Page 8 The Advocate News (Wilton-Durant, Iowa) Thursday, July 5, 2012
OpiniOn
Big decisions we've all been waiting for
his has been a bit of an unorthodox week for us here at the AN. With the Fourth of July falling on a Wednesday this year, I may actually take a day off. It seems like most holidays fall on Mondays and since that is our usual deadline, you can always find me in our office on Monday holidays. What was atypical for Monday of this week is that we had three Durant vs. Wilton ball games in one night as the baseball teams played a doubleheader in Wilton and the softball teams played each other for the final time of the season in Durant (see pages 10-11 for coverage). Due to Durant being Class 2A and Wilton being Class 3A in softball this year, there will be no chance of the Wildcats and Beavers meeting in tournament play. Wilton will fall back to 2A very soon. The same cant be said for our baseball teams, as both could meet in a district 8 final in Wilton July 14. Without thinking any further ahead, my Monday night was spent at the Wilton baseball complex rather than in my office getting ahead on laying out our issue. Therefore, I thought I would piece together some random thoughts *** Individual mandate upheldIn the big-
gest decision of this years session, the U.S. office talking points. Supreme Court upheld President Obamas Ive read where neither Obama nor Romney health care bill, namely the individual insur- want to mess with calling it a tax (under the law, ance mandate, by a vote of 5-4. its reported that people who dont purchase Ironically enough, it was Chief Justice insurance will have to pay one percent of their John Roberts a George W. Bush appointee income to the IRS beginning in 2014 with whom Obama voted some exceptions for against (as a member religious beliefs and of the Senate) that financial hardship). saved it by voting Rather than write at with the liberal wing length about the debate, of the court. A recent just know that this is Time magazine article not the last time weve predicted that Chief heard about health care Justice Anthony Kenreform. It will certainly nedy would be The come up in attack ads By Derek Sawvell Decider as its headline and at presidential deread. But it was Roberts bates when Romney who cast the swing vote. Kennedy voted with and Obama finally take the stage together. the conservative judges to overturn the man*** date. Student loan rate extensionIn our May Rather than willingly give Congress the 3 issue, I wrote a story about Obamas April power to regulate interstate commerce through visit to Iowa City, where he had federal student the health insurance industry, Roberts wrote loan rates on the mind. that the mandate was actually a tax. Of course Student loan rates were set to double from debate about national health care is far from 3.4 to 6.8 percent July 1. Last Friday, the House over. Obama will surely see this as a win passed a transportation bill that included an and Mitt Romney will now use its repeal as extension of the 3.4 percent rate for another one of those first thing I do when I get into year.
Case in Point
The measure passed the House 373-52 (the members who opposed the measure were Republicans). It then passed the Senate 74-19 before going to the president for approval. Im very happy Congress finally acted here. My only question is what took so long? According to an email I received from U.S. Congressman Dave Loebsack, an estimated 7.4 million families nationwide and 255,404 Iowa students over the next year will save an average of nearly $1,000 over the life of their loan due to this extension. Todays an important day for Iowa students and their families, said Loebsack. I am relieved an agreement has finally been reached to help thousands of Iowa students that doesnt add to the deficit and stops the endless political posturing on this issue. However, this extension should have occurred long before now, should never have been subject to brinksmanship, and should have provided longer term relief for students. Ensuring any student who chooses to can access an affordable college education to pursue a degree or certificate is one of my highest priorities and I will continue working to keep rates low in the future for Iowa families.
