Viewpoints

To the Editor:

In the November 24 issue of The Standard newspaper there were two letters to the editor espousing manmade climate change. I have some questions to be addressed to Pam Larson and Cate St. Clair, authors of those letters.

Where is the empirical evidence for anthropogenic climate change? What percentage of human activity is responsible for climate change? What would we have to do to maximize that activity to reduce the amount of carbon before industrialization? For a given proportion increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, how much warming will we get globally for a given increase of CO2 warming?

Thankfulness

Last week we had the privilege of celebrating Thanksgiving.  For many people the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to get together and eat way too much while watching football. Quite often we forget that the original purpose of the day was to give thanks to God!

To the Editor:

It’s hard to know which spurious claim to address in any given Lowell Engle letter, so I threw a dart and went with climate change.

In his letter of November 10, Mr. Engle dismisses the threat posed by climate change, writing, “There is not a meteorologist that I have heard who agrees with that.” Without knowing how many meteorologists Mr. Engle has heard, I decided to check with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) to see if I could get an overview of their opinions.

Right off the bat, the AMS website states: “Climate Change is among the most pressing issues facing the world today.”

To the Editor:

With regards to the flag that flies in Rossville: Yes, the owner has a legal right to fly it, but is it morally right? How do you open up a conversation with someone who feels the need to express themselves with vulgarity, no matter the rationale?

A recent letter writer said that he does not know a meteorologist that believes in the threat of climate change.

Decades of scientific data, including satellite images, show that human-caused climate change is real and affecting our planet at an alarming rate, according to multiple agencies and organizations including the United Nations, the National Academy of Sciences, NASA, NOAA and the American Meteorological Society.

The Nobel Prize for Physics this fall was given to two pioneering climate scientists who laid the foundation for our understanding of the role of human activities and greenhouse gases in climate change, calling climate change “a major crisis”.

We just don’t know!

“When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out” (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17).

King Solomon was the wisest man on the earth (I Kings 10:23). Solomon’s wisdom was known throughout the world and all kinds of people would come from far and near just to learn and see his wisdom. In the verses above, Solomon, the wisest man on the earth, teaches us a very important truth - we cannot be certain of God’s purpose behind each event.

To the Editor:

The newly passed Infrastructure Bill means no new taxes for Iowans, yet will bring better roads and bridges, and new construction jobs for Iowans.

However, the three Republican Iowa U.S. Representatives voted “no”. They voted “no” even though this money will provide needed roads, bridges, water improvements, regional airport renovations, and broadband without raising taxes. Ashley Hinson, the representative for northeast Iowa, did not represent the needs of northeastern Iowans by voting “no”. Only Cindy Axne, the lone Iowa U.S. Democrat Representative voted “yes”.

Thankfully, the Democrats passed the Infrastructure Bill. For Iowa, that means $3.4 billion over five years, or approximately $700 million per year, that Iowans will not have to pay. Because infrastructure is generally paid for by state and local taxes, Iowans will receive the needed infrastructure improvements without the state of Iowa or local entities increasing taxes.

To the Editor:

The Waukon Mayor and present City Council should be commended for a great job this past year of planning and scheduling street repair and improvement plans. The City Engineer, Street Superintendent and contractors, local and from a distance, down to the hand shovel operators, all seemed to do a very professional job in all areas. They did this all the while trying to accommodate local traffic and provide the least inconvenience.

It is great to see tax dollars being used in such a visible and positive manner. It’s been a long summer and the timing could not have been better. The new streets ride like glass and our automobiles thank you all.

I’ve heard this from numerous individuals and the retiring City Council members should take pride in your judgment and accomplishments during your tenure in office. This also goes for the State highways that traverse our fair city. Thank you from our community.

To the Editor:

Going to school on a cool November night gave a Waukon audience more candy for their depleted trick-or-treat bags. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was a delightful dive into the world of childhood angst and ambition.

Madelyn Helgerson shown brightly as the contest moderator, deftly maneuvering contestants through the peaks and valleys of competition. Abby Wiemerslage captured the mercurial BAR-FAY with style and command.

Annelise Ellingson was special and sprightly bounding across the stage. Her exit was memorable. Gabe Goettel was pure joy tossing his hair.

To the Editor:

Congratulations to Scott Boylen for his insightful, compassionate and heartfelt letter of November 3. We can all agree that there is entirely too much vitriol and divisiveness in the country at the moment and any effort to lessen that and to bring us together should be applauded.

However, Mr. Boylen appears to dismiss the reasons for what he is seeing without giving consideration to why what is happening is happening. There are myriad reasons for why the phenomena he dislikes is happening.

To the Editor:

I feel compelled to write this letter, but being 95 years old in a couple days, writing is not easy. I feel so let down by the National Republican Party when they did get in power and could have changed some things, like Planned Parenthood, letting the clergy speak their mind regarding politics, putting the Bible and Ten Commandments back in public schools, securing our borders. Congress has low respect, only 11% approval - worse than a used car salesperson.

I feel let down by G.W. Bush, who I voted for and only to hear him criticize Trump, what a joke. You can bet your bottom dollar that Bush was a guest of Clinton’s many trips with Epstein to his fantasy island.