Senate respects political gain more than Scalias death
Less than two hours after news broke that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had passed away, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell was already trying to exploit the news for political gain.
McConnell rushed out a radical claim: The Senate should shirk its constitutional duty to consider and confirm a Supreme Court nominee, simply because it's an election year. All the Republican candidates for president rushed to agree, which just might be seen as a tad self-serving; they all expect to be that "next president." And Sen. Ted Cruz went so far as to say the Senate should sit on its hands, "because the Nation is so divided." In truth, the Senate must act on President Barack Obama's nominee, precisely because of the divisions now confronting our nation. The breadth and importance of the cases accepted for the next docket mandate that we have a full bench when the high court next convenes.
I'm sure Obama, unlike McConnell, will allow a decent interval to mourn the passage of Justice Scalia. And none of us can know whom he will appoint. Whomever it is must get a confirmation vote from the full Senate. It's that pesky little document called the U.S. Constitution that says the president nominates and the Senate confirms (or not). So let's keep playing by the rules. I call upon our senators: Hear Obama's nomination, hold your hearings, and show us how you contribute to the democratic process. I'll be watching.
— Scott Walker
Anchorage
ASD should hire local, or save some money and keep Graff
Maybe we could save the Anchorage School Board another embarrassment by making the superintendent an elective position. Their last endeavor in finding someone out of state didn't go too well.
What's wrong with the one we have or, at the very least, promoting someone locally who knows our system? What a novel idea. It might even save us some money.
— Greg Svendsen
Anchorage
Quid pro quo on PFD, Juneau
I am 12 years old and I want to give my thoughts on allowing the state government to use part of the Alaska Permanent Fund. I am in favor of allowing the state government to use some of the fund if they each take a pay cut and move the state capitol building to Anchorage.
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