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, June 20th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 8:58:04, Jun 18th 2013 - cabraden1 - I salute you Colonel Overland. Your were my c.o. at Rockville Naval Air ... [Read More]
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [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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