BY MURRAY COHEN

Herald Publisher

“Off the Table.”

That’s what those who oppose increasing taxes for millionaires and billionaires have been saying and continue to say as the nation tries to stop the deficit bleeding.

There is no doubt that billions could be cut from expenses but fixing the deficit problem also calls for getting the taxes of the upper 2 percent of earners back where they were during the Clinton era. I never heard one word of hardship from the upper 2 percent during Clinton’s term in office regarding the taxes they were paying. Instead, then as now, most of the increase in wealth was happening with the upper 2 percent — certainly not the poor and the middle class.

President Obama has faced stone-walling Congressmen for the past five years who have refused to permit millionaires and billionaires to have their taxes make a substantial contribution to the solving of the deficit problem.

I challenge one of these Congressmen to put forth their views to a group of veterans of the Iraq War. I challenge just one of them to make one of these obscene “Off the Table” speeches to a group of veterans who have served in Afghanistan. None of them would ever have the stupidity to do such a thing.

Keep in mind that while the nation was in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression — also fighting two wars and world-wide terrorism — the opposers of even modest tax increases for millionaires and billionaires were holding their ground. No increases for the wealthy. No increases for the very wealthy. No increases for the ultra-wealthy.

In this, I stand with Billionaire Warren Buffet and many like him who have common sense to realize just how obscene is “Off the Table.”

As for those Congressmen who feel that none of the very rich should contribute — at least modestly — more to balancing the budget, perhaps it is time for all of them to find another way to make a living.

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While I am writing this; don’t you think it’s time that China, with its billion-plus people, buys as much from the United States as we buy from them? And, don’t you think your local Congressmen can become more influential in seeing to it that this is what happens in the future?

My husband and I have a crane critter gittin’ fixation. If there’s a crane machine in the vicinity, we’ve already checked it out, looked at the prizes, investigated how intricately they are entwined and if there are any parts that could come off and choke our little guy.

Yes, they are for Ringo. You didn’t think they were for us, did you?

We always either stick in a dollar bill or load in four quarters because it is rare to get one on the first try. The second try is usually way better than the first.
T

he definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different outcome. Crazy, right?

When we were children and dissatisfied with the outcome of a game, we would often yell, “Do over!” We would then repeat whatever we did, hoping for a different outcome. Of course, that didn’t always happen and everyone knows you only get one do-over so you better make it count.

In golf, a do-over is a mulligan. As you can guess, a mulligan is not “legal” in the rules of golf. You are supposed to take the shot where it lands — good or bad. At some charity golf events, one can purchase mulligans as an additional fundraiser and since everyone is on the same page, it’s OK. It’s not OK to tap the ball onto the green with your toe or give it a toss from the other side of a tree.

A friend’s comment on Facebook spurred this John Tesh digression.

She said her therapist weighed 5 pounds and was covered in fur.

Amen, sister.

What is better than coming home from a hard day at work and seeing that little guy or girl that is so happy to see you? Nothing. Well, maybe a few other things but not here.

Who better to pour out the frustrations of the day to than someone who is always going to agree with you? This is a no-brainer.

We’ve already been over the obvious benefits of having a dog. They are great companions. They like to play. They love unconditionally. They don’t want to borrow the car. They won’t be going to college.

Pets, including cats, ferrets and hamsters and such, can lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home. Researchers say heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have less sign of heart disease - lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels - than non-owners.

The benefits, both physical and emotional are proven.

What they do is steal your heart and make it so you are just as excited to see them when you get home.

I love to bury my face in Ringo’s neck when I move in for a hug. It’s so soft and feels so good. He’s the perfect size for hugging. Unfortunately, he has to be in the mood for hugging.

Jodi Arias update.

How interesting is it that Arizona is one of the few states where during a trial, the jury can ask questions of the defendant as well. I was unaware this was even an option and in the good faith of seeing justice prevail, I think it should be allowed everywhere.

