REPUBLICANS JUST CAN'T MISS CHANCE TO RID SOCIETY OF WHAT OFFENDS THEM

Gov. Frank Murkowski's attack on Alaskans' right to the private use of
marijuana represents just another in a succession of Republican assaults on
personal liberties. The governor's preposterous arguments for criminalizing
marijuana are illogical and not persuasive. The whole thing is obviously a
politically motivated "solution" in search of a problem.

It's just like Sen. Ted Stevens' recent righteous promises to clean up
cable TV, claiming the government has the power to regulate decency
standards on subscription TV as it does the broadcast networks. Neither
situation represents any danger to society, but Republicans just can't pass
up a chance to throw their weight around. If something offends them
personally, they are now entitled to change it -- and damned be the
consequence to the rest of us.

With so many real problems in the world, why is the government even wasting
our time with such highly personal, mean-spirited and self-serving
grandstanding? As the Terri Schiavo case showed, our government is clearly
out of touch with the needs and wishes of the majority. Now the governor
wants to create thousands of new criminals and to trash the Alaska
Constitution just to get his way. Get over it, Frank. You can't win them
all. That's why it's called a democracy.

- W. Michael Tierney

McGrath