Dawn’s Delights

Wow! The month of June is gone! It seemed like March and April were slow, then May picked up the pace and I blinked and it was July! And America is 260! I wish that because of this, people would wake up and start treating our country like we are happy to be living here! 

I grew up in the Vietnam era. I was too young to actually understand what was going on but knew something wasn’t right. Students were protesting, the National Guard was called in, songs were on the radio about what was happening. I don’t recall violence like we have it now. People treated returning servicemen terribly. It wasn’t their fault, they were drafted into service and given orders, which they follow.  Remember my Daddy was different. He always thanked soldiers for their service, always. When we lived in Nevada, if a soldier was hitchhiking, my Daddy would pick them up. Daddy served in the Air Force from 1952 to 1955. I have much of his paperwork and pictures from that time in his life. I wish I would have asked more questions. 

America began 250 years ago. We started because a group of good men were tired of taxation, of feeling micro-managed from across the ocean and not being represented by those who know what they are facing here in the new country. I feel we could use a few good men like them. I feel we have a Congress who doesn’t represent the average citizen.

I have recently started getting mail about starting Medicare. Now, I remember having Medicare payments taken out of my check each payday. FICA taxes. Now I have been working for 50 years, paying in for Medicare. So can you tell me why they now want to take 25 percent of my social security to pay for my Medicare (the one I have been paying my whole life)? Make that make sense. 

Our country is 250, something to be celebrated, sure. But we have the richest nation and we have children who are food insecure, we have cars that cost what a house cost ten years ago. Salaries have not kept pace unless you are a CEO or a Pro or College Football Coach. If you don’t do a good job, you still get your “Golden Parachute”. Or if you are in Congress, you get paid the rest of your life. 

Be sure and read the guest column in this week's paper. I actually received an email from an online magazine called Rice Farming. I read it and thought, my readers would like to read this. 

Hope you got to see the Keepsake Edition of the South Arkansas and Southeast District Farm Family of the Year, Tyler and Paige, and girls Jaden, Landri and Kani, 

Until next time…