Open Forum: House panel will be in Baxter

Without a doubt, one of the top concerns shared by people in our district is the economy. Whether you are employed or looking for a job, own a business or want to start one, or feel you just don't know enough about the issues, uncertainty about our economic future is pervasive.

I would like to invite anyone interested in discussing a wide range of business and economic development issues to join me, the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, and members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee for a listening session on Friday, January 29 at 10 a.m. at the Northland Arboretum in Baxter.

A wide range of topics relating to business will discussed, such as insurance, (including whether to allow out-of-state companies to sell health insurance in Minnesota), banking and lending, consumer protection, jobs, unemployment, minimum wage, sick time, general business and business climate. Above all, local input will be sought on the issues that apply to our district.

Hope to see you there.

Rep. John Ward

DFL-Brainerd

Why is a government needed?

In a party of three, though any coalition can readily change, two of the three generally govern, or at least decide who will.

When the parties become families or tribes then the need for the organization of energies and courts of justice, become evident and extended.

When the group becomes a farming community, they soon find a need for central grain storage, of surpluses, for the cold wet or hot dry years that always happen, in a general but loose pattern. This of course adds layers and complexity to the organized courts and direction of the groups energies.

Then, with urbanization comes the need for transportation, communication, distribution and sanitation, which again adds to justice and energy, organizational needs.

When money replaced barter, it seemed to many that free enterprise could replace much of government, and justice became more the protection of the wealthy. The protection of large manipulative greed from small thieving greed. As corporations were given citizen status, and layers of stock ownership, insurance, securities trading, arbitrage so did manipulation for monetary gain.

Today it should be totally apparent of our need regulate the greed of the wealthy as well as the greed of the poor. To accomplish this it has been proven the need that regulations keep updated on every avenue in the flow of money. And there is the very definite need of recycling of wealth, and here taxes become very important both in how they are spent and in the wealth that they recycle.

Tough economics is not normally thought of as part of nature it does start with the bounties of nature and should be monitored as closely.

Dennis G. Gordon

Nisswa

To Gazelka: "You're fired!"

Unfortunately, a very biased, unethical political movement is emitting disgusting rhetoric throughout Crow Wing and Morrison Counties in the form of a former legislator who never figured out why we "fired" him!

Quite frankly, "godzelka" (Paul Gazelka) is a "former" legislator because the voters realized that he didn't have the qualities required to represent Crow Wing County. His repulsive gift of arrogance always got in the way! So, the "employers" who are the voters, ousted him from the position. He lost to a Democrat. Now, he's become a total embarrassment!

I have to ask, "to what political party does Paul Gazelka belong?"

He and his little "holier than thou" group of disgruntled cronies are totally bent out of shape because they were, also, "fired" which left Sen. Paul Koering as the only Republican standing.

Gazelka's repulsive rhetoric of his "mission" and his "passion" is intolerable! I say, "Get over it. Go back to your little corner with your mutual admiration society."

Paul Gazelka's Open Forum, dated Jan. 8, 2010, reeks of unfounded innuendoes. He made up stories to deceive the public while trying to make himself look good (patting himself on the back) in his attempt to build up his ghastly unpopular role as the "savior of Crow Wing County or, perhaps, as his Open Forum would have you believe, the savior of the whole state of Minnesota."

The "real" purpose of this big, disgusting, political push is quite clear. Gazelka and his cronies need to read Luke 6, verses 41 and 42, look in the mirror, again, and work on taking the beams out of their eyes!

Oh, by the way, Gazelka, you had your turn! You're fired!

Dianna Jenkins

Nisswa

Crow Wing County Republican Party

Executive Committee member

Crow Wing County

Fairness and honesty

All I want is fairness. I know there are honest people in public office and so does everyone else. These are the ones who need to lead this state. Get rid of the dishonest ones. They should not be there in the first place. Does a business owner allow their employers to be dishonest? No.

Robert Hutchins

Crosslake

Have we left God?

