Legalectric

Are you depending on Social Security to be there for you when you retire? Are you, a family member, friend, receiving Social Security disability payments? Pay attention, because Social Security has been defunded, “temporarily,” and tRump wants to make it permanent. What would that mean to you?

You can find tRump’s Memorandum and Guidance for defunding Social Security here:

Friday – Defunding Soc Sec – U.S. Treasury Guidance for Payroll Tax Deduction

My Letter to the Editor was published in the Red Wing Republican Eagle a couple weeks ago, forgot to put it up here!

When I’m 65…

Yeah, there’s a song, but that was last year. This year, yeah, boomer, I’m 65, and must enroll in Medicare. Nope, not happy about this at all. So much isn’t covered, basic things like glasses, hearing aids, what is covered is only 80% covered, and there’s an annual deductible. Insurance companies flood my mailbox wanting to take my money to cover the gaps. Neither party supports single-payer health care. They’re beholden to the insurance companies.

And approaching 65, consider Social Security. Most of us will need it. Based on the numbers, I’ll hold off collecting for a few years to have a higher payout. But with the defunding of Social Security last week, Social Security will be broke long before I drop dead!

Defunding Social Security? Yes, the “payroll tax cut.” Do you understand what this means? As someone who’s paid in, and as someone with grey hair, I’m horrified!

Cutting the “payroll tax” that funds Social Security means that the money funding Social Security would no longer be paid by employees and employers into the Social Security trust. That “payroll tax cut” means Social Security withholding would end. Social Security will be drained – all outgo and no income.

Enacted at the end of July, it allows, but does not require, employers to not withhold Social Security “payroll tax” from your check. If employers don’t withhold it from your check, they also do not have to pay their half, because withholding triggers employer payments. Again, Social Security would be all outgo and no income. How’ll that work for us? It won’t.

This “payroll tax cut” is in effect through year end. Missed “payroll tax” payments would be made up starting 2021, though how it happens isn’t explained. Many employers aren’t happy about this, because it’s an accounting hassle, and recouping those Social Security payments not made, by whatever scheme, would be a significant expense for employers and employees. A permanent cut has been proposed. Just NO!

Defund Social Security? We’ve paid in all our working lives. I’ve paid in since my Department of Agriculture summer job at 15. How many years have you paid in? Will you need Social Security? I sure will.

Yes, it’s an “entitlement.” We’re entitled to receive the benefits after we’ve paid in for so long. Cut the “payroll tax?” Defund Social Security? NO! You’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!

Carol A. Overland, Red Wing

Last night’s vigil in Red Wing:

There’s a lot to be said for taking a “Time Out!” First trip of the year was up to Tettegouche for solstice, and it was too crowded and people were uniformly non-observent of COVID precautions. After that, we declined two camp hosting gigs, no way was I up for dealing with people and cleaning and stocking bathrooms in that situation.

I am on several camping lists, one of which is the North Dakota State Parks, which sends out a list of weekend sites available. Little Missouri State Park ALWAYS had sites. It looked interesting, was a horse camp with 2 assigned corrals for each site (!) so I called, and horses aren’t required. So I grabbed the best site starting after Labor Day – 13e!

Sunset, right? Well, it is that time, but that’s an oil well flare. The campground was surrounded by oil wells (satellite view here).

North Dakota oil production on the upswing again but may plateau this fall

Some nights, they were audible, both a sound like a jet taking off and a very high pitched whistle. That was countered by the coyotes yipping and howling at sunset and an hour before sunrise.

Little Sadie loves to travel, and she’s learned to be cool around strangers and wildlife.

We took a trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, South Unit one day, North Unit the next. Campgrounds are closed at both. From the looks of it, the wildlife is benefiting from not having people around.

The picnic ground was FULL of buffalo!

The buffalo walking along the road found a snake, and stomped it but didn’t kill it, and they took turns checking it out, the snake opened its mouth wide, hissing, they’d dance away, and come around again for a look-see. It was as if it was bison school, to learn how to recognize danger and what to do about it.

Association of Freeborn County Landowners had filed a Complaint against Public Utilities Commissioner John Tuma and Chair Katie Sieben:

AFCL files Complaint against Tuma & Sieben

They filed their response and shipped it off to Office of Administrative Hearings for an investigation (note statute says “hearing” … oh well…):

AFCL Complaint forwarded to OAH for hearing

Here’s the result, hot off the press:

There’s no requirement of public participation? Minn. Stat. 216E.08, Subd. 2. And parties? No mention. What’s the point of being a party? And following that Office of Legislative Auditor report, guess it doesn’t matter, no one is paying attention.:

Public Utilities Commission’s Public Participation Processes – OLA-Report

Notice of a new topic on the agenda isn’t required? Yeah, I guess the notice statutes don’t matter.

Talking to a participant is not ex party contact? The County is indeed a participant…

Next step is that it goes to the Commission to rubber stamp it.

Who cares? Listen to this: