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Show 6A Emery County Progress Castle Dale, Utah Tuesday August 17, 2004 Commentary The Military The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his fathers; but he has never collected unemployment either. Hes a recent high school graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a 10 year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll p or or rap or jazz or swing and 155 mm Howitzer. He is 5 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can hip-ho- 10-1- POLITICALLY CORRECT those around him who march until he is told to stop or stop square-awa- y until he is told to march. havent bothered to stand, remove their He obeys orders instantly and withhat or even stop talking. In an odd twist, out hesitation, but he is not without day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. spirit of individual dignity. He is He has two sets of fatigues; Just as did his father, grandfather, he is paying the he washes one and wears the other. He and Beardless or freedom. feet full canteens his our and for his dry. price keeps He sometimes forgets to brush his not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own that has kept this country free for over clothes, and fix his own hurts. If youre 200 years. He has asked nothing in return, exthirsty, hell share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. Hell even cept our friendship and understanding. split his ammunition with you in the Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like his blood. And now we even have women weapons and weapons like they were over there in danger, doing their part his hands. He can save your r take in this tradition of going to war when it, because that is his job. He will often our nation calls us to do so. As you go do twice the work of a civilian, draw to bed tonight, remember this shot. A half the pay and still find ironic humor short, lull, a little shade and a picture in it all. He has seen more suffering of loved ones in their helmets... and death than he should have in his Lord, hold our troops in your lovshort lifetime. ing hands. Protect them as they proHe has stood atop mountains of dead tect us. Bless them and their families bodies, and helped to create them. He for the selfless acts they perform for By HARRIET BISHOP has wept in public and in private, for us in our time of need. Amen. About three years ago I wrote an arfriends who have fallen in combat and ticle for my column regarding my children DeAnna is unashamed. He feels every note of Submitted by a and print cartridge. In case you don't the National Anthem vibrate through Sundstrcnn, originally printed in the I will briefly fill you in. Told my remember at while his body rigid attention, while Nevada Elk News. I wanted for a Christmas all son present tempering the burning desire to great-grandfath- life-o- Harriets World Safe, Fast, Affordable Drugs for Utah Seniors By Jim Martin, President 60 Plus Association How do senior citizens like their prescription medications? Safe. Fast. Affordable. In this country, drug safety falls under the purview of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the agency enjoys a record in this arena. The speed with which the agency approves hew drugs for market has steadily increased since the early 1990s. Affordability? Well, thats another story-a- n issue that warrants the FDAs time and attention. As the head of the 60 Plus Association, a national senior citizens group that depends on five million seniors for support, Ive taken time to study issues surrounding both prescription drugs and the pDA. Given the urgency and complexity of the heath care crisis looming in this country, Im confused as to why Congress would choose now as the time to dilute the FDAs focus on prescription drug approvals and other issues. There are bills pending in both the U.S. House and Senate that propose the FDA take over full regulation of the tobacco near-spotle- ss industry. A industry, tobacco dwarfs the FDA. Current proposals would mandate that the FDA specify down to the minutest detail the requirements for naturally occurring components of tobacco leaf and the soil in which it grows. Preposterous. The FDA already has a role in tobacco that is commensurate with its area of focus and expertise: prevention of the sale of tobacco products to minors. And thats as it should remain. No additional FDA oversight of tobacco is appropriate. Rather than tobacco, the FDA needs to focus on fixing problems raging with prescription drugs. Although the FDA has worked hard to reduce the time and expense of its approval process, more work needs to be done. Today, it costs companies $800 million to bring a new drug to market. Thats clearly prohibitive and creates barriers to medical innovation. Additionally, the FDA could and should play an important role in educating the American public, and seniors in particular, about existing discounts for Facts on the Increase in Unemployment lar reduction the Trust Fund balance one likes paying higher taxes especially when Utah is beginning to come out of an economic slump and many companies are just gettingback on their feet. This year many Utah employers will see an increase in the payment of unemployment insurance (UI) payroll taxes. While on the surface this might seem like bad news - when taken in context the picture becomes clearer: our system works and will keep working to provide unemployment insurance benefits to Utahns and help stabilize communities during