On the subject of D.C. gridlock:
"Since the Reagan years, partisan politics and resulting Washington gridlock are bigger problems than any other challenge we face as a nation. We, the voters, are responsible."Regardless of party we all want very much the same: campaign finance reform, comprehensive energy policy, health care changes, term limits, deficit reduction, financial institution regulation and more. But Washington seems incapable of legislation advancing the people's needs. The legislators we have elected are more interested in staying in power than risking good legislation that makes the other side look good. The minority party, regardless of party, is now always "The Party of No."
"I want leadership. If my legislators do not break ranks and vote across party lines 10 percent of the time, or reach across the aisle and co-sponsor meaningful legislation, I will donate to and vote for their next election opponents. I pledge to do this in primary and general elections regardless of party affiliation. If 10 percent of this nation will do the same, maybe we can get our legislators working for us again."
He gets it.
On the subject of health care "reform":
"Re: Letter ...., Feb. 27, "US can afford health care."
"She is right -- millions are wasted at taxpayer expense, but what in the following line does she not get?
"We are broke.
"We are borrowing money and printing money like never before in our history. Do you really believe that the federal government which wastes billions of our taxpayer dollars, is going to run the health care system in any kind of a responsible way? There seem to be people out there who don't care what health care costs or who pays for it or even if we have the money to pay for it; they just want it. Reform, yes. Government takeover of health care, no. I think we still might be able to recover from being broke but the clock is ticking. ...
"One form of irresponsible spending does not justify another round of irresponsible spending."
She gets it, too.
On the subject of corruption in Juneau, re: a proposal to let lobbyists spend up to $50 buying meals for legislators, without the legislators having to report it (currently a $15 limit):
"To be fair to all state employees, I should be able to buy a nice dinner for a plow operator who clears my road first, or for a state trooper who gives my excuse for speeding some extra consideration. Of course, there really is no such thing as a free lunch, so instead our legislators should be forbidden from taking anything in exchange for their time or consideration."I have more empathy for the person begging at a street corner than I do for someone on the state payroll who barters power and self-respect for dinner and drinks. Vote the freeloaders out."
My faith in my fellow Alaskans is somewhat restored. People are waking up to what's going on; I pray they don't fall asleep again, this time.
1 comment:
I'm more impressed that the ADN printed them all... but then I still haven't forgotten their blatant cheerleading during the last election.
Can't say I agree with the first of the three letters though. If it's a point of principle stopping one group of congresscritters from going with what the other one's proposing, I should bloody well *hope* they dig in their heels to obstruct it.
Too often political calls for bipartisanship amount to "you're not getting out of here honey, so just lie back and enjoy it."
And yes, that goes every bit as much for the Republicans calling for Constitutionalist judges to be confirmed or Social Security's budget pulled out of the fire as it does the Democrat's insistence on this health care wrangle.
No - instead we get "I *I'm* doing it, it's standing on my principles. If *you're* doing it, it's political grandstanding."
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