Alaska\u2019s lone delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives wrapped up a visit to Juneau on Tuesday, telling an audience at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall that he supports an increase in national and state gasoline taxes, is opposed to prison for drug users, and supports Ohio Gov. John Kasich to be the Republican nominee for president.<\/p>\n
Don Young spoke to more than 120 people at the weekly Native Issues Forum hosted by the Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Young is in Alaska during a Congressional recess that lasts until April 12. He next travels to Sitka.<\/p>\n
Before speaking, Young posed for selfies and cellphone photos with audience members who had to wait until the end of his remarks for his presidential choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not supporting Donald Trump. I\u2019ve said that publicly. I am supporting Kasich because I think he\u2019s the smartest one of the bunch,\u201d Young said.<\/p>\n
In office since 1973, Young has been in the House longer than any other sitting Republican. He has served under eight presidents and – barring a defeat this fall, will soon serve under a ninth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not worried about the size of your hand or your wife\u2019s looks or these other things. It\u2019s silliness,\u201d Young said of the furor surrounding Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
Young has a simple answer for why that furor exists.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho I do blame?. The people,\u201d he said. \u201cA bunch of idiots following Pied Piper over the cliff. That\u2019s who I blame. I mean, nobody wants to read anymore. No one wants to find out the background anymore. And they blame Donald Trump. I blame the people.\u201d<\/p>\n
After an audience member asked about Young\u2019s views on marijuana, Young responded that the voters of Alaska have decided, and as a backer of state rights, he supports Alaskans\u2019 views.<\/p>\n
\u201cEither you\u2019re for states\u2019 rights or against them. You can\u2019t have it both ways,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While he believes marijuana is addictive, he said alcohol is worse, and the state has legalized both. He said he does not believe drug users should be jailed for their addictions, but he believes government should go after drug dealers, particularly heroin dealers, whom he said are murderers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is probably the scourge of the United States,\u201d he said of heroin.<\/p>\n
When Central Council president Richard Peterson asked Young\u2019s views on the federal government\u2019s role in fighting that scourge, the Congressman responded that local communities need to take action.<\/p>\n
Many times, particularly in small rural communities, residents know who the drug dealers are, but they are afraid to act, Young said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t always expect somebody else to do it for you,\u201d he said, adding that he supports the ability of local courts to punish offenders locally.<\/p>\n
Young did not directly address Alaska\u2019s $4 billion annual state deficit, following a pattern set by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan during their in-state visits.<\/p>\n
After a question regarding transportation funding, however, he did touch on one portion of the proposed solution, saying he supports the effort in the Alaska Legislature to raise the state motor fuels tax, but only if revenue from that tax is dedicated to transportation.<\/p>\n
Article IX, Section 7 of the Alaska Constitution forbids dedicated funds, but Young said he thinks a determined Legislature can find a way to do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve suggested that respectfully,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe you can do it, but I believe you can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young has long supported raising the federal gasoline tax to keep pace with the rising efficiency of American cars. In 2003, as chairman of the powerful House Transportation Committee, Young proposed raising the federal gas tax from 18.4 cents per gallon to 33 cents per gallon by 2009. The measure failed after opposition from President George W. Bush and others in Congress.<\/p>\n
Young also referenced bills he has introduced in Congress to make more land available for resource development, something he views as a top priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to be able to harvest your trees, mine your minerals, drill for oil, grow your crops, catch your fish. Those are real dollars,\u201d he said. \u201cThe rest of it is frosting, and by the way, just putting frosting in a bowl is no good for anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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