'Dragged' into the 21st century
Editor: As we celebrate another Fourth of July, the anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, we should remember that one out of every five colonists was opposed to the war and in fact, 30,000 of them fought against the Revolutionary Army. You could say those dissenters had to be dragged, kicking and screaming to freedom from tyranny. In fact, our history is one of resistance to change and progress. It took a bloody Civil War to convince the south and some northern sympathizers that slavery was wrong. It took fifty years for women, led by Susan B. Anthony, to finally get the right to vote. It took thousands of deaths and riots before workers won the rights to humane working conditions, fair wages and to organize. More recently, it took the National Guard to enforce equal education for all in Mississippi and many lives were lost marching and fighting for the right to vote and for equal rights for all people throughout the south in the 1960s. It should come as no surprise to us then that we still have a segment of our public which has dug in their heels against social progress. Nearly every advancement in the last 100 years has been opposed by the Republican Party and now, under Romney/Ryan, they would end Medicare, privatize Social Security and repeal any improvements made in health care and equal rights for women and minorities. At every sign of progress and in spite of overwhelming support by the general public, the Republicans stand in the way while we wait for some positive ideas from them which would move this country forward. How can they justify the harm their plans would do to seniors, children, students, minorities and the disabled? Maybe more importantly, how can you justify your support for these plans? I encourage you, your family, and your friends to support the democratic ideals as outlined by the Democratic Party. I urge you to fight for the rights of every American as clearly established in our Constitution and as most of us understand to be our responsibility to care for our fellow humans. Together we can and will prevail, however difficult, because sooner rather than later, the Republican Party must be Dragged, Kicking and Screaming into the 21st Century. Larry Hodgden Tipton
'We want American jobs back'
Editor: I get a bit tired of hearing a misrepresentation of the facts regarding why companies are sending American jobs overseas. When Mitt Romney was with Bain, he was one of the pioneers in moving American Jobs overseas. If you listen to many of the politicians, they would have you believe the reason for moving jobs overseas is because of the large tax rates for businesses in the U.S., which is not true. The U.S. can boast being within the three lowest in corporate income tax as a percentage of the GDP. Additionally, many large corporations take advantage of tax loopholes and tax shelters, which result in paying no taxes or getting a tax refund for some of the worlds largest corporations. Why then do companies move jobs overseas? The answer is rather simple cheap labor! Allow me give you an example using average yearly incomes for the U.S. and a common country where jobs are sent. In the U.S.: 10,000 employees with an average annual salary of $35,000 = $350,000,000 in payroll the company pays the employees annually. An executive or a board member like Romney wants to save the company money and increase profit. Thus, send those 10,000 jobs to India, China, the Philippines, etc. In India: 10,000 employees with an average annual salary of $1,219 = $12,190,000 in payroll the company pays the employees annually. At 10,000 employees, the shameful profit gain is $337,810,000; while American workers struggle to find work. It skyrockets to $1,689,050,000 with 50,000 employees. Well over 3 million American jobs have been sent overseas. Apple employs approximately 500,000 people in China alone in manufacturing, which is a sector of our economy we can no longer afford to lose to outsourcing. Consider the impact those 3 million jobs would make to the American Economy today if large corporations brought them back to the U.S.! This strategy increases capital/profit, but where does that capital go? It goes to executives and shareholders to allow a bit extra to line their pockets each year, because the profit does not get passed to the American worker. These profit gains do not take into account the other profit gains to the corporations, such as not needing to comply with workplace safety standards or employee benefits. They certainly do not use the profits from outsourcing to create more jobs in America. With an outsourcing pioneer in the White House like Romney, we can expect more of the same from him. He has no interest in the American worker. Locally owned businesses in Iowa cannot compete with Romneys outsourcing strategy and it hurts Iowa businesses in the marketplace. What jobs will your kids and grandkids have if the outsourcing of American jobs continues? Say no to Romney continuing to move jobs overseas, vote for Obama in November, and tell Washington that we want American jobs back in America! Justin Nelson Durant
Wilton School Board end-of-year business
By Barb Rochholz
of the Advocate News
With the June 30 deadline for the end of the fiscal year at the Wilton Community School District, members of the board of directors met in a special meeting on June 28, to approve payment of bills and to review other business. Business manager Staci Owens-Kirkman presented extra payroll expenses along with board bills from the general fund and the local option sales/service tax which were approved for payment. There were no changes to the registration and activity fees, according to Kirkman. In a review of the EMC insurance renewal for the district, Kirkman included a detailed list of all properties including all buildings, automobiles, workmans comp, umbrella and group umbrella, pollution liability and errors and omissions
Wilton school board
coverage. This list includes every structure that we own, Kirkman said. There were increases in coverage in the main buildings this year that occurred across the state, according to Kirkman. The districts insurability is at $29.9 million, Kirkman said. This years insurance rate is $82,798 which will be invoiced in July. After 31 years, Herb LaMaack submitted his resignation as a school bus driver, which was approved. We wish him the best, superintendent Joe Burnett said. Burnett also announced that online school registration will be held for the district during a three-week period from July 23 through Aug. 10. An email alert is being sent to all parents with detailed instructions for registration and payment. For those without Internet access, there will be stations set up at the school to register. For more information, call the main office at 732-2035. Board members Linda Duncan, Tony Hurd and Gary Maurer were present; Jeff Belknap
EICC encourages filing student aid ASAP
The priority deadline for processing student financial aid applications at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) is July 15. According to financial aid officer Jane Haugland, it is important to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form as soon as possible. If students wait until the last minute, they may not have sufficient time to complete the application before the priority deadline, Haugland said. The FAFSA is required for students to apply for financial aid including grants, loans and scholarships at most colleges and universities and can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. All three EICC colleges (Clinton, Muscatine and Scott) provide scholarship opportunities for students as well as an assortment of federal and state financial aid programs. EICC also partners with FACTS Tuition Management to provide a payment plan for students. Go to www.eicc.edu/ facts for more information. Contact the college of your choice for more information, or call 1-888-336-3907 if you have questions about financial aid.
and Christopher Watkins were absent. All action taken was unanimous. The next regular board meeting is Monday,
July 9, at 5:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and are held in the junior-senior high media center.
