Trump draining his own swamp
With the continuing departure of White House staff this week and the expectation of more losses with the new year, Mr. Trump is keeping his word to "drain the D.C. swamp."
— Robert Hammaker, Palmer
Cowards kneel, heroes stand
Sigh.
Still it continues.
Grown men put on costumes whilst denigrating the flag and those that put on uniforms so as to give those that put on said costumes to play a game and supposedly 'earn' millions of dollars all the while those that don a uniform, while risking, and many times losing their lives, to uphold and defend the freedoms that those that wear said costumes exhibit.
Those that don said costumes and denigrate those that don actual uniforms deserve no respect, nor allegiance, as those costume wearers that denigrate the uniform wearers, and the banner, standard, and flag for which they stand, not kneel within capitulation.
The act of kneeling confirms that you are but a coward, and nothing more than that.
Cowards kneel. Heroes stand.
And cowards?
You are losing, because you are not honored, as those that don uniforms are.
You are a laughingstock, because you hold no true worth, inclusive of the millions you make to play a game, dressed in a costume.
You are your own downfall, and I, for one, wish you Godspeed within that endeavor, because you deserve nothing less.
— Randy Lee Harkins, Anchorage
Gee, thanks for the 4-cent raise
The title pretty much says it all, don't ya think? A whopping 4 cent minimum wage increase per hour? That will surely entice the college-educated to apply for a job! That would push me over the fence to get my masters. I would ask for 8 cents! Who says education doesn't pay?!
— Rolf L Bilet, Anchorage
'Trickle down' doesn't work
I am very disappointed in our U.S. senators during the recent tax cut debate. I expected Danny Boy to toe the party line but with Lisa I had a glimmer of hope that she would keep showing the spine she had recently developed. Alas the carrot of ANWR bought her off.
With the U.S. economy doing quite well how can cutting taxes for corporations and the rich actually help the middle and lower class. I for one, a small-business owner, will probably end up losing my health care because of the repeal of the individual mandate.
When will the notion that "trickle down economics" works be put to rest. The corporations and the rich are greedy, they keep the money. That's the way capitalism works.
I want to end on a high note and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. Pray for snow.
— Michael Henrich, Anchorage
Ditch admin and keep teachers
The Anchorage School District has been crying poverty for years. How come they don't get rid of some of those assistant principals of this or the other thing? We need the poor teachers a lot more.
— Jim Bell, Anchorage
The right has sunk to a new low
When Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to examine the Trump campaign's Russian links, he was praised by all sides as a balanced, honest person who would examine the issues fairly. Newt Gingrich called him a "superb choice." Now that Mueller has turned up shocking evidence of widespread conniving with the Russians throughout the Trump camp, the right-wind noise machine has gone ballistic trying to discredit him and manufacture a smoke screen to shield traitorous activities. How they can do this with a straight face is beyond me — if Democrats had consorted with a hostile foreign power to subvert our elections, they'd be frothy beet red with screaming rage.
This is a dangerous new low. Thomas Jefferson stressed that a functioning democracy is founded upon an informed electorate. It is heart-wrenching to watch these malignant operatives tear at the fabric of our country by turning reality upside down. Political conservatives of integrity need to unite against these crazed ideologues and the Republicans that consort with them.
— Larry Landry, Gustavus
Time to embrace our similarities
Abortion and guns: the two most divisive topics in politics. Our current political climate is, to say the least, divided. But I'd like to propose a reconciling: instead of vilifying the "other" and embracing our politicians voting solely on party lines, what if we shift our focus to cooperation, compromise, and respectful conversation?
Our officials in Washington spend a disturbing amount of time meeting with lobbyists. The time not spent with lobbyists, they're campaigning to get re-elected. This leaves little time to actually represent us. Which, as we're electing them, should be the priority!
Despite political affiliations, the majority of Americans likely fall in the 95th percentile on a bell curve. This means that our similarities far outweigh our differences (minus extremist outliers). Yet we're so busy pitting Blue against Red that we've become unconcerned that politicians receive big money from lobbyists, and cooperation across the aisle isn't encouraged, much less the norm.
We, as a nation, would benefit far more from embracing difference of opinion, and having respectful conversation to reach a happy medium. These problems in Washington will not be solved overnight, but change starts with us realizing that we have more to lose divided than united, and big money has no place in our republic.
— Lauren Jerew, Homer
Tax bill is a con job
The current tax bill obviously favors corporations and the wealthy over the majority of Americans. They are throwing us a bone as they dine in inceasing luxury knowing the bones will go away in a few years.
In these times of increasing corporate profits and low unemployment, is it even worth gambling on increasing the deficit with our mutual credit card? It would make more sense to create better jobs by spending on our crumbling infrastructure — increasing personal incomes and tax revenue.
They are counting on selling their con and retaining their control by pleasing their donors. Like the 45committee (Trump superpac) praising Murkowski and Americans for Prosperity (Koch brothers) attacking public education. They aren't working for us.
— Tim Pritchett, Anchorage
Big brother is taking over
Our current Administration now sends censors to tell government scientists what words they can use in reporting on national medical research, trends, issues, and guidance.
Sounds like "1984" to me.
— Martin Becker, Fairbanks
Time to take a look at taxing meat
With Congressional Republicans rushing to place a new tax bill on President's Trump's desk before Christmas, here comes the respected British publication The Guardian suggesting a new source of tax revenue — meat. Yes, a tax on meat, to beat the health and climate crises.
The concept is hardly radical. We already pay taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugary sodas, plastic bags, and other consumables that afflict the public health and other social costs.
The revenue would reimburse Medicare, Medicaid and other government health care programs for treating victims of chronic diseases that have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products. It would contribute to the costs of restoring air and water quality and wildlife habitats that have been devastated by production of these items.
Benjamin Franklin noted that nothing is certain except death and taxes. However, death can be deferred substantially by taxing the very products that make us sick.
— Art Doddermyer, Anchorage
Don't need to take another hit
Rarely does Congress move with such decisiveness and cooperation on hot button political issues, like taxation. Yet despite this fact, 400 members of Congress voted to delay implementation of the so-called HIT tax, (the Health Insurance Tax) for 2017. We are hoping that Sen. Murkowski joins in supporting delay of the implementation of the HIT Tax in 2018 as well.
Alaska premiums are the highest in the nation due to factors unrelated to the quality of the coverage. The HIT levies an additional penalty on employers and employees that have "Cadillac" plans. This assessment assumes that a plan that costs more than the national average is a special perk. Of course, in Alaska virtually ALL plans cost more than the average elsewhere!
Alaska small-business plans went from premiums of roughly $500 per month when the ACA passed, to $1,800 per month today!
Imposing a tax that would raise Alaskans' healthcare premiums an additional 3 percent in 2018 alone, suppresses the ability of the economy to grow, add jobs, raise wages and improve our quality of life! It is for this reason that delaying implementation of the HIT tax is the number one priority of small businesses.
Indeed, any action by our delegates that does not result in real health care relief for Alaskan small businesses and families ignores the desperate needs of Alaska constituents.
— Linda Peters, Anchorage