Blame climate change

July 25, 2026

To the Journal editor: Blowing smoke recently, four Republican Politicians, John James, Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar and Lisa McClain, expressed disappointment in the National Government of Canada for not doing more about the smoke from Canadian wildfires riding the winds to Michigan. I find it disturbing that these four politicians cannot remember their high school geography or science. Canada is the second-largest country in the world, with a boreal forest spanning well over a million square miles. The forest is made up primarily of spruce, larch, fir, pine and birch. I fought fires ...

Bergman, Canadian forest fires 

July 24, 2026

To the Journal editor: U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, writes that he has lost patience with Canada for allowing wildfire smoke to cross the border. Perhaps it is time he attended the Marquette Farmers Market on Saturdays to talk to his constituents about what all we are losing patience with. Those of us who actually live in northern Michigan have an affinity for our Canadian neighbors. I’ve traveled there, had a family member educated at a university there and have a Canadian in the family. Trust me, Rep. Bergman, they are not burning down their forests to aggravate you. The ...

Beliefs challenged

July 23, 2026

To the Journal editor: Did you vote for Trump to stop abortions? Then justify him killing over 1,000 civilians, with 180 children in Iran? They did not enlist! Did you believe his campaign lies including: “No more forever wars,” started unjustified Iran war. Trump’s I.C.E. killed Renee Good, Alex Pretti, Isaias Barboza, Keith Porter, Lorenzo Araujo, Joan Guerrero and 55 died in inhumane ICE detention.   Trump ordered illegal killings of over 200 Caribbean boaters and caused 57-83 deaths while illegally kidnapping Venezuelan Maduro. Thou shalt not kill. If his killing of ...

Enbridge candidate contributions 

July 22, 2026

To the Journal editor: Regarding upcoming elections, I would like to inform Michigan voters of candidate contributions by Enbridge Energy. In 2024, our current congressional representative, Jack Bergman, received $3,700 from Enbridge; John James, who is running for Michigan governor, received $5,002 from Enbridge. This information is from Open Secrets (opensecrets.org). Briefly, Enbridge is a Canadian energy company that wants to build a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac to house an ... existing pipeline, which carries oil and propane across Michigan to Ontario. Energy experts and ...

Writer shakes head

July 21, 2026

To the Journal editor: All I could do is shake my head after reading that U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, and three other Michigan legislators, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar, took it upon themselves to write a letter to the Canadian prime minister. The letter basically asserted that it was Canada’s fault that the Upper Peninsula was being smoked by forest fires in Canada. Couple of things that stood out to me were, how in the world can Canada be accused of controlling the weather patterns? The smoke is not only from forest fires in Canada, but in Minnesota and ...

Pointed questions posed

July 20, 2026

To the Journal editor: The following was sent to U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, just before 9 a.m. through his congressional portal. Congressman Bergman Congress has generously supplied the federal government with money to protect borders and defend the United States. However, President Trump has used that money to: Start a war of choice with Iran, raising the cost of living in the Upper Peninsula. Continue killing unarmed crews in boats while drug traffic continues unabated. Open and close ICE detention facilities without planning. Deport and kill innocent people in ICE ...