In reference to guest columns by Al Quie and Bob Lee (Jan. 11) and Lowell Erdahl (Jan. 13) perhaps a better question to be considered by the ELCA is "Have we left God?" for "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Continuing in Genesis 1:27 we read "So God created man (human) in His own image; in the image of God He created him (a human being); male and female created He them." If we believe this to be God's Word, then we must practice what we preach. If we don't believe the Bible to be God's Word, we have no hope in the world.

Yes, Bishop Erdahl, our unity should be in Christ. He is the one who created heaven and earth, as we read in Genesis 1:26 where God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Because of the fall of man (see Genesis 3) God in His love sent His son to redeem us. We all sin daily. So we all need to come to Him daily to ask Him to forgive us. But as we pray "lead us not into temptation" we need to stay out of harm's way and try to protect our children. Therefore, I would oppose having a pastor who is involved in a practicing homosexual relationship. Following Christ's command and example I will try to love everybody including homosexuals.

Henry Kopka

Staples

Did the security system fail?

There has been much said but little done to prevent more terrorist attacks on our domestic and international flights.

We can all be thankful we can fly out of the Brainerd Lakes International Airport where security is not an issue. I know because I personally witnessed an attractive gray-haired grandmother try to get into the pre-boarding area with an expired driver's license. "Not so fast there, granny." This young lady was taken to the side where she was wanded and patted down and up. The beautiful lady's handsome and adoring husband was as amazed as she was that the license could be an indicator of possible terrorist activities. The handsome and adoring husband remained cool and tried to calm and console the attractive young lady in spite of just having had his money clip, less the money, confiscated by the same alert TSA agents, because of the 3/4-inch finger nail file contained there-in. The whole incident was so upsetting to the attractive young lady that she groused about it all the way to Manchester, N.H., where the sight and touch of the world's most beautiful granddaughters seemed to settle her down.

So rest easy, the guy pretending to be your president thinks the recent attempted terrorist attack on the flight rom Amsterdam to Detroit proved there was a systemic failure of our security procedures while his personally appointed secretary of Homeland Security, Janet "from another planet" Napolitano tells us that "the system worked." Fortunately, the idiot terrorist couldn't detonate his bomb but was able to set his own pants on fire.

"Ouch! Ouch! Darn it! Could I get a glass of water here please?"

Barry says the system is a failure. Janet says it works just fine. Who should you believe as you zip along at 30,000 feet?

Stephen A. Busch

Pequot Lakes

Contact your lawmakers

Please contact our U.S. senators, Al Franken at (202) 224-5641 and Amy Klobuchar at (888) 224-9043 and our U.S. representative, James Oberstar, at (202) 225-6211; and ask them to support the language, in the U.S. House of Representatives' version of the Health Care Reform Bill, which explicitly restricts abortion coverage.

Please ask them not to support the language limiting abortion coverage in the U.S. Senate version of The Health Care Reform Bill.

Quoting Cardinal Daniel DiNard, chairman of the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-life activities; "Despite repeated claims to the contrary, it (the Senate's version of health care reform) does not comply with long-standing Hyde restrictions on federal funding of elective abortions and health plans that include them."

Patrick Borden

Brainerd

Response to Quie and Lee

I have read with deep sadness the guest column on Dec. 7 (Tribune) and Brainerd Dispatch (Dec. 11). I am acquainted with both Gov. Quie and Bob Lee, and especially pleased to call Al Quie friend. That explains my sadness. When a churchman who is well acquainted with ELCA ministries and focus is party to that "misrepresentation" it is unfortunate.

I remind the governor that on a retreat in White Bear Lake, a dozen years ago, he indicated that, while a lifelong Christian, "Grace" had been restored to him that wonderful weekend. I ask, "Did that 'grace' slip away again?" The article was anything but graceful.

I also remind the "Union Democrat" that we both believe in "Representative Democracy," in our country and in the church. We choose folks we trust to do right, to "represent" us at conventions and meetings, since several million cannot be there.

I am pleased, as are a majority of ELCA congregations, pastors and members, that congregations of largely gay and lesbian members, may now be allowed to call one of their own to minister with them. We will continue graciously, in the ELCA, to tell the "Good News" that God loves all who God has created.

Nathan G. Lundgren

Rural Brainerd

NATHAN G. LUNDGREN is a retired ELCA pastor.