How many times have you seen an interview with a juror after a trial and they had questions that weren’t answered and sometimes not even addressed? Well, in Arizona you get to at least attempt to find your own answers. I think during a trial, especially one as serious as this one, the jury should have as much information as possible.

Jodi Arias has been on the stand for weeks now. I think it’s been too long and I agree with the analysts who think all that face time with the jury will foster an attachment and they won’t be able to put her on death row. They may not like her and they may not believe her but she’s become a fixture in their lives. I don’t think they are going to be able to give her the death penalty.

I can’t believe I have let myself be caught up in this. I’m afraid I am going to be on jury watch with the rest of the HLN nation. I can’t even believe I’m writing this but it has me sucked in. It’s a train wreck. I can’t look away.

Where’s Ringo? I need a hug.

DEAR EDITOR:

I am writing in response to the person that attacked the character of Delphos St. John’s fans based on “Hear say” — if you didn’t attend the games, how can you have an opinion??

In the many games that I attended in person over the years, I’ve seen the newspaper reading act used by the student cheering section many times. As a matter as fact during big tournament games in the late 1970’s at Ottawa-Glandorf, we pulled out newspapers on more than one occasion. Delphos St.John’s game with New Breman for first place in the M.A.C. certainly qualified as a big game. It’s not being rude as you stated, but good clean fun between opposing schools.

Your second put down of St. John’s was the removal of “clothing” from the Ottoville fans before the match up with the Lady Jays. Our school didn’t allow the fans to bring in boxing gloves inside the gym for obvious reasons. If you actually attend an Ottoville girls game along the tournament trail, the O.H.S.A.A. also says you can not bring in signs, banners, or noise makers to the game.

Also, wanted to give high marks to Ottoville’s Coach Kleman. He silenced the Ottoville student cheering section during pregame warmups when they were harassing a certain Lady Jays player. He then again told them to stop the chant “double digits” in the 3rd period when DSJ finally got its 10th point. Coach Kleman is a class act and showed the real meaning of sportsmanship. Good Luck to the Big Green for a deep run in the tournaments.

Delphos St. John’s fans are not rude — they simply support their high school athletes just like any other community would support their team.

Thank You

Larry Heiing

1981 Ottawa-Glandorf graduate

current Delphos St. John’s fan

A friend’s refrigerator went out last week after only seven years of use. According to an appliance guy, that was about right.

I can remember having the same avacodo green refrigerator in our kitchen for umpteen years. It wasn’t really bad when we got rid of it; it was just so old that it was a pretty good bet it would give out over the weekend or at some other inopportune time. It was relegated to the garage and a shiny new one took its place.

The same can be said for the range top. It was set in the countertop and had a really cool control panel on the wall. A modern, black, flat cook top took its place and come to find out, its life expectancy is only about seven years. The old cook top made it through 20-some years before it became a questionable risk. It even survived through a small Christmas Eve fire when I left papers a little too close to a burner and a button was inadvertently pushed by an errant item on the counter. Luckily, the mess was quickly swept into the nearby sink and doused with water.

Many other household items have joined the “disposable” list. Washers and dryers, DVD players, boom boxes, TVs and like are no longer “fixtures” in our homes.
It makes me wonder if they are not made as well, if we as consumers have directed the “need” for newer and better every few years. With technology outpacing itself, there is always something faster, better and on the “must-have” list. Computers are practically obsolete by the time we get everything out of the box and set up.

None of our teens own cassette tapes. Wonder what they would think of the 8-tracks I have tucked away from a “few” years back.

We are keeping up with the Joneses, who are keeping up with someone else and so on. Along the way, we have given up reliability, consistency and the satisfaction of getting our money’s worth.

We don’t seem to mind shelling out our hard-earned cash for something that we will be eagerly replacing again in a few years for the latest and greatest model.
The switch on the wall lamp in the spare bedroom took a dive the other day. That lamp has hung on the wall for as long as I can remember. I’m seriously considering  having it fixed.