From our readers

Editor:

It has come to my attention that earlier this month Senator Russ Feingold introduced the Control Spending Now Act. This caused some criticism by opponents which should actually have been praise. The Control Spending Now Act is aimed at reforming the budget process, bringing more responsibility to Congress on how tax dollars are spent, seeks to stop corporate handouts and reduce subsidies. All of those are good things.

One of my reasons for supporting Russ Feingold is his willingness to take a stand and having the courage to stand alone at times. He has always been fiscally responsible and has always tried to restrain wasteful spending. After attending several listening sessions, I am convinced that he remains a calm voice of fact and reason in a loud sea of emotional rhetoric. We need a Senator Russ Feingold to watch out for taxpayer interests.

Lorraine Gerhart,

Crivitz



Letter to the Editor:

On behalf of the M&M Area Community Foundation, I would like to thank all the sponsors and individuals who helped make this year’s Tailgate Party Fundraiser very successful, raising nearly $53,000 to support the operations of the Foundation. The Foundation not only received many wonderful donations from local businesses for the live and silent auction, but also tremendous support from the community with almost 400 individuals in attendance.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to Anchor Coupling who made a donation supporting the Foundation. John Lee, General Manager, Anchor Coupling, Inc. is committed to “giving back to the community.” He commented that, “In difficult times, like our current conditions, it is more important than ever for businesses to step up and support the needs in their communities.” The Foundation is grateful for the overwhelming generosity of the community despite our nation’s difficult economic times. Your support is nothing short of inspiring.

I would also like to say thank you to this year’s emcee, Joe Callow, and our faithful auctioneer, John Hofer, and the Hofer Clan. They always do an incredible job for the Foundation. Our event Chairs, Sharon Danielson and Mark Nygren, the whole community events committee and Kim Cadieu did another outstanding job. As always Mark Polacek and Schussler’s provided excellent food and service. Without the support of individuals and businesses within Marinette and Menominee Counties, the mission of the M&M Area Community Foundation would not be possible.

Richard O’Farrell,

Executive Director



Editor:

The climate change bills in Congress will have a negative impact on agriculture and the entire U.S. economy. The House and Senate climate change bills would impose higher energy and food costs on consumers, raise fuel, fertilizer and energy costs for farmers, and shrink the American agricultural sector, resulting in reduced U.S. food production.

Under the cap-and-trade bills, all families will pay higher energy costs, which, according to the Department of Energy, could grow by $1,870 per household. Combined with higher costs for food, the additional yearly hit on families would total about $2,300 per household.

Our farmers will be faced with making the choice of converting farmland into forests for greenhouse gas reduction or providing food for this country and the world. This shift in land use will hurt consumers at the grocery store. Food costs could rise by up to an average of $33 billion annually by 2020 and up to $51 billion annually by 2030 as a result of this legislation.

‘Don’t Cap Our Future’ is the message that Farm Bureau members across Wisconsin will be sending our U.S. Senators because the climate legislation is a bad deal for our country.

Dave Kamps,

Marinette County Farm Bureau President



To the Editor:

Recent reports about a waiting list for Wisconsin’s BadgerCare Plus program for adults without dependent children have caused much confusion. BadgerCare Plus, Wisconsin’s public health insurance program, is actually a combination of many programs. One is for children and families. Another is the new program for “childless adults.” ONLY the childless adult program — called BadgerCare Plus “Core” — has a waiting list. All other BadgerCare Plus programs are still enrolling people, including the one for children and their caretakers.

The Core program began to enroll childless adults this past summer. As part of a special waiver from the Federal Government, Wisconsin had to set a limit on the number of people who can actually receive health benefits through Core at any one time. Because the program had been so popular in its first few months, this limit was quickly reached. The State put applications received after Oct. 9 on a waiting list.

This change in the Core program has led many to believe that all BadgerCare Plus programs have been put on hold. To be clear: the program for children and parents or other caretakers is alive and well, taking new applications and enrolling uninsured Wisconsinites everyday. All Wisconsinites who are uninsured or do not have access to affordable coverage should apply for BadgerCare Plus. It is easy to see if you or your family members may be eligible by going to www.access.wisconsin.gov. Parents with children can begin to receive health care almost immediately. Those without dependent children can at least get on the waiting list.

Michael Jacob,

Project Coordinator, Covering Kids & Families

Madison

 Letter to the Editor:

Re: Gang Rape Reflects Depth of Spiritual Crisis

The recent gang rape of a 15-year-old girl for over two hours during a school event in California resulted in six arrests so far. There likely will be more. And it is believed that dozens of other teens witnessed it, while some even took photos with their cell phones. But none reported it or tried to stop it. The girl was later found badly beaten and semi-conscious.  We hear the words of the prophet, “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?” (Lam. 1:12)

Neil Smelser, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California-Berkeley, said that this incident could be categorized as “bystander indifference.” “The questions become, ‘Why didn’t they do something moral to stop an immoral situation? Why didn’t they behave morally by calling the police, telling school officials?’” said Smelser, who has written extensively on collective behavior. “It’s very likely that they didn’t have any emotional or social ties to the victim. If they had any linkage to her, then maybe we’d have a different outcome.”

