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My Point of View by John Forman

 

What to write about this week? Joe Biden supporters killing the #MeToo movement by ignoring sexual harassment claims by staffer, outing of files containing exculpatory evidence and charges finally being dropped against Flynn, state governors overreach in COVID-19 state shutdowns? All good subjects to be explored later.

How about we talk about Santa Claus! This will come as a shock to some liberal Democrats, but there really isn’t a Santa Claus and everything the government does is paid for by us, the taxpayers. The state governments have their programs to pay for and the federal government has programs that it pays for, but both are paying for their programs with our taxpayer money. There is a need in any business to try to keep up with the times and get the most for your money. Here in Minnesota, thanks to a politically split House and Senate, we have been able to contain state spending and live pretty much within our means. A big thank you to the Republican-controlled Senate. A good reason to support Gene Dornink for our state senator is to keep spending within reason. There are other states controlled totally by liberal Democrats who still believe in Santa Claus and spend above their means. New York, Illinois and California have been in financial trouble for years. The liberal Democrats have paid state unions back for their support in elections, to keep them in power, with huge pensions that they have not funded in their budgets. Now, these states want to shift their state funding responsibilities onto the federal government under the guise of COVID-19 costs. You can substitute local taxpayers here in Freeborn County for the federal government because we will be paying a share of these liberal states’ costs through our federal income taxes. Our congressman, Jim Hagedorn, is fighting the shifting of these liberal states’ costs to the federal taxpayers. We need to re-elect him this fall so he can continue this fight against Nancy Pelosi and her ultra-liberal minions. We need to remember Feehan was hand-picked and financially backed by Nancy and her ultra-liberal political PACs, so he could join her minions at the federal level.

Now what about the Postal Service? Remember, I said businesses have to keep up with the times? There was a time when everything was done by mail, and daily service was important, but that time has passed. Most banking is done by computer, government checks are direct deposited in almost all cases, and bills can be sent and paid by computer. Is there still a need for daily mail delivery? I could get by with three times a week junk mail deliveries. They could have next-day delivery at a higher cost, just as they do now. Why do you think UPS uses the U.S. Postal Service for so many deliveries? Because it is subsidized by us, the taxpayer. We are actually subsidizing UPS and large advertisers with federal subsidies to the U.S. Postal Service. President Trump didn’t say get rid of the Postal Service, he said get income closer to expenses. I have noticed that in some areas of the city, we have mailboxes at the street and in other areas we have foot delivery to the door. I have also seen group postal boxes in some areas. Why not have the postal service come up with the most efficient way of delivering mail and switch all routes to this system? What is a large obstacle in the way of this streamlining? Postal unions and their large contributions to liberal Democrats in Congress, another reason to re-elect a conservative like Jim Hagedorn to Congress.

I am not anti-union, but I am against the use of union dues to support liberal candidates, even if rank and file members do not want their money used for that purpose.

Another discussion about taxes at the county level: property taxes. The county commissioners extended property tax payments without penalty only until July. Farmers are getting hurt by low prices in cash crops and livestock prices. Will they be in any better place by July? Probably not! Main street businesses are still closed and may be open for a month by July, but will customers be returning all at once or slowly due to virus fears? Would it not make more sense to extend property tax payments without penalty to the second half due date to give businesses a chance to get some cash flow and farmers a chance to sell some new crop beans? Those who can afford to do so can pay by the due date, as I will, but those in financial need may need the extra time to repair their finances.

John Forman is a member of the Freeborn County Republican Party.