economic downturns. First - how did this happen? In 1985, Utah adopted a formula to determine payroll tax rates. The formula was designed to ensure a healthy UI Trust Fund capable of withstanding a severe recession. By ensuring a healthy Trust Fund, Utah avoids the need to borrow money to pay unemployment insurance benefits, which would result in hefty tax increases or surcharges to repay that money with interest as well as replenish the Trust No -- self-adjusti- Fund. The continuing downturn in Utahs economy has created a significant drain on the UI Trust Fund. Utah paid out $308 million in regular and extended UI benefits to unemployed workers in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003. In addition, the recession created a significant reduction in jobs. The reduction in jobs resulted in a reduction of payroll, and revenue based on payroll taxes decreased as well. These factors contributed to a $188 million dol- - in between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2003. When the Trust Fund balance goes e formula adjusts down, the tax rates payroll upward, in order to replenish the Trust Fund and avoid borrowing. State law requires the Department of Workforce Services to calculate the tax rate schedule based on a formula. That formula is based on maintaining a balance in the Trust Fund that can fund 17 to 19 months of benefits during a severe economic downturn. The calculation required that the Department increase most employers tax rates for 2004. The minimum unemployment tax rate for employers will 4 increase from percent. Some may see more of an increase; others may see rates actually decline. Historically, there have been many years in the 1980s and even the 1990s where Utah employers have had higher rates. But just how bad is it, really? To understand, we need to look at the situation in other states - also affected by the national recession. The unemployment insurance trust funds in the states of Texas, Massachusetts, California, New York, Missouri, Illinois, North Carolina, and Minnesota are either at or very near insolvency. Massachusetts will raise employer payroll taxes by 75 percent in 2004, while cutting benefits by a third. Texas is borrowing over $1 y will to have employers pay back, plus interest. California will increase employer payroll taxes by over $2.5 bil- tax-rat- .001-.00- billion-mone- prescription drugs. Discounts that would give seniors and others some relief from costs exist, but unfortunately, consumers dont shop for their medicines in the same way they shop for groceries and clothes. An effective information campaign by an agency as credible as the FDA could alleviate drastic price differentials and help resolve the heated reimportation issue now raging. The FDAs focus will change drastically if legislation passes that makes it responsible for tobacco regulation No Congressional committee has held hearings with the FDA to determine if the agency is capable of such duty, much less the appropriate federal resource. Clearly, Congress must more carefully consider the feasibility of FDA regulation before it proceeds, and assess the negative impact such a law would have on the FDAs other and more important responsibilities. Rather than turning its attention to tobacco, the FDA needs to continue its focus on keeping our food supply free of contaminants and our medicines safe, fast and, most importantly, affordable. med-relat- lion in the next three ish its trust fund. years to replen- Utah has avoided the necessity of borrowing money to fund the UI system. Because the tax rate formula is when the Utah economy to begins improve and the health of the Trust Fund improves, tax rates will automatically be adjusted downward. You can obtain quarterly information regarding benefit costs and your taxable w'ages from our Web site at Look jobs.utah.govnipmployer.asp. for the link to Confidential Sendees and Account Profiles. Utahs system works, and we believe it is a fiscally prudent way to manage the Trust Fund. In the late 1990s, while the economy did well, Utahs employers paid less in payroll taxes. g, LETTER TO THE EDITOR Editor, The liberal Democrats in Congress want to bring back the draft and why else is Senator Kerry talking about building up military strength by 40,000 additional troops. We need the rest of the story. Some news services should ask Kerry how he intends to do this without a draft. Pres. Bush is winning the war and will wind it down, so we dont need the draft. We would not have had this war if it were not for the United Nations scandal of food for oil. We cannot go back to the U.N. that curtailed us from winning in Vietnam. Kenneth L. English Green River Letters to the editor should focus on public issues rather than private personalities or entities. . All submissions must be verified prior to publication. The Emery County Progress reserves the right to edit letters not only to satisfy space constraints, ' ' potential liability concerns. a 'm' a : : . : a:-v'.'bu- t By Tim Huber was a print cartridge for my printer. Finances were a little tight at the time and I thought I had convinced him to get it for me as he had called up and gotten all the information to buy the right one. I couldnt wait for Christinas to come because I really needed that cartridge. Instead of a print cartridge that year for Christmas I received a microwave oven. I didnt know I needed a microwave. 