Americans need jobs, not tax cuts
The whole reason we are in the perilous economic straits we are in right now is the wrong-headed Republican fixation on tax cuts, which all competent economists agree are the worst way to boost the economy. People need real jobs with real wages, and until they get them they will not have any taxes to cut. And until people have jobs and are making money again, the economy does not have a prayer.
But even so, President Obama tried in a bipartisan way to build lots of tax cuts into the package for the Republicans to try to placate them. And what did the Republicans in the House do? They just spit in his face. Not one Republican voted for the bill, not one!
All of the tax cuts need to come out, all of them, and be put into infrastructure-building jobs instead. And then we'll have a bill that actually works for America.
-- Sheri Whitethorn
Anchorage
Hold your fire until end of the year
Wait until the money is counted at the end of the 2009 tourist season before attacking Sarah Palin for her forays outside the state of Alaska. If she is really promoting Alaska and the money is right at the end of the tourist season, all the pundits will be forced into eating "crow pie!" Let's be a little patient and wait until then!
-- Bill and Samon Arnold
Sterling
Build railroad, not road, to Nome
So Gov. Sarah Palin wants a road to Nome. Interesting idea. However, 40 years ago Wally Hickel had a better idea far more suited to our economy, climate and actual conditions, that being a railroad. A rail line eliminates a lot of weather hazards, demands a narrower bed, and carries a lot more freight far more cheaply. What tourist, or Alaskan for that matter, wouldn't want to ride in comfort across the marvelous wilderness at least once to the shores of the Bering Sea?
Spur roads from villages along the way could supply outlying towns, lessening the cost of goods by a considerable amount in most instances. Fairbanks would boom, Nome would have to find room for some major hotels, and many villagers would ride to Fairbanks and on down to Anchorage for shopping trips, thereby increasing the railroad's year-round bottom line. Is this too simple or obvious? If anybody has the need for the rails, it's Alaskans. So do it.
-- Bruce Orton
Anchorage
Palin and lawmakers were right to dispute beluga, bear listings
Gov. Sarah Palin and the Legislature were criticized for opposing the Endangered Species Act listings of beluga whales in Cook Inlet and polar bears. Mike Nizich and Gov. Palin eloquently justified the state's positions. Species considered under the Endangered Species Act are not necessarily in danger of extinction. Polar bears have increased worldwide over the last 40 years and most populations have not declined. Numbers of belugas have increased over the last six years. The bears and belugas were listed because of predictive models that a scientist would treat as hypotheses in need of testing, not conclusions.
Some Endangered Species Act species are not even species, because the act includes subspecies and populations (DPS), so almost any population can be listed. The belugas were declared genetically distinct to support the DPS designations but this is scientifically simplistic.
Maintaining belugas in Cook Inlet is one management objective, as are fishing, oil, minerals, marine and air traffic, and forestry. Because Endangered Species Act listings are not definitive and can negatively impact citizens, the governor's opposition is legitimate and I believe reflects her concern for multiple-use management and her responsibility to the state of Alaska.
Scientists who don't support ESA listings have been accused of non-objectivity and bogus science (Daily News, Jan. 15, 2009; May 9, 2008). This smacks of Soviet Lysenkoism, in which science was dictated by government policy and dissent was not allowed. In science, debate and discussion should be encouraged, not prevented.
-- Matt Cronin
Anchorage
Note: Cronin researches animal population genetics at the UAF Palmer Research Station and provides science and management information to the state.
Mitchell lawsuit wasn't frivolous
After reading the letter "Mitchell got what she deserved" in the Feb. 3 ADN, I felt I had to comment. If Ms. Mitchell was just looking for a payday I highly doubt she would have stopped at $100,000; they would have asked for punitive in the millions. In this country we are innocent until proven guilty and the police do not get to hold us hostage until it is proven that we are innocent.
I agree they have to able to do their jobs which, sometimes, can be very difficult and unappreciated, but not at the expense of the innocent. If the description had been of a Caucasian woman do you think they would have held all Caucasian women in handcuffs lining them up on the street until they could be identified? I doubt it. I agree that the courts are far too jammed with frivolous lawsuits. This, however, is not one of them.
-- Chris Nash
Anchorage
Havelock demoted MacArthur
Perhaps my friend John Havelock should have paid more attention in his history class. It was not "Col." Douglas MacArthur but Gen. Douglas MacArthur. At the time of the Bonus Army, Douglas MacArthur was the Army Chief of Staff, a four-star general.
-- Thomas J. Yerbich
Anchorage
Tangled tax code defies 'experts'
President Obama must really be suffering. He has not even been in office for a month and yet his Cabinet is rattled with scandal. Former senator Tom Daschle withdrew his bid for Health and Human Services over back taxes and fines amounting to over $128,000. Nancy Killefer, also had to withdraw from her position for tax issues. Timothy Geithner, the new secretary of the treasury, had failed to pay almost $50,000 in taxes and fines.
Of all people, they would known the tax code better than the average American. Daschle, after all, helped to expand the tax code, and Geithner was chairman of the New York Federal Reserve bank.
Yet they don't. The US tax code is leviathan that continues to grow. No one, no matter how much they spend on tax accountants, can learn the entire tax code. These individuals have shown to the public the monster the tax code had become. It is time for a massive tax restructure. It is time for a flat tax. Americans should only have to fill out a simple form: no digging through receipts or asking if a driver counts as income. No special interest groups lobbying Congress to tweak the code so that coffee shops count as "manufacturing" firms. President Obama's top Cabinet nominees did not understand the code, so how should everyday Americans?
-- Luke Duddy
Anchorage
No need here to reinvent the wheel
The Legislature has just started this year's session and some are already saying that the 90-day session is too short.
If they will look at the Texas Legislature that governs about 20 million people, they will see that it is biennial (meets every other year) and meets on the odd years. They meet for 140 days and cannot call a special session. The special sessions can only be called by the governor and can only be 30 days per session and cover limited topics.
I suggest Alaska legislators stop whining and try to be productive. If the 90-day sessions don't work, put it before Alaska voters to try the Texas Legislature sessions or some other state's sessions.
-- Henry Banks
Wasilla
KTUU sends viewers to its rivals
Ah sweet mystery of life! KTUU wants us to "believe" their views and trust them as family. Ah, Maria, Jon and Jackie, you have been in my house for years, but you are no longer. The firing of Steve McDonald is a blow. I liked John Tracey, but the perfect hair was a bit much, lol. He did have seemingly good political instincts but a bit too perfect. Steve came across as real and refreshing with no particular political bias. I enjoyed the fact that he seemed to report and not judge.
So KTUU is now just another set of talking heads -- and not the brightest. I look forward to exploring ABC and CBS, not to mention PBS.
KTUU, good luck in your ratings quest, and I am sure the rival stations are thanking you!
-- Joseph Recken
Anchorage