By Rep. Paul Anderson
Our part of the state received enough snow last week to give us a “White Christmas.” I must admit, it does look more like the holiday season when the ground is white, but difficult traveling conditions in the aftermath of a snowfall are the downside. I was driving home from Sauk Centre the morning after the snow and lost control of my car for a couple of seconds in the heavy slush on the highway. As my heart rate settled back down again, it was a reminder that we need to re-adjust to wintertime and drive according to conditions.
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You may have heard news reports lately about federal, low-level drug offenders being released from prison. At first glance, it may seem like a good idea since our prisons are overcrowded, and it would reduce the cost of incarceration. However, according to law enforcement folks I’ve visited with, there is more to this story than we’ve been told in the media. At a recent meeting of the Stearns County Police Chiefs, we were told that some sellers of drugs are among those scheduled to be released. And news reports over the weekend indicated that some with violent criminal records are also among those to be set free.
To me, anyone who sells drugs to our children should be penalized to the max. Drugs threaten to ruin peoples’ lives, and to sell to vulnerable kids is bad, really bad. Drug pushers are trying to make money off these young people, and they should be punished to a level that truly is a deterrent. To make it harder to prosecute dealers is just plain wrong. But that’s what these new federal guidelines apparently will do.
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Congress last week passed what’s become in recent years its annual tax extender bill. Among the provisions in the legislation is a continuation of Section 179 and bonus depreciation, and a two-year extension of the $1 per gallon blender’s credit for biodiesel. That credit is needed to keep the biofuel industry going right now, in light of current low oil prices. However, to make the credit available to fuel being imported from Argentina doesn’t make much sense. Why should our tax money be used to subsidize production in other countries?
Yes, low gas prices are good news for consumers, but it makes other forms of energy production unprofitable or nearly so. That appears to be the aim of the Saudis, namely to drive the higher cost producers out of business. It must be right at, or very close to, the cost of production for some North Dakota wells as those producers face higher transportation costs for their crude, most of which is moved by rail to refineries on the East Coast. When those costs are factored in, their oil, which might sell for $40 per barrel, for example, nets only $28 after shipping costs are subtracted.
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Faith and I wish each of you a blessed holiday season. This is a wonderful time of year as folks make ready to welcome family and friends on this festive occasion. May we all remember the true meaning of the season as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas to all!
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