Our current economic crisis is partly a result of poor decisions made in the past by some of our elected legislators and former governors. Those decisions, in my opinion, were based on poor reasoning of where Alaskans’ priorities and interests are best represented and served in the long term.
Governor Walker is obviously choosing to put the health and interests of all Alaskans high on Alaska’s list of priorities and progress. Evidence is his move to expand Medicaid for Alaskans, his move to maintain an alternative plan B for the gasline and his support for the Choose Respect program and Erin Merryn’s law.
Unfortunately some of our elected legislators have chosen to resist his efforts or to do nothing to support them. Evidence for this conclusion is found in 2 recent articles in the Juneau Empire by Katie Moritz and 1 by David Holthouse. The articles are about Alaska’s problems with sexual abuse, domestic violence and the need for education to correct these problems.
Senators Lesil McGuire, Berta Gardner and Representative Geran Tarr have introduced 4 bills aimed at addressing the problems and are to be applauded for their efforts. Since Erin’s law was introduced about a year ago to the rest of our legislators, the house leadership does not appear to have supported or to be supporting their efforts. I believe this is wrong. Is it any wonder that Representative Lora Reinbold proposed an amendment to limit the number of terms senators and representatives can serve.