(Editor’s note: Due to space constraints, the Patriot will publish up to 5-6 LTEs a week as space allows and carry over unpublished letters to the next week, if able. Also, we no longer have a policy which restricts letter writers from submitting political editorials a week prior to an election.)
TO THE EDITOR:
What is wrong with Minnesota’s taxpayers? Inflation is wild, and it is causing taxes of all kinds to increase. Property values have increased over several years, and, in some instances, counties expect to increase assessed values by as much as 30% next year which will cause increased tax income. Sales tax income will increase because of the 9-15% inflation rate.
Income tax revenue increases because of higher wages. Still increases are demanded by schools, townships, counties, and the state. Why can’t government live with the rates of increased revenues that inflation has caused? It is time for us to vote these people out of office because officials won’t live with what they have got. We now have lower incomes than we have had in the past because the dollar no longer buys what it did just 2 years ago. Citizens who do run for office should have plans for lowering the tax rates for income, property, and sales taxes. If I own a home, car, or business, I plan that things will wear out and have to be repaired or replaced so I save for this happening. Why don’t we make government do the same?
Barry VanBuren
Clearwater, MN
TO THE EDITOR:
We are currently living in the “Big Lie”, President Joe Biden has broken his campaign promises of: *uniting American Citizens — *NOT raising taxes (Inflation Reduction Act at a cost of $700 billion, adding 87,000 IRS agents to go after citizens & small businesses), sending billions of dollars to Ukraine — *gas prices have increased $2/gallon, plus selling 950,000 barrels of our oil reserve to China (our greatest enemy), — *inflation hitting 8.5% - a 40 year high, — *the southern border open to 2+ million illegals (children are being trafficked, fentanyl killing Americans, people on the terrorist list coming in, transport/housing/health care costs) — *the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle (13 service men killed, 800+ Americans left behind, $84 Billion in military equipment left for the Taliban, 78,000 Afghans that helped US left behind) — *eliminate the COVID-19 virus, mandating the service members to get the vaccine — *And so much more! If this is working for the American people, what is tyranny? This administration is out of control. Congress (Democrats & Republicans) needs term limits and if they won’t do it, we need to vote them out in our elections. Only vote in person, drop boxes are ripe for fraud. For more election details check out; Truethevote.org or watch 2000 Mules.
Wanda Herkenhoff
Becker, MN
TO THE EDITOR:
Tyranny or Liberty? When you allow the political sign of an incumbent on your property, is it because of her job performance or friendship? If I steal your car, but I am your friend, is that OK? Please, pay attention to how local politicians are subverting civil liberties and the election process. If the county auditor convinces the city and township governing bodies that they have no authority to stand on state statutes, what is the recourse of citizens? If your commissioner has someone forcibly removed from a board meeting for reading the 1st Amendment and stating her name is that acceptable? Have you watched the open forums of the county board meetings on YouTube for the past many months? Do you support government overreach or liberty with the sign on your property? Please, do not politely give away liberty.
Teri Dickinson
Big Lake, MN
TO THE EDITOR:
So Bret Collier is concerned that Representative Emmer hasn’t made a statement about the FBI “raid” at Mar-a-Lago. My experience with Mr. Emmer says that he is trying to figure out which side of his mouth he should speak from, playing it safe for himself. Frankly, I am much more concerned about how Mr. Emmer votes. He supported the huge tax break for the nations wealthy which increased the deficit, resulted in corporate stock buy-back, corporate debt reduction and did not “trickle down” as sold. He used the excuse of deficit increase to vote against bills that benefit those of us not so wealthy, such as: the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act; Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, Affordable Insulin, CHIPS Act; Build Back Better; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. He voted no on Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination, no on the John R. Lewis Freedom to Vote Act, no on Combatting Islamophobia, no on Domestic Terrorism Prevention, no on the Right to Congtraception and no on Women’s Health Protention. He voted to remove environmental protections in Minnesota. He talked about the need to lower drug costs after voting against lowering drug costs. We need a representative in the 6th Congressional District that represents the hard-working people who live here. We need a representative that represents Minnesota values!
Joyce LeClaire, PhD
Big Lake, MN
TO THE EDITOR:
I found a few of the past few week’s letters to the editor comical, Saying Joe Biden is doing a good Job. Tell me, does this sound like a good job? Day one, takes the U.S. from being energy independent, to dependent. Causing gas prices to more than double, now begging our enemy’s for oil. Disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, killing 13 brave service members and wounding 18. Leaving at least 84,000 thousand Americans and allies behind. Then leaving BILLIONS of dollars of weapons in our enemy’s hands. Weaponizing the DOJ and FBI to go after parents that make their voices heard at school board meetings and labeling them domestic terrorists. Hiring 87,000 armed IRS agents to go after the middle class. 40 year high inflation, invasion at the southern border, millions of illegals, billions of dollars of drugs, sex trafficking, gangs and criminals all crossing the border. If this sounds like a good job to you, I would hate to know what you call a bad job. My advice, stop blaming Trump, pull your head out of the sand, shut off the indoctrinating media and open your eyes.
Ranger Cordell Walker
Big Lake, MN
