Letter: U.S. should vote on states’ issues

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006 | 8:34 a.m.

I stand corrected and enlightened by Vernon Bostick's Jan. 15 letter with the headline, "This land is our land, even Alaska":

I had written in a Dec. 23 letter that we in the lower 48 shouldn't go meddling in the affairs of the Alaskans' desire to drill for oil. Mr. Bostick believes, since the U.S. government purchased Alaska with tax dollars (a truth), we should all be able to meddle in Alaskan affairs.

OK, since we also bought the Louisiana Purchase with tax dollars, we should all be able to meddle in the affairs of all the states that encompass those lands, and let's not forget New York, since we bought it with a handful of baubles (our tax dollars hard at work) we should also be able to meddle in the policies of New York (right, Sen. Hillary Clinton?).

How about a simple vote on these states' issues -- we all get to vote on drilling for oil in Alaska. I believe that would pass in a landslide as most Americans actually want to become less dependent on Saudi Arabia's oil along with their (Saudis) desire to fund terrorists who want to destroy us, plus almost every American now knows the caribou actually thrived and increased in numbers after the Alaskan oil pipeline was completed.

Let's also vote on rebuilding the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts after the past hurricane season. Do we actually want to spend billions on a rebuilding effort just to have it all possibly lost next year during the 2006 hurricane season?

Bob Lewicki

Las Vegas