Viewpoints

To the Editor:
My wife, Emily and I have spent the last few months traveling the world with four kids in tow. We live in Dubuque and both took this year off from work to become closer as a family. We visited six countries: Cuba, England, Scotland, Greece, Turkey and Jordan.

We left Jordan, skipping our last destination of Egypt, due to complications with my wife’s pregnancy. She was 35 weeks pregnant and we were in a remote desert in Jordan camping with a Bedouin tribe. At the onset of what she believed to be pre-term labor, we were determined to come home. After a wild story to get her cleared for travel, we took a 13-hour plane ride from Amman, Jordan to Chicago.

To the Editor:

In his letter to the editor November 15, Pat Ward shows he does not understand what corruption is. His only argument is that MAGA is responsible for all  the evil in the country and does not know or accept the fact that the millions of dollars going to the Biden family are a result of influence peddling and corruption.

He apparently does not know that the Trump family earned their wealth by actually owning and successfully running legitimate businesses. That is opposed to the Biden family wealth that is the result of influence peddling and bribery by Hunter Biden. That has been clearly established by the current investigation ongoing in Congress as well as reports from FBI whistle blowers.

To the Editor:

Tonight just a few short days after Halloween, a sinister plant took hold in Waukon High spreading laughter, finger snapping doo wop, and outrageous stories to a lively crowd.

Gabe Goettel played the clueless conflicted plant grower Seymore spot on.  His commerce crazy boss, Mr. Mushnik, was well handled by Dekota Bechtel. Audrey came to life in Molly Peake’s squeaky sweet-understanding. Dentistry took a hit by the snarly, leather-jackety acting of Ryan Kolsrud.

Special props go to Annie Ellingson and Eireann Goettel singing the story with class, swing, and punch. Cameron Berges voiced the diabolical plant Audrey II that raised hairs all over the auditorium.

The director-Sarahs, Bieber and Hagen, are to be commended for pulling together a production that put together puppetry, dance, wide ranging vocals, and gritty scenery. A lively pit band under JoAnn Sherman kept the tempos and melodies moving and fun.

To the Editor:

I read Deb Kiley’s letter. The slogan, MAGA, which means Make America Great Again, came from a campaign slogan. Make America Great Again consisted of thousands of members of the GOP, or the MAGA bunch, who stormed the U.S. Capitol causing death and destruction, even defecated in the Capitol during the destruction in an attempt to overthrow this United States of America’s government and a fair election, led by a wanna-be dictator or wanna-be king.

I believe she has failed to understand the true meaning of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It’s a good thing she believes in God but, to me, it does not mean that just because she believes in God that she’s right. I did fight for this country, see men die, wounded and lost fellow Marines, fighting the Communists so she could worship God.

To the Editor:

After receiving my three months water bill a few days ago, my calculator came from its hiding place, and if I used it correctly, it told me that my water bill multiplied by approximately three equals my sewer bill. Yes, I know we need to pay for our new sewer plant.

This water plus sewer costs about 2.7 cents per gallon. When we flush a toilet at 1.6 gallons per flush, we realize that each flush costs about four and one-third cents, rounded up to about a nickel per flush. Some older toilets take three times this amount of water.  Anyone with an older toilet had best talk to a plumber, and certainly (as we have seen in the minutes of city council meetings) no one can afford a toilet that is constantly running.

Last month, October 8, we had our Pumpkins in the Park event at Waukon City Park. We had a great day with beautiful weather, fun activities, and about 300 people from the community in attendance.

A special thank you to all those who came to the event and to all those who made the event possible including many of our local businesses for donating door prizes for this community event. We have a great community! We are already looking forward to next year!

As I welcomed people to Pumpkins in the Park, a woman came up to me and pulled out her wallet. She said, “How much do I owe you?” I said, “Nothing! This is a free event. We want to give you a pumpkin.” “Really?” she said. “Wow. Thank you so much!”

I understood this woman’s response because I feel the same way when someone - especially a stranger - gives me something for free. It is a complete shock. Why would you give this to me? I didn’t do anything for you, I don’t deserve it.

To the Editor:

“Thank you for your service” is spoken with heartfelt sincerity by Iowans. We honor those who serve and fought to protect us, freedom, liberty and democracy.

Finally, with the passage of the PACT Act last year, veterans are getting the care they deserve. The PACT Act was the biggest increase in veterans benefits in a generation expanding benefits and health care for those exposed to toxic substances during their military service. Surely, supporting our veterans is a commitment all Americans could unite around. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Newly-elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson voted against the PACT Act.  Ashley Hinson also voted against the PACT Act when it was introduced. Johnson looked first at dollars, not at the health of our heroes. Speaker Johnson is a far-right MAGA extremist Republican and every Republican in Congress voted for him, including Ashley Hinson.

To the Editor:

Marriage has been an institution culturally protected, a designated, legal union of individuals. One in which, today, is a desired place for many, bringing equality into a relationship.

Historically, marriage wasn’t all so equal among its partners. In today’s world, the central focus of the union tends to be support for one another and creating an environment in which both succeed as an equal unit.

Waukon, let’s be a supporter of equality in relationships. We have unions with equal dual income families, stay at home partners, both of which are supportive and contributing to career and financial equality. When one contributes to a cause, they both do. When a check is written to a non-profit, both partners deserve recognition. When one donates towards a brick, bench, ball diamond, livestock at the fair, they both do. A singular thank you to only one partner is far from appropriate.

To the Editor:

I would like to address Ms. Pratte’s letter from the October 25 newspaper. Ms. Pratte used the term “MAGA extremist/Republican” five times, and “terrorist” once, referring to the Republican party. I’m wondering about all of the rioting, BLM, police defunding, abortion on demand (babies are flooding Heaven), attacks on lawmakers, etc. Are these not “extreme”? Could I then say the Democrats are “Extremists”? Are you lumped in with all of them? Should we all be lumped into one extreme or the other?

This is what divides our country: name calling, blaming, pointing fingers. Who is right and who is wrong? Surely it is only one way or the other, right? Hmm.

To the Editor:

The stench from Washington is increasing by the day. Seems there is no end to it and it is obvious that now both parties are adding to it!

The most recent folly is that of trying to select a Speaker of the House. The Republican Party has the majority in Congress, yet, because of personality conflicts and petty infighting they have been unable to come up with a leader.

We do not know the full story on what has been going on in the halls of Congress in their efforts to elect a speaker. We do know that there has been entirely too much posturing by certain members of Congress and not enough common sense displayed every day.

It should have been easy to select Jim Jordan as the speaker after some members of the party chose to destroy Kevin McCarthy, and now Jordan has been pushed out of the contest. Reminds one of a circular firing squad.