Readers write: Letters to the editor, May 11, 2016

I find it hard to believe that in 2016 people with Alzheimer’s disease still fall through the cracks in our health care system. My wife has early-onset Alzheimer’s. The state wants me to place her in an assisted living facility, but to do that you have to find one that will accept general relief before the Medicaid waiver kicks in, which can take months. In the meantime the state leaves it incumbent upon me to find the assisted living facility, which has to be licensed as DU, whatever that means. Almost all of these facilities are either full or do not accept general relief.

When my wife is released from the hospital the only place she has to go is home. Unbelievably our landlord has said that she would evict us if that happens. If I become her full-time caregiver that leaves us in financial disaster as I would have to quit my job. On the other hand I could become her full-time paid caregiver per the state, but the caregiver agencies that I have contacted only want to pay for 15 to 20 hours per week. I only ask to be paid for 40 hours a week. Those of us who know about Alzheimer’s disease can tell you that it is a 24/7 job. This is very stressful for me and causing my health to fail. I would like to thank the state Legislature for not doing their jobs.

— William Lewis

Anchorage

The recent controversy regarding the assignment of Democratic delegates between Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton is needless and potentially harmful. The Democratic Caucus has spoken. Superdelegates were created by the Democratic Party a long time ago and given the responsibility to vote as they see fit for the party’s long-term health, given their demonstrated commitment over the years. Both sides need to keep their cool and remember what is best for the nation, if not only the Democratic Party. I caucused for Bernie Sanders. I will support him enthusiastically in the general election should he win the Democratic nomination. Nonetheless I have two words for other Bernie Sanders supporters: “Ralph Nader.” In 2000, Mr. Nader siphoned off enough support from Al Gore that George W. Bush won the presidential election. The nation is still trying to recover from the damage President Bush did to our economy with the 2008 banking fiasco and to our national security by dismantling the Middle East with the Iraq invasion. What damage do you imagine Donald Trump will do if elected president and how much worse off will we be in 16 more years? Whatever the nomination outcome, Democrats and anyone else who sees through Donald Trump must vote for the Democratic nominee. Refusing to vote will be gratuitously self-centered and essentially a vote for Trump.

— Laurence Goldin

Anchorage

On May 9, ADN printed a letter to the editor by Rick Wicks where he talks about the discriminatory North Carolina transgender restroom law, which requires people to use restrooms according to the sex on the birth certificate.

But this problem could be easily solved just by omitting the sex description on the birth certificate. What is so important about it? After all, males and females are created equal. Or the birth certificate should leave blank the sex description, which could be filled out later by the person himself when he determines where his preferences lie.

Meanwhile progressive North Carolina residents should boycott public restrooms. It would be hard of course, but who said that fighting bigots is easy.

There is another problem looming on the horizon. The International Olympic Committee has stringent rules about who can be on the males’ team and who can be on the females’ team, so the transgender people on the females’ team would not get an advantage of their natural physical abilities. But this notion is clearly outdated. And as the last resort we can boycott the Olympics until they change the rules.

I am sure all my suggestions are politically correct.

— Rudy Budesky

Anchorage

Watching the state budget process is really a sad commentary on government today. Everyone has expectations that the government will provide something for us, and we the people now have created the monster that can’t be stopped. All the pundits left and right are missing the point: We can’t sustain this level of government!

Alaska’s budget issues are much the same as the federal: spending twice as much as we take in. The solution of course is to cut the size of government in half. Maybe we don’t need all the grants, regulations, oversight, etc. Social programs don’t exist unless we have jobs. Jobs don’t exist if the job creators are punished for success.

— James Mallery

Anchorage