Readers write: Letters to the editor, November 13, 2017

Give Alaska readers more NHL

I'm a little disappointed. I thought with the new owner that your paper contents would improve. I look forward to reviewing NHL results and highlights, however the best we can get from your sports desk is scores. If you're short on room, I have a suggestion. Let's drop all info and reference to the "disgraceful" NFL and utilize that space for a sport that at least has some respect for this nation.

— Mike Krupa
Anchorage

Alaska needs to raise revenue

It was good to see Gov. Bill Walker's response (Nov. 7) to Sen. Pete Kelly's opinion piece (Nov. 5), "Alaska's fiscal sky is not falling." Walker's response was far more generous than mine would be. Kelly speculated on what might take place and then assumes: "That 14 percent change represents nearly an additional $1.5 billion circulating in our economy." Wow. "What if" has been taken to a new level. Actually, Pete Kelly's imaginary $1.5 billion could be welcomed as a payment on our deficit rather than wandering around "in our economy."

I have urged repeatedly that we need to re-instate our income tax, as it was, the simplest state income tax in the U.S. Gov. Walker is right in his effort to raise revenue; although the time to do it was three years ago, we have to settle for now.

I also take issue with Kelly when, as a representative of Alaskans, he tries to separate Alaskans from their government. He writes: "The Senate will support new revenues only when it is proved to be in the best interest of Alaskans as whole, not just their government." I prefer Abraham Lincoln's view that our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. If it works right, the people are the government.

Kelly should concentrate on his pie in the sky, and let grown-ups do the budget.

— Carl Benson
Fairbanks

Tweto reveals 'True Alaska'

Ariel Tweto's new program "True Alaska" is a must-watch program. Ariel has made Alaska look more Alaskan than any of the other programs that have tried and failed. She is an accomplished bush pilot who can express herself well while bringing her own sense of humor into the show. I expect a very quick response by the ten of thousands who watch any program about Alaska to make her new program the leading program on Alaska in a very short time.

I would certainly invite her to visit Kodiak and bring another part of Alaska into her unique way of showing off locations around Alaska.

Congratulations, Ariel! You are doing a great job representing our state.

— John A. Parker
Kodiak

CNN's sexual assault program is well worth watching

With all the charges of sexual assault and sexual harassment by powerful men in the news recently, CNN News presented an excellent program on the tipping point in sexual assault and sexual harassment going on in America right now. The hourlong program was moderated by Alisyn Camerota, the Fox News commentator who spoke out about the harrassment at Fox News and led to the firing of Roger Ailes.

The program involved famous victims of sexual harassment — Anita Hill, Grechen Carlson, Camerota and many others and their stories of abuse and denigration. The magnitude of our problems was impressive as indicated by the amount of news about powerful men like Henry Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Bill O'Reilly, recent charges of movie actors, along with stories on Roy Moore, Bill Cosby, etc.

The courage and stories of the women and Tarana Burke of the "Me Too" movment were so impressive to me I recommend viewing the program too everyone. The pain and healing of women working together to support each other was so obvious to me and a beautiful picture I felt compelled to write.
With the abuse problems we have here in Alaska I suspect showing the program to our high school students might produce some very desirable results in our relationships and health.

— Hugh R. Hays
Soldotna

Nice article on Bede Trantina

Thanks to Charles Wohlforth for his lovely column on Bede Trantina. She is exactly as described and deserves every accolade that comes her way.

— Betsy Blassingham
Anchorage

Hallinen's pictures stand out

Our state abounds with great photographers, but ADN's Bob Hallinen most assuredly holds a place at the top of the list.

For decades, we have been graced by his brilliant camera work and finely tuned artistic eye that consistently capture the true essence of Alaska. He's a special breed of photographer who intuitively sees the photo before it happens — and has the patience to wait for it. Among the ADN's other great photographers, Hallinen is a stellar asset and I look forward, eagerly, to every single one of his artful images.

— Frank E. Baker
Eagle River

Don't destroy ANWR coastal plain

I notice the crocs are beginning to swarm again. As the congressional swamp waters become bloodier and more rank, it seems our own Senate and House crocs are on the attack once again to try to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain.

As a 57-year Alaskan who has hiked and rafted the Arctic refuge (including the coastal plain) more times than I have fingers and toes, I wonder if our esteemed Senate and House crocs have ever visited that almost surreal wilderness of unsurpassed beauty for more than a flyover during the worst weather? If they had, they might realize how important the coastal plain is to the integrity of the entire Arctic refuge. And they might change their mind about putting the coastal plain on the chopping block to make it part of the already incredibly ugly 1,000-square-mile complex of heavily polluted industrial infrastructure of Prudhoe Bay and other oil operations there.

As one can imagine, and, in spite of the half-truths the oil companies and their loyal political minions have concocted, there have indeed been innumerable cumulative harmful impacts to the wildlife, including birds and caribou, and their habitat in the region.

And the underhanded way they are trying to achieve this is Machiavellian to the extreme –- attaching it to a budget bill! This is just about the most craven and undemocratic way an American of any political color could use to accomplish their misguided agenda — which we Alaskans know is to please their industry cronies sufficiently to guarantee hefty donations to their reelection coffers.
Finally, and most important, they are doing this at a time when our Earth is experiencing the hottest average annual temperatures in recorded history due to the highest levels of CO2 in 800,000 years (this according to last week's U.S. government report on climate change). I can only conclude that they are not only craven, they have absolutely and completely abdicated their moral duty to leave the Earth a healthier place than they found it! As my dad used to say in situations like this, heaven help us!

— Frank Keim
Fairbanks

Do we really want foreign investment?

If the U.S. has a trade deficit with another country, it must be because they're taking advantage of us — we're letting in their goods but they're not letting in ours — right? Wrong.

If foreigners want to invest in our country — say, by building factories or buying government bonds — then they supply foreign currency and demand dollars, which drives up the value of the dollar. That's great, right? That makes our imported goods cheaper.

But it also makes our exported goods more expensive, and means that we may run a trade deficit.

So do we want foreign investment, or not?

— Rick Wicks
Anchorage

Democratic Party must change

The Democratic Party must change now. The movement further and further to the right has hurt the Democrats. We see this in candidates like Hillary Clinton. The Democratic Party has failed to realize that the reason Clinton lost is not because Russia "hacked the election." The reason she lost is because she would not sign on to single payer, she would not sign on to tuition-free college, and she would not speak against free trade deals (those of which have stolen good paying American jobs and shipped them overseas where the lack of regulation would allow companies to pay their workers slave wages). Only after Bernie Sanders hammered away on that issue did Hillary finally say she was opposed to the TPP.
Donald Trump struck it with the disenfranchised, the workers who have gotten the bad side of the stick in our current economic system. Now, it's clear that Donald Trump lied in the campaign. But at least he gave populist rhetoric. I want the Democrats to win, but we can't do that if we don't learn from our embarrassment this general election and become a populist left party.

— Nezir Alili
Anchorage

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 under 200 words 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