Jenkins must have buried his head

In his Nov. 1 column, Paul Jenkins informs us that he is disappointed in the actions of his former boss, Bill Allen, for which Allen was sentenced to a prison term.

Mr. Jenkins doesn't say whether or not in the 18 years he served Mr. Allen as a creator of political commentary, he might have suspected that some of the things Allen was doing might have been illegal. I hope he will let us know whether he was just extremely unobservant, or if he was deliberately looking the other way? -- Jerry Brookman

Kenai

Here's how to clean up Congress

It's self-evident that natural human imperfection makes nobody, but nobody, capable of wielding unsupervised government power. If getting good government was just a matter of electing someone trustworthy, we wouldn't need constitutions, laws, or representation. We could go back to electing kings -- abandoning the Rule of Law for the Rule of Men.

Instead, please consider these less delusional remedies for U.S. government corruption:

1. Using the Alaska Constitution's language, require each Congressional bill -- and any of its amendments -- be confined to one subject. Confine all appropriations bills and their amendments to spending proposals only, sensibly permitting presidential line item veto.

2. Congressional committee positions are currently assigned each session by seniority, party majority, and partisan horse-trading. Most legitimate lawmaking knowledge and experience actually reside with a bureaucracy of aides, advisors and hired experts. It's why congressmen get away with not reading what they vote on. Earlier republics distributed committee assignments by lot -- making each official draw his postings by chance. This would minimize the manipulation, bribery and blackmail politicians are vulnerable to.

-- Stuart Thompson

Wasilla

Banish right-hand turns on red

I am saddened at the numerous pedestrian accidents as of late. It also saddens me that more people are not held accountable for these. I also know that the major problem is that there are two sides to a story and that the other half of the tragedy is no longer able to give an account of his actions.

Motorists in this city have zero tolerance to those of us trying to cross an intersection. Too many times I have had my kneecaps mangled or they completely ignore the fact that I am trying to cross the street and come within inches of being sideswiped. It's time, with all the extra traffic, that we banish the right hand turn on a red light. This would be a great safety measure. Interestingly, the times I have jaywalked I nowhere got close to being hit. Watch out if you get that walk sign; if you think you're safe to cross, you're only fooling yourself. Banish that right hand turn!

-- Pearl Nestor

Anchorage

Stop demolition derby driving!

My wife and I have lived in the Anchorage area for just over a year and I am alarmed by the number of sometimes serious traffic accidents that seem to occur here, even in the summer.

I've come to the conclusion that the unusual number of accidents results from the aggressive driving we experience here daily.

Being from the Midwest, I have the perspective of an outsider and can't help but notice how impatient and aggressive most people drive. We can never seem to be going fast enough for anyone behind us while driving. Usually we are being tailgated. Personally, I often feel like I'm on a racetrack having to jockey for a certain lane. It seems rather ridiculous that most drivers "gun it" from a traffic light rather than accelerate at a moderate pace since we usually meet again at a traffic light.

It appears the general consensus for Anchorage drivers is to drive like they are in a demolition derby.

-- Timothy Fertig

Anchorage

Barking beagle not news

Are our well-off residents who live on the bluff really front page news when they are awakened by a dog at night? (Daily News, Oct. 31). Baying hound? Wind-twisted trees and an undulating yowl that carries for miles?

Please, save it for English Composition 101. Let these folks do what everyone does -- call animal control! Jeez.

-- Steve Carson

Anchorage

Medicare pill hard to swallow here

Responding to Dr. Farr's letter on Monday, ("Proposals bad for our health," Nov. 2):

When I turned 65 in August of this year and found that I had some serious health issues, I 'polled' (tried to get an appointment with) 19 doctors and clinics from lists provided by the State Department of Health and Social Services and from the Medicare website ("current providers").

Eighteen of those called were either out of business or not taking on new Medicare patients. The one other clinic said they would take me but that it could be a one- to two-month wait, and that I could call every morning around 9 a.m. just to see if anything is available.

I worked over 40 years, almost full time, contributing to Medicare since its inception. This is what I get -- disenfranchised.

-- Helen Allen

Anchorage

Murkowski right about access

Sen. Lisa Murkowski's position on the health care reform issue is right on target. Her first concern is one of increasing access to health care. She represents the way most people feel about this gut-wrenching problem. Congress can pass all of the health care reform legislation they want, but if we don't have enough doctors, nurses, hospitals and clinics to treat our health care needs, the health care problem will remain. It is good to know that at least one of our senators is listening to their constituents. I have not heard one word from Washington about increasing access to health care as part of the reform effort. Have you?

-- Bob Lewis

Anchorage

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