U.S. Sen. Begich gets an earful at Colony High

PALMER — U.S. Sen. Mark Begich visited Colony High School Thursday as part of his educational tour to Alaska schools providing an opportunity to answer students’ questions about government and politics.

With a packed theatre of students, Sen. Begich began the presentation by briefly explaining his positions on some current issues. The main topic was the $14.5 trillion national deficit and the solution to this problem, according to Sen. Begich, which depends on where government makes budget cuts, where future investments are made and how to balance revenues. Focusing on only one area will not solve the problem, it will take a combination of everything to pull this country out of the hole, he said.

“It is a dysfunctional, partially broken system that does not react to what the people want and needs to be more responsive,” Sen. Begich said. The national deficit is something that can be corrected if the government makes wise choices that also reflect what the public desires, he said.

Other issues Sen. Begich discussed include the exploration of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where there are an estimated 10.4 billion barrels of oil.

He said he also supports exploring the Chukchi and Beaufort areas, which are estimated to contain roughly 26 billion barrels of oil.

When Colony High School senior Eva Colberg asked Sen. Begich his views on genetically engineered salmon, or “frankenfish,” he said he is opposed to these genetically altered fish and believes they should be banned.

“We should be growing what we have, not creating fake fish,” Sen. Begich said.

Sen. Begich talked about his stand on the No Child Left Behind law. He said that with Alaska having so many rural communities, it is hard to instill the same standard for these districts as elsewhere in the country.

Sen. Begich then slowly said he thinks the bill has done damage to Alaska because it penalizes the state even when it is succeeding. States need to have more authority over this issue, given that all areas do not have the same conditions, he said.

Sen. Begich’s visit excited the students of Colony High School. Those who are currently 18 can register to vote and got a timely reminder that they need to register and vote in order for the country to succeed. He said the young people of today have a role to play in being part of the solution.

After seeing so many young people ask pertinent questions about government, Sen. Begich left students with something to think about.

“Hope. The country is not as bad as many think, but if there is no participation, it can get worse.”

Casey Branch is a senior at Colony High School. This is her third year working on the schools page.