Vote for Berkowitz, not Kochs
I just received an election mailer from Americans for Prosperity, a lobbying group bankrolled by the Koch brother billionaires from Kansas. They don't endorse a candidate but rather deride our current mayor, Ethan Berkowitz, whom I believe has done a great job. Ethan has helped restore Anchorage after former Mayor Dan Sullivan gutted municipal services and threatened public safety.
The mission of the Koch brothers is to minimize taxes and regulations that govern business. However, the Kochs have violated our federal pollution laws, worker safety standards and tax laws that pay for public services, according to Jane Mayer of "Dark Money." Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers, reports "the Kochs want to gut public education, public services and the labor movement so the ladder of opportunity they were able to climb is not available to others."
I believe that the Kochs are in Anchorage to influence our election and ultimately control our municipality, academic institutions, courts, and state houses. We are not the first local election where they have shown up, spent a ton of money and controlled the results. Ethan Berkowitz has been a great mayor for Anchorage and needs our vote.
— Joan Diamond
Anchorage
Young's silence is deafening
Don Young holds a rare place in history. He was a seated member of the House of Representatives in 1973, a dark period in American history. He witnessed the investigations of the Watergate debacle which eventually led to the resignation, in disgrace, of Richard Nixon. Young witnessed the Saturday Night Massacre when Archibald Cox was fired as the special prosecutor in an effort to thwart justice. Are we about to repeat history? It certainly is a possibility.
In addition, Young witnessed the illegal and behind-the-scenes arms deals with Iran during the Iran Contra affair under Ronald Reagan. He witnessed the use of false information about weapons of mass destruction used to propel America into the war with Iran under George W. Bush. These are but footnotes in history to the dark actions perpetrated during Watergate.
We are now seeing the top executive of this nation bring his unethical and morally bankrupt business practices to the White House. And we are seeing the FBI conduct a robust and thorough investigation into assorted facets of these practices regardless of the roadblocks thrown up to obstruct justice.
Has Young learned from history? Or will he be content to watch it repeat? His silence on this issue is deafening and truly speaks volumes.
Congressman Young, which side do you support at this juncture in history? Do you support the current regime or the FBI investigations? Please be specific and vociferous in your response. Your constituents deserve nothing less.
— Charlotte Cannon
Fairbanks
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