Replace Young
Published Wednesday, July 2, 2008
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To the editor:
It’s time to replace Don Young. He has way too much “dirty laundry” to effectively represent us in Washington, D. C.
So I went to the debates at Pioneer Park and listened to two candidates. Ethan Berkowitz was good, but Diane Benson was better and more knowledgeable.
Benson’s motives and concerns reflect my values, and those of people who put sustainable economic development at the top of their list.
Benson is a sophisticated speaker and would carry our voice and interests to Washington, D.C.
She’s not afraid of taking on foes. Indeed, she challenged Don Young in the last election, and won over 42 percent of the vote.
She is the kind of person who would connect with her constituents and persevere in getting good things for Alaska. We need her.
Marilyn Russell
Fairbanks
Community Discussion
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don young pulled a knife on the house floor at one point during a debate. that was near 30 years ago.
don young went to a local fairbanks high school in the mid-90s and said (to a group of high school students) that the NEA only funds a bunch of "buttf**kers".
there have been *numerous* elections since both. he still gets reelected.
short of him murdering someone on camera or someone legally changing their name to "don young" and then running... he will *always* get reelected.
he has done a lot of good for alaska. he is also become a pompous a**hole that should be replaced.
murkowski was replaced and even though vaguely (not really... entirely) nepotistic... it was an improvement honestly.
time for young to be replaced as well. he has gotten (even more... surprisingly) complacent and arrogant.
I supported Don Young while I lived in Alaska -- but yeah, it's time for someone else to take that seat.
...of course, I'm rooting for Parnell.
I was in the room when he said the word to students mentioned above, still cant believe that he said it the way he did. Absolutely no excuse for his lack of class.
I wasnt in the room when he said that, but I remember it well!! I also spent 10 seasons in Fort Yukon and went to get some help from Don in a federal pay matter that 5 of us had issues with. We wrote him 5 letters and mailed each from the post office in Fort Yukon. We got ZERO (0) response from Don. (The poor, lowly school teacher from Fort Yukon) We should have paid the money to have the letters sent from Houston, TX., maybe then we could have gotten a response!! Don needs to have his rear end ousted!!! Go home to your mansion in Alexandria, Don.
all I have to say is........Ditto!
ALASKANS: We KNOW the status quo isn't working. Young & Stevens and the Good Ol' Bs may have done some good things for Alaska back in the day but they are out of touch, believe themselves to be untouchable, and need to GO (as in AWAY, not back to D.C.).
Business as usual is obviously not serving Alaskans well.
TIME TO REALLY SHAKE THINGS UP: VOTE OUT *ALL* INCUMBENTS IN THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLES.
The most famous comment he ever made was, "you only need one vote to win" Who will be that one vote.
new congressman? possible. benson or berkowitz? no way!
Check out parnellforcongress.com !!
He'll make a great Congressman!!
I think only democrats will move forward on promises to this state, because republicans have proved they can do nothing. It's time for a change.
I also went to the debate between Ms. Benson and Mr. Berkowitz. I have to disagree with Ms. Russell's opinion that Diane was "better and more knowledgeable." Ethan's campaign has video footage of the debate available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/EthanBerkowi... I'd encourage you to check out the video and decide for yourself. Ethan impressed me, not only with the depth of his understanding, but also his obvious attention to Fairbanks-specific issues. It was clear to me that he had spent a lot of time meeting with Fairbanksans and listening to their concerns.
Additionally, Ethan has a ten year record of standing up on the issues that matter to me: confronting corruption in Alaska politics, fighting for working families and supporting quality education. He's earned my support. While I salute Diane for running against Don Young in 2006, I remain convinced that Ethan is a better choice for Congress.
Also, not to be "nitpicky," but Diane Benson garnered 40.1% of the vote, note "over 42%" as Ms. Russell claims.
Was Ms. Russell at the same debate that I saw 2 weeks ago? Benson more knowledgeable? Not even close. Her responses were sparse and focused on her son who lost his legs in Iraq (I think she brought it up 6 times, too bad it's being used for politics). When she was asked to respond first she didn't have much to say, Berkowitz would then respond, THEN she would have to come back with some more "stuff" she gleaned from Berkowitz's rebuttal. Seemed very slow on her feet. What has she ever done that would qualify her for this position? Oh, that's right, she visited her son in the hospital and she played an activist in a play.
Oh, and parnell? Done nothing. I'd rather have dandy don. At least he knows where DC is on the map, though making to the hill is another matter.
Let's not forget Diane Benson's fierce opposition to intellectual freedom, as demonstrated by her attacks on a UAA professor for publishing a poem she didn't like:
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/co...
http://www.issues-views.com/index.php/se...
http://media.www.thenorthernlight.org/me...
http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/do...
If the Democrats nominate Diane Benson, that won't make me vote for Don Young, but it will make me repeat what I did two years ago when those two faced up: write in Bozo the Clown. He'd make a better representative than either of those two staunch opponents of my First Amendment Rights.
TAC: Thanks for those links. I'd heard about that controversy, but I didn't know the details.
Another old geezer, bring that
four legged ham our way!
Wow, I hadn't heard of that incident either. It changes my opinion of Diane Benson. She completely misunderstood the meaning of the poem Ms. McCarriston wrote. That misunderstanding makes me question her ability to represent all Alaskans if she believes in restricting free speech of those she disagrees with (however misundertood). Even if Ms. McCarriston's poem was racist, which it was not, she has the right to write whatever she wants! This is still America! It's kind of scary that Ms. Benson tried to shut her up by pulling the "race card."
Oh yeah, get rid of Young! He's a disgrace to the state and always has been. Speaking in such vulgar terms as he did to that high school assembly, would have gotten a Democrat run out of town on a rail. We allow much worse behavior out of Republicans than we do Democrats. Heck our former president lied about a blowjob and was impeached, but the present one lied about the Iraq threat that took us to war and has murdered over a million innocent people. Good thing he didn't lie about having sex, or he'd have been called to the carpet! Oh wait, he's a Republican... Never mind!
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