Nothing Entertaining

The Webster’s Dictionary defines “anecdotal” as a short, entertaining account of some event.

How wonderful for the writer of the editorial in the August 9th Daily Gazette that he/she doesn’t have to include his/her name and town like I do.

Exactly what is entertaining about the devastating effects of these monstrosities that law-abiding, tax- paying rural residents are being forced to try to live with? Apparently the writer hasn’t seen the documentary “Windfall,” which will be shown at the Sterling Public Library on Wednesday, August 15th at 6:00p.m., wherein he/she can be entertained with the “anecdotal” accounts of lives destroyed by these abominations.

Don’t give me that garbage about jobs. Mainstream will bring in their own specialized workers. Local people might be hired for the “grunt” work, but it will end. It takes very few workers to maintain once they’re constructed.

“No demonstrated harm?” There are people all over the world complaining of the exact same symptoms. Maybe they have a little global network for conspiring to thwart progress.

You bet, fear has been instilled by all the terrible side effects of these behemoths: ear pain, anxiety, headaches, proven property devaluation, not being able to enjoy the God given beauty of our surroundings--yeah, very anecdotal and amusing.

I’ll tell you this, Mr. or Ms. Editor, whoever you are, these things are nothing like highways. I wouldn’t like it if a major highway went by my house, but at least it wouldn’t devalue my property and make me sick.

I hope all the wonderful money that comes in for schools, etc. gets to them—unlike what happened in Dixon, IL. Money sure does talk, and not always to honest people.

Sue McGinn
Tampico, IL

Meet Tax Hike Mike

“The final straw was when Illinois raised its income taxes. That did it for me.”

Gayle Frerichs | Frerichs Trucking. Quoted in Champaign News-Gazette, August 8, 2012.

January ‘11: Sen. Mike Frerichs (D-Champaign) voted for 67% income tax hike.

Soon after, his own cousin’s trucking business fled to Covington, Indiana.

Today, Sen. Mike Frerichs is running for re-election on the Next Income Tax Hike.

Why did Gayle Frerichs move the business to Indiana?

“Springfield is so non-business-friendly,” said Gayle Frerichs. Citing high workers compensation costs, taxes, healthcare, fees, and license plate costs, Frerichs will save $90,000- $100,000 every year for his 20 person company.

Source: Champaign News-Gazette

All these “taxes” are crushing Illinois job creation. In Frerichs’ district alone, the June employment rate is 10.5% in Vermillion County and 9.1% in Champaign County.

The 7,000 units of Illinois government already spend $100 billion in taxes.

Here’s the bad news: if Frerichs is re-elected, he may well spearhead the next income tax hike. If you’re a productive, hard-working family, business, taxpayer, or senior, you’re stuck with the bill.

Help us fight the Tax Hike Mike Frerichs and the Tax Hike Mike Madigan’s all across Illinois.

For the Good of Illinois PAC.

Adam Andrzejewski, Chairman
For The Good of Illinois PAC

Guest Commentary

Remembering the Significance of VJ Day

By Dr. Marvin Folkertsma

Consider this fictitious scenario: In the summer of 1950, President Thomas E. Dewey faced a national security crisis of extraordinary proportions—one that his advisors agreed likely would define his presidency. After beating his Democratic opponent in 1948 by a comfortable margin, Dewey received news that Soviet-backed armies in Korea, Hokkaido, and Northern Honshu had mounted a massive invasion of Southern Honshu, with the goal of unifying Japan under a single government. He knew that American occupation forces—under strength, dispirited, and still fighting insurgencies loyal to the emperor in Kyushu and Shikoku, as well as other scattered parts of the former Japanese empire—were hardly in a position to resist.

Although he based much of his election campaign on a “Truman Lost Japan” platform, he now lamented the fact that the war dragged on through the spring of 1947 instead of ending in the summer of 1945. That brought in the Russians, who took over all of Korea and carved out an occupation zone in northern Japan, transforming it into one of their notorious “people’s republics.” The United Nations could do nothing—the Russians had the veto—and Americans were sick of war. What was the United States going to do? Use atomic bombs to stop the invasion? Unthinkable! Especially not with the Russians also having tested an atomic weapon during the previous fall.

The new American president slumped in his chair in the oval office, disconsolate—and angry. China, Russia, Korea, and now probably Japan—all communist dictatorships. Where else would Joe Stalin press his advantage? In Europe again, against Germany? Central Asia, perhaps? Iran? Pakistan? Victories whet imperialist appetites. And America was losing the Cold War. If only that novice Harry Truman had acted as tough as he talked…

Of course, the fact that Truman did, spared us this nightmare version of an early Cold War alternative history. In fact, in the months leading to the actual surrender of Japan, which occurred on 14 August 1945 (Washington time), a variety of morbid statistics on estimated casualties haunted the president’s thoughts. On Okinawa alone, American casualties ran to 75,000. And a horrendous battle it was—replete with flamethrowers torching caves filled with suicidal Japanese soldiers and terrified Okinawan citizens, tanks attacked by enemies with bombs attached to their heads, endless mortar and artillery bombardments—it was the worst battle in a war that had also included Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima.

