Workers need paid sick days

As reported in The New York Times on Tuesday ("Lack of Paid Sick Days May Worsen Flu Pandemic"), when 40 percent of the working population lack a paid sick leave policy, everybody suffers. This isn't just an issue of fairness; it's an issue of public health.

Hundreds of cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Alaska in the last month, and while health officials recommend those who have the flu stay home to avoid infecting others, many workers simply can't afford to, and many parents send their sick kids to school because they can't afford to miss a day.

The state Legislature considered a bill in 2009, introduced by Sen. Johnny Ellis, that would have protected public health by making sure employees earn a reasonable number of paid sick days each year. Unfortunately, the bill stalled in committee. We encourage the Legislature to follow up this winter by finally establishing a paid sick leave policy for Alaska that ensures fairness for workers and that will help protect us all.

-- Matt Wallace, executive director

Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG)

Anchorage

Bus budget cuts stall progress

In October, Mayor Sullivan renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Mat-Su Borough to coordinate efforts to pursue a regional transit authority. A commuter rail line between the Mat-Su area and Anchorage is the centerpiece of this effort.

Citing increased vehicular congestion, reduced air quality and rising costs and inconvenience of commuting, the MOU extended a good-faith effort to plan for a more robust and efficient public transportation system in each community as the first step.

A reduction in funding to the People Mover appears to run counter to this effort. Not only do Anchorage residents depend on the city's reliable public transportation, but a plan to address transportation alternatives for the 14,000 daily commuters from the Mat-Su area will also be hindered. Reducing funding to People Mover is a short-sighted cost-saving measure. It moves residents of Southcentral Alaska no closer to a transportation alternative that would enable them to cope with rising costs of energy and traffic congestion.

-- Jedidiah Smith

Anchorage

Abortion insurance?

Don't you believe anyone connected to the religious right or, perhaps, to any religious organization, if they have the gall to say they believe in keeping government out of religion or vice versa. They've managed to make sure that no woman will be able to buy any insurance that will cover a legal abortion under the new health care plan passed by the House. (Blame both Republicans and Democrats.) They suggested women get "abortion insurance," as though having an abortion should be specifically planned for. How ignorant and crass can you be?

All women and right-thinking men should stand up and tell their representatives to keep their religion out of their law-making. Whenever religion gets into government we have things like the Inquisition, St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, the Taliban or George W. Bush.

Legal medical procedures should be covered when one buys an insurance policy. Women should be saying, "Keep your self-righteous-ideological hands off my body."

-- Dick Palmatier

Willow

The full AGIA analysis available

I'm the author of the analysis that the Daily News critiqued in its Nov. 8 editorial, "Certain Failure?" The article, called "Why America May Not See Alaska Natural Gas Soon," a critical evaluation of AGIA's prospects for success, was published in the September 2009 Journal of Economic Issues.

-- Roger Marks

Anchorage

Fond memories

We missed Gordon Haber's memorial service, finding out about it after the fact. Had we known in time, we would certainly have attended.

When we first met Gordon in the summer of 1966 he was unforgettable because of his passion for wolves. He was young, still in graduate school, and working as a seasonal ranger naturalist at McKinley National Park; Bob was the enforcement ranger at Toklat. Gordon was out at Toklat as often as possible looking for wolf dens.

All he wanted to do was be with the wolves, study them and protect them. He loved them. We think he must have been a wolf in a previous life. And through the years we have not forgotten him, wishing him well, and we will not forget him now.

We also remember Johnny Johnson, whom we met when he, too, was a ranger. He was a burly young football player from Texas just beginning a career as a wildlife photographer in McKinley Park.

-- Bob and Svaja Worthington

Chugiak

Find the truth on talk radio

The 13 soldiers slaughtered at Fort Hood had yet to be buried, so Monday morning you rushed into print the first letter blaming ... talk radio and hateful "tea baggers." A truly appalling case of poor judgment.

It appears the writer is suffering a terminal case of Jihadist Denial Syndrome. I hope it is covered by national health care. This type of political correctness must end.

For those of you wanting to learn about Nidal Hasan's affiliations, beliefs and attempts to contact Al Qaida, monitor jihadwatch.org and frontpagemag.com. Many more details will emerge in the days ahead. Talk radio and the bloggers likely will lead the way.

-- Ed Bovy

Anchorage

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