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May 2008 |
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Letters To The Editor
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Cunningham rebutts ‘right-wing extremist’ criticism by the Forum |
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
The recent column by Jack Zaleski, in which he labels me as a right-wing extremist, is a picture-perfect example of why I have challenged Gov. Hoeven on the issues during the campaign season.
Apparently, if you look around and you see North Dakota in any state other than the total economic and social bliss that comes from a chief executive at the top of his political game, you are either a nut, an extremist, or a lefty, all words used by Zaleski in his last political column.
This is not a surprise. In my years of journalism (albeit far fewer, but more refreshing than Zaleski), I've noticed that the Fargo Forum has little backbone to challenge popular officials on anything. Examples involving John Hoeven include:
University Chancellor Robert Potts: Hoeven had, to say the least, under-the-table dealings with NDSU President Joe Chapman and others over Potts' role in balancing the needs of a university system in this state. To date, no article challenging Hoeven or Chapman on their role in Potts' firing has been written.
Devils Lake Outlet: A group of people known as "People to Save the Sheyenne" were also labelled as extremists and alarmists by the Forum for telling the state that the outlet would never do its designed job. At last check, the outlet, which cost the state more than $25 million, isn't running, and Devils Lake is still flooding. Only a bending of the rules by the state will get it running again.
The real problem with North Dakota politics has nothing to do with people like me, who want our leaders to answer some difficult questions before they are crowned Emporer of North Dakota. The problem is our media, manned by timid writers like Jack Zaleski.
John Hoeven being asked by challengers to defend his record does not harm the political process. It enhances it.
If Hoeven's record for North Dakota is as good as Zaleski would lead us to believe, Hoeven has absolutely nothing to fear, particularly from a guy like me, who operates in the realm of his own party. But Hoeven, North Dakota Republicans, and Zaleski, all know that Hoeven's years as governor have not been as sparkling as we would be led to believe.
Property owners have been broken by an archaic education funding formula, and a new formula, designed by more than a dozen people over a dozen month's time, has failed to address that problem.
While the population of our largest metro areas has surged, driving housing costs and infrastructure problems through the roof, our state's heartland of towns has evaporated to a collection of deserted villages and starving small cities.
While two universities battle each other in a mad scramble to outdo one another for bragging rights, nine other universities operate with the scraps left over from the UND versus NDSU table.
Hoeven's legacy is not economic development in North Dakota, but rather a huge outmigration of citizens from small towns to large cities. Any governor worth a third term would not label a demographic shift from Wishek to Bismarck, from Harvey to Minot, and from Forman to Fargo as economic development.
Hoeven's development policy has failed to address more than 40 counties and more than 80 percent of North Dakota's land base, and has been, overall, a policy of robbing the small town Peter to pay the big city Paul. How else can our state explain years of population drain coupled with metro population expansion?
Our political system is designed to make even our most popular lawmakers answer these questions. Writers like Zaleski, who attempt to discredit we who dare challenge these leaders in order to preserve his own working relationship with the Hoeven administration, and maybe win a government job, destroy this process before it can even begin.At the outset of this process, I was reluctant to enter the arena on an opposite side of Governor Hoeven. But the response of the Republican Party in this state, combined with columns like Zaleski's, do nothing to discourage challengers like me. They simply add fuel to our competitive fire, and they reveal one fact Zaleski and the Hoeven Administration don't want you to know about. That fact: Hoeven's record is vunerable. And in politics, if your record is vunerable, you are beatable, no matter who you are.
Ryan Cunningham
Luverne, N.D.
Editor’s Note: Ryan Cunningham is considering a run against John Hoeven for the Republican party’s nomination for North Dakota governor. |
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
In most homes with small children there is always an additional resident. Whenever something is broken or spilled and the parent asks who is responsible, the answer is always, “Not me.” As the children grow and mature, Mr. Not Me usually moves away. It has always been a mystery where every Mr. Not Me goes to.
We now know the answer. Every Mr. Not Me ends up in Washington, D.C. No matter what happens in D.C., the culprit is always Mr. Not Me. Whether it is Congress or the administration, Mr. Not Me is the bad guy who stops Washington from working. Listen to any career congressman trying to explain why nothing ever gets done and he or she will always say the magic words, “It’s Not Me!”
Mr. Not Me seems to flourish in settings where cronyism, corruption, careerism and complacency are the norm. No place is more awash with the four “Cs” than Congress. They have more excuses for failure than a six year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Of course, in the case of Congress, it is the taxpayers’ cookie jar that is being raided.
Since it is not very likely that our elected officials in Congress are going to mature and grow up, as our children did, the only way to get rod of Mr. Not Me is to get rid of the “children” in Congress. In other words, they all need to be voted out. These career cookie jar raiders will continue to fail the American people until they are given a permanent “time out.”
Jeff Miller
Rugby |
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Post office offers holiday stamps, gifts, time-savers |
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
As the holidays approach, postal customers might be wondering what stamps will be available for their holiday greeting cards.
Beginning Oct. 25, four Holiday Knits stamps will debut — a snow-dappled evergreen tree, a dignified stag, a perky snowman sporting a top hat, and a whimsical teddy bear. These stamps feature classic winter-time imagery designed and machine knitted by nationally known illustrator Nancy Stahl.
