Back in September I wrote about our “ethically challenged” democratic system. I said, “We are caught in a downward, self-destructive [debt] spiral.” If you doubted me then, those doubts should have been exploded last week. Congressional leaders agreed to increase federal spending by nearly $300 billion above the already-rising limits stipulated by the Budget Control Act of […]
The high school counselor lowered his head, peered over his reading glasses, and looked straight into the eyes of the young man before him. “You’re not going to graduate this year.” Justin (not his real name) was stunned. He was always the cocky smart-aleck, holding school – and most everything else – in disdain. Truancy? […]
Dear Friends and Neighbors, I love committee work. Every proposed law is assigned to one or more committee, where the members listen to the sponsor’s presentation, hear their testimony and read supporting documents, ask questions and hear presentations and testimony for and against before deciding whether to move the bill forward. I find the process […]
Dear friends and neighbors, On Friday, the Alaska Senate gaveled out of the special session after concurring with the changes the House made to SB 54, the “SB 91 fix-it” bill. Senate Bill 54 included several good fixes to SB 91. The first offense of a class C felony now carries a minimum jail time […]