By Lee H. Hamilton
A few weeks ago, the Republican National Committee issued a 100-page report aimed at reviving the GOP after its poor showing in last November’s elections. It was remarkably blunt about the specifics of the party’s shortcoming
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 11:44:26, May 21st 2013 - airmaxs52274 - Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just your a ... [Read More]
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
- 2:03:34, May 14th 2013 - - Thanks for sharing the trip with us! ... [Read More]
- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
Federal Spending
Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
Comments
By Karen Reisner
The deadline for filing 2012 tax returns will soon be here. When filing your return do you question where your federal tax dollars go? According to the Office of Management and Budget in 2011 these dollars were spent as follows: 20 percent on Defense and International Security Assistance, 20 percent on Social Security, 21 percent on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 13 percent on safety net programs, 6 percent on interest on the national debt, 7 percent on federal benefits for federal retirees and veterans, 3 percent on transportation and infrastructure, 2 percent on education, 2 percent on science and medical research, 1 percent on international aid including humanitarian aid, and 4 percent on ‘other’.
Defense
Defense eats up a high proportion of revenue. The United States spends more on defense than the next seventeen countries combined. The ultimate cost of war is the loss of lives and the devastating effect on the lives of those close to those who died or were permanently injured during their service. Beyond that, there is the fiscal cost incurred by the military before and during time of war and for decades there after. Expenses continue for the lifetimes of these veterans. They have certainly earned medical and disability services. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the real cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars when decades of medical and disability expenses are included will be from $4 trillion to $6 trillion. ‘Boots on the ground’ war is especially costly both in lives and in dollars for generations.
Federal benefits for federal retirees, federal elected officials, and military officers should be looked at carefully to keep them fair, but not unrealistic. These too are often an obligation for decades.
Health
The total Social Security dollars expended will continue to grow each year due to demographics and the fact that retirees are living longer. The retirement age could be raised and should be. More money could and should be collected for Social Security by raising the cap on employment or payroll taxes which is now at $113,700. One argument against raising the retirement age is the erosion of the ability of older workers to continue to do physically demanding jobs. Some people in physically demanding jobs may need to find less physically demanding employment or file for disability, in the e .....
[Read the Rest]
The deadline for filing 2012 tax returns will soon be here. When filing your return do you question where your federal tax dollars go? According to the Office of Management and Budget in 2011 these dollars were spent as follows: 20 percent on Defense and International Security Assistance, 20 percent on Social Security, 21 percent on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 13 percent on safety net programs, 6 percent on interest on the national debt, 7 percent on federal benefits for federal retirees and veterans, 3 percent on transportation and infrastructure, 2 percent on education, 2 percent on science and medical research, 1 percent on international aid including humanitarian aid, and 4 percent on ‘other’.
Defense
Defense eats up a high proportion of revenue. The United States spends more on defense than the next seventeen countries combined. The ultimate cost of war is the loss of lives and the devastating effect on the lives of those close to those who died or were permanently injured during their service. Beyond that, there is the fiscal cost incurred by the military before and during time of war and for decades there after. Expenses continue for the lifetimes of these veterans. They have certainly earned medical and disability services. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the real cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars when decades of medical and disability expenses are included will be from $4 trillion to $6 trillion. ‘Boots on the ground’ war is especially costly both in lives and in dollars for generations.
Federal benefits for federal retirees, federal elected officials, and military officers should be looked at carefully to keep them fair, but not unrealistic. These too are often an obligation for decades.
Health
The total Social Security dollars expended will continue to grow each year due to demographics and the fact that retirees are living longer. The retirement age could be raised and should be. More money could and should be collected for Social Security by raising the cap on employment or payroll taxes which is now at $113,700. One argument against raising the retirement age is the erosion of the ability of older workers to continue to do physically demanding jobs. Some people in physically demanding jobs may need to find less physically demanding employment or file for disability, in the e .....
[Read the Rest]
We’d Be Better Off If The Parties Were Still Relevant
Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
Comments
Guest Commentary: Obama/Biden Gun Control
Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in Wykoff Commentary
Posted in Wykoff Commentary
By Jeff Erding, Wykoff, MN
“ALL IN ALL, IT’S JUST ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL” [from THE WALL by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, 1979]
You may be sick of the gun control debate, and I sure don’t blame you. You may be thinking: “This guy is ob
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[Read the Rest]
Guest commentary: To the residents of the R-P School District
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in Peterson Commentary
Posted in Peterson Commentary
By Tayor Peterson, School Board Director, Peterson, MN
As a school board member, elected by you and to serve you, I feel it is my job to keep you up to date on what has gone on the past few months and what will be going on in the future relating to
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One Moment, Please... Headlines that didn’t make the cut
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
By Jason Sethre
Publisher
Fillmore County Journal &
Olmsted County Journal
Cell: 507-251-5297
jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com
I really, really wanted to make this edition of the Fillmore County Journal a special one. After all, it’s not oft
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Guest Commentary: Pipeline a safe source
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in Spring Valley Commentary
Posted in Spring Valley Commentary
By Dan Terbeest, Spring Valley
I have read several letters against the Keystone XL pipeline. I am having trouble seeing why we should not build it. Some of the arguments make it sound like this is something new and we don’t understand the technol
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Armageddongate legion
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
By Stan Gudmundson
Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon, Dr. Benjamin Carson recently said, “Let’s say somebody were (president) and (he) wanted to destroy this nation. I would create division among the people, encourage a culture of ridicule for basic
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Guest Commentary: Frac Sand Gold Rush Will Hurt Our Economy and Environment
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
By Councilor Lynn Schoen, City of Wabasha
As a city of Wabasha Council member I am very concerned about the negative impact the frac sand industry will have on my community. This type of large scale intensive strip mining and the truck traffic and
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How did the President of “Yes we can!” wind up with a Congress of “No we can’t!”
Fri, Mar 22nd, 2013
Posted in All Commentary
Posted in All Commentary
By Yvonne Nyenhuis
Our ancestors came across dangerous waters in small wooden boats to face an unknown wilderness. They challenged the domination of England and started a new nation. In the eighteen-hundreds they left behind the comfort of the E
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[Read the Rest]