Hardly ‘the worst of the worst’
I am helping two women whose husbands were picked up by ICE at gas stations while on their way to work. They were put into detention in Freeborn County. Both men have been here for many years and have had steady jobs. One has three children and the other has four. One family has lived in their apartment for 14 years and he has worked at the same place during all that time. One of the wives is an American citizen, born here. These cases are separate, but the experiences are much the same. The families know others who are either in detention or have already been deported.
These are NOT violent criminals, “the worst of the worst,” as the Trump administration claims. These are family men, hard-working, stable and contributing to our economy. What are we doing rounding them up in Minneapolis and St. Paul and throwing them in jail?
Meg Arnosti, St. Paul
They always get paid
Several congressmen from both parties have proposed bills to eliminate government shutdowns. In the bills, Continuing Resolutions would automatically take effect, where the government would continue to operate normally under the old budget. Congress would be required to negotiate for seven days per week until they passed a new budget.
One of the no-shutdown bills proposed that Congress would not get paid until a budget is passed. Good idea, but Congress already passed a bill ensuring that they would always get paid. No wonder their approval rating is so low.
Dennis A. Helander, White Bear Lake
Ending the shutdown? Smart move
I have been surprised at the intensity with which many high-profile Democrats have criticized the eight Democratic senators who voted with Republicans to allow the federal shutdown to end. I am a Democrat who strongly supports the extension of the Covid-era healthcare insurance benefits in question, but I also support the actions of those eight senators. While the principle of blocking the initial budget bill without the extensions was admirable, the impacts of the longest federal shutdown in history were simply becoming too great.
And one has to ask the question “would Trump and the Republicans ever have agreed to extend the benefits?” The realistic answer is “no.”
With the shutdown, the Democrats brought huge attention to the insurance affordability issue. The Republican concession to at least hold a Senate vote on this issue in December is not nearly as insignificant as it is being portrayed on the left. This will force individual Republican senators to vote specifically for or against the extensions, including in rural, lower-income (often Republican) areas. For all Republicans’ huffing and puffing about the evils of “Obamacare,” it is broadly very popular with Americans, and the benefit extensions in question would benefit Republican voters as well as Democratic voters.
The shutdown also fully exposed Trump’s cruelties, including his insistence on stopping (or “undoing”) SNAP payments in the face of court rulings requiring continuation; Republicans need to remember that there are a lot of SNAP beneficiaries who are NOT residents of Democratic inner cities.
Sometimes it is necessary to look at things strategically (long term, big picture) rather than just tactically (short term, immediate context). The Democrats’ critical strategic goal is to win the House of Representatives, and possibly even the Senate, in next year’s midterm elections. In my opinion, the actions of the eight senators were clearly positive from this strategic perspective, and clearly defensible from the tactical perspective.
Peter Langworthy, St. Paul
How high can it go?
Last week I was shopping at a large West St. Paul grocery store. After the purchase I noticed under the “subtotal” a list of the taxes collected on this transaction. I had foolishly assumed the sales tax was about 6.5% collected for the state. The list noted; MN State Tax, Dakota Cnty Tax, West St. Paul Tax and Metro H/T Cnty Tax.
A check online with the MN Department of Revenue gave a full explanation of those taxes. The “sales tax” collected on this transaction was 8.625% (on taxable items). I thought this was excessive. Further review with the MN Revenue site showed the city with the highest sales tax rate in Minnesota to be St. Paul with a combined sales tax of 9.875%.
The Minnesota sales tax was enacted in 1967 at an initial rate of 3%. How high can it go?
Jim Feckey, Mendota Heights
Humbled by this thoughtfulness
I recently received an unexpected handwritten note. Earlier this year, KSTP had aired a feature about hats I knit and donate to veterans.
The note I received is as follows:
“Your story on TV and in the local magazine was outstanding. Usually I donate to a local Veteran association in the Stillwater area.
“This year I am donating to you and your wife.
“Thank you for your service,
“Local Stillwater resident”
The note included a gift card to Len’s in Stillwater. I was humbled by the person’s thoughtfulness and generosity.
Dick Ellis, Lake Elmo
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