Land swap is real horse pucky
Letters to the editor
A highly eloquent Lisa Murkowski recently described the Democratic response to her hand-me-down land swap bill as "absolute horse pucky." After my first reaction of humor at her ruffled condition, I was struck by the irony of her statement. While she may choose to address the media using language a third-grader could understand, to behave as though her constituents cannot decipher horse pucky from special interest pork is insulting.
"Horse pucky" is the implication that the trading of 10,000-plus acres of pristine wilderness for approximately 3,000 acres of clear-cut land has anything to do with settling inequities in previous Native land settlements. Beyond the misconstrued motive behind the exchange, there is not even any practical merit. Arguments as to how this "simplification" of land ownership will benefit the public do not hold up under even minimal scrutiny.
This bill is about baggage - baggage passed on by Frank Murkowski - and containing all the items necessary to ease restrictions on mining and road building. While interpreting the Democratic walkout as a "grossly unfair" tactic aimed at sabotaging her election, I would note that she appears to be doing a good job on her own. I have not seen a single letter written in favor of this land swap. It has been suggested that Sen. Murkowski's next move will be to sneak this raunchy bill through on the coattails of Ted Stevens' spending bill. Interestingly, I just came across an Anchorage Daily News reference in October of last year regarding a legislative rider Sen. Stevens tacked on to a federal funding bill. Though she would not take a position regarding the content of the rider, which would cut grants for tribal court systems, she opposed the use of riders, noting that they eliminate "the opportunity for the public process." It is apparent that the public process for Sen. Murkowski is one more political facade. I am sure she will go far, but not with my vote. Regardless of the means taken to force this bill, this horse pucky stinks.
Christie Hendrich
Juneau