The federal government is bloated and broke. A potential spending frenzy is building in St. Paul. Yet very little government does is efficient or effective. Despite the poor track record, we are constantly told that the solution is not less government but more. Why? A group of Republicans in ...
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is being celebrated today. It is the only national holiday dedicated to a private citizen. He earned that honor by leading Americans through the civil rights battle of the 1960s, a battle that resulted in landmark legislation and court rulings that removed ...
President Donald Trump considers himself a savvy negotiator, author of “The Art of the Deal,” a man who can find ways to bring about desired ends and “win-win” situations. He’s finding political dealmaking is very different from business negotiations. His attempt on Saturday to ...
Hats off to Batt THUMBS UP: New Ulm High School senior Joey Batt grabbed the all time New Ulm high school basketball scoring record this week with a 21-point performance against Delano. With that she surpassed Galen Holtzhueter, who set the previous record of 2,053 points for Minnesota ...
The debate on whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Minnesota has begun at the state capitol. Proponents and opponents of legalization held their own capitol news conferences Wednesday. At one opponents of the idea criticized legalization. When supporters began to interject ...
The federal government shutdown is portrayed by many, and many in the media, as a prescription for pain. They say the poor federal workers and recipients of government assistance are made to suffer because politicians cannot get along and resolve their dispute. Another way to view the ...
Some agencies of government have been idled, or nearly so, since Dec. 22. That is a record for a standoff between the executive and legislative branches of government. The dispute is ridiculous. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has vowed that Democrats will not approve ...
This week the American Red Cross is conducting a blood drive in New Ulm. We always want to encourage people to step up and donate blood, but this time the need is more urgent. On Monday the Red Cross issued an emergency call for blood. Over the holidays, the Red Cross collected more than ...
Minnesota legislators have spent the first week or two of the new legislative session announcing their priorities — the bills they want to pass, the issues they wish to address. Democrats in the House introduced their first ten bills, focusing on health care for all and making it easier to ...
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, unlike his predecessors, believes that the language he uses to talk about economic matters should be fairly straightforward so that citizens can understand him. He decries what he describes as “irritating” insider language. Good for him. We like his ...
Prayers for Jayme Closs answered THUMBS UP: Since the dreadful day in Barron, Wis., when someone murdered James and Denise Closs and abducted their daughter Jayme, friends and family — and people all over the state of Wisconsin — have been praying for the 13-year-old’s safe return. On ...
Two years ago tru Shrimp, the innovative agriculture company based in Balaton, announced it would build its first commercial shrimp hatchery and harbor in Luverne. Shortly after that announcement, tru Shrimp said it was finalizing its plans for a 67-acre shrimp harbor complex in Luverne that ...
On Tuesday President Donald Trump gave a prime-time Oval Office speech calling for funding for a wall to curb the “crisis” on our southern border. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer responded, telling Trump to quit exaggerating the dangers and to stop holding the American ...
President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement in December that ISIS was defeated and he was bringing U.S. troops in Syria home left his military advisers suffering from whiplash. They felt that ISIS was beaten down but not yet eliminated, and could stage a comeback with a too-hasty retreat. ...
Gov. Tim Walz, sworn in on Monday as Minnesota’s 41st governor, set out his hopes for Minnesota in his administration. As he said in his campaign, he wants “One Minnesota,” which benefits everyone, “regardless of zip code.” He called on Minnesota to come together by closing ...
As Tim Walz is sworn in today as Minnesota’s governor, and as the DFL-controlled House takes its seat, it is time to look at where Minnesota stands after eight years of Gov. Mark Dayton. Under Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the state had followed a strict “no tax increase” philosophy in budgeting, ...
The Democratic leadership in Congress says the wall that President Trump wants is bad. So, what’s good? Trump’s request for $5 billion for wall funding on the Southern border is a drop in the bucket in terms of the $4 trillion federal budget. Democrats nevertheless believe denying Trump ...
The New Guard THUMBS UP: Last week we gave a Thumbs Up and thank you to the local public servants whose terms of office were up on Dec. 31, who are retiring or were defeated in the November election. This week we want to recognize those who are moving into their place, the New Guard, many of ...
Government at all levels can be frustrating, even infuriating. But there is an enormous, important difference between the politicians and bureaucrats who too often are the face of government and the hundreds of thousands of good, dedicated public servants who also are on local, state and ...
It is a new year, so perhaps it is time for Americans to consider a new approach to their deep political divisions. Rather than being at each other’s throats, perhaps people could take a step back, take a deep breath and consider a longer-term view, adding a deep dose of respect for others in ...