Applause For Government, Taxes

It's been fashionable for conservative politicians and voters to bash the federal government ever since Ronald Reagan said government was the problem, not the solution,  but current events show otherwise.

There was a devastating flood recently in Duluth/Superior, and Scott Walker asked for federal assistance.

As he should have, and I hope, on behalf of property owners with losses, that a declaration is made and announced.

The economy there needs that help, and it's in the general interest of all taxpayers to make that happen through a tiny increment peeled off their taxes.

No doubt federal assistance for farmers being wiped out by the drought will be sought. We all need to eat, rural communities need to survive and Wisconsin's economy can't afford a big hit to agricultural. I'm more than happy to contribute through my taxes to those programs.

And without federal assistance, wildfires would be burning out of control across the county. It's a long way to the traditional end of the fire season, and in additional to the national perspective - - we are one country - - there are forests in Wisconsin in the heart of our UpNorth tourist economy not immune to burning.

There's already been a 20,000+ acre fire in Michigan's UP this year.

Mitt Romney recently said that the lesson from Walker's Wisconsin recall win was that we didn't need more teachers, police officers and firefighters.

Frankly, we need everyone we can get, and taxes make sure public employees and the life-saving, positive services they provide are there when needed.