Page 8 The Advocate News (Wilton-Durant, Iowa) Thursday, March 7, 2013

OpiniOn
When Congress won't act, where do we turn?
Rise up, oh God, and save us from ourselves. Upon hearing and reading the above quote last week, it has instantly become my mantra when watching political TV shows or reading stories specifically those dealing with U.S. congressional negotiations. The quote is from U.S. Senate chaplain Barry Black, as he delivered the opening prayer on the morning of Feb. 28, the eve of the sequester. Weve posted a link to the prayer, which is under two minutes in duration, on our Facebook site. Its worth a listen. Black has served as Senate chaplain since 2003, when he was the first African American Barry Black and first Seventh-day Adventist selected to hold the office. Prior to his position as Senate chaplain, he served as chaplain for the U.S. Navy for 27 years. Most people, including myself, didnt know who Black was prior to that prayer. Yet Ill bet that there are many (like me) who know him now! He has a deep, commanding voice and a wonderful delivery. If you listen to that prayer, youll detect the desperation in his voice. It made me sad. Sad because as we sit and watch the action, or should I say inaction, of Congress during the past 18 months or so, we and the Senate chaplain have decided our only hope is to turn to prayer and the Lord. The quote above will be the sound bite that is forever remembered. However, Black also said Pour your wisdom upon our lawmakers The sequester was created in 2011 during so that they will do your will. debt ceiling negotiations. It was paired with Again, resorting to God shows the dire tax increases but as the tax hikes drew nearer, straits felt by those in our nation. It made me moves were made to stop all but the hike on feel ashamed of Congress and its lack of bipar- the richest of Americans. I think it was thought tisanship and leadership. that a deal would be made We cant just blame or love to stop the sequester as the president and his ideas well which will cut the or input. Ultimately, we federal budget by around have to RELY on Congress $85 billion this year and to act and react with the $110 billion next year and best interest of the nation beyond until 2021. in mind. And of course we are By Derek Sawvell Unfortunately, in the also facing government era of the Tea Party, several shutdown at the end of fringe candidates have won Congressional March if any compromise isnt made. Is it too seats and (in my opinion) are more worried much to ask for Congress to come together about being attractive to their voting bases and work for us? I'm not saying no cuts I'm at home. Winning the next primary is more saying responsible cuts. important than the nations greater good. I was talking recently with a former classSure every member of Congress, regardless mate whose wife works at the Rock Island of party, worries about re-election. But gone Arsenal. She, along with 2,000 other employ(seemingly) are the days where moderate ees are facing being furloughed for days at Republicans and Democrats come together a time thanks to the sequester. Families like to govern responsibly. this will have to make ends meet on reduced Instead we have had the House of Repre- budgets which not only hurts them, it will sentatives wanting to reign in spending. So hurt the economy when they wont have the much so that weve had one rollercoaster ride same amount of money to spend each month after another with last years debt ceiling deal, at local businesses. the fiscal cliff deal near the end of last year, Stories like this are real and will hit us the sequester that began March 1, and the hits right here at home. Lines in the sand from will keep coming. our leaders have done nothing. Please work John Schoen of NBC News recently called together! last years fiscal cliff a Hollywood blockbuster You, oh God, are a shield for America disaster movie. He called the sequester this As we anticipate an across the board set years sequel, complete with the same plot of budget cuts becoming law in our land, we line and your favorite politicians in starring still expect to see your goodness prevail, said roles. Black. I hope Congress was listening. Its action can take the burden off the Lords shoulders. *** Lucas on Fox NewsMark Lucas II, a 2000 Wilton High School graduate, and close personal friend of mine was a guest on Your World with Neil Cavuto on Fox News Feb. 27. He served as Wiltons youngest ever city council member (19), has served 10 years in the Iowa Army National Guard, is an Army ranger school grad and Afghanistan veteran, and is the Iowa state director for the conservative organization Americans for Prosperity (AFP). Mark Lucas While on Cavutos show, Lucas talked about the sequester but more importantly, about the fact that America can survive making cuts to defense an unpopular stance among conservative circles. Lucas said in the last two years, the Pentagon has wasted $70 billion and that there is a surplus of Army equipment that is not needed and sits on shelves collecting dust. Even after the sequester, according to Lucas, the U.S. is going to spend $15 billion more on defense this year than in 2012. Lucas said our greatest national security threat is our national deficit. Weve got to fix the problem its up to my generation to fix this problem, said Lucas. There is a link to Marks Fox News appearance on our Facebook page. I talked with Mark briefly after his Fox News appearance and will be talking to him further again very soon. Stay tuned!

