Open Forum

Are you a capitalist? A free-market fan? Do you believe competition ensures consumer choice? If you answered yes then I have the activity for you! Be all you can be working to say no to the superstore! In this exciting endeavor you'll learn well-researched facts to enlighten others.

You'll be outraged learning that superstores undermine the free-market by setting prices below cost to lure customers in and drive local businesses out. Hibbing has lost 13 businesses since their superstore opened. After gutting the competition that superstore raised prices. Hibbing consumers now have less choice and higher prices. Another alarming fact is that superstores don't create jobs, they eliminate jobs. For every one job created, 1.5-3 jobs are lost in the community. And, new superstore jobs will be detrimental to your taxpaying pocketbook. Wal-Mart, for instance, employs over one million workers, half of which could qualify for food stamps because of low wages. Only 38 percent of the employees can afford the heath-care, meaning taxpayers pick up a one billion-dollar a year health insurance tab for this company. A Wal-Mart spokesperson said, "Wal-Mart employees who choose not to participate in the health plan usually get their health-care benefits from a spouse or the state or federal government."

Imagine that, Wal-Mart on welfare! Finally you'll learn that the superstore will do nothing for our community. They advertise "one stop shopping" and that's meant literally. People will come to Baxter, shop at one store, and leave Baxter. Within 48 hours their money will leave, landing not in a local bank, but in Arkansas. The superstore won't use local contractors, advertise locally, or use local distributors. So, if you have what it takes, join in to stop this monopolistic, anti-competitive, destroyer of the free-market.

Kaylo Brooks

Brainerd

Dear Governor Pawlenty:

I am asking you to remember the Displaced Homemakers of Minnesota. These people have spent years providing unpaid work to uplift their families, and now, through no fault of their own: deaths, disability, desertion, divorce or loss of financial support, they must find paid employment.

Minnesota Displaced Homemaker Program provides pre-pre-employment service in all 87 counties. This service is available through 12 local programs.

-- It is one of the states first successful outsourcing efforts.

-- It is the only way we support those who have worked as homemakers, raising children and supporting families.

-- This is the only way the state backs them up -- now that a tragedy befalls them.

-- This is the only "unemployment insurance" for those who have stayed at home.

-- Through this program women are able to keep their families together and off welfare.

-- They pay property, sales and income taxes.

I ask you, Governor Pawlenty, to keep the Minnesota Displaced Homemaker Program in your budget. We have met with many Legislators and they know of the valuable and worthwhile services that are provided. They are willing to work with us and we with them, on making adjustments and revisions, but they want you to keep us in your budget proposal. Will you do that?

Lucy Franz, Director

META 5 Displaced Homemaker Program

Central Lakes College

To the peace protesters

One of the fathers of your ideals was a man named Neville Chamberlain. His goal was "Peace for Our Time". Neville believed he could stop a dictator by signing an agreement with him. . This dictator went on to invade several more countries and practice genocide in his own country.

His name was Adolph Hitler. Neville Chamberlain was the prime minister of England. The agreement he authored with the French gave Hitler a piece of Czechoslovakia in return for the promise of peace (The Munich Agreement of 1938). Less than a year later Hitler invaded Poland. Later he attacked Norway and Denmark, then Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Neville Chamberlain was forced to resign as England's prime minister. Winston Churchill replaced him. Hitler, kept promising peace as he went on to invade the rest of Europe and Russia. At this time he started practicing genocide, which we now refer to the Holocaust.

The only difference today are the names and locations. Chamberlain, his allies in France and their ilk gave peace a chance. Hitler took full advantage of their diplomacy. If Hitler had been put down in 1938, the European Theater of the Second World War probably could have been averted, saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

History has a habit of repeating itself. The majority of today's peace protesters were not even alive during the Second World War. I presume most of them failed history in school and believe the Holocaust is a Jewish Conspiracy.

These deluded peace protesters, are deceiving themselves if they think diplomacy will stop Hussein and his genocide. It sure didn't stop Hitler and he hadn't started his genocide, Saddam Hussein has.

It would appear as though England has learned it's history lesson, France hasn't, and Germany's intentions are questionable.

Dave McInnes

Remer

Check into Wal-Mart

I am amazed at the people who think that everyone against the Wal-Mart Super Store is a small business owner or part of a vocal minority. I am a concerned citizen with no secret agenda. If anyone actually took the time to check out the various Web sites that have information on them pertaining to Wal-Mart, it wouldn't take long to see why they are not good neighbors. They already have over 400 stores sitting empty, what would happen to the other Wal-Mart in Baxter. What will happen to the people working at the Wal-Mart in Little Falls, do you think that they can sustain stores so closely together. Saturation is a process used to crush the competition, then when you are the only deal in town, prices don't matter because everyone has to use your products. See past the few dollars you may save and actually check into it, Wal-Mart certainly hopes you won't.

Curtis Nelson

Baxter