I take issue with the views of Mike McBride expressed in his Feb. 10 letter to the Empire. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was right to listen to the voices of her constituency and her own intellect to cast a vote against Betsy DeVos. To question Murkowski’s commitment to ANWR is wrongheaded. If she had been unconcerned about the party unity, she would have cast her vote against DeVos in the committee instead of on the floor. I seldom agree with Sen. Murkowski and find it ironic to be writing a letter in her defense. But if we are to survive the craziness of the Trump administration, thinking members of Congress must do what Sen. Murkowski did: Put the good of the people they represent and hopefully the good of the Democracy itself over partisan politics. Make America work.
Richard Stokes
Juneau
