Cyclists seek vengeance
I never realized before what a vengeful group the local biking community is. If their calls for a longer prison sentence would stop all future stupid acts committed by teenagers and bring back the unfortunate killed, then I would be all for ruining another life. But it won't.
Also, no one says how long a sentence is enough. Is 5, 10, 25, 50 years enough? How many years will it take to get your vengeance?
— Jay Lawrence
Anchorage
Jailing teen is no answer
I do not know the details of the Ellis-Dusenbury case. I do know that putting a teenager in jail does not help her and comes at a high monetary cost. The victim's family, society and the criminal would be better served with an alternative consequence. Some alternatives that come to mind for this crime are loss of driving privilege for life and appropriating a percentage of income for life (and perhaps donating it to the charity of the victim's family's choice).
And let's not forget the real criminal in this case is alcohol and society's acceptance of the ruin that it leaves in its wake. Requiring and paying for a treatment program for this teenager would be a better use of public money than jail.
— Bob Butera
Anchorage
Legislature fails Alaska
The so-called leadership in the Alaska Legislature needs to learn to play well with others, as kindergartners understand and these "adults" have forgotten. From the point-of-view of this retired educator, caring for others includes funding our schools for obvious reasons, expanding Medicaid to keep our neighbors healthy and balancing the budget so our state continues to be strong economically.
I can't say it any better than Shannyn Moore did in her column (May 17): "Walker, please veto the budgets. We'll have your back." We certainly will.
— Carol Waters
Anchorage
Please expand Medicaid
Write your representative
In her May 18 letter to the editor, Sharon Stockard notes that Medicaid expansion is "what Alaskans want" and asks "why isn't it what the legislative majority wants?" The answer is so clear as to be nearly self-explanatory: Medicaid is a government program and everybody knows that government isn't the solution to our problem, government "is" the problem.
Now, if that last sentence made sense to you, you might be in the Republican legislative majority.
If they let Medicaid expand to help and serve more Alaskans, services for which we already pay through our federal taxes, it would show that we can, through our government, work together to improve the lives of our fellow Alaskans. It would show that collective action through our government can actually be a good solution to some problems. But since government must be the problem, our elected Republican legislative majority is working hard to keep it that way.
Despair and disengagement serve the powerful. Dysfunction feeds despair; they count on it. Be a champion. Call or write your representatives; they're easy to find (http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/). Let them know you'll remember and vote in November 2016..
— Bryan Smith
Anchorage
Meyer commentary helps
The commentary by Sen. Kevin Meyer (May 19) was a very constructive and reasonable explanation of the Alaska budget challenges.
Now I understand much better the problem and suggested solution.
Before when I read the news it almost seemed that the GOP was holding up the final budget compromise, but it seems like the House Democratic Minority are blocking it.
I certainly hope there will be an agreement or we all are in trouble.
— Chris von Imhof
Girdwood
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 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.
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