Then there was the kamikaze. From April 6 to June 22, when the island was finally declared secure, the Japanese staged 10 big attacks involving 1,465 aircraft, inflicting tremendous damage, in terms of ships sunk, lives lost, and morale depleted. Indeed, historian Max Hastings notes in his superb account, “Retribution,” that “For the sacrifice of a few hundred half-trained pilots, vastly more damage was inflicted upon the U. S. Navy than the Japanese surface fleet had accomplish since Pearl Harbor” [italics added]. What was the number of aircraft available to Japan to defend the home islands against an American invasion? Answer: 10,000. Half of those were kamikaze. That’s not to mention suicide boats, human-torpedoes, human-bombs, and swimmers with bombs.

No doubt pondering this information worsened the soul hollowing-out nature of casualty estimates for an invasion of Japan, which President Truman had been receiving since August 1944. The most recent figures from the last week of July 1945, were provided by General George C. Marshall and entailed the loss of anywhere from a quarter million to one million Americans. Likely, Japan would lose all of its nearly three-quarter-million man army in the region, along with millions of civilians. For numbers like these, the word “intolerable” barely gnaws on the edge of one’s imagination.

Which of course brings to mind the way the war actually ended, with the dropping of two atomic bombs, the Russian invasion of Manchuria, Emperor Hirohito’s dramatic radio message to his people, and the signing of the surrender terms on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. In the final analysis, by the emperor’s own words, it was the atomic bombs, and not the Russian invasion of Manchuria, that forced the issue: “The enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is indeed incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but it would also lead to the total extinction of human civilization.”

So the greatest war in history finally came to an end. And not just to an end, but to the best conclusion that could be expected, considering the circumstances. And for the millions of lives, Americans and Japanese alike, saved by Truman’s decision, no better expression of relief can be found than in the words of notable historian and former combat soldier, Paul Fussell: “For all the practiced phlegm of our tough facades we broke down and cried with relief and joy. We were going to live.”

Thanks to him, President Truman, and millions of other brave men and women, so are we.

— Dr. Marvin Folkertsma is a professor of political science and fellow for American studies with The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. The author of several books, his latest release is a high-energy novel titled “The Thirteenth Commandment.”

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District

Politics is not a four letter word, but certainly as we count down the last three months until the November election it’s treated as such.

I think every election cycle I’ve commented, “It seems worse this time”. In fairness I really believe it is. For those of you who have visited the Lincoln Library in Springfield, I think the attacks were nearly as vile when Lincoln was running. Some of the cartoons attacking the great man literally shock me and I don’t shock easily.

I don’t have an opponent this time and I’m okay with that. It gives me an opportunity to focus on the issues that are important to you.

Two things continue to amaze me after the ten years I’ve held this seat. The first issue is the number of you who try to work through a state issue without calling our office. I remind you, the work “representative” means just that, our office is to represent you, and to this day it amazes me the amount of “red tape” we can cut through as opposed to you calling that 800 number and attempting to solve the issue yourself. The second issue is the number of calls we receive where the caller must speak to Jim. Sally is great at attempting to determine what the issue is about but many will only talk to Jim. Often it’s a week before I get a chance to call back. I listen only to often say, “Well Sally has excellent liaison with that agency, let me put her on”. I always love to talk with you but we could have saved you some time and anguish.

An issue I continue to struggle with is term limits. I’ve always stated that I believe in term limits and twelve years is the equivalent of two U.S. senate terms. It should be a federal law and I wish we could get there. I don’t believe our founding fathers meant for any elected office to be a career. (I wonder who reads my articles that this might apply to?)

As you know, we return to Springfield on August 17, 2012 to work on the pension issue and, though it pains me and many others, we must deal with the issue of Representative Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) who is accused of taking a $7,000.00 bribe. Nearly every official in Springfield has asked him to resign. Mr. Smith remains defiant.

Should he be expelled by us, he still could likely win in November (to my knowledge he has no opponent) and we’ll be faced with what do we do now? Again it makes you wonder why politics isn’t a four letter word. As I stated several weeks ago when I called for this session I will not accept any mileage or per diem for the trip. Many of my colleagues will not as well.

Allow me to close by mentioning a wonderful event. Once again I was the auctioneer for the ALS outing at Woodbine Bend. ALS=Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This mean non curable disease effects all ages, races and ethnicities and strikes one person in the world every ninety minutes. Roger and Jenny Stoddard, the owners of Woodbine Bend, are very close to the disease having lost Jenny’s mother to it. To those of you supporting this great cause, I applaud you.

As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at or e-mail us at You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.