Senators need to do their jobs
Sen. Lisa Murkowski has changed her mind (again) about the U.S. Senate's duty to hold interviews and hearings and to vote on President Barack Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. What's up with that? The Constitution does lay out the Senate's responsibility in this situation, so evidently Murkowski is dancing to the tune of her political masters, not the Constitution. Senators should do their jobs. If enough of her colleagues vote to defeat Garland's nomination, that would be the end of it. No law degree necessary.
— Judith Meidinger
Wasilla
We, the people, lose in politics
I wonder why we go through the process of voting for someone to represent us in this great state of Alaska when it comes to pass that if a Democrat wins the seat, he/she is totally shut out in representing us. And if a Republican wins the seat, she/he must vote "lockstep" with the party leaders. One party or the other, we, the people, lose.
— Frankie De Rossitt
Nikiski
Practice proper flag etiquette
Hello, My name is Jason Richards, and I would like to address a problem that I have seen in many places around Anchorage. I am a veteran, and there is nothing more sacred to me than the American flag. The proper etiquette for displaying the flag from a dedicated flag pole at night is that it has to be illuminated, However, I have seen so many flags flying at night from flag poles in front of businesses or office buildings with no illumination on them.
I understand this is not a crime, but, I would think that with Alaska having the highest concentration of veterans per capita in the nation that this would have been brought up either here, or in some other forum before.
— Jason Richards
Anchorage
Slashing PFD is a regressive tax
A reduction or elimination of the Permanent Fund dividend is equivalent to a regressive tax on less affluent Alaskans. A progressive income tax is the most equitable way to raise revenue. California provides a model that ranges for income over $7,850 to pay taxes of $78.50 plus 2 percent over $7,850 to income of $526,443 paying taxes of $51,173.69 plus 12.3 percent over $526,443. California also taxes nonresident income that is received for services performed in that state. Our Legislature should enact a similar progressive income tax with a 3-year sunset provision to demonstrate their commitment to solving our budget crisis.
— William Maxey
Anchorage
Murkowski feeling the pressure
Surprise, surprise. Sen. Lisa Murkowski walked back her support for holding confirmation hearings on Judge Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court. No doubt her flip-flop is due to pressure from GOP leaders; now she backs the decision made by Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, not to hold hearings on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee purportedly because Obama is a lame-duck president. However, Sen. Grassley is also a lame-duck politician. Therefore, he should step aside as chair of the Judiciary Committee and not make decisions and pronouncements pertaining to the SCOTUS nomination. And Sen. Murkowski should do her constitutionally mandated job, stop walking lockstep with GOP obstructionists and hold confirmation hearings.
— Emily M. Davies
Chugiak
Hypocrisy from Catholic bishop
I find it pretty rich that the Catholic bishop wants legal protection to deny same-sex couples use of Catholic facilities for legal marriage when he represents an institution that has arguably committed and covered up the most systematic sexual violence against both same-sex and opposite-sex children over the longest time of any institution all over the world.
— Jack Hayden
Anchorage
Tragic injustice for Jeff
My heart goes out not only to the family of Jeff Dusenbury, but his entire community at the injustice in sentencing for his heinous death.
What would the outcome have been if his killer was a low-income black teenage male rather than a privileged white teen whose father is an attorney?
There has been no justice served for this crime and my heart aches for all of us.
— Kathie Evingson
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 under 200 words 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.