Beautifully written and I couldn't agree more.  Alaskans need to stop electing state legislators and representatives in Washington who think only in terms of "strip mine", "clear cut" and "drill, baby, drill".  Clearly their short sightedness has placed Alaska in dire financial straits.  If Alaska is to have a future we need to value our protected lands and keep them safe from the resource stripping that has marked too much of Alaska history.