Letter: Special interests in health care

Jon T.
10/29/2009 1:39 PM

What I find interesting, John, is that on the topic we are disagreeing about the folks who usually are in agreement with you are keeping a pretty safe distance from you. I think the camps are pretty well positioned when it comes to most matters, but in this case I think they can see that you have really put your foot in it and are trying to defend an indefensible position. They possess a wisdom and insight that I can respect, in spite of the clear social/political differences, and that wisdom is to stay cautiously distant from you when you're just creating more and more rope with which to hang yourself.

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Carie L.
Granite Falls, MN     10/29/2009 11:34 AM

Alright then, John - good to know where you stand.

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Randy O.
Hoffman, MN     10/29/2009 11:15 AM

John how clear can I be - I think $10 an hour for fire fighters would be a slap in their face. It is labor that is not "normal/average" and I think it should bring a higher value. Is that simple enough?

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Carie L.
Granite Falls, MN     10/29/2009 11:04 AM

John - I freely admitted that I have allowed myself to engage in that behavior (read the previous comment again) at times. No amnesia here. I also said that I prefer to NOT engage in it. However, the past couple of days... the way you'd been digging at Jon... I just couldn't take it anymore and decided to say something. As far as "overwhelming content" of my past posts - I suggest that you have very selective memory... and choose not to recall anything other than what would illustrate your point. I'm sure you've cut and pasted my posts into a word document, that you save on your hard drive, as you do Todd's posts... and the posts of others, I'm sure. And that's fine - although a tad creepy. My point, John, is to simply say that I am sure you have the intelligence and fortitude to post responses to people that stay on topic, without the underhanded insults... and I wish you would do just that, rather than resorting to tactics you seem to so often fall back on. Like I said - I'm sure you're capable. I'm also sure that you and I could easily go back and forth here all day, like this... but we both know it will probably get us no where. You are who you are, and I am who I am - and that's ok.

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Randy O.
Hoffman, MN     10/29/2009 10:44 AM

John if you want to think a ghost writer created my 12,006 word story then continue wallowing in your insignificance. Rick, in the next couple months we'll begin publishing a website version of my Tribune. The story describes in great detail what cuts and budget adjustments and levy increases have taken place at West Central Area Schools, Barrett MN - beginning in 2001. One comment, WCA's average teacher salary is $43,000 - much less than numerous schools of similar size/property value - therefore I like to think they've been good stewards of taxpayer money. Once my newsstand copies have sold out (ha ha joke there but I'm hoping many of them do sell!) I will put the story on my Editor's Blog and post that link. The moderators will delete that link, however, since my editor's blogs promotes my newspaper and not Forum Communications stuff - so you might have to get lucky to see the link. I'm unsure if I can give out my personal e-mail. (I wouldn't mind since I've got a spam filter that flamers can quickly be added to!)

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Carie L.
Granite Falls, MN     10/29/2009 10:28 AM

Oh, John - please be assured that you are the first person to refer to me as the "QUEEN OF MEAN"... at least to my knowledge. There are plenty of people on this site that I have very differing views from, but I make a point to typically disagree respectfully, without resorting to the insults and character assasinations. I prefer to understand where someone is coming from, than to just insult and berate them for not thinking as I do. Yes, sometimes I allow myself to slip into the same mud-slinging that so many others resort to, and I shouldn't... but I typically do try to avoid that. You confuse a difference of opinion with personal conflict - which is how you and I ran amuck to begin with... when I tired of the way you were speaking to me (similar to the way you've been berating Jon here recently). And when I called you on it, you reacted the same way as you have to Jon - with continued degredation. We've not been "not speaking" John - you've opted to ignore my questions to you... which, I guess, is fine if your responses are going to deteriorate to the same old typical personal backhanded insults. Debating issues is one thing, John - but you consistently resort to "retaliation" rather than non-personal debate... and it gets old, trying to keep you focused on the topic at hand. You know John - you do seem intelligent, and even reasonable at times... which is why it is so frustrating when you lower yourself to engaging in school yard tactics. You should expect better or yourself - I'm sure you're capable of it.

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bill H.
10/29/2009 9:46 AM

Randy O; Don't waste your time with the right wing zealots. You will not change their minds with facts or logic, they will have none of it. These are the same people who attacked me and my family, for speaking out against lil bush after my son was killed in Iraq. They are the same people who, on this very forum, said "so what? He deserved what he got, for joining the military".They are the same people who called Cindy Sheehan a whore for speaking out after her son was killed. They are the same people who called the wounded troops who spoke out against the war, cowards and traitors. These are the people that supported the protesting at fallen soldiers funerals prompting the Army to keep a 200 yard perimiter between they and grieving families.They have no sense of decency nor intelligence.Most listen only to right wing attack radio, and that is only to reinforce what they want to believe. These are the same clowns that think lil bush was a great president. They comprise a very small percentage (18% AP poll) of our clear thinking population. I refuse to read the incoherent rantings of right wing zealots so I stopped reading their posts a year ago. I can get the jist of their rantings from the facts posted by those they attack with their lies and half truths. There is a reason they were thrown out of power. Lil bush was the best motivator I have ever seen. He motivated millions to vote for Democrats, up and down the ticket. They only thing he ever did right.

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Randy O.
Hoffman, MN     10/29/2009 9:17 AM

Well John, you seem so concerned about my newspaper, you always have to point that out - I'm so glad you're concerned. I had a 12,006 word story in this week's issue on school finance issues. Probably a little more than you could comprehend, though. And my subscribership is up in 2009 compared to before I arrived on the scene, ad revenue is up - all in the very conservative towns of Hoffman-Kensington, MN. But again thanks for being worried that my newspaper might have sustainability issues.

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Randy O.
Hoffman, MN     10/29/2009 9:10 AM

John, you equate "talent" with the level of pay a person deserves and that makes you wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Other factors should make up how much $$ a person is worthy of getting for their labor. The problem with people like you is, that labor should not be worth anything.

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Randy O.
Hoffman, MN     10/29/2009 9:08 AM

John, you blither on and on - you don't think it takes a little brains to be a fire fighter? You really want to pick this fight, don't you?

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