Have you ever wondered what goes on beneath your feet as you walk on a sidewalk, a prairie, forest, or field? In Southeast Minnesota, we live in a spectacular and ancient landscape. Meandering streams shape our hillsides. Larger rivers cut through the bluffs as water continues its path of least resistance to the Mighty Mississippi. The flowing waters we see today and the water … [Read more...]
Nature’s Trust
The Nature’s Trust doctrine states that the government is obligated to act as trustee of the natural resources and assets that are subject to public concern and cannot destroy or sell to private interests what the people rightly own for themselves and for their posterity. It is a fundamental constraint on governmental power. Trustees are bound by exacting fiduciary obligations … [Read more...]
Congress needs to reassert itself on use of force
The Trump Administration, like its predecessors, has shown an apparent appetite for the use of force overseas. The “mother of all bombs” dropped on Syrian troops, saber-rattling toward North Korea, deployments of U.S. forces in 10 or more countries — all of this suggests a growing comfort with the idea of putting our troops in dangerous places. Politicians on Capitol Hill … [Read more...]
Nature’s Trust
By Dr. Bryan Van Gorp Rushford, MN The Nature’s Trust doctrine states that the government is obligated to act as trustee of the natural resources and assets that are subject to public concern and cannot destroy or sell to private interests what the people rightly own for themselves and for their posterity. It is a fundamental constraint on governmental power. Trustees are … [Read more...]
Who will we be?
By Eric Lee Harmony, MN The story of America is expanding. What I grew up with is vastly different from what today’s children will grow up with. The story is growing, and it leaves us with a choice. Growing up in the 1980s, we revered Christopher Columbus, and we learned glorious tales of the spirit of exploration, with the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. We … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Shifting gears
As we take to the road on these beautiful sun-filled days, we see hot rods and motorcycles revving engines up and down the highways. The increased torque and horsepower of these beastly machines would lead one to believe we have entered a new muscle car era that rivals the 1960s. The 2017 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat boasts 707 hp with 650 lb-ft of torque, claiming … [Read more...]
Talking to the other side
I’ve had a number of conversations recently that convince me our country is divided into two political camps separated by a deep and uncomfortably wide gap. No, I’m not talking about liberals and conservatives, or pro- and anti-Trump voters. I’m talking about people who believe in politics and our political system, and people who don’t. I’ve found this latter view expressed … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Rumors
Over the past month, I have heard a rumor repeated to me by several individuals in various communities throughout Fillmore County. It has come to my attention that there is a concern that the Fillmore County Journal will only be delivered to white boxes in each community instead of mailboxes via the United States Postal Service. Apparently, with our requests for … [Read more...]
The budget process remains broken
Think about this for a moment: Two days away from a federal shutdown, Congress comes up with a stopgap measure to keep the government operating... for a week. A few days later it arrives at a bipartisan budget deal lasting a bit over four months. This, in turn, moves the President to take to Twitter with the following statement: “Our country needs a good ‘shutdown’ in September … [Read more...]
Entrepreneurship starts with encouragement
For the second year, Minnesota ranks first of the 25 largest states in the Kauffman Index for Main Street Entrepreneurship. We have the highest rate of business owners (7.75%), established small business density (687.2 small businesses per 1,000 firms) and business survival rate (50.75% that made it to at least five years in business). However, while we’re going great as a … [Read more...]