To the Editor:
I wish to comment on Dick Hagen's column "Bumps on the road to liberty" in the March 5/12 issue of The Land.
It is very true. "You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong." However, we also must note that in order to encourage the weak you must give them a chance to have some opportunity to achieve a decent livelihood.
Bowling is a good example of a structure whereby we enable the less capable to participate in a game and thus have a chance by using a mechanism called handicaps to be on a team and help the team to win. We all pay fees to support a facility that enables us to bowl. Likewise, we pay taxes for the structures of roads, defense, education, government services, etc., that enable its citizens to coordinate their services.
Concerning heath care we need to remember we have adopted a policy that gives extraordinary health expense including health insurance a tax deduction. This was a popular item that profitable companies and corporations adopted because of the tax benefits. Non-profits too decided to provide health care for their employees in order to attract good employees. Now that profits are almost non-existent and non-profit entities' budgets are extremely tight this health care insurance issue is becoming a burdensome issue. Matter of fairness demands that if health insurance is tax deductible, that all people should have this benefit with the use of tax credits. The challenge is to determine how large the tax credit is to be and how to provide this benefit.
We know that a nation is vibrant when its citizens are healthy and well educated. That is why it taxes people so the less fortunate too can have good health care and be educated. The challenge is to determine how and to what limits these taxes are used. We know that to have everything free will not work. There has to be some co-pay related to ability to pay. Likewise to have no discretionary spending for one's labors will create an atmosphere of nonaccountability and only force the imposition of dictatorship.
LeRoy Schlangen
Richmond
Letters to the Editor
Letter: Encourage the weak to give them a chance
Originally published in the April 16, 2010, print edition.
- Letters to the Editor
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Letter: Coveting thy neighbor's stuff
Letter: Coveting thy neighbor's stuff
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Letter: God is love - God loves Hispanics, too
Some think we should follow Arizona's horrible example. They call undocumented immigrants "criminals."
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Letter: Research doesn't show organic foods are better
As a conventional beef producer, I take great satisfaction in producing beef that is a great value, and also safe, wholesome and nutritious.
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Letter: Don't put pollution blame on small livestock farms
When talking about water pollution problems caused by livestock operations, Minnesota State Representative Al Juhnke of Willmar wants to blame our state's smaller livestock operations.
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Letter: Juhnke passing false blame to pass proposal
Family farmers and rural residents need to know that Rep. Al Juhnke of Willmar is proposing legislation that will weaken environmental standards for the largest farms in our state. As a livestock farmer and registered nurse, that concerns me and I think it is wrong.
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Letter: Encourage the weak to give them a chance
"You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong." However, we also must note that in order to encourage the weak you must give them a chance to have some opportunity to achieve a decent livelihood.
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Letter: Scare tactics misrepresent ethanol’s impact
After watching the KSTP newscast on ethanol, I believe the newscasters seem to have torn a page from Orson Welles’ recipe on how to boost their audience numbers.
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Letter: The rest of the organic, beef labeling story
Unlike the label “organic” — which requires you to be certified — the perception of what is “natural” has definitely been highjacked and is a totally misused and maligned at the meat counter.
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Letter: ‘Socialism’ essential to farmers, American way of life
We farmers and our lobbyists have often made it quite clear to our legislators that socialism and its accompanying federal dollars are essential to our well-being.
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Letter: Health care questions for Walz
Would you explain just how the bill saves money on health care when you add 50 million to the number to be taken care of. Do you ration the use of tests or procedures, expensive drugs, etc.?
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Letter: Coveting thy neighbor's stuff
