Strib Letter: All-Day Caucus

PRECINCT CAUCUSES
Not a fan
Is caucusing fair? People who work second shift cannot attend. It is difficult for older people to get out on a winter evening or even get a volunteer to give them a ride. Parents of small children cannot take turns babysitting while the other goes to caucus.

The small window of time for people to attend a caucus vs. voting at a polling place that is open all day does not seem to be what a free society proclaims when it says it wants all voters to participate.

Let us have a real primary where people really have an opportunity to vote.

BYRON BUTTERS, ANDOVER

Byron, in some way or another voting isn't fair. Life isn't fair, either.

Perhaps a second-shift worker getting the day off or taking a sick day or taking a day of vacation to attend a caucus is difficult... but hardly impossible.

Perhaps the old or infirm may not easily get around on their own or get a ride and an escort to the caucus... but hardly impossible.

Perhaps parents cannot caucus together without a babysitter... but hardly impossible.

Perhaps folks in general cannot easily run out to an evening caucus because of the two hours or more window... but hardly impossible.

You might need to pay someone for a lift, to babysit, or miss some work and therefore have a smaller paycheck because of one day.

We as citizens get a vote, but it isn't free of inconvienence. Nor should the government make a trouble-free caucus. The inconviences do not mean we do not live in a free society. Freedom isn't diminished because you don't want to get a taxi or because some guy doesn't want to lose four hours on his timecard.

You are free to go, and you are free to stay home. You are free to hitchhike to the caucus. You are free to talk to your neighbors and organize a cheaper mode of transportation and help find someone to watch your neighbors' kids and lend or give a couple of bucks to the guy who works second-shift.

That's freedom.

Strib Letter: G.W. Rebate No Good

Spot the flaw in this guy's logic.

SLOWING ECONOMY
Don't leave out the poor

The Bush administration's economic-stimulus package does not provide rebates for the very poor, specifically families making less than $24,900. Once again, this Republican administration wants to stiff the working poor in favor of the wealthy. Not only is this morally wrong, it is economically disastrous.

The working poor are far more likely to spend a rebate than the wealthy. That extra spending will create demand for products and services, which in turn will create jobs. In the end, business owners will see increased profits and will get their share.

Stiffing the working poor will only increase the federal deficit and dig us deeper into the recession we are likely already in.

JEFF SOMMERS, MAPLE GROVE

Not enough rebates for folks who make under $25K. The natural questions, "I suppose", are how much tax do folks in that range pay, and how much to they get back?

What's more, do you really consider the middle class to be The Wealthy? Not only that, but isn't this guy talking about the same idea that folks chided President Reagan on in the 1980s?

Isn't Jeff Sommers suggesting that we should rob Peter to pay Paul?

Strib Letter: Pay More Taxes

Paging Jason Lewis! Minnesota's Mr. Right to the white courtesy phone!

Apparently there is no problem with taxes in Minnesota... other than the problem that we do not pay enough taxes.

That according to a reader of the Star-Tribune.

Under-funding for the common good has to stop

Thank you, John S. Adams. Your Dec. 8 column on budget planning should be required reading by the governor, the Legislature and the antithetically named Taxpayers League.

For too long now, since President Ronald Reagan nationally, and Govs. Jesse Ventura and Tim Pawlenty at the state level, our leaders have promoted tax cuts and "no new taxes" as the utopian ideal. Actually, the reverse is true.

Ironically, the people most likely to trumpet American exceptionalism are the very same people who do not want to fund America. At some point, for example, the absence of additional public funding for our colleges and universities will price our future doctors, engineers, et al., out of the market at a time when places like China and India are becoming increasingly competitive in these areas. And the idea at the state level that we must continually cut taxes for business-friendly purposes has always been wrong on its face. If it were true, all businesses long ago would have moved to the low-tax states. In actuality, it's the higher-tax states that attract business because it shows the electorate is willing to finance and maintain the infrastructure -- from education to transportation -- necessary for the operation of successful businesses.

If we continue to under-fund for the common good to the extent we have for the last 40 years, we can be sure that American (or Minnesota) exceptionalism will be relegated to the dustbin of history in the not too distant future.

TOM OBERT, ALEXANDRIA, MINN.

Uh, yeah.

Say Tom... if you were paid $50,000 annually, but you had expenses for $75,000 would you simply say you were not paid enough and demand that your ungratful employer cough up the money?

After all, it isn't your fault that you spend more than you earn, right?


Additional insight gems from Tom Obert:
Another Tom Obert letter to the Strib.