This year’s traditional Christmas stamp features an oil-on-panel entitled The Madonna of the Carnation by Milanese painter Bernadino Luini and goes on sale Oct. 25. Dating to around 1515, the painting is now part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. As with most postage stamps, the new holiday stamps will be available online at usps.com/shop, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 (1-800-782-6724).
Don’t forget Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes this holiday season. For one low price, ship as much as can be properly secured in a flat rate box, up to 70 pounds, to any U.S. location for only $8.95. Flat rate boxes may also be sent internationally — check with your local post office, or usps.com, for pricing and information.
Searching for ideal cards and gifts during the holiday season can be exhausting and time consuming. The Postal Service has the perfect time-saving solution. At usps.com/cardstore you can design your family’s personalized holiday greeting cards complete with a family photo, all from the comfort of home. You can even add a gift card from one of 27 national retailers and restaurants. The greeting cards are mailed the next business day to the address you provide. Talk about a time saver.
Whether it’s online at usps.com, or at the post office, we look forward to seeing you this holiday season. Thank you for your business.
Vanessa Lindberg
Valley City |
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Let’s thank our county Veterans Service Officer |
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
I would like to see every veteran in Barnes County give our Veterans Service Officer, Jim Fenway, a big thanks for all he does for the veterans and their families.
He is just a phone call away for all of us and he does whatever it takes to help us.
Please support our service clubs.
Thanks, Jim!
Wayne Burdick
Valley City, N.D.
Editor’s Note: Burdick is a lifelong member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans service clubs. |
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Heart-healthy appropriations bill deserves support |
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Friday, 02 November 2007 |
On Tuesday, Oct. 23, the U.S. Senate passed the 2008 Labor HHS-Education appropriation bill which included an amendment to provide $3 million above the funding level for Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (HDSPP). This amendment brings the Senate funding level for this life-saving program to $51.7 million, compared to $48.7million in the House-passed bill. The amendment was offered by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and co-sponsored by Sens. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and John Rockefeller (D-WV).
I’d like to commend North Dakota Senators Dorgan and Conrad for their continued efforts in the fight against heart disease and stroke. The CDC approved North Dakota’s application for HDSPP funding, but they denied our state’s funding request because of insufficient federal resources. Without the federal funds, North Dakota is left without any state health program for Heart Disease and Stroke, as there are no state funds appropriated for a program. Key stroke efforts were being planned as part of our next funding cycle but will not happen without appropriations.
Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three causes of death in North Dakota, are a major cause of permanent disability, and cost Americans more than any disease. Medical research, prevention and treatment programs hold the key to finding new ways to prevent, treat and cure cardiovascular diseases, resulting in longer, healthier lives and lower health care costs.
I urge Sens. Dorgan and Conrad to continue the fight to include these funding levels in their final version of this legislation. Adoption of the higher Senate funding level would enhance the chances of our state receiving those HDSPP funds.
June Herman
Jamestown, N.D.
Editor’s Note: Herman is the senior director of public advocacy for the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate located in Jamestown. |
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Hoeven brings leadership, vision to North Dakota |
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Thursday, 01 November 2007 |
John Hoeven is a very good governor and Mikey Hoeven is a wonderful first lady. I know my opinion is not unique since Gov. Hoeven enjoys the highest approval rate in our country, and has for some time. But, it needs to be said because there is, already, a daily onslaught of personal attacks against the governor and the first lady. The sad thing is that it is all one-sided. Gov. Hoeven has never resorted to the type of mudslinging, name calling and vindictiveness being employed by opponents.
The results of his leadership are all around us. North Dakota was the only state not to lose jobs during the recession in the early years of the new century. The governor has set the tempo for our state’s entry into the high tech world of the New Economy. This tempo has allowed companies like Cirrus Design, Microsoft and Marvin Windows to continue to expand in North Dakota. It has also created an environment for projects like the Blue Flint, Red Trail and Spiritwood which are creating more jobs and better paying jobs while creating new markets for our farmers. We are now a world player.
He has accomplished all this without engaging in silly partisan games, personal attacks, name calling, or dirty tricks. Our governor has proven that real leadership means getting the job done for the citizens of North Dakota.
Our state is moving ahead, thanks to the leadership and vision of our governor. North Dakotans are proud of what has been accomplished and look forward with confidence to the future. For that, we all owe a very big “thank you” to Gov. John Hoeven.
Val Bruels
Minot, N.D. |
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Thanks to those who made holiday dinner another annual success |
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Letter from Rayma Fiegen and Charlene Windish
Valley City, N.D.
Thank you to a caring community. The Community Christmas Eve Dinner was successful because the community pulled together to make it a memorable night. The efforts of so many were so appreciated. Thank you so much. A total of 798 meals were served on Christmas Eve. That total included the meals that were served at the St. Catherine’s school gym and those that were sent to the homebound. A big thank you to the individuals and businesses that made this all possible, to the committee heads of the various areas of the dinner. And of course, to the many volunteers that share their time and talents to put the dinner together. We are extremely fortunate to live in a community that is all about caring for their neighbor.
Editor’s note: Fiegen and Windish served as co-chairwomen of the Community Christmas Eve Dinner held in Valley City on Dec. 24, 2007.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 January 2008 )
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