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Thursday, June 20th, 2013
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Federal Spending


Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary

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 .....
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JEM Movie Theatre

We’d Be Better Off If The Parties Were Still Relevant

By Lee Hamilton

Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in All Commentary

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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Guest Commentary: Obama/Biden Gun Control

Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
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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Guest commentary: To the residents of the R-P School District

Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
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

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

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

By Col. Stan Gudmundson

Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
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

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!”

By Yvonne Nyenhuis

Fri, Mar 22nd, 2013
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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