1 got one just the same. I was a bit disappointed. I never did get my print cartridge. I ended up buying my own. Just a little update. I would throw my body against the door if anyone tried to take my oven. Now it is three years later and my son asks me what I would like for Mothers Day. Believe it or not I ask him for a print cartridge. You would think I had learned my lesson by now but I have kind of a hard head. Besides things like that couldnt or wouldnt happen again. Wrong. I just knew I was going to get my print cartridge because I had explained it to Mark. I needed another-on. It just happened that it was a coincidence that I needed this item around this time. Besides he called again later on and ask me what kind I needed and I gave him all the information. In our family sometimes we hold on to our presents until we see the person so we can see their face when they open the present. So I wasnt surprised when my present didnt come in the mail for Mothers Day. I knew the kids were coming a week later so I was content to wait. Well, the day finally arrives when everyone comes to visit Grandma. Wanna know what I received for Mothers Day? A brand new printer complete with a print cartridge. How cool does that get. I didnt know I needed a new printer but apparently my children thought I did and thought enough of me to buy me one. How blessed can one person be. Secretly just between you and me. I thought, Oh Crumb, now I am going to have to learn how to run this thing and all I really want to do is print out a few recipes on my good old faithful printer. The one I already know how to use. While they were here my son proceeded to set up my new printer etc., and found that not only did 1 need to get with this particular printer but the printer was not adaptable to my computer. Oh well, dont worry about it son. Just take it back and buy me a print cartridge. That is really all I need. Thanks so much for thinking of me it is the thought that counts. ' Mark was so upset about the whole situation that he arranged on line to have a print cartridge sent to my mail box. I should get my print cartridge within the week. Sooooo the children go home. Guess what! My print cartridge didnt come. I' waited much longer than necessary then revealed the dilemma to my son. Answer: Oh my goodness, mom. Ill get right on it. It is now the middle of July. 1 never received my cartridge, a new printer, ora Mother's Day present. What have I learned from this experience? Bet you can guess. Anyone asks me what do I want for a gift? I will not tell them I want a print cartridge. Guess I am just destined to buy my own. Oh Well. Its the thought that counts. By the way, Ill bet there are a whole lot of you readers out there that have had a similar experience. Ask around. If you haven't had one Ill bet you know someone who has. Oh yes, and by the way, anyone know where I can buy a print cartridge for my printer? Just kidding. Well, that is my world. Until next time remember those infamous words of Spike Mulligan, Money cant buy you happiness, but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Editor, Benedict Arnold of Connecticut was an American patriot and a hero at Saratoga early in the American Revo- lution. However, this fact was cancelled when he became a traitor later in the war. I served three tours in Vietnam and commanded a recon platoon and three infantry rifle companies. In 1 97 1 , was wounded for a seventh time. In 1971, John Kerry was working with Jane Fonda aiding the enemy that we were fighting. They were burning American flags and carrying pictures of Ho Chi Minh and communists flag's. The next year, propaganda posters could be found all over Vietnam's jungles of Fonda wearing an enemy 1 uniform, manning an antiaircraft weapon in Hanoi, and of Kerry leading a demonstration in Washington. In 1971, Kerry published a book that was and whose cover mocked the flag raising at Iwo Jima. His book and speeches trashed an entire generation of the United States Armed Forces who fought in Vietnam. These activities make John Kerry, Jane Fonda and all others like them, traitors in my book. The blood of thousands of Americas finest is on their hands, The North Vietnamese were encouraged to continue a war that they couldnt win on the battlefield, but on our home front, A war that was fought for a noble cause to stop communism pro-Han- oi and to save South Vietnam was de- famed, smeared and ultimately lost. libLost by the Kerry types, eral politicians, most of the media, and hordes of college protestors and draft dodgers. The draft dodgers were later given legitimacy and called real heroes by Jimmy Carter. This is a slap in the face to anyone why ever served and the most disgraceful act of any president in our history. Now, it breaks my heart to see the same thing starting to happen to our troops in Iraq. The attack against them, is being led by many in the media. John' Kern; Ted Kennedy, Tom Daschle, Max Cleland, Wesley Clark, the Michael Moore types, A1 Gore, Jimmy Carter and others who have politicized our national security. These pa- -, triots are greatly damaging the war, against terrorism. They would also, have us get permission from a corrupt, U.N.' and predominantly before defending our country. To their type, America is always wrong. One last fact is that real heroes dont, daily beat them chests, like John Kerry,, proclaiming their service and calling, themselves heroes. Did you every hear, Bob Dole, who went through far more, than most, do such a thingwhen he was a senator or running for president? Colonel (Ret.) Robert Powell U.S. Army Infantry Carrollton, GA. left-win- an g |