Open Forum

Hillary has outlined her health care plan. She said, "I intend to dramatically rein in the influence of the insurance companies." Her plan for all the uninsured people that can't afford health insurance now is to mandate that they get insurance. I bet the insurance companies are scared now.

Julie Pawlak

Hackensack

Input sought on dock rules

The Minnesota DNR is in the process of reviewing regulations that govern docks. On Aug. 23, the DNR held an open meeting in Nisswa to both inform the public of current dock regulations and receive comment on the use of docks, dock size, the number of docks per lake lot and other related issues. The meetings were attended by perhaps 250 people.

The regulation of docks is a hot issue. There are strong proponents and opponents on both sides of the issue. It often places riparian rights to our lakes and rivers in opposition to public use of those same waters. The issue leads to debt about control and limitation versus freedom and personal responsibility. Environmental concerns bump into today's lakeside lifestyle. Too big for one person is too small for another.

To be sure, this is an issue that is important to all of us who use and enjoy our lakes and rivers. The DNR is in a very difficult position of finding a reasonable balance.

WAPOA has offered to participate in citizen/stakeholder meetings that the DNR plans to hold this fall to develop recommendations that address the issues and concerns related to docks. The new regulations are expected to be in place for next summer and will govern our docks for the next five years.

The DNR invites the public to comment about dock issues. You can find a dock issue comment form at www.dnr.state.mn.us.waters. Fill out the form and mail to: DNR Waters - Dock Comments, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minn., 55155, or e-mail your comments to docks@dnr.state.mn.us. Comments will be accepted until Oct. 1, 2007.

WAPOA would also like to hear your comments so it can represent your thinking on this issue. Please send to WAPOA, PO Box 342, Crosslake, Minn., 56442.

John Forney

President

Whitefish Area Property Owners Association

Crosslake

Surge is a grotesque hoax

Last Thursday (Sept. 6) in a speech filled with half-truths and obfuscation, Mr. Bush said, "Our ally Iraq is fighting for its survival." Huh? Iraq our ally?

Does anyone believe anything this man says? Polls show 33 percent still believe Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11. Small wonder as the president continues to make this connection in his speeches. Of course he couldn't tell us that the surge (over 600 killed and 4,000 wounded since the surge started) is a grotesque hoax on the troops and the American people or that Iraq has become a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions. Admitting those truths would require candor and honesty, instead we get more "spin" and a tacit admission that the entire fiasco will be dumped in the lap of the next president.

That the Congress and the White House allow the continuation of this bloody and costly tragedy while they play politics with the lives of our young people is unconscionable and further evidence of the moral bankruptcy of this government.

John Niedenfuer

Deerwood