Time to go big on the stimulus

February 23, 2021

EDITOR: I have been noticing how words change meaning depending on which political party is throwing them about. A biggie is deficit. When (R) party needs to give their donors a huge tax break, an increase in the deficit means nothing or maybe even means a good thing. When the (D) party wants to do a stimulus to the economy, it is a terrible thing to increase the deficit. After all, our grandkids will have to pay it back. Our grandkids? Yeah, the ones who are going hungry right now, are home schooling right now, and who are being socially deprived right now. We are supposed to ...

Senate right on impeachment

February 22, 2021

In a recent letter to the editor, a writer seemed perplexed as to why former President Donald Trump wasn’t convicted and impeached. To answer that question let’s actually look at what impeachment is. The United States Senate’s webpage defines the impeachment process as “Congress charging and then trying an official of the federal government for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The Senate took up the articles of impeachment Feb. 9. Donald Trump wasn’t in office, so there would be nothing to impeach him from. A more appropriate avenue would have been ...

Words that can shape the ‘truth’

February 19, 2021

Truth is, well, true ... isn’t it? It is “an agreement with reality,” says Noah Webster. Just one problem — our perception of reality is shaped by externals, by what we hear, see or read. Keep that in mind as I exemplify it in relation to the past election. “Baseless ... baseless ... baseless ... unfounded ... unsubstantiated ... false ... false ... false ... unproven ... meritless.” Every report I have heard or read in the mainstream media — every single one and some immediately after the election — have used those descriptives ahead of the word(s) “claims,” ...

Conservative party needed but not this direction

February 18, 2021

I am asking, is accepting criminal behavior by powerful people the standard in the Republican Party? It was clear from the Senate impeachment trial case presented by the House managers, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statements after the acquittal, Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher’s reaction during the insurgency Jan. 6, and other Republicans that Trump incited the violence, facilitated the violence by inaction and rewarded the violence by his words, “We love you. You’re very special ... but go home and go home in peace,” and “Remember this day ...

Nurse: Get the COVID vaccine

February 16, 2021

My name is Rhonda Lindstrom. I am a registered nurse currently living and working in Florence County. My purpose in writing this is to tell my story and why I would encourage others to get the COVID-19 vaccine. I am so grateful for the scientists, doctors and entourage of people necessary for me to get a potential life-saving vaccine! Following are a few reasons why I chose to get vaccinated. For many years I worked abroad, but last year the pandemic brought our international disaster relief efforts closer to home. In April, I was honored to serve the citizens of New York City by ...

Legislators make classic power grab

February 11, 2021

EDITOR: It appears that our legislators have gone on strike. They won’t approve any of the governor’s nominations because they don’t like the virus restrictions. The won’t release the FEDERAL education funds until they’ve wrested power away from the state Health Department. Oh, they’d like you to believe they just want to return power to the counties — local control and all that. But in fact, their bills only allow the counties to make decisions based upon parameters set by — you guessed it — the legislature. As power grabs go, this one is a classic. And they’re ...