Anchorage Daily News

Nader continues the good fight for Alaska and all Americans

I spent two weeks gathering signatures to put independent candidate Ralph Nader on the Alaska presidential ballot in November, mostly at the City Market downtown, a stone's throw from zucchini the size of baseball bats. My 900 signatures, plus 5,000 more, came from voters who think Alaskans deserve another choice. All those signatures went to the Division of Elections with full TV coverage, but no press. No matter. Press censorship is nothing compared with organized abuse heaped on corporate crime fighter Ralph Nader by a bipartisan coalition of Republican corporate law firms whose clients he has exposed and Democrats who don't want issues like an immediate end to the war, single-payer health care or impeachment to offend their contributors or confuse (or attract) voters.

Exxon hates Nader for reminding Americans of Exxon Valdez while it told the public Prince William Sound was squeaky clean. Nader takes corporate America to the woodshed. He has always appreciated Alaska's fight with the resource extractors who want to use the state's wealth, giving back as little as they can and leaving their mess for someone else to clean up. Alaska's 50-year battle never ends and neither does Ralph's.

-- Steve Conn, former Alaskan

Point Roberts, Wash.

Obamas display courage and faith in the face of serious risks

The most outstanding part of the opening of the Democratic National Convention to me was the speech by Michelle Obama. She talked about her parents, brother Craig Robinson, Barack, their two daughters, the American dream for something better, and working together to make things better for all Americans.

I was particularly impressed by her description of the importance of our American values of family, work, integrity, and cooperation in achieving the American dream.

The fact that she gave up a high-paying job to work to raise her daughters and to work to improve working peoples lives in South Chicago indicate to me she is walking her talk. I like that characteristic in people.

Courage is another characteristic of people that I appreciate. For some time I have been aware of the courage of Barack Obama to decide to run for the presidency of the United States and to have the courage and the faith to include his family in that journey. History and the fact that Monday night the Denver Police arrested three men that sound like potential threats to Barack Obama keep me aware of some of the risks to him and his family.

As an American, a veteran of the Korean War time and an independent, I am glad we have the United States of America and people like Michelle and Barack Obama with the courage, the integrity, the faith, the determination and a plan to improve the lives of all Americans.

-- Hugh R. Hays

Soldotna

Most Americans know how many houses they own -- or don't own

Paging John McCain: What a simple question! How many houses do you own? A no-brainer, right?

I'll answer it quickly myself. I own one house. Well, half a house technically.

My husband owns half and I own the other half. He does let me use his half of the house, which is convenient. Oh yeah, the bank owns half which now puts me at one quarter of a house.

Then there are the cats. They let my husband and me stay in "their" house. Okay, I'm going to cede one half of my quarter house share to them -- but that's it!

Calculator anyone? That makes one-eighth, I think. Basically I own the front porch.

Wait -- do we ever really own anything? Aren't we borrowing it from our grandchildren? My grandson will be 18 in 16 years at which point he will take over the house.

What's that about the whole concept of private property? Okay, if any needy person needs to stay in my eighth of a house, which is on loan from my grandson for the next 16 years, I'll make room on the front porch for them.

See how simple that was.

-- Aileen Holthaus

Anchorage

It takes an Alaskan to understand why we take the positions we do

In response to Mr. Crist's letter about Alaskans losing their independent will ("Alaskans follow Stevens' lead in never turning down a buck," Tuesday Aug. 26), I'd like to briefly address some holes in his arguments.

First, Mr. Crist claims to be an Alaskan veteran because he lived in Anchorage for 10 years. Honestly? Just because someone has lived in Anchorage doesn't make them a lifelong Alaskan. It's a lifestyle, not a resume builder.

Second, Mr. Crist lives in Corvallis, Ore., whose citizens pay an average of $3.79 per gallon of gas and has an average winter temperature of 34 degrees. One would think that an author to our local newspaper and "ex-Alaskan" would have juxtaposed these averages to ours, noticing the sharp differences in Anchorage alone, not to mention places like Healy that pay $4.89 with an average winter temperature of 9 below.

Third, Mr. Crist chastises Alaskans for not using common sense and avoiding bear habitat, himself avoiding the observation that the attacks have been on the same veteran "Alaskan" Anchorage residents he claims to be a part of. He goes on to slander our game management system.

I recommend to Mr. Crist, and all would-be out-of-state commenters, that you complain in your own papers. Your comments hold no weight here because, despite your brief stint, you are no Alaskan. And it takes a true Alaskan to understand Alaska.

-- Stephen Calkin

Eagle River

Todd Palin is a credit to all men

Steve Carson's letter of Aug. 2 questions the role of Todd Palin in Alaska's government. I have never met Todd but from all accounts he is a hard-working, well-paid, on-site oil-field guy, who is obviously and justifiably proud and supportive of his wife. He should and does have an important and very influential function. He is in all probability the governor's closest personal adviser. As in all good marriages these guys are partners.

There have been, lots of good women governors. Ann Richards of Texas was my favorite. But our Sarah is the only one who can brag about her husband who won the Iron Dog.

Referring sarcastically to Todd as "hubby" is disrespectful and inaccurate. Being an appropriate and respected "First gentleman" requires someone who is completely secure in his own masculinity. He certainly is. We should send him out on the talk-show media circuit to help improve our national image!

-- Marilee Fletcher's husband,

Howard Scaman

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