My mailbox

I've received some interesting communications this past week. First was an appeal from Robert F. Dorr, a noted author and columnist, concerning military affairs. Dorr was appealing for statements from Air Force veterans who were willing to be quoted on record concerning recent comments about veteran's affairs by former Sen. Alan K. Simpson(R), Wyoming.

Simpson is on a presidential task force looking to cut defense spending. He stated that benefits for America's veterans cost too much. Veterans may have fought for, Simpson said, but they aren't "helping to save the country" because they aren't foregoing health care benefits they earned during military service. Simpson said it was ironic that veterans "are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess."

Next was the letter to the editor, from an upright ex-resident, complaining about my "rants" (against liberals in general I presume) and how I opined that unemployment benefits should not be extended, and extended and extended. Mr. Poore's complaint was that I was enjoying a military retirement including full medical benefits, and yet objected to helping out those less fortunate individuals long time out of work. I'd suggest to Mr. Poore and Sen. Simpson that possibly they were confused about the difference between earned benefits and charity.

Mr. Poore was correct in stating that my education, first grade through graduate school, was all paid for by the government. He is also correct to note that I receive a healthy military pension and free supplemental health care insurance benefit. Those benefits are part and parcel the remuneration for serving on active duty for more than 21 years and are included in the current defense budget. In fact, the Pentagon spends $46 billion a year on retiree pay, not including health care.

It seems to me that a contract is a contract and is to be honored, but then the United Airlines Pilots had all their pensions taken away from them, contract or no. Not mentioned was my Social Security check and Medicare benefits, both of which come from money that I paid in at the maximum rate for the 51 years that I have been actively employed.

Somehow, though, the Democrats managed to spend all that money as it came in, so we too might end up with the same kind of deal that the United Airline pilots received. Like them, if it happens, we will just have to cope.

The third was a personal letter from Sen. E. Benjamin Nelson (D) Nebraska. Sen. Nelson noted that I have made a series of remarks in this column critical of his performance as our Senior Senator from Nebraska. My disagreement with Senator Ben stems from him prescribing to a liberal philosophy of ever bigger government exercising increasing control over "we the people's" lives.

I believe that we as individuals are well capable of making our own decisions in how to live our lives and mostly government should butt out.

It is a thing called liberty.

Our favorite senator loves earmarks, and evidently feels that the true measure of a politician is how much tax money he can return to those whom he represents.

We used to call it pork, but currently "earmarks" sound better. Incidentally, the amount that Senator Ben has brought home to Nebraska is large.

Somehow, politicians neglect to mention that tax rates forever increase due to their largess. I think that it would be better if the government didn't collect that extra money in the first place and let those who earned it spend it as they see fit.

Note, Senator Ben has been doing better lately. He voted for the amendment to increase the gate requiring a 1099 from the $600 per vendor that his Obamacare bill requires. The amendment failed!

Senator Ben has also voted to extend the "Bush tax cuts" but that, too, has not happened. Have to give him an "A" for effort though.

Little noted is that Senator Ben is a real champion of the National Guard, all states as well as Nebraska. Sitting on the Senate Armed Services Committee as he does, his efforts bring good effect. He is also the Congressional Chair of the Air Force Caucus and carries legislation important to their functions. Unknown to me, he served for several years on the Air Force Academy's Board of Visitors, all of which I applaud.

The National Guard Association of the United States agrees, and to recognize his efforts on their behalf, has awarded him their prestigious Harry S Truman Award in appreciation. I'm impressed! Well done.

Senator Ben will be in town this weekend to join in the Heritage Days Celebration. He and Gov. Heineman will be at the Keystone Friday evening to dedicate the preservation of that wonderful old building.

Your and my tax dollars at work. Be sure to stop by on Saturday to tour the building at a public open house. The place is beautiful -- very well done.

If you get a chance it would be good to tell Senator Ben that we appreciate his efforts to straighten out the health care mess, his efforts to keep from raising tax rates, and the good work he does on behalf of the military.

It wouldn't hurt though to also remind him that his vote could have prevented the adoption of Obamacare.

That is the way I saw it.