Anti-Strib (specifically Brent) on a Tom Obert letter to the Strib. (Tom Obert doesn't understand that roads are used for the market much more than Governor Turnbuckle's light-rail... unless Mr. Obert often sees folks hauling cargo on the people-killing Hiawatha line.)

More from Tom Obert.

Strib Letter: Sense at Last

It isn't often that you hear sense in a Letter to the Editor at the Star-Tribune... especially since most of the readers are still coming down from numerous hits from Nick Coleman's homemade bong.

Occasionally, you find someone who understands the founding of our country who can hold back the gag reflex while reading the Strib.

Your fire bothers me

And so it goes. We are happy and content that the government can protect us from the evils of smoking, whether we need protection or not. How nice it is that there is someone ready to insist on protection from the evils of wood smoke as well (Opinion Exchange, Dec. 5).

There can be no doubt wood smoke is a new and pressing danger, a direct threat to modern man. After all, it has only been around since the discovery of fire! How sad that we refuse to remember the Founding Fathers' idea that government intervention in our lives should be kept to a minimum. It all seems so beneficial or at least harmless, until they ban something dear to you.

MARK SUNDBERG, RAMSEY

Jim of the Anti-Strib mentioned something about the woman behind the proposed wood burning ban... and he mentioned a few folks who were interested. I hope his like minded folks carry out their plan... I might even make some time for the little caper myself. Just take a look and see if Julie Mellum is a little goofy... she's part of a group that calls itself Take Back the Air. (More than just a little pompous?) As the Anti-Strib mentions, Julie Mellum sells houses for Coldwell Banker. Would you be surprised to learn that she sells houses with fireplaces?

Someone ought to call her and her hive and offer to give them as much wind as they can spare. (She already has enough hot air blowing around.)


Now since Mr. Sundberg mentioned the Founders I'll add a nice little resource.

The Constitution.
The Bill of Rights.
The Constitution of the State of Minnesota.

Strib Letter: Mistakes Don't Count

Yet another letter from a Star-Tribune reader who wishes to prevent the public from voting on local and/or school district matters. Is there any other kind of person who reads the Star-Tribune?

VOTING TEST
Did you abstain?

Let's have a simple rule on voting on abstinence-only sex education. Only if you practiced abstinence yourself may you vote for it or veto any law that doesn't try to enforce it. All those in favor, say "Aye!"

FRED E. HAHN, GOLDEN VALLEY

Fred might be a marketing consultant, so he might very well be qualified to live up to his rule. He might be a regular reader of the New York Times... if so, he's a wanker.

I wonder if Fred wants similar laws... for example, you cannot vote to strengthen sentances for thieves unless you've been a thief yourself. You cannot vote for pay raises for police or fire fighters unless you are a policeman, fire fighter, or an experienced and certified payroll expert. You cannot vote on school curriculum regarding evolution if you are in fact have clear evidence showing that you are indeed evolved beyond the level of writing damn-fool letters without reason or sense to the Star-Tribune.

Strib Letter: Go Ahead, Pay More

Again, we are asked to pay more, more, more. By who?

Do you really need to ask?

Willing to pay for a better Minnesota...

Lieutenant Governor Molnau: For the record I would be willing to pay a bridge safety tax of 35 cents for every gallon of gas I purchase. Don't underestimate the willingness of Minnesotans to invest in what really matters.


LARRY WICHLINSKI, ST. PAUL

Glad to hear you've volunteered, Larry. Go ahead... start paying more willingly. Just don't expect to impose your desires on everyone else.

On a related note:

An Aug. 7 letter writer asks, "Why is our money being spent on things that aren't absolutely necessary?"

Given the redundancy of modifying "necessary" with "absolutely," we can deduce that the writer is pretty serious about putting a stop to all these frivolous purchases like theaters, museums, park, sports venues and light rail. All that is "necessary" (absolutely) is food, water and probably, in Minnesota, shelter.

The writer should understand that the other amenities are what attract businesses to a city, augmented by a reputation for excellent medical care and good schools. People with good salaries create a solid tax base. Investment generates revenue. Professionals want to take the kids to Twins game, or spend an afternoon at a special exhibition or see a live theater production or even an opera. If we don't provide that type of environment, they can always go somewhere that does aspire to be world class.

But wait! I have a better idea! The world, and even the United States, has plenty of grim and joyless cities, deprived of investment, destined to mediocrity. Instead of sucking all the life, beauty and livability out of the Twin Cities, why doesn't the writer just move to one of those cities? Everybody wins.


