Readers write: Letters to the editor, October 4, 2017

(Pixabay)

Threat to state's future huge

Re: Charles Wohlforth, "State's economy hasn't hit bottom …" (Sept. 26).
I agree with Charles in his analysis, but I think a longer-term perspective is more grim for Alaskans and we need to start some intense dialogue and action to soften the blow. Clearly the current budget problems are caused by lack of oil taxes and royalties, due to lower prices caused by too much supply and not enough demand. I think both those factors are caused by engineering advances, fracking and horizontal drilling on the supply side and increased fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines on the demand side.

Beyond that, China and Europe are both putting major legislative agendas in place to mandate electric cars; that probably represents 60 percent or more of global auto sales. The U.S. Congress is not moving aggressively on the subject but note that Wall Street is brutally punishing any U.S. auto company that is not moving aggressively to produce electric cars. The use of oil as a fuel is unlikely to entirely stop, but I think it is clear that volumes will shrink dramatically. This will cause further price decreases in oil in the long run, and only the very lowest cost producers in the world will be able to stay in the business. It is inconceivable that Alaska will be able to compete in that environment. So if oil will no longer pay the bills in Alaska, particularly for government — then what???

Do the math and we need an industry that can afford to pay at least $5 billion in annual taxes; for comparison, I think $5 billion is about 100 percent of the seafood industry revenues in the state, so no money for wages, fuel, boats, etc. In my opinion, the threat to the state's future is huge.

— Read Dunn
Homer

Kneeling is taking a stand

Colin Kaepernick's behavior, from what I know about him, suggests a pro-life ethic, love of freedom, patriotism and opposition to government overreach. He staged his protest because of the 1,000 or so Americans, many unarmed, killed each year by police forces. Like me, he doesn't buy some of the excuses cops have used to kill innocent people. Homicide is not pro-life.

Now, I worked in a police department and I know most cops are decent honest guys. But, if some 250-pound bodybuilder shoots your grandma to death because he was afraid she'd strangle him, will the phrase "a few bad apples" console you?
Kaepernick exercised his right to express his opinions and the freedom to follow his conscience instead of bowing to today's fashionable political correctness. I do not confuse real patriotism with the symbols of patriotism. Waving the flag or standing for the national anthem do not involve much sacrifice, if at all. You do not jeopardize your job or get powerful people mad at you for doing so. Real patriotism is sacrificing for one's fellow Americans. I am unaware of any evidence that he objects to cops' defending themselves from homicidal bad guys, but he opposes the killing of hundreds of innocent unarmed Americans each year. Kaepernick's actions have probably cost him millions of dollars. He has a history of accomplishments including nearly winning a Super Bowl; yet apparently no one will hire him for apparently political reasons.

Kaepernick is one of those conservatives who holds government officials like cops accountable for their behavior. He understands the wisdom of that saying, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." For me, standing up to white supremacists who hate America is far more important than standing up for music.

Too bad the president hates freedom so much he wants football team owners to fire players for exercising their freedom to follow their consciences. My message to him is simple: America, love it or leave it.

— Geoff Kennedy
Anchorage

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