That’s not good enough. Smelser may not intend to do so but his description smacks of justification. Smelser talks about “morality” without an “ought,” which is not morality. We must hold one another and ourselves to a higher standard. All people should sense an “emotional and social tie” to the plight of a fellow human being. Each one of those teens had “linkage” to her, because of universally shared humanity, and because all humans are created in God’s image. The fact that many don’t see or acknowledge it is cause for grave concern. Sociopaths de-humanize others like this and only the depraved could watch with heartless interest. Because the truth is we were all brutalized in that attack.

Empathy and compassion must be taught. Many parents are neglecting their duty. Schools are forbidden to teach moral values. And fewer attend churches. That leaves the self-absorbed characters portrayed in popular media as our children’s moral compass. 

Life is too short to live it selfishly by promoting oneself for either power or profit or pleasure at the expense of what is true and right. As Christians, we are called to be “Christ-centered” rather than self-centered, and to be actively engaged in our communities. As Christians, we receive our fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ instead of from selfishness. As a result, we see others as God sees them, rather than as objects for our manipulation or exploitation. 

Will that assure our acceptance? Not at all. But it will give us peace with God, and confidence to stand up for those who can’t defend themselves.  

Some may see the good you do as self-serving;

Continue to do good.

Some may see your generosity as grandstanding;

Continue to be generous.

Some may see your steadfast commitment to Scriptural truth as stubbornness;

Continue to be steadfast to the Truth.

Some may see your warm and caring nature as a weakness;

Continue to be warm and caring.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God;

It never was between you and them anyway.

I cannot escape the claim of Christ on my life. Our narcissistic society is self-centered at all costs, but we are called to be Christ-centered. Yes, there will always be a cost.  But the alternative is reprehensible and unthinkable.

James D. Langteau,

Menominee

 



Continued on A-5

Letter to Editor:

Marinette County voters elected Jim Kanikula to be our sheriff. He seems to be a very good sheriff. He has been trying to get a deputy position restored that was one of two positions eliminated in 2005. One of the two deputy positions was restored about a year ago according to a news article last week.

Also mentioned in the article was that arrests and everything else the deputies seem to deal with on a daily basis are increasing steadily. So why didn’t the County Board use some “common sense” and restore the position? They tend to blame everything on the budget but they should have plenty of taxpayer money since the county health insurance costs have been reduced substantially this year and for many years to come!

The reason for all the savings is that taxpayers demanded that the County Board change from being self insured to a realistic and more affordable health insurance plan for the over 340 Marinette County employees. I know that my taxes have not gone down so they should have a whole bunch of our money available from this savings on health insurance alone to fund this position.

The savings in health insurance premiums are on the order of $15,000 per person per year for employees with the family plan. So using simple math the $90,000 cost of the additional deputy, according to Kanikula, should easily be covered in savings in health insurance costs in the sheriff’s department staff alone as it would only take six employees on the family plan to save $90,000!

Interestingly enough, according to the article the County Board meeting was delayed mid morning by a gas leak in Niagara and four deputies had to be sent there. I’m wondering how many deputies were available for other needs with four deputies in Niagara? I’m guessing that we really need more than one additional deputy in the department....

It appears the sheriff does not have a secretary or any office support so he types his own letters, answers his own phone and because of this lack of office help I’d guess that he does lots of other things that I’d consider to be a waste of his valuable time. Does he ask the County Board for a secretary or office help? The answer is NO. Instead he asks the County Board for another officer to replace one that was lost during a hiring freeze of 2005 and 16 County Board members voted against it.

The sheriff needs to have enough officers to do his job properly. The sheriff needs our help and we need to help ourselves. Please pick up the phone to call your County Board representative and any other County Board members that you think need to use “Common Sense” on this matter.

Sincerely,

Pete Pfankuch



Letter to the Editor:

When our forefathers created this country, they said the only government that should be is one that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. Perhaps you honestly believe that government-funded abortion and assisted suicide, with no conscience clause, and other such things are indeed for the people: but I humbly, earnestly, and sincerely wish to tell you why I believe this is not so.

People are supposed to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness inasmuch as their right does not impinge on these God-given rights in other people. That means each individual (including caregivers) should be free to choose, for instance, if they should help people obtain an abortion. The conscience clause currently protects this right, but the new national healthcare agenda omits it. I should be able to decide that the fetus is human not only from the moment it is out of the mom's womb-on, but from the moment of conception.

Obama’s national healthcare plan says taxpayers such as myself will be paying for ‘women’s health’, under which includes abortions. We individuals should be free to decide whether or not we believe these things are ethical, not to have these inherently personal choices made by government. If the government controls healthcare, it is putting such decisions on ethics in the hands of the government. It is not like we can stop paying our taxes. America is the best place on earth because we can make our own decisions. Do you want to stop that?

Please contact your representatives and tell them that the government is not your conscience. I hope you are willing to consider my proposal for our rights. The state was made for the people, not the people for the state. God bless you.

Amanda Atwood,

Student Nurse

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