a budget lurch in order to get their support for his Senate run? Sen. Berkowitz has a certain ring to it, ya think? A bit flat however.
— William Ahrens
Eagle River
Affordable Care Act not working in Alaska
The Affordable Care Act is not having the desired effects in Alaska. Many insurance companies cannot maintain the higher risks that Obamacare forces them to take, and many citizens are being made to pay higher premiums. There are not enough people that benefit from this law to leave it as it is.
It is important to fix the problems because if local insurance and insurance provider companies go under, then there will be less money flowing locally. Also, if premiums are higher then many people will spend less, to be able to afford their medical coverage. The ACA is ruining Alaska's economy.
To fix the problems with the ACA, I think there should be a national flat rate for health insurance, only adding extra costs for beneficiaries, while offering insurance companies compensation for the risks they are taking.
— Amanda Allard
Anchorage
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