Dear Editor,
In last week’s Foto News, Mr.Doug Curtis provided the community with a list of President Obama’s accomplishments. I, too, wish to help inform voters about President Obama:
– On Dec. 31, 2011, Obama signed the “National Defense Authorization Act.” The NDAA codifies indefinite military detention and torture of Americans, without charge or trial. It’s the logical and terrifying sequel to the USA PATRIOT Act.
– On March 16, 2012, Obama signed the “National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order,” granting the president practically unlimited power over U.S. citizens and their property, including food, livestock, farm equipment, health resources, transportation, and even water resources.
– Obama’s foreign policy? More preemptive wars in the Middle East, and more Blowback. (Iran continues to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), although several of Washington’s allies violate the NPT. Iran has the right to a nuclear energy program.)
– All but one of Obama’s many “tax credits” are actually income transfers, from taxpayers to non-taxpayers. Obama merely gave welfare a new name.
– By Jan. 1, 2014, Obamacare will force Americans to buy health insurance (or the IRS will come knocking) – this is totally unconstitutional.
– By Jan. 1, 2013, Obamacare will force insurance providers to fully cover birth control, regardless of conscience or religion. Again, this is unconstitutional.
Why should Americans trust a man who breaks his Oath of Office?
It is important to note the difference between a conservative and a neoconservative. A neoconservative is for big government, big spending (of our money), and perpetual wars. This is not true conservativism. Obama, while obviously a far-left ideologue, shares traits with the neoconservatives: servitude to special interests, banks, and the military-industrial complex, perpetual wars, unfettered spending of citizens’ hard-earned money, and out-of-control national debt. This kind of behavior in the White House is immoral and unsustainable.
If we really want to save our economy and cure unemployment, we should all vote for Ron Paul. He has the message and plans we need, and is the only candidate ahead of Obama in the polls. It’s time the federal government gets out of our homes, churches, and schools. If you want liberty, vote for Ron Paul. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” (Please also watch the documentary “The Obama Deception” – you can find it online.)
Johanna Miller
Merrill
Editor,
This letter is written in regards to Mr. Bondioli’s prior letter to the editor. He wanted us to respond with articles so here goes:
Hooray for Mr. Schmelling and Mr. Richardson’s previous letters. I totally agree with them. Personally, I think Mr. Bondioli is a disgrace to the BOE, and furthermore, if my child showed as much disrespect for the teachers as he did in his letter, you can bet more than an apology would be in order.
So, I suggest Mr. Bondioli, you get off your high horse, go back to school and educate yourself a little more on the daily routine of a teacher. Walk in THEIR shoes for one full week and I can assure you, you won’t be clocking out in 7.5 hours every day. As for many of the teachers, a week does not end on a Friday afternoon. You seem to think they are getting paid too much for doing too little! What better way to find out. Remember, as the old saying goes: Put up or shut up.
I am proud of and very thankful for our teachers, and I want them know it.
Thank you,
Linda Janisch
Merrill
Mr. Mayor & Merrill City Council:
Have you interviewed city leaders in other towns that have SUPERCENTERS? Rhinelander, Wisconsin Rapids, Minocqua, Rice Lake, Antigo? Where is your information on the effects of a SUPERCENTER coming from? Does a town of 10,000 people need a supercenter when there are supercenters located in Wausau, Antigo, and Medford?
What is the future of the existing shopping center? Piggly Wiggly will close. The existing Walmart will close. Walmart has a history of tying up the lease of the closing store to prevent competition from moving in. All other businesses will close with the lack of customer traffic in the mall. The Supercenter will have a negative effect on other businesses in the community i.e. hair salons, grocery stores, furniture stores, clothing stores etc. all of which are family owned local businesses that pay taxes and employ your local constituents. Walmart historically will tie up the existing unit to prevent competition from moving in.
Where will the tax base that the shopping center generates come from? What Merrill’s downtown look like in a few years as the local businesses close? Where will the “new jobs” come from?
Existing Walmart will close transferring the employees. Will Walmart offer jobs to Piggly Wiggly employees and other businesses that close? You are asking the business owners, residents and tax payers who have invested their entire lives in Merrill to watch the deterioration of the downtown business district and area supporting businesses.
Will you as Mayor of Merrill be willing to put your house, your life savings, and your income up as collateral for the Merrill business owners, residents that will be affected by closing, downsizing and negative business environment the supercenter will cause to our town?
Where do the profits Walmart generates go? What support does Walmart offer the community as do the local business owners?
The Informational Meeting at City Hall on March 22, 2012 was set up with Walmart’s representatives showing posters of proposed new store. This format was not set up for questions and answers in an open forum for all to hear.
I asked Mayor Bialecki about a meeting for all Merrill residents to gain input and ask questions concerning Walmart plans. The Mayor replied that questions were to be asked of Walmart reps at the informational meeting. Why not an open meeting with you, Merrill City Council and Walmart reps?
I asked Mayor Bialecki about downtown Merrill’s business owners and the projected affect a Walmart Supercenter would have. Mayor replied that he has in his possession letters from Merrill’s downtown business owners supporting the Walmart supercenter. Are these letters public records open to everyone to view?
I asked Mayor Bialecki about the fact that Merrill residents did not know that the Walmart was again proposing a new Supercenter. Meetings with Walmart were held in Wausau. Mayor replied that notice was supplied in the Wausau Herald in December of 2011. Why the Wausau Herald? Why not the Foto News? Why were Merrill residents not notified until February 2012-via Wausau Channel 9 news at 6 p.m.?
Was the format of this informational meeting set up to avoid questions from Merrill residents that would raise resistance to this new facility? Was the Merrill Chamber of Commerce kept in the loop from the beginning of the Walmart meetings?
I would encourage all residents of Merrill and surrounding areas to send comments and suggestions to the Foto News letters to the editor section and/or Mayor Bialecki.
Ray Lefferts
Merrill