Hey, hey, ho, ho — Don Young’s got to go

Congressman Don Young has to go. Plain and simple. The man who was something of an enigma for years has turned into a surly embarrassment to the entire state recently. The list of gaffes has been growing steadily for this past year. From juvenile antics of finger wagging and tongue sticking on the house floor, arm twisting of page, to the most recent one just before the fisheries debates in Kodiak.

These incidents are not the first time the congressman has made the news doing something that was frankly embarrassing or puzzling. I find it more than just embarrassing. I find it all to be disturbing. Something has to be done. Thankfully this is an election year. But don’t tell Don who seems to take offense that it is one, and that someone has the gumption to run against him. That is not the attitude I want coming from our senior leader from Congress. In fact, I believe it is high time that Don Young be respectfully put out to pasture.

And there is a qualified replacement for Don Young: his opponent Forrest Dunbar. All it takes to make the switch is vote for him come Election Day in November.

Of course, no one who has run against Don Young has ever come close to defeating him since he was appointed following Nick Begich’s disappearance. That’s the rub isn’t it? Young is counting on that. It is past time for a wake up call to prove him wrong for a change.

Age has been something of contention in this race. During the fisheries debate, Dunbar’s age was brought up by Don Young. He is 30. Funny thing about that: Young wasn’t much older when he ran for office in 1973 at 40. Don Young is 81; he has served Alaska for a very, very long time.

Forrest Dunbar is in the right position at the right time to give our elder congressman a proper retirement and give the office a fresh, vital shot of energy that is so desperately needed. He has that and more to bring in service to this state. He already serves as a first lieutenant in the Alaska National Guard. I find that a very positive trait that even our good congressman should be pleased with. After all, Don Young is a veteran. I’m not saying that just because I’m one as well. It is just I do prefer people that have served some time in our armed forces. It is a proven training ground for leadership.

I met this young man earlier this summer. I was impressed by his energy and open honesty. He is not afraid of taking on an Alaskan icon — that has been made very clear as time has gone on. But there is that last hurdle, that wall that has thwarted so many challengers before, challengers what would go down in defeat. Don Young remains undefeated.

That is where you come into the picture. Like it or not, you, the voter, have a very important role to fulfill. Break that mold of indifference. Break that low voter turn out and flood the polling places. Cast your votes no matter who you believe in or follow. Cast your votes and maybe with some luck we could have a new congressman to start a new legacy of service to this state and the nation for the 21st century. And we will get a chance to say well done and farewell to a man who has done so much for this state.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.