Editor:
In case you weren’t listening the Obama Administration has been promoting use of renewable energy such as solar and electric rather than fossil fuels. This has pretty well been their energy policy since day one of their existence. We’ve seen the President at Evergreen Solar, Sunpower, and Solyndra telling us how successful these companies have been “LEADERS” in this industry. They have also been bally-hooing the Chevy Volt as the savior of GM.
The news on these items recently has not been what we’ve been told. In fact Evergreen and Solyndra have BOTH gone belly-up. In both cases they took lots of state and federal taxpayer money with them. It is money that looks like it is unrecoverable. Sunpower has announced last week they are looking at the same fate shortly. The failure of these companies is taking close to $2 BILLION out of circulation. The ironic thing here is that president’s Chief of Staff Valarie Jarrett had been warned by the Energy Dept. and the CBO that loaning money to these ventures was very risky at best. Yet the decision by the administration was for go ahead full speed and risk $535 Million on Solyandra. One little side note is that upper management of that company made major contributions to the Obama Campaign. I wonder if that was a coincidence or on purpose.
GM told us recently that sales of the Volt has not been what it expected and they are looking into whether or not to proceed with production after spending lots of money on development and promotion of this failure. A side note on this is that GM still is owned by taxpayers and has not paid back its debt to us in full either.
While all of this wasteful spending of taxpayer money was going on, private industry was spending their own money and developing oil and gas fields right here in the good old USA. The reports are that if we fully develop our own oil and gas we can flood Saudi Arabia with raw materials. With their success I think it would make a lot of sense to keep up that effort and support it with approval of building a refinery in the upper Midwest to process this resource near where it is produced and used in our heavy agricultural areas.
I further would suggest we expand the effort to convert our across the road truck and bus fleets to use natural gas. Why not toss in the majority of our personal vehicle fleet as well. That source is CLEANER, CHEAPER, PLENTIFUL, and is ours. We don’t have to buy foreign oil to make things work. Mr. T. Boone Pickens tells us if we did this we could cut our need for foreign oil in half in a short time.
It would be smart to do this rather than dump more taxpayer money down the rat-holes of solar power which we and many other countries have failed to make work. I’m not saying to disregard it but use it where it works knowing full well it isn’t the answer to our energy needs in the near future. Join with our neighbors to the north and work together for the good of both countries. China has made some large deals with Canada already. Time to wake up before this country has no options.
Thanks for your time and attention.
Regards,
Chuck Bolder
Merrill
Letter to the Editor and Parents of MAPS Students-
“The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.”
– Oscar Wilde
The world is filled with evil… and stories like Montana 1948 show readers what is real in this world. It doesn’t teach that deviance is acceptable… it shows us quite the opposite. Just as the Bible shows us love and teaches us compassion, this writer does the same. There are many passages in the Bible that if read out of context or without education, could be interpreted in the same way that many of the complainants perceive Montana 1948. Only about 14 of the 35-40 “Concerned Parents” who filed papers to have the book removed admitted to actually reading it.
Of the 120 or so Merrill High School students that are taking the class this semester, not ONE of the 240+ parents opted to keep this from their teenager. This speaks to how the majority feels. I do not think the BoE members should make decisions based on personal feelings and convictions. As Board members, they need to listen to the public. I believe the BoE has given this group many forums and opportunities to be heard. The group has actually taken to making their own opportunities to be heard. Some among this group of people have defamed, told-half truths, and recruited others for months and even years, really! In all this time, they found 35-40 people who were willing to sign a complaint for a book most of them did not even take the time to read. All of these reasons above tell me that the BoE rightfully appealed to consensus in this matter.
“Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Growing up, my parents were foster parents to many children whose parents were unable to do right by them for one reason or another. I learned a thousand lessons from these troubled kids. But I learned so much more from my parents who showed me what NOT to do and taught me that because there is evil in this world… we must fight to do better. I am feeling pretty solid in the family values and morality department. I don’t appreciate the insinuation that I am otherwise because of the books I choose to read or allow my child to read. I am darn proud too of the job I have done with my almost 13 year old daughter. As a parent of a special needs child, I filter what my child does every day. I am involved and educate myself on her day to day events and especially what is going on at school. I discuss these and many other topics with her all the time. When she gets to be a sophomore and is reading this book in school, YOU BET I will be discussing it with her and helping to teach her to watch for these injustices throughout her life. Teaching her compassion for others and to question authority when it needs to be questioned… and most of all to help those who cannot help themselves. The lessons of this book go on and on.
I thank the school board for keeping this material in the school. I do believe the vote reflected the majority’s opinion. Over the past couple of years, this has been proven over and over again from Sex Ed arguments to this. I also believe the district has shown immense tolerance for this issue and many others.
I thank you all for your time and diligence on all points of this issue. I am a proud parent and we are a very proud MAPS family.
“Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.” ~Voltaire
Jon, Angie
and Grace Drew
Merrill
School Board Members:
Soon you will be asked to fill a vacant seat on the school board.
Going back in time, when the public school system was established, our forefathers wanted the basic reading, writing and arithmetic taught. Also they wanted the schools to develop in their young people the kind of mental behavior desired by the adults of their society. No mention of state and federal intervention, only what the parents desired.
Think about what has happened when the bureaucrats make all the decisions and the parents have very little to say.
When you make your choice, consider the parents.
Thank You,
Roger Gutknecht
Merrill
Editor,
Today is Oct. 12, I just read the letter to the editor in the Foto News Oct. 5 issue. The letter was written by Johanna Miller of Merrill.
I don’t often agree with an entire letter that is written to the editor, but this was an excellent letter from start to finish. Good job, Johanna!
Maybe if the BOE seriously considered people like Johanna, the district’s finances wouldn’t be in the red, due to declining enrollment.
My wife and I are dairy farmers. We grow many different crops to feed the very hungry dairy cattle. But I must say that our six children that God has blessed us with are our most precious commodity.
Sincerely,
Andrew C. Wissell
Gleason
Editor:
After completing a very exciting year of flag football, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Merrill Park and Recreation, referees, coaches, parents and fans for a wonderful season. With a special thanks to our defensive coordinator Mike Stolz and the entire Red Team (grades 4 & 5); Trinity, Henry, Brandon, Ty, Jake, Caleb, Mike, Andrew, Austin, Ryan and Trey. We didn’t win them all, but we were at least in them. Thanks for the great memories!
Sincerely,
Brad Kanitz
Merrill