Readers write: Letters to the editor, January 7, 2018

New York Times, Alaska Edition

I totally agree with Clifford Kirkland (Jan. 5) about ADN still being a liberal-biased paper. The majority of political cartoons are from left-wing sources, such as The New York Times, Washington Post, etc., as are most of the articles.

Here's a thought: when you renamed the paper the "Anchorage Daily News" maybe you should have named it: "The New York Times, Alaska Edition" since that name would be more in line with your left-wing liberal policy.

— Herbert Gray
Anchorage

Insurance companies the problem

Re Hal Smith's letter (Dec. 28) about Sen. Lisa Murkowski and health insurance:

Alaskans, "WAKE UP!"

The problem I have is with Mr. Smith's statement about Murkowski's constituents: "They are not thousands of Alaskans who buy insurance, as price increases due to eliminating the individual mandate will make policies unaffordable."

This is a knee-jerk reaction to a much bigger problem. The individual mandate isn't the problem, it's the insurance companies!

Ever since the creation of the ACA, premiums have been going up with or without the small percentage of people opting in or refusing to buy the incredibly expensive insurance plans Obama promised would be cheap and easy to manage. And don't forget one of his biggest lies, "You can keep your doctor!"

The problem here is the insurance companies are bleeding our country dry, crying out, "Oh, we need to make a profit!"

We should demand from Congress that it regulate the insurance companies.

If insurance companies are to continue they can no longer run roughshod over the American public.

Profits must be controlled.

They must be made to take everyone for the same price.

Everyone should be able to buy insurance where they want.

I'm sure good Alaskans can come together. Raise your voice.

— Mike Browne
Anchorage

Trump just following the law

I'm starting to hear and read a lot of people that want to blame President Trump for the latest executive order dealing with marijuana. The same is true with the DACA or Dreamers. So what is going on? It seems that we have a president who is attempting to follow federal law. I do believe he is obligated to do so by his oath of office.

So what is the solution? It's actually pretty simple: Congress needs to change the law. If Congress won't, then those that violate the federal statutes do so at their own risk.

It's popular to blame and make personal attacks on the president, especially if you just plain don't like him, but that won't solve the problem — unless you want a "friendly" dictator. The issue is a simple constitutional problem that can be solved by following the rules. To do anything else leads to anarchy.

— Jim Mallery
Anchorage

Don Young's ire is misguided

Wow, finally after a long year, Rep. Don Young has spoken out forcefully against "Rolling back … without a responsible replacement to protect individuals and states they live in is unacceptable."

Aw shucks, he is talking about the Cole Memo and marijuana, not the ACA and our much-needed health care reform. He has made a choice to protect marijuana over sick Mary Jane.

Jeez, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

— Mary Navitsky
Anchorage

CHIP program needs support

For all the talk about tax cuts there hasn't been enough talk about how the government plans to pay for the cuts. A big "thank-you" to Shannyn Moore (Column, Dec. 31) for highlighting one of many programs that help children in our country and that face reduction or elimination in order to provide minimal tax cuts for the middle class. The Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) helps the most vulnerable among us to have access to basic health care. It goes away in March of 2018.

Our collective government and leaders do not seem to have the political will to end poverty or to even protect the most vulnerable group in our country. Surely our legislators are not among them. Write or call Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan and Rep. Young and ask them to keep funding that supports the programs like the CHIP program that help people live.

— Andy Clarke
Anchorage

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@adn.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@adn.com.