Let’s get PACs out of Alaska elections

Are you tired of those ads on TV? You know, those political ads put on by outside groups, Political Action Committees and Super PACs representing both parties. I’m especially weary of the ads in the Sullivan/Begich senate race. How do you feel about them? Are you tired of them, too?

I hear them flood the airwaves on the radio and TV every day. Nearly all of them play very loose with facts. Most seem to use smear tactics to paint their targeted political prey in a very bad light.

Even worse, the very politicians they try to prop up have no control over what these people say — or do — in their name. It is muckraking gone to million dollar extremes.

Millions have been pouring in from outside interests, too, trying to buy our election for their party. Notice I didn’t say the blame falls on one party or the other? That is because both parties and their outside supporters are at fault.

I have complained about this before. And I’m surely not the only one speaking out on this. Yet the ones I want to hear pitching a fit about PACs are silent.

Now who are they? Well, the candidates, of course. I would love to see both Dan Sullivan and Mark Begich stand together and publicly tell those pesky groups and PACs just where to go in no uncertain terms. Tell them to leave Alaska and leave Alaskans to run our own elections ourselves. We don’t need their so-called “help.”

I mean heck, many have tried to stem this tide officially and unofficially. I prefer the direct approach. So, how about it, Mark? And what about you, Dan? Are you up to this? I mean it would only take a minute or two live on the tube together. After that you two can go back to campaigning. What do you say?

Please don’t let me hear the sound of crickets. Come on, guys — you have to be as tired of those lame ads as the rest of us are. These groups are doing some of the nastiest ads in your name. That would drive me insane.

Maybe I’m naive or maybe it is just too late in the game to get something to change for the better. How about this? Let’s set a goal for ourselves to make some serious changes to curb this out-of-control outside political advertising before the next big election.

If my memory is correct, the next big election is for President and will be huge.

What say you?

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