LETTERS OPINIONS
The different faces of loyalty
To the Editor: Loyalty can be virtuous. Being loyal to your country, your spouse, your team, your family, is oftentimes associated with moral character. It is seen as promoting teamwork, patriotism, true love, and faithfulness to the point of making extreme sacrifices when the situation seems to call for it.
Without a SALT fix, the Republican majority may be doomed
At least six congressional Republicans are demanding a radical fix in the 2017 tax law targeting residents of high-income states. If they don’t get it, they may sink Donald Trump’s tax-and-spending package, his “one big beautiful bill.”
Counterweight: A new Pope heralds a blessed contrast
The decline in religiosity in America is oft-noted and well-documented, as survey upon survey demonstrates. Gallup reports that while 44 percent of Americans said in 2000 they attended services weekly, by 2023 that figure had dropped to 32 percent. The percentage of Americans who identified with a particular religion likewise …
Politics and the age of politicians
Democrats are deep in debate over the age of their older leaders. Some need replacement, according to younger Democrats who want to replace them. And in some cases, they are right. But these arguments turn toxic when they equate age with capability. Ageism is bad politics, especially when you look …
Protect AmeriCorps — a source for launching futures and bridging divides
To the Editor: The news that AmeriCorps may be terminated is deeply troubling. For decades, AmeriCorps has been a vital national service program, empowering thousands of Americans — especially young people — to serve their communities through education, disaster response, health outreach, and more. Its elimination would not only dismantle …
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Useless government
I have a conflict. I don’t much like Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s new Education Secretary. I sued her once. She and her sleazy husband, Vince, owned a circus called World Wrestling Entertainment.
Guys and dolls: A cringeworthy President tells the kids to suck it up
Hard to believe, but President Donald Trump seemed to be just making it up this past week, selling Americans the line that the bad economic news was, in fact, good economic news.
The tariff target on roses makes zero sense
May is usually the best month for florists, Mother’s Day being a big reason. But Donald Trump’s tariff war is raining pain on their bestselling season. Pierson’s Flower Shop and Greenhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, expects customers to dial back on purchases because of higher prices forced by tariffs.
Good intentions: bad results
Government makes most things worse. Lyndon Johnson launched a War on Poverty; Richard Nixon a War on Drugs. Both had good intentions, but their “wars” do more harm than good.
Canada starts the real resistance to Trump
Most remarkable about the recent Canadian election is that patriotism rather than raw economic interest propelled voters to resist Donald Trump. Canadians rejected the MAGA-fied Conservative Party, despite an economy suffering from anemic growth and high housing costs, all pinned on Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
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Fleeced: America gets grifted by the swamp king
Addressing Congress in 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt warned Americans about being lulled into unconsciousness by those who pooh-poohed the dark clouds over Europe created by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. “I hope that we shall have fewer American ostriches in our midst,” said FDR. “It is not good for the …
ChatGPT is actually not your friend
I have been deep in conversation with ChatGPT, asking all kinds of questions. Are there direct flights between the U.S. and Queretaro, Mexico? Will Apple give me credit for a 2014 iMac? What color goes with teal? What was France’s GDP in 1998?
Marlene Josephine (née Smukowski) Prahl
Marlene Josephine (née Smukowski) Prahl, 86, passed away April 22, 2025. She was born on July 4, 1938 in Milwaukee, the daughter of Walter and Faye (Korda) Smukowski.
Nourish to flourish
To the Editor: All three Forest County school districts currently offer no-cost breakfast and lunch to all students. The program that provides this service is called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Crandon, Laona, and the Wabeno area school districts are eligible for this program because they are deemed high-poverty school …
Let’s regulate wake boats with facts, not misinformation
Here in the Northwoods, we pride ourselves on common sense, fairness, and a deep respect for our natural resources. That’s why the growing push to ban or severely restrict wake surfing on Wisconsin’s lakes — including many right here in Oneida and Vilas Counties — deserves a closer look.
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