Owatonna, MN Correspondent-When you think about all the forms currency has taken in the world since humans began to trade goods and services with each other, it is certainly a possibility that some type of digital currency may become the reserve currency of the world. After all, currencies have taken the form of gold, silver, copper, salt, shells, even cigarettes (in prison and prisoner of war camps). Why not add electrons to that list? Continue reading
Weekly Correspondents’ Forum 2017
Would the federal government operate more efficiently if it were decentralized and portions of its operations moved to other parts of the country?
Gastonia, NC Correspondent-Pork barrel spending is one of the biggest problems the federal government has, with individual lawmakers making sure that projects funded by Uncle Sam get awarded to their districts to provide some government gravy for the folks back home. Can you imagine how many times over this problem would be multiplied if the workings of our government were to decentralize? We’d end up with the Department of the Navy in landlocked Iowa, and the Department of Agriculture in Alaska. That sounds ludicrous, but I could come up with examples of pork barrel projects that made far less sense. Continue reading
Do we need to expand laws protecting wildlife from abuse and enforce strict punishment on those who abuse wildlife?
From Our Prescott Valley, AZ Corrrespondent
Depending on whether wildlife are abused in their natural habitats or are abused while they are in captivity, such as those animals that live in zoos, parks, circuses and aquariums there are few federal laws that protect them. Continue reading
Does the Declaration of Independence no longer have the significance that it once had?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent– Most Americans today view Independence Day as another holiday with fireworks and barbequing in the backyard or local park, or waterskiing at the lake or perhaps participating in a hometown parade. The actual document or proclamation of the Declaration of Independence is not likely to be reading material in celebrations today, even though it is readily available online as well as in pamphlets, booklets and other sources. Continue reading
Is the recent shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise and others the result of the media’s impact on the shooter and others with the same mindset?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent- If anyone is responsible for the recent shooting of Congressman Scalise and others on that Alexandria, Virginia ball field on Flag Day and Donald Trump’s birthday, it is not only the shooter, but most certainly the media and its influence over him. He definitely got his ideas from somewhere, and they were evident from his face book page where he described the president as a traitor, a destroyer of democracy and “It’s time to destroy Trump & Co.” postings. Continue reading
Has increased immigration (illegal and legal) contributed to depressed wages and the increase of the working poor in America?
Gastonia, NC Correspondent-Blaming illegal immigration for depressed wages and an increase in the poor is at best a spurious argument, and only addresses a tiny portion of the root causes of both problems. Continue reading
President Trump recently announced barring transgender individuals from serving in the United States military. Was that an appropriate action?
Gastonia, NC Correspondent– After spending a lot of his campaign proclaiming his friendship for the LGBTQ community and his disinterest in discrimination against its members, President Trump is now showing a disturbing tendency to pander to the far right wing of his base. He is making this move purely to generate support from the most fervent of his backers and to (yet again) draw attention away from the complete failure of the Republican Party to follow through on its repeated promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and away from the ever-widening investigations into his ties to Russia and the Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Continue reading
Can we solve the health care crisis by focusing on preventive maintenance?
Gastonia, NC Correspondent– The thing that the Democrats, Republicans and everyone else trying to “solve” the health care crisis haven’t yet figured out, or at least don’t want to acknowledge, is that there is no one secret to solving the whole sorry mess. Fixing our health care debacle will require a complex plan with buy-in from both sides and some concessions by all involved. Those concessions are what will hang them in the end, as in the current political climate compromise has become anathema, and reaching across the aisle is seen as being akin to sleeping with the enemy. Continue reading
Amazon.com recently acquired Whole Foods Markets. Will this purchase seriously affect other grocery stores that are currently competitors of Amazon?
From our Prescott Valley, AZ Corredspondent
Online grocery deliveries through retailers like Walmart, Costco, Target, Kroger and others will more than likely feel the crunch of Amazon’s recent purchase of Whole Food Markets. Even though Amazon already offers grocery-delivery services in a number of markets, the Whole Foods acquisition will allow the online giant to further expand those services and with the actual ownership of brick and mortar Whole Foods Markets, Amazon will have access to perishable foods and other consumables for distribution within its present and expanded market areas. Continue reading
Recently some young men in Florida filmed a man drowning and did not render aid. There are no laws requiring people to “render aid” in most states. Should this be changed?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent– The laws of rendering aid should be changed, particularly since a good number of Americans are indifferent and insensitive to the woes of individuals in dire straits or deadly situations. People today simply do not want to get involved, and they must be made responsible in some form or fashion to help others in harm’s way and laws should be passed to make it possible. Continue reading
Thinking Outside The Boxe 