Anchorage Daily News

How did Palin know what's in Wooten's files?

The Inside Opinion blog found an interesting investigative report online.

adn.com/insideopinion Filling up sparks questions

The price of a barrel of oil recently closed at under $100. I had two thoughts while filling up my vehicle:

1. Why am I still paying over $4 a gallon?

2. Why has gouging at the pump taken a backseat to our legislators' "Get Sarah" campaign?

-- Rockland Reed

Anchorage

Who holds the bag? Taxpayers

I know what the Bush Doctrine is. From the immortal words of a truly valuable radio talk show host, Randi Rhodes, the Bush Doctrine is thus: privatize the profits and socialize the losses. Once again the taxpayers will be left holding the bag. That is the true Bush free market economy.

-- G.P. Olrun

Anchorage

Elected attorney general would enforce the law better

Much has been said and written about Troopergate. There are two important maxims that can be taken from what is so far known.

First, while the state's founders wished to de-politicize the Office of the Attorney General and make the AG an at-will appointee in the "strong" governor model, the potential for a direct conflict of interest makes it self-evident that a change is needed in the selection process. If the AG was independently elected and not beholden to the governor (or the McCain-Palin campaign), the rule of law could better be enforced in the present circumstances. The presence of an independent AG would by itself act to control executive branch excesses.

Second, the 25th Legislature should consider asserting its legal interest in issuing subpoenas, either by calling itself into a special session or seeking court orders in support of the desired subpoenas. If the Legislature chooses a different, less adversarial path, it will find it harder to issue subpoenas in the future for whatever reason it may need or desire to do so. This will impede its inherent ability, as a co-equal branch of government, to conduct the fact-finding that has always been a part of exercising proper legislative duties and thoughtful law-making. It would be an abdication of the Legislature's proper constitutional role.

-- Andy Josephson

Anchorage

Keep disposition of mortgages out of government's hands

I'm angry, really angry, and worried too. Bush can't think of anything else to do but throw money at the problem -- that is, throw money at the rich. Perhaps our millionaire senators like that idea.

But we can fix this problem without huge gobs of my money or the inflationary printing of more greenbacks. How irresponsible!

Let's say there are a half-dozen ways to fix this problem. Paulson and Bush have one way, certainly the most expensive way and arguably the most flimsy way.

Instead, the Fed could buy equity in these troubled companies. In return, we get to remove the dangerous people who've driven these companies to the brink of disaster and hire responsible managers. The companies get an infusion of cash and we get market stability.

The Fed could also facilitate an auction, open to all (the market), so that these low-performing loans can have actual values. A huge part of the problem with the market is that no one knows the value of the sub-prime mortgages. An auction will set those values, allowing confidence back into the market. Would this cost $700 billion? No, a few billion at the most, but not enough to start a huge inflationary spiral.

On the other hand, Paulson and Bush want the federal government to start buying these mortgages, without knowing what they are worth. Is it 50 cents on the dollar? Forty cents? Twenty cents? Without an auction, the market doesn't know and neither does Paulson. No, this just gives this lame duck president -- the least popular and probably the least competent president in our history -- far too much authority over the economy.

We've got to keep the disposition of these mortgages out of the political arena. The government needs to stay away from the untenable position of repossessing homes.

Since Paulson and Bush just discovered that the economy is in trouble last week, why should we trust them to fix it? Let's get real.

Yet another bubble, the biggest bubble.

-- George Donart

Anchorage

We must educate ourselves; Biden or Palin could be president

Since we learned of the leading parties' nominations of Barack Obama and John McCain, I've heard that Americans are terrified. One thing that terrifies us is the consequence of the winning presidential candidate dying in office and being left with their VP choice as president.

What terrifies me is that Americans are not educating themselves on the issues. An example of this is found in words in an ADN article (Sept. 10):

" 'I was really undecided, but I think she (Palin) has swayed me,' said Susan Engle, a 42-year-old registered Democrat from Lancaster. 'I look at her and I see a normal, everyday woman. Her problems are the problems of a lot of families.' It's not so much her politics as it is her personality, said Engle, a lab technician. 'I'm not up on her politics, honestly, it was more the fact she has a family and a career.' "

This election is about the president of the U.S.A., not our high school student council. We must be "up on the politics." We have to carefully review all four candidates' credentials because it is true, Palin or Biden may become president. I hope Americans use the education that our parents provided us through their tax dollars and read. Our future is dependent on educating ourselves.

-- Karen Cougan

Anchorage

If everyone's taxes are cut, inflation will pay bad debts

Inflation is a major concern to me. I paid $2.17 per gallon for heating oil around February 2007 and $3.83 in the first week of May 2008.

This administration began with a surplus. The administration reduced revenues (cut taxes) and increased expenses (for example, the Iraq war). This has led to deficits, which led to the devalued dollar. Then Treasury Secretary John Snow said that the devalued dollar was good for the newly created deficits.

The government has now nationalized Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the insurance giant AIG. Now the government is stepping in to buy all the bad mortgage debt on the books at banks, insurance companies, corporations, et al. And the taxpayer will get the bill.

In the current presidential election, John McCain is proposing cutting taxes for corporations and high income taxpayers. That is, corporations would pay less taxes while taxpayers pick up their bad debt. Well, doesn't that sound fair?

Another question: how to pay the bad debt if everyone's taxes are cut.

The answer, of course, is inflation. Inflation is a tax on everyone's paycheck. Your dollar will be devalued with mine as the current administration has demonstrated to you. Please think about this when you vote.

-- Russ Newell

North Pole

Palin's policies don't support families; Obama gets my vote

I am a full-time mother of three girls and I agree with part of Joann Grimes' Compass piece, " 'Just a housewife' merits more respect" (Sept. 20). She is right that being a full-time mom is a low-status position in our society and we do deserve more respect. But I was outraged by the ending of her piece, that somehow Sarah Palin is a good thing for full-time mothers or fathers. Very few parents in this country can afford to stay home -- I can't afford to much longer! -- and many are, in fact, living in poverty because child care and family health care eats up so much of their paychecks. Is Palin rallying for universal health care, affordable child care, paid maternal/paternal leave or mandating more family-friendly work practices? No.

When it comes to women/family issues, what does she stand for? So far, I haven't heard much and based on what I have heard, I'm disgusted. She believes we should keep sex ed out of our high schools -- how many teenaged moms get to stay home? -- and she takes the extremist position that the government should force a raped woman to bear the rapist's baby.

Palin is not family- or woman-friendly. I'm voting for the candidate with the most supportive agenda for us moms (and dads). I'm voting for Obama.

-- Martha Amore

Anchorage

Palin administration should honor subpoenas or face impeachment

All of a sudden the rule of law is gone. Now they have the right to refuse a subpoena? This is not right.

Now it is time to speak the "I" word, to demand the impeachment of Sarah Palin and her entire administration.

Demand that they follow the rule of law and submit to the subpoenas or be impeached.

-- Penny Hlavna

Anchorage

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