Breaking News

Letters To The Editor

Disappointed

To the Journal editor: It is disheartening to observe U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman’s continued failure to represent the interests of Michigan’s First District. Despite holding office for nearly a decade, Bergman has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of engagement with his constituents, avoiding town halls since taking office in 2017 and prioritizing partisan national agendas over the tangible needs of our communities. His record shows a pattern of inaction on pressing local issues—including the detrimental impact of tariffs—while enabling the personal business interests of his aides in ...

Inflation and supply chains cross borders

To the Journal editor: Energy markets are global and so is the supply chain that puts food, clothing and household goods on store shelves. As everyone in Michigan knows, car parts are manufactured in many countries, shipped and trucked through them all and assembled right here at home. Fuel costs touch every step. That is why an export restriction should not be judged only by what it might do to one domestic fuel price. If the policy reduces supply available to the global market, it could raise fuel and transportation costs elsewhere. Those costs can still reach American families ...

PAC-funded junk mail abounds

To the Journal editor: I’ve received lots of glossy postcards lately telling me how dangerous one of our senate candidates is. There are two separate PAC groups paying for these mailers. One candidate accepts special interest PAC money to help smear his opponent, the other candidate doesn’t. One candidate speaks to his constituents in open town halls, the other doesn’t. One calls himself “prolife” to extent that women’s health care is less important that fetal health care. The prolife candidate is interestingly against universal health care. I suppose it would be expensive ...

Corruption is contagious

To the Journal editor: Corruption in politics generally means using elected office for private gain. We have seen stories of President Trump’s corruption in the news nearly every day. The fact that his reported income rose by more than $2 billion last year leads reasonable people to believe that he has gained personally from his position. President Trump’s scandals have been related to bribery, nepotism and cronyism, misappropriation of funding approved by Congress to serve his personal interests, extortion and accepting personal gifts that could influence governmental ...

Backing Ishpeming library millage

To the Journal editor: As a resident of the city of Ishpeming, I have long enjoyed the privilege of using many of the offerings of the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library. I’ve enjoyed reading books I have checked out since I was a second grader who loved the Nancy Drew mysteries, and I still enjoy mysteries as well as other fiction and nonfiction books. The ICPL is able to make sure that I have a copy, either paper or digital, of just about any book I request, as there is a wonderful service called interlibrary loan as well as another called Libby, which provides ebooks. Besides ...

Bergman will not meet constituents

To the Journal editor: Once again Jack Bergman, our congressman, is afraid to hold a town hall to hear valid concerns from his constituents. Yet he’s miraculously able to attend a Republican Lincoln Day dinner on Oct. 3 at little old Belgiumtown restaurant outside Stephenson, a very safe territory where he’ll not be pressed for truthful answers on his votes. In spite of countless invitations to appear at town halls, Bergman has not met with us since 2017. Why do voters continue to support a congressman who will not actually address nor represent your best interests?