ANNTOINETTE GURVIN, BURNSVILLE

Here's a better idea, Anntoinette: instead of making taxpayers front for unnecessary items that you consider investments in sparks of joy, why not start investing yourself. Pool your resources. Wrangle up funding. Collect donations of money and volunteer work. Why should the taxpayers cough it up?

You folks want to spread the pain of paying for everything to all of us. You want us to pay for your joy.

Strib-Letter:

I'm stunned. Someone at the Strib printed this letter:

RAISE THE GAS TAX?
No, forgo the frills

If I hear one more person whine about the need to raise taxes for bridges, I will pull out what little hair I have left.

Any politician who voted to give a single dime to any arts project, zoo, sports team or (insert nonessential boondoggle here) should be hiding his/her head. It is long past time that every government body -- be it city, county, state or federal -- get back to the fundamentals it is mandated to provide: basic infrastructure and the protection of the citizenry.

Until you get your act together, both Reps and Dems, a pox on both your houses. This bridge didn't collapse due to a lack of funding. It collapsed because politicians of both stripes got sidetracked from the necessities by the niceties, and the people asked them to ignore the difference between needs and wants. We all should recognize the difference.


JAY HUYCK, MAPLE GROVE

Thank you Jay. I guess I should thank the Strib, too.

Strib-Letter: You Are Cheap Killers

From today's Netlets a man who blames himself, but points his finger at anyone who opposses reckless government spending.

The only real apology

I have been unable to sleep recently. Not because I can't imagine living without my wife who drove over the 35W bridge hours before the bridge collapse and survived, but because I feel responsible for the disaster itself.

In fact, we all need to own up to the "culture of cheap" in our government that we have either supported or didn't fight hard enough against for the past couple of decades. We have wasted the amazing infrastructure our parents and grandparents have given us by not maintaining it -- and we have paid dearly for that approach. I urge all of Minnesota to come together and support a new vision for our state and nation that puts real people ahead of "no new tax slogans," corporate tax giveaways, special interest groups and ill-conceived wars.

The only real apology we can offer now is to start supporting a government that is about more than a "culture of cheap." It's the least we can do for the victims of this disaster.


RUSSELL PETERSON, ST. MICHAEL

First he uses "it was me", then he swoops in with the "you, you, you".

Who, Mr. Russell Peterson of St. Michael, supported a so-called culture of cheap? Upon who are you painting blood?

You wouldn't by any chance be misstating your opposition's arguement and stance on taxes, would you? You wouldn't want to run a campaign for elected office with that tactic, would you?

Strib-Letter: Appreciation

I enjoy looking through Letters to the Editor (and Netlets) at the Star-Tribune. They often show the kind of thinking (left-leaning at best and moonbattery at worst) not just from the legion of hand-wringing readers, but from the reporters and editors inside the Red Star.

Ocassionally, they print a contrary opinion. Maybe they print them to show how "weird" those few and rare Minnesota conservatives think and live. However, sometimes they manage to understand the tone and the atmosphere of the subject at hand and they print the right letters.

This is where I give credit where credit is due.

Netlets for Thursday August 2

In the aftermath of Wednesday's bridge tragedy, Minnesotans can take pride in the bravery and professionalism of our emergency workers, and in reports of survivors who helped evacuate a school bus full of children before rushing on to safety.
We can honor their courage, and the memory of the lost, by broadening the definition of "homeland security" to include a sustained commitment to intelligently strengthen our country's aging infrastructure.


CARL SCHROEDER, MINNEAPOLIS

The only point I disagree with is in his last comment. Working on infrastructure such as roads and bridges is a role of government, one that shouldn't require special action.

KEEP THOSE HANDS AT WORK

And also in prayer

Let's thank God for the number of many hands that made lighter the work during the tragedy Wednesday. Let's remember that it will take many hands to do the same in the months and years to come.

A word to our elected officials: Put your finger-pointing hand to good use. Cover your mouth and think before speaking, and use your cell and keyboard to call upon creative, competent men and women to see that this doesn't happen again.

Finally, put both of your hands together and pray for wisdom and understanding. We'll be doing the same and keeping an eye on you.


JAY GUBRUD, ROSEVILLE

Mr. Walker, you should send a special letter to the Star-Tribune's own Nick Coleman. Who knows, perhaps the Strib printed his letter as a small counter to Coleman's rediculous column.

Letters to the Editor for Friday, August 3

HOW MINNESOTA RESPONDED
We stood tall ...

The collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge was truly a horrific event, and our sympathies should first and foremost be with the victims of this accident.

As I watched CNN and others unfold the grim details I realized a sense of pride in the way Minnesota was handling this disaster. The level of professionalism and preparedness shown by the responders and their leadership was unique in the face of this dire event. Those interviewed by the media, whether they were police, fire, medical or others, spoke with compassion, concern and competency not always apparent in other areas. Even our often-maligned elected officials stood tall.

There will be much dialogue regarding the cause of such a failure. Repercussions may result, but in the face of an extreme situation on Aug. 1, 2007, Minnesotans did very, very well.


PETER T. BROWN, LINO LAKES

Everyone but Don Shelby looked pretty good. Shelby, apparently, acted like a damn fool.

Someone else mentioned another lame element to the television news.

Thumbs down to TV

The collapse of the I-35W bridge Wednesday evening has undoubtedly affected all of us who call the Twin Cities our home. I commend the efforts of firefighters, medical teams, and all other invaluable individuals and organizations who worked throughout the night to rescue victims and reunite families. However, I found the local TV media coverage of this catastrophe very insensitive to the victims and, for the most part, devoid of news value.

KARE-TV, Ch. 11, showed an injured woman being lifted into an ambulance while a man was standing between the woman and the camera man, telling the camera team to back off and give the injured woman and health care providers some space and privacy. The camera team responded merely by airing more footage. Just moments later, two young men were interviewed at the wreckage site. It soon became apparent that neither of them could provide any information as to why the bridge collapsed, and only offered descriptions of "bodies flailing" in the river.

One would hope that a local news team would show more consideration and respect for their neighbors with whom they share the community.


JESSICA KLASSEN, ROSEMOUNT

Regarding the finger pointing folks are talking about...

Bridges are crying for help

I drove over the Interstate Hwy. 35W bridge three times on Aug. 1. The shock of this bridge collapsing rocked me like 9/11. I wanted to cry, and did. So many thoughts went through my head. I went home and turned on the TV.

I have worked with the highway construction companies. They have been begging for increased funding for years.

Based on my clients' objective analysis, I believe there are many bridges around the state, and country that need help. This is a warning to do something.


BRIAN WALKER, BROOKLYN CENTER

The title is a little melodramatic, but that was not likely something Mr. Gubrud wrote. That's the work of the paper. In any case, that's hardly something to get too worked up over. The letter is perfectly fine.

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

Grieving from afar

Please know that any worker who has ever been involved in bridge construction or rehabilitation grieves with your city today. We ache at the thought of this happening to a bridge we may have worked on. Each one of us is asking ourselves, "Did I do something that may have contributed to this tragic event?"

I can't speak for all construction workers, but I know a great many are sending their prayers to Minnesota right now.


JOHN HYMBAUGH, HOPEDALE, ILL.

Of course, after all of that we have a series of finger-pointing letters with snark and jackassary.

Perhaps I'll cover them later.

Strib Letter: Evil Republicans

Puh-leeeeease.

This is the sort of nonsense you expect from... well a hate-mongering gal who either believes nonsense or hopes to further her cause with folks who believe nonsense.

Can you spot the nonsense in this letter?

Then and Now, No Social Saftey Net
While watching the Masterpiece Theatre presentation of Charles Dickens' "Bleak House," I felt a sense of recognition. In Dickens' day, if you were not rich, you had very little hope of surviving any setback that might befall you. This is exactly the place the Republican Party is gleefully taking America today.

Traditional Social Security and Medicare provide the benefit of being part of a group and sharing the risk. Privatized retirement and health plans strip us of the safety we find in numbers. If you remain young and healthy, things may work out. But what if you become ill, have an accident, age, or join the 5 million Americans who have lost health insurance coverage since 2001? In 21st-century Republican America, if you are not wealthy, you may find yourself alone and in trouble.

MARY ANDERSON, MINNEAPOLIS

As if that weren't enough it is a Letter of the Day no less! Oy Gevalt and Madonn'!

Let's just say her number of 5-million Americans is accurate enough (it probably is), just out of curiosity I wonder how many of those who have lost health insurance coverage since 2001 have since got it again? How many voluntarily dropped it and have no intention of getting coverage in the near or immediate future? How many of those folks are wealthy? What is wealthy to Mary Anderson? Does Mary want legislation to help Americans to avoid alcohol, tobacco, fatty foods, exposure to too much television?Just curious.

(Really? "Gleefully", Mary... are you nuts?)


By the way...
I have a nice little post at Badda-Blogger regarding at least one Loonie-Leftist and the French Revolution... they both want to kill their ruler??? Surely that can't be true.

(Don't call me Shirley.)

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Let's Find Out What's On Bin-Laden's Mind

Why is it not possible that Osama bin Laden's offer to negotiate a truce is sincere?

Dick Cheney's "I think you have to destroy them," and Scott McClellan's "We do not negotiate with terrorists. We put them out of business" remind me very much of George W. Bush's "Bring 'em on" remark.

The Bush administration's arrogance could be preventing the start of a peaceful solution to the problem of terrorism. How could it hurt us to talk instead of hunt-down-and-kill, just this once? It might even improve our relationships with others around the world.

BERNICE VETSCH, ST. PAUL

I'm gonna go out on a limb here... this woman is in her 60s and takes care of more than two cats.

Just take a look at some of her other letters:

I am one American who is delighted to hear that Hugo Chavez is a [proposed, if not an actual] candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. I have admired him since seeing the Irish documentary, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” a couple of years ago.

Would that our government, instead of bad-mouthing a leader who puts human rights and needs first, would learn from him that their job, too, requires that they consider “the general welfare” (see the U.S. constitution) rather than the enrichment of the rich and the effort to build what can only be called empire.

Bernice Vetsch

On the BBC News website:

The Washington Post reports offers from Sunni leaders to negotiate peaceful elections without further devastation by US military. I don't know why the hell we haven't taken them up on their offer to talk. George Bush and his group are not good for the world.
Bernice Vetsch, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

And at the Daily Star:

The editorial "A window through which to engage U.S. foreign policy" (Dec. 11)
I couldn't agree more. There seems no visible evidence that the Bush administration has learned anything from its first-term mistakes, so hearing that the rest of the world is willing to help them avoid further misadventures is heartening.

Bernice Vetsch
St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A.

On the Progressive Democrats of America blog: (in response to a post called Rep. McGovern to Introduce Bill Ending Funding For Iraq War)

Bernice Vetsch says:
October 28th, 2005 at 1:44 pm

What a smart and wonderful thing to do. May I suggest also eliminating about half the defense budget — all the R&D money for missile systems, nuclear zappers orbiting space, permanent military bases in Iraq and elsewhere. It would be another big step toward world peace through cooperation instead of domination.

And she apparently donated to the Minnesota Senior Federation (in the Metropolitan Region)... so i might be right that she's in her 60s. Now to prove that she's a weird cat-lady. She's clearly a socialist commie.

Strib Letter: Groundhog Sees Doom & Gloom

For eff's sake, this woman needs to take a poetry class and get her anti-Bush spleen vented in a room with other like-minded whiney-woos.

Barbara J. Miller of Eagan writes what the Strib calls the Letter of the Day. Apparently, yesterday's patriotic letter was too much for their Left-Leaning feelings so they had to make themselves feel good with some pablum puking nonsense writing she-author.

The Strib titled the letter, "A Chill That Will Last Longer Than Six Weeks". Keep it coming Barbara... keep it coming Strib. You're motivating us more than anyone else.

Staggering into the light of day, the American Voter stares in horrified fascination at the country. It has morphed into a place where illegal search and seizure is defended. Where torture is condoned. Where young people are shipped overseas to die. Where the earth is melting, plague threatens and hardly anyone seems to care very much about either. Where corruption runs rampant in government and business. Where checks and balances have been shelved and where the Constitution has become optional.

The American Voter sees all the dark shadows. So what'll it be: the cave or the voting booth? It's time to decide.

By the way, no it is not time to decide. That time comes in November.

She might be the same Barbara J. Miller who used the language in Minnesota's handgun law to claim our governor was insensitive to mentally retarded folks.

She might also have posted a letter to the Strib (where else) on Morning in America Day (November 5th, 2004).

The day after the election, I crawled to my computer. There were just two e-mails. Two! In the preceding days, they were coming in at a rate of two per second!

Friday morning, I stepped outside and saw my shadow. That means I'm vertical again. And when Democrats see their shadows on Nov. 5, it means four more years of hard work.

Listen! If you put your ear close to your computer, you can hear thousands of fingers clickety-clicking on Democrats' keyboards, all across the country. It is begun.

She is a self-employeed writer (who uses the title Ms., if that means anything to you) who has given money to John F. Kerry and Howard Dean. (Big surprise.)

What.
A.
Tool.