Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Worthington's Northland Cinema to open Christmas night after the cineplex was shut down in early November.
Charlie Cook brought Timmy Walz an early Christmas present. We missed an item in Minnesota Campaign Report from last week: Cook Political Report: MN-01 Out of Reach for GOP. Somehow, we suspect Walz's campaign will still work like underdogs.
But today's Tiny Tims may be having a more hungry Christmas in some states. Tight Budget Leads to Cutbacks in Women, Infants and Children Food Program, CQ Politics reports. The new Farm Bill will help, but perhaps not enough:
The squeeze in WIC, a program that costs somewhat more than $5 billion annually and is generally well regarded on both sides of the aisle, illustrates how deteriorating economic conditions and globalization can raise demand for government programs and frustrate efforts to keep a lid on domestic spending. The problem of rising food prices arises at a particularly inopportune time to seek additional money for social programs, but WIC advocates have been pressing Congress and the administration to increase the program’s appropriation to allow states to feed at least the current population of about 8.5 million recipients.
But with the U.S. and global economies in turmoil, it’s hard for even well-intentioned appropriators to know how much will be enough to prevent states from cutting back on WIC aid.
Both the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2008 Agriculture appropriations bill would include more for WIC than requested by President Bush, and some portion of that increase may wind up in the year-end omnibus spending bill that congressional Democrats are negotiating with Republicans and the White House. Still, program supporters say whatever amount is enacted may not be sufficient to serve the population of people who seek help.
The Army gives a Bah Humbug! to a soldier who stopped a purse snatching on his last leave home, and now Army cancels leave extension for dad as newborn clings to life. President Bush Praises GIs, Military Families in a radio address. Some consolation.
There's no lack of appreciation for the troops in Minnesota. Despite Saturday wind and frigid temperatures, Blue Earth welcomes home a medic on leave by lining Main Street for a parade with a fire truck and police escort.
Minnesota National Guard member Andrew Hanson of Luverne returns Home for the holidays. Hanson lost both of his lower legs in Iraq, but now has three different prosthetics to work with. He's been working on his ice fishing house since being home. Hanson will go back to Walter Reed for one more surgery in January, but is happy to be home for Christmas. His family agrees:
Hanson’s mom, Felicia, said it’s wonderful to have the family together for Christmas this year. In addition to Andrew, the couple has two daughters.
“Last year we were waiting for (Andrew) to come home on leave and he arrived home the day after Christmas,” said Felicia. “Actually, I look forward to next Christmas. There shouldn’t be anything to do with military next Christmas after three years of this.”
In Mankato, Loyola students give and gain out shopping for less fortunate families:
. . .Holding a Minnesota Vikings jersey high in the air, the two holiday shoppers proudly displayed to friends their gift-buying prowess. But their broad smiles and expressions of triumph suggested this wasn’t a typical holiday purchase.
And the jersey wasn’t meant for just any little boy or girl.
“We have a 7-year-old on our list,” said Hassing. “We want his Christmas to be special.”
Hassing and Solheid were at ShopKo, purchasing gifts for Loyola’s annual Christmas Basket Project, a tradition that’s been alive for more than 20 years. In their shopping cart were LEGO kits, a Spiderman puzzle, some clothes — and, of course, a jersey of Vikings rookie sensation Adrian Peterson. But the jersey took Solheid and Hassing a bit over their spending limit.
No problem.
“What kid doesn’t want an Adrian Peterson jersey?” Solheid said. “I think we can spare a couple extra bucks.”
Let's hope the kid is a true Vikes fan after yesterday's game. We grewing up learning how it is a test of faith with the Vikes. We slipped from the age of reason into adolescence during the Bud Grant years, when the term Hail Mary pass was coined, and a Purple People Eater enjoyed better odds of getting on the state supreme court bench than winning a Super Bowl.
Merry Christmas!
First off, Merry Christmas to you, your family and readers !
Since the House and the Senate have to resolve their differences (and then face a Bush veto?), the “old” WIC funding rates are in effect. In my opinion, the Republicans have been dragging this out (I have previously praised Norm for his leadership on this issue), so that they don’t have to run up the debt any more than they currently are.
The good provision in the new bill is that food stamps will be indexed for inflation – as the benefits have been badly eroded during the Farm Security Act of 2002. The bad news is in the Senate bill (Thanks Norm). The House bill would make these provisions permanent law. Under the Senate bill, all the major benefit improvements would end after 2012, and policies would return to current law. That is fiscally irresponsible. Do we think that there won’t be people that will need these benefits? I suppose that the argument could be made that it may have to be improved … but that’s a Christmas present that I wouldn’t bank on.
Why is that the Republicans want to make the Bush tax cuts permanent but not the nutrition programs ?
I suspect that the reason relates to projecting budgets in the future … if the expenditures fall off in 2012, then the argument could be made that the government will not need to collect taxes to support the program.
Posted by: MinnesotaCentral | December 24, 2007 at 05:16 PM