Case in Point

Iowa 'fortunate to be in sound fiscal position'

House Republicans have released their first (increase of $30.8 million) set of budget numbers for the session. Senate Justice Systems & the Courts - $702.2 Democrats also came out with their budget and million (increase of $16.3 million) the Governors numbers came out in January. In terms of setting priorities, the House Like any negotiation, the end product will be Republican plan maintains the priority of the middle ground. Of course, the politics fully-funding commitments on property tax will be that Republicans are low and criticism credits for the first time since FY 2002 and will revolve around a 3 percent increase in fulfills the commitment for mental health ongoing revenue, but leaving $800 million in equalization funding. the unspent balance. Senate Democrats have The budget plan also includes the funding an 11 percent increase, necessary to maintain clearly not sustainable Iowans commitment to and a return to the Culeducation, by including ver budgets that led to the funding necessary across-the-board cuts. to allow the Regents Of course both numbers universities to freeze are starting points. tuition, $10 million in Iowa is fortunate new money to the comenough to be in a sound munity colleges, and a fiscal position but it is two percent increase in By Rep. Bobby Kaufmann my duty to not over supplemental state aid promise. Our fiscal outlook is good now but for our local schools. Education, public safety, it doesnt always stay that way and any budget health care and property taxes are clearly the votes I take must not spend more than the State priority in this budget, and this is where the takes in. We must NOT use one-time dollars common ground begins for our negotiations for ongoing revenue, and programs must be with the Senate. fully funded to avoid a supplemental spending I ran my first bill on the floor this week. bill midway through the year. That situation It was a bill stating that any provision of an has happened in the past and ends up harming in-state contract that subjects that contract programs by needing across the board cuts in to out of state laws makes that part of the the middle of the fiscal year. contract void. Contractors were having issues The starting House proposal calls for state with subcontracting to companies from out of General Fund spending to be at $6.4139 billion state and then being forced to abide by other in the next year starting on July 1. Again this states laws or having to travel long distance amounts to a modest increase in state spending for litigation. It passed on the floor 89-7, reof just 3 percent. The House proposal spends ceiving overwhelming bipartisan support. Our 98.11 percent of the projected on-going rev- local contractors and business people lobbied enue for the fiscal year. The state would have me on this bill through their organizations. an ending balance of $840.3 million at the end I have already managed six bills that have of FY 2014. Of course at least $500 million passed committee and one on the floor. Every of that is off the table for any spending since bill has passed with strong bipartisan support, it is our emergency funds and also needed for three of them unanimous. I am friends with cash flow. quite a few of the Democrats in the House. I For Fiscal Year 2014, the General Fund visit with them often, run ideas past them and will be divided amongst the budget subcom- solicit opinions. I also spend a lot of time in mittees. The following are the raw numbers the Senate. I am focused on results and the for the three largest budget subcommittees. reality is that nothing I want to become law Education - $894.6 million (increase of can do so without passing through a Senate $33.9 million) controlled by the other party. I promised you a Health & Human Services - $1.699 billion bipartisan attitude and so far I am making good on that promise. There will be disagreements and times when issues are very partisan, but I will always have an open mind and represent my constituents. Listening Posts (March 9): 9 a.m., Wilton Community Room; 1 p.m., West Branch Library. Capitol visitors: Laurie Tulchin-Iowa City, Jim Glasgow-Iowa City, Todd Frisch-Durant, Bob & Mary Burns-Lake MacBride, Dave & Mary Gilchrist- Lake MacBride. Contact me: Email: bobby.kaufmann@legis.state.ia.us Phone: 515-281-3221 Mail: 1527 33oth St. Wilton IA 52778

Your Capitol Voice

'Keep up the good work'

Editor: Congratulations to you, Derek Sawvell, as managing editor, on receiving one of the top awards at the 2013 Iowa Newspaper Association Convention! It is certainly well deserved! You and your staff have been doing an outstanding job in covering both communities of Wilton and Durant, with family news, church news, school activities, particularly noting the sports and music coverage. Of special note was the fantastic 2012 year-end section, with photos! Coverage of the issues of the Durant school principal was the best in the area! Congratulations, also, to Theresa Blackledge and the ad department for the first place award that they received for the advertising section they put together! Congratulations to your whole staff of: Barb Rochholz, Paulette Theobald, Theresa Blackledge, Connie Brown, Phil Roberts, intern Kimberly Sloan, publishers Bill and Linda Tubbs and the North Scott Press! Keep up the good work you make a great team! Beth Looker Tipton (formerly of Wilton and Bennett)

'Congress created this mess'

Editor: The latest announcement by the Postmaster General requires a little background. And by the way, neither the Postmaster General, nor anyone else, can unilaterally enforce a switch to five-day delivery without Congresss approval. Prior to 2006, Congress had unfairly forced the Postal Service to pay for pensions earned by employees for their service in the military. This money should have been paid by the Treasury. (In 2012, the proportion of letter carriers who served in the military stood at 21 percent. The veteran population peaked in the 1980s when half of all carriers were veterans.) The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 was passed to fix that, returning billions to the Postal Service. But because Congress decided that the bill must be budget-neutral, they concocted a scheme designed to continue the flow of postal funds into the Treasurys ledger. In that same bill, they required the Postal Service to fork over $5.5 billion (yes, thats $5,500,000,000) every year to pre-fund 75 years worth of future retiree health benefits within 10 years; a burden that no other company or agency is required to do, not even Congress. (How many companies do you know that are setting aside funds for employees who retire 75 years from now?) Because the Postal Service has been an POSTAL SERVICE LETTER

continued on page 9