The transportation bill just passed and people are all up in the air because we all have to put in a few more cents to pay for the best roads, bridges, high-speed rail, maintenance, the biggest, most expensive gas guzzlers ever to ride the highways. Who is going to pay for everything we must have? Our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be footing the bill in addition to ourselves.
The increase doesn't just affect the Democrats or Republicans, we all pay the price no matter who we are. Talk to the native American. We know the price we paid and are paying for, for the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by the European and other immigrants today.
We must also dispel the misconception that native Americans don't pay taxes. Every native who lives and/or works on a reservation pays taxes. If we don't, we get a letter, phone call or visit from the "friendly" IRS. I'm native, retired, live off-reservation, still paying taxes and will be paying taxes to my dying day.
Another misconception that should be cleared up is a fee is a tax no matter how you slice it. A fee is imposed for services, never goes away and increases when money is required to bail government out.
Do you think our hard-earned dollars could be used to benefit the citizens of this state and nation rather than having them diverted overseas? Sen. John McCain, Republican presidential candidate, says we will be Iraq for years, thereby diverting more of our hard-earned tax dollars to a region that doesn't really want us there. For those who will say I should thank a veteran for all of our freedom and liberties, believe me I do, because I am a Women's Army Corps veteran, and come from a family of veterans, from a combat-wounded, highly decorated Korean War veteran, to Vietnam-era Navy veteran, Air Force veteran peacetime, Army Gulf War I veteran, Army Gulf War I veteran and most recently my Marine grandson. My family has served in the four branches of the military.
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Native American history takes a back page when history is taught in school. We need to let the world know the true founding of the nation we know today, which is a fairly new nation starting in 1492. Give the native credit for surviving on this continent for thousands of years without interference from outside.
Helma Cloud Erie
Bemidji
