Whatever you do, do not throw away your Social Security card. About a year ago, while weeding useless cards from my stuffed wallet, I came across a fragment of something that in ancient times had once been my Social Security card. Faded, scruffed, creased and thin as onion-skin, it looked like a tattered scrap from one of the Dead Sea
Finish the job: bring Northstar to St. Cloud
Question: When is a subsidy not a subsidy? Answer: When the money is used to support public transit, such as Northstar Commuter Rail, Republicans in the state Legislature call the money a subsidy. When it’s used to build highways, the money is an investment. Ten years after the first trains rolled, there’s a serious effort to extend Northstar Commuter to
It’s time to consider a mayor for president
The field of Democrats who want to be president grows every day with about a dozen announced candidates and several more hinting at a run for a chance to challenge Donald Trump. Lots of attention focuses on the six U.S. Senators who have entered the race. But let’s not forget the mayors running too. Governors, vice-presidents and senators often find
Gas tax bad consideration, worse proposal
In just a few short months, our newly inaugurated Gov. Tim Walz has had an eventful start to his term. Large amounts of snow and freezing temperatures created an almost statewide shutdown at the end of January. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also declared her campaign for president, bringing a major Minnesota candidate into the race for 2020. But as we enter
Guest column: Chisum deserves praise for soil testing stand
Phil Ringstrom, Sartell I believe council member Mike Chisum should be commended for pulling the “engineering and soil testing item” regarding the Sauk River Regional Park from the consent agenda during the Jan. 28 Sartell City Council meeting. When an elected representative performs his/her due diligence, their effort should be praised for representing their constituents and democratic principles. One year
Voters asked for results instead of deadlock; will legislators deliver this time?
There’s a new look at the Capitol. Tim Walz replaced fellow Democrat Mark Dayton in the governor’s office, while Democrats won control of the House of Representatives. Thirty-nine new members, including 35 DFLers, entered the 134-member House. Over in the Senate, Republicans hold a 35-32 advantage. In addition to how to spend the state’s money and balance the budget, the
Emmer aims to get out front on blockchain technology legislation
Technological innovation moves fast. Today’s hot new gadget is tomorrow’s candidate for recycling. It’s tough to keep up with 4K, 5G, AI and VR. No place is that struggle more obvious than in government. Legislation and regulation moves slowly as the gears of government creak. Meanwhile, technology and the marketplace determine what “rules” govern how the latest inventions operate. Two
The 30 percent should pay for ‘The Wall’
We shouldn’t have to wonder any longer why President Donald Trump shows such high-five admiration for thugs posing as national leaders – that rogue’s gallery that includes Vladimir Putin, Kim Jung-Un, Recep Erdogan and Rodrigo Duterte. Trump apes their autocratic attitudes. His declaration of a “national emergency” over his obsessive fixation on “The Wall” puts him square in the camp